Synchronized Silliness

Harry Shearer and Martin Short in an all-time classic film

When this five-minute video premiered on Saturday Night Live during the 1984-85 season, it became an instant classic. My wife and I howled because, let’s face it, synchronized swimming was easy to make fun of.

A few years later, the guy I wrote greeting cards for came out with a button that read SUPPORT SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING. Again, hilarious!

Then our seventh-grade daughter joined a sport at school. One guess as to what it was. Yep. And we quickly learned that synchronized swimming was perhaps the toughest sport out there. I mean, I can’t even tread water much less perform intricate feats requiring grace and strength while doing so. Heck, I can’t even

Nothing But Pain

I was moved by this story by Becky Lee, which was printed on Quora. It’s taken me a while but I’m getting better at looking past a person’s appearance and circumstances, perceiving their needs and, when appropriate, trying to connect with them on a meaningful level. Becky’s story reinforces  a great truth: every human being is in need of caring, comfort and kindness. Like Becky, I do what I can when I can, knowing that even the slightest bit of attention and loving concern can change a life.

Seek to do brave and lovely things which are left undone by the majority of people. Give gifts of love and peace to those whom others pass by.
Paramahansa Yogananda

JUST TAKE EVERYTHING
by Becky Lee

I was recently sitting in a doctor’s office waiting for an appointment. A man approached the reception desk with no shirt on, using it as a sling around his leg.

He was sweating profusely and he stunk. He was dirty. He looked like a bum. He was pleading with the receptionist to get a doctor to see him because he didn’t have any pain pills.

The receptionist and I smirked at each other and everyone in the waiting room shot each other a knowing glance . . . as if we were all thinking, “Oh, brother.”

The receptionist patronizingly explained that he would have to make an appointment and the doctor was too busy to renew his prescription. She refused to ask. I felt like rolling my eyes at this man. I mean, HELLO DUDE, make an appointment and for God sakes put on a shirt and have some self-respect. He disgusted me.

At that moment the man dropped to the floor and looked up at the sky. He started to weep. I mean REALLY WEEP. I will never forget what he said.

He said,  

Before the Sun Sets

Do not let another day go buy without doing something . . . anything . . . to become a better human being.

That is worth