Satisfaction

 

Satisfaction

 

 

I can't get no...satisfaction

 

Society tells me to want more

Be more, do more, have more

 

'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try

 

Chasing the next best thing

Keeping up with the Joneses

 

About some useless information

Supposed to drive my imagination

 

Satisfaction and happiness...mutually inclusive?

Am I really contented, fulfilled, pleasured?

 

'Cause I'm riding around the world

And I'm doing this and I'm signing that

 

I feel good, then I don't

It's not enough

 

'Cause you see that I'm on a losing streak

 

When is enough, enough?

I have enough...don't I?

 

 

Shout out and credit to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for the Satisfaction lyrics.

Each Beat

She laces up pointe shoes

Apprehensive for audition

Motivation steels and psyches

Muscles warmed and willowy

 

Oh the anxiety

Oh the comparison

Oh the athleticism

 

The dancer feels the music from within translating each note

Each beat

For the director

She laces up pointe shoes

Ready for rehearsal

Sweat dripping and drenching

Spirits worn and weary

Oh the monotony

Oh the frustration

Oh the blisters

The dancer feels the music from within translating each note

Each beat

For herself

 

She laces up pointe shoes

Perfection in performance

 

Toes twirling and whirling

Tutu’s flowing and flying 

Oh the beauty

Oh the strength

Oh the grace

The dancer feels the music from within translating each note

Each beat

For the audience

 

 

The Great Divide

The Great Divide

 

The anger rises up in me and then I feel ashamed

Fearful for the future and hopeful all the same

This dichotomy of feelings is giving me a ride

‘Why can’t we just all get along?’ I so naively chide.

 

The anger swells from history, not a mere fifty years it’s been

When racial tensions, distrust, and conflict were so commonly seen

Assassinations of Kennedy and King had us reeling with despair

And riots, assault and murder were seemingly everywhere.

 

It’s 1968 – the seas of violence and political turbulence scar

Electing a new president amidst the controversy of civil rights and war

Labels divide, ideas collide

Damn, our pride.

 

Today the names have changed, but the story remains old

Opinions flood social media sites – our public black mold

Arguments ensue on the TV networks each night

Negativity contaminates like a virus – it’s rampant and it’s ripe.

 

Sadly, the anger, hurt and divide

Whether outwardly expressed or bottled up inside

Didn’t start with the present conditions or even in ‘68

For as long as humans have existed, we’ve been sowing seeds of hate.

 

History repeats until we get it righted.

History repeats until we stop being so short-sighted.

Labels divide, ideas collide

Damn, our pride.

 

What will it take to get us United?

 

We are called to action

Ash Wednesday, 2016.  Blogging for Lent, yet again.

On the advent of Ash Wednesday and Lent, I try to find something to add to my life to help me walk closer with God during the 40 days of Lent.  Last year, I started this blog to provide one positive on the Internet each day.  Tonight, I've 'dusted' off the blog because I am just aching to write about several signs I've received today that I can't sit by and ignore anymore, and I think they lend themselves to a pretty good challenge for Lent, 2016.

Over the course of the day, here's what I saw/read/heard:

Sign #1:  Driving by a church today, the church sign says "Pray.  Vote.  Pray again."
Sign #2:  Ash Wednesday service at my church.  Lenten theme:  "We make the path by walking"
Sign #3:  Part of an article I read today on CatholicVote: "Catholic Social Teaching tells us that we as Christians have an obligation to help those less fortunate, it states that it should be done through good will by faith, not by government action."

As I retype my signs of today, the refrain from "We Are Called" by David Haas plays through my mind,
"We are called to act with justice.
We are called to love tenderly.
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God."

So, I listen to the song and I reread these signs and one word keeps repeating in my head (think mantra here...) "ACTION".  As Christians (ok, as HUMANS - regardless of religious affiliation here), we are called to action.  We must not sit passively by and let others (or governments) do what we are called to do.  It is each individual (you, me) who must love, serve, assist, feed, pray for the poor, hungry, sick and marginalized.  In the action of our doing, it changes us to be more compassionate and loving human beings.  

It is in our ACTION that is what changes the world.  During these 40 days of Lent, I challenge you to rise out of your comfort zone and do something to assist those that need you.  Be mindful about your actions, but be action-able!  We must stop the "I want to appear good without actually doing anything" attitude of our world. 

So, I've set the challenge for myself.  I encourage you to do the same.  I'll be blogging about this journey for Lent - I'd like you to let me know how you're doing on yours.

In fact, if you want a good role model who is called to ACTION, view this:  http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/9-Who-Care-Paul-Rehn-A-Legacy-of-Serving-368176281.html

Thanks, Paul Rehn.