It’s movie night under the stars at California State University, Northridge and I’m here with close family friend Kris (not pictured). I’ve known Kris for many years, and with her being a lifetime friend of my wife, to hang out with her is like spending time with a family member. Plus, she is one of the most avid readers of 365. And for this reason, I am conducting an experiment by submitting to the both of them for the direction of my 365 path this evening. Kris has agreed to drive and facilitate our travels and Terri has stepped up in suggesting our destination, the above mentioned movie night and one of Kris’s favorite flicks of all time, “The Wizard Of Oz.”
The crowd is thin and with the 2012 graduation ceremonies over, the grounds are open. Still, the diversity is rich and the temptation to profile for the wisdom of youth pulls hard. Although Kris and I share our hellos with every passer-by, I purposefully hold my 365 introduction, waiting of Kris’ inspiration. We talk to a couple of people, stand, talk to a few more, stand again, and repeat the same motions several times. Yet in doing so, neither of us feel any strong impressions about who to ask to join us in sharing their council.
We simply find ourselves standing, blind-minded zombie, staring into the slowly expanding audience, when Kris turns to me with what I view as a spark of enlightenment. “What about the Lemonade stand?” she gestures.
Funny how it’s so easy to get sidetracked by the motion of people that we can find ourselves overlooking those sitting in plain view.
Over to the lemonade stand we stroll and on approach we are welcomed by Dan, cold beverage superstar and proprietor of DC Lemonade.
Dan, hailing from Israel (relocated to the United States in 1984) speaks to us with a combination of warmth and subdued wisdom.
“We all need to get along… it is one world for all of us, and with less fighting we are all going to get better. And coming from a country where we always fought for our land, I know it is important to forget about the little stuff and think about the future for our kids. They are going to live in a free world. Where there is no war or stuff like that.”
Dan speaks with optimism about the ability of our children to evoke positive change as they mature. With this he directs us to do what we can to instill whatever seeds we can in the way we teach, parent and advise them.
“I just wish that we are going to work on all the problems that we have now and eliminate all the extremists all over the world. That they are not going to put so much in religion and just let everyone do what they feel like as long as we all get together.”
Respect, tolerance and forgiveness are the key attributes I take away from speaking with Dan.
He is just another hard-working man, doing his best to support his family and in passing along whatever good words and works he can.
He does speak radically of eliminating the extremists. But in his verbal tone it is apparent that he is not referring to a killing spree. I am certain that would be against his value system. What I hear is a man focused on acceptance.
“Just let everyone do what they feel like as long as we all get together.” Dan platforms.
His voice does not ring with the color of a drug induced 60s festival (no harm meant with the reference). Nor does it sting with overly zealous or radical religious reform. It just settles as a heart’s hope from a caring father.
I’m with you Dan – It is important to forget about the little stuff, and to think about the future for our kids.
And I share in your dream my friend. I hope, too, that as you say, “They are going to live in a free world, where there is no war or stuff like that.”
A dream that can start in our hearts, as per referencing a line from tonight’s film.
“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard…”
Shall that backyard be our communities and our view of the diversity of the world?
Back to Dan, “We all need to get along… it is one world for all of us.”
I’m still in the middle of the pre-production storm in readying for a short film that I am producing and directing. No promoting here, just letting you know that my priorities are still deep in 365. So now with my pickled scented keyboard under familiar hand, I must give thank to my wife, Terri, for introducing our friends of the day cyclists and men of wisdom, Brian and Michael.
Terri already set the scene for today’s entry, and with one hour to spare in my working day, I grabbed a coffee-house chair with our new friends.
We sit and talk cycling in breaking the walls, but soon after that the topics turn towards society. Both Brian and Michael are very intellectual and realistically creative in their outlook towards both the now and the world ahead.
Brian, now retired, is about to check out of the America grind in favor of a projected five years traveling through Europe with his wife. Yet, Brian in no escapist, “We want to experience a different culture than that of Los Angeles,” he opens up.
“It’s really cool what you are doing with 365. It reminds me of a book a read by a British professor (he can’t recall their name, and once I Goggled for it, the list of authors on the topic prove to be overwhelming). In this book the author studied modern perspectives on luck. And in it the first thing that was disproved was superstition. What it did prove was that luck is not by chance, it often fell more on people who regularly engaged in with people. Showing that people who were not myopic in looking at the broader world, had a greater percentage of good fortune fall upon them. Not necessarily from the people who they engaged with, but from unknown and unfamiliar sources.”
And in this discussion of questioning where the fountain of good fortune flows forth, Brian verbalizes his charge of wisdom to us. Humbly this, “Love one another.”
“Make love not war! I say it not just tongue in cheek. The problem is real. We have so much world conflict going on now… and there doesn’t seem to be any resolution and I see no end to it. There are more wars now than any other time in world history. And a lot of the reasons are frivolous.
There are so many innocent people dying for it… so much strife.
We have to find a way of resolving our differences without killing each other. I don’t know what it will take.
And the problem is getting bigger. We are going to become a more populated world. As we do there is going to be a lot more competition for resources. Whether it be water, food, fuel, whatever it is, etc.
There is a lot of real estate out there to occupy, but there is only a limited amount of natural resources. We are depleting those resources while we are also polluting our world. Unless we have some kind of a major overhaul in the way we think and look for ways to use resources, and to regenerate what we have already used up, we’re heading toward a pretty touch future.
We insulate ourselves with money, and the more people have, the less crap they have to take from the world. That is not a healthy way to think.
