Yesterday, a great lady, wonderful thinker, and powerful politician passed away. Former British Prime Minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher passed away from a stroke at the age of 87. She had been in poor health for the past few years but it was still sad to hear of her passing.
In response to a post on Facebook, I made the comment that we all need to have her strength of conviction and character. My comment started me thinking about this great lady and her political life.
Baroness Thatcher, through time, circumstances, and beliefs will forever be associated with President Ronald Reagan. Both are often referred to as polarizing figures. In other words, most people either loved them or hated them. There are likely very few people that have casual feelings forward either one of them.
Maggie is credited with saving Great Britain’s economy. It had become reliant on strongly socialized economic policies and dominated by labor unions, which by their very nature are socialistic organizations. As Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher promoted and pushed for open markets and capitalistic policies. These polices turned the economy around and saved the British Empire from falling from the edge of economic collapse into total disaster. In doing so, she upset many. Those living on the government dole, those supported by the taxes of others, and those that thought, by action if not actual by intention, that government could lift up the poor by punishing the rich. Many people hated her in spite of the economic prosperity that followed her policies.
I heard the audio clip several times yesterday where she was confronted by a member of Parliament at a time near the end of her service as Prime Minister. He was condemning her because the gap between the wealthy and the poor had widened during her leadership. Showing her character, and her skills as a politician and debater, the Prime Minister responded, “The gentleman would rather the poor be poorer provided that the rich were less rich.” She then went on to note that all economic levels had risen during her time and all were much better off than when she first took office. He is like many politicians who are more concerned about the equality of outcomes as opposed to the equality of opportunity. However, Mrs. Thatcher had the character and convictions to see the benefit that had been seen by all.
Ronald Reagan faced many of the same types of critics here in the United States. Ronnie became President our country at a time it was suffering from the Carter malaise. Our nation was dealing with high unemployment, high interest rates, and a general feeling that the United States had seen the best of its days in the rear view mirror. This man and political twin spirit of Margaret Thatcher began by speaking about the greatness of the United States. He then used his strength of character to begin pushing changes to promote capitalistic policies. He pushed for lower taxes. He pushed for free market policies. He stood for strong conservative values.
And in the process, he made many enemies. He was hated. I was astonished when he passed away to listen to a press that had reviled him suddenly start speaking of him in revered tones. He stood up to the air traffic controllers union that went on an illegal strike and drew the ire of all labor unions. Part of the reason the press disliked him so much was that he had the ability to connect with the common citizen. The press seemed to lose much of their influence during his time in office. He also pointed out the silliness of liberal politicians. I mentioned a favorite quote of Mrs. Thatcher earlier, so here is one of my favorites from the Gipper. “It is not that our liberal friends are ignorant, it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” I quote that often and it always irritates liberals beyond control.
Yes, both Prime Minister Thatcher and President Reagan made great strides to save the economies of their respective nations and as a consequence, the economies of the rest of the world, even the ones not as free as ours. But I think the strong show of character by both of them was standing up to the Soviet Union during the Cold War and basically winning the Cold War through that strength.
I could continue with examples but I think that I have set a basis of the strength of character of these two great leaders.
The purpose of this post however, in addition to honoring Margaret Thatcher, is to point out that lack of character that we have in today’s politician. Instead we have politicians who are simply characters.
Our current crop of politicians, from both sides of the so-called aisle, show a definite deficiency when it comes to character. But, many of them are characters. They are playing roles. We have a President that stutters and stammers when he is speaking extemporaneously but is praised for his speaking abilities because he is a master of reading a speech off of a teleprompter. We have a Vice President who is almost considered a cartoon character. He quite literally goes day after day making ridiculously inane and stupid remarks. To quote many others, he is a walking “gaffe machine”. On the Republican side we have so-called national leaders who campaign on principles of solid conservatism but when the time comes to stand up for those principles, they cave in and actually vote against the very principles they were elected to defend.
It is with a heavy heart that I remember and honor the life that was Margaret Thatcher. I feel strongly that with her passing, a breed of person and leader has passed from our world and our lives. Where will the next leaders with character, not who are characters, come from?
Rest in Peace Iron Lady.
Eddy
©2013 Eddy Seegers
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Argument Before SCOTUS
I have been debating whether to post my opinion on Facebook regarding "same sex marriage". I decided my post would be too long for that venue so I am posting here instead. I am still treading lightly not for the sake of not offending someone, I have no problem doing that. I am doing so because if I am not careful this post would be about the size of "War and Peace". I am additionally taking my Christian beliefs out of the discussion, again not not because I am concerned about offending but to take a lightening rod item out of the argument and to keep the post shorter.
