I'm not going to say much about these folk, but think about the unsung heroes of your lives. There have been so many people who have passed through my life bringing untold blessings. I've been encouraged since a juvenile to do so many great things and told of what I can grow to be. I look now and imagine the shoes that I've yet to fill.
Most heroes that we come to recognize are given the title because of selfless service. Those who fought against "the system"; those who went without for the benefit of others; those who faced ridicule because of their tendency to go against the grain, if you will. It's not the easiest thing to do, but we must realize that immediate payback isn't all that it's cracked up to be.
In business, companies must calculate life-cycle costs to really evaluate equipment selections. Paying a larger up-front cost sometimes equates to lower maintenance and energy costs. Getting by with a lower first cost may equate to higher maintenance and energy costs. I'll stop the analogy here before getting into finance costs, etc.
My point is that a lot of times we choose to avoid paying the high cost of attention, care, dedication, commitment, etc in many instances of life and unknowingly give ourselves more work in the future.
We all have plently areas of improvement in our lives. We must stop living everyday as a vacation day. We are behind in this race. Get to steppin.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Shout Out to FEMA
Yesterday morning, FEMA delivered my mom's trailer. Yesterday evening, the a/c guy installed the condenser fan and my mom had a/c for the house. Anyone slightly familiar with construction will know that you shouldn't run your a/c while working on the house, with recirculating dust, etc. Right you shouldn't. My mom is pretty much finished with her house with the exception of some punchlist items that need to be cleared up and selecting flooring.
I could rant, but it's no need. Spike Lee's new documentary to be aired on HBO on the 21,22 and re-peated in entirety on the 29th will say a lot. It's just funny cause my mom joked that she'd probably get her trailer when the house was complete. Watch what you say, right?
I bless God's name right now because she's doing what so many folk have not been (will not be?) able to do--rebuild. Even moreso, parents, children, family and other loved ones were lost and I have the ability to visit mine.
I remember how struck I was when I learned that it was flooding so badly. The evening of the day after Katrina hit, my aunt called to see if I had spoken to anybody and I was nonchalant, saying how it would probably be a day or so before lines of communication cleared up. Growing up through hurricanes, it was routine to ride it out unless we wanted to run up to Mississippi by family. Since my mom was going up there, I thought no more about it. Went to sleep the night of and woke up the next day, as usual. Fortunately/unfortunately I was at the library by the computer when my aunt called. My thoughts stalled as I scanned through the stories. Of course later I spoke to more folk and I was enraged at what I was hearing; especially discrepancies between the news and actual accounts. To hear about all of the stories of folk wildin' out as the PRIMARY theme was most disturbing.
True colors show.
One of the things that helped me cope was knowing that God was working things out. "Live by faith and not by sight" was/is my motto. It's important that we do not doubt His abilities. Can't wait on chance or luck or other elements of iffi-ness.
Boys learned to be men. Men learned how to be husbands. Parents learned how to be mothers and fathers. We learned not to depend on local, state or national government. We learned that it's possible to survive without jobs--not necessarily in favorable conditions, but it's possible. We learned what it meant to be a community.
As with life, we learn and forget sometimes. Hopefully we can go back and remember. People will trip out on August 29th when the block parties jump off. Katrina isn't a day to celebrate, most will say. Some folk don't understand how important it is to be happy for what you have until it is much too late. Once its gone though, what to do? Mourn the loss forever or push forward. It's not a matter of not caring. It's a matter of living.
This post is some therapy for me because the same time a year prior to Katrina, I lost my life, my world. I've mourned. Now's time for my own block party.
Okay, I rambled off just now. lol. I'll never "let go" of that woman, anyway.
It is important that we remember situations like Katrina, how with all of the things that people went through, they are provided for. Situations may not be peachy but things are being worked out.
I could rant, but it's no need. Spike Lee's new documentary to be aired on HBO on the 21,22 and re-peated in entirety on the 29th will say a lot. It's just funny cause my mom joked that she'd probably get her trailer when the house was complete. Watch what you say, right?
I bless God's name right now because she's doing what so many folk have not been (will not be?) able to do--rebuild. Even moreso, parents, children, family and other loved ones were lost and I have the ability to visit mine.
I remember how struck I was when I learned that it was flooding so badly. The evening of the day after Katrina hit, my aunt called to see if I had spoken to anybody and I was nonchalant, saying how it would probably be a day or so before lines of communication cleared up. Growing up through hurricanes, it was routine to ride it out unless we wanted to run up to Mississippi by family. Since my mom was going up there, I thought no more about it. Went to sleep the night of and woke up the next day, as usual. Fortunately/unfortunately I was at the library by the computer when my aunt called. My thoughts stalled as I scanned through the stories. Of course later I spoke to more folk and I was enraged at what I was hearing; especially discrepancies between the news and actual accounts. To hear about all of the stories of folk wildin' out as the PRIMARY theme was most disturbing.
True colors show.
One of the things that helped me cope was knowing that God was working things out. "Live by faith and not by sight" was/is my motto. It's important that we do not doubt His abilities. Can't wait on chance or luck or other elements of iffi-ness.
Boys learned to be men. Men learned how to be husbands. Parents learned how to be mothers and fathers. We learned not to depend on local, state or national government. We learned that it's possible to survive without jobs--not necessarily in favorable conditions, but it's possible. We learned what it meant to be a community.
As with life, we learn and forget sometimes. Hopefully we can go back and remember. People will trip out on August 29th when the block parties jump off. Katrina isn't a day to celebrate, most will say. Some folk don't understand how important it is to be happy for what you have until it is much too late. Once its gone though, what to do? Mourn the loss forever or push forward. It's not a matter of not caring. It's a matter of living.
This post is some therapy for me because the same time a year prior to Katrina, I lost my life, my world. I've mourned. Now's time for my own block party.
Okay, I rambled off just now. lol. I'll never "let go" of that woman, anyway.
It is important that we remember situations like Katrina, how with all of the things that people went through, they are provided for. Situations may not be peachy but things are being worked out.
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