8 1/2 x 11

Take an 8½” x 11” sheet of paper. What will you write on it? Or scribble, or draw, or sketch? Or will you reproduce a Jan Van Eck, or fold it into a paper airplane or a work of origami? Or maybe crumple it into a ball for some rainy-day in-house fútbol.

If this 8½ x 11 sheet of paper symbolized your life what would you do with it? Not that life is all that two dimensional; it certainly is not. But if that sheet of paper could represent your life, what would you do with it? Many people let others write the paper of their life, giving up control, often capriciously. Some allow others to crumple them up into a little ball and kick them around for their entire life. What a tragic waste. More tragic are those who choose to write nothing…, absolutely nothing. They merely accept whatever comes their way.

Fortunately, there are enough of us who strive to make something of our life; to plan, create, design, and make a difference while we still have breath. Some of us are successful in business and accumulate mass fortunes. Their ability to make a difference on this planet is truly on a global scale. Their fortunes have helped the less fortunate rise to greater expectations for centuries. They deserve our thanks & praises. Others choose to serve humanity among unknown communities in the most neglected, war ravaged, impoverished places on earth. Their wealth is of a different nature. They will write the paper of their life to make just as much a difference as those who accumulate wealth; but their 8½ x 11 sheet will carry the names of those who our world will never notice…, except for the one person who came to them and cared. God, too, might notice.

As you continue to fill in the lines of your 8½ x 11 sheet of life (or paint & sculpt it) what will you write? If there are some lines already written you wish you could erase…, they cannot be. We have all written life-lines we pray no one else will ever read.

But we can choose to change the plot; to begin a new storyline, to start a new chapter that shifts the direction of our life away from ourselves and onto making a difference.

Allow me to leave you with a quote from George Bernard Shaw (Irish playwright, 1856-1950).

This is the joy of life:
Being used up for a purpose
recognized by yourself as a mighty one;
being a force of nature
instead of a feverish little clot of
ailments and grievances,
complaining that the world will not devote itself
to making you happy.

Now, back to writing,

Gary

knots

Most of us spend a good part of our lives untangling knots. Marriage knots, business knots, financial knots, teenage knots, new baby knots, change of location knots, unfulfilled dream knots, depression knots, communication knots, engineering knots, philosophical knots…, and the list goes on and on. I just stayed in a friend’s guest house and had to untangle the window blind knots to get them to work properly. Unless you are a problem solver by nature (and some of us are) knots are frustrating.

More often than knot (sorry) disentangling life’s’ knots ties us up in knots. Our stomach churns, gut tightens, heart beats faster, emotions are on edge; and we live inside a silent tension between turbulence and resolve. Yet externally, as far as others are able to see, we are an image of a peaceful garden on a warm summer day. Or maybe not. Deep knots move from our insides to tie us up inside and out. That makes other people r-e-a-l-l-y worried. Nonetheless, life’s knots + stomach knots = a really bad feeling of being out of control.

Let’s look at that control issue a bit. There are many times throughout our lives where we are, truly, NOT in control. We either lose control, others have or take control over us, especially in employment situations, or we have no idea as to how to maintain or regain control. The place to start is not with words or actions that demand we be given control once again but rather how we deal with not being in control.

It becomes a matter of trust, safety, and confidence. If you always panic at every situation, you need to take hold of yourself.  Learn to stop the panic or it will kill you. That is when establishing a modicum of trust is critical. Not that you necessarily trust those who lord their control over you, but rather that you learn to trust in the God who made you. He does, after all, have your best interest at heart. Safety starts there, in the arms of God, then moves to confidence. If you have a sense that God is in control, you can rest more comfortably that you do not need to be. True, you need to exercise your abilities within your area of expertise, within your confidence level; but if your confidence is in your own skills, your own abilities, exclusively, WATCH OUT! You are headed for a fall.

Many of our inner knots are indeed products of the plethora of knots we endeavor to untangle in our daily lives and work. But dare I say that many of the knots, internal and external, could be untied if we just learned how to trust in the God who made us. Maybe we need a bumper-sticker that reads—

Live responsibly— Trust God

Ergo, knots untangled. Jus’ sayin’.

Have a nice week,

Gary

Shifting Gears

Petar Milošević

Nooooooo. This is not another one of my tales where I somehow manage to sneak in a stealthy connection to the Bugatti Veyron. I am not THAT devious. Mostly. But it is an argument for the need we all have to shift gears every now and then. So many of us get stuck in a rut—working 24/7, never stopping, or working 9-5, coming home & wasting our evenings in mindless wonders. Others of us work hard to play hard. Then there those of us who just settle; whatever comes along next is what we follow. Some of us fall into a seasonal pattern—last vacation, pre-vacation, vacation, & next vacation; we work to build up a bundle of $$$ to play next year.

