Hijack the Future

This week’s beautiful weather almost made us forget what the future holds. Ignoring the red and orange leaves, the high temperatures nearly convinced us to anticipate a second summer. But, we know the truth, right? Get ready to smile if you enjoy cold weather because, based on normal patterns, winter is on the way. No doubt about it. Or is there?

In addition to the cultural and political turmoil, the weather’s turning chaotic, too. Think about the monster hurricanes, record heat, and unprecedented snow accumulations we’ve seen. Forecasters think they can predict the weather until this happens:

                                          https://youtu.be/iRtwv3v4Mq0

Given the unexpected news stories, the future is as unpredictable as ever. One of the best ways to impact the future is to manage the present. If we want to see ourselves at a specific place in the future (call it point C), we need to be prepared to execute points A and B. What steps can you take now to impact your future?               

Controlling the Country

Wind and rain are two of our most powerful elements. Based on past hurricane seasons, we’re familiar with the destruction they cause. Scientists discover and invent so many incredible things, why can’t they control the weather? Maybe they can. See: https://www.intellihub.com/dr-michio-kaku-admits-government-weather-control-cbs-news/

For a fee, one company offers weather–modifications, claiming to give you clear weather. Cloud-seeding enables them to cause rain the day before your special outdoor event, leaving you with sunny skies the next day for a wedding ceremony or company golf outing. We’re closer to manipulating the weather than ever, and we’re making progress in other areas, too. Take a look:  

                                         https://youtu.be/wMkorx3GzGM

Fascinating, huh? Oh sure, those experimental findings seem beneficial—until scientists use their powers for evil. Some of our greatest books describe what happens when others control what we think, believe, and how we behave. If you had mind-controlling powers, what thought would you implant in everybody’s mind?              

The Light in Your House

Why did lighthouses come up a recent conversation with my spouse? I forget what led to the topic, but afterwards I started thinking about the solitary lighthouses that stand out in the bay guiding sailors away from dangerous rocky shores. It’s unnerving to learn that lighthouse keepers have survived massive hurricanes while tucked inside the towers. In times past, it took three keepers to run the lighthouse so that a light always remained visible to passing boats. Often two or three families lived in the tower at the same time. Lighthouse keepers only left the tower for brief periods and passed time by playing board games, cards and reading. The keeper’s responsibilities also included repairing and painting the lighthouse, particularly if it received damage from a storm.

 If you click here, you’ll see incredible pictures of waves crashing against lighthouses, pounding at their foundations. It’s amazing that engineers could build structures strong enough to withstand nature’s fury. Here’s a video about a young man who faced his own storm:

                                            http://youtu.be/LMcr_i_oYNA

Where do you get the strength to push through difficult circumstances?  

Closing the Great Divide

The leaves took forever to change color and fall off the trees this year, so I colorized our surroundings by plopping a little mum in the yard. At first the plant stood straight and tall, but after suffering a brief assault from Hurricane Sandy’s wind and rain, half of the flower’s stems slouched sideways causing a split right down the plant’s middle.

Does this description sound like a metaphor for the country’s condition? As our battle-weary candidates awaited polling results, pundits debated about how voter choices underscored our nation’s political split. In the ballrooms where the term “haves and have-nots” took on new meaning, reporters captured the contrast between the party supporters’ expressions. While the haves celebrated and shouted for joy, the have-nots shed tears of disappointment and disbelief. In anticipation of a new presidential term, let’s put divisions behind us and focus on unity and cooperation. Take a look at how these people march to the same beat:

                                     http://youtu.be/s-poQaPPJbQ

It is possible to work together, even when it feels like we’re going in opposite directions. How does the country reconcile and move forward? Who or what will stand in the gap to close the great divide(s) that threaten our society?