UNPRESIDENTED OWNERSHIP CLAIM BY SAUGEEN OJIBWAY NATION

A massive Aboriginal claim over some of the most picturesque geography in Ontario triggered a landmark trial Thursday in Toronto with a large contingent of lawyers politely starting a delicate dance over contentious issues of land, treaty rights and money. 

Lion's Head, Northern Bruce Peninsula.

The Saugeen Ojibway Nation is pressing a claim to ownership of government land across the entire Bruce Peninsula and a legally unique claim for Aboriginal title over the “water territory” around it — stretching from the international boundary with the United States in Lake Huron across to Georgian Bay — along with compensation that could amount, by their accounting, to $90 billion. 

A passel of more than 20 lawyers hauled suitcases and boxes filled with paperwork into court; laptops were connected to projection screens and huge maps unfurled as dozens of observers gathered in a stately courthouse in downtown Toronto. Before Judge Wendy Matheson arrived, two Aboriginal men wended their way through the bustle to the front of court carrying a two-metre long wooden staff, draped in seven eagle feathers and topped by a carving of a bald eagle, and erected it to the left of where the judge would sit. That the hearing began just one minute shy of its scheduled 10 a.m. start was remarkable, but not as breathtaking as the dispute everyone was there to settle. 

The Bruce Peninsula is a rugged finger of land that juts deep into Lake Huron and forms the western bank of Georgian Bay, with recreational towns such as of Tobermory, Wiarton and Sauble Beach and Saugeen Shores (Southampton and Port Elgin). The land claim includes two national parks and the rivers and lakes. The water claims cover an even larger area, a huge swath of the peninsula’s adjacent water stretching from near Goderich in the west, up and around the peninsula, cutting back south through Georgian Bay making landfall east of Collingwood. 

The lawsuit makes three primary claims. The first, which is unique to Aboriginal claims in Canada, is for Aboriginal title over this “water territory” — instead of merely the land or landbeds beneath waters, as has traditionally been claimed. The second is that the Crown breached its fiduciary trust to protect and preserve the territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, referred to in court as SON and consisting of four reserves and a population of 1,900. As a fix, SON seeks compensation, which amounts to, by its accounting, $80 billion in restitution and $10 billion in punitive damages. 

Lastly, the SON seek a declaration that their harvesting rights within their traditional territory were not extinguished by Treaty 72, the government’s agreement with the SON signed in 1854 that surrendered the Bruce Peninsula, except for several small parcels of land as reserves. Harvesting rights include fishing and hunting. What is not under claim by SON, court heard, is privately owned property in the area, or, in the language of the claim, land “in the hands of bona fide purchasers.” Nor, said Bill Townshend, SON’s lead counsel in his opening address to court, are they seeking to invalidate Treaty 72 or rewrite it, but rather to have the court accept SON’s version of what the terms of the treaty were understood to be at the time. 

“Fishing is essential for their way of life and economic activity. Water is very important to them. Some say it’s even more important than the dry land part,” said Townshend. To abandon their land and water rights, he said an elder in the community told him, would “be like death.”

Court heard about an earlier treaty the Crown signed with the SON, in 1836, that promised to build houses “to enable you to become civilized” and made promises that the Crown, named as “your Great Father,” would “forever protect you from the encroachment of the whites.” That promise, said Cathy Guirguis, another SON lawyer, was not kept. “This claim is not about judging the Crown on today’s standards or in hindsight,” Guirguis told court.

“This is about looking at the evidence of what they said and what they did at the time.” The suit is opposed by the federal and provincial governments as well as several municipal governments caught in the crossfire. The federal government’s defence was amended as the trial got underway because of a new federal directive on civil litigation involving Indigenous peoples — the last substantive act by Jody Wilson-Raybould before being shuffled out of her role as justice minister and attorney general — Michael Beggs, lead counsel for the Attorney General of Canada, confirmed to the National Post. 

Some previously filed objections were being withdrawn, he said. Nonetheless, much remains in contention. He told court the government is emphasizing the importance of historical context. “The evidence will show that the Crown acted with honour and integrity and good faith and a fairness consistent with the context of the times and it was a difficult set of circumstances that the parties were facing. There were no bad guys,” he said. 

David Feliciant, lead counsel for the Attorney General of Ontario, also broached the delicate issue of challenging traditional Aboriginal knowledge keepers and the oral traditions of First Nations people. “Our system requires that evidence be tested, so we will be cross-examining witnesses,” Feliciant told court. “Our cross examination should not be taken as a sign that we do not respect the positions taken by the plaintiffs or the evidence of their witnesses. “Ontario remains committed to reconciliation and the positive working relationship we’ve developed with the communities.” He also emphasized historical context. “The conduct of Crown representative may not have been perfect but it did not rise to the level of a stain on the honour of the Crown,” he said.

The trial, which Matheson said would last “many months,” will examine history and prehistory, from the origin stories of the Aboriginal peoples and first human occupation of the land through contact with European explorers and settlers and their sometimes harmonious, often fractious relationship, to modern disputes with the government. The hearing will resume Monday in Neyaashiinigmiing, a reserve of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation on the east side of the peninsula.

Look for this one to take up the balance of 2019, if not longer. There really is a lot at stake, quite aside from $90 million in compensation and restitution.

THE PLACE I WANT TO LIVE

The House by the Side of the Road
by Sam Walter Foss
from ‘Dreams in Homespun’

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the peace of their self-content;
There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran;
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by —
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat,
Or hurl the cynic’s ban; —
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road,
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife.
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears —
Both parts of an infinite plan; —
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead
And mountains of wearisome height;
And the road passes on through the long afternooon
And stretches away to the night.
But still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice,
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by —
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise — foolish — so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorners’ seat
Or hurl the cynic’s ban? —
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I'VE LIVED TO LOSE...AND THAT'S ALRIGHT

I learned very early in life that "you can't win 'em all" and I have used that rationale throughout my  lifetime.

I take both winning and losing very seriously, however, and as a result have frustrated myself because my win-loss batting average in the game of life is well below .500.  Generally, I guess you could conclude that I am "a loser".

In baseball, my game of choice, if you are a .300 hitter you are pretty good -- better than average. I was more like a .240 (power) hitter, smashing the ball out of the park maybe once every 12 times at bat. You do the math...and equate it to life in general.

