Category: Personal Reflections

On the ferry yesterday, my son and I were behind a young woman. While she walked up stairs, she was clearly uncomfortable in her very short-shorts. They were short enough that we could clearly see her lack of undergarments. Her discomfort manifested mainly by her continued pulling the edges of her shorts down. Ironically, that’s what gathered my attention, this continuous motion.

I felt bad for her discomfort. And I wonder, as I’m want to do, how we found ourselves here. Why was she compelled to wear clothes that pushed her comfort levels? Was she trying to be more attractive? Was it an unconscious choice, or conscious only to see the challenges of this fashion (and resultant discomfort) too late?  

Of course, we live in as culture where women and girls are supposed to be sexy, but not too sexy. It’s a strange and painful duality.

Life is simply too short to sit back, to let the status quo grind along. I know justice can be broadened, that poverty can be challenged, that predation amongst my fellow humans can be resisted. Small, tiny acts build, flow together, creating a river of growth, of progress. We just must act! Each action, no matter how small, grows, collects, cumulating in the amazing. Do something, stand together, do something else; it’s the path of progress.

One of my current frustrations: people groaning about youth. About them taking selfies, too self-centered, too intertwined with their families…I can make this list mammoth, if you so wish. I’ve had the privilege, though, of getting to know a number of teens and early twenty-somethings. And these are great people. I delight in spending time with them. Their energy and enthusiasm are just so damn wonderful. They have ambitions, dreams. They’re deeply talented and CARE about their work.

The universe is in good hands with them. I’m happy.

[Updated to deal with autocorrect brutalities. For a professional writer, this was abysmal.]

I’ll see Mr. Hardy speak this Tuesday. Should be interesting. I’ve heard a bit about him, but haven’t explored his ideas in depth. I’m curious how practical his ideas are, and what I will take away. Stay tuned…

Shows today about priest rapists, about brutality in Egypt, North Korea, about myriad acts of horror all over the globe. I’m left to wonder if humanity can be redeemed? Can we stop this cycle of evil? I’m laden with doubt.

Yet, within me, a kernel of hope. I see the words of journalists attempting to bring attention, to garner global pressure. There are the activists, often risking their lives, both in responding to the human need as well as to work against the monstrosity. Then there’s the rising voice of public outrage, if for only a brief time. So much evil, so limited our ability to look. So easy to return our gaze to the pretty.

I, too, become worn by continual viewing of the worst humanity has to offer. Yet I hope, somehow, by continuing to care, the world might change, if ever so slightly. And perhaps, someday, humanity’s tendency to brutalize each other will finally be put to rest.

Years ago, I was quite facile with styli. I took meeting bits several times in my Palm, even with the cryptic survival script. As I evolved to Blackberry, then to iPhone, my utilization of styli vanished. Now, though, I see a renewed interest in these devices. There’s become quite the secondary market growing. I’ve found, especially with tools like Swype, styli really enable a significantly greater efficiency. And this is fun for me.

I have one by Zagg, which is good, but small. Then I just got a NEBO one, with more heft. That seems to really help my accuracy. There are so many more, though. We’ll see which, if any, rise to the top.

“Back in the day”, after a wave of nausea, or a fever, etc, you needed to loudly groan, whimper, or whatever you could muster for assistance. “Honey, please bring me a wet washcloth/towel/undertaker”. With cell phones, you can now text your wife/spouse/mom “please bury my corpse to the left of the roses but not over the septic tank” without expending much energy at all. 

Watching footage of WWII’s end gives me pause. I grew up in a world which pooh-poohed the Nazis, yet forgetting we’re looking through hindsight. It’s so easy to denounce their sympathizers, as well as those who failed to act.  I expect, though, that many Dutch or French or Norse who went along with things simply thought they were doing the best they could. Were any of these folks punished? It’s hard to feel sympathy for those who turned families over to the Gestapo who were then brutalized, but what about the restauranteur who befriended a German officer?  What about the German soldier who couldn’t care less about National Socialism, but like so many in my family, thought he was serving his country?

Then I turn this personal. The person I am would never have been part of the gleeful followers. But that’s only part off the equation. Knowing how things turn out, it’s easy to say “I would resist”. But, at that moment, in the madness that was Nazi Germany, or one the occupied countries, would I have had the bravery of a Bonhoeffer? Or would I have, politely, gone about my business, too afraid to speak? Perhaps simply hoping/waiting for the world to pivot back the other direction? I doubt I would’ve had the courage to speak out. Perhaps to quietly serve in the underground. From what I see, most of us suffer from risk aversion. Doing something that, not only puts our health and safety at risk, but our family’s as all? Starts to become harder to imagine.

I look and think those who did quiet acts of resistance, hiding Jews in their basement, forgetting about the car full of resistance fighters you just saw, passing along news, radio parts… This list goes on. Maybe but as glorious add some, but critical, really. It was the critical mass of these acts, ultimately, that fully ends these conflicts.