Everyone should be true to themselves and for me that is the biggest tie that binds to who I am and what I am about. My sobriety is a huge tie that binds because without that what do I truly have..nothing. My wife Kathy is the tie that binds me to being grounded in family and love. My friends are also a tie that binds me to the true meaning of love and family. So many ties that bind to so many things. But the ways to not feel binded by these ties are to feel free in being your true self.
With the Holidays coming up sometimes you can get lost in all the hub bub of the Holidays and in the family stuff that you loose your sense of self. Try not to get caught up in that trap. Stay true to yourself. Be your true self no matter what. Keep The Ties that Bind to those that matter to you and to yourself.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
LET'S GIVE THANKS
This weekend has been a really really sweet one for me. On Saturday my wife Kathy and I spent time with good friends old ones and new ones. We had a great time laughing, talking and eating good food. The conversations ranged from politics to family of origins and choice. The political conversation was all good and all of like minded people so it was pleasurable to engage especially after the election and having our President back in office. This afternoon was about the same. We went to lunch after our soulful and wonderful service of music and thought provokingness we met some old friends and made some new friends. Again the conversations around the table ranged from politics with like minded people to family and a whole new range of different conversations which was really nice along with some really good food.
Last night after all the different conversations were finishing up we had a group discussion about past Thanksgivings and the thoughts and feelings behind them. It was at times light hearted with laughter and sometimes it was sad with tears shed from some with loses of family and/or friends from this year. I didn't share about the death of my Dad until after the discussion was over and we were again in individual groups. A friend shared about her Dad's death which happened a few days after the death of my Dad. It is nice to have friends to share these hard and sad times with and they understand what you are going through and they love you and hold you. I give thanks for these women in my life. Kathy and I are always saying how we are all going to grow old together and that is a great feeling for me. I truly LOVE these women. These women are my family of choice.
Thanksgiving use to be my favorite holiday as a child. We use to have a huge family gathering with alot of buffet style food. It was held at my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Chucks house. When my Uncle Chuck died we stopped having Thanksgiving at my Aunt Shirley's house. Now as an adult things have changed for me and my family. Some for the better some not so much. This will be the 4th Thanksgiving that my Mom and I have been estranged. So we will not be sharing Thanksgiving with them once again. When Kathy and I had first gotten together we would divide our time between Thanksgiving dinners here and at Moms. Luckily my Mom only lives a little over an hour away and it would only be the four of us. I realize things change but sometimes it is still hard for me to comprehend not being with my Mom for the holidays. I do have Kathy's family which is a part of my family now and we have great friends to spend the holidays with. Life is still good just different.
This year Kathy's family is splitting their time in different places which is okay. Kathy's mom Nancy/Mutti is at a home for Alzheimer's and it is hard to take her anywhere because she just has a rough time riding in a car or changing any of her normal routines. So we will go visit with her after we have our Thanksgiving. Kathy and I and her brother Ralph if he is interested are thinking perhaps we will go to a soup kitchen and help with serving up some food to those less fortunate. It will be a way for us to give back and give thanks for all we have. I really like the idea.
My gratitude is overwhelming right now. I have my health back little by little. I have a roof over my head. I have a wife who truly loves me for me and I love her for who she is. I have friends and family that I know I can count on and who love me for me and I love them for who they are. Life is good at this moment in this space and in this time.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Last night after all the different conversations were finishing up we had a group discussion about past Thanksgivings and the thoughts and feelings behind them. It was at times light hearted with laughter and sometimes it was sad with tears shed from some with loses of family and/or friends from this year. I didn't share about the death of my Dad until after the discussion was over and we were again in individual groups. A friend shared about her Dad's death which happened a few days after the death of my Dad. It is nice to have friends to share these hard and sad times with and they understand what you are going through and they love you and hold you. I give thanks for these women in my life. Kathy and I are always saying how we are all going to grow old together and that is a great feeling for me. I truly LOVE these women. These women are my family of choice.
Thanksgiving use to be my favorite holiday as a child. We use to have a huge family gathering with alot of buffet style food. It was held at my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Chucks house. When my Uncle Chuck died we stopped having Thanksgiving at my Aunt Shirley's house. Now as an adult things have changed for me and my family. Some for the better some not so much. This will be the 4th Thanksgiving that my Mom and I have been estranged. So we will not be sharing Thanksgiving with them once again. When Kathy and I had first gotten together we would divide our time between Thanksgiving dinners here and at Moms. Luckily my Mom only lives a little over an hour away and it would only be the four of us. I realize things change but sometimes it is still hard for me to comprehend not being with my Mom for the holidays. I do have Kathy's family which is a part of my family now and we have great friends to spend the holidays with. Life is still good just different.
This year Kathy's family is splitting their time in different places which is okay. Kathy's mom Nancy/Mutti is at a home for Alzheimer's and it is hard to take her anywhere because she just has a rough time riding in a car or changing any of her normal routines. So we will go visit with her after we have our Thanksgiving. Kathy and I and her brother Ralph if he is interested are thinking perhaps we will go to a soup kitchen and help with serving up some food to those less fortunate. It will be a way for us to give back and give thanks for all we have. I really like the idea.
