Sending a Tsunami of Compassion

     What could be further from "Ripples on Tranquil Waters" than a tsunami? And yet, they are connected in my thoughts. The 9.0 earthquake in Japan a week ago triggered a tsunami with enough power to carry it completely across the Pacific Ocean. Tidal surges traveled 5,500 miles and reached the coastline of California, less than 100 miles from my front door. It staggers the mind. Today the first minuscule atomic traces of radiation carried aloft in the jet stream arrived.

     One event originated from the very nature of our planet, while the other involves the hand of science trying to harness the powerful elements of Earth. The balance between worlds collided.

     There are parallels to these tragic events, on a smaller scale. Each of us have personal 'tsunamis' in our everyday lives, washing over us when least expected. The very reason I included the word 'ripples' in the title of my blog was due to my personal philosophy that even the smallest action has far-reaching consequences; tiny concentric circles on the surface of the water, steadily expanding outward to reach far beyond imagination. What happens to you, large or small, touches my heart.

     Our words and actions outlive us because of the affect we have on the lives of others who share this planet with us. We are all one global humanity. Political, religious, social, and geographic lines drawn by some do not change that fact. The events of this past week are a painful reminder how closely we are connected; and yet, we are not so helpless or inadequate to make positive changes and help others in need. Let's begin by sending a tsunami of love and compassion back across the sea.

Intertwined Threads

     It is priceless to have two lives cross paths and intertwine so closely that one will always be part of the other. All types of relationships have this potential to varying degrees, some positive and others, unfortunately, not so much.  

     Imagine each individual life represented by a fragile thread which twists and wraps its way through the years with countless other threads. My own has wound around, unraveled again at various points, become filled with tangles and stubborn knots. It has even broken under stress a few times, requiring the raw ends to be mended. 

     Even the briefest contact with another person leaves both parties altered. We have the power to touch others with a smile or kind word at the right moment, gifting them with renewed strength and hope for whatever challenges they encounter along their path. Just a couple random threads twisting together in a meaningful pattern.

     It's worth noting that when separate threads are drawn together and spiral into a committed relationship (be that marriage, friendship, family, or some other pursuit), the resulting bond is stronger than the threads were separately. When the time comes for one of those threads to reach the end of its spool, the remaining one still seems to retain much of its essence. Weaving together so tightly is an honor and reason to celebrate.

   

Missing: 49.3 Billion Minutes

     A reporter for the San Jose, California Mercury News reported that just for the month of December 2010, Americans alone spent 49.3 BILLION minutes on Facebook. That's the equivalent of about 94,000 YEARS. I haven't tried to verify those numbers on my calculator, especially since it wasn't designed to handle much more than balancing my bank account.

     Those minutes are gone forever.

     I can't help but wonder ... how many houses for Habitat for Humanity could have been built, how much food could have been grown in backyard gardens to feed the hungry, or improving the environment in some small, but significant way. How many simple acts of kindness could have enriched the lives of others?

     Even if an individual only spends a conservative 10-15 minutes per day 'social networking', that adds up to 5-6 hours each month. While it's unrealistic to expect this trend to change, maybe we can commit to a conscious effort to make our written words (which reflect our actions) to the people we include in our circle positive, uplifting and encouraging.
     Each of us has the power to use the limited minutes we are allotted on earth count for something besides a pathetic statistic. 

Wishbones

     The peculiar, although amusing, ritual of using the breastbone of a turkey (generally) to make a wish follows many holiday feasts in my part of the world. Two people grip opposite ends of the curved bone in their fingertips and pull. The wish is supposed to be granted to the person left holding the larger half.

     The only specific wish I remember making as a very young child was that I would end up holding the biggest piece, which (if I won) miraculously always came true ... much to my amazement and delight.

     I'll admit that I've never been clear on the concept of what entity possesses the power to make this wishful thinking materialize. The mental image of a 25-pound turkey waving a magic wand in its wing while attired in a ruffled tutu doesn't exactly inspire credibility. Regardless, the downside to this custom is that only one participant 'receives'; the other is left holding nothing but a broken stub.

