We Need Much Less Than We Think We Need

We need much less than we think we need. 

I love this quote from the late poet, civil rights activist and author Maya Angelou. It seems especially pertinent at this time of year, now that the endless ads and commercials for "the perfect gift" have overtaken the airwaves. 

Stores set up their Christmas displays in August. The pressure to spend...spend...spend is on despite a faltering economy and sky high prices. Food pantries are seeing record numbers of people seeking help to feed themselves and their families.

So I think Angelou's words should be a timelyreminder to Americans that as a nation, we are relatively well off. Still, times are really tough right now, and far too many of us are struggling to pay for groceries and housing. My cost of living increase for 2026 will be 2 percent, while the inflation rate is 3 percent. I guess I am lucky to get a cost of living ajustment at all.

I have finished my Christmas shopping. My daughter requested a slow cooker and a set of good knives. I bought a couple of toys (including an educational tablet) for my grandson. And that's it. I have been sending modest donations to my favorite charites over the past month or so. I took three bags of groceries to drop off at the police department's annual food drive. 

I did buy a new coat for myself recently. Cold weather really makes me suffer, so although I have a couple of winter coats, the one I bought yesterfay is particularly warm. It was on sale, and I had a 30 percent off coupon. So how could I resist? I seldom treat myself to new things, and I will wear this coat this when I set out on the first dog walk of the morning. Winter is just beginning, and I know I will gete a lot of use from this coat. So I don't feel bad about my purchase.

I live in a modest house that has no mortgage. My car is a 2021 model, and it is paid for. My refrigerator and my pantry are stuffed. My dogs are happy and healthy. I have good medical insurance and a decent retirement income.

So I have all I need. And that is a pretty good feeling.

 

World Kindness Day

Today is World Kindness Day, celebrated every year on this day since 1998.

This year this country needs a daily dose of kindness more than ever.

I believe all of us should practice kindness every day, not just on a single day. But this is a good reminder of the importance of kindness every day. Being kind doesn't take massive amounts of money or materials. It can be as simple as a smile or a warm 'hello'. It can mean paying for the coffee drink of the person behind us in line. I like to complement people I see walking their dogs in my neighborhood by calling our "What a beautiful dog" or "Your dog has a gorgeous coat." I have yet to meet someone walking a dog who doesn't appreciate a complement. 

Complements should be sincere and they should be specific. I once told a cashier at the grocery store where I shop that I really liked her Native American style jacket. Her response was a joking "You can't have it!"

I have three T-shirts that say "Be kind to everyone" on the front. I'm not much of a T-shirt person, but I think these shirts are a simple reminder to be kind. Sometimes "I like that color or that jacket or whatever on you' is all it takes to brighten someone's mood.

We live in a nation where political leaders are quick to hurl insults to anyone who challenges them or their statements. People are insulted as being stupid or dumb or communists. Women and members of minority groups are singled out for attack.

I believe each of us has the ability to be kind and to make kindness a part of our daily lives.

I Dream of The Day

 I dream of the day when I won't get up in the morning and wonder what the demented president of the United States has done or said overnight that is embarrassing or insulting. 

I dream of the day when I can check my social media and not see a post or a photo about the bloated orange tyrant filling my pages. 

I dream of the day when Americans will be treated with respect and honesty by members of their government. 

I dream of the day when we don't have to rely on the courts to force the government to do the right thing, such as providing food and healthcare and other rights to citizens in need.

I dream of the day when both major political parties will set aside their differences, negotiate and work for the benefit of the American people, not for themselves, not for their political party.

I dream of the day when the American president seeks peace throughout the world, rather than picking fights with other nations.

I dream of the day when the American government and its top officials actually follow and defend the US Constitution.

I dream of the day when the United States is no longer the laughing stock of the world.

I dream of the day when people around the globe once again view the United States as a country to be admired  and as a symbol of hope.

I dream of the day when visitors to the US, whether here legally or not, no longer fear for their safety.

I dream of the day when public lands are no longer for sale, and when the office of the president is above reproach and not for sale to the highest bidder.

I just hope I live long enough to see these things some true again.

Staying Sane In An Insane World

It's not easy to remain sane in this crazy country that is teetering on the edge of dictatorship.

It's a daily, sometimes hourly, struggle to maintain my sanity. Luckily I have a few things that keep me from going over the edge. 

Exercise is important. I walk each of my dogs a mile every morning. Sometimes I go for a walk by myself as well. I usually walk between 4 and 5 miles each day.

Photography is a great release. Yesterday afternoon the clouds in the beautiful New Mexico sky were fascinating, so I grabbed my camera and took a walk in the neighborhood. Looking at images of beautiful places I have visited is a wonderful escape as well. This morning I enjoyed looking at gorgeous images of Yosemite National Park.

Reading is something I have enjoyed since I was a young child. I still read a lot, particularly biographies and historical fiction.

