Nancy Drew, I love you!

I just finished watching the new Nancy Drew movie (I know it’s a kids movie, but why do I always learn my most valuable life lessons from kid’s movies?).  It was everything Nancy Drew should be, with a mystery, excitement, danger, and 50’s clothing.  What struck me most about this movie, and I would venture to say what struck most people, though was the fact that no matter what, Nancy always does the right thing.  We tend to watch movies like that and brush off the warm fuzzy feeling we get when Nancy sets the world right as just that, a feeling.  I would like to contend that it is much more than just a feeling.  It is a desire that we, as a culture, have buried so deep beneath excuses, despair, and apathy (and dare I say laziness?) that we have forgotten what it was entirely.  

I find myself constantly making excuses for not doing what’s right.  “It won’t benefit that person, it will only cause trouble, I need the money, they’ll get over it, it’s actually funny”.  On and on.  And to my shame, most of the time it is that last excuse, the weakest of them all.  Time after time, everyday we are presented with situations where we are asked to, no, where we need to do the right thing.  It is time that we dare stand up like the strong people we are and do the right thing.  It is a quality we admire so much on film and in story books, but then seem to despise in real life.  Shame on you.

Let me be the one to tell you, because I realize how often I do it myself, your excuses are worthless, petty, and a disgrace.  They are not amusing nor do they benefit anyone alive, except perhaps yourself.  We need to make a conscious effort to stop this!  It is a disease that has plagued us for so long that outside of stories we refuse to even recognize what the right thing is!  However, thanks to stories, and a deep down, inherent knowledge we know exactly what the right thing is, all we need to do is throw out the self benefitting excuse and do it.

Taking the wrong change is wrong, lying is wrong, stealing (no matter how small or from whom) is wrong, driving faster than the posted speed limit is wrong (even though everyone does it), cheating (whether it be on a test, on homework, or on your wife) is wrong.  When will we realize this and live up to the potential that we are born with?  Nancy Drew is a child’s story, why is it children are so much more intelligent than we are that they can recognize these things?

I feel like I could cry at my inability to communicate the importance of this and how deep the disease runs.  Next time you watch a children’s movie or read a story book, examine yourself against the heros and heroines in the tale.  Note how many times they do the right thing when you would have done the easy, or self serving thing.  Please, this is important.  Do not be deceived by our culture.  The only difference between real life and a storybook ending are the choices we make regarding the right thing.  Most stories do not end with a prince and a castle, but rather a true friend, a strong passion, and an ability to always do the right thing.  Thank you Nancy Drew for reminding us that not only is doing the right thing possible, but it is necessary.

Side Tracked

It annoys me. Today, I am on Amtrak, somewhere between Sedalia and Jefferson City. Naturally the train was about 35 minutes late getting to Warrensburg. Being an old hat at riding Amtrak, this did not surprise or upset me in the least. Upon exiting Sedalia we came to a stop. Here we had to wait no more than 20 minutes for a broken down freight train to fix itself and pass. From the moment the announcement was made, all I heard on board was complaints, angry comments, and ridiculous expectations. What is wrong with people? We have a lovely view out the windows, we are in an air conditioned car with a fully stocked snack car. The people on this train are given the opportunity to slow down. To talk to their friends and family, read a book, play a game, or just enjoy the stillness of the moment. Instead they crowd the rail car with their frustration and exasperation. Even other people who have ridden this train criticize. It is very unbecoming, and disagreeable. Why can’t we enjoy the moments we are given. Opportunities missed. Next time you find your flight delayed or something like that, let me encourage you to use the time for the better. Complaints and whining accomplish nothing, no matter how vocal you are or how loud you express them. Think of moments such as these as gifts of time, not as curses.


Two hours later, and pulled over yet again. I’m putting up with the same complaints. Absolutely tired of it, to the point of screaming at them to shut up and be happy with what they have. I decide to put my headphones in and listen to music. It pours over me like a water fall, washing away all my ill feelings, blotting out everyone’s complaints and meaningless banter, and leaves a haven. I feel comfortable and safe once again. And it occurs to me, yet again, that this is part of my adventure. It is just one step toward the goal, whatever that may be, one more part of the trail toward the treasure. Complaints in situations like this show nothing but weakness and lack of courage. Here it occurs to me the importance of courage, real courage. I was watching The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers the other day. In the extended directors cut there is a section that particular touched me. Aragorn and the girl from Rohan are speaking about fear before they leave for Helmsdeep.