First, is the semantics of the discussion. In my first sentence I put "same sex marriage" in quotes because on the most basic level that is what the argument is about, changing the definition of marriage.
The plain, simple and to the point definition of marriage is the union between a man and a woman. It is NOT the union between two people. It is NOT the union between a man and a man. It is NOT the union between a woman and a woman. It IS the union between a man and a woman.
One of the two arguments before the Supreme Court is over California's Proposition 8. The arguments of the opponents of Prop 8, supporters of "gay marriage", include that by not allowing homosexuals to marry they are being denied rights that are conferred to married straight couples. The only problem with this argument is that this is a 40 year old argument that is almost a totally moot point in this day and time, even more so in California. The rights of any couple in a relationship are protected. No longer are there limits in the areas where at one time a married couple had one set of rules and a homosexual couple had another set. Even when there are differences they can be overcome with legal documents; for example, hospital directives.
No, a union between a couple of the same sex, by definition is not marriage.
My second point is about the use of the term "civil rights". In other words, that "gay marriage" is a civil right. Many of the Hollywood types are saying that "gay marriage" is on the same level as the black civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's. I even heard it compared to the women's suffrage movement. There is one huge problem with this comparison. People that are black have no choice about whether or not they are black. Women have no choice as to whether they are a woman. They have civil rights simply because they are humans on this planet and they have basic civil rights that cannot be infringed upon simply because of their skin color or sex. Gay people have a choice as to whether or not they get involved in a committed relationship of whatever degree. I am not afforded anymore rights as a straight man over whether I can be involved in a relationship than a gay man. While going back to my first point, by definition, my relationship can develop into a marriage, a gay man (or woman) can enter into a committed relationship with all of the same benefits except the title of marriage. It is NOT a civil right.
For my third and final point for this discussion, I have to admit that Rush Limbaugh stole some of my thunder by discussing it on his show today. If we go about changing the definition of marriage, where do we stop. One of the arguments by supporters of "gay marriage" is that we should not stop a committed and loving couple from getting married. But why stop stop there and who says it will stop there. Where is the line? What happens if one of the members of the couple is a minor? Why should we stop a committed and loving couple from being together so the argument goes. What about polygamy? What if 3 people love each other and what to get "married"? Why should we stop them? After all, it is their "civil right"? What if a whole group of people want to live in a loving and committed relationship, something similar to the hippie communes of the 60's. Who are we to stop them from getting married as a group?
I could go on and be even more graphic and deviant but I think you get the idea.
I am confused by the liberal mind. They don't want straight couples to get married. They encourage the spurning of the formality of marriage between a man and a woman but they demand that a man and a man or a woman and a woman be allowed to join together in marriage. They glorify single parenthood but talk about how great it is for children to be adopted by a gay couple.
As I said, there is so much more that I could go on when speaking on this topic. I tried to keep this simple and I may even come off as simplistic. If so, oh well. If I offended you, good. You probably needed to be offended. You may disagree. I have no problem with that. You have the right to your opinion and I have the right to mine.
As always, I encourage comments. As a reminder since this is such a sensitive topic, I ask that you remain respectful. I reserve the right to review all and delete any I feel are inappropriate. Profanity will not be tolerated. If you do not like those rules, deal with it or start your own blog where you make the rules.
As always, SMILE.
Eddy
First, is the semantics of the discussion. In my first sentence I put "same sex marriage" in quotes because on the most basic level that is what the argument is about, changing the definition of marriage.
The plain, simple and to the point definition of marriage is the union between a man and a woman. It is NOT the union between two people. It is NOT the union between a man and a man. It is NOT the union between a woman and a woman. It IS the union between a man and a woman.
One of the two arguments before the Supreme Court is over California's Proposition 8. The arguments of the opponents of Prop 8, supporters of "gay marriage", include that by not allowing homosexuals to marry they are being denied rights that are conferred to married straight couples. The only problem with this argument is that this is a 40 year old argument that is almost a totally moot point in this day and time, even more so in California. The rights of any couple in a relationship are protected. No longer are there limits in the areas where at one time a married couple had one set of rules and a homosexual couple had another set. Even when there are differences they can be overcome with legal documents; for example, hospital directives.
No, a union between a couple of the same sex, by definition is not marriage.
