As I listened to the sad news report about a cop who accidentally shot and killed a fellow officer while in training, I imagined the grief and regret that officer must be feeling. For weeks and months to come, he will be tortured with thoughts of how he could have done things just a little differently; if he had, then it would have turned out as any other day. Uneventful.
Moments, even seconds, can have a huge impact on how things pan out. The Butterfly Effect. Did you ever wish you'd gotten somewhere a moment sooner? Or a moment later? Even now, 44 years after I first saw the Franco Zeffirelli production of Romeo & Juliet, I still wish that friar had moved a little faster carrying the mail to Mantua, or that Romeo had moved a little slower rushing back to Verona!
Why couldn't the friar have delivered the mail using Romeo's swift steed? And why couldn't Romeo haved gone to the Chemist's...and then on to the tomb where a deeply-sleeping-yet-appearing-dead Juliet lay in wait....on the friar's pokey old mule instead?
This sequence of events led to one of the saddest endings in movie history. Even though I know it's just a movie, I still wish it had turned out differently. I often wish the same in the events of my own life, and I am certain that the cop is torturing himself with that same thought. If only. If only!
It's normal to feel wistful, even regretful, over how things turn out. It takes time & maturity to see that things often happen for a reason. The Montagues & Capulets finally buried their lifelong feud after losing their children, Romeo and Juliet, so needlessly. What good will come of the tragedy in this young cop's life? Only time will tell, but I'm sure praying for him.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Numbers -- Sept. 16, 2010
Numbers are just numbers. Inert, powerless. So why have numbers been causing me such angst this week? I'm okay with the number 9...which is the month we're in. In spite of being a summer-loving person, this year, I'm okay with the cooler weather. Those 100 numbers wore hard on me this year.
I'm okay with 3, also. That's how many months until Christmas. I love Christmas. The lights, the music, the excitement, the anticipation. I've always celebrated Christmas in a way that doesn't overtax my spirit or my finances, so Christmas has never been a burden to me. Christmas is not supposed to be a burden.
Another number that sits easy with me is 53; my age. So many people view the passing years with disgust. Getting older is just not acceptable to them. They color their hair, get face lifts, buy red sports cars, all in the name of trying to feel or look younger. I am what I am and I'm good with getting older. I embrace the financial freedom I've gained and the level of wisdom I've attained. I like 53.
The number that is causing me issues this week is my weight number. It's my yearly checkup at the doctor today and I've been dreading it all week. My weight is a number yet unknown and why it would cause me such worry and sleeplessness is a mystery when I'm so accepting of other numbers.
Last year when I went to the doctor I discovered, to my horror, that the number that had been the same for so many years was all of sudden 20 numbers higher. I was caught completely off-guard.
Now, knowing I have to step on that scale feels like I'm going to be looking into the face of a stranger. I no longer feel I can trust or rely on my body to remain as it has been. It's a number that has moved beyond my control. Does that 53 number have anything to do with this? Maybe I should revisit my acceptance of 53!
What I feel is no different than what Rip Van Winkle felt when he woke up 20 years older than when he went to sleep. Things that move too quickly don't give us time for learning to accept. Jumping 20 years, or 20 pounds, are numbers that are harder to accept.
I'm okay with 3, also. That's how many months until Christmas. I love Christmas. The lights, the music, the excitement, the anticipation. I've always celebrated Christmas in a way that doesn't overtax my spirit or my finances, so Christmas has never been a burden to me. Christmas is not supposed to be a burden.
Another number that sits easy with me is 53; my age. So many people view the passing years with disgust. Getting older is just not acceptable to them. They color their hair, get face lifts, buy red sports cars, all in the name of trying to feel or look younger. I am what I am and I'm good with getting older. I embrace the financial freedom I've gained and the level of wisdom I've attained. I like 53.
The number that is causing me issues this week is my weight number. It's my yearly checkup at the doctor today and I've been dreading it all week. My weight is a number yet unknown and why it would cause me such worry and sleeplessness is a mystery when I'm so accepting of other numbers.