Not only am I a loser, I have become a loner out of self-preservation. I have convinced myself that it is safer that way! But then, someone once said "there is safety in numbers!" Let's pursue this line of thinking a little further.

No matter what we have to show for ourselves, regardless of the evidence in our defense, questions remain, doubts persist, our trial grinds on. We can lose, but we can't win.

As individuals, our point of view is inseparable from our personal history. Our sight is necessarily partial, our beliefs, unavoidably partisan. Unaware of what can't be seen from the ground we stand on, winning is by accident, losing, the rule.

When we think we've won, Nature moves the goal posts. You win the game only to discover that you're behind the eight ball in a new one. Explanation is never complete; new and better answers invariably present new and deeper questions. Return to go.

Dreams shatter on the rocks of reality; imagination runs aground on the shoals of practicality. Think of Don Quixote: If ever there was an impossible dreamer it was the Man from La Mancha. In his quest for immortal fame, Don Quixote suffered repeated defeats. Because he obstinately refused to adjust 'the hugeness of his desire' to 'the smallness of reality,' he was doomed to perpetual failure.

Our achievements pale beside the dreams that inspire them. When at last the Don realized that his dream was impossible, he returned home, put down his lance, and died.

We desire the eternal, but are bound in time. Death exempts no one; extinction annuls whole species, and likely won't cut human beings any slack.

The heart, formerly the seat of the soul, is now seen as a pump made of muscle. The same unsentimental methodology is applicable to the brain. Not only will humans figure out how it works, they'll build better ones. We're on course to design beings who will supersede us. Hoist by our own petard!

For these reasons -- our reach exceeds our grasp, we're never good enough; by Nature's infinite depth, and implacable death -- you can't win.

But wait!

Reasons You Can Win Anyway

"Man is a creature who makes pictures of himself and then comes to resemble the picture." - Iris Murdock

I acknowledge that our notion of selfhood is misconceived. Autonomous, independent beings we're not. Selfhood is anything but self-sufficient. No self can stand alone. Our existence is not independent of everyone else's. On the contrary, without others, selves are stillborn. To exist is to co-exist. We are all each other.

Instead of identifying as a separate self -- a stand-alone, mortal creature of limited vision--identify as a "superself" -- a being for whom existence is co-existence. Super selves are whole sighted and non-partisan. They do not take sides, they explain. As an interdependent super self, you contain multitudes. The multitudinous superself is extended in space and time and so it is as connected and robust as singular selves are insular and vulnerable.

"The successful man adapts himself to the world, the loser persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the loser." (Simon Leys, writing in the New York Review of Books)

How, then, could losing ever be equated with failure? As every win is tainted by fear of losing the next round, so every loss is mitigated by lessons learned in defeat. Winning and losing are not antithetical; they're partners in the quest. As Don Quixote abandoned his quest, his faithful squire Sancho Panza took it up. One man's loss became everyman's win.

I never thought of it that way until I started to write this piece.

I am not alone as much as I think. I am just super the way I am. I will go to my grave realizing that I have been a born loser who managed a few wins along the way in spite of himself -- and destiny.

The world needs losers like me in order to maintain the equilibrium of human existence.

I've had a lot of help along the way!

HAPPY "LATE" EASTER THIS YEAR!

Have you been wondering why Easter is so late this year?

Well, it has to do with the Equinox Moon, or Full Moon.

Easter of course is the most important feast day on the Christian calendar. Regularly observed from the earliest days of the Church, it celebrates Christ’s resurrection from the dead, following crucifixion. It marks the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, and the last day of the Easter Triduum (starting from the evening of Maundy Thursday, through Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday), as well as the beginning of the Easter season of the liturgical year.

The resurrection represents the triumph of good over evil, sin, death, and the physical body.

Easter is a “movable feast” and does not have a fixed date; however, it is always held on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Many Eastern Orthodox churches follow the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian. In this case, the observance of Easter can occur between April 4 and May 8.

Specifically, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full Moon that occurs on or just after the spring equinox.

Interestingly, in 2019, the full Moon and the spring equinox fall on the SAME day—Wednesday, March 20. The full Moon—cresting at 9:43 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time—follows the spring equinox by less than four hours. 

On religious calendars, the first full moon of spring is called the “Paschal Full Moon” (which we’ll explain below). Traditionally, Easter is observed on the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. (If the Paschal Moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter lands on the subsequent Sunday.)

EASTER COULD HAVE BEEN IN MARCH: Following these rules, the full Moon on March 20 (the first full Moon of spring) should be the “Paschal Full Moon.” So, why isn’t Easter on Sunday, March 24?

As it turns out, to make things a little simpler for the Christian Church calendars, the spring equinox was determined to always be fixed on March 21. (In reality, the equinox can happen on March 19, 20, or 21.) Given this, the first full Moon after March 21 doesn’t occur until April 19 this year. That means … Easter is being celebrated on Sunday, April 21.

For those who want to dig a little deeper:

The word “Paschal,” which refers to the ecclesiastical (Christian church) calendar, comes from “Pascha,” a transliteration of the Aramaic word meaning Passover.

We are referring to a date of the full Moon determined many years ago as the 14th day of a lunar month. Ancient calculations (made in a.d. 325) did not take into account certain lunar motions.

So, the Paschal Full Moon is the 14th day of a lunar month occurring on or next after March 21 according to a fixed set of ecclesiastical calendar rules, which does not always match the date of the astronomical full Moon nearest the astronomical spring equinox.

It sounds complicated, but the basic idea is to make it simpler for modern calendars. Rest assured, the dates for Easter are calculated long in advance. 

The exact origin of the actual word “Easter” is unclear. It may have derived its name from the Anglo-Saxon dawn goddess of fertility Eostre, whose feast was celebrated each spring at about this time. Alternatively, it may have derived from words meaning “rising,” “dawn,” or “east.”

So there you go...And not one word about the Easter bunny!

The things you don't learn on Wrights Lane.

NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A "SENIOR" NEEDS TO CHANGE

In response to intense lobbying efforts, the federal government recently introduced a budget that included measures to increase pension security. Don't get me wrong, I think that was a good thing, but...

Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to the subject of seniors (and being senior) in general these days, but I think that a much larger issue -- older adults entering the job market, or simply trying to stay in it -- is not being addressed seriously enough.

In truth, I feel very strongly that the prevailing narrative -- that turning 60 signals a steep and irreversible decline into frailty and forgetfulness -- needs to change. As ageism researcher Helen Hirsh Spence suggests: "We have to embrace what many studies have shown...That people over 60 continue to grow intellectually, learn new skills and remain politically active."

Re-engineering how we perceive age has taken on a degree of urgency. Advances in medical care and generally healthier lifestyles have contributed to longer lifespans. The average lifespan in the 1930s when retirement age was first determined, was 62. The average lifespan today is 82, yet we continue to declare that at 65 we are officially old. It has been said that children born today can have a life expectancy of 100.

According to Barry Witkin, CEO of Prime50 Employment Services, "Employers still think that they are dealing with a 50+ person that existed 50 years ago and not realizing that the 50+ person of today is younger looking, healthier, has longevity, and wants to continue their career well past 65 or 70."

Canada has more centenarians than ever before and this number most certainly will continue to rise. Without question, many will need to keep working in order to finance the cost of living longer.

Research shows that older adults can easily acquire new skills, make decisions more quickly than younger counterparts and become more innovative with age. They posses a deep understanding of corporate structure and for those still in the workplace, are reliable and committed to their jobs. A compelling case can be made to re-hire older employees, especially given that our country faces labour shortages in key sectors and that the number of Canadians over 65 will double within the next two decades.

Would you believe that my community of Saugeen Shores is desperate for workers -- skilled trades, food service industry and retail in particular. Some businesses have found it necessary to reduce their number of shifts per day while others have actually had to close down due to the lack of workers, skilled and unskilled. One of the issues contributing to the situation seems to be a lack of suitable housing sufficient to attracting workers from outside of the community. Town council has formed a special committee to look into the matter. 

Meantime, what would be wrong with casting aside structural and self-directed ageism by recruiting from the senior pool. Let seniors know that potential employment is available to them, if they want it. Establish job descriptions that are tailored to the capabilities of older, but well qualified, people. All it takes is a new mindset and commitment conducive to everyone's advantage.

Somewhere along the line (better sooner than later) governmental bodies and employers will be required to take a close look at current employment practises and hiring procedures...And baby boomers will need to edit the negative stories they tell themselves about aging so that they can effectively use their abilities and experience going forward.

As Helen Hirsh Spense puts it..."I love diversity that is celebrated in Canada, but I am saddened that one singular form of diversity -- aging -- continues to be overlooked."

Aging is a positive force for good, but we all have to work to change the narrative.

Just because you're 60 or even 70, dare I suggest 80, it doesn't mean that you're any less talented or enthusiastic or energetic about your contribution to the world. Employers need to know that and see the tremendous value in nurturing older members of the workforce.

MY SHORT-LIVED CAREER AS A GROCERY STORE SALAD MAKER

Because my life is an open book on Wrights Lane, I will share one last sad and pathetic "downer" story in keeping with my last post on the subject of "...Struggling to Keep Our Lives Real."

A few months after my wife Rosanne passed away early last summer, I realized the necessity of finding a simple, part-time job to help supplement my seriously eroded fixed income. I had noticed an almost perpetual sign on the door of our local grocery mart: "Produce Dept. Help Wanted".

Why not, I thought..."I could do that!"

The manger of the produce department just happened to be a former neighbour and in my mind a good friend. After more than a week of contemplation, I worked up sufficient nerve to approach the middle-aged female manager one day when I was shopping in the store. "Have you hired anyone yet for that job?" I asked.

"Yes," she said, "but I still need a salad maker."

I immediately reminded myself that, as chief cook and bottle washer at home, I had been making salads for years. How difficult could the job of salad maker be?

"Well, how about me?" I asked.

"Are you serious? she questioned. "Do you really want to work in produce?"

"Yes, I'm deadly serious," I hastily responded.

Emphasizing that the job required long periods of standing on one's feet and was highly productivity oriented, she invited me to come back the following week for a period of orientation which consisted of a four-hour shift with another experienced salad maker. Somewhat overwhelmed with the variety of salads and their ingredients, I felt nonetheless sufficiently motivated to take on the job.

It was agreed that I would work two or three shifts a week to start, mostly on weekends. I was proud of myself for having obtained a job after a good 20 years in complete retirement. My first impulse was to let my daughters know that I was "returning to the work force" as a salad maker, of all things.  They were surprised, both expressing approval with detectable reservation.

With encouragement and congratulations from fellow staff members that I had become acquainted with during frequent weekly shopping visits, I put on a hair net, store-supplied baseball cap and apron, ready for my first shift as salad maker assistant.  Overall, in retrospect, I retained as much of the hastily passed on information as possible and thought that training went went as well as could be expected. I also felt comfortable with my cutting and shredding ability and was confident that in time I would memorize all the recipes without having to refer to the contents manual. 

I was on my own for the next shift a few days later and was greeted by the department manager who had a good 18 years of experience working in produce. "I just made up 12 salads in 15 minutes before you came in Dick," she announced. "I've left a list of 20 more different salads for you to make up and after that you will have to make sure that items are replaced as they are sold. I'll be working elsewhere on produce displays, but I'll check in with you from time to time."

With an obvious, abrupt change of attitude and a very serious face, she added. "I hope that at the end of the day you will be prepared if I have to tell you that this is not going to work out!"

Wow, I thought, she is really trying to tell me something and her mind is already made up. Had I not demonstrated sufficient capabilities in my orientation shift?...Had I done something(s) wrong? Or was it because I was a male doing what would have normally been a female job? Was she otherwise influenced and made to feel uncomfortable with me? Then again and worst of all, was it because of my age (80 plus) and she felt I could not keep up with the pace of the job? I'll never know, I guess.

All in all, not the best of circumstances with which to start my first solo shift. I definitely felt the pressure. Methodical by nature, I worried when I had to take the time required to consult an unfamiliar salad recipe, or to find the different locations in coolers for the required contents (varieties of lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, celery, onions, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, mixed greens, cheese, bacon crumbs, chicken, grapes, pineapple, strawberries, melons -- you name it) and appropriate dressings and suitable containers of differing sizes. Several fruit salads that I made up had to be re-made because the melon was deemed too ripe (personally, I like over-ripe melon). The final setback in my day reared its ugly head when the weigh scale labelling machine broke down and I had to leave eight fruit and vegetable bowls in the fridge for next day when the machine was repaired.