My second point is about the use of the term "civil rights". In other words, that "gay marriage" is a civil right. Many of the Hollywood types are saying that "gay marriage" is on the same level as the black civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's. I even heard it compared to the women's suffrage movement. There is one huge problem with this comparison. People that are black have no choice about whether or not they are black. Women have no choice as to whether they are a woman. They have civil rights simply because they are humans on this planet and they have basic civil rights that cannot be infringed upon simply because of their skin color or sex. Gay people have a choice as to whether or not they get involved in a committed relationship of whatever degree. I am not afforded anymore rights as a straight man over whether I can be involved in a relationship than a gay man. While going back to my first point, by definition, my relationship can develop into a marriage, a gay man (or woman) can enter into a committed relationship with all of the same benefits except the title of marriage. It is NOT a civil right.
For my third and final point for this discussion, I have to admit that Rush Limbaugh stole some of my thunder by discussing it on his show today. If we go about changing the definition of marriage, where do we stop. One of the arguments by supporters of "gay marriage" is that we should not stop a committed and loving couple from getting married. But why stop stop there and who says it will stop there. Where is the line? What happens if one of the members of the couple is a minor? Why should we stop a committed and loving couple from being together so the argument goes. What about polygamy? What if 3 people love each other and what to get "married"? Why should we stop them? After all, it is their "civil right"? What if a whole group of people want to live in a loving and committed relationship, something similar to the hippie communes of the 60's. Who are we to stop them from getting married as a group?
I could go on and be even more graphic and deviant but I think you get the idea.
I am confused by the liberal mind. They don't want straight couples to get married. They encourage the spurning of the formality of marriage between a man and a woman but they demand that a man and a man or a woman and a woman be allowed to join together in marriage. They glorify single parenthood but talk about how great it is for children to be adopted by a gay couple.
As I said, there is so much more that I could go on when speaking on this topic. I tried to keep this simple and I may even come off as simplistic. If so, oh well. If I offended you, good. You probably needed to be offended. You may disagree. I have no problem with that. You have the right to your opinion and I have the right to mine.
As always, I encourage comments. As a reminder since this is such a sensitive topic, I ask that you remain respectful. I reserve the right to review all and delete any I feel are inappropriate. Profanity will not be tolerated. If you do not like those rules, deal with it or start your own blog where you make the rules.
As always, SMILE.
Eddy
©2013 Eddy Seegers
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Aware in 2013
"What you do today can change all your tomorrows."- Zig Ziglar
I just finished a quick paragraph on Facebook to go with a re-posting of the above quote. My statement on every one's favorite social networking sight dealt more with politics but it also works with life in general and I guess it can probably pass as the closest thing to what would be called a New Year's Resolution. (I re-examine my goals and objectives, make adjustments in my plans, and review what I have done and learned in the past but I do that at various times throughout the year and not just at the rolling over of the calender.)
It is a time that people become more aware. We need to be more aware of what we do, our world that we live in, what we think, and how we interact with others. We need to be more aware of our relationships, our thoughts and emotions, and our personal behavior.
My statement said that most people either do not understand, do not care, or do not think they can do anything about circumstances.
I think since this is a more general discussion than my other post, awareness can be substituted for understanding. I encourage you to do an experiment. Go to the mall or the grocery store and just watch people. I would say to also try it when driving but unless you are already good at being aware of your surroundings, save those observations until you are more in tune with the world around you. But back to the experiment.
Walk around.
People watch.
Watch how people move, act, and react. You will notice that people do not realize where they are walking, the space they are occupying, or others around them. Much of the behavior can be considered to be rude but the people will have no clue.
Now some people may not care if they are being rude. They may not care they are not aware. In my humble opinion, way too many people just do not care. They are happy to just go through the motions of life and unless life hits them between the eyes with a 2x4, they just don't care about things outside of a very limited circle of interest.
Then there are finally those people that don't think they can affect any changes, even within themselves. You can hear these people usually before you notice them otherwise. They are the ones that are always complaining, usually with something along the line of "Someone should do something..." These are the people that are always waiting for someone else to take action or someone else to take the lead even though they would not likely follow along anyway. One of the great Life Lessons that I have learned, if you want "someone" to do something, become that someone.
My conclusion to my Facebook statement was this, "I do understand, I do care, and I know that I can do something about it." I continue to try to be aware of of my life, my world, and the world around me. I do care. I care deeply. I care deeply about many things. And finally, I do think that I can do something about it. I have been blessed with a good mind, a strong work ethic, and a strong desire to make things better.
It is my challenge to all that read this to become more aware. Try my experiment to see how aware people seem to be. Gain understanding. Learn to care. Know that you CAN make a difference so you CAN do something. So get out and do it.
