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http://redclaydiary.com/
or read his story below:
DO THE RIGHT THING
Sometimes, I want to halt the traffic in my life and simply Do the Right Thing.
When I’ve had enough of the rambling, sometimes vicious, often hopeful, seldom unconfused thoughts and feelings that rain down upon me each and every day by way of directionless and fearful mass media, social media, over-the-back-fence palaverers, walk-by/drive-by criers and whisperers…I tend to shut down for a time.
Yep, I can only take so much of the ricocheting, emoting, subversive and uplifting chatternoise that has become our way of communicating with each other. Once in a while, I just want to sit quietly with a friend or two, unplug the devices that tell us how to act and purchase, close out the intrusive distractions, and simply have an unagenda’d conversation.
You know–I’d like to have what we used to call a dialogue, a brief period during which no-one talks over someone else’s talk. A moment when no-one shouts a dogma or bullies a subject flow or attempts to “win” a round.
My favorite times in life usually involve peaceful jiffies when I can learn a little more about you and who you are and who you wish to be and who you don’t want to be, a jiffy when you may actually ask me about my innermosts–and really listen up.
Sigh.
In reality, these moments seldom occur in my social life. The best times are still the times when Liz and I quietly share thoughts, feelings, experiences, laughter. I cherish these times above all others.
I suppose all I want in life is something to live up to, something to aspire toward, something that makes me want to get up in the morning…because it’s always possible that this morning will be slightly better than yesterday morning.
I take my inspiration from two works of art. If only I could make them my mantra, my template for getting through each tick tock of the day:
“Do the right thing.”
–repeatedly spoken by “Da Mayor” (Ossie Davis) in Spike Lee’s film.
and
“Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”
–written by Henry James
Hey, wouldn’t it be a nicer world if I could just spread the gospel of DO THE RIGHT THING and BE KIND?
Do you think we’d get along better if we could espouse this gentle gospel?
Oh, well, I do have peculiar thoughts now and then. Thought I’d share them with you
© 2016 A.D. by Jim Reed
http://www.jimreedbooks.com/podcast