MOMENTS

     Life is often a basic everyday nothing special routine, but there are moments that define important times, decision times, epic moments that must be heeded, remembered and serve as warnings or hints or even validations. These moments are rare, but they do happen; the trick is to recognize them as such at the moment and value its message, whether the message signifies good or bad.
    Take yesterday, a seemingly normal day in our crazy world, if normal actually exists anymore. The seemingly meaningless moment: a close call with an Orca and a kayaker. Another: a rather pitiful video of a lion in captivity in Utah, on its side, appearing emaciated and in severe pain as it just lay there emitting piteous groans. Nothing to you, right? Wrong! 
     We are tampering with nature, with the environment, so that things that should never happen, happen. Do is done here and yet we avoid its meaning, its import. An Orca has another name - Killer Whale - and it is a fierce predator. Never the twain should meet, and yet, there it was. Something is severely wrong here, a balance and necessary division seemingly breached. 
     As for the lion, poor thing, what the hell is going on? Why is there no vet with him? Why has this situation been allowed to reach this point? Is there no help, no relief, no release into a preserve for this creature? Where is our humanity? If we are supposedly to rule over the animals, we are to rule with wisdom, kindness, and yet..... More importantly, what does this then say about our attitude towards those who are weaker than we are, members of the human race who are weaker than us, who depend on us? For that answer, just pick up a paper, a newsmagazne, or go online. Shameful, is it not? Of great import are these awful moments. We just need to get that!
     Another moment? Sure. Kellyanne Conway actually said that it is a good thing that the president actually makes his decisions with no study or information beforehand. Huh! Is that for real? Say what? Well, it just about proves or gives us the proof of the pudding that this man is not just an idiot, but a dangerous one at that, managing to rule - yes, rule - this country as a dictator. He has managed to suborn the highest law enforcement agencies in a most perverted way managing to have them ignore, rather than pursue, a claim, a validated and witnessed claim of Kavanaugh engaged in sexual assault while in college, an ongoing behavior from high school and probably into the rest of his life. Certainly it must affect his thinking, such as it is, and certainly it proves his lying under oath, his perverted character and the fact that he needs to go - right along with the one who appointed him!!! Perverts they both are and shame on us that we allow the FBI to do the bidding of perverts and allow these men to govern and make decisions that affect our every moment. Moments indeed!!
     We also have moments of courage and heroism. Think about Stacy James who is refusing to officially concede her loss in Georgia. It is not that she does not know that according to the numbers she lost but how the numbers were achieved -  or not. There was definite and recognized tampering in that gubernatorial election and she says that this must be recognized for what it was - the denial of democracy, the shuttingg down of the voice of the people. She refuses to do the political dance, as she says, and walk away without making the point, showing the truth and indicating what is wrong and where we need to correct things. A moment indeed of courage and truth.
     And yet another moment of courage and truth, this one going on already for years. It is the moment for Kaepernick who stood, or rather took a knee, for his belief and remained there figuratively and literally at times, foregoing his employment, millions of dollars, abuse from so many - but thankfully, support from others. A beautiful moment tied to his was the ad of Nike, replete with others who also stood for moments in time that mean something, that lead to something, to believe in something.  While Nike is not perfect nor are all those who joined in, the point is clear. Courage must as courage does. Do is done here as well. We just need all the rest to understand that, recognize that and return to humanity. At least the Emmys realized it and gave the ad and its content an Emmy. Good job!!
     Moments in time, as Whitney Houston sang, must be appreciated, recognized and used as stepping off points for the improvement of our behavior. We must recognize the messages and lessons and not push them away. Recognize these moments for the added meaning they give to life. Moments are momentous and life changing - if we allow them to be, if we allow them to point us in the right direction to live the rest of life.