Daily Reminder # 398

Well, yesterday was the first day in 398 days that I didn't do a daily reminder.  My schedule is all mixed up and by the timre I remembered that I hadn't done it, it seemed kind of too late to do so.  I thought about starting the numbering over but decided that would just be silly. 

I don't have much that's inspiring to say today (do I ever?). That did sound kind of like I'm usually inspiring, which I know is far from the truth. What I meant, is that I don't have any ideas for what to talk about, but what with it being July 4th and all, I'll use that as an excuse to veer towards the political.  I really love my country. I think it is founded on wonderful principles. That we don't always live up to them, doesn't make them any less great or my country any less wonderful in my eyes. I think we try. Mostly. I wrote a poem about that when I was in my 20s. 

DEMOCRACY
I do not know if it is America I love
Or just her promise
If it is the Declaration I cherish
Or just it's poetry
I cannot know if the framers of those pretty words
Were good or evil men
Nor should it matter really
For can art be judged by its' creator's merit
And should the dream be condemned
Because reality betrays it?
- Katherine E. Rabenau

Fareed Zakaria, a CNN host whom I greatly admire, has taken great criticism of late, for suggesting that maybe we need to look at revising some aspects of our constitution.  (Do check out the video if you have the time. along with this follow-up discussion.  Both are very thought-provoking). I thought much of what he said made a great deal of sense. Of course given the current political climate, there's no guarantee that we wouldn't revise ourselves into chaos.  I know there are things I think should be changed. I've signed petitions to think about elminating the electoral college. It may have made sense in the 1700s but in 2011, I think it robs many of us of the meaning of our votes. I wonder if more Americans wouldn't go to the polls if they knew their vote LITERALLY counted, not as part of some balance tipper for their state.  And if we don't do something - and very soon - about how elections are funded, then the ruling class that already buys most of our Congress will not even have to pretend about their ownership of our government... and fewer and fewer regular citizens will vote because they will merely be chosing among pre-selected leaders in any case.  At the moment (my bias is showing, I know), so many of the people who speak of both the Bible and the Constitution in reverent tones, seem totally oblivious to its content.  I'd love to see some changes to how we operate.

 Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an attempt to bend the Creative Forces of the Universe to my will by exhibiting my hope and faith in their munificence.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• my home
• water
• the back door
• bunnies
• birds
• tiger lilies
• the hasta bush
• Fareed Zakaria
• the Constitution
• the USA
• Democracy
• freedom
• the vote
• my camera
• my back door
• my TV
• the remote control
• coffee and creamer
• indoor plumbing
• clouds and blue skies
• fans
• ideas
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• Nintendo
• a clothes dryer
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• more flowers in my back yard
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• a sun room on the back of the house
• seeing the red items move to black
• a Bose sound system
• zero balance on my credit cards
• paid off mortgage
• winning lottery numbers
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• my friends
• Netflix
• music
• the joy of singing
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• Wayne Dyer
• words
• poetry
• sight
• hearing
• taste
• touch
• smell
• the aroma of white sage
• matches
• my computer
• the internet
• email
• computer games
• my SSD
• electricity
• ear phones
• my new chair/walker
• my cane
• that my legs still hold me up enough to get from room to room (with help)
• my mattress
• scissors
• Sam-e
• Omega-3
• gogi berry juice
• Vitamin D-3
• IP-6
• Dr. Bronner soaps
• my microwave
• my electric toothbrush
• Listerine
• toothpaste
• my teeth
• my fingers and hands
• inspiration
• beauty
• my rock collection
• toy mice (happy kitties)
• the sound of purring
• Jasmine and Raphael
• hope
• resilience
• compassion
• inspiration
• ideas
• love
• life

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

to Americans and everyone for whom it is an ordinary day!