The point is that we rarely take a breath long enough to look at the broad brush strokes across the journey of life. For some of us our journey is like a carriage ride—we cruise along steadily, calmly, enjoying life’s scenery, letting the horse set our life’s pace. For a few of us, the journey is more like the German Autobahn, where life (& Veyron’s) know NO speed limits. We are determined to get ahead no matter what. But for others, the journey is like a Ferris Wheel at the County Fair; we allow our life simply to go round and round, having both highs and lows, then we go round again.

Whatever your life pattern, wouldn’t it make sense to take at least a little control and consciously shift gears every now and then? To some degree all of us can grab hold of life’s gear shift and make conscious efforts to pick it up a little when the pressure is on, or to slow it down to take those much needed breaks. To not do so is to feed the flames of fatigue, burn-out, decreased productivity, and shattered relationships.

Shifting gears, though, just doesn’t happen. None of us has the luxury of an automatic-journey. We are designed to be actively involved in directing and redirecting our lives, much like a certain car I will not mention. NOT to steer your life leads invariably to a certain crash. And with the many twists and turns in life’s roadways we are going to have to do a substantial amount of steering, slowing down at the curves, pulling over for refueling, and speeding up on those straightaways!

Shifting gears is a lot more work than driving through life on automatic: and it’s a lot more fun, too.

Okay, I’m not that strong after all. Grrr !

Have a nice week,

Gary

Garvyn Araneae

Allow me to introduce you to one of my closest friends. His name is Garvyn Araneae. I met Garvyn earlier this past Spring as he set up shop amidst our lilacs & sprouting maples. What drew me to Garvyn was his industriousness, constantly working on building a safe place for his future family. No matter the weather, Garvyn spun his web feverously. I was up late one night (2 a.m.) and found him still hard at work. I was truly impressed with his persistence—never tiring, never giving up, even when winds and rain destroyed part of his domain he would repair it and continue with further building.

Garvyn waited patiently for the daily deliveries of food. Some days there would be little; other days, none;  but then there were those incredible days when so many back-orders arrived, seemingly all at once, that he had to work late into the night to wrap it up for storage and safe-keeping. He knew that he had to be prepared for the arrival of his family; he would need LOTS of fresh food. Well, sorta fresh. So, with a somewhat weary whistle, he would toil into the night, preparing for his beloved.

It was following a thunderstorm, as we both stood in awe at the glory of a rainbow, that Garvyn asked me a question. “I know that, like us, humans work hard hours to make their lives secure. But do they stop, like you and me right now, to wonder at the majesty of God’s rainbows?” I was hard-pressed to answer him. I tried to explain how humans had evolved to a place where work had become all consuming, where consuming had consumed us, to the point that we rarely noticed rainbows anymore, let alone God. Rainbows, creation and God had become fleeting fantasies for us. We no longer gave much time to the deeper magic of life.

Garvyn looked at me sympathetically, sadly. A tear fell to mingle with the rain-drops on his web. I didn’t know if it was his…, or mine.

Have a nice day,

Gary

Forgetting to Think


One of life’s greatest pitfalls is forgetting to think. Rushing ahead to make a snap decision, allowing emotion or passion to have unabated reign, plunging headfirst (not necessarily with brain in tow) into fool-hearty acts, all have eventual consequences. Sometimes these consequences can be quite serious; unwanted pregnancy, loss of life (your own, for one), the unintentional ending of another’s life, loss of a job, divorce, loss of trust. Forgetting to think is, well…, thoughtless.

Assembling the proper ingredients in the mixing bowl of the mind is fundamental to the thought process— gathering information, insight & opinion from others, testing the idea, waiting…, waiting some more. Asking, What could go wrong with this course of action? What is the probability it might go wrong? What is the seriousness if it does? Build a model or prototype, if appropriate.

Of course, if you are between the ages of 13-21, little of this may matter. Your hormones have undoubtedly circumvented your thought processes and you are predisposed to act on the moment’s emotion with thinking, and regrets, following later. If you are 21-40, you are more than likely to think about yourself and how you can get ahead or what’s in it for me. [We seem to become such a needy species in this period.] To be sure, though, some of us are not like this: we think of what we can give to better serve our planet and its inhabitants. We are known as the humanitarians, the servants of industry, social workers, missionaries, soldiers…, the ones who give their lives for the lives of others.

If you are between ages 40-60, you are (or should be) thinking about what you will leave behind— your legacy, the impression that will remain with those who follow. If you have not built a foundation for this stage it may be a strenuous time on the road, a surprising time. But it is also a critical one in life’s journey.

