Small Things Count

People’s words don’t always reflect their true thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Today’s Thursday Thought quote points out the danger in this.

Get your mind out of the gutter. It didn’t start out as an expression we use today. At the height of the sailing ship era, war ships and freighters brought along round iron cannon balls which they had to prevent from rolling around the deck. They did that by stacking them in pyramids, 30 stacked in rows of 16, topped by 9 topped by 4, then 1. Problem was, on a moving ship, the bottom row wanted to slide away. They stabilized the bottom of the pyramid with a Monkey, a brass plate with 16 slots for the balls.

Another problem: rust held the Money and cannon balls (both iron) together. So, they started making the Monkey out of brass. Great, except that when the temperature fell, the brass contracted quicker than the iron, meaning the shrinking indentions caused the balls to roll off. Because it was “Cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey.”

Some years ago, a friend blindly reposted on Facebook without realizing the harm.  The first thing the reader saw was “Jihad Watch” in a large red box (red provokes negative reactions in people’s minds).  That group was run by a strongly anti-Muslim man who claimed he’s an expert on jihadism despite his lack of credentials. Then the large bold print cited an attack by Muslims—not jihadist Muslims—thus linking jihadism with all Muslims.  And certain words were capitalized, which is done to rile us up.  The word “believers” was used, making us feel we need to defend of our faith and ignore the fact that the attackers, if they truly were jihadists, were themselves “believers,” but in a non-Muslim-mainstream religion of their own. Late in the article the group was identified as the Fuloni, a Muslim ethnic group.  By now we have been conditioned to think that they represent all Muslims.  In short, my non-thinking friend did something he wouldn’t do on purpose–spread a harmful, untrue stereotype that fans the flames of hate.  There’s a lesson here for all of us.

What to do when someone is crying? Either a child or an adult? This little chart gives some healthy, helpful, comforting options to the common “Don’t cry.”

Today is a special day to honor our veterans. They’ve done so much for us. They should be considered all other days of the year, as well. Telling them “Thank you for your service” gives them some recognition, but it doesn’t improve the situation affecting their mental and emotional health. In a study asking veterans how often they feel lonely, 44% said at least sometimes and 10.4% said often. It makes sense–they miss the of the community and comradeship they had in their military unit. So they withdraw.

We can easily do something about this. We can include vet-friends, family, or acquaintances in our lives more. At least, we can call them on a regular basis, visit with them often, invite them to join us for activities, meals, a spur-of-the moment coffee at a local coffee shop. Anything that includes the basic human contact we all need. Let’s get those percentages down to zero. It’s the least we can do for our veterans.

Today’s Thursday Thought quote gives the request to “give me a hand” more meaning.

Obviously, a lot of people think I’m a VIP. Every day, my Inbox contains at least one email starting with “You have been selected.” Why would they select me if they didn’t think I was special enough to give them my personal information or sign up for a product, service, or cause? They wouldn’t…would they?

One more day of frustration! Then I won’t have to sprain my “delete” finger on 50+ emails, texts, and voice mails. I voted a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still getting them. It’s a waste of their time, money, and volunteers, because I don’t read or listen to them. For the same reason I don’t listen to campaign speeches and interviews: they usually devolve into skirting questions asked and spending the bulk of their time not explaining in detail what they want to do for us and how they intend to do it, but instead cutting down their opponent and opposing political party. They don’t get that I really want to vote FOR someone, because I believe in them, not AGAINST someone because I’m being told how bad or dangerous that candidate is. I want to be assured that whom I vote for will honestly put party politics aside and work to unite my country in efforts to do away with the senseless violence, discrimination, hatred, greed, and self-interest running amok in my country and get us on track as true world leaders — democratically and in terms of equal justice and peace-promoters on all levels.

You bought your Halloween pumpkin at a sustainable pumpkin patch, baked a pie out of the slimy innards, and toasted the seeds for healthy munching, but saved some for planting next year.  How to dispose of him? Put poor old Jack (O’Lantern) out of his misery–give him a proper burial in your compost pile.

[For more easy, money-saving, Eco-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. For a description of the book go to My Free Books).

In many places in our country, books are being banned because they’re considered too “woke.” What does that mean? That they offend some people who, because of their fears about the books’ content or ideas, want them taken away (possibly burned, as in past history?). When I saw this, I thought–this makes good sense. I pass it on to you as today’s Thursday Thought.