Coming Out of the Closet … with Charlie

Funny how some of the things that seem so terrible at the time, maybe humiliating and embarrassing moments, turn out to be life’s most wonderful and beneficial lessons. The key is getting over it, learning from it and moving on.

Some years ago working in North Carolina, living back in the woods, down a dirt road that ran through a tobacco field outside of Greensboro, I was employed by a very small division of a large textile corporation.

A tremendous opportunity arose for our small start up division when a prospective client showed interested in the services of our fledgling company to support their national advertising campaign, .

Excited at the prospect of “hitting the big time”, my boss Charlie and I worked up a presentation to sell our services.

Now, I was feeling pretty important at this point. It was looking like I had “arrived”. Just a few years earlier, as a young, mid-twenties, computer operations specialist I was far from being a consultant. Now look at me, flying on the company plane to New York City to make an important client presentation, “hitting the BIG TIME”.

When the limousine pulled up under the wing of the corporate plane at Teeterboro airport, my eyes glazed over at the feeling of being “Executive Material”… a most important young man. Amazing how quickly one can get stars in their eyes!!!

               

We were whisked by limousine down to Madison Avenue. The Ad agency offices where we were to meet the client were right out of a Hollywood set, expensive furniture and luxurious brilliant red carpet covered the floor and then continued right up the walls. A few pictures on the walls broke up the sea of red, and there were several gold door knobs adorning the carpeted walls, indicating doors leading to the inside office corridor and conference rooms. 

Warmly welcomed by the Ad Agency staff, we made our way into a conference room filled with client representatives and Ad agency executives, and we made our presentation. 

Then, feeling the glow that comes with a successful sales presentation and with my own visions of rapid growth into top management ranks becoming more realistic, Charlie and I confidently left the room. Most of the client group followed us out into the reception area, exchanging wishes for safe travel.

Then, the unthinkable happened. I reached for the gold doorknob, the one prominently sticking out of that sea of red carpet. As I opened the door and walked out of the offices, both Charlie and I looked back to say one more "Thank You". As the door closed behind us, it became very dark. With sinking heart I realized what had happened. I had gone through the wrong door and we were in the coat closet. Charlie nudged me and said, "We have to come out of the closet."

My worst fears were realized as we emerged from the closet and saw the entire group, customers, ad agency executives, receptionist all laughing so hard that tears were streaming down their faces. My visions of “self-importance” shattered, no more Mr. Big Shot. Completely humiliated, I reached for another of those treacherous gold door knobs and this time, thankfully, it was the exit door.

Charlie never said a word. He is just a little my senior, a Vice President in our company, very mature, very smart, and much more conservative. Like, he knows the difference between a closet and a corridor.

When we had traveled down about 20 floors in the high speed elevator Charlie, breaking the deafening silence, said softly, “Well Collini (a nickname he gave me), do you think they guessed we were small town North Carolina boys?”

Well, in spite of having the "ego stuffing" knocked out of me, with the tension lifted and the air cleared I started laughing, and we laughed all the way to the ground floor, out into the street, into a taxi, and actually we have been laughing about it ever since.

I learned two very valuable lessons that day. First, humor heals. Charlie’s own humility, his ability to overlook an act that made us both look silly, and pretty darn "country", and his kind support of an employee/friend made a lasting impression. That wonderful example of forgiveness, overcoming embarrassment, being able to laugh at life was surely a cure for self-importance. Recently, still remembering that experience after all of the years, Charlie sent me the cartoon below:

                CHARLIE and COLLINI in the BIG CITY 

Friendship means forgiveness, patience, not holding a grudge, overlooking faults. It means encouraging, building up, supporting.

So many times since that day I have laughed during the most tense and serious moments, remembering that “Coming out of the Closet” experience, being reminded that human experience is like a dream, that we can change things by our attitude, we can “improve the dream”, we can survive the mistakes, the wrong moves, the sometimes poorly made decisions.

The second and very important lesson was that pride and a feeling of self-importance are NOT OUR FRIENDS.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to the hungry hearts of the people of his day, included a simple formula for success and happiness. In the book of Matthew, he counseled, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) Far from being a sign of weakness, meekness opens our eyes to see who we REALLY are as God's children.

A wonderful rendering of this same verse as recorded in The Message translation by Bible Scholar Eugene H. Peterson, from the original languages, brings it close to home to me: “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”

When we tear away the false “this world” concept of success and happiness, the “race to the top”, pursuing wealth, fame, the need to be "the greatest" or to be admired for our wonderful achievements, we come to better understand the things of true worth and value. We become open to understanding our heritage as spiritual beings, as heirs of God. We begin see the true joy and happiness which is ours as we express the real and lasting qualities of love; tenderness; faithfulness; loyalty; honesty; selflessness. The temptation to be "someone else" fades away, replaced by a priceless sense of the wonder of life itself.

