Getting older and… ummm….

My birthday on Sunday was nice… I was a little bummed out with Cherie being out of town but my parents and sister came over and it made for a really nice evening. My mom even made me dinner and baked me a cake! I may not know much of anything (and will get into that later) but I do know one thing for certain: there is nothing as precious on this planet as a loving and supportive mother.

As a Dad I try to help pour and mould the concrete that will hopefully become the bedrock of my children’s future decisions. I try to show them that integrity, honesty, and dedication will help guide them through life. That there are things in life that can be black and white, right or wrong - regardless of how much more appealing and easy a life lived in the grey areas may appear.

But comfort and compassion, acceptance and support, and, well, the pat on the head above all others undoubtedly comes from a Mom.

So with another year under my still-growing belt… It is odd that I often find myself more confused and confounded than ever. We live in a world that celebrates and rewards greed, frowns on tolerance and denounces compassion. Society seems to be on a path counter to it’s best interest and the continued downward spiral seems inevitable. Ignorance and intolerance is not only rampant - but also being taken advantage of by immoral leaders looking to herd people in whatever direction best serves their interests.

With this in mind, I think we’d all do a little better if we source a little more of what typically comes from the maternal influences. I think we would be much better off listening to a ‘Silver Cross Mother’ (or Blue Star Mother) about foreign policy than a politician who’s neck deep in oil-based campaign financing. Maybe treating sick people instead of judging them (and just sitting back to watch them die if they don‘t measure up to some non-existent standard). Maybe simply helping to build people up instead of constantly finding ways to tear them down. Compassion as an alternative to comparison and condescension.

It might not be much in the way of wisdom… but, after another year on the planet, it’s the best I’ve come up with so far. Oh well… maybe I am just getting older and wider.

Thanks for reading!!!

Rod

P.S.

As I typed this my Mom sent me a joke email about going to Jamaica and smoking dope… hehehe