Your Cake - - -

              “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”  You have probably heard that said more times than you want to remember.  But, have you ever noticed, that according to our human nature, we almost always want the opposite to be true.  We want a regular, steady paycheck, but most of (be honest!) don’t want to work!  We’d rather have the life where we can get up whenever we want, slowly go through the day caring for whatever activities we choose, not like someone else who is tied to a routine of watching the clock.  But we know for most of us that’s not going to be the case.  We work hard every day to provide the funds needed to give us what we want for ourselves and our families.  Sometimes we tend to confuse ourselves with what we really NEED with what we might WANT.  And this type of thinking becomes exactly the way we view other things, such as outside community services.

                Let’s take a look at what I’m talking about.  You’ve heard many say it.  You’ve got to be honest, you’ve probably said it yourself.  We want better schools for our children.  We want better police and fire department services.  We’ve got to have better roads, and on and on and on.  But, we want it ALL WITHOUT raising our taxes!  Sure, let’s have our cake and eat it too!  Do we try to convince ourselves that it’s okay to be stupid and think we can get all these services without having to pay the bill for them?  Surely we know that schools and municipalities function from the funds they receive from taxes WE PAY!

                Again, we have to honest and admit - - - NOBODY likes paying taxes.  And it does seem today that every possible entity wants to get their hands into the “tax” jar.  And the greed to get more and more of a share of that “tax pie” is a constantly increasing factor for the tax payers.  With the constant adjustment of funding budgets and requests for tax payer demands it is difficult to find the optimum balance.  But, who are we kidding?  NOBODY gets everything they want.  And the area concerning taxes is only one place we can really see where this is true.  Another area to consider is the everyday problem of advertised products.

                Think about it!  If it wasn’t for advertising we would miss out on how many items we’re told we need and we would never know it!  How did we ever live without color television, cell phones, microwaves, and the internet?  Hold on just a minute!  Don’t get me wrong and think I am against advancement or improvement.  Besides, you’d be unable to read my blog if we didn’t have the internet.  But, have you ever noticed that there are times that we are striving to get the latest and greatest gadget, and before you are able to afford it - - - a NEW latest and greatest is out on the market?  So, instead of waiting until you can really afford the item - - - you get instant “buy it now --- pay later” credit.  But, that is an entirely different subject, maybe for a later blog?

                Because of this, many young couples want to have in their twenties what their parents achieved when in their forties or fifties.  They want their cake and eat it too!  We’ve become a NOW generation.  We don’t want to wait for anything.  You may have found yourself standing in front of the microwave impatiently waiting for the water to warm for your coffee.  Never before have we been such a NOW --- NOW --- NOW bunch of people.  But we have to remember - - - we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER:

THOUGHTFUL GEM:

"Don't forget! 

What you do today will always affect your tomorrows."

HUMANITY

                Humanity!  It’s a word we throw around often these days.  But do we really understand what it means?  The dictionary gives us the following meaning: “the quality or state of being humane.”

                We think that by saving a puppy from being abused we are humane. WAIT!  Before you start mentally choking me to death because you may feel I’m belittling efforts to save puppies.  That’s not the case.  But, let’s be honest.  Organizations request, receive and spend multi-millions of dollars to save this species or that one.  These people would feel their actions make them humane.  And I am not going to argue that point.  However, these people could find themselves in situations involving other humans and they could fall short of displaying this quality of compassion.

                If you haven’t already done so, look at the video attached above to this blog.  Does it look familiar to you?  We constantly scurry around town, eyes glued to our cell phones, taking care of our business and other personal obligations.  You’ve seen them sitting or lying on the streets.  Perhaps they have been standing by the side of the road holding their signs.  Beggars, panhandlers, whatever you want to call them.  Our cities are becoming overrun with the homeless.  Are some of them just trying to “beat the system” and fleece you out of your hard earned money?  Perhaps!  Others are just dealing the best they can with bad circumstances in their lives.  Do we have to share a common understanding of a person’s situation BEFORE we can display sympathy for others?  Would all those people who passed by or ignored such ones have to become homeless themselves before they could react to the needs of such an individual?  Don’t get me wrong - - - I am not condemning these people for walking past such a person.  I do not know their backgrounds or situations.  But, it is interesting that we would expect someone to provide assistance to a person in need and to do the humane thing!  However, most of us have been raised from childhood with the indoctrination of “don’t talk to strangers” or “don’t butt into another’s business.”  Yet how do we ‘balance” this type of upbringing with the tugging of our hearts to care?

                This is what separates us from the animals.  As humans we can discern “what is the RIGHT thing to do?” and then we need to do it!  It may not always be the easiest thing to do, nor may it be the most profitable thing to do, or maybe it’s not going to “look right.”  But it just may be the RIGHT thing to do and we need to do it!

                If you begin to think of past situations where upon reflection you should have done things differently from what you did, DON’T beat yourself up about it.  But, starting today, vow to yourself that you will respond differently in the future.  You will make a concerted effort to be the person who opens your heart to ALL creatures who occupy this earth with us, especially for the benefit of your fellow humans, regardless of their race, creed, color or nationality.  Also remember that we are all imperfect and you are going to fall short.  Just do the best you can each day because - - - we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you have only ONE thing you can do today,

make someone happy."

A Beginning

                To all things there is a beginning.  This is the beginning of my blog.  Every few days I will share my thoughts on humanity and how I see it, along with other topics.  Am I a doctor?  NO!  Am I a psychiatrist?  NO!  What I am is one person who has lived for decades and observed humanity in many different situations in various parts of the world.  So in this blog I will look at some of our more humorous and our saddest aspects of how we think and function as humans.  And I will look at various situations all in between these extremes.

                At times we think that by our very nature we are humans.  Therefore we will always think and act in a specific manner.  But, we all know that isn’t true.  Two people in the same situation may respond completely different when certain actions become necessary.  Why is that the case?  Many professionals have spent literally hours of study trying to understand this phenomenon.  But the truth is we are all different from one another.  Our education and our training are but only two of the many things that make us who we are.  Yet we cannot ignore to some degree our genetics and the environment we grow up in and how these affect who we are and who we become.  Some years ago the late TV personality Art Linkletter made the statement that if parents would show him the kids that their children hang around with, he would show them what their children are becoming. (Or something to that aspect.)

                Within this blog I will examine specific situations and what it means to be human.  You may think you know yourself.  And you might notice that some of these situations may be very familiar to you.  As you will see how easily you could be in a similar situation.  How would you act?  You may be surprised to personally consider the possibilities.  At least you may be made to think!

                It has been said that there is a thin line between being a genius or being an idiot!  Sometimes, I waiver from one side of the line to the other.  And you may note that within the comments of this blog.  But, I feel I’m in good company because many individuals from the past who have provided unbelievable advances to humanity also had their moments which made us consider them odd or peculiar.  I am by NO means implying that my ranting within the pages of this blog is going to make such a profound effect on the future of humanity.  But - - - who knows?  Maybe someone reading these blogs will make a concerted effort to change their life thereby changing the lives of others.

                I will from time to time review products/services and make recommendations for your consideration.  If you purchase from the source I will receive compensation from them.  If you feel you could use your KICK to your exercise program consider the Lean Belly Breakthrough.  Give it a try!

                We can only wait and see because, after all, we’re only human!

Quote to Consider: 

Thoughtful Gem:

"It's easy to hug your friend.  Today, hug your enemy."