Eddy
©2013 Eddy Seegers
I just finished a quick paragraph on Facebook to go with a re-posting of the above quote. My statement on every one's favorite social networking sight dealt more with politics but it also works with life in general and I guess it can probably pass as the closest thing to what would be called a New Year's Resolution. (I re-examine my goals and objectives, make adjustments in my plans, and review what I have done and learned in the past but I do that at various times throughout the year and not just at the rolling over of the calender.)
It is a time that people become more aware. We need to be more aware of what we do, our world that we live in, what we think, and how we interact with others. We need to be more aware of our relationships, our thoughts and emotions, and our personal behavior.
My statement said that most people either do not understand, do not care, or do not think they can do anything about circumstances.
I think since this is a more general discussion than my other post, awareness can be substituted for understanding. I encourage you to do an experiment. Go to the mall or the grocery store and just watch people. I would say to also try it when driving but unless you are already good at being aware of your surroundings, save those observations until you are more in tune with the world around you. But back to the experiment.
Walk around.
People watch.
Watch how people move, act, and react. You will notice that people do not realize where they are walking, the space they are occupying, or others around them. Much of the behavior can be considered to be rude but the people will have no clue.
Now some people may not care if they are being rude. They may not care they are not aware. In my humble opinion, way too many people just do not care. They are happy to just go through the motions of life and unless life hits them between the eyes with a 2x4, they just don't care about things outside of a very limited circle of interest.
Then there are finally those people that don't think they can affect any changes, even within themselves. You can hear these people usually before you notice them otherwise. They are the ones that are always complaining, usually with something along the line of "Someone should do something..." These are the people that are always waiting for someone else to take action or someone else to take the lead even though they would not likely follow along anyway. One of the great Life Lessons that I have learned, if you want "someone" to do something, become that someone.
My conclusion to my Facebook statement was this, "I do understand, I do care, and I know that I can do something about it." I continue to try to be aware of of my life, my world, and the world around me. I do care. I care deeply. I care deeply about many things. And finally, I do think that I can do something about it. I have been blessed with a good mind, a strong work ethic, and a strong desire to make things better.
It is my challenge to all that read this to become more aware. Try my experiment to see how aware people seem to be. Gain understanding. Learn to care. Know that you CAN make a difference so you CAN do something. So get out and do it.
Eddy
©2013 Eddy Seegers
Monday, December 31, 2012
Good Bye 2012
I could do a summary of the past year, but I won't.
I could talk about my resolutions for 2013, but I won't.
I will take the occassion of the New Year to be a moment of Thanksgiving. I am thankful that, while I still have my health issues and I have been "under the weather" for most of December, I am healthy and my doctors were excited with the improvement in my overall health.
I am thankful for my family. While we have our disagreements and there have been some strained relationships, the overall relationships in our family have been good and are improving.
I am thankful that I have a job. We are at a point where the percentage of adults working full-time in our nation is at an all-time low, I continue to have a fairly stable job.
I am thankful that God has blessed me with a good mind and my parents instilled a strong work ethic. I feel these 2 things are part of the reason for the previous paragraph. I also feel that these 2 things are going to help me in new ventures and adventures I have planned for the coming year.
Finally, and most importantly, I am thankful that God sent his only Son to die on a cross for my sins. I am thankful that I made Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour years ago. I am not perfect. I have my flaws. But thankfully my sins have been forgiven. Thank you Lord for your blessings.
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
One Degree, One Voice
November 6, 2012
As a closet science geek, there are many things in many areas of study that fascinate me. Astronomy is one. I am amazed when I look at the stars. I think about how far away they are. The size and scope of the known universe. The size and scope of the unknown universe. Aerodynamics and the ability of man-made flight. Supersonic jets to small personal planes, it all amazes me.
Thermodynamics is also something that holds my attention and fascination. Think about it for a moment.
You have a pot of water that is 211 degrees. You have a pot of hot water. A very hot pot of water but still just a pot of hot water. However, if you add one simple degree, the entire state of the water changes from liquid to a gas as the water boils.
One single, solitary degree. One degree is the difference between hot water and boiling water. In the big scheme of things, one degree is not much. When you are talking about boiling water, 1 degree is 0.47% of the 212 degrees that it takes to boil water. But without any single one of those 212, you just have hot water.
There is an election going on today. There are 2 very different opinions on what the direction of our country should be. I have a very strong personal opinion on that direction. I have many friends and acquaintances who disagree with me and think the other direction should be the one that we follow as a nation.