Experience shows that we could interpret the verse about "meekness" to say, "stay out of the fickle closet of arrogance and ego", and keep your eyes open to be sure you enter the right door, the door to unselfishness, humility and love.

Take my word for it.... It’s dark in that closet!!!

Looking to the Present

Well, it’s a beautiful day for my first flying lesson. As I strapped myself in and got settled behind the controls, I guess through reflex I looked up to adjust the rear view mirror as I would in a car. 

 But, there was no rear view mirror. That loud, cruel laughter you hear is from the young, cocky flight instructor as he assured me that in this plane were not going to fly backwards. “It’s all going to be Forward and Upward,” says he!

I guess that wasn’t the first time I had fallen for the temptation to look back. So many times I have caught myself ruminating over things that have happened in The Past… hastily made poor decisions, impulsive acts, moving too quickly or not fast enough, hurting someone’s feelings through insensitive actions, saying the wrong or hurtful thing, disappointing someone, disappointing myself.

Analyzing, regretting or longing for the past is a total waste of time, I know. On one occasion I went back to my hometown remembering how wonderful my childhood was, but the city wasn’t the same, nothing was the way I remembered it.

I guess you can say that I’ve given up all hope of seeing a better past!

And truly, that is the good news. The past is unchangeable and irrelevant. We have only Today. Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow isn’t here yet, and we have this wonderful Today to enjoy. Regretting or even longing to return to the Past is like awakening from a really interesting dream, and then trying to quickly slip back to sleep to see how it will turn out. Silly, I know.

The Bible points us in the right direction with assertions such as ”Beloved, now are we the sons of God” * and “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation."** Not last year or even yesterday… but NOW.

Even if our memories of the past are happy, warm and comfortable, we can certainly enjoy the afterglow, but to dwell on the past, to linger, to pine, to feel guilt or sorrow and let it control our present is futile and an obstacle to forward movement. As the stockbrokers always say, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.”

Maybe like me, you have heard older folks say “Well in my day” followed by some commentary, usually painting a picture of what they remember as better times pulled from their memory, many times forgetting the bad parts and recalling only the wonderful moments. 

A wonderful blog that I enjoy, “Listen Up and Lighten Up, written by Laura Moliter, recently featured this wonderful description of Today’s promise:  "Accept today’s glorious and loving renewal. Looking over our shoulder with regret or carrying fears forth into a day that is full of perfecting protection and affection, is an unnecessary burden. The former things, the old thinking that never did us any favors, can be left in last year without a backward glance. You are not your history. You are not even your future. You are this moment’s child, new born through grace, innocent and ready and loved by God.**

A proclamation of promise contained in Science and Health says: “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings.”**

So, back in our Cessna, as we become airborne, leaving the runway and Yesterday behind, we bank to the left, make one last pass over the Field of the Past, and still climbing Forward and Upward, continue heading into the Present…. Today.

(Click links to go to source)
* I John 3:2 ** II Corinthians 6:2                             

*** Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures... Mary Baker Eddy

NOISE

WHAT has happened to us, the human race???…  It didn’t come suddenly, but with stealth, the arrival of NOISE.  "Turn off the TV,  will you please, Dear,  those commercials are so loud I can’t think."   Oh, it wasn’t the commercials?  It was several political analysts arguing over some obscure meaningless  point, almost shouting,  talking over each other and getting louder and louder

That’s better, no wait,  what’s that noise?  Oh, it’s the ear shattering blast of a huge truck gearing down on the hill across the river, or is it a group of motorcyclists?  Somebody’s really proud of those  loud exhaust pipes, I know.  Then there are the cars passing by with the stereo blasting,  factories clanging, train engines passing nearby with their horns shrieking, iPod, CD players, cell phones, ring tones…STOP!!!!

Where has all the silence gone? 

Here’s a test.  Have you ever been deep in the woods, or the middle of a lake, or in a desert place, or some other REALLY quiet spot where there were no sounds, except maybe the whisper of the wind, or the song of a bird, or the ripple of water over the rocks in a stream?   Or even as I have, in the middle of my corn patch with the bees buzzing loudly around the corn, doing their work?   A place where there were no other sounds to distract,  where no voices rang out with human opinions, where it was possible, and oh so very enjoyable, to shut down the physical senses and just… yes… listen.  Jesus called it “entering into a closet”, a quiet place where you are alone with your thoughts from God.

