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When a disaster occurs in another country, America typically responds with some form of aid. When a poor country needs aid, we tend to help. Take Haiti for example; Americans from all walks of life have contributed money, some have traveled to Haiti to help in person, and the American government sent some of their military into and around Haiti to help.  Why?  Because they need our help – and we are a compassionate, caring people.

Why do we Americans jump up (regardless of political party affiliation, religious views, etc.) and help other countries, yet we don’t want to help each other?  I honestly don’t understand.

Is this not the situation with health care reform? I’m for having health care that enables every American to have medical help when they need it, regardless of their income, political views, religious beliefs, skin color or geographical region.  Some Americans, however, are not for such a plan. Why?

Why are we so anxious to help others while at the same time not willing to help our own countrymen and countrywomen?  Why is this so frowned upon in our culture?

We the people of these United States of America must change our attitude toward each other and help one another as we would help (and often do help) other countries.

What is the truth?  Do you really know?  If so, then how?  The truth is beyond me most of the time.  I trust half of what I hear and I trust about ten percent of what I read.

I found this in a book called “365 Tao Daily Meditations” by Deng Ming-Dao:

Truth

“There are three levels of truth:

Experience, reasoning, and knowing.

All other assertions should be rejected.”

That makes perfect sense to me.  If I experience it, then it is true.  If I have enough information to reason that something is true, then I believe it to be true.  Finally, there are things I just know are true that have no evidence or reasoning. For example a higher power.  I know in my heart and soul that there is a higher power (Self, God, Buddha, or whatever you want to call it).  I just know it; it is true.

Truth is a bitch to come to grips with and it often times hurts.  But I would take the truth over a lie any day of the week.

I have the key to open the doors that I don’t want to walk through.  I own the keys – and have for years.  I’ve not wanted to, nor felt that I had to, use the key, but the time has come and I need to walk through one very scary door.  Behind the door is absolute unknown ground to me but not untouchable. I have support, I have help, and I have the key.

The Key

I took this picture today.  It’s they key to go through the doors that I don’t want to go through. You can’t take it from me, but you can borrow it to go through your own scary doors. Use it and pass it on; we can all use a key to get through seemingly locked and scary doors.

One of the not so many things I’ve decided to do in 2010 is a 365 project.  My plan, like millions of other people, is to take one photograph each day of the year and post the photo to my Flickr page.  I’ve created a “set” on my Flickr page specifically for this project.  Hope you check it out.

I also thought about starting a photo project where I would take a photo of me each day, then make a short film at the end of the year.  I decided to push this off until I am certain that I will stick to my 365 project first.

I have been enjoying a book entitled Living Your Unlived Life: Coping with Unrealized Dreams and Fulfilling Your Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Robert A. Johnson and Jerry M. Ruhl, Ph.D.

Image by Brian Hillegas via Flickr

The book focuses on the second half of life, middle-life issues and crises and finding oneself.  I highly suggest this book to any 35-50 year old that is wondering what the hell they are doing and/or who the hell they are.

Read the book.