Last year when I went to the doctor I discovered, to my horror, that the number that had been the same for so many years was all of sudden 20 numbers higher. I was caught completely off-guard.
Now, knowing I have to step on that scale feels like I'm going to be looking into the face of a stranger. I no longer feel I can trust or rely on my body to remain as it has been. It's a number that has moved beyond my control. Does that 53 number have anything to do with this? Maybe I should revisit my acceptance of 53!
What I feel is no different than what Rip Van Winkle felt when he woke up 20 years older than when he went to sleep. Things that move too quickly don't give us time for learning to accept. Jumping 20 years, or 20 pounds, are numbers that are harder to accept.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Saving a Life - Sept. 7, 2010
I once saved a little girl from drowning. Her babysitter brought her to the community pool where my Mom lived. I was there visiting Mom and enjoying spending the afternoon at the pool. The teenaged babysitter came in, put the little girl into an inflatable ring and set her adrift in the pool. The girl was probably 3 years old or less...and the pool, even in the shallowest place, was way over her head.
The babysitter then went and lay face down on her towel and promptly forgot about the little girl. I was appalled because, as a mother, I knew the danger an unattended child is in around water. I kept an eagle eye on that little girl. It's a good thing I did!
It wasn't long before she slipped out of the ring....and under the water.
I am glad I was still young and in pretty good shape because I was able to get up off the pavement and sprint to the shallow end, get on my knees and reach down into the water and grab her little arm, pulling her to safety. In spite of at least a dozen teens enjoying the pool at that time, plus a teenaged lifeguard, the little girl would have drowned had I not been watching her.
Not a soul, except me, noticed as the little girl slipped soundlessly underwater. She was there, and then she was gone. I was so frightened that she would drown. When it was apparent I had gotten to her in time, I was so relieved. Then, I got mad! What kind of parent would let an irresponsible teenager take their precious little girl to the pool?
It's been 22 years since that day. I think about it occasionally and I wonder how many kids need someone looking out for them but have no one. Had it not been for the bloody mess the pavement made of my knees, the events of that day would have seemed like a dream, but I know it wasn't. Only by God's good fortune did it happen I was there that day when that little girl needed me.
I am so glad that I was!
The babysitter then went and lay face down on her towel and promptly forgot about the little girl. I was appalled because, as a mother, I knew the danger an unattended child is in around water. I kept an eagle eye on that little girl. It's a good thing I did!
It wasn't long before she slipped out of the ring....and under the water.
I am glad I was still young and in pretty good shape because I was able to get up off the pavement and sprint to the shallow end, get on my knees and reach down into the water and grab her little arm, pulling her to safety. In spite of at least a dozen teens enjoying the pool at that time, plus a teenaged lifeguard, the little girl would have drowned had I not been watching her.
Not a soul, except me, noticed as the little girl slipped soundlessly underwater. She was there, and then she was gone. I was so frightened that she would drown. When it was apparent I had gotten to her in time, I was so relieved. Then, I got mad! What kind of parent would let an irresponsible teenager take their precious little girl to the pool?
It's been 22 years since that day. I think about it occasionally and I wonder how many kids need someone looking out for them but have no one. Had it not been for the bloody mess the pavement made of my knees, the events of that day would have seemed like a dream, but I know it wasn't. Only by God's good fortune did it happen I was there that day when that little girl needed me.
I am so glad that I was!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Thoughts on the Flat Tax
Adopting a flat tax in place of our current complicated tax system is attractive to many people. Why? Because to the average person, the thought of a simple tax percentage that would be applied to all earned income sounds like an equitable and less complicated way to be taxed.
The benefit of a flat tax is that bookkeeping would be reduced or eliminated for most people. Paying high fees for professional tax help would be a thing of the past. How much money did you make last year? Just multiply that number by the flat tax rate and that's your income tax for the year.