I felt the immanent and uncomfortable fall of the axe when at the end of the shift the manager rushed into the backroom work station and ignored me as she began to busily clean up the area. I tried to help, but got the strong impression that I was getting in the way.

Finally she dropped everything and, choosing words awkwardly and carefully, said: "Dick, I have to tell you that this is not working out...I have trained(?) enough people to know. You are not really on the payroll yet so the owners will likely pay you by cash from the til...Sorry!"

Ashen-faced, she reached out to hug me and I pretended that it was alright. I ceremoniously took off my cap, hairnet and apron and left them on the work counter beside the disabled labelling machine. She left to occupy herself elsewhere.

Considering it pointless to clock out, I left the store sheepishly avoiding eye contact with any of the other employees and completely disillusioned by the fact that this misplaced old guy had not been given a fair chance to prove himself. I am still convinced that I could have consistently done a good job and would have been a reliable worker, traits not all that common from what I know about the business.

I never did collect my pay.

Worst of all, I had to eventually advise my daughters that their dad's time in the work force was short lived. Being typical daughters, they thought that it was all for the better.

I now do my grocery shopping elsewhere. I am simply too embarrassed to return to the scene of the crime.

Talk about real life mimicking my worst nightmare...It could only happen to me!

If I am smart, I will never again make myself so vulnerable...even if I have to end up starving to death in my old age. I even stopped making salads at home for a while...I just did not have the taste for it.

My ego has slowly returned to its normally tentative level and I am making salads again -- for my own consumption, of course. They taste pretty damn good too! Even if I do say so myself.

P.S. The grocery store continues to advertise for help in the produce department and I wonder how many other potential salad makers they have gone through since me?...A whole lot I hope.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO PURPOSELY STRUGGLE TO KEEP OUR LIVES REAL

With tongue-in-cheek and somewhat sarcastically, I posted the following comment on Facebook yesterday: "I woke up this morning realizing that with a few exceptions, the last 76 years have been the worst of my life...And I am in my 82nd year. I will write on this subject soon, but first I have to see a psychiatrist."

I have yet to see a psychiatrist (he said jokingly), but this depressive mood was undoubtedly the aftermath of a night of recurring dreams that are all too often disturbingly tumultuous and stressful...involving real-life people, dead and alive, and situations not beyond the realm of possibility if you stretch your imagination far enough. 

What I am getting at here is that I am not claiming to be any different than most people, but it sure as hell feels that way at times. I constantly fight the impression that almost from the beginning I have had sufficient disillusionment, disagreement, failure, belittlement, sadness and grief to last a lifetime. It is almost as though I eventually became accepting of all of this as a fact of life and have stubbornly, perhaps intuitively, found ways to overcome it.

Had I not, I would not have made it this far.

I hearken to a statement by a 69-year-old woman who was sitting on a hospital bed waiting to have both breasts removed. "In a strange way I feel like the lucky one. Up to now I have had no health problems. I’m in the last room at the end of the hall before the pediatric division of the hospital begins. Over the past few hours I watched dozens of cancer patients being wheeled by in wheelchairs and rolling beds. None of these patients could be a day older than 17.”

I found myself in much the same position in hospitals with two late wives over the course of the last 30 years. There were always people (of all ages), seemingly worse off than us. It was at times like that that I realized we were not alone and that misery enjoys company. We were all in it together.

Every time it rains, it stops raining. Every time you get hurt, you heal. After darkness there is always light -- we need to be reminded of this every morning, but still we often forget, and instead choose to believe that the night will last forever. It won’t. Nothing lasts forever.

So if things are good right now, enjoy it. It won’t last forever. If things are bad, don’t worry because they won’t last forever either. Just because life isn’t easy at the moment, doesn’t mean you can’t laugh. Just because something is bothering you, doesn’t mean you can’t smile. Every moment gives you a new beginning and a new ending. You get a second chance, every second. You just have to take it and make the best of it.

Those who complain the most, accomplish the least. It’s always better to attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed. It’s not over if you’ve lost; it’s over when you do nothing but complain about it. If you believe in something, keep trying. Don’t let the shadows of the past darken the doorstep of your future. Spending today complaining or stressing about yesterday won’t make tomorrow any brighter. Take action instead. Let what you’ve learned improve how you live. Make a change and never look back.

Scars, I believe, are symbols of strength.

We should not be ashamed of the scars life has left inflicted on us. A scar means the hurt is over and the wound is closed. It means you conquered the pain, learned a lesson, grew stronger, and moved forward. A scar is the tattoo of a triumph to be proud of. Don’t allow your scars to hold you hostage. Don’t allow them to make you live your life in fear. You can’t make the scars in your life disappear, but you can change the way you see them. You can start seeing your scars as a sign of strength and not pain.

Rumi once said, “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most powerful characters in this great world are seared with scars often the result of fighting a losing battle along with a failing, terminally ill loved one.

In life, patience is not about waiting; it’s the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard on your dreams, knowing that the work is worth it. So if you’re going to try, put in the time and go all the way. Otherwise, there’s no point in starting. This could mean losing stability and comfort for a while, and maybe even your mind on occasion. It could mean not eating what, or sleeping where, you’re used to, for weeks on end. It could mean stretching your comfort zone so thin it gives you a nonstop case of the chills. It could mean sacrificing relationships and all that’s familiar. It could mean accepting ridicule from your peers. It could mean lots of time alone in solitude. Solitude, though, is the gift that makes great things possible. It gives you the space you need. Everything else is a test of your determination, of how much you really want it.

And if you want it, you’ll do it, despite failure and rejection and the odds. And every step will feel better than anything else you can imagine. You will realize that the struggle is not found on the path, it is the path. And it’s worth it.

Be positive when negativity surrounds you. Smile when others try to bring you down. It’s an easy way to maintain your enthusiasm and focus. When other people treat you poorly, keep being you. Don’t ever let someone else’s bitterness change the person you are. You can’t take things too personally, even if it seems personal. Rarely do people do things because of you. They do things because of them.

