Spark America's Spirit

Spark America has come into being because of the need felt by people worldwide for a spiritual peace path that will take us from the darkness that seems to prevail, to a world of peace and love that at most times doesn't seem to be a possibility.

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I believe that in order to do this we need to embrace the past, present,and the future--a foundation dedicated to the ideals of peace, love, and freedom for all, and encapsulate it in a core of love, compassion, and understanding.

We must not be misled or manipulated into believing we cannot understand how thinking for ourselves can help us obtain this seemingly elusive goal, and not depend on talking head negativity. The fact of being misled or manipulated through misinformation is one that many within America suspect today, but that few understand in its fullness and complexity. Most are still asleep to the large-scale manipulation that is taking place on a self made lethargic level.

We need to cancel out this business as usual complacency and take aim at the bulls-eye of love, understanding, forgiveness, and compassion that stands before us.

This presence rests on the shoulders of those who choose to take immediate responsibility to create things that are meaningful and worthwhile, and make them victorious upon this earth.

Getting To Know You----Getting To Know All About You

It's a very ancient saying, but a true and honest thought, that if you become a teacher, by your pupils you will be taught. As a teacher I've been learning---you'll forgive me if I boast, and I've now become an expert, on the subject I know most---getting to know you. ( Oscar Hammerstein "The King and I").

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Ancient maybe but true, I do need to get to know you. I believe the most often asked questions in America today are, what is going wrong with our country, and how do we fix it? Why does it seem we are spiraling out of control and don't know how to reverse this path that we are on. I believe the answer to these questions can be summed up this way, we need to get to know one another better.

In simpler times most parents always knew where there children were at all times, day and night. Most children could be found at a playground or discovering life at a friends house. This is where the problem begins. In America for the last 30 years some parents seem to feel that it is not important to spend enough time with not only their children, but the children of others they know. We need to open our houses up, invite our neighbors over, and hopefully get an invitation to visit their home. We spend too much time looking down, to outer space and dead space, when what we really need is to go next door and get to know our neighbors inner space. Getting to know them, getting to know all about them. Maybe if we begin to look in someones eyes again we may be able to bring joy to their lives with just a smile.

We need to stop using the same excuses that we have been using for way too long. I don't want to get involved, or, I don't want to get in the middle of that, is a song that needs to be rewritten. If we don't get involved or get in the middle, we wouldn't know if there was abuse, weapons of mass destruction being created, or any other sign of destructive behavior taking place within someone's home.This is not meddling, this is life. This is a way of stopping things before they get worse or out of control, before bad things have just gone too far.We must help our neighbors solve their problems with weapons of love, understanding, and compassion.

It is time in America that we stop pointing fingers, giving fingers, and begin to realize that by showing someone you care, that they can become that beacon of hope and charity that is needed to the rest of the world. We need to become the example of a nation that knows how to solve it's biggest problem, what our purpose is, and how do we really become human and begin to think for ourselves.

To know, know, know you, is to love, love, love you. Just to see you smile, makes my life worth while. Getting to know you, getting to know all about you, is where it's at. You can't get something out of nothing without a spark, so put your help where your hope is. We must stop hiding our hearts, and begin to put them where they belong.

I believe our sole purpose in life is to take all the things that give life meaning and make them better.
Maybe if we start it now, we can learn to get it right.

Try it, you may like it. Start today, tomorrow may be too late.
Getting to know you is love worth finding.

Take Me Home Country Roads

Henry John Deutschendorf, professionally know as (John Denver), was a great American singer, song writer, activist, and humanitarian. As an introverted child growing up in a military family, he spent many years in numerous locations, raised by a dad who showed no love, and always being the new kid on the block. He grew up agonizing over the fact that he felt he should be living somewhere else, that he had no real place to call home. Not a great way to grow up, not knowing the right place to live, not knowing where you can call home.

As his life process endured this hardship, there came a time when he discovered a place that he called home,  his beloved state of Colorado. He finally found a home where his heart could live, his music told us about the new found treasures in his life. It was at the request of Randy Sparks, the founder of The New Christy Minstrels, that he changed his name to John Denver and he never looked back. We can perhaps now understand how he found the words to write for one of his greatest hits--"Take Me Home Country Roads."

John Denver not only found a home for himself, he found a home for his heart. His music came from the home that lived in his heart, the words that were chosen for him to write, came from God.

We as Americans still seem to be searching for a place to call home, yet what we really need to be doing is to find a home for our hearts. When we find that home, we then need to build a bridge from our hearts to others, to help them find that country road that will lead their heart back home. After all, isn't home where the heart is?

