When the day is done....

Well, as I've said, it's been a week. Bibi and I had a nice time tonight. We took Lil' Leo to the vet, and got him all taken care of. He was so good at the Vet's office, and we felt really good on our way home. We have a better idea of how much to feed him, he got his shot, and we are going to take him back in about a month. We then took Leo to the quad at Truman and played with him for awhile. He chased a tennis ball and his frisbee for almost an hour. We also have a play date scheduled for sometime tomorrow with some other canine friends. Good times.

However, things were obviously not so good this week. For those of you living under a rock, there were two school shootings this week. Both were tragic events, but were tragic in their own right. The first has left the five young women, and six families permanently scarred. The second event, which just happened today, left a high school principal dead. A fifteen year old kid killed his principal. Unfortunately this had to occur in the light of the conversation this week about whether or not teaching was dangerous.

However, it's even more appropriate for other reasons. This week on this blog, as well as in our country right now as a whole, we are as divided as we have ever been before. Seems to me that people believe so fervently in what they see as truth that they are unable to see the value in polite discourse. I'm not, and please don't get me wrong on this, picking on any one person, or trying to point out one person. I would say that arrogance and condescension is just as antagonistic as all out name calling and insults. I don't want to seem trite or cliche', but...well, it just seems so unnecessary. Why can't we all just get alo....no, I'm not going to go that route. Why can't we be respectful? Why can't we treat each other with respect? We are NOT our values. We would like to believe that we are....we would like to believe that we fit neatly into a nice little package defined by that which we hold to be truth. But, the "truth" is, we are ALL hypocrites. (The one finger pointed at all of you leaves three fingers and a thumb pointing back at yours truly.) We all fall short of the glory of our ideals, no matter WHAT those ideals may be. Why can't we just acknowledge those short-comings? Why have we allowed our ideals and beliefs to bring us to the point where people are no longer able to have impassioned, and yet respectful, discussions about politics? Why can't we get passed the idea that we have to PROVE ourselves to be right, and just come to the table seeking understanding? Understanding does not mean agreeing, and one of the most important lessons I've EVER learned in life is that intelligent, thoughtful people can consider the same information and "facts" that I am seeing and come up with a completely different conclusion. Thus is life.

Ok...so, funny story. I signed on right now to jokingly write that my next topic would be on abortion, or gay rights, you now, something "safe" and sure to cause no stir whatsoever. However, I ended up sounding pompous, I'm sure. Sorry.

All right, I'm going to leave you all with a funny story:
June 29, 2000: I go for a post-dinner walk to enjoy the evening. As I'm nearing my apartment, I suddenly feel something wet on my neck. I feel it...it is clear. I look up. And there, in the tree above me. A squirrel. A squirrel....who peed on me.
September 12, 2006: I take Lil' Leo out for a walk after dinner. While walking, I feel something mushy on my forehead. (All right, all right...it's not a forehead, it's a fivehead.) I put my hand up to feel it. Then I look up. A squirrel. A SQUIRREL. A DAMN SQUIRREL DEFACATED ON MY HEAD!!! Now, I'm not sure, but....I think it was the same one. And, I think it was laughing at me.

Damn dirty squirrels.

Thanks for stopping by....

Tommy

PS: For those who were never formally invited to answer the question, here it is: "What is the most important lesson you've learned in life?" I know it seems random....but there is relevance here....I'm sure.