2010: Begin Again - The reason for the season

This week I received a Christmas message in my email. I appreciate receiving seasonal greetings and I do really love this time of year. However, this particular message hit a raw nerve. 

The problem was the tone and the topic. It was basically one of those "Jesus is the reason for the season" messages. Some years ago, I must confess I believed the same thing. Since then, I have come to know the truth and the truth has set me free. Yes, I am no longer a Christian. Now I am a happy heathen! 

That being said, I still like to respect the rights of others to worship and have faith as they see fit. Unfortunately, there is a certain element in the Christian church that does not share this approach. And that brings me to the message I received.

It contained multiple photos of some very lovely Christmas trees. Before each image the message proclaimed:

This is a Christmas Tree
 
Scrolling down through the message, this was repeated numerous times. After the last photo came the following message:

These are NOT  Holiday Trees

They are NOT Winter Festival trees

They are NOT Hanukkah bushes


They are NOT Allah plants

They are Christmas trees.
Say it...
Christmas , Christmas , CHRISTmas

Yes CHRISTmas -not Holiday

We are not celebrating the birth of a Holiday !!!


We are Celebrating the Birth of
Jesus Christ!!!
So I would like to say to each and everyone of you
Have a Very Merry CHRISTMAS
and may GOD BLESS each and every one of you!!!

Take a stand and pass this on !!

I was grateful for the last statement - take a stand - as after reading the message I really felt like it was time to do just that. And so I did. Below is my response. 


WARNING: If your faith is easily offended you may wish to stop reading now. While I am no longer a Christian, I do have respect for those of the faith who are open minded and intelligent enough to realize that their perspective on spirituality is but one view. What irritates me are those individuals of any faith who believe their path is the ONLY path and who have so little understanding of other beliefs that they don't even realize some of the things they practice have origins outside of their church. And now, the message:

Enough is enough with this fundamentalist Christian propaganda. It’s time Christians faced the truth. It IS a holiday season. It was so long before the invention of Christianity. In fact, many of the ‘Christian’ celebrations at this time of the year were stolen from more ancient beliefs.

 

Shall we get down to the truth?

 

First, the Christmas tree, as that is the focus of this little misguided diatribe. The “Christmas” tree actually evolved from a pagan symbol used by cultures that predate Christianity. The Druids in ancient England & Gaul and the Romans in Europe both used evergreen branches to decorate their homes and public buildings to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Over the years, these traditions were adopted by Christians, who incorporated them as part of their Christmas holiday celebration.

 

So, we should actually call it a Solstice tree.

 

Furthermore, Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Jesus, is really just the result of the early Christian church attempting to convert non-believers by usurping festivities that existed long before the supposed arrival of a savior. There were a bunch of festivities (holidays) already taking place at that time of year. Rather than fight them, the church decided to declare that this is when Jesus was born so the festivities would take on a Christian veneer. In effect, the early church tried to steal the traditions of others. 

Show me where the Bible gives the birth date of Jesus and declares "And on the 25th day of the 12th month, thou shalt honour the birth of thy saviour." Early Christians did not celebrate Christmas, they honoured Easter. 

So, who first celebrated this time of the year? Many people. All predating Christianity.

• In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year. So “Yuletide carols being sung by a choir” really has nothing to do with Christmas. Yule is an old Norse tradition. And they didn’t worship Jesus. They looked to Odin and a host of other gods.

• Germans were terrified of Odin, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside. Hmmm. A magical being who travels through the sky watching people to see who has been bad or good, so you better be good for goodness sake! Sound familiar?

• In Rome, Saturnalia—a holiday in honour of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.

• Members of Rome’s upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra was born in cave to a virgin. He was considered one part of a divine trinity. For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year. Does any of this sound familiar?

• In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not even celebrated.

• Giving gifts at Christmas also has nothing to do with “Three Wise Men” or gifts for the Baby Jesus. The tradition, again, began in northern Europe and ancient Rome where people gave each other small presents as part of the year-end festivities.

• Wreaths, so popular at Christmas, have their beginnings among the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic people. During the cold December darkness of Easter Europe, they would gather wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light.

• Mistletoe . . . so festive, so much a part of Christmas. Right. Mistletoe was held sacred by the Norse, the Celtic Druids and the North America’s First Nations peoples. Druid priests employed it in their sacrifice to the gods while Celtic people believed it possessed miraculous healing powers. It was the sacred plant of Frigga, the Norse goddess of love.

• Holly, the sacred plant of the god Saturn, was used at the Roman Saturnalia festival to honour him. Druids believed that holly stayed green to keep the earth beautiful when the sacred oak lost its leaves.

