I am not a big fan of growing old. I mean, I like the part about acquiring memories and knowledge and developing wisdom but the part about my moving parts having issues from aging, that part I do not like.
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Vulnerable Humans
It has been an interesting year for me and I have decided to share that journey because we need to talk about how vulnerable we are and about how our health care systems are limited in their capacity of diagnosis and treatment.
2 years ago. . . .
About 2 years ago I started to notice what I could only describe as "stress" starting to affect me.
Occasionally I felt "weird" and my body did little things that made no sense.
I brushed it off as being out of shape and getting older and told myself that at the very least I needed to get out walking more and spend less time sitting around.
I changed to a sit stand desk, I started to walk a lot more, I joined regular fitbit challenges and I was trying to be mindful about what I ate.
It was a hard year, in terms of my stress, and I had taken on a lot at work, in my personal life and with volunteering. I continued to find things more often leaving me drained and I wrote it off as stress, age and not taking care of myself. Seemed realistic that maybe mid-forties is when I would finally discover that I was no longer a teenager?
One year ago . . . .
One year ago on a family vacation away from our brutal winter I found myself unable to relax very well and feeling like I was somehow losing my grasp on everything in my life, it was like I was feeling tense when I wanted to relax. We were having great family moments and on the outside I was enjoying it but on the inside I was feeling messed up. It was our classic family vacation filled with lots of action so I had no time to dwell on these feelings, but I knew it was messing with me.
When we came home from that vacation and I returned to work, I felt like I ran into a brick wall. My absence had generated a pile of work and like never before I felt like there was no way I could catch up. I felt like I was drowning in responsibilities that needed my immediate action and demands to set out the path ahead as well.
I hadn't recently changed jobs or clients or staff. This wasn't my first vacation to return from with chaos and crisis awaiting me. Somehow I had changed in my capacity to cope.
My body began to revolt.
I started to wake in the morning with numbness in my hands and arms. I could feel parts of my body vibrating, most of the time just a subtle vibration but it was there. I started to have periods where I couldn't find my words and I would stutter stuck mid-word while my search function hourglass spun searching for the words.
It was frightening and thankfully my wife urged me to see my doctor.
My doctor ordered a lot of blood-work, put me on the list for an MRI and referred me to a neurologist. I went back to my normal routine and pushed myself to try to catch-up with work and everything else I wanted to accomplish. My body continued to reveal new mysteries in odd symptoms. My hands were now having issues with coordination and things felt funny and at times it felt like it was burning inside my hands.
The weeks that followed were exhausting and I will spare myself the effort of typing the details and you the effort of reading them.
Highlights
Bloodwork = b12 super low on the verge of deficient, nothing else
Neurologist = nothing, too much coffee? anxiety? nope. nothing wrong
MRI = spots, nothing going on to warrant a diagnosis
Second neurologist = nothing wrong with you neurologically based on our tests, but obviously something wrong with you. sorry, its a waiting game that either gets better or worse
chiropractor = your body is not responding as it should. see a new neurologist, suggests check celiac disease (I do. gluten load, celiac test negative)
By this point I have all kinds of issues with numbness, spasticity, spasms, twitching, itching, pain and weakness all over body at different times. Much of it goes away and I get short breaks were I have few symptoms.
My doctor continues to explore options as he thinks of them but as we come to Christmas of 2017 we still do not have a diagnosis and there is no sign of the symptoms stopping.
In January of 2018 I get briefed on my MRI from December. No diagnosis but my doctor immediately books my next MRI for the fall. For the first time he uses the term"Multiple Sclerosis" in the conversation as something we are trying to eliminate as the cause of symptoms. I ask for a copy of the MRI report (see below) and we agree to connect again in the future if anything changes. I honestly do not really know what the MRI report means and I admit when I got it at my last appointment I didn't ask questions because I assume no diagnosis means that there is nothing of value there.
Today my symptoms include regular/occasional leg drops where one of my legs will give out. My hands routinely struggle with certain dexterity issues and I routinely wear wrist braces to bed so that my hands don't curl in. I have random numbness in various places from my face to my toes, tension or tugging at the muscles. There are other symptoms too but lots of symptoms I have had are also gone at the moment so I am happy with that. I am on no medications and other than the legs giving out most people have no idea when I am struggling with some oddity.