Is there a conspiracy to keep us from listening to the quiet things?  Has loud noise stolen our ability to Listen to the sweet, soft sounds?  Is noise an escape, a diversion so that we don’t have to think, or listen to the sounds of our mental voice whispering?   Or to avoid what  I call the built-in GPS,  the God Positioning System.
  
You can hear silence, you know.  And in that silence, there are Angels.

Now Angels, to me, are not winged creatures that fly down from heaven.  My concept of angels is captured perfectly in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.  She describes ANGELS as  “God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual  intuitions, pure and perfect; the inspiration of goodness,  purity, and immortality, counteracting all evil, sensuality, and mortality."  

Angel thoughts are those pure, loving, inspiring thoughts that pop up spontaneously and we wonder where in the world they came from.  Now God’s “angel thoughts” don’t REQUIRE silence, I have heard them in the midst of frightening situations , or when the crowd was roaring at a baseball game, or even over the screech of brakes in a tight driving situation.   But..Oh.. the beauty of the still small voice that whispers in velvet tones in the stillness of the “closet”, where all extraneous noises are shut out and focus is totally on listening.  This is where the uplifting thought, the enlightening ideas, the inspired solution to a problem over which we may have been struggling arrives, the light that shines in thought to dispel the darkness of confusion and uncertainty, to reveal a wonderful opportunity.

A quote from Mary Baker Eddy shares this thought:
Father, teach me how to still
The clamoring of sense, and fill
My place as listener,

That I may hear Thy voice 
and grow To understand Thy Word, 
and so Become Thy messenger.

Then teach me how to banish pride 
And stubborn will that I may be Thy representative –
With no false sense of human zeal, 
That every word may bless and heal, 
When I Thy message give.  
 (Grekel, Doris, The Forever Leader, p.222)  

Will you Listen with me?  The Divine Mind, God is talking… Shhhh......

Leap-The-Dip

Who thought it was a good idea to sit here in the front row? My stomach feels like a thousand butterflies are fighting to get out. I had a feeling that this was going to happen when I was standing in line. 

 When I was young I had heard about the Leap-The-Dips, a roller coaster built in 1902 at Lakemont Park in Altoona,  Pennsylvania and it sounded like such great fun, I had always wanted to experience that. But after standing in line for some time at this newer, higher, more modern roller coaster in Ohio, seeing how high the structure was, my resolve was starting to weaken. Now, in a front row seat, looking ahead at the tracks climbing skyward, reaching almost to the puffy clouds overhead it seemed, I wished that I could jump out of the car and run back to the ice cream stand that we had just passed.
I consoled myself that the Leap-The-Dips had survived for many years and I hadn't heard of anyone getting hurt badly. Before I could ruminate and build the level of fear any further, the car had filled and we started to roll slowly, clank, clank,…. clack, clack… and my heart was echoing that rhythm, beat, beat,... beat beat... inching our way up above the midway, the entire amusement park appearing below. Just when I wondered if the car would make the summit, suddenly the bottom dropped out and we rocketed down the other side of the coaster, going faster and faster, ears filled with screams of those on board, the funny, queasy feeling in the stomach, me not knowing whether to laugh, scream or cry and with a wrenching jerk we bottomed out and started up the next hill, heading towards another adventurous descent and a sharp curve at the bottom.

Thinking back, I am glad that I experienced that ride and a few other similar rides in following years. It was a great preparation for life. It’s funny how similar many of life’s experiences can be to those roller coaster rides, the ups and downs the fear and exhilaration, the moments of expectation and anticipation sometimes followed by fear and regret, that we face as we go through life.

Many of us can relate to that roller coaster ride. There are so many examples of the ups and downs that we face every day... the abrupt stock market fluctuations, perhaps our personal finances, strained relationships among countries in the world, our relationships with family and friends, or seemingly serious health situations involving our loved ones. Just as a roller coaster works because of gravity, a force that pulls things down, most often just when they are at the height of their climb, there is a sudden downward pull which frightens, discourages and at the least causes abrupt and sometimes extreme changes in our circumstances, our relationships and general quality of life.

At one time as I was working in an automotive manufacturing company.  The plant where my data center was located was an automotive stamping plant and this particular plant manager was being honored by the Corporation for excellent profitability, productivity and safety numbers.   Sitting in his office that day I congratulated him for the recognition and he told me, “Pat, in this business, when things look really good on paper they’re not as good as they look. And when our plant looks bad on paper it’s not really as bad as it looks.” And isn’t life like that?!!