Above all, don’t ever change just to impress someone who says you’re not good enough. Change because it makes you a better person and leads you to a brighter future. People are going to talk regardless of what you do or how well you do it. So worry about yourself before you worry about what others think. If you believe strongly in something, don’t be afraid to fight for it.

Great strength comes from overcoming what others think is impossible.

True strength comes when you have so much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead. There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them. You can’t force things to happen. You can only drive yourself crazy trying. At some point you have to let go and let what’s meant to be, BE.

In the end, loving your life is about trusting your intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the memories, and learning through experience. It’s a long-term journey. You have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting every step of the way. Laugh at the confusion, live consciously in the moment, and enjoy your life as it unfolds. You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be. 

Don’t be afraid to go back up – to try again, to love again, to live again, and to dream again. Don’t let a hard lesson harden your heart. Life’s best lessons are often learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes. There will be times when it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong. And you might feel like you will be stuck in this rut forever, but you won’t. When you feel like quitting, remember that sometimes things have to go very wrong before they can be right. Sometimes you have to go through the worst, to arrive at your best.

Yes, life is tough, but you are tougher. Not only find the strength to laugh every day, but find it in your heart to make others smile too. Don’t stress over things you can’t change, like getting older and not being able to do the things you once did. Live simply. Love generously. Speak truthfully. Work diligently. Even if you fall short, keep going. Keep trying.

And take nightmares with a grain of salt...In a matter of hours they will be nothing other than a bad dream.

It's when real life mimmicks your worst nightmare, however, that a serious talk with yourself is very much in order.

HARRIET TUBMAN USED SONGS TO LEAD HER PEOPLE OUT OF BONDAGE

Harriet Tubman, the "Moses" of her people.

The Underground Railroad, was a vast network of people who helped fugitive American slaves escape to the North and into Canada. It was not run by any single organization or person. Rather, it consisted of many individuals -- some whites but predominently black -- who knew only of the local efforts to aid fugitives and not of the overall operation. Still, it effectively moved hundreds of slaves northward each year -- according to one estimate, the southern states lost 100,000 slaves between 1810 and 1850.

For me, there is nothing like good old spiritual songs. Invariably they tell stories that fascinate me, more often than not for their inspirational value and historical significance.

The story that follows is one in particular that has grabbed my attention.

In her book "Hidden in Plain View...A secret story of quilts and the underground railroad", Jacqueline L. Tobin talks about Harriet Tubman who was an Underground Railroad Conductor, nurse, spy and scout. Harriet is characterized by her strong faith, courage, tenacity, wit, ingenuity and generosity. She was also fond of spirituals, some of which she composed and actually sang herself. 

As author Tobin explains it, she sang loudly as she walked past the dwellings of her friends and relatives on the night before she ran away from slavery for the first time. "Nothing inhibited her, not even encouraging the plantation owner as she headed for the gate. To throw him off, Tubman sang all the louder."

Tubman at one time told how the master looked back at her, puzzled by what he heard.  He must have been suspicious, and with good reason. Tubman was gone by morning. Her farewell song reads:

"I'm sorry I'm gwuin to lebe you.
Farewell, oh farewell;
But I'll meet youy in the mornin',
Farewell, oh farewell.

"I'll meet you in the morning',
I'm boun' for de promised land, 
On the oder side of Jordan, 
Boun' for de promised land..."

Indeed, Tubman was bound for the promised land. Once there, she worked diligently in order to make return visits to bring others out of bondage. That was her mission. She became the Moses of her people, leading hundreds to freedom.

On her journeys, Tubman used songs to indicate when it was safe for the fugitives to move from place to place. She also warned her charges of encroaching danger through the use of song.  In her own words, she explained how the system worked.  She said that she instructed her "passengers" to hide in the woods during the day while she went to the home of a friend of the Underground Railway (as she called it) to buy needed provisions. She could not return to her charges until nightfall, lest she be discovered and lead slave catchers back to the hiding place.

The song she would sing as an all-clear was one she composed herself. It was sung to a simple Methodist melody, the first stanza going like this...

"Hail, oh hail ye happy spirits,
Death no more shall make you fear,
No grief nor sorrow, pain nor anger (anguish)
Shll no more distress you there..."

Tubman disclosed the way she used her song saying: "De first time I go by singin dis hymn, dey don't come out to me...til I listen if de coast is clar; den when I go back and sing it again, dey come out. But if I sing:

'Moses go down in Egypt,
Tell ole Pharo' let my people go,
Hadn't ben for Adam' fall,
Shouldn't bab to died at all.'
...den dey don't come out, for ders danger in de way."

What a chilling experience it must have been for all as they waited, exhausted, hungry and in a constant state of anxiety, hoping to hear the lengthy spiritual sung twice," Tobin commented in her book.

According to sources, the spiritual that Tubman enjoyed the most was "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", in fact it was sung by her friends in tribute to her on the evening of her death, March 10, 1913.

The words from :"Swing Low..." draw from Old Testament accounts of Elijah and Ezekiel in which the chariot figures prominently. Just as it did for Elijah, the blazing chariot waited for Tubman and for all champions of God and the oppressed. The biblical chariot takes the just to glory. 

In the spirituals, the chariot symbolizes a means of transportation, a wagon, or a conductor of the Underground Railroad. Of the many spirituals in which the chariot motif appears this is the most well loved and frequently sung:

Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home

I looked over Jordan, and I what did I see
Coming for to carry me home?
A band of angels coming after me
Coming for to carry me home

If you get there before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I coming too
Coming for to carry me home

I'm sometimes up, I'm sometimes down
Coming for to carry me home
But still my soul feels heavenly bound
Coming for to carry me home.

The chariot variously "swings low" to pick up and carry the slaves home, to ride the singers up "over Jordan." It brings peace, rest, and release from the secular world. It is the good news that the chariot is coming for to carry us home...and that includes you and me my friend!

I honestly believe that Christianity cannot be construed as a religion.