Enough, already, of the “Jesus is the reason for the season” mentality. Get over it people! It’s a festive holiday season that originated out of older traditions more in touch with the Earth. And if you are really one of those who believes the Bible is the literal word of God, I share this written by one of your own: Jesus is Lord.

You want to say ‘Merry Christmas?’ Fine. I do, too.

If someone else wants to say Happy Yule, that’s cool. 

If I want it to be a Solstice Tree, let me! 

Just don’t steal another culture’s traditions then try to denigrate their beliefs by claiming it’s a ‘CHRIST-mas’ tree and everyone else should bow down to a skewed Christian perspective of reality.

 

Heathen’s Greetings, one and all!

2010: Begin Again - Developing Self Trust

Adventures on the Quest – Law of Mind Action

There is a huge trust deficit in society right now. Public trust in business, the media and politicians is currently at historically low levels. Lack of trust has a huge negative impact on society. These are some of the lessons shared by Stephen M.R. Covey in The Speed of Trust and at a presentation Sept. 23 at Lethbridge College.

It was also the focus of my last blog entry, the first of three looking at the elements converging in my life right now. Covey talks about the Five Waves of Trust with the first and most important being self trust.

Self trust plays an important role in the recent exercises I completed as part of The Quest: A Journey of Spiritual Rediscovery. Darren Hutchison, a friend of mine, and I are slowly working through the book. Recently we finished off Chapter 19 – Law of Mind Action. This really gets down to dealing with self trust and how, if we want to change our lives, we need to change our thoughts.

The study helps bring attention to areas we may not otherwise delve into. I’ve been bothered by how I’ve reacted to life and began this year with the intention to, in a way, start things over. Hence the blog – 2010: Being Again.

I’ve come to realize that a lack of self trust can be the biggest obstacle we need to overcome in personal efforts to find the happiness and success we want in life. Paying attention to how we make decisions and what we think can increase awareness of our self trust and help us focus on making needed changes.

Exploring self trust

Adventures on the Quest challenges readers to explore areas of self trust. Three exercises included:

1. Think of your earliest thought about a life-changing experience. Perhaps it was a decision to marry someone or to get a divorce. Maybe it was a decision to change a job or to have a child. Describe how that thought led to your eventual action. Be as detailed as you can.
2. Are you facing a decision now? Write down your thoughts about it.
3. Will these thoughts lead you where you want to go? Explain how they will or will not.

This is the kind of stuff few of us, and by that I mean me, ever undertake. Blissfully, we go through life perhaps not living up to our potential and wondering what’s holding us back. At least, that’s the case for me. What are we listening to? What is impacting our thoughts and, subsequently, our self trust as well as trust in others.

The chapter talks about the impact of the thoughts and messages that bombard us every day. Think about commercials on TV and the radio, and ads on billboards and in newspapers and magazine. All are attempts to influence how you think. And don’t you think that this can affect your self trust? I’d say yup! You betcha!

4. What commercials or advertisement do you disagree with? Name three and list the reasons you disagree with them. For example, maybe you don’t like being told that you must smoke a cigarette or drink a certain beverage to be sophisticated.
5. What popular thinking to you agree or disagree with and why? Perhaps you agree with popular thought about economic good times or bad times. You may agree or disagree with the implications of the news media that we live in a dangerous world.
6. Think about your life. What is your dominant thought about yourself? Write it out.
7. What major shift in your thinking is needed at this point in your life? Be specific in your details.
   

Our thoughts determine our self trust

How we think and what we think of ourselves gets right to the heart of the self trust Stephen Covey talks about. Without that self trust, the first pebble in the pond, the other ripples necessary to reach societal trust can’t happen.

Learn to trust yourself. If that’s an issue for you, how do you overcome it?

Picking up on Covey’s teachings, sometimes we develop a lack of self trust because we make promises we fail to keep. Think about New Years resolutions. How often do people make a decision at the beginning of the year only to see their determination quickly slip away, often before Valentine’s Day?

Hey, wait a moment. That’s me in the mirror! Those resolutions slip sliding away are mine. So, what’s the result?

Repeat it a few times and perhaps subconsciously we begin registering the fact that we can’t even trust ourselves to live up to our own self promises.

Without self trust, the ripples do not expand out to the other waves that need to wash over society and bring about needed change. So, what can we do? Take action to begin growing self trust. Simple steps are the best. Something to which you can commit.

Maybe you’re looking to lose some weight. (Yup, that’s still me in the mirror. Just more of me than I'd like there to be!) How about a promise to walk every day? Live up to that promise if you haven’t before. Prove to yourself that you can be trusted. It’s a small step. But it’s a beginning on which you can build.

