Tuesday, May 31, 2016

I Thought We Stopped Burning "Witches" at the Stake

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here. I don't know if I stopped feeling like I had anything unique to say, or if life just happened, but I'm back and I have something to say.

The past few days have really given me voice to say something that's been building in me for a long time. Where is our compassion?

Over the weekend, there was a tragic incident at the Cincinnati Zoo in which a beautiful gorilla named, Harambe was shot to death because a small child had breached the enclosure and was in potential danger with the gorilla, who at first seemed gentle with the child. Zoo officials and others who are experts at this sort of thing said the zoo had no real choice because to not act was putting the child's life in grave danger.  Because I am not an expert, unlike so many arm chair "experts" on social media, I accept what they say.  It's sad and tragic, but I have to accept it and Lord knows I typically like animals more than most people, but I accept the loss.

What gets me is the huge vitriol that has been stirred up against this boy's mother. Maybe before spending some time lately with a toddler, I might have been one of the townspeople carrying a torch, but my experience has changed my perspective.  Here's a newsflash:

Toddlers move fast and they're curious and we sometimes turn our head's for just a second and that's all it takes.

Lighten up, people!  Accidents happen.  Are we so ready to vilify anyone we perceive as imperfect that this is our only course of action?  We want to burn this woman at the stake?

What I find most disturbing about this is that many of the people I see causing this uproar are our very own liberals.  I understand it when conservatives do this, it's kind of what they do.  The liberals are supposed to be the compassionate ones.  We feed the hungry, go to yoga and say "namaste".  I guess "namaste" means save the animals, but fuck the humans!

I'm starting to understand why Donald Trump is leading in the polls to become our next President of the United States.  If the uproar over this accident is any indication of the kind of President we deserve, maybe it is him.

Maybe I'm the one who doesn't belong here anymore.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Thoughts on My Gratitude Photos Project

As someone who enjoys putting my thoughts into words and someone who likes to capture feelings and emotions on camera, I found this project extremely difficult. I thought it would be easy. I have a lot of photos at my disposal, and I feel gratitude a lot. It seems like it would be easy to come up with thirty things for which I'm grateful.

Sure, I could find thirty photos of something I like, or that pleases me, but is that really gratitude?  I found many of my choices felt very superficial. Sure, I love a good hotel room, but is it something to be grateful for?  Yes, if you've stayed in bad hotel rooms, but it's not a cure for cancer.

As it turns out, I'm most grateful for those things I can't capture on camera. Feeling loved. Feeling included. A warm place to sleep. Having a choice in what I eat today. Family and friends. Having someone really know me and like me.

Those things aren't so easy to capture in a photograph, but they are the things for which I'm most grateful.

November 22-30 Gratitude Photos

Mass Transit

Museums

First Snow of the Season

Road Trips

Places of Reverence

A Good View

Arches

The Water

Train Villages

Monday, November 18, 2013

November 10-18 Gratitude Photos

I got too busy last week and fell behind. Here ya go. A week's worth of gratitude rolled into one post. 
Finding Beauty in Everything

Mountain Streams


Living in a Nice Neighborhood

Family

New York City

Night Walks

Living in a place where all kinds of people can connect.

Nice Hotel Rooms