Sometimes I wish I had a diagnosis so I could go to a support group or something so that other people who have also had these symptoms can validate that its not all in my head. I regularly find myself worrying that I have some psychosomatic condition and that by worrying about a diagnosis I am making it worse. I have gone from feeling "normal" and focusing on life to getting distracted when my body doesn't behave normal. I like doing things, not worrying or thinking about health stuff.
It's very frustrating to try to pick something up only to struggle to get your fingers to actually pick the item up and then to realize people are watching you as you seem to be almost playing with the item.
It is so annoying to regularly drop things because apparently my hands either didn't grip something adequately or they let go, I never know the cause as it happens so sudden and I didn't think about picking something up I just did it.
I have a whole new appreciation for people struggling with invisible conditions. To the outside world you look completely normal but on the inside you can feel like you are falling apart. It's not that you want sympathy or pity or any number of other things people might assume, you really wish you could just be better or even normal again.
End of rant. Thanks for reading.
MRI Report
"There are relatively extensive punctate areas of increased T2 signal intensity in the subcortical white matter of both hemispheres. They are nonspecific in etiology.
There are two more linear areas of increased T2 signal intensity in the genu of the corpus callosum that are somewhat more concerning in appearance. They are insufficient for a definitive diagnosis. "
2 years ago. . . .
About 2 years ago I started to notice what I could only describe as "stress" starting to affect me.
Occasionally I felt "weird" and my body did little things that made no sense.
I brushed it off as being out of shape and getting older and told myself that at the very least I needed to get out walking more and spend less time sitting around.
I changed to a sit stand desk, I started to walk a lot more, I joined regular fitbit challenges and I was trying to be mindful about what I ate.
It was a hard year, in terms of my stress, and I had taken on a lot at work, in my personal life and with volunteering. I continued to find things more often leaving me drained and I wrote it off as stress, age and not taking care of myself. Seemed realistic that maybe mid-forties is when I would finally discover that I was no longer a teenager?
One year ago . . . .
One year ago on a family vacation away from our brutal winter I found myself unable to relax very well and feeling like I was somehow losing my grasp on everything in my life, it was like I was feeling tense when I wanted to relax. We were having great family moments and on the outside I was enjoying it but on the inside I was feeling messed up. It was our classic family vacation filled with lots of action so I had no time to dwell on these feelings, but I knew it was messing with me.
When we came home from that vacation and I returned to work, I felt like I ran into a brick wall. My absence had generated a pile of work and like never before I felt like there was no way I could catch up. I felt like I was drowning in responsibilities that needed my immediate action and demands to set out the path ahead as well.
I hadn't recently changed jobs or clients or staff. This wasn't my first vacation to return from with chaos and crisis awaiting me. Somehow I had changed in my capacity to cope.
My body began to revolt.
I started to wake in the morning with numbness in my hands and arms. I could feel parts of my body vibrating, most of the time just a subtle vibration but it was there. I started to have periods where I couldn't find my words and I would stutter stuck mid-word while my search function hourglass spun searching for the words.
It was frightening and thankfully my wife urged me to see my doctor.
My doctor ordered a lot of blood-work, put me on the list for an MRI and referred me to a neurologist. I went back to my normal routine and pushed myself to try to catch-up with work and everything else I wanted to accomplish. My body continued to reveal new mysteries in odd symptoms. My hands were now having issues with coordination and things felt funny and at times it felt like it was burning inside my hands.
The weeks that followed were exhausting and I will spare myself the effort of typing the details and you the effort of reading them.
Highlights
Bloodwork = b12 super low on the verge of deficient, nothing else
Neurologist = nothing, too much coffee? anxiety? nope. nothing wrong
MRI = spots, nothing going on to warrant a diagnosis
Second neurologist = nothing wrong with you neurologically based on our tests, but obviously something wrong with you. sorry, its a waiting game that either gets better or worse
chiropractor = your body is not responding as it should. see a new neurologist, suggests check celiac disease (I do. gluten load, celiac test negative)
By this point I have all kinds of issues with numbness, spasticity, spasms, twitching, itching, pain and weakness all over body at different times. Much of it goes away and I get short breaks were I have few symptoms.
My doctor continues to explore options as he thinks of them but as we come to Christmas of 2017 we still do not have a diagnosis and there is no sign of the symptoms stopping.
In January of 2018 I get briefed on my MRI from December. No diagnosis but my doctor immediately books my next MRI for the fall. For the first time he uses the term"Multiple Sclerosis" in the conversation as something we are trying to eliminate as the cause of symptoms. I ask for a copy of the MRI report (see below) and we agree to connect again in the future if anything changes. I honestly do not really know what the MRI report means and I admit when I got it at my last appointment I didn't ask questions because I assume no diagnosis means that there is nothing of value there.
