Semper Fi

OK folks, we're right down to it. Less than 48 hours remain in this decade. Remember where you were on the eve of Y2K?????

We're now ten years down the road. We (the collective we notwithstanding) have accomplished many things. We have also done a lot of damage. I have been thinking of late about how Jesus, Buddha or Gandhi would respond to the latest round of global jihad. Turn the other cheek, see it as a part of yourself, or drop it like a bad habit? I am truly concerned about the state of our spiritual being at this juncture in civilization. And I say spiritual because I think that to be the essence of the issue. It's not political. It's not about power. And it's not about the material. It is a fundamental misunderstanding of our collective spirit. About who we are, and conversely who we aren't. If your God says to kill everyone who believes in another God (as interpreted by a human representative), then there is a something wrong. So please help me here: Jihad because western culture allows a greater degree of personal freedom, expresses art in myriad forms, has managed to find entertainment in recreation and sensual stimulation, gives equal opportunity to women and minorities, likes football, fast cars, good food and rock and roll? For that you tie explosives to the underwear of confused teenagers and put them on airplanes? You call that enlightened? Sirs, in my most humble opinion, you are missing the boat. By about a century.

The good part of this is that I am comfortable with who I am. I will not retaliate. I will not black your eye for the shiner you left me to nurse. Nor will I knock a tooth from your jaw the way that you caused me my deductible in dental repair. While once indignant about getting frisked at the airport, it's now just another minor delay. No big. My appreciation for our freedoms has been enhanced tenfold since 9.11. I am happy and truly excited about living in this global classroom, playing whatever small part I can in the resolution, and subsequent growth that will emerge from the stench and smoke of the embarrassment you call jihad. A truly pathetic response to the challenges of living in a complex global society.

I have some good news for you, and some not-so-good. While I am a pacifist, non-violent and forgiving, my countrymen counterparts in uniform don't quite see it through those same rose colored binoculars. While I pray for you, they are hunting you down where you live. I voted to stop this, but there are many who feel that it is the only action left to us. There are those that would cheer the total leveling of your precious sand box, after all we ended a prior large scale world conflict over sixty years ago with a quick fly over.

So this puzzles me. I am not intimidated by terror. Why would I? I go about doing what I do as always, trying to find value, meaning, and happiness in the synergy of mind, body and spirit. You make it fun. You make it challenging. It's good entertainment, comedy if you will, to see all this "drama" unfold. Who needs TV? I just wish I could understand your motives a little more. Maybe then we could have a discussion, a debate on how to, maybe, find a touch of compassion, or a half hectare of common ground. Wear the others sandals for a day.

Until then, I'll walk in the park and ride my bike. Maybe go for a swim.

And say a prayer for a Marine somewhere in Afghanistan who doesn't share my point of view.

OK, so the link (back to the New Year) is to the 6changes site, I like it. The part I REALLY like is about publicizing it, and keeping it public, as in transparent, till it's time to move to number two. Wanna give it a VBA try? Want some help and support from, well, me and whomever else cares to participate? I'll start.

RCVman habit change number ONE for 2010: Make sure that two glasses of red wine per night is just that. No mas. Ouch. That is gonna hurt.

And seriously folks, if you have an interpretation on the radical Islam thing, you have all the bandwidth necessary to convey.

Peace out. Pic is of my kitchen table with obligatory bottle of vino rosso. Always faithful doesn't always mean all.