So join me. Take that small step. Build your own self trust and let the ripples start to spread.

Next: Self trust. Without it people can come within reach of a dream or goal only to let it slip away. Three Feet from Gold explores the lives of people who had enough self trust to over come obstacles and challenges to attain their goals. Also: A few days ago I shared a special lesson on Facebook - ((P+T) x A x A) + F = ??? I'll share the solution in the next blog entry; the final in this series of three about self trust.

Photos: Adventures on the Quest asks readers to think about their lives and consider what is the framework around which they fill in the details. Think of it like a sculptor who creates a metal frame and fills in the details with clay. What is the key framework for you? The photos capture my framework. Lynda and I took our grandson, JC, down to Indian Battle Park in Lethbridge on Sunday. I’m with the woman I love on multiple levels, she is my best friend, we’re enjoying nature and sharing it with our grandson, thus helping him to appreciate it, too. Top: Lynda and I in a self-portrait at the park. Next: Lynda and JC at the base of Lethbridge's High Level Bridge. Next: JC and I take a look at a garter snake I spotted off to the side of the path. Bottom: Close up of the snake. JC liked him almost as much as I did!

2010: Begin Again: A van-tasy

Dreaming

Are you familiar with the Pepsi ‘Forever Young’ promotion?

I don’t know if this ran in the U.S., but my fellow Canadians will likely recall it. Someone is drinking a Diet Pepsi and the voiceover asks “Is there anything else youthful you'd like to experience?”

Then the person drinking has a flashback to something great from when they were young, sees how it would apply to life today and decides to stick with the Diet Pepsi instead.

The one that gets me is the guy in the minivan who says, “Yeah, I’d like to have my old van back.”

The view cuts to him driving around in this tricked-out Boogie van from the ‘70s with the gaudy mural of the big-breasted warrior woman and her team of saber-toothed cat/bear things. Cue Loverboy’s ‘Working for the Weekend.’ The music pounds, the van rolls and everyone is looking at him. A businessman gives the driver an odd look at a red light. He stops to let the kids out at school and a mother covers her little girl’s eyes as the driver stands leaning up against the van with one hand near one of those massive breasts.

He’s quite embarrassed. He snaps to and says “On second thought, I’ll stick with my Diet Pepsi.”

Wrong answer, dude! See, I had a Boogie van back in the late ‘70s. Yes. Me. And recently I’ve been thinking how great it would be to have one again. That one in the Pepsi ad would be so cool!

There was a very cool van around in 1976 sponsored by Pepsi’s competitor, Coke! Check out the photo I’ve included with this posting. Took me a bit of time to find it. Coke and Levi, the jeans people, teamed up to produce about 25 of these vans, giving them away in contests across North America. I entered a bunch of times, but never did win the van, although someone in Alberta did win one. Very nice custom interior . . . all in Levi denim.

Mine was a Dodge Tradesman B100. It was sort of a copper colour. No exterior mural. Couldn’t afford that. Duel side exhaust. Visor. Flares. No side or rear windows. My friend, Ian, and I worked on the interior. Ian had a Chevy van with a beautiful interior. We had lots of fun doing my van. I’m a klutz with things like that, so Ian was a big help. We built a good bed in back, with a pullout middle section that served as an extra seat and a cooler. Installed wood flooring and ox-blood red faux leather walls. Put in a sunroof.

I loved that van. Every once in a while, deep in a restful sleep, I will dream that I still have it. That it’s been sitting in a garage somewhere all these years and I just have to dust it off, start it up and get back on the road.

It’s a nice reminder that we all have dreams. Often we let the dreams slip away as we ‘mature.’

Life has a way of smacking you upside the head with a two-by-four. Before you know it, you’re working in a career, you’re married, you’ve got kids, the kids grow up and move away (hopefully) and you’re left staring at the fact that so much of what you wanted to do when you were young hasn’t happened.

The goals you had were put on hold, then got lost in the back of that garage in your mind, covered with dust and forgotten about. Part of what 2010: Begin Again means to me is examining those old dreams and seeing about resuscitating them. Can a little mental CPR breath new life into my earlier desires? At least those dreams that still intrigue and interest me.

I like to think it’s never too late to begin again. Take a fresh look at life and see if you’re living the way you really want to, or if you are living the way you have to. There’s a big difference. I’m fortunate to have a job I enjoy working with people I like. Not everyone has that. But there is still more I want to accomplish.