My fear is that twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years from now we are going to end up with these enclaves of the wealthy… world communities?! We have them now, but for the future the risk is even more so. I fear it is going to be the lessor’s outside of the wall and the moat is going to be there with the Alligators. That is no way to live as human beings.”
We’ve spoken now and then of the problems of modern education and of the brainwashing of institutionalized education and of the numbing of the senses due to our ever-evolving technology.
Michael addresses these issues head on; you see… Michael is an educator and has dedicated a bulk of his academic career taking in the pros and cons of the academic system. But more than that, he is a realist in looking at the way we are learning, and through this, has created a new platform in reforming the sit down, shut up, take notes and raise your hand if you want to contribute method of learning. An approach that has long since seen its demise in a system of learning that is in terrible need of major redesign. “Opps… have I revealed one of my Achilles heals?”
Oh well…! It’s out there now, so I’ll turn the floor over the Michael for his perspective.
“People should text less and listen more. They are losing the art of conversation through texting and their interpersonal skills are being lost. They don’t know how to problem solve or collaborate, so we have to force them to work on the interpersonal skills.” Michael observes of the many students that he has taught, both on a high school and higher education level.
He defines further; “Since I’m in education I’m trying to change the whole process of teaching from lecturing to hands on learning. Learning by doing, a theatrical approach. Which is an umbrella term for all the different theatrical devices that can be used to teach a course: From story telling, to role-playing, to pantomime, to set design, etc. You can teach any subject through theater games, and that is what I am trying to do. To make learning more interactive and to use students real life experiences as spring boards in lesson plans… To make teaching more personal!
Today Richard and our daughter have been out most of the day, along with a trusted colleague, doing some location scouting for an upcoming project. Whatever he is doing, wherever it takes him, he always takes along his photo gear and keeps his eyes open for new 365 friends.
Today is day 272 and Richard’s track record for meeting someone new and blogging about the experience is stellar — I believe he has only missed a time stamp for a specific day once (by 1 minute), and he has only asked me to write his blog entry for him twice. I’m very proud of him.
So this afternoon I am a little surprised when he called me from the road and asked me for a favor – “I’m trying to get home,” he pleads, “but I cannot make it back in time to get my story written before the time stamp turns over for the day. Could you please let everyone know that I have photographed and interviewed our new friends for today, I’ve even got the photos ready to go, but I cannot get their story written for a few more hours?”
I am so happy he called when he did — my friend and I have been canning pickles all day. I was just cleaning up the last traces of pickling brine when the call came, and I have to admit, I’m tired — and the floor still needs to be mopped (salty, sugar splatters on the floor – argh!). But now I get to take a break, sit down in a cool room and write. I’m good with that!
Meet Brian and Michael, our new friends for day 272! Check back in a few hours and Richard will tell you all about them and what they have to tell us!
I’m still trying to run into a corporate friend. So today I take a stroll through the glass jungle of executive buildings, committing myself to interview the first person who I can engage with.
Up the street, are two girls singing, and although obviously not the corporate type, something about them draws me in. We talk for a while, but due to an under age issues, I pass on photographing them without guardian permission. We exchange cards and they promise to get back to us with parental consent. Hope they do.
Back to my walk I go, when I bump into a car as it exits a parking structure. “Opps, hello,” I greet in covering up my clumsiness.
The driver smile back at me, “Hello.”
I promised myself that I would approach the first person that speak with me, so despite the awkwardness of car exiting parking structure, I reach out with a 365 invitation.
“Why not,” Megan replies, and right there, right then, we talk.
Through the window I ask Megan for her words of advise.
“Be happy… Put out love and positivity as much as you can… Because that’s what makes us do as well and we do.” Megan responds without a flinch in her smiling attitude.
A life view that was immediately apparent to me via her accepting demeanor.
Here we are two strangers, brought together by coincidental geography. Or maybe by my unfocused walk in front of her car. But whatever the cause of our intersection, a message is unveiled.
Megan clarifies, “We need to steer towards being more tolerant and being more accepting of each other and the other beings on this planet, whether it be animals or plants or whatever.
I’m not sure as humans we will ever learn to be completely tolerant, but once we are more than we are now, that’s when we will get into a better place and we will be able to live together more harmoniously.”
Megan speaks of living together in harmony, probably the core to her pleasant personality and excitement to speak with us.
“I think in the near future I definitely see us gong down the wrong path. We’re not heading in a good direction at the moment, but I have faith in us, and I believe come thirty, forty, fifty years down, we will recognize the errors of our ways and hopefully take steps to correct it… To live as one on this planet that is so precious to us.
We may not all be able to see it the same way. But we need to be able to at least agree to disagree. If we have differing opinions, that’s fine; it does not make us enemies. I think that’s what more people need to understand.”
Megan, thanks for stopping.
And readers, I promise I will not give up on finding our executives.
Last night we all me Senita, an amazing person with a wonderful spirit, a woman who possesses the courage and power to influence change. We met her at a coffee-house on the corner of Wilshire and Detroit, a trendy little area that we locals refer to as the Miracle Mile District.
We finished or chat at 9:00pm and as we said our farewells I was grabbed by the architecture, the stormy sky and the starkness of the cityscape. My artistic mind pulled, and for whatever reason I found myself doing a study of the corner traffic signal.
I framed my shot and started shooting when a voice peeked over my shoulder. “That’s a really nice camera.”
Now, I’m not oblivious to the fact that I was a walking target for a mugging or solicitation, so I turned, not so much in a defensive posture, but more with a horizon scanning awareness, prepped to make a quick move if needed.
