‘The music is like a rock concert,’ Jane said. ‘The church has seating for ten thousand people,’ Jane continued. ‘Recently, the President of the United States visited, and there was only a standing room,’ Jane exulted.

‘Does the church have a ministry for the poor,’ Chet asked? ‘When I drive by the parking lot I see a lot of luxury automobiles,’ Chet commented. ‘I have some young friends who are poor and enthralled with the church…they work for free cleaning, ushering and doing labor for the facility,’ Chet said. Their work is all donated and they work long hours,’ Chet observed.

‘The congregants who do not have money work off their donations to the church through volunteer labor,’ Jane said. ‘The pastor preaches that the members should work joyfully unto the Lord,’ Jane said with a serious look. ‘Each member has to submit their financial records to the Board of Elders to determine their donation,’ Jane said quizzically.

‘I attended a service at the church and noticed the majority of the faces were white,’ Billy B said. ‘There was a proclamation of the church’s love for Israel, but no Jews,’ Billy B continued. ‘After the great music was a sermon focused on getting rich by serving Jesus,’ Billy B said sadly.

‘My friend Jose and his family attended and the usher told them that they did not welcome illegal immigrants,’ Chet said. ‘Jose and his family are citizens of the United States,’ Chet said with a tear in his eye.

‘Join me on a walk through the woods,’ Preacher said with a wide smile. ‘You are like me, your pockets are empty and your hearts are full,’ Preacher noted. ‘Notice the beauty of God’s Creation,’ Preacher admonished. ‘If some do not like the color of your skin we are family…they do not like mine either,’ Preacher smiled.

Mylo barks with passion at unseen shadows. Don’t we all… We see an image out of the corner of our eye. Turn we do quickly…but it is gone. Something familiar. Reminiscent of a feeling we had in our youth. Everything is possible, nothing can hold us back. A glimpse of someone we respected. A mentor. A friend. They are looking over our shoulder. Are they happy or sad? Do they wonder what happened?

One minute they were in our life. The next minute they were somewhere beyond our sight. The world was unexplored. Everything was new. We lived for a concept…a belief…a mission. Thirst we do for leadership. Not the authoritarian kind, the servant/leader kind. Engaging in what you were placed on Earth to do provides unparalleled pleasure. We run the other way. Send Aaron Lord…he is a good speaker…I am slow of speech…

The Shadow watches. Such confusion, strife, and tears. Suffering without purpose. Lost in the Slough Of Despond they are. Who has the best retort? Who can insult adroitly? The morphing of Christianity into a Tribe, a club of hate in the name of the Prince of Peace…

The hungry are not filled. The homeless are cold. Hard working people are summarily fired from their jobs without reason. The Safety Net for the elderly is cut down the middle. Elite smile and laugh at their brilliance. It is a bit funny when you have money…

‘Today is going to be a wonderful day,’ Hopeful Harry said. ‘Winter is passed and the rain is over and gone. Solomon told us.’ Harry laughed. ‘I have been listening for the sound of the Turtle Dove in our land,’ Harry mused.

‘I do not understand how you can be so positive,’ Nancy Negative commented. ‘It is cold today and still winter,’ NN observed. ‘You know spring brings allergies,’ NN reminded HH.

‘I am like the boy who opened the horse stall and found it full of droppings…he knew that there must be a horse in there somewhere,’ HH said with a grin. ‘What a marvelous, mysterious mystical life we have,’ HH danced first on one foot and then the other. ‘All of our senses are working as we experience this exciting Earth, HH continued. ‘Soon will be spring and the renewal of life,’ HH smiled.

‘I did notice some buds on the trees,’ NN observed. ‘Easter is in six weeks…the resurrection,’ NN said with a tear. ‘Perhaps we can be resurrected daily to become our best selves,’ NN said with hope. ‘Negative thoughts can be changed as we do not let the Old Woman or Old Man in,’ Nancy said with empowerment.

‘Come in and get yourself something to eat,’ Preacher said. ‘I will say a few words after lunch if you have the time,’ Preacher explained. ‘Come as you are is the rule of the day…our little group loves all people,’ Preacher grinned and his eyes were captivating. After the meeting, we are going out on sail boats…it will be fun, Preacher advised.

