LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .


                                               "PREEMPTIVE INTERVENTIONS"


Last night the United States launched preemptive airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.  The world is reeling with conflict; daily we hear about wars and rumors of wars around the world.  There will be much controversy around the coalition's strikes last night.  There are always questions regarding whether or not any chosen solution is in fact the best way to try to stop, hold in check or settle a volatile situation.

Interventions are considered, debated and employed every day in a variety of situations.  Parents, families, schools, businesses, mental health programs and agencies, legal and judicial systems, societies around the world, religious organizations, health organizations and those worldwide entities like the UN or World Health Organization are engaged in interventions every day.  The objective is to intervene in order to actualize some desired outcome.

One of the principles behind such attempts is like that of chaos theory: if you interject just the right amount of chaos into an already chaotic situation it may calm the entire system down.  We see this illustrated in chemical interactions, in physics and nuclear science, when the fire department sets a back fire to stop a progressing fire and we see it in various therapies in physical, emotional and mental wellness.

Interventions may be good.  They may not be good.  They may be questionable.  They may appear good in the immediate but fail to produce that same good in the big picture or in the long run.  They are highly debated, even controversial.  What can we say for certain?  They are attempts to stop, hold in check or limit some undesired pattern or outcome.

Not all interventions find their origin in the efforts of mankind.  Nature often produces interventions in both adaptive and maladaptive forms.  Why?  I think sometimes the natural realm is trying to re-establish some kind of stasis within itself and its systems when they are thrown out of balance; a constructive attempt to reconstruct a workable, balanced system. On the other extreme, we see viruses mutating in order to survive the onslaught of chemicals that would annihilate their existence; which can often produce an even more destructive or deadly virus than the original one.

In the whole realm of innovation and technology we are constantly trying to correct actual or anticipated problems by creating what we hope will be creative and beneficial solutions.  This is one of the goals of research in various fields of endeavor.  There will always be those who pervert any attempted good produced through research and development. 

Our legal and judicial systems work hard every day to intervene in the best ways described and prescribed by law to stop, check, intervene in situations and attempt solutions that will bring some kind order in society.  Again, we all know that it will never be perfect and there will always be those who work and pervert any system mankind attempts.

Is there any way we can know for sure that intervention is a good philosophy over against natural processes just simply playing out, like survival of the fittest in nature?  As a philosophy of problem solving, restoration, reclamation or redemption, I believe it has veracity.  In other words, as a corrective or positive, proactive, constructive attempt at solutions, I believe it has merit.  I believe such an approach is as old as time itself.

From the beginning of time intervention was swift, immediate, meant for good and to give hope to those who recognize the deeper predicament of humankind.  It is sure!  Do you see it?  Do you know its out-workings in your own life and situations confronting you every day?  What do you believe?

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!




 

LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .


                                                 "LIVING IT FORWARD IN HOPE"


So many are talking about how to view and move into the future with a deeply held sense of hope.  This is especially true of today's youth.  They are unsure about the world and the future they are inheriting from previous generations. This uncertainty generates anxiety, hopelessness, shifts in ideology and philosophies about how to pragmatically live out their day to day lives.

They perceive the world is out of control on so many levels.  Civilly, nations are facing huge issues in terms of dealing with the sociological fallout of social media, medical and mental health, the abuse of power and aggression, shifting financial trends and market projections, immigration issues, shifting class structures.  An example, medically, is the Ebola crisis in Africa.

On the world stage, we are dealing with nations and populations in crisis due to famine, at war over resources and living under the threat of usurped national boundaries.  The rise of terrorism with all its various expressions around the world, especially ISIS, are unnerving.  Narcissism has given way to anarchy in some situations and sectors of the world as a political philosophy rather than a recognized pathology. 

