The Velcro Principle

     Before today I have not had the courage to express a long-held curiosity.  Are brain damage, short-term memory loss, intuition, and trust connected?  May intuition and trust be nurtured as agents to mitigate short-term memory loss caused by brain damage?
     I preface my reflections with a caveat.  First, at birth--my umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck five times.  Oxygen was deprived from the left side of my brain, which controls the right side of my body--my right hand, arm, and leg.  That brain damage manifests itself in cerebral palsy, and epilepsy.
     I have known no other way of living.  I pray my questions are not excuses for my actions.
     With that said, I have a responsibility to express questions that may not arise as the result of clinical research, the practice of  medicine, or of auxiliary sciences.  I respect the contributions of all three.  Yet, these are not--may not be--the sole arbiters to living more fully.
     Short-term memory.  The Velcro Principle applies.  If there is any hope of saving what soon will be lost, I must stick to the Velcro Principle.
     The Velcro Principle?  The process of writing down the information is vital.  Participating in the adherence of information to my brain is essential.  Reading the information in writing is the next best solution.
     These two solutions are not mine alone, not by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, they are my starting points.
    Intuition.  Trust.
    Intuition?  That unspoken warning that screams out to my ears alone, "This information will be lost to you soon.  Act.  Act now.  Capture this information--act--before it floats beyond your memory's grasp."
    Trust?  "Should I act?  I should be able to remember this information longer.  Others do."
    Trust?  "I know that this information will float away as clearly as a kite in the springtime sky."
    The kiss of death?  "Don't worry about writing this down.  I will give this to you in writing," others tell me.
    The kiss of death.  I hear my voice, "If I do not write now, this information will be lost to me.  I must attach it to my brain with a secure piece of Velcro.  I must adhere to the Velcro Principle."
    "OK," I say obediently to the others.  My voice whispers, "It is OK to stop listening.  But, you know, you are doomed to forgetting, if you stop listening.  Yet, I must obey the others."
     By misplacing my trust from me to others, am I damaging the treasure of intuition that has been given to me?  If I displace my trust of others and replace it into my own hands, could I retrieve the short-term memory lost to me?  Am I disabling myself  by not making use of what has been given to me?  How do I reclaim my gifts without being defensive--without repelling other individuals, who have been given to me in my life?  How do I explain the Velcro Principle?  How do I adhere to the Velcro Principle?

Setting the Wheels in Motion

     For the past year, the prospect of living with a scooter has loomed over me--over my future.  With Advent, I will prepare to move into a Red Scooter--a new vehicle for me.  The reason?  My get up and go got up and went.  It did not run away.  An aging body.  Weakening legs.  It limped out of my life beyond my grasp to retrieve.
     I am called to accelerate my pace toward a red scooter, so that I may move back into circulation.
     I know that fact. I knew that fact all too well.    
     Yet, that knowing did not translate to a fast, heartfelt acceptance.  I knew I needed to grieve the loss of walking--of moving quickly.  I knew I needed to grieve physically, psychologically, and emotionally.
     Grief.  Fear.  Facts.  Fear.  Acceptance.
     I am not Grief's sole companion.  Each of us is Grief's intimate. Not in the same way. Not at all times.  Neither is ours to dictate.
     Fear demands my full surrender, patience, perseverance.  Only then may I embrace Acceptance fully.
     Grief.  Fear. Facts. Fear.  Acceptance.  None  may not be rushed--abbreviated--if full healing is to be possible.
     Full Healing is no cure.  Full Healing will not return me to my former body.  Full Healing must be the beginning of a new way of living--a New Form.
     My New Form?  Yet today, I may walk some.  Stamina is no longer mine--not for now.  Advent brings to me preparation for a different movement.  More learning.  A Red Scooter.  My pace will be different from others so embodied.  My mind is ready to go forth with this New Form--with this Red Scooter.
     My journey has not been taken at a timed pace toward a known destination.  The time of arrival has been vague, at best, certainly not by any schedule known to me. My journey's pace has not been timed by My Will's control, strong though she may be.  Strength masquerades no control for me to exercise.
    Expectations--mine, others--were not for me to control.  Waiting with faith--praying--that the necessary fortitude would be given to me--that was mine to will.  
    Fear.  The scooter will fall on top of me.  Fact.  With time, the words to describe my fear have dissolved.  Fear.  I am becoming Pathetic with a capital P.  Pathetic Patty.
    I may not succumb to that Fear.  To do so would be to compromise the person I have been for 50 years--the person I pray I may be in the years I am given to live.
    I move forward now.  I ask that I may relinquish any expectation of when I should have accepted the inevitable movement into a scooter.  I ask that I release any temptation to judge how this next chapter is to live compared to what my fears have been.  
     Acceptance is no more a given than is walking.  Both are gifts.  Both are to be treasured.  Neither is to be demanded or second guessed.  
   I am not alone in my calling.  We are called--each of us is called--to move from Grief, Fear, Facts, and Fear to Acceptance.  Our time--the cause--will not be in sync--identical.  Yet, each of us must embrace our calling together with a Capital C--with a holy, Capital E.

Health is a Gift, NOT a Given

      The prospect that the health care reform debate will be reignited concerns me.  Why?  The pros and cons of no proposal interest me.             My message to every individual engaged in such a debate is simple.  Before stating any position on this issue, please contemplate the following truth, then, and only then proceed to advocate for the cause.      None of us is guaranteed that we will wake up with the same capabilities that we go to sleep tonight.  Our health is not a given over which we may presume ownership.  Health--physical, mental, psychological, spiritual--is a gift.  We cannot compromise that gift, lest we lose it, and deservedly so.