No matter the direction, there are those that will feel like they do not have a voice in our government. At times, I have felt that frustration. No longer. Politically, I am very conservative. I believe in the power of the individual. The Constitution is a document from THE PEOPLE, limiting the scope and reach of the federal government. I believe in free market capitalism. I especially believe in American Exceptionalism. This is the greatest country, with the greatest form of government (no not a democracy but a democratic representative republic), and the greatest economic system that allows even those on the bottom of the socio-economic ladder to get to the top. As Winston Churchill once said about capitalism, it is absolutely the worst system except for all of the others.
If the election goes in a way that I see as a big mistake, Barry Soetoro, uh Barack Obama gets re-elected, I will be out-front, outspoken, and very active in advocating conservatism in the face of the opposition. If my candidate, Mitt Romney, wins, I will also be out there, out-front, and outspoken, promoting that the concepts of conservatism are followed. I am a conservative and feel that sometimes the Republicans get lazy and follow the path of least resistance. ( I have much more that I will share about this in the future.)
Martin Luther was a Catholic priest who posted his 95 Theses and created the beginnings of the Protestant movement that changed organized religion. He was one voice who spoke against the establishment. His life was threatened. He was kicked out of the Catholic church. He faced many hardships because of his beliefs yet he continued on.
I am making a commitment to become a voice. Am I comparing myself with Martin Luther? In no way, shape, or form. He was a great man and a great thinker. I can only hope to have a few people hear my voice and take action.
However, I am looking at myself like one of those 212 degrees needed to make water boil. I am one voice. I am encouraging others to share their voice. Speak up. Question decisions. Know what you believe and advocate for it. One thing that I am going to not worry about is offending people. The way I look at it is if they get offended, they needed to be offended. I know what I believe. My convictions are strong. I am praying that my voice will be become as strong as those conviction.
Keep an eye out. In the very near future, I will be starting a new blog that will be dedicated solely to my political views. I pray that I will be blunt, to the point, direct, and provocative. I will likely create a new Facebook page to promote my political views and the blog.
Finally, I want to make you think. And most importantly, I want you to join me as single degrees, single voices, so that together we can boil over and bring about a return to true American values and greatness.
I am going to watch election returns now. Good night and God Bless. And God Bless America.
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2012
As a closet science geek, there are many things in many areas of study that fascinate me. Astronomy is one. I am amazed when I look at the stars. I think about how far away they are. The size and scope of the known universe. The size and scope of the unknown universe. Aerodynamics and the ability of man-made flight. Supersonic jets to small personal planes, it all amazes me.
Thermodynamics is also something that holds my attention and fascination. Think about it for a moment.
You have a pot of water that is 211 degrees. You have a pot of hot water. A very hot pot of water but still just a pot of hot water. However, if you add one simple degree, the entire state of the water changes from liquid to a gas as the water boils.
One single, solitary degree. One degree is the difference between hot water and boiling water. In the big scheme of things, one degree is not much. When you are talking about boiling water, 1 degree is 0.47% of the 212 degrees that it takes to boil water. But without any single one of those 212, you just have hot water.
There is an election going on today. There are 2 very different opinions on what the direction of our country should be. I have a very strong personal opinion on that direction. I have many friends and acquaintances who disagree with me and think the other direction should be the one that we follow as a nation.
No matter the direction, there are those that will feel like they do not have a voice in our government. At times, I have felt that frustration. No longer. Politically, I am very conservative. I believe in the power of the individual. The Constitution is a document from THE PEOPLE, limiting the scope and reach of the federal government. I believe in free market capitalism. I especially believe in American Exceptionalism. This is the greatest country, with the greatest form of government (no not a democracy but a democratic representative republic), and the greatest economic system that allows even those on the bottom of the socio-economic ladder to get to the top. As Winston Churchill once said about capitalism, it is absolutely the worst system except for all of the others.
If the election goes in a way that I see as a big mistake, Barry Soetoro, uh Barack Obama gets re-elected, I will be out-front, outspoken, and very active in advocating conservatism in the face of the opposition. If my candidate, Mitt Romney, wins, I will also be out there, out-front, and outspoken, promoting that the concepts of conservatism are followed. I am a conservative and feel that sometimes the Republicans get lazy and follow the path of least resistance. ( I have much more that I will share about this in the future.)
Martin Luther was a Catholic priest who posted his 95 Theses and created the beginnings of the Protestant movement that changed organized religion. He was one voice who spoke against the establishment. His life was threatened. He was kicked out of the Catholic church. He faced many hardships because of his beliefs yet he continued on.
I am making a commitment to become a voice. Am I comparing myself with Martin Luther? In no way, shape, or form. He was a great man and a great thinker. I can only hope to have a few people hear my voice and take action.