“What do you fear?”
“A cage. To stay behind bars until youths and old age accept them, and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.”


I think the most important part of this quotation is the part about valor. Just as important as freedom and liberty is a sense of honor and valor. Without honor and valor, freedom and liberty will soon be lost. Once these qualities are lost, freedom and liberty will be beyond reach.

It is important for us to be brave. I do not mean simply being brave in every day life either. It is brave to go to work everyday, to not let your children see your struggles, to cut back so that you may share with others. But I am not talking about common bravery, I am talking about valor. We must show true valor, extreme bravery, everyday. The kind of bravery that keeps men going when they haven’t eaten in a week, slept in three days, and have a battle, a true physically, emotionally, and spiritually taxing battle to fight the next day. The kind of battle where one’s life is at stake. This should be our attitude everyday in all that we do. Not some cheesy “Love is a battle field” sort of attitude, but one of valor and honor.

We wonder where the days of old have gone. What ever happened to chivalry and a “code”? In short, we let a few handle the job, when it should be the many. Be honorable, be courageous, and show valor to your co-workers, your boss, your wife, your friends, and those you meet in Wal-Mart or on the street. It is not so hard, it is within each of us. But it is hard to find under the layers of fear and self importance we have caked over the top. Dig deep, and polish it, and let is shine.

It is clear to me the lack of courage and valor as I listen to the passengers on this train. They are not concerned with the engineers on the freight train, the conductors on this one, or even the passengers on the other Amtrak train headed in the opposite direction that is being held up by the same freight train. They are only concerned about themselves and getting themselves home where they can gorge themselves on fatty food and play video games.

Did you happen to note the number of times I said, “themselves” in that last paragraph. Awful, isn’t it. We’ve even come so far as to start justifying those feelings. It is ok to want to get home, but at what cost? I desire to get home as well, it has been a while since I’ve seen my family, and yet I know that there are others on this train, on the other Amtrak train, not to mention the conductors and engineers (who may not have seen their families for much longer than any of us) that are also being delayed. They are my first thought (aside from being annoyed with everyone’s complaining).

I’ve had the blessing to watch a fiery, red sunset in the horizon over a freshly mowed wheat field, listen to some brilliant music, write some of my thoughts, read a wonderful book, and just reflect in general during this time where there world is not rushing by in a blur, but rather standing perfectly still for me to observe closely and lovingly.

Blech

I have just a few rambling thoughts today.  I'm sitting in the school library getting ready to read and write for a book report.  Nothing too big, just two pages.  Easy.  I do the normal routine of checking my email, facebook, my blog, etc.  Life goes on swimmingly.

Just a couple of things.  My two best friends in Warrensburg just recently moved away, far, far away.  This leaves me wondering what to do in the evenings or on days off.  I have the rest of the summer with no prospects of anyone to hang out with.  Granted, I will probably go home sometime and spend a little time with my family, maybe go visit my sister, perhaps my friend Bret, but it's just not the same as having someone here to do spur of the moment stuff with.  Plus, gas is so darn expensive it's hard to make any kind of a trip.  

So, I rent movies from the library, do youth group and Sunday School, work, and do homework.  I'm a little sick and tired of it all ready, but whatcha gonna do?  Perhaps tonight I'll go fishing.  I don't really have anyway of cleaning the fish, but oh well, that's what catch and release is for, right?  It would be nice just to go anyway.  Maybe I'll go to Country Kitchen and have a pot of coffee and write or something like that.  I have plenty I need to write.  

Next thing.  I am very political on here, it's very true.  Sorry for those of you who hate it.  I discover that sometimes I hate it too.  Like when people quote NPR like it's the most honest news source ever.  Or when someone complains about the War in Iraq like they are there and have talked to the Iraqi congress.  I also get very tired of people pointing out that the U.S. is not the greatest country in the world.  Got it.  We agree.  Nor is it the worst, or even the second best, but right on plane with a lot of other countries and (dare I say it?) better than many more!  In very few countries would you be able to complain about that country openly and without fear of reprimand or punishment.  Do we support the U.S.A. because it's the U.S.A.?  No, support what it stands for.  The Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, and the preamble (Sing with me!  "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility. . ." School House Rock anyone?) form a foundation of what we have come to call the U.S.A.  Is it true that we are letting some of our freedoms slip away?  Yes.  But whose fault is this?  I'm sorry, I know how much we all love to hate President Bush and politicians, but seriously it is our fault, quit whining and do something about it.