Today my symptoms include regular/occasional leg drops where one of my legs will give out. My hands routinely struggle with certain dexterity issues and I routinely wear wrist braces to bed so that my hands don't curl in. I have random numbness in various places from my face to my toes, tension or tugging at the muscles. There are other symptoms too but lots of symptoms I have had are also gone at the moment so I am happy with that. I am on no medications and other than the legs giving out most people have no idea when I am struggling with some oddity.
Sometimes I wish I had a diagnosis so I could go to a support group or something so that other people who have also had these symptoms can validate that its not all in my head. I regularly find myself worrying that I have some psychosomatic condition and that by worrying about a diagnosis I am making it worse. I have gone from feeling "normal" and focusing on life to getting distracted when my body doesn't behave normal. I like doing things, not worrying or thinking about health stuff.
It's very frustrating to try to pick something up only to struggle to get your fingers to actually pick the item up and then to realize people are watching you as you seem to be almost playing with the item.
It is so annoying to regularly drop things because apparently my hands either didn't grip something adequately or they let go, I never know the cause as it happens so sudden and I didn't think about picking something up I just did it.
I have a whole new appreciation for people struggling with invisible conditions. To the outside world you look completely normal but on the inside you can feel like you are falling apart. It's not that you want sympathy or pity or any number of other things people might assume, you really wish you could just be better or even normal again.
End of rant. Thanks for reading.
MRI Report
"There are relatively extensive punctate areas of increased T2 signal intensity in the subcortical white matter of both hemispheres. They are nonspecific in etiology.
There are two more linear areas of increased T2 signal intensity in the genu of the corpus callosum that are somewhat more concerning in appearance. They are insufficient for a definitive diagnosis. "
Monday, December 18, 2017
Star Wars The Last Jedi
Star Wars The Last Jedi.
I loved the movie.
I liked how gender and appearance didn't define or confine what the characters could accomplish.
I liked how leadership, and the potential to make a difference in the universe, was coming from many different angles.
It was a refreshing look at the battle of good and evil that admits that masculinity is not the strong hero that saves the day that we have been fed in so much fiction.
Once again the idea that you can outsmart evil even when they have resources beyond your capacity.
Finally, I was left with the thoughts that dwelling on our past doubt and mistakes can cloud our vision of what we have to offer. Sometimes wisdom comes not in teaching others from what went well but in sharing our pain from losing control of that which we purported to be leading.
I loved the movie.
I liked how gender and appearance didn't define or confine what the characters could accomplish.
I liked how leadership, and the potential to make a difference in the universe, was coming from many different angles.
It was a refreshing look at the battle of good and evil that admits that masculinity is not the strong hero that saves the day that we have been fed in so much fiction.
Once again the idea that you can outsmart evil even when they have resources beyond your capacity.
Finally, I was left with the thoughts that dwelling on our past doubt and mistakes can cloud our vision of what we have to offer. Sometimes wisdom comes not in teaching others from what went well but in sharing our pain from losing control of that which we purported to be leading.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
fact or fiction
We have for a long time had The National Enquirers and "Professional" Wrestlers and those that believed that their fiction was real.
Currently though this game to attract readers/viewers and therefore advertising revenue is beginning to emerge as a absolute chaos of capitalism.
Everywhere you turn there are links to content that looks "real" but its fake. Whether purely for entertainment purposes or to cement their beliefs further people are clicking into this content.
What makes matters worse is not only that fiction, pretending to be fact, is ever increase but also that what we once considered journalism is being tainted ever increasingly to compete.
Just like in the TV business ratings make or break careers, profit and earnings. The move views/visitors the better the business, regardless of the lack of truth behind the information.
Indeed we the people are tracked such that the advertising of the fiction is customized to suit what we will most likely click on.
Government's have stepped aside as the big internet companies leverage that traffic of visitors and viewers for advertising revenue, shaping the flow for maximum audience retention and profit.
When we watched TV or read a newspaper in the past we were an anonymous consumer of advertising but today everything we do is tracked online and the ever increasing fiction content of the internet is dominating what we consume.
How long before we accept that only what we can feel, touch and taste is truth? How long before those are gone too?
Currently though this game to attract readers/viewers and therefore advertising revenue is beginning to emerge as a absolute chaos of capitalism.
Everywhere you turn there are links to content that looks "real" but its fake. Whether purely for entertainment purposes or to cement their beliefs further people are clicking into this content.
