Think About It

On this date in history Spain decreed that it was expelling all Jews from their county.   The Alhambra Decree appears to have come about after decades of acts of violence and antisemitism – in other words formalizing a mindset that was already in vogue.   Jews were given until the end of July to leave the country which not only resulted in personal problems, but economic pressures as well.   Now, the reason I bring this up is to highlight the date – this wasn’t last month, a few years ago or even in the 1940s under a Fascist Regime – it was in 1492.   The same year Columbus set off to investigate a new world, the Jews were sent on their own kind of pilgrimage. There is a lot of talk these days about how bad these times are.   We lament prejudice, hatred and mistreatment of one group by another.   However, this is not something new; nor is even unique to this generation.   It is not exclusive to one segment of the population.   It has been happen...

Wouldn’t it be nice to “have your cake and eat it, too”?  While I am not exactly sure where this expression comes from, I think most of us understand it.  In essence, we can’t have it all!  The other day I got to thinking about spring and realized that it can be a reminder that just about everything comes with good and bad.  I like the new growth, pretty blossoms and warmer weather; but I am not too fond of the mud, pollan and allergies.  In essence, to get the good, we have to be willing to put up with bad.  I realize this is a fact of life, but have you noticed that all too often we fuss about the challenges and underplay the joys?  What could happen if we shifted our emphasis from the negatives to the positives? This week let’s focus on the good.  I am not saying that we should ignore the problems; but I just wonder how much our perceptions could change if we put them in perspective?  Life will never be devoid of issues, so let’s make the ...

          I am not sure which made Jesse Owens more popular – what he did or when he did it.   Jesse Owens was an accomplished athlete before the 1936 Olympic Games, but winning four gold medals brought him athletic notoriety and that he did it in Berlin, Germany defying Nazi ideology made it even more special.   The other day, I came across a quote of his that I thought was challenging.   The gold medalist noted, “Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition.   Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.”.   As I thought about modern times, I wondered if we have forgotten the phrase “friendly competition”.   Contrary to the beliefs of many, winning isn’t everything – if we are going to be successful in life, relationships take precedence.   Sure, it can be good to win, and it is invigorating to compete, but at the end of the day, shaking hands may be the biggest victory of all. ...

Today is one of my favorite days of the year – it is Opening Day for Major League Baseball.  I know that we have been playing practice games for the past several weeks, (and the Yankees and Giants got a head start yesterday); but for many of the rest of us, starting today, it’s for keeps.  I realize that the absolute best day is the day your team clinches the World Series title, but let’s be honest … for most of us, this is what we have been looking forward to since early last autumn.  As I think about Opening Day, the word hope comes to mind.  We are all filled with hope that our team will do well – that our pitchers will pitch and our sluggers will slug.  We have hope that this will be the year we will turn it around or that it will be the next year of a growing dynasty.  We hope that someone will have a dominant Hall of Fame caliber season and that others will be in contention for Rookie of the Year.  Yes, hope springs eternal – at least for the nex...

When I was a child, I learned there were a few things you didn’t discuss with people – especially those you didn’t know.  You didn’t ask someone how old they were, nor did you ask them about any sort of malady or sickness they had.  Politics were often off limits, and the discussion of religion was often viewed as taboo.  Honestly, sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t adhere to those rules in the 21 st Century; but I want to focus on one in particular – discussing religion.  Now, you might find it odd that I would dissuade the discussion of religion – I mean, isn’t that my business?  While that is true, I believe any religious discussion should come with a caveat – it needs to be done with the best of intentions.  There are plenty of good reasons to discuss spiritual concepts; but there are also some that aren’t noble.  If we set out to prove someone wrong or to try to trip them up in what they believe, I think we have taken the goodwill out of the disc...

As I drove around the other day singing along with Gary Stewart, I realized something – I like Honky-Tonk music.   I kind of hate to admit it, but there is something about those twangy old tunes that strike a chord with me.   Now, the reason I am a bit hesitant to mention this is that the topics of these songs aren’t always positive.   I am a card-carrying teetotaler, but a lot of the music that has made a mint for beer joints and millionaires out of country singers is also found on my playlists.   Thankfully, my taste in music hasn’t influenced me to the point that I have embraced the drinking and cheating lifestyle. As I reflected on this, it served as a reminder that we need to constantly be checking on the things we allow to influence us.   No, the music by George Strait and George Jones isn’t (necessarily) going to drive me to take up residence in a dance hall any more than rap music will make criminals out of all of its listeners  or heavy metal wil...