If you’re still in your 20s or 30s, don’t give up on your dreams. Maybe it doesn’t seem like they are possible right now, but if you work a plan to make them happen, you’ve got time. If you’re closer to me in age, I still say don’t surrender to the passage of time. You can still make a plan to achieve, then work your plan.

My plan involves developing second income streams to enhance what I currently earn. This summer I’ve been fortunate to have time to do some research and develop some ideas to achieve that goal.

One of those ideas is to provide others with access to a service that allows people to easily connect, reconnect and stay in touch with friends, family, co-workers clients and just about anyone else through easily customized greeting cards that are printed and mailed for you for less then you could spend on a card purchased in most stores. You can check this out here.

And if you want to see my van, stay tuned. I’m going to try to locate and scan some photos from that era. You’ll get to see me when I was skinny (I was once, you know), had a cheesy moustache and a perm! Hey, it was the ‘70s.

I can skip the cheesy moustache and the perm, but I’d sure like to have the van again!

Cue the music . . .

“Everyone's watching, to see what you will do

Everyone's looking at you, oh

Everyone's wondering, will you come out tonight

Everyone's trying to get it right, get it right

Everybody's working for the weekend

Everybody wants a new romance

Everybody's goin' off the deep end

Everybody needs a second chance, oh”

And fade out . . .

Photo: The machine of a dream. The Coke Denim Machine. I wanted it so badly. To enter the contest you needed to collect bottle cap liners. This was the day of metal bottle caps. I used a magnet on a sting to fish caps out of vending machines. Ya see, in the olden days you'd use the machines built-in bottle opener to pop the metal cap, which would fall into a receptacle below. How primitive!

2010: Begin Again - Friends and a Misty Update

Time Keeps on Slipping into the Future

How much time do you spend thinking about the future? Now that I have less time ahead of me than what lies in my past, I think my perspective on the future is evolving. When younger, say in my 20s or 30s, even 40s, it seemed there was all the time in the world. That belief is now pretty much part of the past in which it was formed.

At the risk of sounding like someone’s old grandfather, don’t take what you’ve currently got for granted and it’s never too early to plan for your future. In this case, do as I say and not as I do. I haven’t done a lot of planning for my future . . . and I realized yesterday that technically I’ve only got 12 years to go until retirement! Scary!

As 2010 rolls along and I focus on the idea of ‘begin again,’ much of my reflection has been on a deep, personal level. Last week I shared about realizing I’ve let the riches of friendship slip through my fingers. That’s something I’m working at correcting.

I’ve begun to put together a list of people who have touched my life in some way over the years. Not an easy task, but a real eye-opener! Looking at an address book we use, I was shocked to see so many names that I can’t even recall. I can’t picture faces. I don’t remember the connection. And that’s sad. I suspect many were affiliated with a couple of churches we used to attend. It seems you leave a church and often you leave behind acquaintances.

Those I can’t recall I shall consider lost treasures. They came into my life, enriched a moment and were gone. But there are others whose names stir fond memories. Gems that still shine brightly in my recollections. To these jewels, I have started reaching out. Through social networking I am reconnecting with some wonderful people. And I’m not going to stop there.

Is there such a thing as Providence? Divine Intervention? Law of Attraction? Or is it all coincidence? Whatever you believe, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Remember Desiderata? It certainly unfolded right for me. Just as I’m experiencing the desire to foster stronger friendships, along comes a means that will let me do that in a wonderfully personal and creative way.

I reconnected with a friend I’d been thinking about – Jackie Ulmer. Jackie and I re-established contact after being out of touch for a couple of years. She introduced me to a method she’s been using to strengthen friendships by using a service provided through a company called Send Out Cards. When I found out how easy it was to generate and send personal greetings to others, I felt my wishes crossing paths with a means in either a great coincidence or a benevolent intervention!

Whatever the case, it means I’m going to start going beyond the Internet and back to the personal touch to express how deeply my friends have touched me. For this blessing in my life, I have to thank Jackie.

So, keep an eye on your mailbox. If I’ve got your address, you could be receiving a card from me sometime soon. And if I don’t have your address, well, I might just try to track it down! Yes, you do mean that much to me!

Updates
Spirituality: I’m getting excited about speaking to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship here in Lethbridge on Sunday, Sept. 12. It’s the first celebration together after taking the summer off. The theme is ‘Gathering of the Waters.’ My talk will fall in line with that theme and with the song ‘Imagine,’ being sung by Sarah Russell – my pick!

This is not your traditional church! In fact, I wouldn’t even call our group a church. It’s more a celebration of life with a group that includes people of a wide range of beliefs, but a common interest in improving the here-and-now and not worrying so much about what comes after! If you are interested, we meet at 1904 - 13 Avenue North in Lethbridge. That’s the Nord-Bridge Community Hall. Enter from the south side of the building at the door with the wheelchair ramp. If you want to learn more about the UUF in Lethbridge, let me know and I’ll share what I can.