There is a downside to a flat tax, however. Once our current, convoluted tax system is tossed out and a flat tax is adopted, everything will seem idyllic for a time. But soon, the same grumbling we used to hear from our politicians will be heard again. The percentage of flat tax is not pulling in enough money to fund everything the government wants to do. So, what do you think their answer will be?
Government prefers to look at taxpayers for more money rather than looking at itself for ways to live within its budget. Since raising the flat tax percentage would be viewed as punitive on lower-income families, the most likely scenario would be a surtax that would be imposed on to moderate- and higher-income taxpayers. This would be on top of the flat tax, not instead of it. The problem with the surtax, like the flat tax, is that it will be a fixed amount. Unalterable. Our current, convoluted tax system is out on the scrap heap, along with all of our tax credits and deductions.
With all our deductions and credits eliminated under the flat tax system, any flat tax or surtax imposed on our income can't be minimized. Currently, we can take deductions for charitable contributions, childcare expenses, real estate taxes, mortgage interest, educational expenses, deductible IRA contributions and many others to lower our taxable income, and thereby, our tax. A flat tax system would do away with these deductions. Permanently.
Believing that a flat tax would be a better way to tax our income is a fantasy. Even though it's complicated and a headache, our current tax system gives the taxpayer more opportunity to reduce tax liability. A flat tax system would give no such opportunity. Once our deductions are eliminated, they are gone for good. Let's not let that happen.
The benefit of a flat tax is that bookkeeping would be reduced or eliminated for most people. Paying high fees for professional tax help would be a thing of the past. How much money did you make last year? Just multiply that number by the flat tax rate and that's your income tax for the year.
There is a downside to a flat tax, however. Once our current, convoluted tax system is tossed out and a flat tax is adopted, everything will seem idyllic for a time. But soon, the same grumbling we used to hear from our politicians will be heard again. The percentage of flat tax is not pulling in enough money to fund everything the government wants to do. So, what do you think their answer will be?
Government prefers to look at taxpayers for more money rather than looking at itself for ways to live within its budget. Since raising the flat tax percentage would be viewed as punitive on lower-income families, the most likely scenario would be a surtax that would be imposed on to moderate- and higher-income taxpayers. This would be on top of the flat tax, not instead of it. The problem with the surtax, like the flat tax, is that it will be a fixed amount. Unalterable. Our current, convoluted tax system is out on the scrap heap, along with all of our tax credits and deductions.
With all our deductions and credits eliminated under the flat tax system, any flat tax or surtax imposed on our income can't be minimized. Currently, we can take deductions for charitable contributions, childcare expenses, real estate taxes, mortgage interest, educational expenses, deductible IRA contributions and many others to lower our taxable income, and thereby, our tax. A flat tax system would do away with these deductions. Permanently.
Believing that a flat tax would be a better way to tax our income is a fantasy. Even though it's complicated and a headache, our current tax system gives the taxpayer more opportunity to reduce tax liability. A flat tax system would give no such opportunity. Once our deductions are eliminated, they are gone for good. Let's not let that happen.
Tales from the Trip
Writing my thoughts has been a way to sooth myself and wind down from the day for as long as I can remember. I wouldn't slide between the sheets on my bed as a teenager before opening my spiral-bound journal. That journal was nothing fancy as a notebook, but within it covers held my deepest thoughts, feelings and ideas. At that time, it was the best friend I'd ever had. It never let me down, it was always there for me and it never failed to make me feel a lot better.
Although I am not very good at daily journaling anymore, I am a diehard travel journaler. Wherever I go, my travel journal is always close-at-hand. I write down the most mundane things that probably wouldn't matter to anyone, but some of those mundane details are what bring back to mind the richness of my travels.
After a 2-week trip to Africa during which time I was constantly writing my observations and feelings, I had a notebook full of just that: Thoughts and feelings. A fellow traveler with whom I made friends kept no notes at all. Yet, about a month after our safari, I got a group email from her. It was her travelogue. As I read through it, I was amazed at the level of detail and history present within her travelogue. She hadn't written anything down whatsoever during the trip. How had she remembered so much detail?