However, I am looking at myself like one of those 212 degrees needed to make water boil. I am one voice. I am encouraging others to share their voice. Speak up. Question decisions. Know what you believe and advocate for it. One thing that I am going to not worry about is offending people. The way I look at it is if they get offended, they needed to be offended. I know what I believe. My convictions are strong. I am praying that my voice will be become as strong as those conviction.
Keep an eye out. In the very near future, I will be starting a new blog that will be dedicated solely to my political views. I pray that I will be blunt, to the point, direct, and provocative. I will likely create a new Facebook page to promote my political views and the blog.
Finally, I want to make you think. And most importantly, I want you to join me as single degrees, single voices, so that together we can boil over and bring about a return to true American values and greatness.
I am going to watch election returns now. Good night and God Bless. And God Bless America.
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2012
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Like Everyone Else, My 9/11 Remembrances
I ask your indulgence as I, like so many others, share my remembrances of that day 10 years ago, September 11, 2001.
I lived in Antioch, California. My house was at the top of a hill that provided some interesting views depending on where you looked. I will talk more about that later.
I woke up that morning at 5:30 (Pacific Time) as was my habit. It was my niece’s 10th birthday and I remember thinking that I needed to call her during the day. I was excited to get going and get to work. I was an inside sales rep and September had started as a great sales month. We received a bonus for making our sales goal and an extra bonus for going over our bonus by a certain percentage. The first 10 days had been very productive and I was already close to make my first goal. So yes, I was excited about getting to work that Tuesday morning.
As was my habit, I went down to my kitchen to make breakfast. That day is so imprinted on my brain that I even remember the details of my breakfast. I usually have eggs in some form and that morning I was sautéing spinach and mushrooms to go with the eggs. I flipped on the television like I still do every morning. I put on the local Fox affiliate and I immediately saw the pictures of the first hit on the World Trade Center Tower. It was a minute or two after 6:00 local time.
I went back to the stove which gave me a direct view of the television. The eggs were in the pan and I was stirring my eggs, spinach, and mushrooms . Just as I looked up, Flight 175 hit the second tower. I will never forget the feeling in the pit of my stomach while realizing what had just happened.
I ate my breakfast, transfixed to the news. Normally, I would have channel surfed to all of the news networks and anywhere else to see if any of them had different information. That morning, however, I never touched the remote.
I ate my breakfast almost without thought. Watching nervously and anxiously. The world was changing in front of our eyes. Then came the first unconfirmed reports about a plane hitting the Pentagon and about another crashing in Pennsylvania. All planes were being grounded. I remember thinking, “how is this going to get worse?”
While watching the news, the normal time for me to leave for work passed. My start time at work passed. Finally, I decided I needed to head to work. I know it would not be a normal day but thought I should go in. As I was gathering my things together, the first tower collapse occurred. My question on how it could get worse had just been answered. Listening on the radio as I traveled to work, I heard of the second tower’s collapse. My mom called me to ask if I had heard of the second tower. She then brought it to my attention of the likely sacrifice of the firemen and police that likely died by going into the towers.
*************************************************************
The news continued to come in throughout the day. News with which is so familiar to all of us. The citizen heroes of Flight 93. The heroes at the Pentagon. The NYFD, NYPD, and the Port Authority police.
The 19 hijackers. (On a personal note, I hope the souls of those bastards suffer personally at the hands of satan in hell and that each day is worse than the day before.)
My niece’s 10th birthday party was cancelled. I remember she told her mom that she didn’t know how she was supposed to feel. She had turned 10 but this terrible tragedy happened on that same day.
At work, I never even made my goal that month. People stopped buying. Eventually, I lost my job. I was laid off because sales slowed so much. The economy took a turn for the worse for a while.
************************************************************
But the most indelible image I have from September 11, 2001 was from that evening, after the sun had gone down. At the beginning of this article, I mentioned the interesting views that were available from where my house was located. While taking my dogs for their evening walk, looking to the south from my street, I used to watch the inbound planes for the San Francisco airport. I could tell when San Francisco had heavier fog as I could watch the lights of the planes come in high and then do a big wide spiral and they got in line and circled before landing. They would do a big spiral. I learned how to tell what level meant that any particular plane was next to land.
There was also a moderately active commuter airport relatively close to my house. On clear nights, there was usually several small planes flying overhead both inbound and outbound. We also had an occasional flight heading to Oakland airport that would pass through my community’s airspace. There always were lights from planes somewhere in the sky.
On the night of September 11, however, all flights had been grounded. When I went outside that evening, there were no planes in the air. No small aircraft with their light buzzing as they passed over. No flights heading to Oakland coming in on their final approach. And there were no flights circling for SFO. The sky was still and quiet. Most businesses had closed and people were staying home with their families.
