Mental Health and Politics -- irreconcilable?

We would all do well to remember that there are millions and millions of dollars to be made by keeping all of us Americans all hissied up about politics. Some are daily encouraged to remain hysterical about our President or Nancy Pelosi. Some are daily encouraged to remain hysterical about Sarah Palin, John Boehner or whoever. They want our attention, our time, our money and especially, big ratings for their advertisers for their shows. But don't kid yourself; we pay a high price for that.

We would do well to remember that Paranoia is a highly communicable illness, and it is hardly exclusive to Schizophrenics. Hysterical mass paranoia is no respecter of party affiliation. It works both sides of the aisle.

And they're playing us. Playing us big time. All of us on both sides of those lines they draw for us. It's always good to know: 1) That you're being played; 2) Who's playing you; 3) How they're playing you 4) What the payoff is. Before you take back America, or whatever, you might want to think a while about taking back YOU. Stay close to YOUR center. Stay close to Jesus.

Quote from Wendell Berry

"It may be the most significant irony in our history that racism, by dividing the two races, has made them not separate but in a fundamental way inseparable, not independent but dependent on each other, incomplete without each other, each needing desperately to understand and make use of the experience of the other. After so much time together we are one body, and the division between us is the disease of one body, not of two."
Wendell Berry
This comment by one of my "favs" touches me deeply. The only issue I would take with it is while Wendell sees two races divided/connected, there are many more... I believe his comment also applies remarkably well to the relationships of men and women as well.

Not exactly Cajun, but.....

Becoming Cajun-ized, an ongoing theme of this blog, is a lifelong process which continues regardless of location and has varying pace depending on a multitude of factors.

I realized long ago that many things labeled "Cajun" -- aren't. An integral element of Cajunization is the development of faculties of discrimination necessary for separating the real from fake.

Several years ago, Chef Paul Prudhomme, whose true Cajun-ness is a matter of debate among some, achieved a stroke of culinary genius in his creation of "Blackened Redfish." Since Chef Paul hails from New Orleans, which is not really Cajun Country, but is nevertheless a place of considerable artistic creativity, whether Blackened Redfish is really Cajun or Creole is not really the issue; I love the stuff.

So it's been on my existential agenda for quite some time to learn to blacken Redfish myself. Tonight, with Betty's help, I brushed aside all timidity, hooked up the new outdoor burner, got out the essential cast iron skillet and went at it. I got burned. A little. But I also cooked up some FINE Redfish fillets. Voila! Tres bon! A very good beginning.

Knowing how to cook game, seafood included, is an essential component of Cajun manhood. I'd despaired on that point -- that I'd never really get that part of it. But in spite of me I'm learning that, too. I now have two ways of cooking fish, me.

Peace, W

A little part of the way.....

I rose a little earlier this morning. Lit a candle in prayer. I sat at my computer and played, "This Land is Your Land," "We Shall Overcome," and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," from my itunes collection. I said some more prayers, of gratitude and for protection for our new president.

Then I folded some laundry and took it to the bedroom.

Then I/we turned on the TV and watched the goings on. I/we joined with millions of Americans and billions of world citizens as we celebrated democracy.

As the journalists queried many, they proclaimed Dr. King's Dream fulfilled. Nope. Not even close. Not even close.

Dr. King's dream was only a little tiny bit about getting a solitary, brilliant African-American elected to the presidency. His dream was about America -- then the world -- embracing the Way -- nonviolence -- the Way of Gandhi and of Christ. Electing a brilliant African-American president is the easy part. Nothing to it -- compared.... Nonviolence -- for me, for you, for all of us -- that's the hard part.

We've come a long way. And I'm truly joyful about this wonderful day.

But we've hardly started. Jesus. This Jesus is so radical, so subversive, we can hardly imagine it. I've a long, long way to go. We've a long, long way to go. A long way before The Dream is fulfilled.

Shalom,
Warren

Our Little Warriors

I said to Betty, "It kind of weirds me out to think I'd spend good money to watch two little boys having a fight." She said, "Well yes. I'd be trying to get them to stop!" I was on my way to the Cliff Keen Tulsa Nationals -- (one of?) the biggest youth wrestling tournaments in the country. 2,400 (that's right) boys from ages 6 through 15 were entered. They came from Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and many other locations.

As I watched the combatants battle it out for a place on the podium, I observed a common phenomenon for those who lost: they did what comes normally and naturally in defeat: THEY CRIED. They'd given it their all, and it wasn't good enough. So THEY CRIED. And I was able to observe another, related, very interesting phenomenon: with the exception of a brief hug or pat on the shoulder, their coaches, their opponents, their parents pretty much ignored it; allowed it to happen. No child was shamed or scolded or admonished for their tears. Let them cry. No one was picked up and cuddled or soothed or offered sympathy. Just let them cry. Losing hurts.

But soon the tears were over, the child had pretty much soothed himself, and he went on with business.

Sometimes the winners cried, too. Sport can be stressful.

We see editorials about our youth being passive, lazy and out of shape. Not these kids. We see articles about our youth being coddled. Not these kids. We see some "helicopter parents" protecting their offspring from all emotional and physical risk. Let 'em take up wrestling.

I have an idea that when the time comes these young men will be adequately prepared and goal-directed for life's inevitable challenges.

Peace,
Warren

Born again....and again.....and again

Many years ago, I don't even remember exactly when, on a cold, snowy January weekend like today, I made a spiritual retreat to Abbey Gethsemani, the Trappist monastery near Bardstown, Kentucky. I will spare you some of the lengthy details of the event, but I had a profound mystical experience during the retreat; in the language of some, I was "born again" -- again. Part of the provocation of that mystical experience was some statuary in the woods -- statues of the disciples, asleep at the edge of the Garden of Gethsemani, and of Jesus in his agony and torment, at the center of the Garden.

A part of what made the event so meaningful was the dedication of the statuary -- in memory of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, the 3 civil rights workers who were slain in Mississippi while they were engaged in voter registration. They laid down their lives for freedom -- not their own, but for oppressed people they didn't even know.

As we approach an historic, pivotal moment in our history next Tuesday, many have remarked how they never believed they would live to see the day. And we remember many of those who did not live long enough to see this come to pass: Dr. King, Medgar Evers, Rosa Parks and many others. This week, I am remembering James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman.

Yes YOU did. Yes WE did. Well done, good and faithful servants. Rest in peace.

Shalom,
Warren

I ate too much at lunch -- again
Now I've gone and read too much poetry -- again
Gorged myself on delicious beef and words

But my 3:00 is coming any minute.
I'll ingest the thoughts of her mind, the longings of her heart,
a better excess, maybe the best of all.

To listen someone to wholeness
A treat, a joy above the others,
maybe the best of all.