Wherever You Go, There You Are

Years ago I read a book titled,”Wherever You Go, There You Are,” and for some unknown reason the title always resonated with me. I thought it had a lot of meaning, especially for me.

Wherever you go, there you are. No matter how good or how bad you are, no matter how pleased or unhappy you are with your life, remember that wherever you go, there you are. There’s no escaping from you. This thought is scary only if you’re not pleased with yourself only if you don’t come to terms with yourself. Many of us tend to point to others for their unhappiness but wherever you go, there you are. There’s no escaping you unless we ask the Lord “to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

There’s an airline commercial that’s been playing for a while and it shows people in various stages of embarrassing moments and as soon as one of these moments occurs the voice over says, “Do you want get away?”

Yes, you can get away from an embarrassing moment. Yes, you can run and hide. Yes, you can escape something you’ve done or something that was done to you, but as much as they try to tell you that you can get away, they’re wrong. Some go to the extreme escapism by killing themselves and others as the unfortunate situation that occurred in California yesterday. Did that person really get away? You can never get away from yourself. Wherever you go, there you are.

Leo Buscaglia tells a story of how on her death bed his mother chastised him for crying. “What are you holding on to?” she asked. It took him a while to understand that she was telling him to get on with life; her time had passed while most of his lay ahead. He had a hard time of selling his home in which he had lived in for over forty years and then started thinking of his mother’s question.

He states that he simply closed the door and left and found it so simple. He realized that the memories and dreams he valued were not hanging in the closets or hiding in the drawers; they were in him and he would be taking them wherever he went.

It is of practical value to learn to like yourself. Since you must spend so much time with yourself you might as well get some satisfaction out of the relationship. -Norman Vincent Peale

Wherever you go, there you are.

May the Lord be with you

God knows how many times over the course of my lifetime I’ve heard a priest say during Mass, “May the Lord be with you.” And how many time have I responded, “And also with you.” At my age if I attended 70 masses per year, I have heard this over ten thousand times.

Out of these ten thousand instances how many times have I taken the time to truly digest what the priest and I exchange. In my situation, I find that these words are quickly passed over, responded to, and that’s the end of it.

Early on in life when the Mass was said in Latin, the priest would turn around and say “Dominus Vobiscum (The Lord be with thee)” and I would respond with, “Et cum spiritu tuo (And also with your spirit).” Again I ask myself, do I truly know the significance of these words. Many times they have been taken for granted, much like when someone greets me with, “How are you,” or something similar. Are people ready to listen to me if I told them all that ails me at that moment? I truly think that if I started to spill my guts to them they would regret ever asking how I was.

In the same manner, I find myself having to really concentrate on not only what’s going on but on what is being said during Mass. I can’t be thinking on what I’m going to be ordering for breakfast later on. I can’t be thinking and plotting on what the rest of the day has in store for me. I can’t be thinking about the upcoming Patriot or Red Sox game. I can’t be thinking about what I owe the IRS this year. The devil is always at play trying to distract me away from the Lord.

“May the Lord be with you.”

Every time you hear these words, just think that you have been given everything under the sun and more. What more would you want or is there than having the Lord with you?

Do you find this hard to understand? If you answer yes, you are in good company because even the Apostles who had the Lord walking with them had a hard time understanding.

In today’s Gospel from St. Mark 4, 35-41, we find the apostles in a boat with Jesus. Jesus is sleeping and the seas become so agitated that the boat is taking on lots of water. The apostles wake Him saying, “Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?” St. Mark continues by telling us how Jesus woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea to be still. The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"

In life, we too find ourselves in times of turmoil battling different storms, it’s inevitable unless we shut ourself off from everything and live like a hermit. It’s during these times that St. Augustine warned us not to let Christ go to sleep in our hearts and soul. If we let Him sleep we will be shipwrecked.

Don’t forget Christ, awaken Him that way He will be awake in you.

“MAY THE LORD BE WITH YOU”

Duped by DuPont

DuPont has recently reached a $16.5 million settlement with EPA over the company's failure to report possible health risks associated with PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid, a key processing agent in making nonstick and stain-resistant materials, which has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals and is in the blood of 95 percent of Americans, including pregnant women.

