Why I even bother to maintain this site, I'm not sure. I only post when I'm procrastinating, sleepy, or in a state of high emotion. Right now's mostly sleepy.
I don't have anything profound or revealing to say...
I like Christmas. I like the music. I like the cold. I like the lights. I am annoyed by the consumerism. I'm also slightly annoyed by the mix of religious and secular (though not nearly as much as at Easter/Resurrection Sunday). There's one thing about the Christmas season that no one can deny: people really are nicer and happier around this time. I love it! Why can't we all be a little nicer and happier the rest of the year? Why is "why don't we all just get along?" such a stupid question? What is it about Christmastime that makes everyone believe in something together?
I heard from the State Trooper who happened to be present during all of the flooding last month at Albert Pike. Apparently, the river rose around 20 feet in just 5 hours, immediately drowning about a dozen people. The state trooper said that after the water subsided, he drove to the campground side of the river, and could see bodies of men, women, and children scattered on the ground. I honestly can't imagine what I would feel in that situation.
What boggles my mind even more, though, is that 16 people killed in 5 hours of flooding is still just a drop in a bucket compared to the lives that are lost everyday due to preventable things like starvation, malaria, bombs, dysentery, "friendly" fire, &c.
What can one person do? Do I have to change everything in my life to make a difference? Is it possible to make a difference? How can I be involved in promoting justice in my community now? How can I help to foster real community in my community now? Community where everyone has a part, everyone contributes, everyone feels like they have purpose, everyone feels loved, everyone has someone they can make feel loved. Where no one feels too small, no one feels like they can't help because of whatever inadequacy they feel they have.
I really enjoy reading Shane Claiborne's books. One thing that he says that I really appreciate is this: "...we can tell the world that there is life after death, but the world really seems to be wondering if there is life before death."
How can I have and share life, real life, before death?
