Faith Venture

I haven’t missed two posts in a row in a very long time. We vacationed in Scotland for over a week. We returned from 67-70 deg F temperature to 92 deg F with high humidity and lots of pollen. I was congested, mistakenly took some Benadryl which enabled me to sleep all day Friday. I need to pitch that stuff from my medicine cabinet.

Yes, Scotland should be on your list of places to visit. Considering that the forts close to where I grew up were remnants of wooden outposts along the Ohio/Indiana border built by General “Mad” Anthony Wayne in the 1790s, walking through a Roman fort (OK, in England) built around 200 AD, multiple abbeys built around the year 1000, and accounts of the rich history of Scotland were memorable.

Also that the tour guides unanimously voted thumbs down on Braveheart. One guide generously allowed that Mel Gibson in no way was trying to be historical. For one thing, Lowlanders did not wear kilts in the time of William Wallace. And “Braveheart” referred to Robert the Bruce who died on a pilgrimage. It seems that they cut his heart out, put it in a box, intending to send it to (I believe) Jerusalem to finish the pilgrimage. The heart didn’t make it there. Was found some years later. They called it Braveheart.

You’re wondering about curiosity?

I may have mentioned before that I am almost infinitely curious. If curiosity killed the cat, as the saying goes, I’ve been burned. But I still want to know a lot about a lot of things. We are privileged to be able to make these trips. We began 2025 in New Zealand, have visited Nova Scotia, and now Scotland. In between we were in Charlottesville and Williamsburg, Virginia. Later we’ll have a vacation in Hilton Head.

Another bit of privilege—our son is a United Captain flying 757s. He flew our flight to Scotland.  That’s also pretty cool.

Philosophers from ancient times have written about what constitutes a good life. I love it when modern science validates ancient wisdom. This link points to a report about a study that suggests having a life of curiosity, perspective-changing experiences leads to a well lived life. Certainly working with people from many countries and visiting more than 20 other countries changed a socially inept country boy into a slightly less socially inept, but more understanding, adult. It’s been good.

Be curious, not judgmental. (See the next post.)

Some of us cannot move our thoughts beyond what happened, could have happened, or should have happened in the past.

Some of us dream only of the future, relationships to come, jobs and wealth we could acquire, places to visit.

Seth Godin has pointed out, “The best reason to think about the past is because it gives us the opportunity to improve the future.”

Most important—we live only in the present. This decision of what to do right now, in this moment, that is where life exists.

Treating others with kindness can seem like a chore…or it can just be a reflection of who we are.

Spiritual practitioners and teachers have taught people to begin by treating themselves with kindness, practicing gratitude, recognizing our shortcomings with objectivity and desire for change.

Some people whom we might describe informally with narcissistic tendencies seem to be so assured. Yet, inside they cannot treat themselves with kindness while hoping for others to treat them that way.

Others of us have been brought up not to expect kindness from others. Those people are shocked or suspicious when someone is kind to them, since they cannot be kind to themselves.

Blessed are those who treat their shortcomings with kindness. They find spiritual growth. And the ability to serve others in ways great and small simply as an extension of that kindness.

We can all learn to step back, becoming aware of our situation, practicing loving kindness meditation. We become a spiritually integrated child of God.

You’ve got to make the morning last.—Paul Simon

Or, if that’s too mellow, try the opposite:

I Can’t Drive 55—Sammy Hagar

I live in a 55+ community. You’d think that retired people have nowhere to go in a rush. But, if you saw where few stop at stop signs and most are far over the 25 mph speed limit, you’d think it was a 25- community where all the young people are in a hurry.

It took me years to learn to pace myself. The 5 minutes that I “saved” by driving too fast really didn’t matter. The frustrations of doing 3 or 4 things simultaneously resulted in shoddy, partially thought-out work.

Just kicking down the cobblestones

Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy

Background:

• Thoroughly Jewish—kept apart from others
• Definitely went to Rabbi School (his rabbi credentials are never questioned)

Yet

• Talked alone with a  Samaritan woman
• Touched people with skin disease
• Protected a woman from being stoned to death
• Healed a  Roman servant
• Healed a royal official’s child
• Told stories that made a hated outcast the hero, and had a father running in an undignified manner toward his wayward son

For a Jewish Rabbi, Jesus was astonishingly open to everyone.

What’s my excuse for being closed into my group? What’s your excuse?