Wherever you are along the road of life, the shift to thinking will be sparked by one common consideration— thinking about the effects your actions have on others rather than thinking about what you can personally gain. To never come to this point, no matter your age, is to decide to live a life of perpetual self-gratification and self-absorption. It is to instill an incessant imbalance within between personal desire and human responsibility and kindness toward others.

May God help you!

Or…, change.  Think about it.

Have a nice day,

Gary

BESA

How many people would lay down their lives for a stranger? This is the question addressed by film makers Norman Gershman & Stu Huck in a documentary released the last weekend of July at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival— BESA: the Promise. The film tells the story of Albanian Muslims who saved the lives of more than 2,000 Jews during World War II. They did not hide them in basements or attics; they took the Jews into their families, gave them Albanian names, and sacrificed their lives for them in some cases.

The question arising from their actions is a clear WHY? Why would Albanians, Muslims, shelter Jews, at the risk of their own lives, during the Nazi occupation of their country? The answer is “besa.”

Besa is a part of the Albanian Code of Honor, embedded throughout their generations. It is usually translated faith, with a reflection on personal honor to keep a promise, at any cost. In their Moral Code (the Kanuni of Lekë Dukagjini), they have a saying “Shqiptaret vdesin dhe besen nuk e shkelin” (Albanians would die rather than break honor). One Albanian interviewed said he would rather sacrifice his only son than break an honor— besa.

The Albanian idea of besa should be acclaimed and lauded among all nations. A documentary of how the Albanian Muslims sheltered German Jews and made them part of their families is long overdue. BESA: the Promise is a must see film for all— Jews, Muslims, Christians, even atheists.

It would be a disservice if I did not leave you with at least two points to ponder—

  1. Would you lay down your life for a stranger?
  2. To what extent does a code of honor influence your decisions and actions?

We have a saying at the company where I work—

Honor God: honor people. Make a difference.

‘Nough said,

Gary

draw a line

Too many of us are not willing to take a stand on issues. We keep our observations and opinions to ourselves. We like to keep our options open and not commit to anything. We are unwilling to draw a line in the sand and boldly assert— HERE I STAND!

Why? What if we are wrong? What if our bold assertion must be withdrawn with a humble act of contrition— an apology; an admission that we did not get it right, that we failed!?!

The issue should be simply obvious. We have attached our self-esteem, our worth, our public “image” to our achievements. If we in some way must admit that we were wrong, we feel like we will be less of a person, or at least viewed that way by others. So it is the more cautious course to NOT take a stand, to NOT commit, to NOT reveal our beliefs or opinions about popular or critical issues. In a sense we decide to stand above the fray, aloof, outside of the ebb & flow of life, merely observing. True, it is safer. But is it life?

Lest we become a generation that will be remembered for its fear of definers, of commitments, of being mere observers of life, reflect on this query posed in the ancient writings of King David. The King proffers a primal question—

Lord, who may rest with you in your secure palace?

Who may reside with you on your holy mountain?

Part of his answer is— He who swears allegiance, even to his own hurt, and does now waver. Quite simply, he draws a line in the sand and stands firm, even if it brings harm to himself. Yes, capitulation, giving in, compromise, would be so much easier. But it is not in the character of someone who desires to stand in the presence of God…, and live for long.

Let your yes be YES: let your no be NO. Declare clearly and emphatically where you stand on issues, but always with sincere graciousness, congeniality, and resolve. You may be proven wrong later on. In that case, apologize with sincere graciousness, congeniality, and resolve to make it right. (Suggestion- A peace offering of tea or chocolate might also be acceptable.)

If a King offers advice to stand firm in the presence of God, may it be worth considering that drawing a line in the sand and insisting HERE I STAND with our fellow man might also be a wise social/professional posture? [Suggestion- Find a beach, a sand dune. Practice.]

[The rest of King David’s advice can be found in Psalm 15.]

Have a nice week,

Gary

fast distractions

Nooooo. This is not a story about a Bugatti Veyron. Truthfully, I would rather be driving one than ever writing about one. This is a story about the speed of our lives, that often feels as if it is approaching the speed of a Veyron (247.2 mph). As a society we move w-a-y too fast. Our careers seem to have taken over our lives, rather than providing income so that we might have a life. The proliferation of ¨fast food¨ (if in fact it is food) should be proof enough of our life´s increased velocity.

We move at such a life-pace that we rarely STOP long enough to take the time to discuss the important stuff- our goals, life ambitions & dreams, values, weaknesses and fears. Most of us just work, crash & burn. OR, we escape in TV, sports, movies, alcohol, or non-stop social activities.  Sometimes, sadly, it is too late to remedy the past stream of events and we must endure the less-than-pleasant consequences of our actions.