What makes matters worse is not only that fiction, pretending to be fact, is ever increase but also that what we once considered journalism is being tainted ever increasingly to compete.
Just like in the TV business ratings make or break careers, profit and earnings. The move views/visitors the better the business, regardless of the lack of truth behind the information.
Indeed we the people are tracked such that the advertising of the fiction is customized to suit what we will most likely click on.
Government's have stepped aside as the big internet companies leverage that traffic of visitors and viewers for advertising revenue, shaping the flow for maximum audience retention and profit.
When we watched TV or read a newspaper in the past we were an anonymous consumer of advertising but today everything we do is tracked online and the ever increasing fiction content of the internet is dominating what we consume.
How long before we accept that only what we can feel, touch and taste is truth? How long before those are gone too?
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Predicting the demise of Facebook
Over 5 years ago I predicted that Facebook would be gone in 5 years.
It turns out that I was wrong.
At the time I had looked at Facebook and saw that the features and content were so juvenile that it couldn't possibly survive in the long run. Just looking at the name and the original intent was the foundation of my prediction and seeing the interactions 5+ years ago confirmed it for me that the collective "we" would grow out of Facebook.
I assumed people would stop the bickering about celebrities and consumer brands. I assumed people would learn to distinguish between truth and fiction based on gaining knowledge on the internet through credible sources. I assumed that a web site based on Facebook's model could not sustain itself.
I did not predict that people would so enjoy sharing the most mundane parts of their lives with each other in real time.
I did not foresee that a person's value would be assessed by their "likes" and "shares".
I did not predict that trolls would rise to have so much power to manipulate and provoke.
I did not predict that the online advertising regime would grow so massively reckless that the content of the tabloids in the checkout aisle would grow to dominate the content of today and be the source of so much misinformation.
I predicted the demise of Facebook because I had hope that the internet would enable people to better themselves. and I saw no role for a web site like Facebook in that future. I hoped that people would use the internet to learn about culture, science, technology, philosophy, society and peace.
That social media has bloomed around many of the dark parts of society is truly a saddening reality.
It turns out that I was wrong.
At the time I had looked at Facebook and saw that the features and content were so juvenile that it couldn't possibly survive in the long run. Just looking at the name and the original intent was the foundation of my prediction and seeing the interactions 5+ years ago confirmed it for me that the collective "we" would grow out of Facebook.
I assumed people would stop the bickering about celebrities and consumer brands. I assumed people would learn to distinguish between truth and fiction based on gaining knowledge on the internet through credible sources. I assumed that a web site based on Facebook's model could not sustain itself.
I did not predict that people would so enjoy sharing the most mundane parts of their lives with each other in real time.
I did not foresee that a person's value would be assessed by their "likes" and "shares".
I did not predict that trolls would rise to have so much power to manipulate and provoke.
I did not predict that the online advertising regime would grow so massively reckless that the content of the tabloids in the checkout aisle would grow to dominate the content of today and be the source of so much misinformation.
I predicted the demise of Facebook because I had hope that the internet would enable people to better themselves. and I saw no role for a web site like Facebook in that future. I hoped that people would use the internet to learn about culture, science, technology, philosophy, society and peace.
That social media has bloomed around many of the dark parts of society is truly a saddening reality.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Thursday, February 16, 2017
labels
I think perhaps the greatest lesson I will learn in my life is the expansive disruptive power of the label.
I have never liked labels, not since I was a small child. I was labeled with many negative labels as a child and I am hopeful that some of those types of labels are reducing as the system is slowly coping with issues around bullying. As I grew I came discover how labels worked in community, making it simpler for people to identify whether you were with them, or not. The problem was I often ended up out of the community either because I did not have their label or I just had not made a definitive decision to accept everything with that label. It has been an interesting path to say the least as I reflect back on it.
One troubling fault in it all though is just how deeply rooted our society is with its labels and the dependencies. From an early age we create contrast between labels that leads to further contrast as we age and are exposed to more scenarios.
I have never liked labels, not since I was a small child. I was labeled with many negative labels as a child and I am hopeful that some of those types of labels are reducing as the system is slowly coping with issues around bullying. As I grew I came discover how labels worked in community, making it simpler for people to identify whether you were with them, or not. The problem was I often ended up out of the community either because I did not have their label or I just had not made a definitive decision to accept everything with that label. It has been an interesting path to say the least as I reflect back on it.
