Remember the Time

The atmosphere feels wrong. With October over and the ghouls put away, we normally tumble headlong into holiday preparations. The stores responded on cue by selling everything we need to move forward, but given the 70-degree temperatures, things feel off-kilter. The weather suggests showers, flowers, and endless sunshine as if spring and summer are around the corner. Sea-saw temperatures leave us guessing about what tomorrow holds. Let’s hope it’s not this scenario:

                                         https://youtu.be/St1AqmmQ3Io

 We’re living in unprecedented times, breaking records on all fronts—in the weather, in the culture, and in our political climate. What unprecedented life event will you always remember?   

No Promises?

If someone makes you a promise, you expect them to keep it—that’s the hallmark of a promise. It’s your guarantee that a specific event will or won’t occur. Promise fulfillment depends on surrounding issues and the abilities of the person who makes the promise. Despite our best intentions, uncontrollable situations often prevent us from keeping them. Watch how this ends:

                                     https://youtu.be/YTfhaCOgzVQ

Smart girl. She knew her limitations. Most promises involve a high degree of serious intensity. We usually make them at important events like in front of before wedding officials or judges at swearing-in ceremonies. Unfortunately, based on the success rate of marriages and the current political news, some of those promises are difficult to keep. Whose promises do you trust?      

Who’s on the Throne in 2016?

Can you believe it’s time for political debates and discussions about presidential elections? After I updated our kids about the presidential candidates’ recent comments and decisions, our youngest child remarked, “This is like a bad dream.” Let’s hope the dream gets better—for us and for our children.

Young people always offer interesting insights. Kids, no matter where they live, often surprise us with their ideas about politics. Have a listen:

                                          https://youtu.be/FvGh3KZpSEM

Kids may not know everything about being president, but talking about politics is the first step toward raising future voters. Let’s hope kids realize their voices can make a positive difference, despite the political behaviors they see. Based on the current political environment so far, we’d better strap ourselves in for the bumpy ride to Election Day. Maybe during the 2016 election campaign, there'll be less bickering and more talk about  solutions for the nation's problems. 

Financial status, upbringing, and other personal experiences drive the candidates’ political positions. You probably have one or two key issues that drive the kind of candidate you’ll follow. Thinking about those topics, which of your personal views cause you to support those issues?   

Name Your Revolution

Do you feel like we’re living in the midst of several revolutions? Listen to the news. Everyone’s revolting against a social issue, an economic program or a political party. People in Middle Eastern countries rally for new governments and in America we have Occupy (name your city). We haven’t seen this much unrest since the flower children of the sixties when they turned on, tuned in and dropped out and let’s not forget the marches and sit-ins that followed. Change is a popular, everybody wants it.   

During my college years, almost every spring our student body found an issue to protest. Like clockwork a group would rise up with a cause to champion and then out would come the tents, signs and large collections of demonstrators blocking pathways and chaining classroom building doors. It certainly kept things interesting. I guess we should expect that kind of behavior from a group of determined thought-leaders bent on impacting the college and the culture.

I bet we all think the world would be a better place if everyone shared our views. Check out this video and see if you agree with these suggestions on how to improve the world.

Sometimes a non-peaceful uprising is necessary to improve a social or political situation, but not always. Step one involves standing up for something you believe in. One person can make a huge impact on the world. Find the courage to introduce an issue and go for it! What do you have a passion to change? What’s the name of your peaceful  revolution?