A sign of the times.

Doors open. Doors close.

Harsh. Kinda goes down in a lump, heh.

It would be selfish to assume if one door closes, another opens. This is akin to a cat chasing its tail. Foolishly assume if one opens, another closes.. Also akin to a cat chasing its tail. Please do not fall for it. Please do not fall for it.

Generations ago, conversations surrounding Religion and Politics were considered “taboo”. Not openly discussed, debated out of respect to our fellow men. Healthy respect for human privacy. No signaling. No time to signal. Hard work awaited. Somewhere along the way, spirituality entered the conversation, became more popular. Less commitment required? Maybe; maybe not.

If one chose to walk through the doors of a Church, one was offered Sacraments. Active participation of Sacrament in a service were given and taken to participants as outward signs of inward grace. The life of the soul is a hidden life. We cannot see the soul. We cannot see with our eyes what happens to it when it is the recipient. No matter how great the machine.

Humans need spiritual nourishment too.

Age-old questions: When does a life begin. Cross sectional markers of stratification. Access to civil rights and improving quality of life. Factors such as social, political, cultural, economic syllabi written and re-written over time. Courses written and re-written of history, theory, legislation, policy, ethics, arts are widespread. When does life begin?

The cross argues for that.

Where to find a place of belonging? Of life? Of Identity, amidst oppression and struggle. Where to find such a shelter, a dwelling place. Perhaps a Tabernacle. A Church. A Hut. A Fort. A synagogue. Remember and reminder: Doors open. Doors close. Foolish to assume when one door opens, another closes, when one door closes another opens. The cat. The chase. The tail.

Dismal sounding because weak men create hard times.

There was a time thousands of years ago, genuine sacrifice had significant meaning. Once upon a time there was a young adult who stood up for and in the Spirit of the test of time. This Being stood as a bonafide example of Sacrifice. Centered around His Father, Bread and Wine, His own Body and Blood.

In these modern times! In Young-Adult-speak, this was about taking a situation to “the next level”. The concept was NOT about taking a life. NOT about an eye for an eye. This was NOT a story to promote death. Quite the opposite it was to reject weakness. Weak men create hard times.

The cross argues for that.

For us all. Hard times may lead to abandonment of us with our own devices and vices or vices and devices.

These are precarious times. As time evolved and the story continually required constant commentary and “tweaking”. A person who believed in a higher being was defined by the derogatory term of a “bible thumper”. At the other end of the spectrum a -“non believer” defined as an “atheist”.

In between the extremes sat the troubled middle deteriorating bridge juggling the muddied stories fed as a daily dose of so-called nourishment. And a whole lot of pointless and empty talk, talk, talk.

What to do. No brainer. Let your tongue speak what your heart thinks.

Young adults need to know what is circulating around their lives. As we grow older and become responsible for more difficult problems we NEED greater wisdom and more strength to live right.

My heart aches daily. This impulse of self-giving is first of all the matter of the heart-an eagerness to share the gift of the Spirit with other men and women-but necessarily it overflows in deeds of love and justice, in alms-giving and all forms of service to the poor and powerless of all nations and races.(PP)

Religiosity, Spirituality, desperately enmeshed relentlessly atmospherically and omnipresently politically. The Perfect Storm. Where is the shelter now?

Exploring one’s own attitudes about the World and its trials and tribulations is a necessity. There is no miracle drug. Sooner or later life sneaks up and steals your turf, your niche. Going through the motions to go through the motions. Empty.

Two share-able pieces of wisdom:

“Over prepare, then go with the flow”.

“It does not matter what you believe, believe in SOMETHING.” Keeping in mind there was no Ubar, Leeft, Trains, Planes or Automobiles, Stop lights, Red Lights, Yellow or arrows.

Getting to here from there or there to here is gonna require a spiffy set of wheels, no Seeri, and the ability to sing for one’s supper.

Prerequisite: The ultimate internal compass: The feet. The hands. Energy nourishment from within the soul—not Mountain-Do-Monster.

The strength and ability to say, “No”. “No Thank you”. I do not feel up to being brain washed today. Nor in my future.

Day by Day. Per diem. 24, 48, 72 hours—however it is “timed”. When time is up. Time is up. If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears. This will be a valuable tool when searching for those spiffy wheels.

Delayed gratification is a method of dependence building.

Conversely too much immediacy can tax the heart.

In the middle is the quickly collapsing bridge wishing only to participate in urging the two sides to join together. Unfortunately, life has a habit of throwing curveballs.

The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.

Wisdom words: Explore quickly, with a sense of urgency what your niche may be. The ability to exist in your environment. See where I am going with this? Your mind is not a beautiful thing to waste or put in the hands of dependence. The niches are rapidly becoming smaller and smaller. Claim it sooner rather than later. Explore your niche. Be it temperaturally, predatorily, fundamental, competitively, nutritionally.

The future is entering a period of interrelation you may not be equipped, want or care to familiarly join.

Even with your “smartphone” at your side. Cocked and ready to point and shoot.

Exploring your attitudes about your nation, race or neighbor requires strong independent thinking. Building a strong belief within you, in your human building. Opposite of “Every man for himself.” “There’s the door” mentality, “Don't let it hit ya’ on the way out. Oh yeah, Almost forgot, “Best of luck” to ya.

BTW Best of luck another taboo topic because who can begin to explain who serves up the “luck”….On this subject, unless honestly examined…..Most assuredly we will witness folks headed for the hills faster than one can blink. Disappearing into oblivion.

Empty promises lead to dependence.