That to me was helpful and I think of that often. That roller coaster, that juxtaposition of happiness and sorrow, of exhilaration and fear, of confidence and doubt are extremes which should be smoothed out by a calmer sense of what’s really going on in life. 

As I go back to my Personal User Manual, the Bible, I find such calming examples of how others in history have actually been able to smooth out the bumps and see life in a more spiritual context, see that relying on a spiritual view of life, as opposed to the discouraging and disappointing views that matter gives us, can solve our problems in practical ways. 

Christ Jesus was a great calming influence to his disciples and to others who were with him. In the midst of a storm at sea, the height of fear, when his disciples were sure that tragedy was imminent and Jesus was asleep, they awakened him and he immediately calmed the storm. To me, his action calmed their thoughts, removed their fear, as when a young child is fearful during the night and the father or mother goes into the bedroom to reassure them that all is well and that they are safe. 

In instance after instance, Jesus demonstrated in practical examples that the roller coaster of events in life can be smoothed out by reliance on God, our spiritual source, to provide food, drink, health, sanity, life where their opposites appeared to be. His greeting was usually, “Peace be unto you.” 

Another Biblical example was an occasion when the King of Syria was very upset with the prophet Elijah and sent a great number of men, horses and chariots to find Elijah and bring him back to the king. Elijah’s servant was very afraid as he awakened to see that they were surrounded by the king’s army. But, Elijah, a prophet that trusted in God’s care and protection reassured his servant. “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."    II Kings 6: 14

I am sure many have prayed to understand, as I have, 'What can I do to place myself on a more even keel? How can I experience more consistency, more harmony, less upheaval?'     Now we may not be surrounded by chariots and horses, but what if we could see the serene, calm picture of spiritual thought,  could see that the storm we are facing can be stilled, the multitudes of our needs can be fed, the illness healed, the tears turned to laughter, the turbulence smoothed by the calm abiding? How can we be a “God listener?"   See through the fog?  

Recent events in my own personal experience have reinforced the conviction that we can indeed slow down the coaster, quiet the fear, feel confidence and trust by turning to God for guidance. My solution is to turn to the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, a Bible companion used by people of many religions.

One of my favorite Bible “calmers” is found in Psalms 91.

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."        I like to add here, “Nor for the roller coaster of emotion”!!!

When our thought is safely cloistered within that “secret place” where we are listening to God’s thoughts for us, quietly contemplating our oneness with God, our eternal Father, Creator, the source of all being, we can relax, get off of the coaster.

Mary Baker Eddy, an influential American author, teacher, and religious leader, noted for her groundbreaking ideas about spirituality and health, which she named Christian Science, counseled this: "Man is not a pendulum, swinging between evil and good, joy and sorrow, sickness and health, life and death."      "Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously." * 

We can turn the roller coaster into a gentle carousel, smooth the ups and downs, listen to the calliope playing a cheerful melody as we feel God’s calming reassurance.

* Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures - Mary Baker Eddy

My Friend Moved Away

My  good friend David moved away this week.   I was really surprised, shocked actually.  I just had lunch with him last Thursday and he didn't mention that he was leaving.  It was so like David to just quietly slip out of town.

I will sure miss meeting him for lunch or seeing him around town.   He got around, that guy.  I could always count on finding David at a luncheon meeting spot, usually arriving  ahead of me, most likely leaning up against a doorjamb over in the corner someplace with that wry smile on his face, maybe a little rumpled looking,  looking sort of lost in a  heavy plaid over shirt, a real comfortable looking guy.  David was always ready to talk politics, a dear subject for him, or share a story, a joke and most likely a PUN deftly inserted into the conversation.  I’ll miss all of that now that he’s left town.

Oh, the newspaper will probably run an obituary with his name over it. It will describe his successful career and interests and tell a little about wife Kelly and his family.  But it would not be possible in a brief write up to tell of the humanity, the sense of humor, the wisdom, the depth of thought and the originality of this dear guy.

What has helped me so much in situations like this is an experience I had some years ago. I was sometimes called upon to perform funeral services in several funeral homes around my small town in Massachusetts.

Sitting in the “pastor’s room”  at the funeral home on this early afternoon, I could hear the sad dirge playing in the chapel, even surrounded as I was by  heavy red curtains that lined the small closet like room furnished with a comfortable chair, a  kneeling alter and dim lighting.  I could feel the downward pull, the emotional drain pulling at me.  Someone had passed away.  The room was  dripping with sorrow.  

