Far more than they imagine.

As for those who live hand to mouth, I think of many of them as superior beings. I envy them. Because they have got it right. They know how to live day to day. They don't require the material luxuries. They often have an inner faith. They are the really true religious ones. They have a richness of spirit. Ironically, when I praise them, they often think they are being castigated. Looked down upon. And I am looking at them from below. I am looking up. I respect them far more than they ever imagined. --Jim Broede

Isn't that a nice thought?

We need a Nelson Mandela in the Middle East. Yes, the Mandela mentality. A forgiving nature. The attitude of leaving bygones be bygones. A coming together. To live in reasonable peace and harmony. If that doesn't happen, we end up with mutual annihilation. Killing. Killing. Killing. Wars. Wars. Wars. Retribution. Retribution. Retribution. From time to time, I hear of individual Palestinians and Israelis becoming friends. Respecting each other. Able to live and work side by side. Able to love instead of hate. If a few can do it, why can't the many? If I'm able to love my so-called enemy, then maybe I will no longer have enemies. Isn't that a nice thought? --Jim Broede

We've learned our lesson.

For a long, long time our national shame was slavery and the denial of basic human and civil rights to people of color. Finally, we are making big strides, big amends. Correcting the wrongs of the past. Even electing a black president. Something that not very long ago seemed impossible. We Americans have tended to turn a blind eye to some of our most grievous wrongs. Like the way we privileged whites have been racists for almost all of our long history. Thank heavens for the new and upcoming young generation. They played a big role in getting Barack Obama elected. And that will rid us finally of our greatest shame of the 21st century. The shame of electing George Bush to two terms as president. Indeed, the most gawd-awful president we ever had. Despicible. A disgrace. It may take decades to correct all the wrongs wrought by the Bush administration and his Republican cohorts. But hey, I'm getting comfort and solace from all this. Bush was so bad that he made us see the light. Yes, I'm expecting something good to spring from the mess that Bush has left. We've learned our lesson. Never again will we allow it to happen. --Jim Broede

...over not much of anything.

I know there are lots of bad things that happen in the world. Daily. Reasons to lament. To fret. Reasons to complain. But still, I am happy. Because I have a choice. To focus on what's going right around me. For one thing, I'm in love. I'm in good health. I'm not destitute. And I keep telling myself that I can't do much to change the world. But I can control my attitude. I can think positively. Or negatively. And I can take life one day at a time. Which gives me opportunity to have a good day. Oh, there's an occasional bad day. Not so many recently. But I've been able to overcome bad days. Often, they aren't as bad as I imagined. I find it's relatively easy controlling the immediate moment. Or today. But if I try to get too far ahead of myself, there's a danger of fear creeping in. That something may go wrong. That's an affliction called worrying. Fretting. Really, over not much of anything. --Jim Broede

Where love prevails. Everywhere.

I'm feeling sorry for lots of people these days. Especially for Alzheimer care-givers. So many of 'em. I peek in almost daily on the Alzheimer's message boards. And so many care-givers are in bad shape. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically. Some are having nervous breakdowns. Really, they need to become patients. And turn themselves over to care-givers. Yet, they try to be stoic care-givers. As if they have no choice. Because there's nobody else to take over. Yes, that's sad. For the beleaguered care-givers. And for the sick patients. If I had a magic wand, I'd fix the problem. Immediately. Unfortunately, so many, many of these situations remain unfixed. All over the world, people are in need of help. They can barely exist from day to day. Many won't survive. That's the nature of life. Some survive. Some make it. Others don't. Kind of depressing, isn't it? I wish that as a society we were more atuned to the common good. So that more would survive. I'm among the fortunate. A survivor. A thriver. I have opportunity to savor the good, sweet life. Savor being in love. Some days, I ask myself, what more could I want of life? And I tell myself, a perfect world. Where there's no suffering. Where love prevails. Everywhere. --Jim Broede

...a little more leeway.

I do feel a little bit sorry for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. In that he already seems to be convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud and bribery. Convicted in the media, that is. With all the publicity, it's gonna be difficult for the governor to get a fair trial. However, Blagojevich remains optimistic. On the surface, at least. Says he's innocent. And hey, the presumption should be that he is. But virtually everybody assumes he's guilty as hell. Because of what they've read or heard on TV and radio. We're a publicity saturated nation. The pundits and alleged journalists have field days long before these cases go to court. I'm not sure it should be that way. The accused deserve a little more leeway. That's better than convicting them even before they step into court. --Jim Broede

So many, many competing gods.

Tell you what I dislike most about George Bush. His religous fervor. Maybe a more accurate word is ferocity. He practices his religion in black and white terms. Right and wrong. Good and evil. He divides the world into good guys and bad guys. And Bush considers himself one of the good guys. A well-principled guy. A man of god. In so many ways, he's similar to Osama bin Laden. It's all right to kill one's enemies. Rather than love one's foes. And even to kill innocent people in the process. My guess is that Bush's decisions as a powerbroker have resulted in the deaths of more people than even the killings perpetrated by bin Laden. Thing is both men probably have clear consciences. Because they perceive themselves as combatants against evil. And they both believe in preemptive wars. And they don't hesitate to act in the name of their gods. Neither man will admit that maybe he's wrong. It gets back to religious ferocity. Look back over history. So much of the atrocity comes in the name of religion. So many, many gods. Competing gods. --Jim Broede