Welcome to my Limited by Truth and Facts Serious and Silly Civil Community of Common Commentary Blog where today TIME is of the Essence, TIME has Come Today, as said by the Chambers Brothers and TIME is your Friend.
The TIME is upon us to start doing rather than reacting with ignorance, arrogance, hate, anger and violence.
The TIME is upon us to learn, grow and prosper.
The TIME is upon us to be open, welcoming and understanding. I’m so understanding I cannot understand anyone not understanding me. (Lenny Bruce version is better and paraphrased here).
The TIME is upon us to obtain, retain and maintain CONTROL.
The TIME has come to leave division for math class.
The TIME is NOW and here’s HOW.
EXAMPLE: I grew up in a city of neighborhoods each with its own culture, music, traditions, customs, religion, folklore, language, history, art, dance, clothing and FOOD. Oh the FOOD!!!
During he day folks assimilated as they rode the bus, train and subways to work and back home at work days end.
People worked together, ate lunch together which was delightful when a person of one culture brought food of their heritage for everyone to taste. More, more, more was the cry.
At home, after work, people would eat their foods, listen to their music, tell their stories especially elders to kids who learned about life in the old country from those who were there and gotten out for whatever reason such as fear (sound familiar) survival and opportunity.
Lives were enhanced when people from one culture were invited to a family wedding or other customary ceremony, celebration and observation, of people from a different culture who were given the opportunity to participate, spectate, learn and see how things are done other than they way they do it. Quite an education for most especially for those with an open mind. Of course the great neutralizer was the FOOD as it always is.
Was it squeaky clean. Nope. People are people who like to talk about, actually gossip, about other people. Nothing has changed. Now it is more out in the open. Nobody cares about tact, timelines and temperament. Just say stuff and if offensive to others simply retreat (which means you lost but it will never be admitted) go with the standard, customary and traditional, I’m sorry. Why, yes, you are sorry which is a character reference if nothing else supported by careless, reckless and just plain stupid words that pollute the air.
EXAMPLE: During Military Service one of the country’s I lived in was The Philippines. The workplace was a combination of several of us young GI’s who supported the dozens of local nationals who actually did the majority of work and knew the mission and responsibilities of the unit. Each of us GI”s were assigned a “mentor” who showed us how things were done.
We worked together, learned from each other and ate meals together. Each day at lunchtime one of the mentors brought native and customary foods from his family’s restaurant. Each day was an epicurean’s treat with rice, vegetables and meat blended with local spices creating flavors and tastes all of us Americans had never experienced.
I brought items from the stores on base that were difficult to buy downtown or in towns away from the military base. Things like candy, perfumes and cigarettes were popular with the locals.
We, also, played cards after lunch. One day I was told that Filipino people eat dog. No, not your pet, but more of a “wild dog” species. About four months later while playing cards I was asked how lunch was today. I replied, “great as it is everyday”. I was asked, “what did we eat”. I said,” the usual rice, vegetables and chicken.” He said, “No it was not chicken”. “Okay then pork”., “No”. “Beef”. “No”. “Turkey”. “No”. “Okay, I give up”. He said, “woof-woof-woof”. My first thought was to wash my mouth but that would have been insulting. Besides with a little gravy that accompanied each meal it was hard to determine what was what. We all had a good laugh. I won three dollars that day playing cards. I somehow think the others let me win so that I would feel good about myself. Even way back then feeling good about yourself was valuable and built confidence without having to schedule an appointment with a licensed, educated, certified and credentialed expert whose time slots will be filled beyond capacity as the country deals with the current crisis, which is only the beginning of the crisis in waiting, for the millions who will need their services from kids to elders.
EXAMPLE: TIME needs to filled. One way to fill TIME, yes it includes screen TIME but it can controlled by using 3-4 minutes per segment to educate yourself.
Using your electronic device, gee I sound like a TV game show host, visit the popular and well known website that offers video clips and search for clips that feature music from various cultures around the world. Not only will you listen to exciting, thrilling, captivating, inspirational, and educational music you will see people having fun, perhaps playing an instrument you have not seen before, dressed in traditional cultural clothing, enjoying, no LOVING what they are doing as they share their world spreading joy, pleasure and SMILES.
Flash-mobs area good place to start. From there you will be offered other clips of similar content but if you are bit imaginative and inquisitive you will find a variety of entertaining and educational EXAMPLES of Race – Culture- Diversity and all the other things I previously mentioned at the beginning of this post.
When you feel inspired to expand your international world search, find and listen to music with emphasis of the pulse, heartbeat and soul of all societies which, of course, is The DRUMS. When the big drum sounds your left foot is coming down. I have my favorite DRUM clips but I do not want to influence your selections. Go explore, research and find your place in this vast space, it’s no disgrace to have a smile on your face, your shoes can be Velcro or lace as you open your mind to others not of your culture, religion and Race.
Keep it Simple – Keep it Real.
POWER UP YOUR POWER ‘CAUSE THE POWER IS IN YOU!!!
Marty
Keep It Simple - Keep It Real 