It seemed as if the world was on pause. Maybe it was. Our country and the world has changed significantly in the last 10 years. As we continue to live our lives, I think we all should take moments in time to reflect on that day. I know it is a cliché but we should never forget. We should never forget the images, the pain, the sacrifice, and the way we felt that day and the days immediately following. We need to remember that there is evil in the world. I also believe that if we remember the past proof of that evil, the less likely we are to have it demonstrated to us anew.
And when we reflect, we need to move forward with resolve and determination. In the words of one of the heroes from Flight 93, Todd Beamer, “Let’s Roll!”
©2011, Eddy Seegers
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Reaching the Summit
The struggles of the climb is forgotten in the exhilaration of reaching the summit.
~(This is one version of many quotes of a similar nature.)
This story goes back many years to my days of playing high school football. I played on the varsity team for 3 years. Not saying much since we didn't have a junior varsity team. During my three years we won a grand total of 1, 2, and, then the triumphant senior year, 4 games during my career.
My sophomore year, I was a small player on a small team. I didn't get on the field very much that year. Early on, we played a team that wasn't really a rival but we did play them year after year. Their nickname was the Wildcats.
We played them my sophomore year at their stadium which was right next to their school. In fact, our "dressing room" was a class room. When we left the building to go to the field, we were behind the bleachers filled with their fans. Those fans would turn around and and chant, "Cat food, cat, food!" as we made our way to the field. It was made even louder as the chants would echo off the building.
What started as a close game, became a rout by the time it ended, with my school taking one of the worse defeats in its history. After the game, their coach came over to our coach and apologized by saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run up the score." It was a little bit of a hollow apology, however, as even when the runts like me got to play against their first team late in the game.
Fast forward to my junior year. The week before we played this team again, our team was playing a game that we should have won. Yes, we only won 2 games that year but there was one week we played a team that we should have beat. Not only did we lose, we played terribly. I don't think I ever saw our coaches as angry as they were at halftime and when the game was over. At the end of the night, our head coach finished his comments with two promises, in preparation for the game against the team that embarassed us so much the year prior, we were going to work harder than we had ever worked. And then he guaranteed that we would win.
What followed was the toughest, most physical week of my limited athletic career. We practiced the following morning, one of only 2 Saturday practices of my varsity career. We had full blown, hard hitting, full contact practices everyday the following week, including the day before the game. I remember being banged up, worn out, and beaten down. Daily, I questioned my commitment to playing football.
Did I want to play this bad that I put myself through this?
I went through classes during the day dreading the upcoming practice. I went from drill to drill, dreading what was coming next. My teammates seemed to share my desire to stay out of the direction of the coaches attention.
Finally, the game night arrived. As hard as the week of practice had been, the game was just as tough. Our opponents were strong, fast, and fired up thinking they had an easy target for another victory. The game was hard-hitting, back and forth, and very low scoring.
With time running out, the other time had the ball. They were driving for what would be the clinching score. At worst, it seemed, they could have run out the clock to assure their victory and our defeat. With around a minute left in the game, one of their players broke through the line and it looked like he was going to run the ball in for the clinching touchdown.
Over 30 years later, after watching sports of all manner at all levels, I am still amazed at what happened next.
One of our players appearred out of what seemed like nowhere and just took the ball away from their player. He proceeded to run 90 yards for a touchdown. We won. We won by 1 point.
It is here that my Life Lesson really begins. At that moment, and for that matter, for the rest of the weekend I don't think there was a player on our team that felt any of the bumps and bruises. Though we gave everything we had on that field, we had energy to burn. I don't think there was a player that did not appreciate the coaches for how they had driven us the week before and prepared us for the game.
The point is this, once we won the game, we did not remember all of the pain that we went through, we just felt the exhilaration of the victory.
We face many difficult times throughout our lives. There are times when we have mountains to climb that seem insurmountable. There are times where we are pushed to our limit and we question our intentions and desires. There are times where we are tempted to simply give up and make the hardhip and difficulties end.
However, if we stick with it, if we maintain our focus and commitment, if we keep at it, when we come out on the otherside we will discover the joy of victory, or completion, or satisfaction. And more than likely, we will minimize the struggles we faced to get there.
In my last post, I mentioned that my mom is facing a battle with breast cancer. She has already to begun to have to deal with some of the side effects of her treatment. She was told that one medication would make her feel like "every bone in her body was breaking." While it was not quite that bad, it did hit her pretty hard. She has had days where she was barely able to get out of bed and spent most of the day dozing on the couch. She has started to lose her hair. These and other side effects are just some of the battle that she faces.