As I waited in this room for the time to enter into the chapel, I had been praying to feel God’s presence, for comfort for the family and friends, for guidance,  remembering Jesus’ counsel that if we follow his leading, accept his understanding of Life, we shall not see death.   As we all do, I sought to more fully understand his assertion and promise  that Life is eternal, that death is a lie, and the father of lies;  that evil and “the world” tries to close our eyes to health, prosperity, God’s goodness, which is ever present and available.

As I glanced up I happened to noticed that the heavy red velvet curtain covering the walls was partially open, some type of wire showing.  That’s when curiosity got the best of me.   I just had to see what was behind that red curtain. I pulled it back slowly and noticed that the back wall was completely covered with electronic devices, the sound system and wiring, a lighting panel, switches and dials, all hidden behind the curtain... like the wizard of OZ. 

Strengthened by this “uncovering”, this revelation of how we can so easily be pulled down mentally,  how truth of our life as spirit can be conveniently hidden behind a cloak of matter,  I became alert!!!   Reminded of how through the centuries the mortal, material scene has always tried  to drag us down, to discourage, to frighten, to depress, to lull us into a sense of loss, sorrow, despair and helplessness,  the loss of our friend's daily presence was enough, it needed no added weight of gravity.

Grateful for this uncovering of the subtle methods of the  material-based "sin, disease and death" thinking that we face every day,  I prayed more in earnest for the world to begin to see the light shining in the darkness.  Walking down the aisle to the podium to give the service, I could actually feel the mood of the attendees lifting.    

I remembered Christ Jesus' experience, who on a day happened upon a funeral party at the gate of the city.   As the Bible record has it:    “  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.   And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.  

And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.       And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.   *1

Religious pioneer and dedicated follower of Jesus teachings, Mary Baker Eddy noted:

In the illusion of  death, mortals wake to the knowledge of two facts:

(1) that they are not dead;

(2) that they have but passed the portals of a new belief.

Truth works out the nothingness of error in just these ways.   Sickness, as well as sin, is an error that Christ, Truth, alone can destroy.    *2

For David, I want to share one last thought in his memory,    I read this last night in The Message translation of the Holy Bible.   This is sort of the inspiration we discussed during lunch  last week,  the excitement of the people who actually were with Jesus and knew him and his work, this is the excitement that we too can and should have as we follow his teaching and example:

Disciple John is speaking: From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.

We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!     *3

Here’s the hymn from our Hymnal that goes with it...

O come and find, the Spirit saith,
The Truth that maketh all men free.
The world is sad with dreams of death.
Lo, I am Life, come unto Me.   *4

1.     Luke 7:11-152.      Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures – Mary Baker Eddy   2513.      I John 1:1-24.      Christian Science Hymnal  188 

AMOS & ANDY - and the BIG PRINT

Years ago, watching television shows in the fledgling industry was such a treat.  We were blessed with such good programs,  clean, solid entertainment It seems that today even with hundreds of channels, the viewing selection is limited if you have had enough killing, crime and brutality just from watching the evening news. 

60 Years "On the Air" Amos and Andy

In those earlier day I enjoyed shows such as Amos and Andy.  That program, a wonderful comedy series with such talented professionals,  was set in Harlem, New York and focused on the scheming, conniving, and plotting life of George (Kingfish) Stevens, who had a knack for looking for fast and easy ways to make money.    The other main characters included his Lodge brothers, Amos, a naïve but honest, hard-working family man, and Andy, a self-assured dreamer with somewhat overinflated self-confidence.   

Stevens got his nickname, “Kingfish” from his position as leader of the Mystic Knights of the Sea Lodge.    Kingfish was always either trying to lure the other two into get-rich-quick schemes, especially the gullible Andy, or else tricking Andy into some kind of trouble.,  Other brothers included Algonquin J. Calhoun, the animated and colorful attorney-at-law who had his hands full defending – and sometime joining – the Kingfish’s antics and scores of fizzled schemes.

Andy, Kingfish and Amos

While many of the plots did contain, very obvious to even this young viewer, ingenious crooked or underhanded dealings, generally by the slick Kingfish, the viewer was able to see through the larceny, comedy and hilarious situations to the underlying lessons to be learned.   Kingfish and his schemes always backfired and what seemed like good, but somewhat devious ideas had their inevitable failure and humiliation for Kingfish. 

