What It Takes

It is always a good thing to stop once and a while and reflect back on our lives and the lives of others in order to gain a better understanding of where we are in the world and where we long to be.

I awoke a little later than I cared to this morning, grabbed my 16oz cup of coffee with Irish Cream flavoring, microwaved a bowl of instant oatmeal, pulled a banana from it's basket and proceeded to sit in my living room and turn on the t.v.. Syfy was broadcasting some old rerun of an eighties television show in all of it's cheesy glory. It took me but five minutes to decide to change the channel. Of course for me the next obvious choice would be channel 39, The History Channel. I never really followed too much history in high school, oh sure enough to get by with passing grades, but my mind was more focused on art and creativity and couldn't be bothered to retain information that, to me, was irrelevant in my daily life. Boy was I wrong. I find myself making up for that way of adolescent thinking a lot now that I am older.

It was about 10:15am and THC was showing a biography on Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. Little did I know that this was a three hour event, but once I started watching I could not stop. I am not going to review this program or point out the highlights of this man's life and career, but I will say that this program is well worth the downtime to sit and watch in it's entirety. I came away realizing what being a great man and leader is all about. FDR was both of these. Did he make some mistakes in his unprecedented four terms in office? Of course, but the greatness that he acquired for this country and the changes that he helped bring about for the world are still felt today. The overwhelming support he received from the people was testament to this fact. What really affected me emotionally is how much physical pain he endured while in office, he was basically crippled with polio, and his pure determination to see things through no matter what his health condition. His presidency revolved around some of this Country's darkest moments, The Great Depression and World War II, but still he managed to pull this nation through it all to become the super power it is today. I came away afterward with a much deeper respect for what the office of the President of the United States is all about. It is a place for great men to do great things not only for this country but for the world. While there have been many great men to lead this nation before and after FDR's tenure, there have been few who have made life changing sacrifices needed to see this country through the darkest of times. Although it would be 22 years after President Roosevelt's death before I would come to be, I can now look back through the eyes and memories of others almost 75 years later and see how true greatness in a leader is achieved. Someone once said, "Some men are born into greatness and others have greatness thrust upon them" , FDR embodies both of these persona's.

Film of Chance and Choice

Last night I sat and watched "No Country for Old Men". A film released in 2007 and which won an Oscar for best picture 2008. OK so I'm a little behind when it comes to movie releases. Anyway it's directed by the Coen Brothers who also directed "Fargo", "The Big Lebowski" and "Burn After Reading" among others.

I was expecting a lot from this film, violence, intelligence, suspense and plot twists, not to mention that classic Coen Brothers atmospheric touch. It did not disappoint. I won't go into the details of the plot for I'm sure that most movie savvy people have seen it already and I don't want to spoil it for those that have yet to see it. I will say that it leaves the viewer wide open to interpretation. Just when I thought I knew what was going on or what was about to happen it changed. This was refreshing for me, because there is nothing I hate more than a film that is so predictable it feels as though I've seen it a hundred times before. The ending was less than dramatic and does leave you with a sense of incompleteness. I literally was left asking befuddled, "That's how it ends?" not because it's a bad ending but it was just not something I was expecting. After careful thought in interpreting what had just transpired, I got it. This movie is one that will have you thinking for days after viewing it. A sure sign that it made an impact on the viewer. There aren't many films that can do this to me. This one did, otherwise I would not be wasting blog space to write about it.

Unlike "Fargo" which was also violent but littered with dark humor, "No Country for Old Men" has very little to laugh about. It is dark, unforgiving, realistic and menacing. At the same time it conveys human nature almost perfectly. It deals with religious beliefs, sacrifice, self worth, mortality, risk and chance. Heavy on the latter two. Risk and chance are the main themes throughout the film. Just as in real life the choices we make and the risks we take effect everything and everyone around us so it is portrayed in this movie. Albeit with more dark and hopeless overtones. I will certainly sit down and watch this one again with a different mind frame than I had on my first viewing. I can almost guarantee I will come away more enlightened with a better understanding of not only the film but of life in general. It is that type of a film. Hell I might even watch it a third time.

The Choice is Yours, Obviously

I am not one to talk in percentages and scales when it comes to political dialogue. Or pull out numerous graphs and charts to try and prove a point. Things are, for the most part, fairly obvious to see. I mean it doesn't take a scientist, mathematician or archeologist to discover things that are floating on the surface all around us everyday.

When President Obama was elected last November, there was an overwhelming sense of pride, hope and inspiration that resonated throughout the Country. At least that is how I saw it and felt it. Yes I knew that once things settled down and the President got down to business running the country those "new found messiah" emotions would diminish and the world would see Mr. Obama for what he is, a man. I voted for Barrack Obama and was very proud to do so, not because I saw him as someone who was bigger than life, nor did I think he would walk upon the land with staff in hand and part the mighty Mississippi river. I did vote for him because I saw an intelligence that had been lacking in the oval office for some time. I selected him because I saw a man who cared about his Country and the citizens that live within it. There was compassion in his eyes, intellect in his voice and hope for a better world in his heart. A man, and to me he was and is the obvious choice.

We should also face facts that there will always be those special interest groups that push the propaganda wagon up and down the streets trying to get more people to hop on board. They try to create chaos and disorder to distract from the obvious just so they can push their own agendas. It is just hard for me to believe that so many people fall victim to the unscrupulous tactics of these greedy, low-life, uncaring corporations that seem to have the government (and sometimes the people) in the palm of their hands. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that this Country was founded on the principles of Capitalism and free market business models. There will have to be winners and losers. But when those same companies, be them Big Oil, Pharmaceutical, Financial or Developmental Firms, so willfully abandon their very own compatriots all for the sake of money and power. Then something drastically needs to change before it's too late. That to me is also obvious.

Ruthlessness has taken hold. I never thought I would see in my lifetime a total disregard towards our fellow man. The blatant lack of morality, compassion and humanity, virtues that once made this Country so great, have all but been replaced by hate, violence, greed and enviousness. We want what others have. We hate others for having what we don't. We do what ever it takes to get what we want and we willingly hurt others physically and mentally because of our own desires. Somewhere along the road of human civility we took a wrong turn and are now headed for oblivion. It seems that even when some who try to do the right thing, it is scrutinized to no end. Truths get twisted and manipulated until no one knows exactly what the truth is anymore. Can that really happen? Can history literally be altered and rewritten to suite the desires of those with power? Sadly I believe it is happening everyday. Isn't it obvious?

So what are we supposed to believe? Who are we supposed to trust? I like to think that my heart holds the answers for me. It has never pushed me in the wrong direction before and I don't believe it ever will. "Violence is never the answer, hate breeds more hate, be thankful for what you have and it's always better to give than to receive" are just a few of the things my heart tells me. They are virtues that I live by. Rest assured that the correct choices you make in life will come from a place deep down inside you, a feeling, an emotional reaction an enlightened view. It will almost make the decisions for you. And when people come to you and ask why you did what you did, said what you said or believed what you believed. You can look them in the eye and say, "cause it was the right thing".
Isn't it obvious?