PFOA can be found in a wide variety of everyday products, including pizza boxes, nonstick pans and microwave-popcorn bags. So even if you think you’re safe because you don’t use non-stick pans, think again because this agent is fairly well widespread. It has even been found in the blood of marine organisms and Arctic polar bears. Someone must be feeding either popcorn or pizza to those bears and should be stopped.

Although other companies such as 3M, Ciba, and Clariant Corp. agreed to reduce public exposure to the chemical, DuPont, which settled a class-action suit last year accusing it of contaminating drinking water in Ohio and West Virginia communities near its plant in Parkersburg, W.Va., has attracted the most public scrutiny over its PFOA use.

Isn’t it ironic that DuPont, who on one hand sells a safety program called STOP as a way of reducing and eliminating industrial accidents is also contaminating not only drinking water but also our bodies with potential carcinogens?

Here’s what DuPont states on its web site;

The DuPont Safety & Protection platform is focused on finding solutions to protect people, property, operations and the environment. DuPont delivers science-based solutions that make a difference in people’s lives in food and nutrition, health care, protective apparel, home and construction and environmental solutions.

How are they finding solutions to protect people?
They are making a difference in people’s lives in food and nutrition – they are exposing them to harmful agents.

Someone at DuPont should revisit this statement because it smells of the utmost form of hypocrisy.

I just hope and pray that the US Postal Service has come to its senses and stopped subscribing to DuPont’s safety program called STOP. The millions spent on this program in the past did very little to change a culture where management doesn’t walk the walk. STOP was just another pollutant to the already polluted air that’s constantly spewed out by corporate America.

Things I didn't know about Bogie

Here are some tidbits about Humphrey Bogart whose birthday is today

* Born in NY 1899
* He was expelled from Phillips Academy in Massachusetts
* Joined the Navy to fight in World War I serving as the ship’s gunner
* One day, while roughhousing on the ship's wooden stairway, he tripped and fell, and a splinter became lodged in his upper lip; the result was a scar as well as partial paralysis of the lip, resulting in the tight-set mouth and lisp that became one of his most distinctive onscreen qualities.

Of all the blog sites on all the servers, you chose to visit mine….

Do-Overs

Do you remember as a child playing a game and when something went wrong you’d ask for a do-over (a chance to correct a mistake without being penalized)? If you play golf a do-over is called a mulligan. An unwritten rule in golf is that you’re allowed one mulligan per round.

As adults, how many opportunities do we have to ask for a do-over? You get distracted while driving and you damage the bumper of the car in front of you, wouldn’t it be nice to get a do-over. You lose your temper and say something nasty to another person and later on are remorseful for your actions. Wouldn’t it be great to take out that do-over card and use it?

There are some people who never ask for a do-over because they think they never make any mistakes. To some admitting a mistake is perceived as a weakness. I remember the time a reporter asked President Bush what was the biggest mistake he made during his presidency and he couldn’t come up with any. He probably didn’t want to admit any fearing political suicide.

How comfortable are we in granting do-overs when someone has hurt us? Isn’t a do-over in certain circumstances a sort of forgiveness?

Jesus taught us, even up to and until His last moments, while dying on the cross, when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Ephesians 4:32 tells us to "Forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Children have an easier time in granting do-overs; they are very lenient in granting an unlimited amount. As adults we harden our hearts and at best we’ll provide you with maybe one, the mulligan. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 18: 3, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Forgiveness cancels a debt someone owes us and restores relationship. It is the only solution in a world ridden with sin and evil to help us start over (do-over) with people and with God.

Alexander Pope stated very succinctly, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.”

Wal-Mart Takes Over the World

Wal-Mart takes over the world
Giant changing the face of retailing, one country at a time


It isn’t ironic that a country that tries so hard to shove multi-culturalism down your throat is the same one that has a retail giant that is bullying its way into all corners of the world.

"Country by country, the world is discovering the great value of shopping at Wal-Mart. We need to be the growth of Wal-Mart when some day the United States slows down." This is how John Menzer, head of U.S. store operations, explains Wal-Mart’s expansion overseas.