     What if you and I asked for gifts that benefited us both? One of my readers expressed her desire on Facebook that everyone receive her wish for more "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I could certainly use an extra dose of those qualities.

     So ... take hold of your visionary wishbone with me. Ready? Pull! *SNAP*

     Happy New Year, World!

Time Capsules

     The following question was posted on Facebook earlier this month: "Why is it that the majority of this year seemed to fly by, but now that I want it to last for a long time it is flying by?"

     There was a haunting quality to this which caught and held my attention, realizing my friend is coping with her final moments with a very close relative. My desire was to respond, to let her know someone was listening and cared about the situation, without invading the veil of her privacy in a public forum.

     "I think you'd have to pose that one to Einstein," I wrote (as I briefly contemplated theories of time travel), "Every minute is precious, but when we begin counting them they become finite."

     Yet her question and my 25-words-or-less response are still resurfacing from my subconscious daily, demanding more of my attention. So ... I'm listening again. I've concluded that it's the numbered minutes ticking away (within my own life experience), that I'm not aware of which presently concern me the most. Those capsules of measured time leading to a final second when something unforeseen occurs, leaving no time left to say what should have been said all along, over and over, including: I love you, you are important in my life, and ... I'm listening to your heart.

Touch Somebody Special

     Weeks before my husband underwent surgery for cancer, he told me that if things didn't go well and he ever reached a point where he was unable to tell me what he needed ... it was human touch. I was struck by how simple and profound his request was of me. Quietly holding hands, a hug, stroking his face, massaging tired limbs ... even when words fail or become inadequate, the power of skin-to-skin contact says it all.

     Thankfully, his 13th-year anniversary of being cancer free is approaching. This year especially, we have been reminded about how much we mean to each other. I had a scary looking mammogram a couple weeks ago and received a phone call to come back for another, plus an ultrasound. I was convinced I'd be in surgery before Thanksgiving, but everything turned out to be harmlessly benign.

     We fell into each others' arms in a tearful hug of relief. Our eyes did the speaking.

     Friends have hugged me, placed a hand on my shoulder, and when distance prevented physical contact I still felt it across the miles. I was never alone. Most of the people in our circle don't even know there was even a situation yet, because we just didn't have enough information to share before it all evaporated like a bad dream, but they were there beside me anyway because of my trust in their deep friendship. It has turned out to be a blessing in disguise to be reminded of the faces of all these people who would selflessly step up to help in whatever way possible. Hugs to them all!

     As you consider all the things for which you are grateful this Thanksgiving ... become a gift to someone else by reaching out and simply touching them.

Handshake with a Stranger

     Our weekly shopping had been completed and the bags of groceries were tucked away in the trunk of the car. This part of the routine typically follows eating breakfast at a favorite restaurant. The logic behind this is the advice that one should never go to the supermarket on an empty stomach, or else you'll end up at the cash register loaded down with lots of impulse items (usually high calorie). Personally, I haven't noticed my stomach and brain communicating with each other any better after breakfast than before, but I'm not one to turn down a delicious omelet ... so I'm willing to keep testing the theory.

     Only one errand remained before heading back home to spend a rainy day indoors. The fuel gauge on the car was registering 1/4 full. I pulled into a station, far enough forward so that my husband would be standing under the awning instead of in the drizzling rain. That put me close enough to notice several stickers in the window of the vehicle parked directly ahead of me.

     I leaned forward (stupid bi-focals) and realized that the gentleman who owned the car was a veteran. He displayed the branch of service, the company he had been assigned to, and a specific battle in which he had participated. I opened my car door and stepped out, calling out, "Sir?" He turned to me and shook his head, "I don't hear well." The stranger slowly walked toward me, and I stepped toward him while pointing to the stickers on his back window.

     "I just wanted to thank you for your service, especially with Veterans' Day coming up this week." I held out my hand; he returned my smile with his own as we exchanged a friendly handshake.

     All politics aside, right or wrong, ... world history wears a human face. Thank you for the freedom I enjoyed this morning to eat a hearty breakfast, shop from a plentiful selection of produce, fill my car with gas and return to my warm home. Thank you.