Health: It may not sound like much, but I’m walking more often. That was easier when I only had Max to deal with. He can set a could pace and is well trained on the leash or off. But now I’ve got Misty, too, for a short while. She’s hardly spent any time outdoors and never on a leash. We’re working on it! But you can see she’s not too keen on walking on grass!

Finances: Being laid off for the summer has been interesting. Fortunately, it’s considered a seasonal layoff and I qualify for EI! Hey, I’ve paid into it for a lot of years; I might as well get something back. Of course, it’s not equal to my salary from the college, but I go back to work on Aug. 30. And there’s a bonus waiting for me on the first pay cheque (that’s ‘check’ for all my friends who speak American). No, it’s not for anything I did. Due to the economy, there are not raises this year, but the Board of Governors has approved a $1,000 bonus to help compensate.

Misty: It was a shivering little frightened dog that came into our home last Wednesday. She was even afraid of little Maya. The tiny kitten puffed herself up, hissed and Misty cowered behind my legs. Now poor Maya may regret that bluff. Misty has settled in and routinely pounces on Maya in an effort to get her to play. She’s twice the size of the kitten and I have to call her off so poor Maya can have some peace. My son’s cat, Freckles, is fine with the big lumbering Max and Maya, but is paranoid about Misty. She stays hidden most of the time. And Max would love to play with Misty, but she’s too nervous around Max. She goes out of her way to avoid him. Some day she’ll learn he’s as big a pussycat as Maya . . . only, well, bigger!

Until next time – live, love and laugh!

Photos: Misty sitting with me at the Nicholas Sheran spray park in Lethbridge. It was her second excursion on a leash. Maya crams her head into my grandson's glass looking to lap up some milk. Sunday was a good day!

Derek (GIC – Guy In Charge)

2010: Begin Again - Scams, risks and the Book of Jobs

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." - Steve Jobs (below)


Well, roll me in marinara sauce and slap me with a wet noodle! I cannot believe how much time has passed since I last blogged. And regular blogging is one of my goals for the 2010: Begin Again project. So let’s get back to it . . . and begin again.

First - Happy birthday!
John Charles Bly – JC to his friends and family – turned three this weekend. Yup. My grandson is three years old. It was a simple get together with grandparents, great grandma and his Aunt Kelsea. Some fun gifts and some tasty potluck. It was a good Sunday afternoon.

Sometimes you need to take a chance

A few days ago I received an e-mail from a friend who was interested in an offer included in a newsletter she receives on a regular basis. She asked my opinion, for which I am flattered, as she’s seen some claims that the offer is a scam. Part of my 2010: Begin Again project involves developing a home-based business for many reasons. (I should write about those some time.) As a result, I’ve looked at a lot of things and done a more-than-average amount of research.

Here is my reply to my friend.

This is similar to many things I've looked at. Part of my challenge is I receive so many newsletters and info pieces now that I'm suffering from 'analysis paralysis'. At some point, I need to focus on something and move with it.

As to this offer, do I think it's a scam? That might depend on a person's expectations. I do not believe it's an out-and-out scam to separate people from their money without offering something of value. Without actually seeing the information, I'm guessing it does what it says it will do, but I suspect some people may read into the offer more than what is actually there.

Perhaps it generates higher expectations than it can deliver for those who see it as offering more than it does. In such a case, the person receiving it may perceive it as a scam. But as long as it actually does what it says, even if not to the level some would hope, I would not classify it as a scam.

While it's true there are a million and one scams out there, I think it is also true that there are as many cynics. Some of them will try something half-heartedly, expect great outcomes for little effort, and then be ticked off when they fail and feel a need to blame someone. So they'll claim they were scammed.

Others have claimed something is a scam because the creator of the offer is providing information you could get for free if you did your own research. I don't consider that a scam, though. Sure, maybe you can find it elsewhere if you take the time to do the investigating. But what is your time worth to you?

Suppose you're salary equals $26/hour. What if it takes you 20 hours to gather, research and understand something that can increase your income? If your time is worth $26/hour, that would have been worth $520 to you. If you can pay $175 for that same info, would it be worth it? Is it a scam if someone is selling that info for $175? To me, no.

So what is a scam to one person may not be to another.

During the past couple of weeks I've been reading and watching things that are driving home the point that maybe it's time to leave the comfort zone, step out and take bold action. Here are a couple of things that have been inspiring me.

