In the end, my hopes and dreams were not his. I can neither fault him nor help him. I can only love him, pray for him, cry with him in my solitude. He struggles and chokes as he walks forward, but forward he does walk.

After looking at the incredible messes I managed to live through, I suppose I had choices. At the time it did not seem like much of it was a choice. Quicksand was where I often lived and I am still there. Mostly I have learned to stand on a rock.

I have worked hard at being happy or at least content. It is what I have learned to choose… to be at least content if not happy. It is a choice I make several times a day… Caught in tangled thread I can struggle as I twist in the wind or I can enjoy the ride and relish the view. My best hope for him is that he can learn to do something similar.

So my son goes forward on a self made raft of twigs. I quietly rejoice with him in his joy and cry with him in his sorrow while I watch him paddle with his hands. I could not love him more. I applaud his right to survive on what ever vessel he has fashioned. He says he was born without oars. Who am I to question that?

Ma used to say that we were not hers… that God had only given us to her for a little while. It used to really bother me but now I understand it well.

(This was prompted by the “Silent No More” essay written by Duke.)

When we outsource American jobs to obtain more profit for the business owner, the business owner gets richer and the now unemployed person gets poorer. We get a cheap deal… but we (or someone we know) is now unemployed. Take it to the logical conclusion. I can get a good deal and support loss of jobs in our country or I can pay what I cannot affford and help my brother or sister, citizen of the USA. Are you hearing me? Don’t look now but you might be next.

Would not public works projects to help the infrastructure be better than extending unemployment only? Granted, I cannot dig ditches… BUT I CAN LAY BRICK. Go figure. Who would even guess that I possessed that skill? But HOW WOULD THE GOVERNMENT KNOW IF THE QUESTION WAS NOT ASKED?

Our culture today tells us that Uncle Sam owes us something. Uncle Sam owes us NOTHING!! What ever happened to “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You, But Ask What You Can Do For Your Country.” Did JFK die for nothing?

I think that it is about time that we contribute to our home land. We need to help ourselves to a better life for us and for our children. The new homeless is here and now. Not you? I would not rest on that. WHAT CAN YOU DO AND WHAT WILL YOU DO? SILENCE IMPLIES CONSENT. MOVE OR BE MOVED. THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

If I come up missing, pls do not stop looking for me. We are supposed to have freedom of speech. Pls be watchful. Does it still exist? Do not just bank on it. Check it out.