One troubling fault in it all though is just how deeply rooted our society is with its labels and the dependencies. From an early age we create contrast between labels that leads to further contrast as we age and are exposed to more scenarios.
Monday, January 16, 2017
time
On a recent trip to Florida I experienced a lot of wasted time with travel and running errands. Twice I lost time due to poor traffic planning and or long line ups. I watched around as everyone just seemed to accept that they will not get to use their own time wisely.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
extra
I see the world as a division of life split into categories of entertainment, health/wellness, income sources, family/friends, social/community and our extra. Each person’s life is a collection of these categories but what separates us apart from each other is where we choose to apply our extra time, money and passion. Throughout our lives the categories grow and shrink in their impact on our lives but always there is some space left over for us to choose our extra. I would argue that the amount of “extra” capacity an individual has is determined by their wealth and the wealth of their community but it is there for all of us. I have become a student and observer of people and how they choose to spend their extras.
Note: If someone asks you how the see the world, would you be ready with an answer? This is part of mine.....
Note: If someone asks you how the see the world, would you be ready with an answer? This is part of mine.....
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
possible futures
One of my favourite thing about following bloggers is when they pass along one of their own learning moments and share a new concept with us.
Reading Patrick Rhone's web site The Random Post I discovered another Gem that he found.
He point's us to Derek Sivers' concept of "possible futures" where you create a space where you allow yourself permission to brain dump your ideas of a possible timeline for your idea/project/life. I love the idea of giving yourself that safe space to let it out on its own stream of thought not interfering with other things you have on the go.
Maybe you make something of it, maybe you don't, but you don't lose your ideas for future reference.
Reading Patrick Rhone's web site The Random Post I discovered another Gem that he found.
He point's us to Derek Sivers' concept of "possible futures" where you create a space where you allow yourself permission to brain dump your ideas of a possible timeline for your idea/project/life. I love the idea of giving yourself that safe space to let it out on its own stream of thought not interfering with other things you have on the go.
Maybe you make something of it, maybe you don't, but you don't lose your ideas for future reference.
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
6 years
Six years is not a sacrifice when the end goal of the project is something great. Is it?
When an investment of time into someone produces an end result that lasts a life time, how much time do you choose to invest?
When an investment of time into someone produces an end result that lasts a life time, how much time do you choose to invest?
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
blog like no one is reading
I write here to share ideas that come up from time to time.
Writing them out helps me to process them. Editing my words, over and over (sometimes not enough) helps me to further work through the idea and the issues.
I publish it publicly because it is important to leave a legacy of our ideas, even if they are incomplete. That is the true gift of the Internet to this age, the opportunity to share unpolished ideas.
"Should I share my writing, fiction or non-fiction, as well?" You ask.
YES, absolutely, YES! Publish your thoughts, your issues, your complaints and get it out there. The ability to write out our ideas is an amazing part of being human and sharing it with others is the amazing part of being a community.
I should note, that there is one time when I say NO, you should not publish what you write. That one occasion is when you write hate or untruth. Hate is wrong, no matter where or when you are from hate has no place in the world. Writing about or encouraging hate can bring no good. Untruth also similarly brings wrong to those vulnerable to believing you. Far too much profit is made from people speaking of untruths for personal gain to those vulnerable to believing those ideas.
The future will be a more prosperous place (in the true sense, not the financial) if we all take the time to share ideas. Never stop, never relent, share your ideas.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Visits at the end
I am a big believer in honoring people for who they are and what they have accomplished, no matter how small. I am not sentimental and I do not linger in relationships out of obligation or hopes of some magical result. The concept of karma, cause and effect, is not lost on me but I think we as a species worry too much about the quantity of acceptance of others and not enough about the quality.
My perspective does get me into awkward moments where I spend limited time nurturing family relationships that are not normally part of my life. I understand that for many they believe that it is "right" to visit with the aging and not leave them alone as their friends and family die.
I really struggle with the idea of visiting old people at the end of their lives. People seem to have a variety of rationals for doing it but I personally think that when someone reaches the health milestone or age where they know that they are leaving the living that we should respect their privacy.
To each his own, but I personally hope to come to my dieing moment alone knowing that I have helped my family and community to be out living, not holding my hand.
I want to spend my last years quieting my mind, making piece with my thoughts and listening to the universe.
My perspective does get me into awkward moments where I spend limited time nurturing family relationships that are not normally part of my life. I understand that for many they believe that it is "right" to visit with the aging and not leave them alone as their friends and family die.
