One Year Later

I must say this is the precise reason I have yet to tell anyone I know about this blog, well, beyond my wife. I know my own weakness in enthusiastically committing myself to something prematurely while the idea is still new and alluring. Maybe I should just tell everyone about it, and then I would feel obligated to make it a habit. I don't really like that idea either.

But a similar thought was the spark that sent me back here. A Facebook friend of mine has been clamoring for weeks now about creating her own blog. A few days ago the news of its emergence hit the "feed". She gave it a full-blown introduction, citing her inspirations and thanking all those that encouraged her a long the way...I felt it was rather silly. I know she's just excited, and I should leave it at that without being overly critical.

My wife and I were talking about it and continued to share our general Facebook thoughts with each other. Neither of us are prolific posters of any kind on social media. In fact, I think we'd both prefer to do away with it if we didn't feel like we'd be so out of the social loop given the primary means of communication it's become.

Anyhow, I think I've wished six people "happy birthday" this past year and called it a day. Maybe people have forgotten about me or assume I don't have anything good or noteworthy to share with the world. I'm fine with that. I have to say I'm a little more focused on my immediate reality rather than a pristine online impression I could easily spend hours doctoring up. I'm glad my dear wife thinks the same way.

So...to my kids: Facebook isn't real. Yes, it's great to be connected with friends and family. It can be a loving act to leave kind words on your friend's page. It's exciting to watch people you know grow and change. But don't ever view Facebook as a benchmark from which to compare yourself to others. Know that many people are proudly displaying their best foot forward while the other is often stuck in the mud. It would be quite easy to think some people are living perfect lives. I'd humbly submit that perhaps the people seeking the most validation are the least happy behind the screen.

My point is that you shouldn't bother with giving people the impression of your good life. Make your own good life and spend time living it, not advertising it! A radio host I listen to recently proposed a challenge to his listeners that resonated with me. He asked them, if in one week's time you had to give proof of your life, what would it look like? I've been giving myself the same challenge every week since. If I can't look back and measure positive accomplishment in terms of productivity or enhancing the lives of others, then I'm not meeting the mark in my book. And I know I've never felt accomplished by spending a great deal of time on social media.

So forget the internet and focus on real work, on real interactions with others, on building something, on reading, running, writing, self-study, and charity. Give a darn about improving your character and helping others. Trust me, you will know your own worth. Don't waste a second trying to prove it to someone else.

Love,
Dad

"We're high on the adrenaline of feeling, even though we know it's fleeting and evanescence. And we're getting worse - checking texts and emails and Facebook every five minutes, always searching for that next hit of feeling, that next morsel of approval." - Deborah Meyer

The Real Cost of Black Friday

It seems no days are protected from materialism anymore; not even Thanksgiving. My wife and I tried to run by the grocery store Thursday morning to pick up a few things we wanted to bring to our gathering later in the day. I was pleasantly surprised that the grocery store was closed for the day. I don't mind giving up Pabst Blue Ribbon if it means that a grocery chain putting their workers' families ahead of profit.

With that being said, this year some stores are opening earlier than usual to take advantage of the busiest shopping day in the year. After leaving the grocery store, we passed by the big box toy store. While the store was closed, that didn't stop people from lining up outside of it. At two o'clock in the afternoon. On Thanksgiving.

Presumably these people are buying gifts for other people, which means they family and friends to give them to. This also means they chose the line outside the toy store over that family gathering. Perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to judge. Maybe they had an early celebration or there was some other mitigating circumstance that made their presence there not totally ridiculous. Even so, I can't imagine that on a day that is meant to be spent reflecting on all that we have, that some people would spend it in anticipation of getting more. No toy is worth twelve hours, and it makes me think about what I would have missed.

I would have missed going to Thanksgiving day mass with my beautiful wife and spending that time with a congregation that shares our values. I realized how thankful I am for my faith.

I would have missed the husband and wife that renewed their wedding vows on their 60th anniversary. I realized how thankful I am for my wife and the love we share.

I would have missed listening to the choir that I normally poke fun at because of their unorthodox song selections. I realized how thankful I am that they are leading the songs and I am not.

I would have missed seeing our baby kick through my wife's bump for the first time. I realized how thankful I am for tiny miracles.

I would have missed the nice drive complemented by radio Christmas music to our friend's place. I realized how thankful I am that, a thousand miles from home, we had a place to go.

I would have missed laughing at Mark Sanchez run into his own teammate's behind and fumble the football. I realized how thankful I am for laughter shared with friends.

I would have missed the absolute feast that our friends prepared for us. I realized how thankful I am that the toughest decision I had all day was in deciding what delicious dish not to stuff myself with.

 I would have missed the back rub my wife gave me when I came down with an awful headache. God knows I wouldn't have gotten such service from the guy behind me at the toy store. I realized how thankful I am for the subtle ways she says "I love you."

I would have missed the smiles and joy of good company. You know, the sort of things that keep a person going. The sort of things that money can never buy. Needless to say, I am convinced there are only two lines worth entering on Thanksgiving: Holy Communion and pumpkin pie.

"O Lord, who lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness." - Shakespeare

The Article Responsible

I have to give PETA credit as the catalyst for this blog. I guess it's the one good thing (I'm hoping) that has come from the organization. As I sorted through the news headlines on a typical morning before work, I came across this this gem. Below are a few segmented quotes from the article, and at the end I'll fill you in on the context.

"...I am asking you to consider other living beings who are ridiculed, belittled, and treated as if their sentience, feelings, and very natures count for nothing,"

"...they are not guilty of anything other than being born into a world of prejudice."

By themselves you might guess they were from an organization fighting on behalf of marginalized social groups that might include the disabled, minorities, or even the unborn. In fact it's uncanny how the language used parallels that of the pro-life cause. Well, if you thought any of those things, you are wrong. The article is entitled "PETA asks Obama to skip 'outdated' Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony".

Yes, the subject of this desperate plea to the President is the common turkey. Leave it to PETA to attempt to ruin a fun-spirited national tradition, as small as it might be, in the name of a 'much higher cause'. It's interesting that pro-life Christians are portrayed as radicals when this sort of nonsense is going on.

The author of the letter, Ingrid Newkirk, is responsible for a few other dandy quotations:
"The smallest form of life, even an ant or a clam, is equal to a human being."
 "Six million Jews died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughter houses."

Those are some real compelling comparisons. Golly, who wouldn't want to follow this guy?

I guess at the end of the day you just have to chuckle at stuff like this. It's much too absurd to get worked up about, and I hope most people see it as such.

"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion is already born." - Ronald Reagan