Already, they have retail stores operating in Mexico (774 units), Puerto Rico (54 units), Canada (263 units), Argentina (11 units), Brazil (295 units), China (56 units), Germany (88 units), South Korea (16 units), United Kingdom (315 units), Costa Rica (124 units), El Salvador (57 units), Guatemala (120 units), Honduras (32 units) and Nicaragua (30 units). During 2005, Wal-Mart started its move into India.

A current online unscientific survey, that asks people whether they like this or hate it, is running 2 to 1 against it.

I don’t like it for various reasons. For one, this giant is bullying its way into many of these countries and overtaking local stores. The local stores that remain cannot compete with the powerful mega store. Wal-Mart is exporting the worst side of consumerism throughout the world.

I think it’s a shame that many countries are starting lose their sense of identity by letting the likes of Coca Cola, Pepsi, McDonald’s and now Wal-Mart. I’m glad to see that Italy, has not buckled under to Wal-Mart’s pressure, and hope that they never will.

Some American tourists take solace in feeling at home by finding a McDonald’s adjacent to the Eiffel Tower but I think it’s a huge eyesore. When I travel to Europe, I don’t want to feel like I’m in Topeka, Kansas. I don’t want to live in a Wal-Mart world.

Chelsea

Over the years I’ve heard many people poke fun at Chelsea, Massachusetts. Bring up the word Chelsea at a party and automatically people will have a negative thought or response. If you do a search on the word, Chelsea, on an Internet search engine you will find very little on Chelsea, Mass. A high percentage of information is for either Chelsea, England or New York.

This morning I was surprised to read that a famous author from the 1800’s, whose birthday is today, was born in Chelsea, Ma. His name is Horatio Alger, Jr. His name is synonymous with rags to riches stories. He wrote the book, Ragged Dick; or Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks (1867), about a shoeshine boy who goes from rags to riches through a combination of hard work and good luck. He went on to write hundreds of novels with the same rags to riches theme. His books may no longer be as popular today as they once were, but the moral messages they relayed were an important factor in developing the American dream of the twentieth century.

Here are some tidbits of information on him:

Horatio Alger, Jr. was the oldest of five children of a debt-ridden New England, Unitarian minister. He was very frail. He was under weight and undersized, suffered from bronchial asthma, and near sightedness. Because of his poor health, the family deferred his introduction to the alphabet and reading until he was six years old. He started formal school at age 10 and achieved Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard. He was ranked eighth in a class of 89. He volunteered for the union army three times and was rejected three times because of his asthma and small size (just over five feet and about 120 pounds).

He took a tour of Europe where he finally made his decision to pursue the ministry and he enrolled at the Harvard Divinity School. In 1860, Reverend Alger took a position as minister of the First Parish Unitarian Church of Brewster on Cape Cod, but left for New York City rather suddenly in 1866, ostensibly to pursue a career in writing. Church records uncovered after Alger's death indicate that he was quietly dismissed for having sexual relations with several teenage boys in his parish. Despite his remarkable literary output, Alger never became rich from his writing. He gave most of his money to homeless boys and in some instances was actually conned from his earnings by the boys he tried to help. Nevertheless, by the time he died in 1899, his books could be found in virtually every home and library in America.

After reading a little about Horatio Alger, I now have something positive to think about whenever anyone mentions Chelsea, Ma. I noticed that some stories about him want to credit his place of birth to Revere and not Chelsea.

One Small Step

God daily asks: Just take one small step toward me and I will meet you there wherever you are. No matter how far you have strayed.

Pretty powerful stuff from an unknown author; all we need to do is to take one small step and no matter how far away we’ve strayed from God, He will meet us.

He is there EVERY day, not just once.

He doesn’t say that He’ll meet us halfway and do it once or twice but always at whatever distance we have placed ourselves.

The key is taking the one step toward Him.

For some this is very difficult because they think God thinks like men.

Scripture provides us with many examples:

In Matthew 8: 23 – 27, we find the disciples following the Lord into a boat. A storm arose and the boat was being tossed about and swamped with waves while the Lord was asleep. The disciples woke Him by saying, “Save, Lord; we are perishing.”