Take me home country roads, to the place I belong,
The Radio reminds me of my home far away,
Take me home, down country roads.

A Boston State of Mindfullness

Bringing ones attention to the tragic event that took place on the streets of our great city of Boston, should be an eye-opening realization of the difficulties that lie ahead in our processing of this horrific event.  We must help our fellow man begin to navigate from the traumatic pictures of this horrific event stored in our minds eye, to become mindful pictures of the needs of others in our own daily lives. We need to make a conscious effort to turn this tragedy into a vigilant and cognizant mind parade of love, hope and compassion, not a parade of retaining pain, suffering, and revenge.

When tragedies like this one happens in America, a process begins in our heads as to find ways to cope with and understand the one numbing question; why? What could possibly drive someone to commit such a crime? We may never find out the answer to that question , nor fully understand the answer even if we someday find it. What are we to do?

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The answer to this question lies within all who seek it, and we must seek it in order to have any hope of working through this process of understanding and coping.  Love is the only possible answer and we must begin right now, before it is too late, to understand that the essence of life is love, and we must deposit that love within the hearts of others.

We need to do this now, today, if not for ourselves, for the innocent Americans who upon awakening on Monday to cheer on their loved ones, not knowing that this day would be their last. Let us also pray  for the survivors and their families, whose lives have been tragically changed forever. Let us honor the dead by sanctifying our values, by affirming life and all those things that make us stronger and bring us closer together. These things we must remember to remember.

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Life is short and what matters most is how we choose to live it. Dig into your heart today and find God's love, build a bridge, and deposit that love where you already know it belongs. This is not something you can deposit in the bank. Let not this act of violence and cowardliness keep us from running to the finish line.

Isolation is a bad destination. Life makes more sense when we're connected.

Painting Gives Life To Life

If you could paint a picture of America, what do you think it would look like?

Would it be:

An abstract painting with a message only you would be able to interpret,

a beautiful still life watercolor looking out to the beholder a scene of peace and tranquility,

would it be an oil painting with your brush strokes of life giving your viewers you interpretation of the skyline of NewYork, focusing on the new One World Trade Center,

maybe it would be a mixed media painting of a map of the United States using your imagination and all the colors of the rainbow as your color palate,
a nation inhabited with children living in peace and love,
a picture of people living in dark fearful places, afraid to come out,
a field of beautiful wild flowers just waiting for hand painted vases filled with love to accept them,

it could even begin by painting a picture you like from a paint by numbers canvas.

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Most Americans and people from the rest of the world, would provide a kaleidoscopic painting landscape of what America has become to look like to us, as well as to our global family. Maybe if we would just take the time in our seemingly too busy lives to gather up the necessary painting materials, each one of us could begin the journey of finding the artist that lives in all of us, and discover what the great artists of all time discovered; when we paint we discover who we really are. They wanted us to see life as they saw it through their eyes. Painting gives life to life.

When you have your vision in your head of what America looks like to you today, even though it may not be pretty, paint it anyway. If you do not like what you see, you may want to begin a new painting of what you would like to see America look like, but make sure you become the changes you may wish to see in your renewed painting.

A great way to begin to find the artist in you would be to take yourself, a friend, or a child to your closest art museum and begin to look at life through someone else's eyes, but put what your eyes see on the canvas of  your life.

Seek the artist in you and you will find a beautiful piece of art.
Painting gives life to life.
My painting is finished., maybe you should get yours started today, don't wait till tomorrow.

Annette Funicello--More Than Just A Mouseketeer

  Once upon a time in America there lived a young teen age girl who captivated the Mickey Mouse Club audience of children and their parents. Parents and children alike fell in love with this young teen, because she represented the good moral values which became the bedrock foundation for teens in America in the 1950's. Her name was Annette Funicello.

When I heard about her death the other day I was saddened, but it also brought a lot of wonderful memories. and those memories are still dancing in my head. She was the perfect girlfriend of every boy who ever dreamed of falling in love for the first time, hoping to be on the receiving end of a first kiss, a kiss from Annette Funicello. It was just the kiss and nothing more, and would be the defining moment of what was refered to as "puppy love".

Annette Funicello set a standard for young women in America that for the most part seems to have disappeared, or perhaps it could be said, the bar has been lowered too much. We seem to have gone from Annette Funicello to Lindsay Lohan, what a drop. Worse yet, we have gone from 'Leave It To Beaver' to 'Beavis and Butthead'; and beyond. Maybe some day very soon a new Annette will show up, raise the bar to where it should be, and give puppy love a second chance. This may sound 'old fashioned' to many people who read this, but it is not. What will never be old fashioned is an America where teenage girls begin living a life of good moral values, leading the way for future generations of teen girls to understand that being a young woman with high standards is just what is needed in America today.