“What are you shooting?” my street side stranger inquired.
Tim the night I meet him.
His name is Tim and at first handshake I knew he had something to say. I tell him about 365 and invite him to interview another time (I’ve already conducted an interview in speaking with Senita).
We chat for a while, but due to a commitment that he is heading to, we mutually agree to meet up today at the same corner of Wilshire and Detroit.
So here we are… 9:00pm… same place… different night… changed wardrobe.
I bring with me my friend Omar (Not pictured), who has kept me company for the forty-five minute drive needed to get here. And it is so worth the commute.
With the permission of Tim, he allows us to know of his fight for sanity. Tim is a diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic. But crazy he is not. Rather he is remarkably sane and well-balanced. He holds a long-standing and well-respected job, talks with the greatest of awareness and looks his disease square in the face with his acceptance of the medications and treatments that he is so disciplined in holding to.
Tim tells us of times where he has heard voices in his head and of how he recognizes them for what they are: Symptoms of his disease.
At first, and in protection of Tim, I was not going to tell you about his condition.
But with courage Tim has asked me to be open in speaking with you about him. “If you don’t talk honestly about me, then what good is your article. People need to know that this disease it manageable, and that they can’t give up on life or let it overcome them. You can have a great life as a Schizophrenic.”
Like I said, “I knew Tim had something to say.”
Tim, Omar and I grab a seat in front of a sandwich shop and talk for about an hour.
We talk of spirituality, family, health and conspiracy theories, something Tim openly admits is a common thought trap for many a Paranoid Schizophrenic. “I follow the stuff and believe a lot of it. But I am really careful to not get too sucked into it. I’m careful because it is so addictive.” Tim stands strong in his focus on the real and tangible.
In talking with Tim, It is apparent that much of what he believes is well sounded and rife with reason.
Tim makes no standing on table orations, tells of no imaginary friends, and is as articulate as a seasoned research scientist. His enthusiasm and intellect is infectious and his sense of respect for others is radiant.
Tim greatest wish for the world, “People need to show true love and tolerance… regardless…
…Because you never know what someone has been through that makes them tick the way that they do. And I mean everything and everyone…except the government.”
Tim has the bragging right to make his claim of tolerance. His condition has led to great turmoil and trial, but his countenance gleams of victory and of hope for a better world. If that is crazy, them I must be a Paranoid Schizophrenic too.
And per the notion of conspiracy, I’ll admit, (and Tim has accepted my perspective), the depths of my theories do not rum as deep as Tim’s. But what is really revealing is that he does not persecute me for my lessor stance on his theories of conspiracy. He even talks with the most impressive of acceptance.
“I’m not discrediting E.T.’s, but if they’re out there… maybe their just like us.”
What I do see eye to eye with Tim is his general opinion of society becoming too complacent, and his theories of the world’s majority being manipulated by the money mongers and political hidden agendas.
“Too many people blindly follow the media…” Tim advises… “’That in addition to the world becoming more greedy, lustful, envious and gluttonous is what is leading to people getting lazy, prideful and malicious. It’s sad to see, and though it is what it is, one doesn’t have to beat them, nor join them (the masses).
Anyone who cares enough to not to be a victim would hopefully consider things like MK Ultra and not get distracted by everything that glitters.
If I could suggest anything… it would be to not throw in the towel… to not give in! But instead, to take a stand in self-educating themselves in considering the sources of what they see and hear…
…That we learn not to ever say, ‘Some guy told me.’
I encourage people to find out for themselves. To not believe much of anything the media says. Much of it is masked with halve-truths.
People need to ultimately strive to be a good, regardless of the law of what goes around comes back full circle. They just need to do the right thing and not be indifferent.
I often think about the concept of good vs. evil. If it really does exist, which one is more powerful? If one can breed life… Then possibilities can be infinite. If one only causes destruction… Then I guess there is not much room for anything, and then there is only nothingness. But that’s just my opinion, or perhaps just my perception.
Personally, I refuse to be led blindly. And thanks to movies like ‘Inside Job,’ websites like ‘Wikileaks’ and documentaries like ‘Loosechange,’ people’s eyes may hopefully be opened to take a stand before it’s too late.
The government is doing everything it can to take the power away from the people, and its tragic that we’re letting it. In short, I’d suggest that people practice love and tolerance, except toward the government. To educate themselves and to wake up in smelling the roses before we fall asleep.’”
Tim wraps up with a personal disclosure. “’I don’t want anyone the think they have to believe what I believe. I may be wrong… I may be right. But it’s what I believe. In the end all I ask is that everyone does they’re research… basically, ‘To just go and find out for themselves.’”
Tim, you are a sane man, and I am proud to call you my friend.
“It’s about education, about understanding the worldly cultures that are out there. The world is so small and we are not educated enough.”
Now a day there is no reason to say that you are ignorant, you do not know what is going on or can’t get a different side of the information. The information is out there. It just a matter of how much you really want to know. People have to take the responsibility to find out,” Says Senita and she has the credentials to make the claim.
I could write thousands of word to describe the works of good Senita does. But is making it easy on all of us, here is the link to her non-profit Bosana Foundation; a foundation that provided a much overlooked need of the orphans of a homeland of she so loves. That need: Education for the orphans of Bosnia.
“I do this for free is because I want to…” Senita glows… “My reward is seeing the kids achieving something out of themselves.”
