Get In Touch...

There's more to us than just what other people see.
We all know that.

Me, I am an old man,
longer in the tooth and shorter on time than ever before.

I move slower than I used to...slower than I would like.
Bending over is not as easy as it once was...back in the day.
I forget things too easily...and wax nostalgic too often.

You don't see it, but in days gone by I ran almost twenty half-marathons and countless 10K races;
I hiked across the Grand Canyon...twice.

You don't see it, but in days gone by I served in the capacity of Pastor for 41 years;
Was a Teaching Assistant in Graduate School;
Taught College Classes in Ethics, Philosophy, and Comparative Religion.

I have succeeded at some things...
Failed at some...Maybe more than some.

But...I am more than all of that stuff.
More than what you see.

And so are you.

Without exception.

There is stuff inside of us that can't be seen...can't be charted or measured.
Its that stuff that all of us would be wise to get in touch with.
Sooner than later.
For better, not for worse.

So...go ahead...Get In Touch.

Get In Touch with:

The Dreamer of the Dream...that is within you.
The Sculptor of the Art...that is within you.
The Breath of the Abundant Life...that is within you.
The Adventurer...that is within you.
The Strength of the Warrior...that is within you.
The Lover of Peace...that is within you.

Get In Touch with:

The Hero...that is within you.
The Friend-to-the-End...that is within you.
The Change-Agent...that is within you.
The Grace and the Compassion...that is within you.
The Truth...the Whole Truth...Nothing but the Truth...that is within you.
The Kingdom...yeah, That Kingdom...that is within you.

And rest assured
That Kingdom thing…
Its not on its way, its already here…
Its not out there somewhere, its inside you somewhere…
Its not for later, its for Now...
Get In Touch with it.

You can do this.
You've got this.
Because there's more to you than just what other people see.
Because what is within you
is more powerful than any suffering, or pain…

any sorrow, or heartbreak
that the world may bring.

Get In Touch with it...
Bring it out...
Let's see what the real You looks like.

One Week From Today...(or, All the Years of Recorded History)

This Monday is a very sad day.
There were two church shootings resulting in death
in America yesterday.
26 lives (half of them children) were lost.
We are a violent people...
and our country is awash in the tools of violence.

However...

One week from today we can celebrate something
very different than what we mourn today.

Let's begin here:

If there is anything clear from All the Years of Recorded History, it is this:

We cannot get along. 

We. Cannot. Get. Along.


We cannot get along because there are two kinds of people in the world: 

Us and Them.
Us...Yes!
Them...No!

Us...Good!
Them...Bad!

Us...Winners!
Them...Losers!

Us...Worth Saving!
Them...Not!


This is The problem...Our Problem!

And, even with all our hopes, wishes, and prayers that this problem will get better,
if it ever does get better, it will most assuredly get worse before that happens.


A recommendation from The Good Book is to  

“Go the second mile, turn the other cheek, love your enemies...”


Another, clearly stated…and to the point…recommendation is to 

“Love God (whom you can’t see), 
and love your neighbor (whom you can see).”


Those are good first steps.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. expanded on this with these words:
“There’s only one rule I know of, babies…you’ve got to be kind.”

And that is an excellent next step.

And after that…well, its just one step after another after another…always forward.

Steps in any other direction only lead backward.

All the Years of Recorded History seem to agree.

However...One Week From Today is November 13th.

And...

November 13th is World Kindness Day...