Walt Disney did us all a huge favor when he hand picked Annette first out of about 200 other girls, and somehow I wonder if he saw something special in this tender sweet 12 year old that no one else would have seen. I would bet that he did.

Thanks Walt.
Good bye Annette, sleep in heavenly peace.

  

As Far As The 'I' Can See

Some people say seeing is believing. Others can say, come see it for yourself. I say, do you see what I see?
Unless we take the time to see others as we see ourselves, we can try to see as far as we can see, but we will be unable to see the forest  for the trees.

In America today and probably tomorrow, we focus too much on the big picture of life without realizing we must take a step back and look at the little things we need to be grateful for. Unfortunately, we shape our lives around the big news stories without creating the small meaningful life stories we need to be establishing in order to survive. There are a multitude of wonderful stories waiting to be told, we must take the time to seek, create, and watch them unfold.

Life consists of simple words, simple love, simple understanding, and the eyes to behold the beauty in all of us. If we continue to live life just looking outside ourselves towards others , we can never see the inside of ourselves or marvel at what lies in our own hearts, or the hearts of others. We need not be blinded by the light.

If we are to create a whole new generation of children who will see each other as equals, they must see the love with there own eyes. Reading about it in books and just hearing about in it church, will not be enough to provide them with a "seeing is believing" app. They must be witness to this love everyday in order for them to see what life is all really all about. This must be not just a classroom discussion for them, they need to see it with there own tender eyes. Remember, the eyes are the gateway and corridor to the brain, which is the library where they will store the images set before them.

"As far as 'I' can see, the "eyes " have it. Let's remove our blinders and show our future generations a clear image of life, as far as the eye can see.

Do you see what I see?

Faith Reduces Doubt

Doubt is a status between belief and disbelief and involves uncertainty, a lack of trust, and also involves a lack of sureness of an alleged fact, an action, a motive, or a decision. Doubt brings into question what is right and what is wrong. This allows for the mind to be suspended between two contradictory propositions and unable to assent to either of them, therefore creating a paradox.  

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Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing. It may also be a belief and does not have to be based on proof. Faith is a word that seems to be easier to understand than doubt and grasp on to as a positive way to melt away the layers of doubt that seem to be prevalent in the minds of too many Americans these days. This cloud of doubt appears to be getting denser with the winds of time as it makes it way across this great nation of ours.

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We seem to be preoccupied with this cloud of uncertainty, distrust, and lack of sureness that is keeping us from making the right decisions. The biggest decision seems to be what is right and what is wrong. What is right just involves common sense and the lack is what causes things to be wrong. There ain't no doubt about that.

Allow me to give an example of the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Most people in America have neighbors. If both neighbors own a dog, it is each persons responsibility to make sure "fido" is being responsible, therefore doing the right thing. Herein lies right from wrong. Responsible neighbors keep their canine pet on their property, not allowing their loving pet to destroy their neighbors property, therefore doing the RIGHT thing. Irresponsible neighbors allow their loving pet to destroy your property and bite you and your children, this would be WRONG. Seems so simple to be right, yet lots of people choose to do the wrong thing.

My point is, if we would choose to do more of the right thing, using the common sense we need to have, we will create the faith to erase the doubt about the direction in which our nation is headed. Each of us can erase the doubt about our future, but only if we put faith in the drivers seat and do the right thing.

Put your faith to work today and do the RIGHT thing.
Put your faith in America.

"Grandfatherism"

Capitalism, Socialism, Patriotism, Feminism, Communism, and many other isim's, are used everyday, and the meaning of each can be found in Websters dictionary. I would like to introduce two new ism's in addition to these ism's, and an explanation to these ism's that is unlikely to be found in in any dictionary. These would be the word "Grandfatherism", and the word "Drakeism".

History teaches us that certain great men were responsible for their great contributions that helped shape and change the world around them, and in America one of those great men would be Abraham Lincoln. On the other side, history also discloses many not so great men whose names will not be mentioned because of the unworthiness of their actions.

In America today 95% of all people over the age of 65 who have adult children, also have grandchildren. That's about 60 million Americans!  Did you know that the average age at which Americans become grandparents is 45 and that a majority of men expect to become grandfathers at age 52? That means men today can expect to spend the majority of their adult years in this very important role.Researchers have found that grandchildren who have a close relationship with a grandfather are likely to perform well in school, display positive emotional adjustment, have higher self-esteem, and a greater ability to develop and maintain friendships.