So before you are over-run (or run-over) by your own life consider trying these action-steps:

1. STOP moving so fast. You really DO NOT have to fill every waking moment of your existence.

2. Find THIRTY MINUTES a day wherein you do NOTHING: no work, no TV, no people or activities. You simply sit or walk alone with yourself…, & God, if he chooses to join you.

3. SIT with your spouse, partner, or group of good friends and TALK about those more consequential issues of life. What is my purpose? What do I want out of life? Is there a God? What difference does it make if there is/isn’t? What am I doing to leave a life-legacy?

4. SING. Yes, Sing. For some of us this is best done in a shower or in a forest deep. There is just something that happens to your soul when you sing.

5. ASK God…, well, anything. Then WAIT for an answer. You might be surprised.

6. DETERMINE to DO one unnecessary thing for someone else at least once a week. [Extra bonus points for doing so in a slinky, stealthy manner.]

Great insights and solutions often come unexpectedly in times of private reflection and solitude. So, again, slow it down and smell the coffee. Unless, of course, you are behind the wheel of a Bugatti Veyron.

Have a nice week,

Gary

…and justice for all

If you’ve ever had occasion to interact with the American judicial system at any level you quickly discover that rulings are made not in accordance with a sense of justice, but rather in compliance with the precedency of the law. The Rule of Law has been in place since ancient times. In the time of Job, 2,000-1,500 BCE (Eusebius), prior to the Jewish Exodus from Egypt, there was no justice. The Biblical writer Job protested before God-

“Though I cry, ‘I’ve been wronged!’ I get no response;

though I call for help, there is no justice.“(Job 19:7 NIV)

 He began the echo of the masses throughout history. From Egypt to Israel, Greece to Rome, China to the warlords of Japan, to the twentieth century Holocaust, and the slaughters in Syria, there has been no justice. Individuals and nations stand by in silence as great harm, evil, is enacted upon others. Though international tribunals have been established to judge the war-crimes, the deeds are done; lives have been brutally ended. Yet the cry for justice rises above Law, which seems oft too inequitable and too late to make a difference.

How many of the guilty have been set free on a technicality? How many war criminals have taken refuge in countries sympathetic to their crimes, no matter how heinous? How many white collar crimes, have gone unpunished, and even rewarded, millions of homes have been devastated by their greed. King David, writing in the (1040 – 970 BCE), sang,

 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.    -Psalm 13

            Our Courts of Law may or may not grant justice to those wronged. The odds are not, historically, in our favor. Sometimes the only course of action left us is to turn to the God who made us and to seek His face. This is not always as gratifying as justice or vengeance, but it may be our only recourse. The Lord God is, afterall, the Judge of us all. Selah.

quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur

Joanbanjo

Language has played a multidimensional role in human history. Ever since Babel, confusion and cultural divisions have reigned. Today’s whole field of cross-cultural communications has expanded to indispensable proportions. Language has both united us and divided us every bit as much as ideology. In our day we have the convenience of instant written and vocal translation devices. Yet in Western culture we oft fall back on our mother tongue, Latin, to accentuate a point.

Acta non verba– Action, not words; the motto of the U.S Merchant Marine Academy is used across the English speaking world. From Aesop we received alterius non sit qui suus esse potest– Let no man be another’s who can be his own. Author John Steinbeck, told he would be a writer when pigs flew, tagged all his subsequent works with Ad astra per alas porci- to the stars on the wings of a pig. And of course, amor vincit amnia– love conquers all. [Ah, FTL. (That’s yet another language.)]

The English language is steeped in Latin roots. –dict- to say, as in dictation; -ject- to throw, as in project or eject; -port- to carry, as in import or support. Then there are the myriad of prefixes and suffixes. Latin all! Words just sound more, well, correct, in Latin.

But seriously, erudition aside, what is the point? Unless you are presenting a paper at a medical college, or lecturing at an international theological or ornithology gathering, Latin may otherwise be out-of-place. The issues at stake in any human intercourse are clear communication, with personal integrity and individual trustworthiness. If these three elements are not present, phrasing a thought in another language will do little to give it legitimacy.

Of all the parts language has played in human history, no role is more important than clear, honest, communication. Thus, for what it’s worth, in Latin or English, this challenge remains for each of us— Do we mean what we say? Or do we use words to conceal a part of the truth? Do we twist what is true, what is wholly true? Or do we use words to shield us from reprimand for wrong-doing? In Truth, are we being at least honest? Latin erudition can disguise our fear only so far.

Oh, the title of this emPulse translates “whatever has been said in Latin seems deep.”

Uh-huh.

Arguendo,

Gary