Algonquin J. Calhoun, Attorney

Lessons learned through comedy have always seemed to stay with me longer than others because I have a tendency to remember funny things.   One example from that show, in a scene that has remained with me for years, Attorney Algonquin J. Calhoun was counseling Kingfish about a contract about to be signed.  He said, “Be careful of this contract Kingfish, they give it to you in the BIG PRINT and the small print takes it away.”

What a great warning!!  Isn’t that a STATEMENT OF FACT, a perfect description of the illusory nature of mortal, material existence?     How life tries to fool us into believing the “something for nothing” lie, falling for the deceiving belief of happiness in material things, money, status, lottery, fame, wealth, self-indulgence. 

Recent stories of lottery winners, competitive bicyclists, baseball stars, concert artists, Hollywood personalities, financial kingpins and even government officials, whose popularity was heralded in the BIG PRINT of the media, accounts of exceptional accomplishment and victory, have fallen to the small print section of financial ruin, humiliation and personal shame. 

And... who among us has not been fooled by BIG PRINT thinking and acting in our own lives?

My old guidebook, the Bible, has given some examples that prove the BIG PRINT-small print story is not a new phenomenon.   I suspect the aforementioned Algonquin J. Calhoun was a Bible reader himself, based on the sound advice he gave to Kingfish.

In one instance, Jesus related to his disciples the story of a young man, called ever after “The Prodigal Son”, who was so tempted by the Big Print, the thrill of life far away from home, the allure of distant places, seeking his own riches, that he took his portion of his inheritance and  left home and family.   He soon discovered that all of those Big Print items didn’t pan out.  He ended up spending all of his fortune, only to end up working hard in the grain fields and eating with the hogs, trying to find enough to eat.  He finally gave up that life and returned home to the welcoming arms of his father when he realized that he had been better off at home where even the servants had plenty to eat. 

In this simple analogy, Jesus was pointing out the parallel of leaving the security of God’s guidance, comfort and care, and striking out for parts unknown, the allure of sensuality, affairs, dishonesty, immoral living, the plethora of things that promise but don’t deliver. 

As a perfect example of a perfect example, Jesus himself wasn’t fooled by the BIG PRINT promises.  When tempting thoughts came to him when he was alone in the wilderness praying, thoughts characterized as coming from the (D)evil, that evil influence that comes to our thought, suggestions that he could fling himself unhurt from the top of the temple, turn stones into bread to feed himself, or even inherit all of the world and its riches, if only Jesus would bow down to evil, as if the Devil really could deliver anything!!!!   Jesus didn’t fall for the Big Print.  And the Devil, his BIG PRINT promises ignored and shunned, disappeared without a trace.  The lesson is that EVIL CAN’T deliver happiness, wealth, security or happiness. 

That experience in the wilderness proved Jesus knew about the allure of the BIG PRINT and the resulting small print.     Speaking to a group of followers he said: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  *

Family Closeness Time

When I hear of talented college athletes delaying big salary sports contracts to stay in college, instances of professionals leaving high pressure, high paying positions to take jobs which give them more time to enjoy the closeness of their children and family, fun jobs,  they have always wanted to do, it is encouraging. 

More and more we see the wisdom of Mary Baker Eddy’s observation that:  “Beauty, wealth, or fame is incompetent to meet the demands of the affections, and should never weigh against the better claims of intellect, goodness, and virtue. Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it.**

Love and Caring

Trading the BIG PRINT allure for the simple pleasures that come through following God's leading, loving and forgiving each other,   with a selfless caring, provides full time employment!  Offer a smile and helping hand to someone today.   And be a small print person!!

Be sure to watch every day for more lessons like this one that we learned from Amos and Andy!!  

*   Matthew 7

** Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy  page 57

The Closet and the Motorcycle

I admire people that can pray extemporaneously and uplift the listeners, but when I am asked to give the blessing, or an audible prayer in a group setting,  I almost always invite everyone to join me in the Lord’s Prayer, that wonderful gift from Jesus that covers all our needs for God's blessings, putting the prayer in his words and getting me out of the way. 

To me prayer is a silent, solitary thing, a close communion with the Divine Mind, a very private, heart to heart connection, a "privileged communication" in today’s legal jargon. Jesus told his followers to pray in secret. He counseled not to make a big show of praying, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” and… “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” *. 

The Quiet Closet... Birds Optional

"Closet prayer", earnestly communing with God in the privacy of our own thoughts, working to silence the material senses, shutting out the clanging bells of worry and concern, silencing the ceaseless demands of the world to “conform” and to accept the mortal view of a temporary life experience  is healing in and of itself.