Grandfathers have lots of wisdom and life experience to draw from.They have seen events and changes come and go. Even their mistakes can have a positive purpose. Because grandfathers are one step removed from direct disciplinary and parenting responsibilities, grandchildren tend to be more relaxed, more open to sharing, and may ask more thoughtful questions of their grandfathers. As grandchildren grow, they make attempts to learn about their world, their family, relationships, and society. A grandfather's perspective, formed from years of experience, can help guide, inform, and influence the growth and development of his grandchildren.

Grandfathers can have a powerful influence on their grandchildren by teaching about perseverance, loyalty, hard work, patience, and sacrifice from their many life stories. Grandfathers have lived through wars, hard times, cultural changes, and technological revolutions and may tell their stories in a lively, engaging way that allows the story do the teaching. For those grandfathers who may not feel they have much to tell from their own life experiences, sharing simple stories about how they grew up and lessons they learned in life can help grandchildren to recognize and appreciate the generations who have gone before them, as well as develop new values. While stories may cause grandchildren to think about personal values, a grandfather's actions are important too. Grandchildren are observers, and they can learn powerful, lasting lessons from watching a grandfather go through life with a sense of humor, dignity, and generosity.

Grandfathers in America have always played an important role in the lives of their grandchildren, as well as many other contributions to others who may have been part of their daily lives. In the last few decades that role seems to have diminished to the point as to seemingly unimportant, being replaced by the new weapons of mass distraction, which are decreasing the time that should be used teaching life skills to their grandchildren. These great men are needed more now than ever in American history and need to get back in the race. Grandfathers are the last line of defense to secure the perpetuation of human values and morality to future generations of young men and women growing up in this land of the free.It is time to say enough is enough, let us show you the way.

"Grandfatherism" needs to be established as the society of  men of a certain age who will establish, enable,  and pass on the moral code that will lead our future generations of young people to understand the true meaning of giving of themselves to help others, and to volunteer their lives for the better good of their common man. Grandfathers need to set these standards and be the examples, both of which they will leave behind as their contributions to humanity.

In most cases grandfathers possess three very important ingredients needed to establish the strength, durability, and longevity of this mission. These three ingredients being, time, genorosity, and the wisdom to establish this new "ism" into the fabric of American culture.

It is time to get off of your easy chair, the golf course, and of course set the right course. Get out the photo albums and share stories of the past.  There should not be the same excuses, just another day.

Oh bye the way, "Grandfatherism" just so happens to be a "Drakeism"

"Grandfatherism", an ism whose time has come.

A Gift From Germany-----"Priceless"

When we think of Germany we most often think of superior engineered automobiles, beer, steel, warm friendly people, and a host of other accomplishments. Although these may be true, allow me let you in on a little known contribution by one German immigrant who was ahead of his time, and to whom I am eternally grateful. His name is Alfred Dolge.

If it were not for Alfred Dolge I would not have the heartfelt memories of growing up in Dolgeville New York. Alfred Dolge's destiny was my destiny and my love and devotion for this small historical central NY village has always been with me, and will be until the day I die. The streets I stroll down in Dolgeville are my streets of memory lane. How sweet are the memories, I cannot begin to count them, and they will live in my heart forever.

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Born in Chemnitz, Saxony on December 22 1848, he entered into an apprenticeship into his fathers business at the age of 17 and pursued his high school studies at night. He came to what was at that time called 'Brockett's Bridge' in 1874 in search of a suitable location for felt manufacturing. He would often take the train from N.Y.C. to Little Falls and snow shoe to Brockett's Bridge, where he felt he had come home to his native Germany.

In 1887 the citizens in this small community which grew from around 320 to over 2,000, unanimously petitioned Washington to change the name to Dolgeville. At that time in upstate N.Y.'s history, Alfred Dolge's contributions to America were born.

 His philosophy was inspired by the readings of other great men of his timeand  Alfred instituted a form of what we now call social security, for at that time his dream was to create an idealistic utopia. His philosophy developed further when around 1876 he began to set up a pension plan, which later on added life insurance, paid by the employer. It was also at that time that he instituted a program of earning-sharing,whereby an employee received a portion of his earnings according to his contribution in brains or the value of his work. These earnings were not to be turned over until retirement, but was to be re-invested. These brilliant ideas earned him global attention. Where's Alfred when you need him?

A German immigrants contributions to America? Priceless.
 

The Golden Rule---Still Golden

Today in America it seems we need to be reminded of a moral code that has always been a great teacher of how must live our lives. This code which tops the list of how we should always conduct our lives, should be galvanized into our children lives at the earliest age possible.

