Second Award

The second award for the year's end came to me from Lisa, The Butterfly Farmer.


This one is more serious, and much harder to comply with. You are asked to list ten honest things about yourself. I suppose this could also be taken rather lightly. But I didn't think of it that way - especially since I read the lists of a couple of other people, and they were quite serious. So, here goes.

l. Forgiveness. This is a concept I have trouble with. I try- I really do. But I find it difficult, if not impossible to forgive Amanda, who was the woman my father married after my parents' divorce. The same thing goes for one of my nieces, for the way she treated my sister. And then of course there are people like GWB. I find it hard to forgive him. And Adolf Hitler and so many others throughout history for their crimes against humanity. How do I forgive that sort of thing? I wrestle with that idea.

2. Prejudice. Everyone has them. Me too. I think my strongest prejudice is against prejudice itself. For instance: within so many religious groups are those who truly believe that their way is the only way, and the rest of us poor souls are doomed to hell. "Born agains" have told me they can't even pray for those who do not believe their way. Yes, I am prejudiced.

3. Honestly, I spent too many years searching for a religious group to call my own. I was raised in the Episcopal Church. Attended the Lutheran Church with my best friend, and joined them. Had occasion to attend many others. In 9th grade I wrote a thesis on Comparative Religions. Much later became a Catholic, but was soon disillusioned there. I have for some years now found peace in realizing that my Faith is my own, and am very comfortable in my present relationship with God, without attending any formal church.

4. On a less deep and possible disturbing note - I am a terrible housekeeper. I've always said my house is clean, just not neat and tidy. More recently, since I cannot do some of the physical chores I used to, I'm not too sure it is even clean. My daughter's visit over the holidays took care of some of that part, thank heaven. But there will always be piles of paper, and things not put away because I will want to use them again soon.

5. I can't drink. I enjoy a drink on occasion, but I can't take more than one. Well, maybe one and a half. More than that, and I'm tipsy. I don't like being tipsy.

6. I am never really comfortable in a really fancy restaurant. Can't relax. I don't really enjoy being waited on, there or anywhere else. I like to do things for myself. Well, it's just as well. Being diabetic, I shouldn't eat all those sauces and things. And they always serve you much too much. I don't eat that much.

7. Speaking my mind. This one works both ways. When I was in high school, I didn't speak my mind enough. I had all these wonderful (or so I thought) ideas and responses running around in my head, but never voiced them. Once I was more or less an adult, I spoke up, probably too often. And now, here I am writing a blog, and may have way too much to say at times.

8. Playing dumb. This started in my teens. I found that there were times during a date when, since most boys were basically nice anyway, if I played dumb when they made suggestive remarks or gestures, they usually decided I was a "nice" girl and cut it out. Then I found when I was out in the working world that the same tactic worked with co-workers and bosses in other situations. Playing dumb can be your best friend.

9. I had two "best friends" throughout my school years. If I have to be honest, only one was my best friend. Or I was to her. The other, I really didn't like all that much. We got along fine. There was just something about her I never really felt comfortable with, and I couldn't quite trust her.

10. Practicality. I am really not practical. Never have been. Guess I never will be.
If I am down to my last couple of dollars, and I have a choice of buying a loaf of bread or a bunch of flowers, I'm going for the flowers every time. I mean, if things are that tight, I'm going to starve to death anyway. Why not have the pretty flowers to enjoy in my last moments?


OK. That's enough honesty for a while. Lisa, it was an interesting exercise. Thank you very much for the award. I'm not going to pass it on. Not this one. But I'm glad you offered it to me. I kind of enjoyed thinking of honest things about myself that I don't normally drag out to view.

Politics and Religion

The two tabu subjects, everywhere except in the blogging world. Here, politics reigns at the moment. Religion - not so much. But to me, the two are so closely related that I am going to defy the tabu today.

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I have voted both ways from time to time. I am an Independent, and it means a great deal to me that I remain so. I worked for 18 years for the local municipality. The day I started that job, I also went to the Election Board and registered Independent. I have never regretted it.

I am really sick of hearing the Republicans claiming to uphold the "Christian ethic" and be the family oriented people, while pointing at Democratic liberals as being godless heathens. That is so far from the truth (on both sides) as to be ludicrous. There is a man in the White House today who calls himself a Christian, but whose actions regarding the health and welfare of the people, relations with other countries, refusal to sign international agreements to protect the innocent, treatment of prisoners, and on and on, to my personal understanding of the word "Christian", defy every Christian ideal. He may be able to rationalize the things he has done, but I have never heard any adequate explanation. And yet, thousands of staunch Republicans watch his actions, and say, "That's OK. We're behind him."

I would love to understand this. I would love to believe that he and all who agree with him are sincere in their belief that he is right in what he has done. I simply cannot wrap my mind around it. He has ignored the Constitution and appointed himself Supreme Ruler, and his followers have applauded him. The people of the United States have said they don't care if they lose their freedom - He's a good, Christian man and anything he wants to do is OK.

IT ISN'T OK!

Perhaps Mr. Bush is as good a Christian as he considers himself. Perhaps all of his supporters are too. I really am not the one to judge that. God knows I am very far from perfect myself. I just don't understand!

Throughout this campaign there has been a series of nasty slurs against the Democratic candidate. One thing in particular that was repeated, and was considered a slur, was that he was really a Muslim. Excuse me. Aside from the FACT that he is a Christian, may I ask, what's wrong with being a Muslim? or a Hindu, or a Jew, or any other faith? Do Republicans also believe that only they will be chosen to enter Heaven? - Just asking.

I don't care what religion is that of our President. I would like to know that he or she has one. No. Let me rephrase that. I would like to know that he or she believes in a higher power, and therefore understands that their actions make them accountable. And I, too, am held accountable. It is my responsibility to do my best to see that the right person gets to the White House. I cannot close my eyes and pretend that all is right with the world. No candidate I have ever seen run for any office has been "the perfect one for the job". Every politician I have ever seen, from any party, has first been a human being, and therefore imperfect. I have had to make really hard choices at times. And every damned one of them has told us lies, in the attempt to persuade us to vote their way. I have felt it was my job to first, look at their record; next, sift through the lies and the half-truths and decide whose are the worst; and last, and perhaps the most important, who has fallen lowest in trying to degrade their opponent. Well, no. Their record is really most important. And when I say "their record" I'm talking about consistency, and what they have attempted to do, whether or not they succeeded. It makes no difference to me that John McCain was once a prisoner of war. I respect him for his service to his country, but hundreds of men and women have been prisoners of war. They are not all automatically qualified to lead a country. It makes no difference to me that Barack Obama has family ties from long ago, in other countries. Who is he personally? And most of all - and yes, it is an important factor here and now in our country - I don't care what color his skin may be. It is the saddest thing I can imagine, that today in the United States of America, of all places in this world, skin color is such an important consideration to so many people. People who call themselves "Christian", at that.

In 2008, in the United States of America, the importance of the election that will be held will reach far beyond our country's boundaries. The whole world will be watching this one, and holding its breath. How many of us, heading for the voting booth, will consider Them out there? They will react to what we do. As important as the issues we are facing here today, as important as the results of the election will be to us, we must realize that those results will also have an effect on Them and their lives. The world has grown so much smaller in recent years. Their lives also impact ours. And all of those who call themselves Christians have a sacred obligation to pay attention to Them and their needs. Selfishly, we also benefit when we care for them. If Mr. McCain continues the policies put in place by Mr. Bush, and he will, people all over the world will suffer, and ultimately, so will we.