This quote from the chapter on Prayer in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures*, a book used by many as a companion to the Bible while delving into the deep spiritual message the Bible gives us, says, speaking of “the closet” referred to by Jesus, “The closet typifies the sanctuary of Spirit, the door of which shuts out sinful sense but lets in Truth, Life, and Love. To enter into the heart of prayer, the door of the erring senses must be closed. Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error”. **

Even though the closet Jesus describes is a quiet mental place, a place where we can enter, shut the door and be in God’s presence, it doesn’t mean a small cloakroom with a dim light!!!   It can be anywhere as long as you are alone with God's thoughts. Jesus often went up into a mountainside or desert place to be in his "closet", but for me it can even be on a motorcycle.

Recently I had a very painful condition in my foot. It had been bothering me for weeks and it was at the point where I could hardly walk. I had prayed to see myself as God’s perfect reflection, remembering Jesus statement  "Be Ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect."*  But the pain persisted.    This day it was really troubling me and today was the day that I was scheduled to be at a Pet Adoption event about 60 miles away.

It was a beautiful sunny day and I decided to ride my motorcycle.  All the way to the event my foot was painful and I questioned the wisdom of making the trip as I was becoming concerned. I did manage to work at the event for several hours, sitting down as often as I could. Finally the pain was really getting to me so I started for home. 

Now riding a motorcycle can be a perfect “closet”  scene. The sun was shining, the air warm, the motor was throbbing, I relaxed into that state of mind that maybe only motorcyclists can understand and appreciate. In the closet of thought, alone with God in my consciousness, I reached out for healing, expressed my love for the day, for the wonderful dogs and cats we had taken, my appreciation for the people who were working the event,  the kind people who came to look at the animals, and for PetSmart who let us hold the event at their store. 

As I rode down the interstate I remembered a meaningful quote from Science and Health.  The quotation said:      "If we look to the body for pleasure, we find pain; for Life, we find death; for Truth, we find error; for Spirit, we  find its opposite, matter. Now reverse this action.   Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and  immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts." **

Encouraged by those words,  I acknowledged that as God's image and likeness I was a spiritual idea, that matter and foot had nothing to do with my happiness or well being. My heart was overwhelmed, filled with gratitude and Love for Life and life’s lessons, , I was steeped in a sense of peace and oneness with the Father, feeling in harmony with God’s universe and knowing that “All is Well”.

I soon arrived at home, got off of the bike, completely healed. The pain never returned. I will never forget that simple example of being in the closet, feeling God’s presence, experiencing the Love and caring, and walking away free.

Another example of how God's presence brings healing to our daily lives.

* The Bible - Matthew 5

** Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

Ike and the Final Approach

Driving across Kansas is a wonderful experience, no matter the weather or time of year. We’ve made the trip from our North Georgia mountains home to Boulder Colorado a number of times and I always look forward to that leg of the trip, driving through Kansas.   

We always drive, not wanting to fly over this wonderful land thereby missing all of the breathtaking views, the interesting sites, and the people along the way. The long expanses of prairie and farmland, the majestic wind turbines turning slowly atop the higher ridges, the intriguing silos way off in the distance, eagles perched on posts along the highway, sometimes a large number of eagles congregating together like attendees at a convention, and to me a feeling, maybe strange to others, the comfort of the loneliness of the expanse, the feeling of God’s presence, seeing that faraway point on the horizon where earth meets sky, heaven meeting earth.

But one of my favorite stops along the road is Abilene, Kansas, the site of the Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. 

On a recent trip we included in our travel plans time to stop by and visit this wonderful facility. On this afternoon we pulled in to the parking lot and entered into the reception lobby of the museum.  There weren’t many visitors in the lobby area and we looked around at the items for sale, a typical museum venue with items of interest, trinkets, all the usual things..

I approached the ticket window and the lady told me the tickets to the museum were $9 each.   I was surprised since I felt like I was visiting an old friend and being asked to pay to get into the parlor.

As I took a step back and looked searchingly at the lady, my wife, a veteran of my talking to anyone and everyone, whether I know them or not, and having somewhat less of a forward (pushy) personality, took several cautious steps backward,  turned and fled to the safety of the postcard rack. Why, I was just beginning. I felt it was indeed necessary to let this lady know that while General Eisenhower was a boyhood hero, President Eisenhower was my Commander-in-Chief, someone who counted on me,  that I even had his life in my professional care at one time.   She gave me a quizzical, somewhat disinterested look but I continued, as is my habit.