There are many ways for us to express the meaning of this code, the following being; "one should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable with ones self". This is the essence of morality. Perhaps the most common and recognized combination of words is, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Whatever way one chooses to remember this code means nothing until we integrate it into the fabric of who we really are and how we enlighten the lives of others. It can also be put another way. Expect from others that of which you bestow upon them.

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If one chooses to study philosophy, sociology, psychology, Christianity, atheism, science or any other path to enlightenment, it really comes down to morality. The way we choose to treat others is the only moral code that we need to be teaching because it is the foundation upon which we will be able to create a whole new generation of children who will learn to care about others. It is our only hope to bring peace to Mother Earth.

We live in this great America now, and now is the time that we are equipped with all that is necessary to bring peace. Each one of us has a moral duty to see that this run for peace begins in the republic of "The United States of America". We exist now and it is about time to make our ancestors proud of what they left behind, "The Golden Rule", still so very right and so very golden.

No more excuses, take the first step, you will be golden if you do.

Talk About What You Care About

 Every discussion we have begins with an emotion and a reaction to that emotion that is trapped inside of our heads. When we have a discussion we have choices as to the words we use and what direction we would like the conversation to be headed.

It is evident in most of the discussions we Americans are having in public seem to be about the big news stories we read about or listen to on the technology highway. These media stories are raising havoc on the way we process information on our way of trying to discover the truth. Because of all this bad news we allow ourselves to listen to, we choose to discuss all the news stories the media decides is in our best interest to have to digest and discuss.We need to have discussions about things we care about most, and  how we can solve our own problems in our own lives and in our great nation. Remember being a good listener is just as important as delivering good dialog.

We need to start digging inside of ourselves to start discussing the things that matter most to us, not just what the media decides is best for us. When we say yes we need to mean yes, and when we say no we must mean no.

How each of us can change the world that surrounds us everyday and make it better has to become the meaningful conversation of the day. For if we are to make these necessary changes, we need to have the correct dialog. On of the ways to start is by getting to know your neighbors and the people you work with and begin to build a lasting relationship every day. Open the door to your life to them , it can begin as easy as putting a smile on your face and saying good morning. Yes, it's that easy.

When is the last time you took a walk across the street or next door to visit your neighbor to find out if there is something you can do to make their life easier? Bringing a gift that will satisfy a sweet tooth will open a huge door for a sweet life conversation. We need to do this and it needs to be done right now, today. Don't make today a day of the same excuses, just a different day.

Open that door and once it is open and you get in talk about the things you REALLY care about and that really matter. Then and only then is when we can build a stronger America.

America is you and you are America, let the changes begin.

Social Changes--The Time Is Now

It is time in America that we understand that we have the power and resources within us to spark social change. There seems to be the mind set that this is an impossibility and cannot be done. This is a direct result of the dire warnings we are getting from all the wrong sources. We need to seek out the measurable data that shows us how, for one example, to increase empathy in our children. We need to be more understanding of why we do what we do. Hello

Is it possible to prevent child abuse, bullying, and chronic homelessness? The answer to this question is a very large yes. This is just one example.

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The first line of defense to prevent bullying of course begins in the home. We can reduce bullying in schools right away away by increasing students' readiness to learn. Teachers need more time to teach in the classroom. Schools need to increase recess time in order for children to learn how to control their impulses and bad behavior so they will learn how to get along better with others. This along with more frequent visits to the gym will teach them how to resolve their differences peacefully. We now have well conducted studies that will reveal that these things work.

We need to get smarter about the way we address social issues. Most people's views are shaped by big news stories, we need to seek the meaningful stories that most times get lost or go unreported.

We need to recognize that a key to social change is is to turn great ideas into great organizations. Find entrepreneurs who are passionate and driven to build these social change institutions.

We need scores of of organizations that build a coordinated effort to agree on the same principles and measurable goals that can only be achieved by working side by side.

Let us begin to get the job done.

Drake


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Intellectual Debates --- Mumbo Jumbo

Living in America today we live with the wondrous idea and privilege that we can make our own choices. This morning I made a conscious, or unconscious choice, to watch and listen to two separate debates, both on pretty much the same subject. That subject would be simply one's personal view on how life began, was it God and creation or the big bang (Science's theory).. I have my own personal view on that subject and anyone who knows me would know my answer to that question.

It is not my answer to this question or my personal beliefs that this is all about. Its about simple answers to some very hard questions and beliefs. After spending a better part of two hours of this intellectual farting back and forth among these four renowned PhD professors, I discovered one thing. With all their degrees and experience debating this subject, they left doubt in my mind, any of them even possessed an ounce of common sense. That even armed with all their degrees and mumbo jumbo, they left me feeling empty, not wanting more.