So often you hear from people who think they will go to heaven because they have “been a good person”. Being good has nothing to do with whether you are saved or not. That’s religion. You can’t earn it. Thank God, because none of us could ever be good enough. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” God is perfect, and in order to be one with God and commune with the Almighty we would have to be perfect too. Only one person could ever do this, Jesus Christ. That’s why it took Jesus to stand in the gap and pay the price for all of us. That is also why we pray "in the name of Jesus." Our sins are erased because of Christ. Theologians use a big term for this called “Substitutionary atonement” (check it out).


“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.” ~1 John 1:8-10.

In the post that follows I attempt to sort all of this out, if only for my own edification.

THIS JOB OF BEING A CHRISTIAN CAN BE VERY HUMANLY CHALLENGING

I read recently that one of the greatest obstacles to becoming a committed Christian is that Christianity is challenging and that is exactly why I produce what is to follow. 

The task of living a fully God-centered life is no walk in the park, as the lives of the greatest and most fully converted Christians who have ever lived—the saints—will attest. Indeed, Christianity lived to the fullest involves struggle. But is the struggle worth it?

Often the skeptic will see the struggle and be deterred. But of course, even the most hardened skeptic cannot be considered a total write-off. Indeed some skeptics are eventually compelled to change their mind. This is the hopeful realization that drives evangelism.

The rejection of God today, however, is often not caused primarily by philosophical argument. Usually it is a result of indifferentism towards religion—a result of what Bishop Robert Barron has called the “Meh” culture. The question is: Is this popular religious indifference warranted? Are Christians who toil for the cause of Christ wasting their precious time?

If God does not exist, it does not matter how you wager, for there is nothing to win after death and nothing to lose after death. But if God does exist, your only chance of winning eternal happiness is to believe, and your only chance of losing it is to refuse to believe. As Pascal says, ‘I should be much more afraid of being mistaken and then finding out that Christianity is true than of being mistaken in believing it to be true.’

The Christian life demands change, and the toughest kind. It often means turning from the things that come easiest—things that satisfy our natural urges. But the ability to freely choose to say no to our urges and impulses is what makes us distinctly human.  To say no—and yes!—at the right time is what makes humans happy. Ideally, this is true freedom. Christianity is an invitation to actualize the human destiny of everlasting happiness; and through the Church, God has provided the road map to get us there.

Christianity is hard because it aims to soften hearts. One of the tough facts of Christianity is that we must face up to the fact that we are fallen. We are often not what we ought to be. G.K. Chesterton writes: “One of the chief uses of religion is that it makes us remember our coming from darkness, the simple fact that we are created.”

What makes Christianity hard is that it reminds us of our imperfections. We are much too prideful to enjoy such a thing—and this, I fear, is where the skeptic checks out. The skeptic robs himself of the opportunity to encounter the Good News. Chesterton famously remarked: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”

This is the great modern tragedy arising out of an age of hedonism and “choose your own way” morality. One might call our times the “Age of Self-Sedation.” Instead of pursuing the supernatural high that explodes interiorly from personal union with God (the highest of highs—just read St. John of the Cross or St. Teresa of Avila), the modern man chases sex, drugs, travel, houses, fame, “likes,” retweets, and on goes the list. But it is to no lasting avail.

A Christian who thinks he can be a saint without suffering in this world is mistaken. This begs the question: “Who would choose such an unhappy life?” In "God in the Dock", the former atheist C.S. Lewis responded to this question by remarking: “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”

It is true that Christianity does not exist to make us happy. But it does exist to make us joyful. Peter Kreeft, who some believe is the “C.S. Lewis of our times,” makes the following distinction: “Joy is more than happiness, just as happiness is more than pleasure. Pleasure is in the body. Happiness is in the mind and feelings. Joy is deep in the heart.” 

The Gospel is an invitation to life everlasting from the Everlasting Man—and with life everlasting comes joy everlasting. Christ promises us that “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9). Of course, this offer means nothing if God does not exist. It would mean the Christian labors in vain. At best it would be a nice idea worth spreading to make one feel warm and fuzzy, a safety blanket for the naive. Steven Hawking once proposed that heaven is a “fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” Oxford mathematician John Lennox replied by saying, “Atheism is a fairy story for those afraid of the Light.”

God is not a wishful “projection” of the human mind, as Ludwig Feuerbach and friends have contended. There is far too much external evidence for the existence of God. Thus, theoretical physicist Paul Davies, though not a religious man, has concluded upon analysis of the cosmos: “There is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all…It seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature’s numbers to make the Universe…The impression of design is overwhelming.”

A different kind of projection that is, however, a real issue is the skeptic’s projection of human qualities onto God. Thus, when the critic of Christianity says, “If God really existed he would (or would not) do this or that,” what he really means is, “If I were God, I would (or would not) do this or that.” This might be called the anthropomorphic problem of the problem of evil. Contrarily, the God of Christianity is eternal, immaterial, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present—and yes, all-good and loving. He is not like us in all his perfection but rather wholly other. Therefore, we cannot expect to understand God’s ways absolutely. This is where religious belief comes in—when the human intellect meets its threshold and “informed” faith bursts forward. As a wise English convert to Christianity has reflected: “The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits.”

This does not mean, however, that Christian faith and the works that flow from it are based irrationally on a grand metaphysical guess about the unseen. Christianity hinges on the person of Jesus, and virtually all New Testament experts today, including the critics, agree that Jesus certainly existed. To add to the testimony of his existence, ancient texts such as the Babylonian Talmud record Jesus to be a worker of wondrous deeds. We have more reliable historical information about Jesus than almost any other major figure in antiquity. (Unfortunately, it is often overlooked that the New Testament writings are also valuable ancient historical texts.)

Furthermore, the miracle claims of Christianity abound and continue to survive rigorous scientific scrutiny. Recognized by researchers are new developments with the Shroud of Turin; naturally inexplicable events like a dancing sun in Fatima confirmed by secular newspapers and hundreds of eyewitnesses; the “bread” of the Eucharist mysteriously changing to uncorrupting human flesh (like in Lanciano, Italy); the incorrupt bodies of deceased saints (like St. Bernadette); and countless records of miraculous cures and healings, such as those in Lourdes, France. This sheds some light on why Christians are so willing to suffer for their faith: they know with their heart, as well as their head, that Jesus is who he claimed to be. And through miraculous events such as these, God has given believers (and unbelievers) a little help.