‘Have you been preaching long,’ HH asked the Preacher. ‘No I was a carpenter until my dad had better ideas,’ Preacher said as he poured a glass of wine…

‘His Master’s Voice is an entertainment trademark used by numerous global sound equipment manufacturers, record labels and entertainment retailers. It is derived from the painting of the same name that depicts a dog named Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone whilst tilting his head.’ Francis Barrud

Many of us have a bit of Nipper in us. We listen attentively at the horn of the Gramophone for our Master’s Voice. We cock our head attentively at the dulcet sounds. Bob Dylan sang, ‘Gotta Serve Somebody.

Serving our Master gives a sense of purpose. It eliminates free thought. We just listen and elicit a welcome nod from Our Master as we cock our head in approval and rapt attention. The Gramophone does not understand our devotion to it…it plays its tune repeatedly.

Some vote for a leader who will abuse and punish them due to their lack of self-respect. An authoritarian voice who takes his enemies to the woodshed is reminiscent of their childhood and their poor self-image.

Many loyal listeners to their Master’s Voice suffer at his mercurial pronouncements. I have worked with leaders who led by their feelings of the day. When they woke up on the right side of the bed, it was a good day for the staff. If it was a bad day, all hell broke loose as the leader took out their frustrations on those who looked to them for guidance.

Leaders who believe they own their organization and the people in it are emboldened to reward loyalty and punish what they perceive as disloyalty. An autocratic leader seeks what is in the deal for them. Agreements and contracts can be changed at the will of The Master’s Voice…

The vinyl disc is turning. Nippers from across the world are listening…for our Master’s Voice…

New life is exciting. We feel weary until confronted with life’s renewal. We are riding a Carousel. We are leaving the season of death and entering the season of life. We pause and consider the meaning of Death.

Start we do with a slap on the rump and a lusty cry. Everything is new. Sights, sounds and voices that are not mommy’s. Deep bass voices and high treble voices. Funny faces peer at us. They make us smile.

School days seem to go on forever, but once they are over they are over for a long time. Soon, we will be in the midst of our careers. We think of little else. We are on the ladder. We must climb high.

Now we sit in the audience. There is so much to see. So much to experience. Our colors are brilliant…

Quiet envelops us. The crunch of leaves. The distant sound of a woodpecker. Hope for tomorrow.

We feel new! We are blooming and fresh as the first time. What a miracle this thing called life is. What a mystery.

Since 1968 I have had a great comfort. Faith has been there for me in every event of life. Not a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal but a still small voice. It was not something that I felt compelled to tell all whom I met about. Faith is easy to see if you have on the Garment.

Pugnacious proclamations of Faith frighten me. When I am told with passion that one way is the right way and all others are damned to hell…I am sad. The world’s sick are looking for the Great Physician…we are all sick. The lonely are looking for a friend…we are all lonely. The confused are seeking a wise man and woman…we are all confused.

I never felt the need to answer hurtful comments with hurtful comments. Words do hurt, but how can the hurt receive a balm?
Returning good for evil is the best medicine.

Quiet examples of Christ teaching are powerful. Emotional fever for Nationalistic Dogma hiding as the ‘New Christianity’ is offputting. Feelings are fallible and a poor foundation to build faith upon.

America is a lovely continent. The United States is not the whole of America. Someone told me that they backed America in the discussion of the Ukraine. North and South America are a large land mass with diverse countries. Having been to several continents and countries, I know the United States does not have a Corner on the Faith market…

The Lion was here today. Hold on to my new hat weather. Winter is holding us with a loose grip. Dry leaves under the foot where snow was. Many clouds in the blue sky. Some were dark.

Have you seen a movie or television show set? How about the TV Set of your favorite newscast? It is said that tours of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson were underwhelmed when they saw what the brilliant television image of the couch and desk looked like on TV as opposed to what it actually was in real life.

So it goes with our perception of reality. The Television image in high definition is better than the actual product. On TV, our favorite characters conduct an exciting life in a beautiful home and lovely town. In reality, once they enter the doorway of their magnificent home, there is nothing there but a soundstage. The glamorous performers are unrecognizable without their professionally applied makeup. Many of them are not people friendly. The actors seem to have it all together before the camera. They may be thinking about the most troubling things and caught in the throes of drugs or depression.