What lacked in her travelogue, however, was the richness of her thoughts and the softness of her feelings about the journey. Her travelogue, while complete, read more like a textbook. In comparison, mine was more of a romance novel, warm and full of love for Africa. Every feeling I felt while on that trip was present within the pages of my travel diary.
Is my travel journal something that is worthy of being shared with the public? Most of it is; some would be of no interest whatsoever. For the most part, though, it reveals my love of travel, my sheer eagerness to learn about a new culture, the amazement when things are so much different than I expected, and the humor I feel when things go so wrong.
Whether or not to journal while traveling is an individual choice. Those for whom writing is an essential aspect of being alive will certainly want to record all thoughts and feelings while traveling. Some of the smallest details that get recorded within a journal are the spark that light up wonderful ideas for future travel articles. To me, my travel journal is like an American Express Card. I wouldn't leave home without it!
Although I am not very good at daily journaling anymore, I am a diehard travel journaler. Wherever I go, my travel journal is always close-at-hand. I write down the most mundane things that probably wouldn't matter to anyone, but some of those mundane details are what bring back to mind the richness of my travels.
After a 2-week trip to Africa during which time I was constantly writing my observations and feelings, I had a notebook full of just that: Thoughts and feelings. A fellow traveler with whom I made friends kept no notes at all. Yet, about a month after our safari, I got a group email from her. It was her travelogue. As I read through it, I was amazed at the level of detail and history present within her travelogue. She hadn't written anything down whatsoever during the trip. How had she remembered so much detail?
What lacked in her travelogue, however, was the richness of her thoughts and the softness of her feelings about the journey. Her travelogue, while complete, read more like a textbook. In comparison, mine was more of a romance novel, warm and full of love for Africa. Every feeling I felt while on that trip was present within the pages of my travel diary.
Is my travel journal something that is worthy of being shared with the public? Most of it is; some would be of no interest whatsoever. For the most part, though, it reveals my love of travel, my sheer eagerness to learn about a new culture, the amazement when things are so much different than I expected, and the humor I feel when things go so wrong.
Whether or not to journal while traveling is an individual choice. Those for whom writing is an essential aspect of being alive will certainly want to record all thoughts and feelings while traveling. Some of the smallest details that get recorded within a journal are the spark that light up wonderful ideas for future travel articles. To me, my travel journal is like an American Express Card. I wouldn't leave home without it!
Night Sounds of Africa
I've long loved the night sounds of Kansas, the crickets, the cicadas, the wind in the trees. Imagine my delight discovering a new world of night sounds in Kenya. Surrounded by mosquito netting in my bed at Samburu Game Lodge, I could hear the elephants splashing in the river as they trumpeted in the night. Flashlights glinted below my room as the natives patrolled, keeping the wild animals away from our sleeping quarters.
At Mara Simba Lodge in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, again, my room was just yards from the river. This particular evening, the night sounds came from hippos roaring and the rumblings of a Kenyan thunderstorm headed our way. The windows had to be kept shut to keep out the pesky spider monkeys but the hippos were close enough to hear all through the night.
A sandbar on the opposite side of the river was the focus from the open-air Mara Simba lounge where we drank Tusk beer while watching a croc come out of the river and lie down next to a mama hippo with her baby. I expected one or the other to growl or move away, but they rested side-by-side on the sandbar. The air was filled with the Swahili-accented voices of two Masai teens as they sang folk songs. Nothing beats listening to Kumbaya in the night air of Kenya.
And, like the title of a song they sang, I admit, "I Love Ya, Kenya".
At Mara Simba Lodge in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, again, my room was just yards from the river. This particular evening, the night sounds came from hippos roaring and the rumblings of a Kenyan thunderstorm headed our way. The windows had to be kept shut to keep out the pesky spider monkeys but the hippos were close enough to hear all through the night.