Ok, I seriously was not going to make this a political thing again.  Sorry.  I suppose I don't view this stuff as politics though.  Many times these are basic Christian beliefs, pure human rights, not something given to us by a human king, president, or congressional body.  Whether you vote or not I think these things affect you every day.  

In other news, I'm broke.  Other things that are broke:  My watch band.  And I can't afford a new one.  Ack.  It's a brilliant time here in the Burg.  Rock on everyone!

The Great Dictator

I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor, that’s not my business.  I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone.  I should like to help everyone if possible.  Jew, Gentile, black man, white.  We all want to help one another.  Human beings are like that.  We want to live by each other’s happiness, not each others misery.  We don’t want to hate and despise one another.  In this world there is room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone, a way of life can be free and beautiful.  But we have lost the way.  Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and blood shed.  We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in.  Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.  Our knowledge has left us cynical and our cleverness hard and unkind.  We think too much and feel too little.  More than machinery we need humanity.  More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.  Without these qualities life will be violent and all will be lost.  The airplane and the radio have brought us closer together.  The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men.  Cries out for universal brotherhood; for the unity of us all.  Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world.  Millions of despairing men, women and little children.  Victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.  For those who can hear me I say, do not despair.  The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed.  The bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress.  The hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people will return to the people.  And so long as men die, liberty will never parish. 

Soldiers, don’t give yourselves to brutes; men who despise you and enslave you.  Who regiment your lives; tell you what to do, what to think, or what to feel.  Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle and use you as cannon fodder!  Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men.  Machine men with machine minds and machine hearts.  You are not machines, you are not cattle!  You are men!  You have the love of humanity in your hearts.  You don’t hate.  Only the unloved hate.  The unloved and the unnatural.  Soldiers, don't fight for slavery, fight for liberty!  In the 17th chapter of St. Luke it is written, “the kingdom of God is within man.”  Not one man nor a group of men, but in all men!  In you!  You the people have the power.  The power to create machines, the power to create happiness.  You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful.  To make this life a wonderful adventure.  Then in the name of democracy let us use that power.  Let us all unite!  Let us fight for a new world.  A decent world.  That would give men a chance to work.  That would give you the future, and old age a security.  By the promise of these things brutes have risen to power!  But they lie, they do not fulfill their promise.  They never will.  Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people.  Now, let us fight to fulfill that promise.  Let us fight to free the world!  To do away with national barriers.  To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance.  Let us fight for a world of reason.  A world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.  Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite!

Charlie Chaplin, The Great Dicatator 1940.

I’m willing to bet that until you read exactly who wrote this, you thought it was me and my ideas.  All of this just goes to show that the life we lead is not better than the one of fear and desperation during World War II.  Except one crucial difference.  The war is long over.  So what are we afraid of?  Why do these words strike me so much?  I assert that it is because we live in a world of dictators.  People telling us what to do what to think and what to feel.  They treat us like machinery and cattle.  How often have we heard promises of jobs, a future, and security in old age during the presidential campaigns?  It says it right here.  Go ahead and sell your liberty to those candidates that would say these things.  But I tell you they lie.  They will free themselves, but enslave us.  Only we have the power to defend democracy, true democracy based in liberty, not politicians.  I’m not trying to tell you not to vote, I’m just saying there are other options.  Stand up for liberty, stand up for democracy, don’t let the democrats and republicans tell you how to vote and steal your freedom one broken promise at a time.  It’s your responsibility, your place to fulfill those promises, not theirs.  Vote, please for the love of God vote, that is your responsibility, but vote your own convictions, your own beliefs!  Not McCain’s or Obama’s.  It is time we rise up, start a grass roots campaign for someone We the People chose to run for president instead of two separate groups of corrupt and uncaring machine men.  We will still have different candidates.  So what will the difference be?  All the difference in the world!  When was the last time you voted for someone you truly believed in?  I’m not even asking for someone I can put all my faith in, just someone that puts all their faith in me.  Well, I guess I’ve said it.  To go on would only be rambling.  If you have questions about this, ask me.  I’d be more than happy to share my views with you.  I certainly won’t shove them down your throat, but I am passionate about it, so be prepared.  Just think about it.  Think about Chaplin’s words from nearly 70 years ago and how they apply to us, on a grander scale than just the homeless and starving, the war in Iraq, and the fuel shortage (though I in no way intend to down play these, they are merely parts of the whole).