Thursday; August 15

There are certain events that seem to spotlight pivotal points in history.  For the late 1960s, Woodstock may be one of those events.  The “Aquarian Exposition:  3 Days of Peace & Music” was actually held on Max Yasqur’s dairy farm some forty-three miles southwest of Woodstock, New York.  According to history (and supposition) thirty-two musical acts performed for an estimated 400,000 people.  The festival lasted from August 15-18, 1969 but has been a fixture in our nation’s culture since that time.  While the festival is well-known for those who performed, I found it interesting to read about some who chose not to be there.  Ian Anderson (from the group Jethro Tull) declined to perform because he didn’t like the counterculture influence (inappropriate nudity, heavy drinking and drug use) he knew would be there.  According to Tommy James, he and his band passed on their invitation because it was pitched to them in this way, “... there’s this pig farmer in upstate New York who wants you to play in his field.”.  Anderson’s fears were probably realized, while Tommy James soon realized the opportunity they missed.
I was too young to know much about the nuances of Woodstock until years later, but I find it interesting how many people define themselves as the Woodstock Generation.  For many; the music, the mud, the freedom and the debauchery that were experienced that day represent something special to them.  In retrospect, I know that I would not have enjoyed the “concert” nor would I have embraced the mindset.
As I look at modern society I wonder what we will be known for?  Will it be good or bad – righteous or evil?  You see, what we choose to define ourselves will be the legacy we leave for others.  In a sense, we get to choose what will define our generation, what will it be? 
Think About It!

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday; May 3

I have a fish tank that allows my three Bettas (Larry, Darrell and Darrell) to live in the same structure, but remain hidden from each other – well sort of.   When I go to feed the fish, I believe that one of the Darrell’s can sort of see that the other Darrell is getting fed and he will linger over on that side of the tank even after I put his food in his tank.   I have to tap on the side of the tank where his food is floating to help him refocus and eat.   I get the impression that he is so interested in what is going on in the other Darrell’s tank that he can’t enjoy his own food. I have been told that the brain of a fish is pretty small – which explains their inability to process “blessings”, but are we guilty of the same malady as Darrell?   Are we so worried (or consumed) by what happens to the people around us that we fail to realize what is going on with us?   Are we envious of the blessings that others are receiving and end up missing out on what we have been given?   Are w
Read more

Thursday; February 14

         While most of us are familiar with today being Valentine’s Day, there are some who actually refer to February 14 th as “St. Valentine’s Day”.  This title is often affixed to a criminally historic event known as “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” on February 14, 1929 in Chicago, but that is another story for another time.  Not knowing much about the history of “Saint Valentine” I did a little research and found out he was a Roman religious leader who was martyred in 269 AD.  According to my limited research Valentine was killed because of his encouragement of Roman men (especially soldiers) to marry which was in violation of Claudias’ edict that prohibited marriage to keep their minds singularly focused on their task of defending the Empire.  Somehow, from this beginning – and possibly embellished by Chaucer – St. Valentine became intertwined with the concept of romantic love.           I am not really sure how February 14 th became connected with love, but inspired by thi
Read more

Wednesday; December 6

What does it mean to be a leader? I subscribe to the belief that a leader is someone who seeks the best for others and works with them to achieve their potential. There are others; however, who define leadership as the ability to have a vision and the tenacity to get their own way. Leaders who are this way are often portrayed as having developed the maturity to manipulate people to do things their way. However, is the ability to drive people in our direction mature or is it childish? The Christians of the 1st Century came from a lot of different backgrounds and had to work hard to work together. As the Apostle Paul challenged Christians in the city of Ephesus he challenged them to accept individual differences, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. “ (Ephesians 4:13). Bossiness was not to be viewed as a sign of maturity, a willingness to wo
Read more