He says to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?”

Scripture reveals the numerous times that the Lord tells us not to be afraid, and in the example above He questions their faith.

Our faith is also questioned when we fail to take the initial step. Once you take that first step by seeking repentance and forgiveness, you will find the Lord waiting for you with open arms.

In Matthew 14: 28 – 31, we find Peter walking on water toward Jesus who is in a boat. Peter was doing fine until a wind kicked up and he became frightened and began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Why do we doubt? What more do we need? DO NOT BE AFRAID, take that first step.

Stop the War!

People were outraged when the lives of astronauts were lost, yet we continue to lose the lives of soldiers in Iraq with nary a peep being uttered.

We spend billions upon billions for the space program, yet we skimp on the armor that’s issued to our military. A recent Pentagon study of 93 Marines who were killed show that their lives could have been saved if they were afforded better protective equipment.

Are we protecting our astronauts better than the military? If so, Why?

Hasn’t the government placed the space program on hold anytime something bad has happened in order to assess and fix the situation?

Why can’t they put the war on hold until such time as they find and properly equip the military personnel?

The decision is being weighed between losing face or losing lives?

I would always choose losing face.

There are no winners in war.

Resolutions

The year 2006 was ushered in very quietly for me and for the first time in many years I decided that my New Years’ resolution was to not make any. Many people including myself in the past have made many unattainable resolutions that made them feel depressed. I don’t need any additional burdens to make me depressed for God knows that there are many things especially at this time of year that can do that.

The short days and long nights are more than enough for some people to handle, never mind adding the additional stresses such as paying the huge credit card bills that have been amassed in spending for Christmas, or the higher heating bills due to the cold winter. The first of the year always brings news that my real estate taxes have just been increased by eight percent and the realization that the IRS will shortly begin mailing my tax forms that I will have to prepare to file. For some this is welcomed news because they expect to get a refund but to others it means the payment of another bill, which is going to be costlier since the Postal Service is about to increase the price we pay for postage.


When you make a resolution you are making a firm decision to do something. It doesn’t say that you are making a firm decision to start something, something that will never be completed.

It seems that most of my resolutions, such as to lose weight, or to exercise daily, or to eat a healthy diet have made it to different stages but have always fallen short. I start out with a firm conviction and I try to stay on whatever regiment I choose. At first I feel good about what I’m doing but then gradually as January ends I find myself slowly getting away from it and normally by the of February, I find myself back to my old ways. Depression sets in at realizing that I’ve failed to complete what I started out to do.

This year, I will concentrate only on the present and take things one day at a time. I will try not to worry about what has passed and not what’s about to come. I realize that the only thing I can control is just what is happening this moment.

As I think about change and how I would go about changing something, I look to Mother Nature for examples. When a tree is planted and it doesn’t get support, most times the wind and weather will cause it to grow crooked. Once we notice that it has started to bend, we cannot straighten it out just buy pushing on it once. If we intervene at the beginning, we can tie it to a firm stake and provide for it the continuous support it needs until it has straightened and is able to sustain itself.

We too need support. We too need someone to be our stake. Our stake might be as simple as words of encouragement of love and forgiveness. As a stake we need to be strong because we will face more bad weather and wind and cannot break.

Look at the sea and how consistent the waves are. Notice how smooth the rocks are where the waves have gently and continuously washed over them, many of these rocks didn’t start out as being smooth; many had rough and jagged edges and over the years of constant washing over, the waves have turned them into beautiful smooth stones.

Spiritually I relate this to what our Lord Jesus Christ does for us continuously. He loves us unconditionally. Like the waves, He is constantly washing over us to smooth our imperfections. He forgives us more than the seventy seven times mention in Scripture as long as we reconcile our sins and stay in his waters. Even when we feel abandoned (low tide) the Lord will come to us (high tide) over and over.

If you find yourself alone without a stake for support be at solace because the Lord is always with you and remember these words from Psalm 55: 22;

Cast your burden on the Lord
And he will sustain you;
He will never permit
The righteous to be moved.

Happy New Year

To all the readers of Lino's Line here's my New Year's wish for you

May the Lord bless you and keep you!

May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!