You can find these debates on you tube, I highly recommend you do so .

Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris debating 'morality and science', and William Lane Craig and Alex Rosenberg debating 'is faith in God reasonable?'  I would suggest that you may want to make a choice to participate in viewing these two debates. They may shed some light on this subject to you, they left me in the dark.

My point is this, and I would love to ask all four of these men one question. What do you personally do every day of your life to help your fellow man, and if you do, does this purpose come from the evolution of man's morality, the need to help others, or does this morality originate from outer space (GOD). Even if someday science proves without a doubt they are right, why in the meantime does it seem morally impossible to bring peace to this planet called earth.  I personally believe these intellectual men, atheist's in particular who believe in evolution, must have brains that have evolved past good old fashioned common sense.

'George and Gracie'--'George and Gracie'

In October 1950 America was introduced to George and Gracie, a loving couple who starred in the George Burns and Gracie Allen show. George and Gracie filled homes in America with the love and laughter they shared with one another, and left behind such humorous situations in which only they could deliver.

Here is just one example:
Gracie was on her way to the hospital to visit George's sister, and on her way out the the door George reminds Gracie to make sure she takes his sister flowers. Upon returning she is carrying a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. Curious George asked Gracie where she got such a bounty of flowers. Her reply: 'When I was leaving for the hospital you asked me to take your sister flowers'.They were part of the beginning of iconic humor that stormed across America in the some of the best years in America, the 1950's. Humor to last a lifetime. George and Gracie's real life marriage was a great example of what marriage is all about, love and devotion.

In October 1960 in Auburn New York a new George and Gracie got married, solidifying the true meaning of this stout American tradition, holy matrimony. Gracie came to America at the tender age of 14 on the infamous ship 'Andrea Doria' with her family from Sicily possessing only a pocketful of hope and miracles. Equipped with her hope and hard work she ultimately owned and operated a very successful beauty salon business from which she has since retired.

Of course let us not forget the love of her life George, the man whose hand in love she took in marriage back in those good old golden days. In the traditional way this young couple met because of the spiritual connection between their two families, a connection that has given them the strong foundation on which they successfully built their lives together. Again following tradition, they named each of their children, Laurie after George's mother and Sammy in tribute to George's father.

Two great marriages, two George and Gracies. Strong marriages that had all the right ingredients to sustain one our most important life experiences.

By the way Gracie, Happy Birthday from Bob and Micki.
Now say good night Gracie.

Before There Were Hippies There Were Beatniks

                     There are still some hippies walking around today; older but wiser now, and we still walk in the truth rather than blindly accepting what the establishment tells us to believe in.

                  Before the hippies there lived a generation of young people in who gave birth to non- conformity; they were called Beatniks. They dressed in black, wore berets and sandals for the most part, and called coffee houses in their meeting place.

                A generation that made a difference in the world of the day. Today we only get hints of the current generation's concerns and awareness about global warming and going green.
They are quiet; nothing like the generations before them. Maybe a generation will visit again, perhaps once they come up for air and look away from their weapons of mass distraction. Until then, we shall remember the beatniks and hippies as cultures that not only wanted change-but created it.

Drake

Damien---'The Meatball Dog'

Dogs are a gift from God and they come into our lives to bestow upon us the gift of unconditional love. Sometimes they are sent to a young boy so he will always have that snap shot memory of his first dog. This gift was bestowed upon us by our beloved family dog Damien. When we say all dogs go to heaven, sometimes I wonder if we really believe that or understand it's true meaning. I for one really believe that dogs do go to heaven and we are the recipients of the love and heartfelt memories they leave behind. After all, isn't what we leave behind what life's all about anyhow?

I make reference to Damien as "the meatball dog' simply because every Sunday he would be first in line to test my meatballs to make sure they were good enough to be scarfed down by humans. I am quite sure that he had some Italian blood flowing through his precious veins, his heart filled with the love only he could leave behind, filling our hearts with the memories of him that each of us can cherish each and every day.

Let us not forget this great champion of love and dedication for he has taught us one of life's greatest lessons, unconditional love is the only reason we live, and sometimes in life it takes the memories of a loving dog to allow us to share our love with others. The gift of memories are all we have to leave behind when we get the call. He had the heart of a lion, the soul of an angel. He was family.

We don't always get the chance to say good bye to our loved ones before we go, even though we know we must and should. As humans we actually get to use our voices to speak to those we leave behind and tell them how much we love them. Mighty Damian could not speak or bark the words of love, but at the moments before he left us he was alone with his master, and got to send his eternal love for him to live in his heart forever. With his last glimpse of his man love, he closed his eyes and took his final breath.