Again I find myself glued in listening to another woman of greatness in absorbing the depth of effort Senita is giving of her life to a cause that is close to her heart.
“Education and information is key for all of us, if we really don’t know much about the other, or if you really want to learn and expose yourself to things… you need to. That’s the only way of moving this world forward. It’s through understanding the other. Luckily we have all that accessible to us… the everyday person. Most everybody nowadays has access to email, Facebook or something. I think education is the focus of the world of building tolerance, peace and understanding.”
“There was this really interesting video of regular people on the street,” Senita references IRANIANS WE LOVE U: a message to Iran from Israel
“’When you think of the politicians of the world, everything is about us against them, and they proclaim ‘They are evil!’ They never speak for the people. You know…? That dead child who had nothing to do with the decisions of the people. The message is straight forward: The regular people of Iran or Israel have nothing to do with the it.’”
I talk with my wife for a while, and yet we agree that politics have a tremendous part of the problems in the Middle East that credit also has to be given to the hate based on timeless traditions. The good though is seeing that there is an emerging generation that is opening their eyes in looking beyond the sins of their fathers and changing the way the love their neighbors. Might we label it the movement of reversing the pain of “Hatred based on tradition?”
We look towards the future.
Senita breaks down her predictions in her outlook of the people of the generations to come.
“’Where I see society and where I would like to see society are two separate answers.
I do see a shift happening. More and more people are becoming aware of what is happening, and that they can make a difference in a small community if not the world. It’s always been present, but I think now more so than ever.
Information is helping people to get ideas, to connect faster and find communities that they can link to far away from their little communities. In that sense, I’d like to say that I am hopeful that in twenty years or so, maybe our generation, or maybe the generation after me will be much different.
I would like to see that, but I think we are still driven so much by money and greed and the other that I don’t see any real change happening realistically and drastically.
But there is a shift in the way we think, the younger generation is more aware and well-informed. Because of that, they are going to be different. They have more access to information. That is for my generation too. It’s the hopeful generation.
I’m still a minority, that’s the problem.
Why I am not as hopeful about the future?
Whenever when I talk to people about Bosnia… my community. When I tell people how I would like to see Bosnia, or how I think Bosnia can be, the majority of people… I would say eighty percent or so, are saying, ‘You are such an optimist… I would love to see it like that…. but I don’t think so.’
As long as people cannot see it… you have to be able to see it in order for you to realize it… your never going to realize it… I see it.
I’m not living in lala land, dreaming for something different in Bosnia than what it is now. But I really can generally visualize it, I almost feel like I can touch it.
There is a ground of people who say, ‘That would be wonderful, but can visualize it.’ And that is the problem. Everybody is hopeful… But nobody can really work toward it.
People tell me what I do is amazing. I don’t feel that what I do is amazing. It is just something small that I think everyone can do…
…It’s so small! Really it takes some of my time but it is worth it. I think everyone should give some of their time to their community.
Everybody just says that’s great, but they’re not doing anything about it. That’s why I feel we are a hopeful generation.
We are not yet there yet. To where we can really stand up and do something about it. And I hope that the next generation will be more reactive and not just sitting around hoping for something… but not doing anything about it.
We really can make a difference in the global community.’”
Difference we can make. Senita has proven that to us with her work in Bosnia. She is not asking us to create a non-profit cause. She is asking us to be aware and to contribute an hour here, or and hour there. Many a dollar or two given per occasion, anything other that sitting in silent observation.
“We raise most of our scholarship money at the event,” Senita tells me.
Funds (One hundred percent of the moneys raised) are given to assist in the education the Bosana Foundation Programs.
“We provide what no one else thinks about. Governments provide orphanages the basic needs: Clothing, food and shelter. But they have no decent education or medical. Everyone thinks they need clothes and toys. So I asked the orphans what they needed, Most of them said education.
So we started an afterschool program. Helping with homework, helping pass their exams, getting them to think about what they want to do with their future or what subjects they enjoy. We did this for about two years. Then I realized that even if they had good grades there was no chance for them to go to college. They were kicked out of the orphanages at eighteen years of age.
So we started a scholarship program, internships and are working towards establishing employment programs.’”
We can make a difference is the charge Senita has given us today. Even pointing us at another example of the reach of Social media used responsibly – Kony 2012, check it out.
“It is powerful… Regular people… us… can really do something,” She comments of the film.
Senita is living the dream. Not the dream of fortune, nor a desire for self-glory, not even looking for a grand title.
“This is not for me to make money. I have another job that pays me. I do this because it is the right thing to do.” Senita explains her motives.
Senita’s dream is for a better future world. She quotes, “The only way we are going to have peace is if we can learn to coexist with each other.”
May we all be of the generation that Senita is hopeful for.
He goes by the name of D-Rock. And if you guessed a stage name, you are correct.
His story is heard of often. We had a band and went to Los Angeles to seek fame and fortune. A claim that many have made and many have only dreamed of.
For D-Rock… it is a reality. One that after he and his band “Later Days” pooled their tour money from filled auditoriums in the Florida music scene, pulled their home roots in making the exodus the LA.
But more than an amazingly gifted drummer is D-Rock. Unlike the usual artist, he has the mind of an entrepreneur. Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not underselling D-Rocks musical talents. He is a crazy good drummer, check out this campy little video from a House of Blues show.
And for that matter, and absolutely, music has been good to him; winning competition after competition, being featured at some of the must prestigious music festivals and touting a loyal following of a fan base. Yet, even with this, D-Rock is a realist in evaluating his fill of performing successes and band shake-ups. Experiences that in sum whole are the kind of stuff that sucks the very spirit out of many a young musician.
