Out of the Basement

I couldnt sleep for some reason this morning. Lying in the bed wide awake at 3:30 am is usually never a good thing.  I woke from a dream where was walking down a staircase through the heart of a city familiar to me... at least in my dream. There was of course the dreadful forebodance of being on a quest or drawn into some spontaneous circumstance that set me to running forward. Dreams can be crazy... or at least it seems so! But dreams do reflect life in many ways. We go from one rather normal and calm lull headlong into an outbreak of calamity,  disaster or... or at least it seems so! I think that the awake life, if were are not more observant and vigilant, is a lot like that sleep just before 3:30 in the morning. We find we have drifted into an acquiescent acceptability that tends to numb us to the reality that life is an ebb and flow of events. Good times will come; so will the bad ones. Victory can easily follow defeat, or also be chased by it. Grief and joy are accustomed nei

"The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people—and especially of government—always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended."   (Google) I started pondering this yesterday morning. By this,  I mean The Law of Unintended Consequences.  A few things started developing early in my day that brought me to it.  Things we do have consequences. Things we do create results that we expect but at times are also unexpected. Some of these are good...  some not so much. Many of mankind's greatest accomplishments come from failed attempts at an endeavor that brought about an unintended but remarkabke result.  On the other hand, many of our most valiant and well- intended efforts have brought sadness, tragedy, and horror to light where many suffered or suffer still. Closer to home we find this peculiar concept also still at work in our daily lives. I personally think that is what is meant by the phrase, "things we do and sa

90 days is closing in quickly. As I prepare for the next leg of my journey, I recall the triumphs and defeats of the last piece of the road travelled.  I am in awe of what can be accomplished in the heart, soul, mind and  body when we shoulder the wheel and move on. What started as revelation turned to a galvanizing determination that became a quest... and so every journey begins. Many have asked and none truly know yet but maybe one day... one day. As for now, I wait and am thankful for the changes I have seen in how I regard life as it approaches me. I am also excited to see what comes of the new path!

I have 3 American veterans within arms reach of me most days. All have seved honorably and would answer this question instantly. This morning walking my dogs I found a tattered and torn American flag that hand been thrown on the ground by some passerby. My community hangs flags during patriotic holidays, so I have to assume someone pulled one down and left in on the ground. I picked it up and brought it home to properly dispose of it. My question then is... who among us knows how to "properly" dispose of the American flag? When I see a worn or torn flag I always think of my brothers standing in harms way but standing beneath the flag. I think of my dad on the deck of a troop carrier headed through the English Channel headed eventually to walk the wall during the Berlin crisis with the flag leading the way. And all service personnel over the many generations carrying it into and out of every conflict they faced... Yes, I want to make sure to dispose of it properly. It symb

Somewhere along this journey I have determined that I still am working through that second greatest commandment. I totally get the first one; love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. I see the metaphors, illustratives and imperatives. But that second one is complicated. Its seems much easier, at least in practice, to love the one who made you. There is a desire to please and prove. But when it comes to a neighbor, it seems harder to grasp the requirement to share, engage and commit to those with whom you have no direct connection. I overheard someone say  over the weekend, "David and Angie Stewart Callahan have been reaching out to young people for nearly 30 years!" I was humbled by even the thought of that. Strangely, it made me stop and think again about "love your neighbor." It would seem the first way to love them is to reach to them. You have to go where they are... spatially,  physically, emotionally,  etc. Contact is required to love ou

I pulled out of the driveway and headed off for another busy day. I made the right onto Lakeview and was gearing up directly into GO mode! Then it hit me...  did I say goodbye? Not just did I say it... but did I leave the impression that it was heartfelt and sincere? I took another left and circled back around right into my driveway and back into the house. I restated my goodbyes with certainty and affirmation. I felt much better as I departed into my day... that little agitating uneasiness gone. The point is to never leave something unsaid that will cause regret when it cant be spoken. Seems obvious until challenged by the deafening shrill of busy living. It reminds me of something I wrote a few years ago... "Words are just words and what you think are  just thoughts left to themselves, To make love you need something else, It takes more to own another's heart than sentimental words on a page, It takes love and a little bit of grace... and for good measure some hugs a

I took my guitar and my song bag with me on our Memorial Day camping trip. One of my favorite things to do is to open up the back of the camper that turns into our little dining room/office/ board game area and play my songs. I spent some time going through some of my oldest songs. Songs I wrote in my 20's & 30's... must have been some tougher days... I cant recall most of the events, but I remember the songs; lyrics and melodies.  They are some of my oldest friends. Writing was never a vent for me, it was just a part of me. As I looked at all those songs from then and now I realized they are like threads that help highlight and hold together the times of my life. Just like friends! Our friends help us long recall our best and worst moments... funniest and saddest. They weave through the fabric of our lives and add color, enhancement and life to it. It never fails that a friend can set a story straight when you can't  remember it even happened. And, just as  importa