It must be noted, however, that in Christianity, the heart has a certain primacy over the head; for God judges hearts, not heads. Faith is largely a matter of the heart—indeed, its surrendering, even breaking. 

But the choice to be Christian is as much a decision to follow one’s head as a decision to follow one’s heart. Faith stands on the shoulder of reason as we “logic things out” in order to approach (and accept) the mysteries of faith. But I feel that religious faith is not opposed to reason. Reason leads to faith. As St. John Paul the Great has confirmed for us: “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”

Sad to say, there are times when my reasoning power is not adequately fulfilling and I lack faith in my ability to meet the challenge I mentioned at the beginning of this piece. Could be that I am not sufficiently saved, and only God can help me now. But then again, why should He when He has 6,928,198,253 other people living in the world to be concerned about? That's just me looking for answers when there are none.

This is all so much hard work for a simple man who is getting slightly tired and somewhat reluctant to call himself a Christian, given what I have just so sanctimoniosly outlined. Personally speaking, there is no joy when in pensive moments I erroneously feel that my beliefs have set me up to fail. I have to remind myself that Jesus died for my sins and I am already saved. I just have to keep acknowleding that fact.

Nevertheless, please heart, don't just yet fail this old sinner who has not always practised what he preached, but meant well!

WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE ABOUT "US AND THEM"?

The more I delve into history and human nature the more I am aware of what an "Us vs. Them" world we live in.

Politics, religion, nationality, ethnicity, race, sports, social standing -- you name it -- we take sides and it is more often than not in the form of an unpleasant rivalry that creates bitter enemies. It was ever thus...and that is not a good thing. Personality clashes, differences of opinion, out-and-out hatred...From where I sit, I am growing weary of it all.

Good reasoning doesn’t come naturally. In fact, humans are instinctively terrible reasoners. Most of the time, the way our brains work isn’t rational at all. Even with exceptional training in analytical thinking, we still have to overcome instincts to think simplistically and nonanalytically.

Just stop and think for a moment about assumptions that can lead to errors of reasoning.

Stereotype: A simplified image of a type or category of people, incorporating assumptions about those people.
Prejudice: A preconceived belief (usually negative) about all people belonging to one type or category.
Partisanship: The tendency to favor those with whom you agree.
Provincialism: The tendency to believe that the issues you feel most strongly about are the most important.
Herd instinct: The tendency to adhere to cultural norms of belief and behavior.
Availability bias: The tendency to assume that memorable or hard-to-ignore events are more common than unmemorable ones.

Good reasoning requires that we withhold judgment until we have all the facts, collect evidence from neutral sources, and make sure that we understand all sides of an issue. Unfortunately, the human brain seems to have a compulsion to simplify. Unless we are vigilant, certain instinctual thought patterns derail our attempts at solid analytical reasoning.

One type of simplification involves putting people into groups, since it’s easier to deal with a few groups than with many individuals. We not only pigeonhole other people — we also put ourselves into groups and then identify strongly with our self-imposed categories. This has some benefits, especially in marketing and politics — it can be much easier to appeal to someone’s group identity than to appeal to the individual. But the assumptions that we make about people based on their categories can impair reasoning.

Depending on our taxonomy, we may be more or less likely to heed people, more or less likely to find their concerns important, more or less likely to contradict them, and more or less likely to think well of them. We may also seek out evidence that supports our assumptions, instead of evidence that is solid and unbiased. I am convinced that many of us fall short in this area and are too stubbornly biased to do anything about it.

Certainly, it is natural to have positive beliefs about a group to which you belong, and to make assumptions (positive or negative) about other groups. Admittedly, sometimes these assumptions are useful. We think of stereotypes as negative, and many are ill-founded or mean, but some assumptions can help us target an audience that enables us to get our message across. For instance, it is a stereotype that high school students are interested in video games. It’s not true of every student, but if you are trying to reach a group of high-school-age kids, you could do worse than to base your approach on that idea.

However, there are several ways in which these assumptions can get in the way of good reasoning.

Prejudice. Even if a stereotype is based in reality — and many are not — it will not be true of every member of a group. Assuming that you know what someone is like because of the groups they belong to is prejudice, and it can keep you from rationally evaluating their motives and choices.

Partisanship. We tend to make positive assumptions about groups to which we belong. Among other assumptions, we believe that people who think like us are more rational and more informed than people with whom we disagree. This hinders reasoning because we accept arguments based on who makes them, not on their content or support.

Provincialism. We tend to think that issues affecting our identity groups are more important or more urgent than issues affecting other groups. This prevents us from accurately evaluating these issues.

Herd instinct. We make assumptions about what’s acceptable and popular in the groups to which we belong, and it’s often hard to go against these norms. When an opinion is unpopular, the herd instinct can make us inclined to ignore evidence so we can maintain beliefs that are in line with the mainstream beliefs.

But today many of these social categories and stereotypes are propagated by society, tradition, and culture. They are not relevant anymore, but we continue to believe them and in many ways they become self-fulfilling beliefs.

We first need to become more aware of our tendency to put people into groups and create an “Us vs. Them” mentality.

As I say, we see it all the time in politics, war, sports and other aspects of our culture, but at the end of the day a lot of this thinking creates unnecessary tension and antagonism between everyone.

Group thinking causes us to act irrationally and uncooperative, because we are more concerned about conforming with our group instead of thinking intelligently for ourselves, or recognizing other people’s interests and values outside of our own social circle.

Instead of seeing people in groups, a better perspective is to see everyone as an individual worthy of respect, equality, and kindness, regardless of what groups they may be categorized in.

We shouldn’t necessarily ignore these common differences between us, but we certainly shouldn’t use them to judge people as “superior” or “inferior” – or see them as a battle between “Us vs. Them.” It is driving a dangerous wedge between people and at the expense of everyone.

If you choose to associate with a group identity, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Just be super mindful of it and be cautious if that identity starts to have a negative influence on how you view other people who you don’t identify with.

I personally try to identify with everyone in some way. I believe that at the core of human beings we want to have faith, all the while trying to find happiness and enjoy life -- and in that sense we are all connected as one, so there is no need to divide.

I know...it is all so much easier said than done...But let's try, for the betterment of society going forward!

ABOUT KIDS WHO HAVE LEARNING DISORDERS LIKE ME...

