A New Year

It's the time of year when we traditionally make a list of resolutions, vowing to be better, do more and be more understanding in the coming year.  These resolutions, although always made with good intentions, seem to last all of about 10 minutes into the new year.  I'm not sure why they disappear so fast, maybe due to short term memory loss.

Today, instead of listing all my new and well-meaning resolutions, I decided to take a page from one of my former partners' books and give thanks for a wonderful 2009.  In no particular order, I am grateful for the following:

A husband who loves me unconditionally after 46 years, a comfortable home, a priceless view out the front windows, a son and daughter-in-law who always make me proud, wonderful and healthy grandkids, a great new great-grandson, my beautiful and caring sisters, a cancer-free checkup for one of them, a nephew almost completely recovered from the stroke he suffered, a new job for another nephew, an all-around wonderful family (to whom I wish many happy, healthy and wealthy years to come), amazing friends, good books, good health, and a perfect companion dog.

I also vow to remember that all I have is all I need.

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all of you.  Remember to make the best choices you can, then move forward.  Don't spend time regretting the past choices; they can't be changed.  And if you do make some new resolutions this year, remember that you are the only person who can change your life.

(The picture above was taken by my friend, Deb S. on Christmas day)

Merry Christmas

It is time to take a moment out of this busiest time of year to wish everyone Merry Christmas,   Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, or simply Happy Holidays.  May every good wish come true, and may you prosper is the New Year.  I refuse to mention that you should be careful what you wish for because you might get it.  If you want it, go for it!

Take a few moments to take a deep breath and recoup your sense of wonder.  Go for a run or a walk, or even a swim.  Let your mind wander and see where it ends up.  Your body may want to follow.

Tomorrow, the daylight will start to last longer, and the darkness will slowly be rolled back to where it is manageable again.  It is a time for renewal of both body and mind.  So I will say, have a Very Merry Christmas and and Happy, Healthy New Year.

President Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize

Have you read President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech?  I hope you have.  His speech left me feeling glad to be an American, glad that we were smart enough to elect Barack Obama as President.  He understands that, even though he is labeled a liberal and a leftist, he knows the value of being able to defend our country.

Belief in God

Is there a God?  There are lots of gods, but is there a God?  I want to believe; I was brought up to believe; but it is hard when I look at what is happening in the world, or even in this country.

I was raised a Lutheran; I have been a member of the same church all my life; my church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Now it seems that my church is going to consider going against the ELCA because of its belief in the way gays are being treated.  My church does not want to accept gays as clergy.  The reasoning behind this is that the Bible says being gay is a sin, and the Bible is the direct word of God.  The Bible, in Numbers, also says that anyone who works on the sabbath should be put to death.  This must also be the direct word of God; yet we have grown beyond this.

The Bible was written hundreds, or even thousand, of years ago.  It was written by humans, who lived in a time that was very different from today.  I believe they interpreted God's teachings based on the world as they knew it.  That world has changed immeasurably.  Pork is no longer dangerous to eat. Some people need to work on the sabbath so that the world as we know it will keep running.  Medical science has discovered that gays are born gay, that they have no choice in the matter.   So how can I stay in a church that refuses to accept people as God has made them?

If there is a God.  It is hard to believe when there are parents killing children, children and their families starving to death or dying of AIDs, when deserts are increasingly encroaching on more fertile land.   But it is harder not to believe.  If there is no God, why bother with developing new medicines, a better way to grow crops so we can feed more people.  Why bother educating our children, trying to instill in them the sense of humanness we all need?  Why go out of your way to help the homeless, the hungry, or even your neighbor.  There must be a God.  In spite of all the inequities and injustices in the world, we, as sons and daughters of a higher power, must keep striving to make this world a better place for all.  There has to be a God.  We do not strive in vain.

Death Penalty

Cleveland prosecutors have decided to ask for the death penalty for alleged serial killer Anthony Sowul.  Remains of 11 women have been found buried in the yard and inside the house where he was living.  This is one sick dude, who should never be allowed back on the street, maybe never see the light of day again.

These crimes were unimaginably horrible, the more so because no one seemed to care that these women had gone missing.  That fact alone says a lot about the society we have become.  People no longer look out for their neighbors.  We don't want to know what is happening in the neighborhood because we might have to somehow get involved.  This attitude is not hard to understand.  We are all so busy going about our daily lives, trying to make a living, keeping up with the kids' schoolwork and other activities, worrying about whether we will have jobs for much longer; we don't have time to get to know our neighbors.  What a shame.

