Monthly Archives: May 2016

choice and accountability

The Puzzle of Inhumanity

When I was little, we raised chickens. The bigger chicks pecked the smallest one to death, because it was different. How sad for the chick, but are humans any better? News stories abound of children who could not take the bullying another minute and have taken their own life.

I live with an historian who has studied the holocaust and World War II in order to understand the inhumane treatment of others. He hasn’t yet. Whether it was the murder of Jews, Gypsies, or the different in the holocaust, or the Japanese who mistreated American prisoners of war, or slavery, seeing photos or re-enactments of the inhumanity brings tears to my eyes. How can people treat others so badly?

Throughout history, people have identified others as “different” and taken them as slaves or used their “differences” as excuses for abuse. Whether it is gender, skin or eye color, religious beliefs, or disabilities, both physical and mental, the different person is singled out for abuse.

What about the small, the more intelligent, or the different that causes a group to perceive they are worthy only of maltreatment and persecution? From the barnyard to the schoolyard to civilized countries, it occurs.

I don’t understand it. Why would people mistreat others? Are they so unhappy or unsure of themselves they feel compelled to hurt others?

What can we do? Is it too big for the individual?

I think not.

Each time we stand up to the bullies, refuse to join the mob, or treat someone who is different better than the crowd, you stand up against inhumanity. You make a stand for goodness.

My challenge to you: Find someone this week who needs someone to stand up for them, and do it! If you find yourself in a situation where others mistreat the small or different, remove yourself from the situation or, better yet, stand up for them. See if you feel better about the situation.

Report back. Make my day.

0Shares
Freedom, Holidays

Just Another Sales Day to Shop?

Do you plan to barbecue this weekend? Picnic? Go shopping? (Stores hope you do.) Swim? It’s a holiday weekend, isn’t it? Why do we really participate in this holiday?

Wikipedia states that Memorial Day is a day to remember the people who died in service to our country as members of the Armed Forces. It originated as Decoration Day in 1868, after the Civil War. In the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate traditions were combined, creating our current day Memorial Day.

In the Memorial Days of my youth. School ended the Friday before. We remembered family members who passed on, decorating their graves with flowers. Even then, the point was not to remember those members of the military who gave their lives for us, though many of the graves we decorated were of service members. It was a day to remember our loved ones—and then go on a picnic and celebrate summer. But, I live in the west.

As the wife of a retired sailor, I think of it differently, now. I try to Memorial Day Flagsconsider those in my family’s past who gave their lives for our country. This goes back to the beginning of our country. There were family members in every conflict the United States participated in. No, not all died in the wars. But each gave a portion of their life to the battlefields. I honor them.

I challenge you to look to your personal family history. Find one, or more, who fought to maintain freedom. Next Monday, among all the other long weekend activities, spend a moment to remember that family member. Offer them a word of thanks.

I will.

0Shares
Author, Eve

Don’t Be Gloomy

20141211_163220I missed my Tuesday blog, as I was working on book 2 of my Ancient Matriarch’s series. I’m now writing about Seth’s wife, who I named Ganet (pronounced like Janet). We know little to nothing about the women whose stories I am writing, giving me leeway to create them and give them names.

As I wrote about Eve, I felt her sitting beside me, telling me her story. In many ways, I feel much the same about Ganet and the others. I know they are a product of my imagination, though it is rather weak. Only through there help can I write their stories.

So, rather than share my thoughts on things going on in this dark and gloomy world, I thought I’d share my favorite quote.

“Don’t be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. ‘Accentuate the positive.’ Look a little deeper for the good. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life.” —Gordon B. Hinkley.

Feel free to share your favorite quote with me.

0Shares
Author, choice and accountability

Help Me Decide

General wisdom suggests that in order for a blog and newsletter to gain subscriptions, the author should provide some piece of information that can be found nowhere else. My newsletter has languished with less than a hundred readers, mostly family and friends, who are interested in the publication of my first book. I thank you who are subscribers.

The cover for that first book is now available to see on the next page, “Ancient Matriarchs.” I have sent that book to my editor, again, and have rewritten about a fourth of the second book. I hope to have three ready to publish before I publish book 1, so you will have more than one book to read, and readers will not forget my books. It is coming along much faster than I expected.

I have thoughts about two short stories I could write to encourage new subscribers. You are my current readers, and would receive this story before any new subscribers.

The purpose of this post is a request for feedback. The two stories I’m thinking of are:

1. Bark and Red — a story written about the wolf pup and horse Eve’s first children bring home. Bark was rescued after his mama was killed protecting him from a serpent. Red, the horse, agreed to allow the children to ride him. This will be a story about the two of them.

2. A story about a journey taken by Eve with Adam. He tried to encourage her to stay home, but she believed she was needed. Because she traveled with Adam, Eve was able to help in an unexpected way.

Which story would you rather read? Please respond in the comments.

If you have not subscribed to my newsletter, feel free to add your email address in the small box in the upper right corner of this page, “Read my Weekly Musings. (I will keep your information private.)” to receive weekly updates.

Thanks.

0Shares
Eve, Holidays

Remembering Our Mothers

IMG_0679 (1)Mother’s Day is Sunday. I hope you plan to do something special for your mom. Not necessarily something expensive. I love it when my children remember to call me. For me, that is enough.

Mothers love to be remembered. It is nice that children remember the woman who spent 9 months carrying them withing their bodies. As the child grows, love grows. We moms spend those 9 months waiting to meet the baby. We knew you will be that amazing child we hoped for, regardless of any challenges you bring with you. I have yet to meet a mom of a disabled or challenged child who is not in love with that child.

When I think of mothers, after my own, I think of our first mother, Eve. She gave up Eden, a true paradise, to have a family. We know of two commandments given to her and her sweet husband—1) to multiply and replenish the earth and 2) to avoid eating the fruit on the tree of knowledge of good and evil. These seemed to be competing commands, as she could not have children in Eden, nor could she leave Eden to have children without eating that fruit and receiving the change brought about it. I don’t believe she understood this problem, as she and Adam were innocent.

No one knows how long they were in Eden. It doesn’t matter. Ultimately, she made the choice to eat the fruit, which allowed her body to make the necessary changes to have children and multiply. It was their decision to leave, to be ejected, so they could have children.

Children were important to this world, and they still are. We, as a people who love our earth, must stand for our children. We want them to be happy, to have good educations, to have a good life. These have been desired and hoped for through all of time, since Eve. We have to do all we can to help them achieve these things.

Unseen forces fight to destroy our children. They are evidenced by abortions, same sex marriages, loss of educator ability to meet the needs of our children in the classroom, addictions, and our depressed economy. We as parents and grandparents should do all we can to support our children against these challenges. Support your teachers as they try to teach your children in a way that will best meet their needs. Hope for, and do all you can, to help our country get out of the financial and employment depression. Be watchful for addictive behaviors. Help our children.

Things today are bad, and have been throughout the history of this earth. All those problems seem to be multiplying and compounding. Each year is like an earthquake in its scale of intensity where each decimal point doubles the intensity. Challenges and problems our children face, including addictions, intensify in a similar manner.

What can we do? Is there a way you can support the children and others in your life? Hold them close, love them, and remember your mothers.

0Shares