RARE BIRD

I'm not one for social or poltical rants - not to be confused with not having strong opinions (ask anyone who knows me). My way leans more towards watching, listening, pondering and forming what are generally iron-clad opinions. I share them on an 'I'll tell you if you ask me' basis.

What transpired in VA this week has not changed my practice of WLP (watching listening and pondering). What did occur was a confluence of three events that prompted this post.....

*an email reply I sent to a woried friend the day of the tragedy
*a quote I came across today
* and I plan of action I had embarked upon months ago but was finalizing a mere week before VTech. It was an idea I'd been chewing on for several months at last nearing readiness to be turned to action....Even as I began to forumulate it I was fully aware it would most likely be classified (ultimately) as a small 'spit in the wind' against the way society makes trivial the violence we see nitely on entertainment programming and movies. Yet I was/am driven to proceed....

For what it's worth, I'm sharing my email text, inclusive of the idea I'd been chewing on, and the quote I came across today below. Rare Bird tho it is for me 'tell without being asked' I'd like to think these bits (my email and Bernbachs' quote) may be, in some small way, worthwhile....

My Email

I know it's impossible, but try not to worry about ****
or think too much about the pain for all those involved
(including those of us watching from afar). It'll eat
you alive. Instead just determine to make whatever
difference we can every day - kindness, care, to those
around us, known or unknown. Love deeply, say so often.

Life is frail, time is short. Accident, health, insanity
and time, like dogs in the dark, are out there and no amt of
worry or fear will make us more or less vulnerable.

Like the day and the nite it's all beyond our manipulation
as to outcome.

What we can do is live well, and in small kindness make some
stand against the unravelling of how life 'should be'.

In more politcal ways, speak out against the endless violence
on TV, films, video games that diminish society sense of
day to day outrage - and sadly show violence as an 'option'.
Tho granted 99 percent of kid/adults KNOW it's fiction
society and the media have to know it's fuel to the insane mind
(and simply barbaric as cultural standards go).

Last week I penned an email to A&E and Biography
(after listing and locating email addresses of all their
advertisers for cc) which says I find the violent programs on killers and rapists neither art nor entertainment and strongly recommended that biography feature heros - famous or common folk in their programs. I want both programs to STOP laying out sick details hour after hour and to stop bringing attention (if not fame) to this kind of act and the individuals responsible.... I advised them that I was 'grass-rooting' a boycott on products that support this sort of programming.

Pissing in the wind? Perhaps. But if it makes a difference to one life or one family it's worth the effort.

Small steps ~ pissing or whispering ~ into the wind - I have a feeling that's how all changes of value begin....

Inbetween? All we can do is live well, love deeply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this is the quote I came across today ~
Much like HAIKU, profound insight contained in a very few words....

"In this very real world, good doesn't drive out evil.
Evil doesn't drive out good. But the energetic displaces the passive."

- Bill Bernbach ~