Highlights from You Were Born Rich, by Bob Proctor. Chap. 7, The Risk Takers.

... just consider the monumental risks which all of our great religious leaders have undertaken during the course of their heroic lives. Then stop and reflect upon the enormous risks which all of our great business leaders have also undertaken, during the span of their illustrious careers. Finally, as you seriously meditate upon these stupendous accomplishments, you will become increasingly aware of the fact that you too must become a risk-taker for you to develop the greatness you were worn with.

For the life of anyone who chooses to live with extreme caution will never amount to anything more than a succession of dull, soporific days, continuing on, without interruption.

You should be aware that as you start engaging in more risk-taking behaviour, the majority of people will be trying to avoid it 'at all costs.'

If we only cast our minds back to the formative years of our own lives, we will soon recognize where this reluctance to engage in risk-taking behaviour has its source.

You too can become a bona fide risk-taker . . . simply by doing the things you have dreamed about - off and on - for months, or possibly even years.

If the truth were to be known, you would dearly love to execute the dream

The simple truth is you can. But in all likelihood, it is going to require a considerable amount of courage on your part.

Begin to visualize yourself as a risk-taker and then start telling yourself you are one.

So even if you should lose everything you own, you still retain the capacity to bounce back, to try once again.

Check out the book to see the entire chapter.

Highlights from Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech.
When he was 17, Steve Jobs heard a verse, something like: "If you live each day as it if were your last, someday you'll most certainly be right."

Look in the mirror each morning and ask yourself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" If the answer is 'no' too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Almost everything, all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked, there is no reason not to follow your heart. (Note: This address came a year after Jobs was diagnosed with a form of pancreatic cancer that could be treated. So he's faced the real thing.)

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it and that’s how it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.

• Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
• Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking.
• Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.
• And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Check out Steve Jobs for the actual speech. It is great content and will be the best 15 minutes of your day.

Conclusion
2010: Begin Again is really about recognizing the boundaries of our personal comfort zones. Real change can only come when we push at those boundaries and expand beyond our self-imposed limitations. Bob Proctor offers insights into personal greatness. In his speech, Steve Jobs touches on the importance of not letting others necessarily influence you and keep you from following your heart. J.C. is a three-year-old who still finds delight and wonder in the world. What causes you delight and wonder in your life? Perhaps you need to pursue it.

2010: Begin Again – Careful, Big Brother may be watching

Are you OK with your employer using technology to monitor you at work? According to an interview I heard on CBC Radio earlier today, 75 per cent of Canadian companies and organizations may be keeping track of workers and their productivity via their computers. This can take the form of keystroke counting to ensure data-entry efficiency to monitoring Internet access to see what you may be checking out. Big Brother may, indeed, be watching. How do you feel about that?

The CBC Radio show was Spark and I think it was Nora Young conducting the interview, but I didn’t catch the name of the fellow being interviewed. I believe he was from a university’s school of business. Discussion centred on the use of technology to keep an eye on employees to see if productivity is being maintained. Aside from the keystroke counting and monitoring Internet activity, other current and developing trends really start to seem a little creepy.

Security ID cards can track when employees enter or leave the building, or sections in the building. Some companies are introducing cards that will allow them to track employees constantly, knowing exactly where they are at any given time while on the job. Better not spend too much time on a bathroom break!

Part of my 2010: Begin Again project is to work at developing a good side income. My job at the college is a 10-month term position, meaning I’m off work from mid-June to mid-August. Having extra money flowing in will be most beneficial. Having an extra income that could actually replace that from a job could be a blessing if one was to work for an organization that snooped into your life a bit too much!

Thankfully, I’m not in such a position myself. How about you? Who’s watching over your shoulder?

A Year to Live – Experiencing Life By Preparing for Death
Today marked the first session in the ‘A Year to Live’ program I am taking with a friend. This is based on the book A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last, by Stephen Levine. We’re meeting once a month with a wonderful woman, Pat, who is guiding us through the program.

Death is not something people are comfortable discussing or considering. I suppose taking time for such a program may seem morbid to some, but when you realize the actual intent is to ensure participants are really living the life they want, it actually becomes quite exciting.

We spent time simply talking about the concept and why we were there. Pat used a guided meditation to begin the process of imagining a doctor had just told us we only have a year to live. What that felt like and what our reactions would be provided fodder for conversation. We also did some solo brainstorming looking at what we would like to accomplish if we truly only had a year left.

What’s interesting is that none of us really know how much time is left for us in this physical realm. The individual with a known terminal illness could outlive us should we have an unfortunate run-in with a bus. And not of the kind I referenced yesterday!