Climate change with all the natural disasters of the past year: heat waves and droughts, floods, volcanos, earthquakes, water spouts and tornados, hurricanes, landslides and mudslides, huge sink holes are popping up, or maybe I should say "bottoming out" all over.  Secondarily to all of this, are the crop failures, the shrinking lakes and reservoirs where drought has occurred, the swelling lakes and rivers where unprecedented rainfall has been experienced.  As well, there are dead fish washing on shore, dead birds falling from the sky, the absence of bees, and the increased number of locusts and grasshoppers in other parts of the world.

There is so much going on! We have immediate access to any or all of it through social media. It begs some kind of a response.  How do we responsibly live out our lives as world citizens.  Many are choosing to not even "be in the know."  It is too stressful.  Others feel like they have to know in order to be prepared if any of it comes knocking on their door.  Still others throw up their hands, shake their heads and walk away, feeling impotent to effect any change.  What can we do?  Can we do anything to make a difference in our worlds on a day to day basis?

I think we need to be "realistically hopeful." Sound like an oxymoron?  It's not!  So many think hope is like wishful thinking, "I hope that happens."  There are more than one kind of hope.  There are existential hopes that no one can take away from you if you are grounded in them.

In my last blog I distinguished between a temporary, "pay it forward" deed of kindness and a "play it forward" commitment based on living out one's ruling passion.  I wonder what difference it would make in our worlds this week if we participated in living it forward by telling at least one other person the reason for our hope, temporary or existential.

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!

LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .


                                                  "PLAYING IT FORWARD CHALLENGE"


We often hear stories about someone paying for someone else's coffee or donut going through a drive-in window and starting a short-term trend.  In some cities it has caught on like a competition to see where they can log the most consecutive deeds of paying it forward.  I smile when I hear about such a break out of goodness and am always curious about how long any one endeavor can last before someone breaks the chain.

Everyone knows such events are temporary and will only last a short time; and yet, we long for their reassurance that kindness is still alive and well out there.  I watch as others listen with anticipation regarding how long such a run of goodness will last.  I listen to the sighs when it is announced that it has come to an end for another day.

When I was a young teen I heard a woman teach about the potential of a life dedicated to doing good, no matter the cost and without compromise.  So what would happen if we decided to not just pay it forward but "play it forward?"  We need a tee-shirt that says on the front, "Don't just pay it forward . . ." and on the back, "play it forward!"

I would love to challenge the youth of today to "play it forward."  They are inheriting a world and a future fraught with multiple challenges on multiple levels.  How will they "play it?"  We need young people who are energized by ideologies committed to impacting the world for good.  They are not always going to agree on what that is or what it looks like.  If everyone just gives up and resigns themselves to indifference and impotence we are in real trouble.  Why?

Have you ever noticed you do not have to nurture weeds?  They survive all by themselves.  Have you ever noticed you do not have to teach a child to be selfish?  We teach them to share. Perhaps goodness, like sharing, is something we have to consciously, intentionally nurture in ourselves and in this world in every generation.  We can't do everything but we can do something!

One of the greatest fears I hear about committing to doing good, even if only in one's own corner of the world, is that "nice guys finish last."  Is life a competition? While it is true that there will always be people who take advantage of other's goodness for their own selfish ends, that does not predicate that the value of such an act is determined by what other's do as a result of the act itself. 

One of the other deterrents I hear is, "I'll do it if you do!"  We shoulder check when it comes to the responsibility of doing something we either do not want to do or where we fear we may be the only one required to do whatever it is while others do not have to.  Sometimes this is about doing something that goes against the natural grain in ourselves.  We can come up with a hundred reasons or excuses not to do something.

If we really want to live feeling good about living in such a manner then we need to figure out how to align our inner and outer worlds.  That is where so much of the conflict arises.  In other words, can we do a good deed for a genuinely good reason?  Can we participate in the "right" we embrace for a "right" reason?  Can we authentically speak truth? Can we bring that kind of congruence and integrity to the way we choose to live out our lives?

When we look inside of ourselves we may be able to pull it off to certain degree or for a certain period of time and then we all bump into the fact that we are all limited, finite human beings.  So then what?  Is it possible to look outside ourselves for either the ideology or strength to somehow rise above such limitations?  I would suggest it is!  Look at the historic examples, like Mother Theresa.

