EXTREMISTS

Quote for Today - November 14,  2010


"Extremists think 'communication' means agreeing with them."


Leo Rosten [1908-1997]

DOOMSDAY PREDICTORS
WILL ALWAYS BE AROUND.
THAT'S MY PREDICTION!

Quote for Today - November 13, 2010


"I 'd be astonished if this planet is still going by fifty years from now. I don't think we will reach 2000. It would be miraculous."


Alistair Cooke [1908-2004] British / American Journalist. Well, it looks like he made it - and we're still here. However, get your stuff in order - because the next doomsday prediction is, December 21, 2012. See you at Christmas 2012 - and Happy New Year 2013.

IMPROVING YOUR STORY

Quote for Today  November 12, 2010


"The older they get the better they were when they were younger."


Jim Bouton [1939- ] - Played for the dreaded Yankees and author of Ball Four, etc.

WHAT'S REALLY 

BUGGING YOU?

Quote for Today - November 11, 2010


"A problem well stated is a problem half solved."


Charles F. Kettering [1876-1958]

PAUSE

To pause,

to hear silence,
and then the sound of a truck

shifting gears, backing up,
somewhere in the morning distance,
to see a smile
or the whole face of a grandmother babysitting,
to hold the silver spoon still
so as to look at what I'm eating,

the chocolate chip ice cream

or the Cheerios, in spite of

the desire to eat too fast,

or to taste the morning coffee,
to cross out or delete a word
for a better or just the right word
in a love note or a simple e-mail,
to not reach

for the orchestra sounding cell phone,
because the live persons around the table
are far more important,
to pause, to second guess
what I was about to do or say,
and then to say or do something better,
to pause, better to realize
at a pause, I'm in a choice moment,
and I can choose otherwise,
now that is what makes me human.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2010

TEMPTATION

The sign said, “DO NOT ENTER!!”
And it had two, two exclamation points.
Now that’s a temptation – like the
cake on the counter – but “Kids, you first
have to eat the vegetables on the table.”
Closet doors are to be opened.
Curtains are to be closed.
Wrapping is to be unwrapped.

Just a peek, Just one. Just this once.
Nobody will ever notice. Temptation
comes with the wrapping on the gift.
Temptation slips and slides and hides
in every good – because every good
somehow attracts the static cling of evil.
No wonder the ancient wisdom:
temptation sneaks like a snake in the grass.
It’s a voice coming out
of the mouth of forbidden fruit.
“Touch me! Taste me! Take me! Tempt me.”
God, I’m so slow. Sin always seems so original.
And then with that first bite

comes the ugly aftertaste: the truth that
it’s good fruit but it's me who's rotting.

And then we find ourselves
outside the garden gate – with the want to
worm ourselves back into paradise.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2010

IT’S ABOUT TIME

Time – time – ticking – ticking –
not as loud as in the days
with big grandfather clocks
in the vestibule – or bells ringing
in church towers every hour or so,
but time keeps ticking and kicking me
reminding me to keep moving,

“Get it done! Finish it! Come on now.
Hurry up. Hurry up. Quick now.
We only have so much time.”

Then the other side of me roars;
the lazy side of me, the Sabbath side
of me, says, “Hey slow down. Enough
already. Give me a break. It’s about time
I realize life is more than work, work, work.
I need some time to walk and nap and relax
before the clock stops for me.”

And God, You’re outside time.

You're in eternity! How did You
ever come up with this idea of time?
Interesting reality! Did You send Your Son
to grasp its pull and push and limitation
or did You learn about it from watching us?

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2010