I really struggle with the idea of visiting old people at the end of their lives. People seem to have a variety of rationals for doing it but I personally think that when someone reaches the health milestone or age where they know that they are leaving the living that we should respect their privacy.
To each his own, but I personally hope to come to my dieing moment alone knowing that I have helped my family and community to be out living, not holding my hand.
I want to spend my last years quieting my mind, making piece with my thoughts and listening to the universe.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Why making the world a better place needs to be the developed world's responsibility
We all deserve what Bill and Melinda have found and we need to help the world live to it's full potential.
Helping achieve global goals that lift up everyone will give us more life satisfaction
Leadership is found in many, many places where people have a plan that does not sacrifice community for personal privilege, greed and the perception of personal safety.
Several organizations have set out goals and here are global perspectives to consider.
Social Progress Index
People's Report Card: Accountability on Global Goals
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Christmas...... are you celebrating it?
There are two Christmas celebrations.
One, the consumerist celebration where we bribe each other in hopes that goodwill can be generated with money instead of time and fellowship. A celebration supported by business hoping to keep selling product.
Two, a religous celebration that takes a historical story of God coming in the form of a human to make the world right by showing us that there is a better way and ending that story with selfless sacrifice. (Perhaps an abbreviated version of the religious story.) A celebration supported by the religious institutions that struggle to exist in the increasing complex world and/or good intentioned humans.
AND
Maybe you need not believe in the story of God coming to earth in human form to accept the reality that we need a celebration to remind ourself that being conscientious in our fellowship with others, selfless contributing to the common good and generally not being a selfish bad person.
Maybe, just maybe, we sadly need a celebration that brings us together because our smart phones, social media and "busy" lives have us focusing, dare I say obessing, on the wrong things in life leaving us feeling hopeless in a time where the world has fewer problems than ever before.
One, the consumerist celebration where we bribe each other in hopes that goodwill can be generated with money instead of time and fellowship. A celebration supported by business hoping to keep selling product.
Two, a religous celebration that takes a historical story of God coming in the form of a human to make the world right by showing us that there is a better way and ending that story with selfless sacrifice. (Perhaps an abbreviated version of the religious story.) A celebration supported by the religious institutions that struggle to exist in the increasing complex world and/or good intentioned humans.
AND
Maybe you need not believe in the story of God coming to earth in human form to accept the reality that we need a celebration to remind ourself that being conscientious in our fellowship with others, selfless contributing to the common good and generally not being a selfish bad person.
Maybe, just maybe, we sadly need a celebration that brings us together because our smart phones, social media and "busy" lives have us focusing, dare I say obessing, on the wrong things in life leaving us feeling hopeless in a time where the world has fewer problems than ever before.
The Problem with "Wisdom"
The Problem with "Wisdom" when it comes from old text written long ago, is that the world was a horrible place long ago.
People did horrible things to each other, leaders manipulated people using lies stacked upon lies and death came far too quickly. This statement, is still far too simple compared to the the state of things in humanities past. Just study history.
Why then, would you look to a text written during a historical time where human rights were being trampled on to guide yourself in today's world? Why, when we actually have a chance at global peace?
How does a story, written hundreds of years ago, telling you to kill someone if they violate a rule not cause you to lose trust for that story or the book that it is contained within?
"Context", that is what I am told, "context" needs to be considered. NO, I would argue, its not about context. It's about setting out new stories that help us to consider the challenges of values and ethics in society for tomorrow.
We continue to have a large portion of the world's population that are vulnerable to manipulation and we must stop looking to historical texts as if they were written today. To study history in earnest is to learn from the mistakes and abuse of humankind's past.
If you are educated and can study history for what it is, then you must write new stories to give humanity's future stories that are applicable to the future ahead. Stories without violence, but filled with collaboration and discussion. Stories without hatred, but filled with community and fellowship. Stories without greed, but filled with success in sharing the common good.
We can learn from historical texts but we must not chain ourselves to the same fates that those who wrote them faced.
People did horrible things to each other, leaders manipulated people using lies stacked upon lies and death came far too quickly. This statement, is still far too simple compared to the the state of things in humanities past. Just study history.
Why then, would you look to a text written during a historical time where human rights were being trampled on to guide yourself in today's world? Why, when we actually have a chance at global peace?
How does a story, written hundreds of years ago, telling you to kill someone if they violate a rule not cause you to lose trust for that story or the book that it is contained within?
