Welcome To My World

In the light of all the bad news reported day after day, I will risk repeating myself to say, how gratifying it is to learn the statistics about something not too many people are interested in, much less being enthusiastic about. The number of volunteers who sacrifice their free time to work for others for nothing. In Spain alone there are 4 million of registered volunteers, 10 % of the total population. No doubt, with higher or lower percentage, in all other countries too.

Somebody, a writer, if my memory serves me right, once said: 'No good act remains unpunished.' Rather cynical but illustrates the less attractive part of human nature, unfortunately and undeniably exists, that many of us are reluctant to do so called thankless jobs, for no reward other than perhaps a pat on the shoulder for work well done, if that. Another writer whose name I do remember, Manuel Leguineche, wrote: 'If you are good and sweet as honey, mosquitos would eat you.' Another cynic!

News media, magazines, television will report on celebrities getting drunk, in a street brawl, showing a new hairdo, spent a dirty weekend with somebody married ... but they would not waste their time or the space on their page about these people, who go around in all weather and at all hours, to feed and shelter the hungry and homeless, to attend to the sick, the old and the needy, or simply holding someone's hand, comforting the desperate and the lonely. Such things don't interest the reporters nor the majority of the public.

I never realized there's such a great percentage of people so selfless, so altruistic and so dedicated to doing good for others not even remotely related to them, for complete strangers, for absolutely no material gain at all, and not even much recognition. Yet there they are, all ages and from all walks of life, attending to their work and family like all others, except when the others go home with a pay cheque, warmth and comfort of family life, they are out continuing their work, day after day. 

Some say it's an ugly world, with war, crime, famine, contamination and unhappiness. I would prefer to think of it as a beautiful world but with imperfections. All the ugliness are mainly made by men; and what men can do can be undone too, but only by men themselves.

Military Truth & Half Truths

** The Army Soldier Yarn **

Fifty-one years ago, Herman James, a North Carolina mountain man, was drafted by the Army.

On his first day in basic training, the Army issued him a comb. That afternoon the Army barber sheared off all his hair.

On his second day, the Army issued Herman a toothbrush. That afternoon the Army dentist yanked seven of his teeth.

On the third day, the Army issued him a jock strap ...

The Army has been looking for Herman for 51 years.

** Art, or Science? **

Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology.

** General Reinwald - true story **

Marine Corps General Reinwald was interviewed on the radio concerning guns and children.

This is a portion of an American National Public Radio (NPR) interview between a female interviewer and US Marine Corps General Reinwald who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military installation:

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: 'So, General Reinwald, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?'

GENERAL REINWALD: 'We're going to teach the Boy Scouts climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.'

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: 'Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?'

GENERAL REINWALD: ' I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.'

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: 'Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?'

GENERAL REINWALD: 'I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.'

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: 'But you're equipping them to become violent killers.'

GENERAL REINWALD:' Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?'

The radio went silent and the interview ended.

 

Tags:GeneralReinwald,Prostitute

Laying Boredom To Rest

Boredom invades not when there's nothing to do, more against repetitiveness, the sameness in daily or professional routines, the lack of challenge or stimulant, the fear of incompetence or consequences of failure. You are defeated by repeated actions which bring no desired results, and lose interest trying again, losing also the curiosity of what your efforts might bring. So you sit and do nothing. Without curiosity time weighs.

I think the worse boredom is the kind that one has created for oneself. You lose the interest to think or experiment differently, act differently, to achieve results that aren't boring. Life is not boring, sometimes people themselves are. 

I have decided I would rather have a couple of tasks well done to my satisfaction, than a dozen things hastily and badly completed, with the results I might feel ashamed of. Instead of repeating the same thing ten times with bad or no results, I would try to do it in a different way. Even if I fail again, I would have at least done something different.

So once in a while I try to think, how many things I have done, say in the last 5 years, or last 3 months, which I can feel happy about or proud of? Not too many, but that's okay. The next three months, or five, I might do better. There had been some success in my endeavour, small, but significant to me. I might have wasted more time than I should, but I have learned to congratulate myself with achievements, however tiny or insignificant; I have also learned to add them all up together!

There's no point at all being sorry or unhappy for lost time or cause, which can't be retrieved or compensated for, except to sap my energy for trying to experience something new. Who knows, I might even surprise myself with the discovery that my capability is a bit more than I have given it credit for.

Tags:Boredom,Stimulant,Curiosity