I spent my career working with the news media as a public affairs specialist for a non-profit organization and for a federal agency. So I am a bit of a news junkie. But today's news is too distressing, so I limit my consumption to one local news broadcast and one national news broadcast each day. I follow up with something that won't distress me.

I recently started working on improving my diet, eating less and consuming more healthful foods. It's too early to tell the impact of this self-improvement project, but I have dropped a couple of pounds.

What things do you do to maintain your sanity?

There Is No Common Ground.

For years, Democrats have tried to find common ground with their Republican opponents.

But increasingly, Republicans have made it abundantly clear that there is no common ground. The recently uncovered group chat by a bunch of young Republicans made it abundantly clear that Republicans are nothing more than a bunch of racist, misogynist, hateful, sexist, anti-gay bigots.why are television reporters always looking at their phones during their reports

What kind of common ground is there with people like this? Short answer: none. There is no common ground. 

I have nothing in common with anybody who treats women like second class citizens, who is anti-gay, who is racist, who believes in taking rights away from women. I also find no common ground with anybody who supports a would be dictator. What possible common ground could there be?

Today No Kings marches were held in more than 2,500 locations across the United States, everywhere from huge cities to small towns. Many people are unhappy with the current regime and its disregard of our Constitution and our laws. 

I am not optimistic that's a current regime will do anything other than criticize and mock those who took part in these marches. I do, however, believe that today's March shows that the sleeping giant of Americans who love their country is beginning to awaken.

Sticks and Stones

Let's talk about words. 

As a writer, I love words. I love finding just the right word for the situation. I love seeing how changing a single word can change the meaning and sense of a paragraph or sentence. 

I once had an argument with a guy on a trip about the use, and usefulness, of the Oxford comma. If you're not familiar with the Oxford comma, look it up. He would not let it go. At one point he wold me "Why don't you just admit that you're wrong?" I told him I wasn't wrong and I wasn't going to admit to being wrong. 

The argument continued for two days in our van. What this guy apparently didn't understand, or wouldn't admit, is this: There isn't really a right or wrong answer. It's a matter of interpretation, preference and training. As a professional public affairs officer for the federal govenment, I followed the guidance of the AP Stylebook. We did not use the Oxford comma. There is no right or wrong answer. It depends on which style guide the writer is following. As long as it is used or not used consistently, everything is fine.

Now back to words: Here are some words that too often are missing in our country:

Respect. Kindness. Empathy. Generosity. Honesty. Helpfulness. Morality. Compassion. Thoughtfulness. Community. Serenity. Gratitude. Generosity.

Aren't these great words? Aren't these attributes those to which we should aspire? 

Apparently not. Our society as a whole is sorely lacking in these 13 attributes. Instead, we live in a society marked by division, selfishness, immorality, greed, hatred and many other negative attributes. We live in a country where the highest elected officials in the nation use their words in negative, hurtful ways. Name-calling and using hateful, insulting words are the hallmark of far too many so-called leaders.

There have always been Americans who personify the worst human traits. But today's America is awash with the worst among us. Why is this? Why do members of the ruling party not only fail to work to help those they ostensibly represent, but actively work to hurt them by slashing programs that provide affordable health care and life-sustaining food? Why do they take glee in shutting down the government and threatening the jobs of tens of thousands of federal employees? Why? If there is money for a new, unnecessary ballroom in the White House, why is there no money for food or for education?

Why do people celebrate attacks on Jews or on people with skin darker than that of the white men who rule this country like a fiefdom? How can self-professed Christians act in so many ways antithetical to the teachings of the Christ they pretend to worship?   

Remember the old adage that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" That's just not true. Words can and they do hurt people. They can and they do hurt nations. Words can inflect significant emotional pain, as anybody who has been bullied will agree.

How about if we all pledge to regrain from using words that hurt?

Time To Stop The Killing

Two years ago today, the Palestinian terror group Hamas carried out a horrendous and unwarranted attack on a music festival in Israel. 

Some 1,200 innocent people, ranging from children to senior citizens, were slaughtered. The terrorists chased people down, either murdering or kidnapping them. They snatched local villagers from their houses. Countless people were taken hostage. Although many of the hostages either died in captivity or were killed by Hamas, several are still believed to be alive.

There is blame for the ongoing killing on both sides. Hamas continues to kill Jews, while Israel continues to bomb hospitals and refugee camps as it searches for Hamas fighters. Caught in the middle are the innocent people on both sides of the war.

Some hostages have been released, with Hamas getting hundreds of its imprisoned fighters returned in exchange for a handful of hostages. Surviving hostages report being abused, starved and kept in dark tunnels. Palestinians were told to evacuate their homes, and are now facing a second winter living in tents. Food is very scarce, with starvation a real possibility.

There are no winners in this war. Certainly the attacks were, and are, not justified.  Muslims live peacefully in Israel. There is no need for the slaughter. Israel has every right to defind itself. But Israeli forces seem not to care about the innocent people of Gaza they have killed.

So many innocent lives have been lost. It is past time for the killing to stop.