Worth a Listen – Day 695

Wow – Photo: L. Weikel

Worth a Listen

I’m not big on speeches. I listen to them when they’re in my face or given at a time that commands attention, such as the State of the Union. But if given the option? I usually pass and wait for the highlights later in the evening. Today, though, a campaign speech was given that was well worth a listen.

That was the case with me again today. I heard that Joe Biden was going to give a speech at Gettysburg and even saw clips of Trump supporters, sadly fulfilling the stereotypes, out and about protesting Biden’s arrival in this small central Pennsylvania town. It didn’t even occur to me again, quite honestly, to pursue watching or listening to that speech.

Late this afternoon, someone I know and respect suggested that this was an outstanding speech, definitely worthy of attention. I started listening, but had errands. I didn’t even get into it far enough to give it a chance.

Then tonight, after our walk, Karl and I had the tv turned up loud so I could hear it while I made dinner. We were watching a taped segment, and surprisingly, the host aired the full Biden speech at Gettysburg.

All I can say is that I’m glad the powers that be kept thrusting this speech in front of my nose. And I’m glad I finally listened.

We Really Truly Need This

And so, on the off chance that any of you may have eschewed the opportunity to listen to Joe Biden’s speech at Gettysburg on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 6th – exactly four weeks before election day – I am providing a link here. Note: the speech doesn’t begin until the 3:00 minute mark.

It’s only about 22 minutes long. I think you’ll find it’s worth it.

It’s a speech aimed at shifting perceptions, expectations, and aspirations.

If nothing else, we owe it to ourselves to allow for the possibility that it’s not too late to save our country from the carnage DT is relentlessly trying to wreak upon us. We owe it to each other, ourselves, and our children to dream this vision of our country into being: stronger, more diverse, more free than we’ve ever been in our history.

A Reminder

October’s not over yet, my friends. In fact, we’re only hitting the one week mark tomorrow. I’m guessing you’re possibly rethinking my entreaty to keep track of your perceptions of what’s going on all around us this month. If you haven’t been writing things down and keeping track yet…I challenge you to reflect upon the myriad of shockers we’ve survived already in the past seven days.

Time’s not up yet.

And as we continue to negotiate these turbulent beyond measure times, keep the embers of hope and determination reflected in Biden’s ‘Battle for the Soul of the Nation’ speech tucked away in your heart, refusing to be doused by all the awfulness being heaped upon us right now.

We will persist and we will prevail. We must.

(T-416)

Turkey Day – Day Eleven (T-1100)

 

Turkey Day

Funny.  I never call Thanksgiving “Turkey Day,” but here I am titling my blog post for today “Turkey Day.”

I didn’t eat turkey today, nor did I even see one (either in the wild or on a platter).

But I thought of turkeys today – and the meaning of Turkey as conveyed by my beloved Medicine Cards – and in spite of myself, kind of felt a little sad.

One of the paragraphs in Turkey goes as follows:

“Spectators unfamiliar with the cultural phenomenon of the pot-latch or give-away ceremony are often mystified by it. A tribal member may gladly give away all he or she owns, and do without in order to help the People. In present-day urban life, we are taught to acquire and get ahead. The person with the most toys wins the game. In some cultures, no one can win the game unless the whole of the People’s needs are met. A person who claims more than his or her share is looked upon as selfish or crazy or both. The poor, the aged, and the feeble have honor. The person who gives away the most and carries the burdens of the people is one of the most respected.”

What’s Mine? Yours? Ours? Theirs?

There’s a lot of focus these days on what’s ‘mine,’ what’s ‘yours,’ what’s theirs,’ and what’s ‘ours.’ And there are a lot of people claiming an astoundingly greater portion of a lot of our resources than could even remotely be considered their ‘share.’

And I will be the first to admit that I do not consistently embody the spirit conveyed within this paragraph. I don’t even come close. But I aspire to do so.

And I wonder how much better so many people in the world would feel if everyone just thought a little bit more about someone else. Not only the people who were ‘thought of,’ but also the people who do the thinking of others. It could be such a colossally ‘win-win’ of a situation.

The joy of making another person smile and know they’re loved – it’s huge. The joy of letting another person know they make a difference in your life and you appreciate them for it – can change their life forever. The joy of taking a moment to be kind, to be generous, to be patient, or to be compassionate – can make your life worth living.

Sometimes the smallest gestures, such as looking directly into a person’s eyes when you listen to them, can make everything seem a little bit brighter.

Aspire to make a difference. Smile. Be grateful. You matter.

Happy “Turkey” Day.