 Well, I told her the straight scoop, how on a blustery night in the middle of winter in the late 1950s, the President was flying to Europe for a meeting. I was then stationed at Harmon Air Force Base in Newfoundland, serving as an air traffic controller. During those times passenger aircraft were propeller driven and Newfoundland was a common stopover point for refueling on trips from the United States to Europe. We were very busy and the dicey weather kept air traffic controllers very busy.

On this particular night the conditions were pretty treacherous. There was a high wind blowing with  heavy snow, visibility was very limited and runways were snow-covered and slippery, braking action nil, not a great night, even for the occasional moose that wandered  out of the woods just off the runway.

We knew that Air Force One was on its way and we were watching the weather carefully.

PRECISION RADAR SHOWS
GLIDE SLOPE AND CENTERLINE

Just past midnight, Colonel Draper, the pilot of the Columbine,  Ike’s plane, the Presidential Air Force One of that day, made contact with Harmon Approach Control.   On this night I was working as the Final Controller, that position in Ground Controlled Approach that "talks the pilot down" in inclement weather.  The controller picks up an aircraft on radar at about 10 miles out on final approach, then guides the plane, keeping it on the extended runway centerline and on the radar indicated "glide path", advising the pilot to increase or decrease the rate of descent or to correct left or right as we call off the mile markers. My voice might have been a little shaky,  feeling the weight of responsibility, talking down the President of the United States in this weather, as I spoke into the microphone, "Air Force One, Final Controller, how do you read me?"    Col. Draper was the best of the best and together we brought that Super Constellation in like it was on a wire!!    

I was ecstatic when, after parking the Columbine, that beautiful big Super Constellation, just outside of our Radar Approach Control Center, Colonel Draper actually came in and thanked us for a great approach. I asked if the President was coming in and Col. Draper started laughing,  and maybe due to the relief of pressure after that "hairy" landing,  he could hardly stop laughing!!  He finally calmed down and  advised that the President was sleeping soundly aboard the aircraft and he would not be coming in to see me.  Me, the naive nineteen year old airman with the red face.

When things settled down it was nearly  2 o’clock in the morning,  the wind was howling, the blizzard was in full force and it was cold, and  I mean cold, I put on my parka and went outside.   The Columbine was parked there on the ramp, just outside the facility.   Of course the plane was surrounded by armed air police so I stood back a little way and looked up at the aircraft's windows where the President was probably sleeping.  I came to attention, saluted, and talking softly to myself thanked him for all that he had done for our country during the war, for his steadfast courage and selfless contribution, and also for his service as President of the United States. I told him I was proud to be under his command.   After my solemn salute I returned back to the warmth of the building.  

Back at the Museum, as I finished my story, the lady behind the counter was looking at me with rapt attention, her mouth moving wordlessly, probably unconsciously.    I said quietly, "Ma'am, I just wanted you to know that I know quite a bit about President Eisenhower."

The lady looked at me respectfully, maybe brushing a tear from her eye… she said softly, “Sir, that’s all very interesting but the tickets will still be nine dollars each.”  My wife who, feeling the end of the story was near, had returned, whispered, “Nice going McGee!!!”   That’s my middle name and serves as a nickname when sarcasm is in order.

As we entered the museum it was eye-opening to see the memorabilia of Ike’s progress through his career leading to his eventual position as Supreme Allied Commander and then President of the United States.

Ike was a great General, a brilliant tactician, and  he was a humble man, unassuming, an officer that a military man can look up to with respect.   One example of his integrity is how he took responsibility for his own actions, never blaming others.  On the eve of the crucial D-Day invasion which was to deliver the final blow to the war in Europe, a battle that was so crucial and yet could go either way, Ike wrote two statements.  Not knowing what would happen, but very concerned, he prepared one statement claiming victory and giving credit to his officers and the allied forces for all their work in bringing about the victory. The second statement, written in the event of the unthinkable, the defeat of the allied armies on these beaches at Normandy, placed all of the blame for defeat upon himself and his decisions.   Quite a contrast with some of the country's current leaders.

Today, as a nation experiencing violence that racks our society, killing children and other innocent victims across the country, and as a world power that is so involved around the globe with our military stationed in  174 countries, Dwight Eisenhower ‘s wisdom should be remembered and heeded.  This man who knew war, confronted the hatred, evil and mindless forces that slaughtered citizens of the world had a clearer view of the value of life.    

PLACE OF MEDITATION - EISENHOWER LIBRARY

This man, who reached the highest military and civilian positions of leadership in the United States,  conveyed his humility and peaceful nature in these words, which are engraved in the Place of Meditation at the Presidential Library site:   Every gun made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.  This is not a way of life at all… Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron”     Dwight David Eisenhower -  April 1953