D-Rock and I have grabbed thirty minutes of shade in talking about his transition from the stage to that of a culinary business owner. “I’ve always given one-hundred percent of myself to everything that I do. In high school I was an exceptionally good baseball player. I played second base and made the all-star team every year. Then I got into drumming to deal with the frustrations of playing ball. I excelled in that and my band has done very well. I picked up cooking and became a really good chef. Everyone I know has suggested that I open a restaurant. And now I have found the perfect way to do that.”
Readers, I can’t announce D-Rocks new business venture, I’m sworn to secrecy.
But as charmed as D-Rock’s introduction sounds, he has dealt with the expected series of disillusioning entertainment industry blows, his band has not hit it to the big leagues and has struggled with the dysfunctions resulting from a series of member losses. All of which leaned to D-Rock as the stable one in leading the resolves of all the typical rock and roll issues. In the final analysis, D-Rock has with the maturity of a seasoned CEO, taken stock in following his business mind in leaving the taste of LA band coordinating behind for the time being.
“I’m a musician, will always be. It’s just time for me to take a break and build a different business.” D-Rock summarizes.
Now that you know who D-Rock is, here is what he has to say in regards to 365.
Question One: If you could give the people of the world any advice, council, or pass on any wisdom, what would you tell them?
“’There are a lot of great things that we learn at a young age that I personally feel that a lot of society loses site of. ‘The Golden Rule’ or ‘Pay It Forward’ for example.
I think that as we grow older and we learn to take on stress and struggles in our daily lives. Trying to make our own lives better, we stop thinking about the people around us. Everything becomes so fast paced and we forget something so simple as the Golden Rule.
‘Treat People the way you want to be treated.’ We get in this mentality of taking short cuts or getting in to the juggling act of life and sometimes we end up making sacrifices or short cuts that are not always good for everyone around.
Sometimes we even hurt others. So in my young twenty-six years I have learned to do my best in being good. Every day we have the opportunity to make choices (another thing we learn very young) and it’s those choices that affect the next.
Every person you meet could be a person that could in some way shape or form change your life. As long as you use the ‘Golden Rule’ you will never ‘Burn a Bridge,’ and you will be rewarded with the opportunity to ‘Pay It Forward.’
I even saw a quote by Richard Branson that he has basically based his Virgin enterprise on, ‘Do Good Business.’ Meaning if you’re going to do business… make sure it’s for good and not for evil.
Find a way to give back.’”
Question Two: Looking ahead five, ten, fifteen, twenty… even one hundred years and beyond, where do you see the planet, or the people being? Or how, or what, do you advise us regarding the future?
“’Looking ahead… first you have to look back. The time and space between change has become smaller. Now a new apple product comes out every six months or less. I hope for the sake of humanity and the generations to come that not just for the people in our own country, but also for all the people on our tiny blue dot, that we can learn to work together. There is so much on our planet we still have to learn about. And I feel that time is being wasted fighting over it. In one hundred years I think we will be in a better state. Like they say, ‘It gets worse before it gets better.’ I’m hoping we have seen the worst and in the next five, ten, fifteen and twenty years it gets better and we learn to work together!’”
D-Rock has spoken, the lights have dimmed, and the gear is packed. Although the stage is cleared of band, there is still one star remaining to be placed on the Hollywood Boulevard.
And after watching D-Rock’s campy You-Tube, I will make a prediction. D-Rock will be back… And next time he hits the stage, we better watch out. The dude can drum!
“When I was a kid I was raised in a real wild scary environment – Germany during World War Two.
And when the war was over, I was barely 11 years old. All I remember is that my dad went away and never came back. He got killed.”
Yet with this tragic account, today’s neighbors… now endeared friends, Horst and his beloved wife Elizabeth, show no signs of contempt towards humanity.
Up the street they live from me, always private, always smiling and always receptive to a passing greeting. But after ten years of living in the area in addition to the thirty my wife has spent here. We really do not know Horst and Elizabeth all that well, other than our occasional strolling nods of recognition.
In fact my wife used to play with their children when she was young. But even with this past, we are still complete strangers to our community sharing couple.
Today that has all changed when I knock at their door to invite them to 365.
Funny thing, that at my initial knock, I find myself a bit anxious in not wanting to encroach on my neighbor’s private time in intruding at the sanctity of their home front.
But the instant Horst opens his home and his history; the more I am endeared to call he and Elizabeth new and totally amazing friends.
Both are survivors of the grandest scale, living through the ravages of a devastating war and bearing the blessings of forty-nine years of successful marriage.
Elizabeth welcomes us with an engaging comment, “Now that I am ageing, I realize how wise my mother was. That’s for me the biggest, biggest thing. Especially when my grand-daughter comes over about twice a week. I keep telling her little quips that my mom always used to say that totally annoyed me, and, of course embarrassed me when I was young. But now I can see that she was really wise.”
Takes me about a nanosecond to understand what she is saying. And, although my dear old Mum is still alive and kicking. I remember the words of my Grandfather, “Take care of your teeth.”
At the time I thought he was a little off the rocker. Teeth? Sure they are important, but don’t you have any grand spiritual enlightenment to depart on your most handsome grandson?
But now that I look back at the pain he endured, even in the simple act of eating, visualize his frail physique and reflect on the esteem issues he must have bore due to his deteriorating smile, I feel a latent empathy for his life and a deeper respect for his council.
