A Condition of the Heart

Hello, fellow bloggers!

I pray this finds you healthy and wealthy and wise - and if not all that, then at minimum, filled with joy!

As I observe the unrest which abounds in our nation today, and hear the rhetoric that pits one person against another, I am saddened and dismayed. Those of us who have been blessed to live in such an amazing country as the United States seem to have lost so much of the very principles of our founding fathers (and if you don’t believe this is an amazing country, leave it for awhile, and likely when you return it will be with a sense of gratitude that runs deeper than you ever imagined). Our history is rich with stories of those who sacrificed to give us a “better life.” These stories included immigrants who came here via Ellis Island, who worked hard to become proud citizens of our great nation (sweet land of liberty). Men and women who gave their lives to form unions that protected young children from working in sweat factories, with long hours, no breaks and little pay. Families who stayed together through thick and thin, because they made a commitment and kept it, regardless of how they felt. (Remember, One Nation, Under God, Indivisible…) Everyday people who went to church, raised their children to be respectful, and reinforced the importance of morals and values that were the foundation of the land that I love. I can't help wonder, what those folks would say were they to revisit America today. My expectation is that they would be shocked, disheartened and dismayed.

Today, stories of corporate greed abound, and there is a lot of truth to these stories. But honestly, this type of greed has always been and always will be. But today, I see another form of greed growing in our midst, and it is every bit as ugly. That greed is the one that says, “I am entitled to ….” Really? And how is that so and how did this happen? My grandpa, whose body was riddled with arthritis, climbed down the front porch steps on his hands and knees to go to work, and he would not consider staying home because he had a family to take care of. My parents worked and paid for hospitalization and they paid for doctor’s visits. My parents, and I for that matter, worked at not very glamorous jobs to provide for our families, and we were grateful for the opportunity. We were thankful for the health to be able to work. My husband and I have been grateful for the opportunity to go to college, to earn our degrees and have a better life and we never once considered not paying our student loan money back.

OK, now wait a minute – I think I may have heard a few words in this last paragraph that may hint at what has changed. Did I hear the words THANKFUL and GRATEFUL? And how about OPPORTUNITY and COMMITMENT? Hmmm, could these words, perhaps foreign to our culture today, be a huge hint as to what has changed? And where have these changes taken place? I believe what has changed is the condition of our hearts. Greed and a sense of “I deserve” whatever – fill in the blanks – have permeated and changed the face of our country, and not for the better. And each of us is missing out because of it. There is a tremendous sense of fulfillment to know that, at the end of the day, we have done our part, worked hard and earned our way. Or to dream of and plan for our heart’s desire and then see it manifested in our lives.

So if we choose to, how can we correct this unhealthy direction, this condition of the heart? I say, do not look around and try to figure out what is wrong with those around us and what they did or didn’t do for us, but rather, the best thing we can do is look to ourselves and to our own hearts; to be thankful and work hard and look for the opportunites that abound. Because if we don't, unrest will increase, and as the eloquent Pogo once said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Too Blessed to Be Stressed!

Hello!
It is Sunday evening, the end of a beautiful weekend in the Cleveland area. The weekend has consisted of two magnificent fall days, when the leaves on the trees are changing to shades of red and orange and gold, and the sky is that breathtaking shade of blue that we only see in autumn. And the sun - so high in the sky and so full and golden and bright in the day, turns the evening sky into a panorama of colors that range from shades of purple and pink and orange to deep, dark shades of blue!
There are always so many things that "need to be done," and it would have been quite easy to spend precious time tending to those "important tasks." But I am so glad I chose to enjoy the beauty that surrounds me, rather than to do all of those “necessary things.” So instead of stressing to “get stuff done,” I spent my time having dinner with a dear young couple who are celebrating their newly announced engagement! I spent time with my husband, my best friend, just enjoying his company! He and I took long drives, looking at the changing colors, and embracing the beauty that surrounds us. We took time to be thankful for the amazing life we have been so blessed to share for many years. These are the lasting things, the important things, the eternal things, the "making memories" things in life.
You know I could have chosen to tend to all of those stressful, seemingly important tasks, and I would be perhaps a little better prepared for the week ahead. But you know what? This week will come and go with its many things that need to be done, but I am happy with my choice, for I now have memories that I will cherish and carry with me forever…..