2005-07-28

The Lies About Men.

Men in our society are taught many things early in life about what it means to be a man. The problems are that most of what we are taught is NOT true and what we are taught creates a huge emotional trap for men. So what is it that men are taught?

If you want it done right do it your self, no one else can be trusted, when faced with a problem you have to know how to fix it, strong men never cry, men do not show affection especially for another man, you most be the bread winner of the family, women are more emotional than we are, women do a better job of caring for children, and it is ok for men to not be as close to their children as women. There are many more that can be added to this list, however I think you get the idea.

So what has been the affect of all of this on men, society and you as an individual?  For many men it means a life of wondering why they cannot seem to feel the love and stability in their relationships. For society it means much more aggression and violence. For men in general it means that there are great limits on what we can do and how connected men as a group can be.

So my friends every chance you get dispel one of those so called truths about men. Go out and huge your best friend, teach your sons that is not only ok but great to love deeply and to cry at movies and to hold hands in public.

Peace and Love

Joe

2005-07-27

Intensions Alone Are Never Enough.

Intensions are good that just do not go far enough. How many times have you heard someone or your self-say, “Hey but I had good intensions”. When people are attempting to make changes in their life they often will make a decision to change. Such as the alcoholic may say, “I am going to stop drinking,” the person with an eating disorder says, “I am going to start eating normally”, or the person that over spends may say, “I am going to be more mindful of what I spend”.

These all sound like great decisions and one may think based on that things would change. The step many people forget is following every decision there most be action based on that decision. When working with people that are wanting and needing major changes in their lives it is surprising when I tell them that having good intensions alone will never be enough.

When a person makes a decision followed quickly by action the wanted changes will be close behind. Now I know that many of you while reading this may be saying, “well duh”.  However I ask you to look back at your own life and see how many times you have desired change and have had great intensions and nothing changed. Then ask your self did I have a plan of action that accompanied my decision? If not I would tell you to one more time make that decision and follow it quickly with action based on that decision and with in a short while you will be amazed with the changes in your life.

So my friends never again let it be said that you operate with great intensions, let it he said you operate by making decisions and action.

Peace and Love

Joe

2005-07-15

Hey what about this heat.

This summer is becoming one to remember for the long period of heat. It seems that unlike when I was a boy growing up in Oklahoma I can no longer take this type of heat with out complaining all the time.

I never remember thinking it was hot when I was young and I am sure that it must have been just as hot then. When summer started my younger brother and I would get up put on our shorts and head out for the day. That was the attire for the summer no shoes, no shirt, and just shorts. We would play all day only coming home our mom came and found us or the water hose at the house we were at did not work. Other than that we would only go inside to eat dinner, because our dad would be there and we were concerned what he would do if we did not show for dinner.

I can not tell you what we did or where we did it now, however I can tell you that I was never bored and always was ready to go the next morning. Now when it is hot like this it is a major event if I take the trash out or mow the yard. The heat is more than I want to bear these days. Now with central air I believe I have become soft. Unlike when I was a boy it may have been hot outside, it was still cooler than in the house. We had no air-conditioning of any type.

Ah the days of carefree living. I think those were the best days of my life.

Peace and Love

Joe

2005-07-09

God Bless the British

God bless the British. Our world seems has spun out of control with violence. I was heading home the other day when I heard the newx about the bombings in London. I felt so sad and troubled.

Violence is such a contagious action. Out world suffers from the belief that if you hurt me the only response I have is to hurt you worse. It is as if people that think as children are now in charge. My hope’s were lifted when I heard President Bush sound less aggressive and more peaceful than has been normal for him.

I then was listening to some conservative (hate) radio talk person and he was bashing President Bush for not saying that he would kill a thousand of them for every one of us. First problem is, there is no us and them it is all us! When we kill we kill us. Second has it ever in the history of mankind been true that killing helps stop killing?

Wait I can hear you now. What about when we dropped the atomic bombs on the innocent civilians of Japan?  Think people really stay with us now, did that end the killing? Well of course the answer is NO. Soon came Korea, Vietnam, Gulf I, Gulf II, and so on and so on.

I just ask, how long do you think it will take before we as a human race learn?

Peace and Love

Joe

2005-07-05

The 4th of July is So Confusing

When I watch the celebrations on the 4^th I feel so conflicted. It is the celebration of our country’s independence and also it seems a celebration of War. I watched some of the specials on the networks last night. A gentleman began to sing a song about how a little boy learns his dad is in the armed services and then is called to War and dies. Now I understand this is reality for many families in this country, however I end up feeling so emotionally manipulated.

Should we normalize War and even attempt to use our children’s naïveté to convince ourselves that War is OK? We do have to remember that for every child in this country that feels the loss of a dad there are 100’s of children feeling the same loss in the country that we carry the War to.

One may believe that I am un-American for these words. I do believe in this country and want this country to stand for real moral values. It is that I believe the most moral of all values is the respect for ALL life. In this country it seems to me that we are quick to fight and slow to Peace. I want OUR country to first rage the battle of PEACE through non-violent actions. That I think we could all be proud of.

Peace and Love

Joe

2005-07-01

What Happen to Peace?

Peace is something that seems to allude our world. The United States is always fighting for peace, which has never made sense. How can you have peace if you are fighting?

There is one truth about peace and that is violence will never bring peace! No matter how just America thinks the fight it will never bring peace. The spiritual truth is the only thing that will defeat violence is kindness.

This truth has seemed to be to subtle for the western world. However all we have to do is to look to one shining example. That of India, when Gandhi led India out of oppression from what was one of the worlds super powers at the time, Great Britain. Gandhi and India did this with out any weapons other than the human spirit. Gandhi and India never fired one shot! The violence was overcome by peace.

The world and most of all the United States could use a lesson in peace.

Peace and Love

Joe

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