Elizabeth is a surgical nurse and confirms of his wisdom in telling us that off all the cases she has worked on, and in every instance, the healthiest patients, both mentally and physically are the one with good teeth. And many of the sickest are the ones with poor dental hygiene.
Enough said, I’m stocking up on the Fluoride and floss today.
I mentioned history in introducing you to Horst and Elizabeth. History, that during a pleasant living room chat overwhelms me with accounts of the strength of character these two special people hold.
Horst recounts his childhood, “I recall a lot of bombings, and being scared all the time… really scared.
But I understand, The Germans bombed London and they bombed us… well that’s war.
There is no pity taken on anybody, war is horrible, and it’s the most horrible thing in the world as far as I’m concerned.”
Horst holds no biases, no patriotic gleam for battles won, or lost… and certainly no attack directed towards any one group of people. Horst is a humanitarian.
He furthers his account, “Then the war was over and all of a sudden the Russians came. They were mostly nice people. They didn’t do anything that bad.
We’d sit in the basement… everyone was scared…and then a Russian came in there all by himself. It was amazing. He must have been a very brave guy. He had a big tommy gun and the center scope, a magazine – 72 rounds.
He gave my step Grandfather a cigarette, and my step Grandfather could speak Polish, which is very close to Russian. So, they could understand each other. Then he left. It wasn’t too bad.
Then some other guys came in. They were not that nice. They were people that I had never seen before in my life. They were Mongols. One of them poked me with a bayonet and I wet myself. I was really just a kid and the rifle and bayonet was this long (Horst parts the width of his arms to illustrate).”
Wow…! All I can do is listen… Amazed in trying to put myself in the situation, a situation that is so far out of my sensory understanding: Dad gone, no idea if I am about to be murdered or not. Alone in a basement filled with what I can assume are equally frightened people and families.
Sitting, shaking at age eleven with a bayonet pressed against my chest. And Horst speaks of it with humor, humility and forgiveness. Makes me wonder what any one of us would take away from the same. Not that I wish it on any human, but Horst’s story is a sobering testimony of survival of the mind and of spirit… One that I hope will enlighten us to a charitable outlook towards the citizens trapped in the backgrounds of any battle.
The closet I can get to empathize is to relate the stories of my parents, survivors of the German Blitz; and, of their stories of fear, courage, heroes and carnage. Tales of brave citizens and of undetonated buzz bombs.
Horst shows me a photo of him as a childHorst second from left
Horst recounts, “We found so many ammunitions it was unbelievable. It was a bazaar heaven for young boys. I mean thousands of rounds of ammunitions, all just lying around. Guns, knifes, bayonets, everything you can imagine. Dead people too… Lots of dead people…” He pauses. “They took away the dead Russians, but not the dead Germans.”
Again, I listen.
“We were just very lucky that our house did not get hit. It was just like plain luck if you did not get hit. They open up the bomb bays and the bombs are indiscriminate.
Actually, when you were outside you could see it. You know, because the Americans used to come during the day. The English used to come at night. The sirens would start, and wherever you could go, you would go. We did not have great big bunkers like they show in the movies where hundreds and hundreds of people could go. We’d just run to the basement, you know, with reinforcement, big wooden pieces, but that doesn’t really mean anything.
You could hear the flack shooting like crazy, the searchlights going like that all over. You could see it, right through the basement windows. A lot of people did not make it. It is just a draw… that’s all.”
We talk about the good and bad in people and how war draws the best and the worst out of man.
“We are all human…” Horst proposes, “…. We are all the same. Cut me… Cut you… The same blood comes out. We all have different upbringings, different beliefs, different prejudices or whatever, but basically we are all very-very much the same. No matter what color or creed.”
Horst is now retired from his life as a commercial painter. He reviews his life, “There were some pretty tough times and after, good times. After all who enjoys a good time more than those who have had bad times.
If you were born with a silver spoon and you have always gotten all that you wanted. You can buy the nicest clothes, the best food… you don’t get too much excited about anything.
I’ve worked for people like that, and that is not who I am.”
“People are basically good…” Horst accounts, “’… It all depends on what type of environment they are brought up in. Not necessarily in what country, but the environment. They are formed from about age zero to fifteen, sixteen, seventeen. That totally shapes you.
I was in an environment that was very toxic. It was very dangerous. You could have got killed the next day. So you don’t put that much emphasis anymore about you and are not that much worried about getting there; the final stages in life, like a lot of people do. It’s very simple to say, ‘I can be friends with anybody, but sometimes they are beyond my influence.’”
Elizabeth has a history that matches that of Horst. They did not meet in Europe. They met years later while residing in Canada. Born in Germany, then to Yugoslavia, Elizabeth tells me of her childhood. “After the war Yugoslavia threw me out and I was placed in a relocation camp. I was there for nine years and began working at age fourteen.”
Elizabeth chooses not to overly talk of the past, Horst has been their spokesperson, but she does make a set of forward thinking remarks.
“We must continue to make the greatest effort to conserve our natural resources. And to not rip our Earth apart as we are doing now. Oh my gosh! If we don’t we are heading towards disaster.”
Horst contributes, “You know there is a word for it – It is called Armageddon.”
Elizabeth resumes, “I truly believe the younger people have the ability to do something about it. I just hope that they will be able to conserve, not destroy our natural resources. That would be my biggest wish.”
Horst looks forward, “’There are people in every country that will use any means to enrich themselves materialistically. You can go to Russia or whatever country. We have those people in America too. In German they say, ‘Sie werden auf alle Schrittmotoren um dorthin zu gelangen,’ which means, ‘They are stepping on all to get there.’