While I have never officially been diagnosed with dyslexia, there is no question that I struggled with school larnin' issues in my formative years and continue to compensate for it to this very day.

You know -- short-term memory lapses, slow deliberate speech, tip-of-the-tongue words suddenly failing me, saying one thing and meaning something entirely the opposite (i.e north and south, left and right), having to read something multiple times in order for it to sink in, difficulty grasping mathematics in general, problems with focusing or concentrating (a day-dreamer), all of which result in low self esteem from an early age. Slow and methodical to this day, always learning from rote.

Sad to say, kids with learning disorders were given a short shift when I was in primary school in the 1940's. Relegated to bottom-of-the-class level as hopeless, hapless dummies, teachers generally gave up on kids like me. We were labelled as lazy and disinterested. Smart kids were the teacher's pet and it was my first exposure to second-class citizenry. We were left to fall further behind with each passing school year and to eventually drop out in an attempt to leave failure and humiliation as far behind as possible.

Accused always of not applying myself, I became disillusioned, fed up and cynical about anything pertaining to school, yet determine to eventually prove them all wrong...somehow. Mature student courses, experimentation and nose-to-the-grindstone dedication to learning while on the job, enabled me to enjoy a degree of career success, in more than one line of endeavour. 

Succinctly, I had to leave school in order to discover and develop what few special skills God had given me. Dear knows how much better balanced and happier I could have been if only I had guidance in applying myself much earlier in life.

I am convinced that children are much more energized when they envision a future that is in line with their own values than when they dutifully do whatever they believe they have to in order to live up to their parents’ or or teachers' expectations. We don’t inspire our kids through fear. We inspire them by helping them to focus on getting better at something, rather than being the best, and by encouraging them to immerse themselves in something they love.

Because this subject has been rather a sore spot for me, I have given it considerable study, leading me to believe that I really did not have a reading problem per se. My issue was more mathematical. I do not think that I ever passed a math test or exam in my entire life.

Proficient reading and mathematics skills, in particular, are an essential tools for learning a large part of the subject matter taught in schools today. With an ever increasing emphasis on education and literacy, more and more children and adults are needing help in learning to read, spell, express their thoughts on paper and acquire adequate use of readin', writin' and 'rithmatic skills.

Formerly called developmental arithmetic disorder, developmental acalculia, or dyscalculia, I am convinced that I was inflicted with a learning disorder in which a person's mathematical ability is substantially below the level normally expected based on age, intelligence, life experiences, educational background, and physical impairments. This disability affects the ability to do calculations as well as the ability to understand word problems and mathematical concepts.

Mathematics disorder was first described as a developmental disorder in 1937. Since then, it has come to encompass a number of distinct types of mathematical deficiencies. These include:
-- difficulty reading and writing numbers
-- difficulty aligning numbers in order to do calculations
-- inability to perform calculations
-- inability to comprehend word problems

The range and number of mathematical difficulties that have been documented suggests that there are several different causes for mathematics disorder. In addition, several known physical conditions cause mathematics disorder. Mathematics disorder is often associated with other learning disorders involving reading and language, although it may also exist independently in children like me whose reading and language skills are average or above average.

The causes of mathematics disorder are not understood. Different manifestations of the disorder may have different causes. Symptoms of the disorder, however, can be grouped into four categories: language symptoms; recognition or perceptual symptoms; mathematical symptoms; and attention symptoms.

The number of children with mathematics disorder is not entirely clear. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is the basic manual consulted by mental health professionals in assessing the presence of mental disorders, indicates that about 1% of school age children have mathematics disorder. 

Other studies, however, have found higher rates of arithmetical dysfunction in children. Likewise, some studies find no gender difference in the prevalence of mathematics disorder, while others find that girls are more likely to be affected. Mathematics disorder, like other learning disabilities, however, appears to run in families, suggesting the existence of a genetic component to the disorder.

In defense of all dyslexics and acalculiacs (or dycalculiacs), it has been determined that they have many strengths: oral skills, comprehension, good visual spatial awareness/artistic abilities and creativity. More and more of these children have potential to become talented and gifted students if schools worked not only with their specific areas of difficulty, but also their specific areas of strengths from an early age. To do this we have to let go of outmoded viewpoints that a child with any type of learning disorder must first fail, in order to be identified.

Above all, there must be an understanding from all who teach them, that they may have many talents and skills. Their abilities must not be measured purely on the basis of their difficulties in acquiring literacy skills. All children thrive on challenges and successes in the classroom. At no time should they be made to feel that they are inferior and face the possibility of developing a lasting complex like mine.

Be all that as it may, if only I could have been spared going through life and finding myself in positions where I was required to appear smarter than I really was. It can be damn uncomfortable keeping up perceptions.

"To thine own self be true." -- William Shakespeare.

THE BOOK WE ALL LIVE...

WE ALL HAVE EXCITING LIFE STORIES TO TELL AND THE BEST CHAPTERS MAY BE YET TO COME

I have fun following the curmudgeonly astronomer Jonathan Cainer.  There are times when he makes absolutely no sense at all and there are other times when he is eerily close to the mark. He was talking about people's life stories not too long ago and he struck a chord with me.

Just think about it for a minute.  We all have amazing life stories to tell, if only we were so moved.  Some publishers would no doubt reject many of our life tales because they feel that they are just not believable enough.  Other publishing brain trusts may determine that some of our stories are beyond belief, perhaps better portrayed as fiction.

Of course, certain aspects of our life experiences would require selective self-editing and may not bear repeating publicly.  But that's another story, right?

For some of us, there have been so many uncanny coincidences and inexplicable developments in our life stories.  Even with all the nuances and details accounted for, we still find it hard to explain exactly why and how some things have happened to us.

Once we simplify some of those details, it all starts to seem faintly miraculous, doesn't it...Great stories that most of us will ultimately take untold to the grave with us, and that is a shame.

But you know what, if you are reading this post, your story is not finished yet.  What miraculous next chapter is just around the next corner for each and every one of us?  Exciting thought, isn't it!

If I were a publisher today, I'd love to hear all about your life story friend...So keep your pencil sharp.  You may yet have a best seller on your hands.  Keep living the tale and adding exciting new chapters as you go!

Make your life story a long and good one.