Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Issue # 22

Prayers for Singles

A wonderful women gave me a tiny booklet entitled Prayers for Singles.  At first I thought it would be filled with prayers asking for someone else to fill the supposed void in our (the single person's) life.  Had that been the case, I would not be sharing this with you.  Instead, what I read was that the author, Father William Rabior, was not "lacking understanding of what single people experience.  As a priest, I too, am single."  That was enough to get me to turn to the next page, and then to the next.

I am going to share the entire first prayer verbatim - it is entitled Lord, Bless Us Singles:

    Lord Jesus, we are such a diverse group, we singles.  We come from all walks of life both by choice and by chance.  Some of us have never married; some are divorced, separated, or widowed.  We live alone; we live with people dependent upon us for their care. 
     We are career people with exciting jobs, people  with very ordinary jobs, unemployed.  Our educational levels and our interests are as varied as we are.  And yet, we all have one thing in common: we are alone - alone with our responsibilities in times of decision making, in crisis situations, in special times.
     In a world of "twos" we are "ones".
     It's so easy to feel like a half and not a whole.  It's so easy to feel left out and over-looked.
     Sometimes, Lord, it seems that even our religion hardly bothers or acknowledge or affirm us.
     Yet, in our singleness there lies a strength which should not be overlooked.  In our lack of "two-ness" can come a sense of "one-ness" from our union with you.  We can focus on you, Lord, because our life makes you so accessible.  You understand us and our needs so very well since you, too, were a single person here on earth.
     Lord Jesus, I ask your blessing now not just on myself but on all single people everywhere.  Most of them are unknown to me, but they are my brothers and sisters.  We share a common bond.
     May we learn to focus upon the good we can do.  May we come to realize a fullness of life - a sense of well-being, self-love, and inner peace.
     Thank you, Lord, for being aware of me just as I am- a single person.  And thank you so much for the great love you have for me. Amen.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Issue #21

So What is Wrong with Biofuels?
13 April 2013
 
Yesterday, I saw a sign at a bank.  It had a picture of an ear of corn and read, “Soon corn will be as good an investment as cotton” or something in that vein.  Next to that, on the same sign, was a picture of the wing and jet engine of an airplane. The text stated, “One day we will all fly organically”.  I realized that the sign was making reference to biofuels and I was aware that there was controversy around this renewable replacement for fossil fuels because it is using land that should be growing food.
 
I know that cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, rubber, and sisal have been a reality since at least colonial times and maybe longer.  I remember studying the impact on third world economies of growing things that people could not eat, so that the resulting produce could be sold to developed countries.  I wondered how are biofuels different from other cash crops and why are they causing this controversy.  So at dinner I brought up the topic; this is what I learned.
 
There are too many people.  The problem is one of overpopulation.  “The world’s population is now more than 7 billion and continues to grow by 82 million people per year.” http://www.populationmedia.org/issues/population/?gclid=CLCrhNL5yLYCFUuG6wodZRwAMg . What had seemed to me to be a brilliant solution, use renewable organic material as fuel, is actually short-sighted.  It requires land which is not renewable and is quickly becoming a scarce commodity. A better solution is required. 
 
In 2006, The Children of Men, a futuristic film, explored the idea of a society where the population had stopped growing.  The film begins 18 years after the last child on Earth was born.  Schools and playgrounds are abandoned.  There is generally a lack of hope.  Without future generations, it would seem, arts and sciences are futile.  For whom are we creating? 
If human beings do not find a way to curb the population explosion, Mother Earth will.  Through disease, famine, drought, and natural disasters, she will shake us off, like fleas off a dog’s back.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Issue #20

24 March 2013

Last month we completed a 30-Day Challenge at Curves and I was asked, along with others of the participants, to write something inspirational. I have been extremely remiss in writing the AFB but I hope you, my esteemed readers, will accept this humble offering.

Age is Not a Number; it’s an Attitude

This year Madonna and I will be 55 years old.  She isn’t showing any signs of slowing down and neither am I.  Madonna has a team of people to help her look that good and be that fit.  I do too – the Curves team!
By having fun challenges like the 30-Day Challenge, Curves keeps things interesting.  My goal this year was to get back to where I was last February.  At the end of the challenge I had lost a ½ kilo and 5.5 centimetres.  My percentage of body fat is, finally, back to being under 30.  This is all great news and very encouraging.

I was changing after my workout when I remembered that when we were little kids, my younger sister commented that she wished we had parents who played with us. Our parents were too old and too tired to play active, children’s games.  They were about 54 and 52.  They were old because they believed they were old and the society we live in supported that belief.

I am grateful to the Curves team for supporting me in my goals to stay young and active.