Saturday, December 29, 2018

Crying for Attention


Creaks and cries are calls for attention. When my vehicle began creaking, the mechanic said it needed a new boot. When my cat looks up and meows, she wants food or a head rub. When babies cry, they want something—food, comfort, a diaper change—and it’s the guardian’s responsibility to understand what they need and how to fulfill it. See if you can identify the cry here:
                                         https://youtu.be/kNGi50MaiMA

The cry sounds something like this: Look at me! Look at me! Yes, it’s a cry for attention. It comes in all forms. Not all are loud, but whatever way they come, they cause us to stop and stare, capturing our attention for a moment or more. What’s the best vehicle for capturing someone’s attention when you need help?      

Monday, December 24, 2018

Not Happier


If someone asked you to name things that make you happy, you might say eating a big bowl of chocolate ice cream, sleeping in on a weekday morning, or spending a sunny day at the beach. All three can make us smile—temporarily. Once the ice cream disappears, the day’s challenges begin, and the beach trip ends, our happy feelings may subside. We’re left to chase the next wonderful moment, which might be a perfect morning cup of coffee, a throw for the ice cream chills, or plans for a return trip to the beach. Experience, rinse, repeat. Our emotions fluctuate with the moment’s twists and turns. Do any of these experiences offer endless happiness? 
                                         https://youtu.be/sJ8xZtxXLc8

Adventures end, relationships experience ups and downs and few situations provide endless happiness. Maybe it’s better to focus on peace and contentment, since they help us weather whatever comes our way. So, what’s the best way to gain peace and contentment?

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Jump In


When the temperature reached about fifty degrees this weekend, I spotted someone entering a store wearing flip flops. Unusual situations catch our attention, like the person I saw begin an exercise workout in a warm thigh length coat. Sometimes situations seem so alarming that we feel obligated to intervene, other times we conjure up excuses for not getting involved for fear of overstepping boundaries. And sometimes, we just don’t care. What do you think about this?

                                      https://youtu.be/o59RGN80_9Q

Social experiments are pulse checks for how we’re doing as a society. It’s good when we see an unusual situation and pause to check on another person’s well-being or step up to correct an issue. What’s the last situation you ignored when you should have jumped in and sorted things out?      

         

Sunday, December 9, 2018

High Hopes in the Dark


If you’ve lived in your house for several years, then you’re confident about circumventing tables and chairs in the dark. Eventually, when our confidence outgrows our skill, we lose our bearings and bump into things. In the dark, we think we’re headed in the right direction, but sooner or later we learn otherwise. Listen to what these folks did once they lost their bearings:
                                         https://youtu.be/osigyT3hbxo

When darkness falls and we don’t know which way to turn, who we call depends on who we think will provide help. Initially, it seemed like the folks in the video were prank- calling for help, and it sounded like help might not arrive. Their complaints about a baby and mosquitoes saved them from an uncomfortable evening under the stars. Who do you call when you’re feeling lost and/or in the dark, and how much convincing do you need to give before you’re convinced help will arrive?