There are so many things I wanted to blog about this week. It started with Donald Trump. It's not so much the birth certificate issue as much as it's how he unabashedly stands for pride and excess and that is, truly, nothing I look for in a leader. Tolerance, humility, calm and consideration... the ability to consider someone's opinion that differs from your own... These are qualities I hope to have and that take daily practice to achieve with any consistency. I'm disappointed in myself when I fail at them and disappointed when our leaders do too because, more often than not, we follow by example. It's our default. So, yeah, it would help to have leaders exemplify such qualities. It would also help if we didn't get such a kick out of people fighting and getting back at one another. Pride is a drug.
Then the tornadoes. One of the first tweets I got on the subject was for someone looking for a baby. Their baby? Someone else's baby? Someone lost in the storm. I don't know the whole story but, it broke my heart and, yes, I was disturbed that the loss of what is now being reported as 300 of our fellow Americans was getting less coverage than the royal wedding. It's not that I wanted to be wrapped up in the drama and destruction. I just wanted to know what was being done to help the people who were effected and what I could do to help. It's a long road to recovery and it's not just "another disaster". Our compassion switch should be turned on now.
But, it was something completely trivial that made me start actively looking for peace again. Someone refusing to pick up their dog's poop at the dog park. I know! It sounds so petty. It IS so petty. It was being face to face with someone who knew they were being inconsiderate and didn't care.
Excuse me, you're dog just pooped.
Re: Yeah, it's okay.
Um, I know but you are supposed to pick it up.
Re: Nah. I don't think so.
It's on the sign. They even have bags for you to use.
Re: No.
I mean, okay, so no one is around and you figure, what is one little poop among all these other piles of dog droppings that people leave at odd times when they find themselves alone in the park. Hmmm... But, this was in a group of people who are here to "socialize" their pets. To help them learn to play nice with one another. Who have seen each other step in it and know how annoying it is and so, pick up after their dogs if only to keep themselves from embarrassment. Why come into a community to throw poop in the face of it? So, I just went over and picked it up. Someone else confronted them and whatever happened in that conversation compelled them to call park police. I didn't stick around for any more of the drama. My peace had already been disturbed and I wanted to go to my happy place. So, here is a happy place for you when big things or little things throw you off. It's the sound of waves crashing on the shore on the beach at Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. I recorded it on my iPhone when I was there last Summer.
Have a beautiful weekend.
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