Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Tuesday July 18, 2006 - Year 4, Day 119 - make a difference or stay home
11C/52F, overcast, the lagoon brimming as Gusta studies a dozen of this year's ducklings - no parents in sight - paddling around aimlessly exercising those tiny flippers, not wandering far from home
what made that happen, what made us see, why were we there to see it, what explains this?:
last night we had a great critter sighting up close; Gusta, nose pressed against the patio door screen, was riveted by a pale young buck with velvety antlers nibbling leaves on the apple tree – we watched him browse for about 15 minutes, then he ambled across the road to the lagoon; then my daughter Krista called – mostly to talk about her new car – but she called to talk, in the middle of a West Wing re-run I had not seen before; we talked about the car – what could be better than that?
this day – like every day, like yesterday, brings nothing to the table; each day without personality, motivation; it is has no benevolence or malice; it brings another revolution of the earth – nothing more
what makes this day great vis-à-vis any other? every morning we have a choice – to be relevant, to make a difference or to stay home
whether reading morning papers or history books, July 18 can be special or horrid; depending on which side of the world we are on, which side of the fence or which side of a situation; sadly life & our world is competitive, combative & populated by too many mean spirited & hateful folks; is it better to be on the right side, fight the better fight, or just be on the might side; or better still, to avoid conflict altogether?
sometimes we need to stay in a tough situation; not because we make a difference to the situation, but because it makes a difference to us
I have a breakfast meeting with a dear friend - 25+ years now - he is troubled; all I can tell him is what I believe; all I can do is hold up a mirror to help him see himself & to listen
my advice - to him - to me - to you is this: not all fights are ours to win or to fight in - sometimes we need to separate ourselves from the problems of others; we should stay in the fight if we can truly make a measurable difference to someone, to the world or to ourselves, or we can stay home
gotta run to that breakfast meeting
Mark
what made that happen, what made us see, why were we there to see it, what explains this?:
last night we had a great critter sighting up close; Gusta, nose pressed against the patio door screen, was riveted by a pale young buck with velvety antlers nibbling leaves on the apple tree – we watched him browse for about 15 minutes, then he ambled across the road to the lagoon; then my daughter Krista called – mostly to talk about her new car – but she called to talk, in the middle of a West Wing re-run I had not seen before; we talked about the car – what could be better than that?
this day – like every day, like yesterday, brings nothing to the table; each day without personality, motivation; it is has no benevolence or malice; it brings another revolution of the earth – nothing more
what makes this day great vis-à-vis any other? every morning we have a choice – to be relevant, to make a difference or to stay home
whether reading morning papers or history books, July 18 can be special or horrid; depending on which side of the world we are on, which side of the fence or which side of a situation; sadly life & our world is competitive, combative & populated by too many mean spirited & hateful folks; is it better to be on the right side, fight the better fight, or just be on the might side; or better still, to avoid conflict altogether?
sometimes we need to stay in a tough situation; not because we make a difference to the situation, but because it makes a difference to us
I have a breakfast meeting with a dear friend - 25+ years now - he is troubled; all I can tell him is what I believe; all I can do is hold up a mirror to help him see himself & to listen
my advice - to him - to me - to you is this: not all fights are ours to win or to fight in - sometimes we need to separate ourselves from the problems of others; we should stay in the fight if we can truly make a measurable difference to someone, to the world or to ourselves, or we can stay home
gotta run to that breakfast meeting
Mark
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