Hate Speech

     In recent weeks, bullying, and other abhorrent expressions of disrespect.  I am compelled to offer a different perspective to hate speech.

     Every instance of hate speech is a call to individuals and society to examine the response that will eliminate the source of hatred - a response that reflects the values of society toward each individual and group.  Instances of hate speech cannot be dismissed as affecting only individuals or small groups - hate speech affects the integrity with which everyone in society lives.                                                           We have a responsibility to convey moral outrage, and engage in declarative acts of living that make clear that hate speech is not acceptable.

Invitation--Commitment--to Civility

Difference of opinion is an edifying--enlightening--opportunity for truth. Lack of civility is not. 

Signing this pledge is the most constructive action I know to take.  I hope you will consider doing the same.

If not, I respect your right not to do so.

The pledge that follows is from Sojourners' Magazine.

Are you ready? Like it or not, election season is upon us with its requisite yard signs, campaign promises, attack ads, and more people lobbying you in public places and knocking on your door than when it’s Girl Scout cookie time (btw, we love those cookies).

Did you know that Sojourners doesn’t support any candidates during election season? Our motto is “no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent issues” -- and, trust us, there will be plenty of issues waiting for us on the other side of Election Day.

Frankly, we’d like to take a vacation until November 3, but since that isn’t an option, we came up with a game plan to survive the season of mud-slinging: our first-ever Truth and Civility Election Watch!

Want to join us? Sign our TCEW Pledge, print off our fun deputy badge, and get started.

Truth and Civility Election Watch Pledge

For the duration of the election season, I hereby pledge to uphold the highest standards of truth and civility in word, thought, and deed.

On my honor, I will:

•    Just say no to crazy email forwards, and to any other noxious electronic communication that comes my way. Everyone in your address book will thank us. We promise.

•    Communicate in a spirit of truth, humility, love, and patience with all people I come in contact with, despite our political disagreements or family relationship.That goes for Uncle Frank. Especially Uncle Frank.

•    Question any and all statements that sound mean, vindictive, or absurd; that provide no source or context; or that are politically motivated. So, pretty much everything you hear on cable TV news.

•    Share and enjoy stories of folks who are living out an attitude of truth and civility. Make sure each story meets both requirements: Nice people telling lies don’t count.
•    As a witness for God, encourage and spread a message of hope and reconciliation to a world that is deeply divided by political and cultural differences.Like Jesus taught.

In the coming weeks we’ll highlight civil discourse and actions on our blog, compile our very own Truth and Civility Honor Roll with submissions from people like you, and call the news media to account when they give airtime or ink to uncivil or untruthful dialogue.

Tired of the hateful rants, lying, and deceptive rhetoric? Don’t suffer in silence -- join the Truth and Civility Election Watch today!

Here’s to a rousing invigoration of truth and civility. Oh, and don’t forget to vote -- it is still important.

Peace,

Tim, Jim, Elizabeth, and the rest of the team at Sojourners


P.S. Want to take your commitment to Truth and Civility more seriously? Check out our full-length Civility Covenant, which outlines scriptural teachings on the topic -- perfect for teaching at your next Sunday School or small group.

Obama: Affirmation of Faith

     "I am a Christian by choice," Obama began, standing beneath a blazing son, when asked why he was a Christian.                                 "I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead," Obama said.  "Being my brothers' and sisters' keeper.  Treating others as they would treat me.  And I think also understanding that, you know, that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility that we all have to have as human beings."           Humans are "sinful" and "flawed" beings that make mistakes and "achieve salvation through the grace of God,"  the president continued, adding that we also can "see God in other people and do our best to help them find their, you know, their own grace."              "So that's what I strive to do," Obama said.  "That's what I pray to do everyday.  I think my public service is part of that effort to express my Christian faith."                                                               At the same time, Obama emphasized his belief that freedom of religion is "part of the bedrock strength" of the United States.            "This is a country that is still predominantly Christian, but we have Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, agnostics, Buddhists" and others, he said, adding that "their own path to grace is one that we have to revere and respect as much as our own, and that is part of what makes this the country what it is."

President Barack Obama      http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/28/obama.tough.question/index.html?hpt=T1

StarTribune: Letter Re Metro Transit Strike

Metro transit

Spend a carless week before voting to strike  

Every transit worker and every Metropolitan Council member who is involved in labor negotiations must spend one week without the use of a car to get to work, to medical appointments and to the grocery store. Then, and only then, can they truly understand that another bus strike simply cannot happen ("Metro Transit workers reject 'last and best' contract offer," Sept. 21).

Regarding health insurance premiums: all transit workers who have voted down the most recent contract should calculate the financial cost that they would incur if they were to become sick or unable to work and had no insurance. Then they can tell me that they're going on strike.
I have endured two transit strikes, and they were paralyzing.
I do not drive. Health insurance is vital to meeting my ongoing medical needs -- anticonvulsants, and appointments related to preexisting conditions. I may not renegotiate for a better deal. I make the most of what I have been given. I find what is of value in my life, which is beyond measure.
I am not personally involved in the contract negotiations. But I will not stand by silently while another unconscionable strike takes place.
A bus strike is nothing short of taking people hostage. Return to your senses and to the bargaining table. Transit workers and the Metropolitan Council, listen and act.

PATTY THORSEN, ST. PAUL      http://www.startribune.com/opinion/letters/103751894.html?page=2&c=y