I’m not really surprised, like I said; ‘We are all basically the same.’ For one thing, we will do anything to survive. That’s human nature.
But some people will do anything to enrich themselves. And because of this, I can see that there will always be a great big divide between what they call the left and the right. There will always be the people who are the haves and the not haves. And sooner or later the people who have things get so greedy, that they will hurt all the other people tremendously… To the extent that the other people get together and they will become commune – Communism. The poor people do not create Communism. The rich people create Communism.
If you are so greedy that you do not let anybody else make a decent living. Then the people will commune. Never forget 1917, you know… the Russian revolution.
I’ve talked to people who lived through it. If you don’t let an animal make a decent living, sooner or later it will bite you. It happens, Capitalism against Socialism, it goes on… and on… and on. It goes on forever. It will always be. There are certain people who just don’t care if anybody else makes a decent living or not, all that matters is that they do.
I can see the handwriting on the wall in America. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I’m not a bloody Communist or anything. I just see things different as the average America sees it.
We have lived in three different countries and I am old. I’m seventy-eight years old this year. I see things different. I don’t put much money in monetary value. We are not rich. Our house is paid for. We worked very hard for it and that’s about it.
For a short time I lived with a stepfather who was rich and he wasn’t happy. I’ve also worked for a lot of rich people. I could name you hundreds of rich people, all of who are not happy (Horst recites a who’s who list of names). None of them were happy. I’ve worked with rich people all of my life. You know, poor people cannot afford me to paint their house. I didn’t charge that much, but I’ve got to make a living.
Most of the rich are kind of OK, but some of them…?’”
I kick in, “The way I see it… The humble rich and the humble poor and all those in the middle are coming together, and perhaps there is a revolution of awareness and information coming, maybe we are in it now.”
Elizabeth speaks, “I do believe since we have global communication we are all more aware. Everything with this instant communication feels very-very close. Which is good, but it does prevent us from a lot of personal interaction and that is what worries me.”
We talk of the importance of education and of family values; both topics that are at the top of the 365 list of reoccurring conversations, questioning, “How many of us choose the materialistic, focusing on the work it takes to get it, and paying the price of a devalued family or other values.”
Horst and Elizabeth come from a generation of survivors. Like my mother and father, they came to America in the early sixties. As many others at the time quested similar journeys in locating wherever they did post war and beyond, they were searching for a better life for their families.
Our new society in moving fast, the economy is all screwed up and the media, hidden politics, unsubstantiated judgments and materialistic comparisons are the compass for far too many an individual.
Have we gotten soft in the wrong ways and as a result become thoughtlessly powerful? For in what we are learning from Horst and Elizabeth a case is proposed before the court of humanity. Horst opens with his comparative evidence, “We are all the same. Cut me… Cut you… The same blood comes out.”
I examine his plea and come to a question of a conclusion, “Are we living with expectations of what we deserve… or are we preparing for what we can contribute?
“We are very liberal people. Not like the average German. Most of the Germans in this area are very conservative for some unexplainable reason. But for us… Everybody is welcome,” Horst concludes.
We ready ourselves to take a few pictures, when Horst shows his remarkable sense of humor in pointing at himself, “All we have given you is Henry Kissinger.” He smiles.
“I was a pilot in world war two, I flew transport.” Retired engineer Walter reminisces as he describes one of his war memories. “When the war ended I transported surviving prisoners from the death march. When they were released they were very undernourished and ill. The first thing they did was to eat. And, from eating too much too fast; most of them developed Elephantiasis. I remember to this day the way their legs looked.”
And you can probably guess from the background of the photos, I’ve returned again to the meeting place of Bing’s (Still not pictured) Old Takaka’s.
Bing is a social magnet, and all of his friends are fascinating. For this reason over the next few weeks you will be meeting more of them as I continue to feature members of this mini community of the greatest diversity.
Let’s get back to Walter. Or as best as we can as he and Bing frequently debate on a range of controversial topics. You know the stuff they say we should never talk about in social groups or at work. Things like politics, religion, the presidential agenda, the nation’s deficit, its causes, and views the pros and cons of America’s military and it’s involvement in global issues.
Walter starts the talks with his advice to the world. “Don’t get in another war,” he instructs.
Bing can’t resist, “May I say something?”
The trigger is pulled and the breeze cooled summit perks into activity.
But here is what I love about these guys. Even though they so don’t agree with each other on many a point. They manage to express their opposed views with the greatest of respect. Over again finding an intersection of agreement in showing the highest of esteem in correcting one another while nurturing their friendship. That in itself is cause for applause.
I just sit, smiling and doing the best I can to keep up with their narrative. However, my silent observations are short-lived. Walter turns to me, “What do you think about our guy in the Whitehouse?”
Now here is the dilemma. For the sake of editorial integrity, the last thing I want to do is manipulate the direction of our interview. But the interview has grown to be a discussion. Yet, even as a discussion, with its free forum of opinions, it would still be wrong for me to plant my own agenda in manipulating the outcome of said interactions. The answer comes to me, “I think he wears a suit… doesn’t he?”
Walter lets out a belly laugh and the documentarian killing ethics bullet has been avoided.
Back to the ungloved mat we proceed. Edgy words are thrown left and right, but in all, the presence of good will is evident. These guys very much respect and appreciate each other, and I feel honored to witness the way differing world views are supposed to be exchanged.