A sandbar on the opposite side of the river was the focus from the open-air Mara Simba lounge where we drank Tusk beer while watching a croc come out of the river and lie down next to a mama hippo with her baby. I expected one or the other to growl or move away, but they rested side-by-side on the sandbar. The air was filled with the Swahili-accented voices of two Masai teens as they sang folk songs. Nothing beats listening to Kumbaya in the night air of Kenya.
And, like the title of a song they sang, I admit, "I Love Ya, Kenya".
Going Green, Going Gasless
Are electric vehicles the answer to high gas prices?
I have no definitive proof that electric vehicles would be the answer to high gas prices but I don't think they are the complete answer. What I do know, however, is that the more demand there is for a product, the higher the price will be. Simple economics teaches that the price of a product will rise as demand for it goes up. The way to reduce the price of gasoline is to change our behavior.
Electric cars would be one solution since they are gas efficient, but it's only a partial solution. In the United States, we are accustomed to abundance and instant gratification. Until and unless people exercise responsibility in their choices, things will continue in the same direction. This doesn't only apply to the cost of gasoline.
Responsibility, behavior modification and sensitivity to how our actions affect the greater good are the answer to high gas prices as well as most of the ills that affect our world today. People have been trampled underfoot at WalMart because shoppers were so focused on acquiring a DVD player; the fact that they were trampling on someone didn't seem to matter. The end is worth the means. The same thing happens at ball games and rock concerts.
If material possessions and games are more important to consumers than the people around them, how can we expect these same people to be considerate of our natural resources or the global economy? The current mindset precludes caring about the effects of our actions. Whatever we want, we can have whatever the cost.
The answer to higher gas prices is to alter our behavior and change the choices we make. Driving a more efficient car is a good start, but efficiency often requires giving up glamour, space and power. Drive less. Car pool. Take the bus. Walk. There are many answers, but are the right people asking the question? The people who care about consumption issues are already doing what they can. Those who don't care won't change their behavior unless the high cost of gas forces them to.
In my opinion, the answer to higher gas prices is: Higher gas prices. Americans won't care about it until it's worth its weight in gold. Only then will they drive smaller cars, take the bus when feasible and, yes, even put on a pair of sneakers and walk.
Our behavior as consumers reflects what kind of people we are. What does your behavior say about you?
I have no definitive proof that electric vehicles would be the answer to high gas prices but I don't think they are the complete answer. What I do know, however, is that the more demand there is for a product, the higher the price will be. Simple economics teaches that the price of a product will rise as demand for it goes up. The way to reduce the price of gasoline is to change our behavior.
Electric cars would be one solution since they are gas efficient, but it's only a partial solution. In the United States, we are accustomed to abundance and instant gratification. Until and unless people exercise responsibility in their choices, things will continue in the same direction. This doesn't only apply to the cost of gasoline.
Responsibility, behavior modification and sensitivity to how our actions affect the greater good are the answer to high gas prices as well as most of the ills that affect our world today. People have been trampled underfoot at WalMart because shoppers were so focused on acquiring a DVD player; the fact that they were trampling on someone didn't seem to matter. The end is worth the means. The same thing happens at ball games and rock concerts.
If material possessions and games are more important to consumers than the people around them, how can we expect these same people to be considerate of our natural resources or the global economy? The current mindset precludes caring about the effects of our actions. Whatever we want, we can have whatever the cost.
The answer to higher gas prices is to alter our behavior and change the choices we make. Driving a more efficient car is a good start, but efficiency often requires giving up glamour, space and power. Drive less. Car pool. Take the bus. Walk. There are many answers, but are the right people asking the question? The people who care about consumption issues are already doing what they can. Those who don't care won't change their behavior unless the high cost of gas forces them to.
In my opinion, the answer to higher gas prices is: Higher gas prices. Americans won't care about it until it's worth its weight in gold. Only then will they drive smaller cars, take the bus when feasible and, yes, even put on a pair of sneakers and walk.
Our behavior as consumers reflects what kind of people we are. What does your behavior say about you?
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