As Levine states in the book; “It can be hard to die when we have forgotten so often that we are alive . . . How often has our life passed unnoticed? How soon will we accept this opportunity to be fully alive before we die?”

Interestingly enough, to me anyway, you may care less; I’m also currently reading You Were Born Rich by Bob Proctor. He addresses the same issue about living before we die; “Remember, you do not have a contract to live forever, nor is this a practice run – this is your life and you should be enjoying it to the fullest extent humanly possible.”

My deepest wish is that you are, in fact, living life exactly how you want to. If you aren’t, bless yourself by taking some time to reflect on what’s really important to you, then start to take the steps to make that happen.

Namaste.

It's About Time

For me, it's 2010: Begin Again. But even though committing to revolution more than resolution, sometimes the past continues to live on in the mind.

The brain is a weird and wonderful thing. It amazes me that it can store the strangest memories for years, then suddenly spring them lose on you when you least expect it. This morning was a classic example for me.

Jingles for TV shows and commercials seem to have the power to embed themselves deep in the mind. For me, they can work their way to the surface at unexpected times. I’m sure something triggers it – something too subtle to register – and suddenly it’s like I’m back in time and music and lyrics are playing in my head. OK, OK, so I’m actually singing along to the soundtrack of my mind.

This morning it was a flashback to a horrible TV show from the 1960s. From out of nowhere I found myself singing:

“It’s about time, it’s about space,
About two men in the strangest place.
Wait ‘til they see what is in sight,
Is it good luck, or is it good night.
It’s about two astronauts
It’s about they’re fate.
It’s about a woman
And her prehistoric mate.”

The lyrics aren't complete, but that's the section I remember. And, weah, the show was called It’s About Time. It came out a time of very silly shows on TV. Things like the Beverly Hillbillies, the Munsters, Gilligan’s Island and more. The premise was sillier than any of the aforementioned, with the possible exception of The Munsters. It’s About Time was a comedy about two astronauts who travel back in time and hook up with a tribe of cavemen. Whacky adventures ensue. Dumb. Really dumb.

But the power of the theme song makes it live on in my mind.

Radio jingles do the same thing. When I was in Grades 1-3, I lived at the air force base near Summerside, P.E.I. Every school day Mom would have breakfast prepared and I’d eat at about the same each morning. Mom also had the radio playing at the same time. And I swear I heard the same radio ads morning after morning.

Now I’m 52 years old and I still remember:

J-E-N-K-I-N-S
Jenkins is the very best.
Beef and lobster, chicken, too.
Jenkins is the best for you.
Shop Jenkins, Jenkins
Jenkins of P.E.I.

Jenkins doesn’t exist anymore. I know. A couple of years ago, when the jingle was going through my mind, I contacted the editor of the newspaper in Summerside to see if it was still around. Nope. It’s long gone. But it lives on in my mind – along with the memory of the first time I had cinnamon toast. That was also one morning in P.E.I. while having breakfast before school.

Cinnamon toast and Jenkins. Two memories intertwined and linked by a simple radio jingle.

The mind really is a weird and wonderful thing.

2010: Begin Again - Dream Weaver and Litter Things

Dream Weaver
The fulfillment of your dreams is necessary for the well-being of the whole of humanity. The Divine expresses itself through you and your life. Are you living up to your potential or selling yourself short. And, in so doing, adversely affecting all that is. It’s something I struggle with.

I do believe in a spiritual side of life. In fact, I think we are spirit experiencing the physical reality of the universe. Who and what we are is something humanity has pondered for thousands of years. Seems we still don’t have a definitive answer that suits everyone, and we never will.

God, Allah, Shiva, Jehovah, The Light, One Mind, Divine Spirit, Krishna, Shen, Gaia; they are all expressions of our efforts to understand our place in the universe. For me, I tend to follow New Thought principles, not to be confused with New Age. Forget the crystals; you are connected right to the Divine.

Even knowing this, that we are connected through and with spirit, I still struggle with things that are all too human. Not recognizing the Divine in others is a big thing with me. Certain people and the way they act get under my skin and I react without thinking. Not good. And it’s got me into trouble at times.

But I know I can live up to potential and I like the teaching that individual dreams are important to the All. Here’s a great talk about pursuing your dreams.


It’s the Litter Things that Bug Me!
Thank your lucky stars, God in Heaven or own version of the Divine that I’m not in charge of everything. If I were there’d be some changes made. I can’t stand people who litter.

Someone who has such little consideration for others that they’d just throw their trash around is offensive to me. Even with the big interest in being ‘green’ right now, there still seems to be a lot of people who just don’t give a damn. When I walk Max, I often end up picking up the trash left behind by others. Today it was a paper cup from someone’s coffee. Really, how much effort does it take to carry it with you along the path until you hit the next trash container?

