Musings are Back!

I acknowledge that our current President can be bombastic at times; which, unfortunately, alters the intent and purpose of his message(s). It stirs a variety of emotions in people but the worst (IMHO) is not taking him seriously. What stirred my emotions was the stand POTUS took in regards to patriotism and the protests of Colin Kaepernick and others, including the unflattering comments of Seth Curry. He disinvited Seth  from coming to the White House and may have included his teammates. Additionally, POTUS advocated disciplinary action against the NFL players that refuse to conform, including firing them. First off, in my opinion politics, religion and whatever personal beliefs one may have, and your job shouldn't mix. Freedom means many things and you can express your dissent without shaming our flag and anthem, especially in public events. What you acknowledge by at least standing and facing the flag is that you respect it and your country. Somewhere along the line nationalism got wrapped up in things it never was all about. It pains me that respecting your country and its sovereignty has been broad brushed with every "hot button" issue of the day. So, if you remotely think like me (and I believe a lot of you do), don't be ashamed by showing your patriotism and respect for this country and the values it REALLY stands for.

On to the rash of hurricanes a lot of the planet have been affected by. Kudos to the grass roots uprising that resulted in untold lives being saved after the flooding in Houston and the surrounding metroplex. Unfortunately, it takes a disaster of this proportion to galvanize people and for their best to be exposed. Apparently, we need a second wind as some of the areas literally destroyed by Harvey and Irma's wrath seem forgotten. So, here's a gentle reminder to remember places like Port Arthur and Rockport, where some people apparently are so distressed and baffled, that they are attempting to live in the squalor that is the remains of their home. Finally, a proud nod to my niece, her mother and a whole lot of other folks who have coordinated with local charities and are hand carrying supplies to the devastation of the Florida Keys. The best part of this relief effort is that it goes directly to those that need it the most. No executives and self important people here, diverting funds from where they belong. Just a group of local folks that care about their fellow man. Which brings me to several large corporations that I solicited for just a little bit of help. What I got, in reply from Coca Cola, Publix and others was a dissertation on all the monies that they had donated to the Red Cross and others. I had a previous experience when I requested assistance from American Eagle, a Budweiser distributor. After a few short questions they were all in and donated more than I ever needed. Kudos to them. It shows it can be done at a local level when you empower your employees to do the right thing. If you feel so inclined you can read about one of the charities that my niece supports at www.brightseasons.org.

Mixed Emotions

I lived in Florida for many years and moved out to the Midwest just before Andrew decimated South Florida. Living in Florida can make you jaded when it comes to tropical weather, with tropical storms and hurricanes striking with regularity. You basically become inured to it all which can be a foolish, even deadly, thing to do. While I moved to tornado alley, my parents and relatives remained in Florida. Now they are facing a deadly storm of tremendous size and scope and I am stuck here in South Texas concerned for them. Even after all the warnings and comparisons to prior storms we still see people with that "Andrew Complex"; they believe nothing could be that bad again. Perhaps they need to speak to the folks in Moore, OK who have repetitively borne about the worst that nature can toss at you. My grandfather found Naples back in the early 70's (they even have a commemorative bench dedicated to him downtown) and made it his home. This was before it evolved from a sleepy seaside town into a enclave for the rich and famous. My parents and relatives eventually followed and some remain there. In the meantime they bought and sold a lot of waterfront real estate which, thank goodness, they have mostly sold. I say this because  have a gut feeling that Naples is going to really "take it on the chin" with this storm. My sister, her daughter and husband live south of Miami and have done yeoman's work; including not only prepping their and my sisters home, but also braving the traffic and scarce fuel to retrieve my mother and a friend from Naples. They are all hunkered down in my sisters home and I am praying for them. I have mixed emotions about just what nature is going to deal them, but as long as they survive, material things can be replaced.