In the sun drenched shade of a strip mall, Walter and Bing have proven to me that the strongest of stances can truly co-exist, and even be openly discussed, in an atmosphere null of guile.
The conversation shifts to the American presence in world issues. An obvious patriot and veteran of the battles for the freedoms we so have, Walter steps hard with his perspective. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud to be an American,” But I do not believe that America is exceptional. The British feel that way, the French feel that way, the Italians feel that way.
We’re not exceptional. We are a nation that is trying to do the best we can. And I don’t think, that for any country, to be going around saying they’re better than anyone else is a good way to live.”
Yep… that’s right… This one drives Bing and Walter debate a little more.
In the end they agree on one thought, as delivered by Walter, “Bing plays a pretty good game of tennis.”
I telling you… I love these guys!
I ask Walter about the future. He responds, “One thing is that we will be living on other planets. I know it’s kind of a weird idea. But, we are going to deplete a lot of the resources we have here. The ozone layer problem is going to get worse and worse, and I think we’ll probably run out of biological energy. That’s one thing that I wish Obama would put more emphasis on… renewable energy.”
Walter asks, “Have I given you enough?”
“We’re good, Walter, it’s been great chatting with you.” I respond.
Walter stands… gathers his stuff and leaves us with one last thought, “It’s good to see people thinking beyond today and tomorrow. Keep the project going.”
I’ve stumbled upon yet another Starbucks think tank group, lovingly titled by charter member Bing, “The Old Takaka’s.”
But Takaka’s they are not. I sit with them and chat for about an hour. All have great stories, wise advice and more combined enthusiasm than that of a collegiate fraternity.
Among them is peer of similar age to myself, Rick, son of group veteran Cara. Seems that today Rick is crowned campus chancellor. And without hesitation he nobly steps to the front of room (well, less the theatrics, front and center of the our umbrella covered study table).
My attention kicks in as Rick jumps into a passionate set of life recommendations.
“’Take care of your kids. Our future depends on today’s youth… bottom line.
Make sure your kids are cared for and educated. That is the hugest thing we can do for our future.
We’ve got a couple of generations of kids that are lost and disconnected. They think they are connected with this device, (He points to his smart phone). But the really are disconnected.
My wife and I are in the foster program. We don’t have our own children, but we feel blessed. Through this, we see a lot of the other side of what can happen if you don’t take care of your kids. We see that direct impact of what can happen if parents get sidetracked as adults.
It’s like this, you get to be a certain age and you learn how to tie you shoes… Then you get to a certain age and you can maybe take care of your little brother or sister…. Then you get to a certain age and you’re big enough, and you’re old enough to drive a car. But are you responsible enough to be doing that…?
Then you get to an age where you can have a baby, certainly you’re capable of having a baby, capable of producing a baby, but are you capable of raising a child. I think that’s where we look at people and say, ‘Well… That person looks like an adult.’ But in reality, inside they may be a child themselves. And whoever they are, I think that their self-worth goes back to how they were brought up and raised. And I think rebuilding the family is where we need to start in wanting a better future.
It’s all about rebuilding the family back to a very strong foundation. From there we will see a different set of values, values that will be a lot more proactive and progressive in interaction with society and community.
So the fact that my wife and I cannot have children does not mean that I can’t be a parent in trying to make some of that change happen within my own life. I think it was Gandhi that said, ‘Be the change.’ At least that is where I am starting.
It’s a funny thing about the word individual; the actual root of the word, means undivided.
It’s kind of cool that we can actually make that effort on an individual basis, which really is a collective effort.
Left to Right: Rick, Bing (Background) and Cara (Also Background)
The future is going to have to become more simplistic.
Life is very complicated right now. It’s full of distraction and chaff and too busy.
I think that’s part of the reason we lose sight of the important things in life. We are pulled in so many directions. I think that the natural course of evolution is that life is going to have to simplify. It can only get so complex before it falls down for a simpler world.
A life where we can all focus on what is important.
Right now we are pulled towards the consumerism. I think that’s going to crash in on itself at some point. From there, we will have to start over.
Then after the chaos that will ensue during that sort of a transition period, maybe a ten or twenty year period, perhaps even longer; we’ll literally see people say, ‘What can we take away from this experience? And let’s leave all the rest behind!’
And I think it will be more of a simplistic approach to life. We’ll have more values as to what we know to be important.
It’s incredible that we have gotten so far off track.
One of the questions I ask my clients (Rick is a financial advisor), ‘If something that you thought was true… was not true…when would you want to know?’
If everyone were to answer that question and take action in looking at their lives… At the things that they believe… And at the things that are really not true.’”
Rick holds the conference to attention. His presentation is sound and secure. And his perspective is well founded with reason and life experience. There are many powerful points made in speaking with him. Points that present problems that cannot be solved with wholly academic solutions.
Rick is an optimistic and realistic thinker. He considers not only at the now, but also at the past in empowering his words to actions. I consider him an actualized inhabitant of community Earth, a citizen of humanity who is seemingly doing his part in bettering the planet.
In his thoughts he has posed quite a few topics for our consideration. All with their own unique resolves that can be adopted into our individual situations.
Some of us have come from charmed histories; others of us have fought tooth and nail for our literal existences. But whatever the circumstance, Rick has forced us to access our issues in prompting us with his short query, “If something that you thought was true… was not true…when would you want to know?”
The solution may be riddled with variables or shrouded in fear. But in the end, and with heartfelt consideration, might we act on the answer and have the courage to persevere.