In the case of my mom, cancer picked the wrong opponent. My mom is a fighter and she is going to beat the Big C. She has good days and some not so good days but I know that Mom is going to be victorious in this battle. And when she does, she will revel in the joy of a healthy life and the struggles will be but a distant memory.
Keep Smilin'!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
~(This is one version of many quotes of a similar nature.)
This story goes back many years to my days of playing high school football. I played on the varsity team for 3 years. Not saying much since we didn't have a junior varsity team. During my three years we won a grand total of 1, 2, and, then the triumphant senior year, 4 games during my career.
My sophomore year, I was a small player on a small team. I didn't get on the field very much that year. Early on, we played a team that wasn't really a rival but we did play them year after year. Their nickname was the Wildcats.
We played them my sophomore year at their stadium which was right next to their school. In fact, our "dressing room" was a class room. When we left the building to go to the field, we were behind the bleachers filled with their fans. Those fans would turn around and and chant, "Cat food, cat, food!" as we made our way to the field. It was made even louder as the chants would echo off the building.
What started as a close game, became a rout by the time it ended, with my school taking one of the worse defeats in its history. After the game, their coach came over to our coach and apologized by saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run up the score." It was a little bit of a hollow apology, however, as even when the runts like me got to play against their first team late in the game.
Fast forward to my junior year. The week before we played this team again, our team was playing a game that we should have won. Yes, we only won 2 games that year but there was one week we played a team that we should have beat. Not only did we lose, we played terribly. I don't think I ever saw our coaches as angry as they were at halftime and when the game was over. At the end of the night, our head coach finished his comments with two promises, in preparation for the game against the team that embarassed us so much the year prior, we were going to work harder than we had ever worked. And then he guaranteed that we would win.
What followed was the toughest, most physical week of my limited athletic career. We practiced the following morning, one of only 2 Saturday practices of my varsity career. We had full blown, hard hitting, full contact practices everyday the following week, including the day before the game. I remember being banged up, worn out, and beaten down. Daily, I questioned my commitment to playing football.
Did I want to play this bad that I put myself through this?
I went through classes during the day dreading the upcoming practice. I went from drill to drill, dreading what was coming next. My teammates seemed to share my desire to stay out of the direction of the coaches attention.
Finally, the game night arrived. As hard as the week of practice had been, the game was just as tough. Our opponents were strong, fast, and fired up thinking they had an easy target for another victory. The game was hard-hitting, back and forth, and very low scoring.
With time running out, the other time had the ball. They were driving for what would be the clinching score. At worst, it seemed, they could have run out the clock to assure their victory and our defeat. With around a minute left in the game, one of their players broke through the line and it looked like he was going to run the ball in for the clinching touchdown.
Over 30 years later, after watching sports of all manner at all levels, I am still amazed at what happened next.
One of our players appearred out of what seemed like nowhere and just took the ball away from their player. He proceeded to run 90 yards for a touchdown. We won. We won by 1 point.
It is here that my Life Lesson really begins. At that moment, and for that matter, for the rest of the weekend I don't think there was a player on our team that felt any of the bumps and bruises. Though we gave everything we had on that field, we had energy to burn. I don't think there was a player that did not appreciate the coaches for how they had driven us the week before and prepared us for the game.
The point is this, once we won the game, we did not remember all of the pain that we went through, we just felt the exhilaration of the victory.
We face many difficult times throughout our lives. There are times when we have mountains to climb that seem insurmountable. There are times where we are pushed to our limit and we question our intentions and desires. There are times where we are tempted to simply give up and make the hardhip and difficulties end.
However, if we stick with it, if we maintain our focus and commitment, if we keep at it, when we come out on the otherside we will discover the joy of victory, or completion, or satisfaction. And more than likely, we will minimize the struggles we faced to get there.
In my last post, I mentioned that my mom is facing a battle with breast cancer. She has already to begun to have to deal with some of the side effects of her treatment. She was told that one medication would make her feel like "every bone in her body was breaking." While it was not quite that bad, it did hit her pretty hard. She has had days where she was barely able to get out of bed and spent most of the day dozing on the couch. She has started to lose her hair. These and other side effects are just some of the battle that she faces.
In the case of my mom, cancer picked the wrong opponent. My mom is a fighter and she is going to beat the Big C. She has good days and some not so good days but I know that Mom is going to be victorious in this battle. And when she does, she will revel in the joy of a healthy life and the struggles will be but a distant memory.
Keep Smilin'!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
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