But I have gotten off track.  This case has made me think about the death penalty.  I have always been against it; but I have also always felt that I don't know how I would feel if someone harmed a person close to me.  Maybe I would want revenge, or expect closure if the guilty person were executed.  After thinking about this for several days, I have decided I am still against the death penalty.  Two wrongs have never made a right, and to take someone's life is simply wrong.

Don't misunderstand me, the guilty person should be punished, and punished severely.  Life in prison with no opportunity of parole would be my choice; and not a country club prison either.  A cell with bars, in a row with other cells with bars, would be appropriate.  Or maybe even solitary confinement.  It costs more to put a prisoner to death than it does to keep him or her in prison for life.  There is also the chance, however slight, that the convicted person did not actually commit the crime.  Putting that person to death would eliminate any chance of atonement if he or she is later found not to have committed the crime.

Most of the countries in the world have already outlawed the death penalty, including Canada, Mexico and most of Europe.  What do they know that we don't?  Why do we still insist on capital punishment?  The death penalty is wrong.  We need to abolish it.

Writing -- Is It Over?

It has been several weeks since I wrote anything and wrote for any length of time.  Yesterday I had a very scary thought:  What if I never want to write again?  I have been making excuse after excuse -- first getting the rental house ready, then knitting, working out, walking the dog, cooking, baking -- about all the things I need to do (getting ready for Christmas has moved to the top of the list) that there hasn't been any time to write.  Are all these excuses just cop outs?  Was I ever really meant to write?  Maybe someone or something is telling me that I am not a very good writer and should just quit trying.  There are a lot more fun things to do than sit at the computer for hours, trying to put words on the screen that will tell a story, and tell it well enough that other people would enjoy reading it.

I will, and have been, thinking and praying about this a lot lately.  What should I do?  I have always wanted to be a writer, ever since our Airedale, Terry, taught me to read when I was in the first grade.  Or has it been that, because I like reading, that I thought I wanted to be a writer?  I know what I should say -- I AM A WRITER!  That is probably how I should think, too, I am a writer.  I will sit  at the computer and put words on the screen and create a story that will entertain others.  I may not become rich, or even make a decent living doing this, but my stories will get published, as will my books eventually.  I will do it; and I can do it.

Was that last paragraph the answer to my prayers?  I'm not sure where else it would have come from; the words just seemed to pour out of me and onto the screen.

Friends, and Other Ruminations about Dogs

It has been quite a while since my last blog. There has been too much to do, too many commitments, and never enough time. Today, I have taken a different outlook. There is still too much to do, but I expect the time to expand to accommodate everything that needs to be done. This also means I can't lollygag around, but need to keep doing.

Because I have been having a hard time coming up with something to write about, I thought I would write about one of my favorite subjects -- dogs. Recently, I happened to catch the tail end of an interview with a Ph.D. who specialized in dog behavior, and it made me start to really think about these wonderful creatures.

Those who know me, know that I have always been a dog person. I like cats, too, and most, if not all, other animals, but dogs will always hold the top spot in my heart. It is amazing what dogs can do: they love us unconditionally, live in the moment, and never tire of seeing us, or being around us. There is so much we don't know about them; while they seem to know everything about us. I believe we have only scratched the surface with our knowledge and understanding of dogs and their abilities. Dogs help people to see, to hear and to get around. They protect us, herd our cattle and sheep, guard our livestock, teach us to read, sniff out drugs and cancer, predict seizures, pull our sleds and save us from drowning. They will be our constant companions, listen patiently to all our complaints and woes and even learn stupid pet tricks if we ask them.

Of course, along with all the benefits of dogs comes the responsibilities. This is where we have let these wonderful creatures down. A lot of us refuse to teach dogs manners so that they are good company. Some humans train them to kill, whether it be other dogs or even humans. Other people turn a dog out when they no longer want it or can care for it. They need to know that there are groups willing to help them with these unwanted or unmanageable dogs. Other dog owners will relieve their frustrations by beating their dog.

Then there are the people who run puppy mills. This is the worst kind of abuse a human can inflict on a dog. If we would stop buying that cute little puppy in the pet store window, we could cut down on the cruelty of puppy mills. We need to look to reputable breeders for our puppies, or to rescue organizations like Best Friends' Dogtown. I think I read that over 3 million dogs are intentionally destroyed each year. Puppy mills are a big cause of this horrible statistic. And don't get me started on designer dogs -- we could be here all night. A so-called designer dog is just a mixed breed that costs a lot of money, as opposed to getting a mixed breed from a rescue organization.

By now, you are probably convinced that I am a dog person. But if you aren't, and happen to see me out and about, you may be lucky enough to meet Tater. He will surely convince you.