"Context", that is what I am told, "context" needs to be considered. NO, I would argue, its not about context. It's about setting out new stories that help us to consider the challenges of values and ethics in society for tomorrow.
We continue to have a large portion of the world's population that are vulnerable to manipulation and we must stop looking to historical texts as if they were written today. To study history in earnest is to learn from the mistakes and abuse of humankind's past.
If you are educated and can study history for what it is, then you must write new stories to give humanity's future stories that are applicable to the future ahead. Stories without violence, but filled with collaboration and discussion. Stories without hatred, but filled with community and fellowship. Stories without greed, but filled with success in sharing the common good.
We can learn from historical texts but we must not chain ourselves to the same fates that those who wrote them faced.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Real Life Satisfaction - My Thoughts on Bill and Melinda Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates are billionaires. Bill could easily disappear to a private Caribbean island
and live out his life in complete luxury. Perhaps he
does enjoy that lifestyle more than I do but he also spends a great deal
of time sharing his wealth with a lot of people who are not
shareholders in his companies, not part of the elite 1% and not the
movers and shakers who might ensure he stays wealthy.
Bill and Melinda share their money helping to lift people out of the bottom of society. They are the kind of role models that make me want to play the lottery so I can win, and then my wife and I could create our own foundation to give away money and help the poor. Bill and Melinda are the kind of wealthy people our world needs right now and I think they are starting to have an influence on other wealthy people in the world.
This positive role model and real action for change is the kind of leadership we truly need for a number of reasons.
First, Bill and Melinda are not bound to political cycles or boundaries, therefore avoiding the luke warm response from governments to helping outside their borders when it might negatively affect their results in the next election.
Second, Bill and Melinda are leaders who can make connections across governments, business and NGOs linked to actual objectives that they can deliver on without hoping that one of the partners doesn't back out for some selfish reason of their own. They are strong enough to deliver, leveraged with partners but not controlled by them.
Third and finally, Bill and Melinda can share their stories of work and success with change without being dependent on main stream media covering their story. The internet has changed everything for people like them. Broadcasting with web content or streaming video and viral sharing with social media are incredibly powerful.
So, how does this relate to the people of the world living in a developed nation? The answer lies in our search for meaning.
I truly believe that Bill and Melinda achieve real life satisfaction from their actions. They don't need to search for the meaning of life on our planet, they have found it.
Bill and Melinda share their money helping to lift people out of the bottom of society. They are the kind of role models that make me want to play the lottery so I can win, and then my wife and I could create our own foundation to give away money and help the poor. Bill and Melinda are the kind of wealthy people our world needs right now and I think they are starting to have an influence on other wealthy people in the world.
This positive role model and real action for change is the kind of leadership we truly need for a number of reasons.
First, Bill and Melinda are not bound to political cycles or boundaries, therefore avoiding the luke warm response from governments to helping outside their borders when it might negatively affect their results in the next election.
Second, Bill and Melinda are leaders who can make connections across governments, business and NGOs linked to actual objectives that they can deliver on without hoping that one of the partners doesn't back out for some selfish reason of their own. They are strong enough to deliver, leveraged with partners but not controlled by them.
Third and finally, Bill and Melinda can share their stories of work and success with change without being dependent on main stream media covering their story. The internet has changed everything for people like them. Broadcasting with web content or streaming video and viral sharing with social media are incredibly powerful.
So, how does this relate to the people of the world living in a developed nation? The answer lies in our search for meaning.
I truly believe that Bill and Melinda achieve real life satisfaction from their actions. They don't need to search for the meaning of life on our planet, they have found it.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Escape
Escape our human reality, it is what we do.
Whether it be into a book, video game, movie, drawing, story or just our imagination we go to that unreal imaginary place to escape our present reality.
It is an amazing ability that humans have to cope with hardship, suffering and boredom.
It is also the largest growing industry on the planet and moving both our potential and earnings the worlds wealthiest elite faster than ever before.
That human potential was needed for us to fulfill our destiny of stewardship of earth and community to leave an even greater potential for future generations.
Can we start back into full engagement with that stewardship, one baby step at a time?
Whether it be into a book, video game, movie, drawing, story or just our imagination we go to that unreal imaginary place to escape our present reality.
It is an amazing ability that humans have to cope with hardship, suffering and boredom.
It is also the largest growing industry on the planet and moving both our potential and earnings the worlds wealthiest elite faster than ever before.
That human potential was needed for us to fulfill our destiny of stewardship of earth and community to leave an even greater potential for future generations.