The "ice bucket" challenge requires little of us for a brief period of time and yet it is for a good cause and capable of contributing toward a much greater good.  What if we seriously considered starting a pay it forward challenge somewhere in our lives this fall?  What if we decided to really think about our lives and what it is that is our ruling passion and to commit ourselves to that for a season, or a lifetime?  What if we took the "play it forward" challenge?

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!

LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .


                                                       "APPLES ANYONE ?"


Fall is upon us.  Schools are opening their doors to students.  Parents are franticly making sure their children have whatever school supplies or funds they need to enter into another year.  It is often a challenge for families to find the finances to supply all their children with whatever they need.  Kudos to organizations that help by running campaigns to collect or supply what cannot be easily purchased by many families.

I loved school.  I loved shopping for school supplies.  I still find it hard to resist walking through that section in a store and not wanting to reach out and just run my hands over the notebook paper, binders, etc.  I realized recently that it is an act of appreciation and hope on my part.  Education can play a life-shaping role in our lives.  For many it is a pathway to a different kind of life or to a life that would be out of reach without it.  Education can provide a kind of hope for the future.

Teachers are a kind of resource in their students' lives.  Everyday students access the resources provided by their teachers in order to learn, grow and define themselves.  Many of these teachers are so much more than just teachers.  They are advocates, protectors, counsellors, mentors, role models, mediators, "anchors," even "stepping stones" in the lives of their students.  We all know this is not always the case.  Teachers can also have a negative impact on the life of the student for a lifetime. If you stay on an educational track long enough you will probably have a story on each side of the continuum, both positive and negative.  This fall let's focus on the positive wherever possible.

Can you think of a teacher who made a real positive difference in your life?  How?  Do you think they ever knew the difference they made?  Did you ever have the opportunity to acknowledge that difference and thank them?  I wish I had: so this blog is dedicated to Mrs. Staniford!

Mrs. Staniford was my fifth grade teacher.  She was quite a proper lady.  When I think back over it now, she was one of the first strongly boundaried women I ever spent much time around.  Shortly after entering her class in the fall she asked me to stay in for a talk over one of our daily recesses.  I had no idea why.  I just hoped I was not in any kind of trouble.  I could not imagine what she wanted.  I was taken aback by what was about the follow in that encounter.

She explained to me how busy she was and wondered if I would have any interest in staying in for one of the shorter recesses of the day and helping her with tasks like cleaning the chalkboard erasers, running errands to the office, photocopying, etc.  If I were willing to help her she was willing to purchase a hot meal ticket ($1.50/week) for me and slip it into the stack she received from the cafeteria every Monday morning.  She assured me that none of the students would ever know.

As I would help her I realize now that she was acting in the capacity of a casual mentor.  She was that stepping stone person in my life that encouraged me to work hard and get an education.  She told me that education was the pathway I needed to pursue toward the future I wanted.  I readily accepted the job, the meal ticket and the advice.  She invested in me and was instrumental in helping me chart the course for the next season of my life.

I do not believe my experiences with Mrs. Staniford were or are unique.  Every day teachers invest in their students and change lives.  They are often out there in the trenches fighting battles and standing in the "gaps" no one may ever know or acknowledge.  This year if we get a chance perhaps we can find a way to acknowledge and thank those that faithfully invest in our children.  Perhaps you still have the opportunity to thank some teacher who was instrumental in your life in a positive way in your own past. This year as you pack those backpacks and lunches, don't forget the "apple for the teacher."

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!

LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .

                                               
                                                         "MERGER WISHES"


One of the main news stories over the last day or two is the proposed merger between Tim Horton's and Burger King restaurants.  Tim's merged with Wendy's a number of years ago but failed to expand into the U.S. marketplace as hoped.  Perhaps this second attempt will be more successful!