Roger Ebert said shortly before he died that, ‘This is all an elaborate hoax,’ referring to life. What did he see…?

Are we living on the Soundstage with plywood fronts…or is this the Heaven we read about, as Charlton Heston said after The Planet Of The Apes, ‘You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!’

The wind is blowing on this last day of February, perhaps in preparation for the ides of March. It is a pleasant breeze in anticipation of the rest of 2025. This year, I am 50 years from High School. I set out on my own the morning after graduation. Thin and with a full head of black hair. I wanted to be a minister. The Bible and faith fascinated me…still does.

My plan was to make enough money to support myself. Church work was my passion. My first job was at Essex International manufacturing wire harnesses for Chrysler vehicles. After the work day, I was so tired that I took a nap on the floor of the church, which I was also staying at until I could get on my feet.

February is MJ’s birthday on the 24th. My birthday is October 24th and we were married on March 24th. 47 years this March. Every day is an adventure. A new world with opportunity and increasing awareness. I retain many of the things I heard, felt, and observed as a child. I have changed in significant ways over 67 years.

We live in change. My good friend just messaged that he is moving to Africa. How wonderful!

Home is where you have a sense of place. It is easy to be misplaced. We can live as a square peg in a round hole. We introverts often feel misplaced when it is not our fault, but the chattering class surrounding us, not understanding that everyone is not like them.

‘I was watching the artists draw in art class,’ Billy B said with a smile. ‘They see an inner beauty or the eye of the mind that we do not all see,’ Billy B continued. ‘Many are quiet and introverted but have a rich inner life and care deeply about others,’ Billy B noted.

‘I have always been a bit quiet,’ Chet said. ‘I would rather observe than speak unless I have something to say,’ Chet continued. ‘I write my thoughts and what I have seen in a blog daily,’ Chet noted. ‘If we all talk at once…who will listen,’ Chet asked?

It is possible to grow to adulthood with little care shown to you. Absence does not necessarily make the heart grow fonder. Trust issues develop from lack of positive social interaction. Hope is laid upon the table. Being alone becomes a natural state. Sadness in the eyes of those who do not realize they are seen.

Walls are constructed. A guard to keep the people out who do not care. We peek through the curtain to determine who is knocking at our door. What do they want from me…we say. The salesperson loves us until we purchase the big ticket item, once the buy is made, they do not know us.

Politicians kiss our feet in preparation for the election. The trample on our rights after the Big Day… Work for years, study, strive, increase education to facilitate becoming a better employee, you discover by email you do not fit with the flavor of the moment.

Excellent job performance means a lot…until it does not. We are numbers on a spreadsheet. Trust Issues…

A famine and drought of plain facts surround us. To be part of the In Crowd you must shut off your brain. The universal call of distress, the upside down flag is flown by Republicans and Democrats.

Build a bigger wall. We stay in our fortress. We have a moat. It has crocodiles. There are spikes in the driveway.

How do we reach out? Will kindness beget kindness? One day at a time. It is a process. Our trust issues go way back. The wall is dismantled one brick at a time…

It was great to see my friend Jim today. We had coffee at a lovely coffee house. Damn good coffee. Jim is a coffee connoisseur and grinds his own beans. A Renaissance Man. Jim and I have enjoyed many happy conversations. He is an entrepreneur.

Many wise thoughts happen over good coffee. The brain wakes up and the synapse starts firing. Life is in the present with a sense of place and the distant past. The winding road of life is better enjoyed with coffee and friends.

I am a Watcher. I watch the world around me. As a lifelong introvert, I naturally acquire my Watcher status. In speech class, a lovely senior girl said of freshmen me…still waters run deep…

We introvert have a lot of opinions. Often we keep them close to our vest. Quiet suits me as does symphony music. Thinking is an exercise I relish.

As a manager at Southern Illinois University, I sought to help people who had no voice…no advocate. I had watched people belittled marginalized and forgotten all of my life. My greatest joy was helping those who others passed by.

Jim is a person who helps others. He sees those who struggle. He cares for the downtrodden. Jim is a good friend to discuss the maladies of society over rich coffee…