Can we start back into full engagement with that stewardship, one baby step at a time?
Saturday, November 21, 2015
we are stewards
Public lands and lakes, parks, charities, community groups, churches, oceans, community trust and air are . . . . . . .
. . . . .not yours . . . . . . . .
. . . . . they are gift to be shared with everyone and left for future generations just as they were a gift to you.
Knowing that they will bring joy, meaning, peace, happiness and comfort . . . . . . .
. . . . . . is your payment for leaving them as good as or better than you found them.
Helping others escape, survive, grow from, cope with and learn from with hardships are not your punishment for caring . . . . . .
. . . . . . it is your history lesson to empower you with what must be done differently so others do not suffer that same fate.
The homeless, poor, lost, refugees and the abused are not your burden . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . their diversity and adaptability are part of the strong, stable community you are building for the future just as your world and community was left for you.
We are stewards.
This is our role as humans. We have the capacity.
This is not a religious perspective or a political one, it is human.
If we do not put effort into self-less acts that ensure stewardship of the earth and the human community we are not fulfilling our destiny as humans.
If we search inside our inner being we know that selfish acts lead to conflict, war and destruction. The denial of this is the acceptance that the human race is destined to extinction faster and hope will be lost.
The children of the future have a right to embrace the beauty of our planet, you do not have the right to take it away.
. . . . .not yours . . . . . . . .
. . . . . they are gift to be shared with everyone and left for future generations just as they were a gift to you.
Knowing that they will bring joy, meaning, peace, happiness and comfort . . . . . . .
. . . . . . is your payment for leaving them as good as or better than you found them.
Helping others escape, survive, grow from, cope with and learn from with hardships are not your punishment for caring . . . . . .
. . . . . . it is your history lesson to empower you with what must be done differently so others do not suffer that same fate.
The homeless, poor, lost, refugees and the abused are not your burden . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . their diversity and adaptability are part of the strong, stable community you are building for the future just as your world and community was left for you.
We are stewards.
This is our role as humans. We have the capacity.
This is not a religious perspective or a political one, it is human.
If we do not put effort into self-less acts that ensure stewardship of the earth and the human community we are not fulfilling our destiny as humans.
If we search inside our inner being we know that selfish acts lead to conflict, war and destruction. The denial of this is the acceptance that the human race is destined to extinction faster and hope will be lost.
The children of the future have a right to embrace the beauty of our planet, you do not have the right to take it away.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
the problem with a label......and democracy
The label states that this product is "fresh", how do you define that?
If you polled your friends, how many definitions of fresh do you think you would get? More than one, I would think.
The problem lies with the label and what it implies.
When we choose a label, or one is assigned to us, associations often come with that label for actions and choices.
If you say you are vegetarian, then when you eat meat you are a liar?
If you say you are an atheist, then when you go to church you are a hypocrite?
The list would go on and on but the rationale to critize someone based on them not upholding the truth to their label is a ridiculous part of life today.
The worst, WORST, part about how a label affects us is how people participate in a community. because of their label without thinking first.
That your acceptance of a label would have you blindly following someone leading that label's group so far that would accept a fate for yourself, your children, grandchildren and beyond.
That your acceptance of that label would mean that you accept that elite, manipulative and selfish peoples would take for themselves that which belonged to the entire community.
This is what happens when you blindly accept a label, without thinking, researching and building a relationship with the people behind it.
Sadly, every four years I see people falling to the trap of labels with politics where the greatest of those amongst the elite and manipulative push to maintain power.
If you polled your friends, how many definitions of fresh do you think you would get? More than one, I would think.
The problem lies with the label and what it implies.
When we choose a label, or one is assigned to us, associations often come with that label for actions and choices.
If you say you are vegetarian, then when you eat meat you are a liar?
If you say you are an atheist, then when you go to church you are a hypocrite?
The list would go on and on but the rationale to critize someone based on them not upholding the truth to their label is a ridiculous part of life today.
The worst, WORST, part about how a label affects us is how people participate in a community. because of their label without thinking first.
That your acceptance of a label would have you blindly following someone leading that label's group so far that would accept a fate for yourself, your children, grandchildren and beyond.
That your acceptance of that label would mean that you accept that elite, manipulative and selfish peoples would take for themselves that which belonged to the entire community.
This is what happens when you blindly accept a label, without thinking, researching and building a relationship with the people behind it.
Sadly, every four years I see people falling to the trap of labels with politics where the greatest of those amongst the elite and manipulative push to maintain power.
more to come.....
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