God bless you Damien, thank you for your gift to us of your unconditional love for us, you will live in our hearts forever. If there is a heaven and they have meatballs there, I am sure Damien will be first in line.

For some of you who haven't heard this before, dog is God spelled backwards, not to be taken lightly.
Let us never forget, the love for a dog and his love for us is a piece of the fabric that holds America together.

Good bye Damien, sleep in heavenly peace.

Freedom--An American Foundation

The current feeling in America which transcends down through our history has always been about our cherished freedom. This desire to protect that freedom at all costs continues to live as a strong philosophy and way of life in America as the norm. That strong desire still is alive and well  in the hearts of most Americans.
This freedom from oppression which brought the many from across the ocean years ago is what is the fiber that brought about the Declaration of Independence. For this prized freedom many Americans paid with their blood sweat and tears, many with their lives.

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Yet, in the name of freedom, wars have been and still are being fought, laws have been broken and individual rights of citizens have been violated. In doing these things we risk limiting the results of freedom for doing what we do 'in the name of freedom'.

When in America we can no longer see her wrongdoing, freedom begins to evaporate. In order to preserve our freedom we need not sacrifice the freedom of others . When we dilute the 'right to choose' with  limiting the real truth, we begin to weaken our belief in the freedom we so desperately want to preserve.

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We need to replace selfish pride and a grandiose living with a desire for the truth, and send out an mighty call to healing. This partnership of truth and liberty must be forthright in order for freedom of the many to remain for future generations.

We must be strong in our pursuit of freedom for it is at the core of what makes a great nation, but also be alert to the fact we must also nurture strong alliances with other countries. Only through this balance with other nations can our freedoms be preserved.

America's greatness must not only be remembered by her history, but by her future.

"Meet Me in St Louis"----Simple Virtues For Today's World View

In America today we seem to be searching for meaning in our lives but we somehow just don't know where to begin. Well, a great way to begin is to watch the American classic film "Meet Me in St.Louis", featuring an all star cast including the legendary iconic American actress Judy Garland, along with Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Tom Drake, and featuring what could be considered  a perfect supporting cast. The cinematography in this movie will leave you breathless. This film will make you long for the "good old days" when life in America wasn't perfect, but a whole lot simpler;
a life that too many people in America feel has been taken away with the winds of time. Nothing could be farther from the truth.The winds are shifting back to a quieter time driven by the need to understand that American history is more than just dates and events. First we must take a step back, begin to find out who we are and what is most important in life, and then we will be equipped to move forward to save our most precious traditional values.

The setting is the St Louis Exposition 1904 and details the endearing story of a family in a time long past that comes together and realizes that there's no place like your hometown. When the patriarch of the family decides to keep his family values enamored by not accepting a great promotion from his law firm to move to New York City, the chain of events that leads him to make this decision will fill your heart with pure joy.

This comedy, drama, musical delivers a perfect view into American life when simple virtues were paramount and life had true meaning, the meaning we seem to be searching for today. All of the wonderful events taking place in this classic, must see movie, leads the entire family down the road to realize that home is really where the heart is and a true heart is where a true home lives. Family relationships are really what this film is all about and includes brilliant lasting examples of flirtation, shyness, courtship and good old puppy love.

Now is a good time in American life to clear your calender of events, call up a bunch of people you love, and pop the popcorn lovers popcorn. Indulge yourself in a time long ago in America when deep family values were what set us apart as a nation, beckoning others from around the world to join our family and make us stronger.

Follow the music in this embraceable intoxicating movie to discover among other things, that when boy meets girl, love is just around the corner.

Seabiscuit--- Symbol Of Hope

Recently I had the pleasure of watching the movie Seabiscuit (2003) and at one moment in the film I came  to a realization. There is a distinct similarity to the lack of hope that existed in 1938 during the Great Depression and the lack of hope that exists in the United States today. The difference I discovered is that during the Great Depression there arose a horse and horse race that from the moment the two steeds dug their hoofs into the track that day of the match race, til the final strides that brought them to the finish line,  hope was restored to the multitudes after witnessing an undersized thoroughbred who was claimed to be an underdog, beat the mighty horse War Admiral who possessed Triple Crown winning power, by 4 gaping lengths. A great example that life sometimes seems like a horse race where we always seem to be racing to our own finish line.

Seabiscuit didn't look like much-small in stature, inauspicious, the butt of stable jokes, but possessed a heart that held the hope of the sea of humanity that watched the race that day at Pimlico from both sides of the track. There on that historical day at the track were forty thousand hopeful Americans, and millions all over the globe listening on the radio. This one event was the most electrifying and popular event in sports history in 1938, making it the most popular news story of that day ahead of FDR, Hitler and Mussilini.