When I heard the announcement I wondered about the terminology involved.  We are familiar with the term "merger" in the market place.  We are familiar with the concept of "partnership" as one of many potential business structures.  When I think of partnership I think of some kind of an alliance or association that is mutually beneficial to the parties involved.  When I think of merger I think more along the lines of two or more entities coming together to form some kind of new entity.  At times merger can even result in one entity being absorbed into the other.

Business is not the only place we witness such attempts.  Relationally there are "merger wishes" at work as well.  Often we "couple" with the distinct hope that in doing so something we hope for will be actualized either individually or as a product of the partnership.  Sometimes both parties are aware of the desired effects of such a union.  At other times the personal agendas of such mergers may only be more or less known to one or both parties.  Sometimes you know going into such an arrangement; while at other times you realize them in the process or only in the aftermath of such an attempt.

We have all read or heard of stories where elaborate schemes to manipulate, extort, steal from others have been attempted through what, on the surface, appear to be legitimate mergers.  We have also read or heard stories regarding joint ventures that benefit many through the respectful associations and alliances with others who possess different resources or skill sets.

Are we ever totally aware of all the forces at work when two entities agree to work together for some reason?  While some desires and agendas are consciously and intentionally shared by one or more of participants, others are more subconsciously at work.  Even where there are elaborate contractually binding agreements we are not immune to hidden or subconscious agendas or intentionality.

The key to moving forward well depends on several factors being authentically at work.  It requires moving forward with conscious and intentional transparency, not "hoped-for transparency," that is really a cover for hidden agendas.   It requires trust based on deep integrity.  It requires mutually-agreed upon outcomes where it is possible to anticipate and work toward the same.  It requires entering into such a working alliance for the purpose of what you can give rather than what you can get from the joint venture.

Such working alliances require some degree of health in each of the participants and in their ability to communicate well, connect well and resolve conflict to the satisfaction of all in order to maximize the desired outcome.  That does not mean it is always easy; it takes sincere work to do it well.  It requires a developing sense of self-awareness as well as an awareness of others and relational dynamics.  I prefer a paradigm of synergistic infrastructures when and where possible within superstructures.  That does, however, require a certain tolerance of difference and the creative ability to carve out unique solutions.

Sound complicated at multiple levels?  It is!  The world stage is proof of its necessity, its successes and its failures for multiple reasons.  That does not mean we should cease to work at it.  If anything, we need to work harder at it for the benefit of others and our world.  The concepts of collegiality and teamwork have been popular for years.  Everybody does not have to be on the same team; everybody does not have to attempt to solve a world problem.  We need to work at making a difference within our spheres of influence. 

There is a growing awareness that the issues we face in our world appear to be increasingly complex, convoluted, perhaps even impossible to resolve.  Why?  We cannot even agree on what a resolution might look like.  Many are giving up, hunkering down, pulling in and just taking care of their own.   They feel it is beyond them to even know how or what they might contribute to any kind of a resolve.
More and more people are just trying to survive. 

How about you?  Where are you at in terms of using your influence for good, to contribute to the welfare of others and our world?  My favorite news stories are when children and young people hear about a need and simply, fearlessly, decide to do something about it (like backpacks of toiletries for the homeless).  They are using who they are within their spheres of influence.  They are trying to make a difference by just being who they are!

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!
 

LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .


                                                     "DEFINITIONS OF INTEGRITY"


Have you ever thought about the fact that definitions are often two-sided?  We define things both by what they are and by what they are not.  We often begin with what something is not as a means of trying to figure out what it is.  We know what we do not want but are unsure of exactly what we do want. We do this on multiple levels across our lives.  It is a normal process.

Adolescents often do this in terms of trying to figure out their own identities.  They know who they are not; "I am not you Dad and I am not you Mom!"  It is a part of their differentiation to declare that they are different than either of their parents.  Then they move toward their peers, their studies or some activities to try to figure out who they are; they are individuating.  "I am not you . . . I am different than you . . . I am trying to figure out who I am."  This often occurs quietly, almost without notice.  At other times it can be quite a tumultuous process for both parents and adolescents.