My gratitude is overwhelming right now. I have my health back little by little. I have a roof over my head. I have a wife who truly loves me for me and I love her for who she is. I have friends and family that I know I can count on and who love me for me and I love them for who they are. Life is good at this moment in this space and in this time.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
THE TIME IS NOW
The time is now for this country to come together. President Barack Obama has been elected to another term. Get over it and move on! Sure it is easy for me to say because I support our President. I feel he truly cares about moving this country forward in Education, Technology, Clean air and energy and socially. It is time for this country to stop the bickering and work together with our President and our elected congress to move us forward. We need to embrace our diversity and become a better nation for it. This country is being watched by other countries and it is not very pretty.
Already there have been messages from the Tailiban threatening our President and our country. We have got to Unite for the good of our nation and it's people. That includes Bill O'Reilly and the other Fox/Faux news cronies. It also includes folks like Donald Trump, Glen Beck and yes Rush Limbaugh who keep taunting horrible racist and bigoted statements against our President. Sure there is something called freedom of speech but with that freedom comes responsibility. We also HAVE to get religion out of government. Separation of CHURCH and STATE MUST be upheld. Religion has it's place in Church. Governing has it's place in Government not Church. You get the jest. I hope.
A friend of mine on my facebook said she was tired of the political gloating. This is NOT the time for gloating. It doesn't do any good and it is a waste of time and energy. Everyone needs to come together for the good of this/our nation!
I will close now with OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE to this our country the UNITED should not be DIVIDED States of AMERICA. Since we are diverse I will do BOTH versions.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation{indivisible/under God}, with liberty and justice for all.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Already there have been messages from the Tailiban threatening our President and our country. We have got to Unite for the good of our nation and it's people. That includes Bill O'Reilly and the other Fox/Faux news cronies. It also includes folks like Donald Trump, Glen Beck and yes Rush Limbaugh who keep taunting horrible racist and bigoted statements against our President. Sure there is something called freedom of speech but with that freedom comes responsibility. We also HAVE to get religion out of government. Separation of CHURCH and STATE MUST be upheld. Religion has it's place in Church. Governing has it's place in Government not Church. You get the jest. I hope.
A friend of mine on my facebook said she was tired of the political gloating. This is NOT the time for gloating. It doesn't do any good and it is a waste of time and energy. Everyone needs to come together for the good of this/our nation!
I will close now with OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE to this our country the UNITED should not be DIVIDED States of AMERICA. Since we are diverse I will do BOTH versions.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation{indivisible/under God}, with liberty and justice for all.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
PEOPLE DO HAVE WORTH AND DIGNITY
The message this morning at UUFR still has me thinking about the political climate and those it effects. There has been much to much mud slinging and negativity going on around here. The political TV ads and the pundits not to mention regular folk me included. I am not a Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan person and I make no bones about it. But somewhere along the way I have lost one of our UU principles which Rev. John Saxon reminded me of this morning in his message entitled God's Politics (and ours). The one principle of which I am referring to of which there are 7 reads: The inherent worth and dignity of every person.
Each and every person has inherent worth and dignity. Yes they do and to be honest no matter how hard it is for me to say this out loud or even think it so do Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Even if you don't agree with them politically they're human beings and somehow that has gotten lost atleast for me. I am not practicing my UU principles at all which is not good for this woman to do.
Words thoughts and deeds go out into the heavens on all sides of the political arena and for what it is worth I don't want to be known as the hard nosed Liberal which is what I am....but there has to be a limit and a respectful way for me to do this. I lit a candle this morning for truth and peace for the duration of this political season and beyond. I lit a candle for the hurricane Sandy victims because that is what I want to be known for is my compassion and love for human beings no matter what their politics.
Also we Unitarian Universalists of Raleigh have a covenant we live by:
*Value what unites us over those things that divide us.
*Practice patience, listen carefully, and speak our truth with compassion.
*Hold ourselves accountable for our actions and commitments, and assume good intentions on the part of others.
*Reflect carefully about the potential results of our words and actions before we express ourselves.
*Respect and support those we have chosen to lead us..our called ministers, and our professional staff.
*When differences arise, speak directly, with kindness and respect, to those with whom we disagree, and not gossip about others.
Those of you that know me know that I have a ways to go to adhere to all these covenant statements. It is a work in progress for me. All and All I know that I am a good person and I do believe that each and every person deserves respect, worth and dignity no matter how others behave all I am responsible for is myself.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Each and every person has inherent worth and dignity. Yes they do and to be honest no matter how hard it is for me to say this out loud or even think it so do Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Even if you don't agree with them politically they're human beings and somehow that has gotten lost atleast for me. I am not practicing my UU principles at all which is not good for this woman to do.
Words thoughts and deeds go out into the heavens on all sides of the political arena and for what it is worth I don't want to be known as the hard nosed Liberal which is what I am....but there has to be a limit and a respectful way for me to do this. I lit a candle this morning for truth and peace for the duration of this political season and beyond. I lit a candle for the hurricane Sandy victims because that is what I want to be known for is my compassion and love for human beings no matter what their politics.
Also we Unitarian Universalists of Raleigh have a covenant we live by:
*Value what unites us over those things that divide us.
*Practice patience, listen carefully, and speak our truth with compassion.
*Hold ourselves accountable for our actions and commitments, and assume good intentions on the part of others.
*Reflect carefully about the potential results of our words and actions before we express ourselves.
*Respect and support those we have chosen to lead us..our called ministers, and our professional staff.
*When differences arise, speak directly, with kindness and respect, to those with whom we disagree, and not gossip about others.
Those of you that know me know that I have a ways to go to adhere to all these covenant statements. It is a work in progress for me. All and All I know that I am a good person and I do believe that each and every person deserves respect, worth and dignity no matter how others behave all I am responsible for is myself.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
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