What happened at that racetrack that day was something that was not supposed to happen. With the ring of the bell War Admiral, one of the quickest break away horses of his day, was supposed to take the early lead and finish the race with Seabiscuit only getting a perfect picture of Admiral's hind quarters and rear end. Instead and suddenly, the unanticipated event happened. It would be Seabiscuit would take the early lead on that fateful day, and when War Admiral did get neck and neck at the back stretch, the mighty Seabiscuit got a glimps of the Admiral's eyes and assumed the offensive. It was  jockey George Woolf the famed rider atop the mighty mount Biscuit who at that moment in history coined the phrase "so long Charlie". Seabiscit would not yield his destiny. When it came to the home stretch it was the heart of Seabiscuit that took him into overdrive and it was War Admiral who got to see what a great undersized Thoroughbred  looks like from the back end. When the race was over we may assume many thought they should change War Admiral's name to "Rear Admiral".

That anticipated race and the winner Seabiscuit secured the hope for the future that Americans were looking to find at that remarkably important time in American history. The hope that even a small person can overcome the odds and skepticism of the few, and find the heart and endurance to win the big race. Maybe today we will need another great horse race to bring us the hope we need because it seems a Presidential race will not foster that hope that will lead us to the finish line like the immortal Seabiscuit did.

May we all make it to the finish line in time together.

 

Grand Hotel---People Come, People Go

Sometimes in our lives we are up and sometimes we are down. People come, people go. Nothing ever seems to be happening. Nothing ever seems to change. Maybe its because we don't take the time to really see what is happening right in front of our very eyes. Maybe its because we should make an attempt to include others into our lives. People come, people go because we let that happen. When nothing ever seems to change, it is time to start changing things. What a great script for a movie.

A great example of this can be found in the great American Classic movie "Grand Hotel" (1932). Berlin's most extravagant and expensive hotel sets the stage for the words spoken by Dr. Ottenschlag (Louis Stone) when he says, "People coming, going.Nothing ever happens." One mans dismal outlook on life.. Rent the movie and watch what really happens. A gem of a movie that must be seen.

As the movie opens and starts to unfold you meet Doctor Ottenschlag (Louis Stone) who is usually so drunk that he misses seeing that the Baron von Geigern (John Barrymore), a Baron, mind you, who is totally broke   steals eccentric fledgling dancer Grusinskaya's (Greta Garbo) pearls, and later on confesses to the crime. He gets caught in her room where she is ready to end her life and utters the famous line "I want to be alone". He interrupts her suicide, she forgives him and he ends up stealing her heart as well, and of course they fall in love.

Watch how a powerful German businessman, Preysing (Wallace Berry), brow beats Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) a terminally ill bookkeeper working for his company, but in the end Kringelein gets the upper hand. Meanwhile, the baron also steals the heart of  Preysings mistress Flaemmchen  (Joan Crawford) who plays a stenographer working for Preysing, in the end of the movie he doesn't end up with either one of them.

This classic movie delivers a classic message that still resonates in America today. People come, people go. Nothing seems to happen. Let's not let that happen.

Together we can make it happen. Include someone into your life today. It is time to start changing things.

The Gift Of Freedom----Priceless

Within the challenges that face Americans everyday lie the distractions that keep us from seeking where our freedoms came from, and why we need to be grateful for these freedoms. Seeking the truth to finding the answer to these questions will eliminate the need of weapons of mass distraction that lead us down the road to discover our true destiny. The destiny of America was not shaped by a few men who became the signers of the Declaration of Independence, it was shaped by all the people who partook in the separation from the British and arrived here infused with a higher purpose of hope  of what they could possibly become.

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Today that hope and purpose is still the cry of many and needs to be heard. The freedom not to do what is best for us, but what is done for the hope of the many shall be the new song to be sung.The freedoms of today are as priceless as they were in the days of our ancestors who came here to build the bridges to these freedoms. Freedom is not just another word, it is what sustains us a nation and global community; it is not something you can take to the bank, it is something we can bank on, only if we choose to preserve it. Our only hope for an America at peace is to teach our children -not by just our words, but by our actions,  that when all freedom is lost, we will cease to survive.  After all, we need not look any farther than our history books to unlock the doors of many human events that have dared to try and rob us of one of our most precious reasons to exist.

Let us awaken to the need to protect and preserve the freedoms upon which America has been built and to propagate and protect the fundamental principals on which we stand.

Mighty rings the bell of freedom in America.