In adult life it continues to be a challenge.  It often feels disruptive to one member of a couple when the other is still defining themselves.  It can feel threatening if one member tends to be more static in their being and the other is more dynamic.  Can the relationship bear the tensions as each grows across the life cycle and the seasons of life?  Growth implies change.  Can our relationships bear those transitions and the tensions those processes generate?

We seem to live in a world that is very much in flux.  That seems to be generating a lot of anxiety for a lot of people.  By the time we embrace one change it is already outdated and the next shift is in process.  We especially see this in the field of technology and social media.  Some fields seem to move forward at lightning speed while others lag far behind.  For example, an advance in medical technology often occurs well in advance of all the ethical dilemmas the application of such an advance poses.  Adjunct fields struggle to keep pace. 

Figuring out who we are in the midst of a world in constant flux is a challenge.  For example, what do we think about . . . what do we feel about . . . what would we like to choose in regard to whatever the present topic or situation is?  Most of the time I believe it is us trying to figure out who we are in a cultural milieu that is constantly evolving or shifting.  We are both static and dynamic beings; not to be confused with static and dynamic forces that come to bear on our lives at any given moment from external sources.  Some times we feel bombarded from both within and externally and that can feel destabilizing.

As Fall approaches we will find ourselves in the midst of potentially numerous defining entities, forces and opportunities.  I hope we will not be rattled by these as much as see them as opportunities to grow and change where indicated while hanging on to what we deem valuable as constants in ourselves and our lives.  We will always live in a world in flux.  It will always be a challenge.  If we can figure out the constants and hold on to them tenaciously while embracing the tension of those shifting realities, we might have an easier journey.

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!

LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .




                                                  "WHAT IN THE WORLD ?"


More people are questioning what is happening to what once were their stable and reliable constants. All of the shifts occurring around them are being experienced as disconcerting, disturbing, even destabilizing at times.  We do not live in a static world.  We live in the midst of ever-increasing dynamics that are becoming more complex and convoluted with the passage of time.


Weather dynamics seem to be more intense: climate change, shifting seasonal patterns, flooding, drought, raging forest fires, tsunamis, dust storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes.  Crises in environmental dynamics are impacting our lives: the presence of blue algae in bodies of water that are potentially toxic, the demise of the bee population, fish dying and washing ashore, the problem with muscles affecting our lakes, birds falling out of the sky dead without explanation.


Socially people are more withdrawn, less engaging in person with the rise of social media and new electronic devices.  The dependence on these devices is increasing exponentially, even to the point of affecting the laws regarding the use of them.  They have become problematic in our homes, schools, even our vehicles.  Our bonding, attachment and connection needs are met through dependency on our devices.


Political dynamics are more uncertain at all levels: yesterday's allies are today's enemies; the fragmentation of powerful entities around the world into splinter groups vying for control of the earth's resources; political parties warring among themselves, even splitting to espouse their platforms.  There is a profound loss of faith in the political systems that have held societies together for centuries.  People no longer believe their voices will really be heard or make a difference.  I cannot remember a time when so many have taken to the streets in protest globally.


Financially there appears to be a widening gap between the upper and lower classes around the world.  People are less sure of financial institutions, the markets and those who manage them.  Many governments are reacting to the shifting trade and business dynamics globally: the effect of global outsourcing, historic tax sources following that outsourcing, new treaty relations to perpetuate import and export markets where old ones have shifted.  Debt levels are climbing exponentially.


Ideologically many are lost, confused and leery of philosophical and spiritual beliefs they once embraced for strength, hope and stability.  Where do we look for some kind of stability?  Where do we find strength?   Where do we find whatever hope we embrace?  So many of the trusted sources  have lost their appeal or are wearing "thin" in the midst of all that is happening in our world.  One after another they are being exposed as limited or even impotent.


So in light of all that is happening in our world, where is the potential for good?  I believe all of this is leading many to seek that which is simpler, authentic, trust-worthy.  I believe more people are beginning to look for and be grateful for what they do have.  Perhaps we need to get back to basics, to examine the foundations on which we are building our lives.  "What in the world" do you think?


Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!