Want to help clean up the planet? Here’s what I’d do if I was in charge (and that’s not likely to happen, so relax, you’re safe).

The minimum fine for littering would instantly increase to $1,000 for the smallest infraction. Drop a coffee cup - $1,000 fine. Leave a candy bar wrapping in the grass - $1,000 fine. Toss a cigarette butt on the ground - $1,000 fine. You can be a slob in your house, but not where others have to tolerate your disgusting lack of manners.

The fine would be payable immediately, or as $500 in each of two successive months. Can’t afford it? Fine. Here’s your options:
1. Authorities will garnishee your wages until the fine is paid.
2. Fulfill 100 hours of supervised community work instead of the fine. This works out to a value of $10 per hour. Hopefully, you’ll spend it in a supervised crew cleaning up parks and roadsides.
3. Serve your time in jail and have a record.

If it’s kids doing the littering, parents are given two warnings. The third time, they are responsible for the kid’s fine, or allowing the kid to work 100 hours of community service.

Yeah, I know. It’s unrealistic and some would say too harsh. But you better believe there would be a decrease in littering and parents may take more responsibility for bringing their kids up right.

Photos: Just me and my shadow - gone over to the dark side! Max waits for me to snap a shot. Ice fishing . . . I don't the attraction. Creek behind the pool the west side - full of snow and a long way from spring!

2010: Begin Again. Proud as punch and Boldy Going

Proud as punch
Big evening for the Bly and Harper families at the Royal Canadian Legion this evening. I’m very proud to say that Lynda, my better half, and Kelsea, my sweetie-bird daughter, were both part of the installation ceremony for the Ladies’ Auxiliary. Lynda is now officially president and Kelsea is the sergeant-at-arms. With Lynda’s mom in attendance, three generations were represented – all members of the Legion’s Ladies’ Auxiliary. I don’t know if there are very many mother/daughter combos on Legion executives, but I’m darned proud of these two!
Photos: Lynda and Kelsea with my mother-in-law, Sharon. And the proud hubbie/papa with the two special women.


Up yours!
This coming Thursday a doctor in Coaldale will boldly go where no man has gone before . . . straight up my rectum with a little camera. Yup, it’s colonoscopy time! OK, truth is one other doctor has followed the same route, but that was 12 years ago.

A few days ago I shared a bit about seeing a men’s healthy program on the Dr. Oz show. I don’t normally watch Dr. Oz, but the theme tied in perfectly with my 2010: Begin Again life theme. And one of the topics being covered was the need for a colonoscopy as part of a health maintenance plan. I already had one scheduled for this Thursday, Jan. 7. Actually, I initially had it scheduled for early December, but it was postponed by the clinic in Coaldale as the doctor involved had injured himself with an auger digging fence post holes.

Hmmm. The guy who’s going to go rooting around in my bowel injured himself with an auger? Ironic.

So, here’s the poop on colonoscopies. As Dr. Oz notes on his website:

“No routine cancer-screening test brings about more anxiety then a colonoscopy. Not necessarily the worry of results either. It's the test itself that drives people to skip the test. It is invasive, uncomfortable, embarrassing and intimate. It is terribly inconvenient: It takes a day to prepare and a day for the test.”

But it SAVES LIVES! On the show, Dr. Oz noted about 25,000 people in the U.S. alone die needlessly each year from colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy can make the difference. Uncomfortable embarrassment or death? What to choose, what to choose?

I made my choice.

From my own single experience, I would say the actual cleanse is the worst part. No shit! I’m not kidding! That bowel needs to be clean. The first time I went through it, I had to skip food the day before and drink this horrible liquid – four litres of it! To be honest, I couldn’t make it through the full jug. I got just over three litres choked down, but that was enough to clean like a white tornado.

This time it’s a two-day prep with a liquid diet, two drinks of a pico-salax mixture and three bisacodyl tablets. Instructions say ensure a toilet is nearby at all times. I start the liquid diet on Tuesday. Take the first pico-salax Tuesday night. Stay home from work on Wednesday for the thrill of the PS after effect. Liquid diet on Wednesday, final PS and bisacodyl tablets Wednesday night, then examine on Thursday.

On the upside, after Wednesday it will be a few days again before anyone can tell me that I’m full of it! Also, maybe this’ll kick start my weight reduction plan! Do not expect photos from the procedure!

Health Bonus:
Here's a cool story about the bacteria that help us out and where they live on our bodies, courtesy of Live Science.