Giddy-up!

What kind of cuteness do we have here?

     http://youtu.be/WeqGy69IZJA

We don’t often see a pony and a zebra 1.) hanging out together and 2.) trotting down Main St. USA.  According to news reports, the two animals shared a pen. When the caretaker left the gate open and turned his back, the chums seized the opportunity to slip out. I can imagine their conversation:

Zebra: We’re free! Where do ya want to go?

Pony:   I know a little place down the road that sells top-notch barley ice cream.

Zebra: Giddy-up, bud! I’m right behind ya!

If a zebra and a pony can share a friendship, why can’t an amicable relationship develop between democrats and republicans? I hear a lot of discussion about a “fiscal cliff.” If politicians would hunker down and negotiate a plan, we might avoid falling over the edge.  After they solidify a deal, maybe the president will take everyone out for ice cream. I hope they hurry back to work because the government still has a boatload of problems to solve.

How about giving our elected officials a hand? Every little bit helps. What one thing could we, as individuals and members of a community, do to get the country on the right track?       

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The Real Formula for Going, Doing and Being

Short-cuts are over-rated, especially in this area. What’s the point of taking one or two quick back roads if I’m still late?  Last week, I stopped at the grocery store, headed across town, then traveled forty minutes south—not an easy feat in eight a.m. rush hour traffic. I ran into road construction and delays at every turn. Okay, I confess. The real problem started when I left the house late and tried to make up the time by dodging streets with stop lights and traffic.  The rushing and the stress taught me a lesson. The moral of the story is: When you promise to bring snacks and beverages to an event, buy them the night before. Despite the hard lessons learned, why do we insist on taking the short-cut? This guy has a point:

                                       http://youtu.be/kFq1WOhTodI

Something in us strives to beat the system, to do things faster, better, sooner than ordinarily possible. We want the easy, trouble-free route without all of the twists and turns associated with growth and learning.  Instinctively, we want to skip the hassles and the hard work. Deep down, we know the real formula for going where we need to go, doing what we need to do and being who we need to be. Everybody has a formula or motto for life, what’s yours?            

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Heart Murmurings

I’m convinced it’s not too late for one more election campaign comment. In fact, this post has more to do with the 2016 election than this past one, especially since we’ve heard far too much post-election analysis already. In 2016, who assembles the questions the candidates answer in the debates? I have a question for the list, but you’ll need a little background information first.

Earlier this week, one of our kids had a mini-discovery about words. The comment was, “Tap is pat spelled backwards. This world is kooo-kky!” What!? I don’t know what led to that conclusion, but I can’t argue with it. Kids offer more insight and wisdom than we realize. For instance, let’s consider the past three months of news or just the past three weeks. Was there more kookiness in the news than usual? One of the online newspapers features a regular section on weird news and Anderson Cooper has the RidicuList. Are there that many kooky happenings? Possibly. Listen to this story:

                                        http://youtu.be/8H-u6t-QgZYeo

There’s one line in the video that grabbed me. The neighbor said, “It’s ridiculous when you look at it, but….” Focus on what follows the “but” because that’s the meat of the story. It represents the quiet murmurings of the heart where we get to hear a more logical explanation.   

Earlier I mentioned a potential question for the 2016 debates. (Drum roll) The question is: As a nation, are we kookier now than we were four years ago? Watch the candidates squirm with that one. here's toaday's question: Are we kookier now than we were in 2008? Why or why not?        

                 

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Closing the Great Divide

The leaves took forever to change color and fall off the trees this year, so I colorized our surroundings by plopping a little mum in the yard. At first the plant stood straight and tall, but after suffering a brief assault from Hurricane Sandy’s wind and rain, half of the flower’s stems slouched sideways causing a split right down the plant’s middle.

Does this description sound like a metaphor for the country’s condition? As our battle-weary candidates awaited polling results, pundits debated about how voter choices underscored our nation’s political split. In the ballrooms where the term “haves and have-nots” took on new meaning, reporters captured the contrast between the party supporters’ expressions. While the haves celebrated and shouted for joy, the have-nots shed tears of disappointment and disbelief. In anticipation of a new presidential term, let’s put divisions behind us and focus on unity and cooperation. Take a look at how these people march to the same beat:

                                     http://youtu.be/s-poQaPPJbQ

It is possible to work together, even when it feels like we’re going in opposite directions. How does the country reconcile and move forward? Who or what will stand in the gap to close the great divide(s) that threaten our society?                       

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The Perfect Gift

Once upon a time (Oct. 2012) an award-winning author, Kathi Macias, published Unexpected Christmas Hero, a book about a homeless war vet who becomes a hero for a fatherless family.  The book’s cover features Willard Parker, an actual homeless man who has a story of his own. Some years back, Mr. Parker lost contact with his family and now he very much wants to see them again. Click here to read more about Mr. Parker’s story, see his picture and possibly grant a Christmas wish by helping unite Mr. Parker with his family.  If you have information regarding the whereabouts of Parker family members, please contact Kathi Macias at ezyrtr@ca.rr.com.   

A family reunion is a wonderful gift.  With the holidays approaching, we’ll all be looking for great gifts. Here’s what some people call the perfect gift:

                                        http://youtu.be/--JmKOR8-i0

Perhaps the best gifts are the ones we give rather than receive. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs says that our primary concerns focus on obtaining food, shelter and safety before moving up the ladder to satisfy our need for love, friendship, self-esteem and creativity. Having survived Hurricane Sandy, did you feel yourself living out Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid this week? Considering all that’s happened over the last two weeks, in your opinion, what is the perfect gift?  

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