Narrative

Narrative speaks to the heart in order that the heart, so tutored may direct and

inform the mind.

I love this sentence. It makes my heart sing. It sends shivers through my cerebellum.

Here's why....

I love stories, tales and narratives. I always have and I think I always will. From the time I was a child when stories were read to me until I was able to read them for myself, I have had a thirst for stories.

A good story can make your heart sing and bring a change to your mind.

Narratives can wedge their way into the crevasses of our heart when our minds are closed.

Narratives can make an impact while idle words leave a dent.

Narratives can lift our eyes when circumstances drag us down.

One of my favorite memories as a young dad was when my kids would say, "Daddy, tell us a story." I would spin tales, yarns, epics, and weave stories as they drifted off to slumberland.

"Stories only happen to people who can tell them."

Some of the best stories I have ever read or heard caught my heart off guard. When I wasn't looking, the story sneaked up on me and brought a change to my way of thinking.

Jesus was really good at it. Check out the parables in the New Testament.

Oh, by the way, our life is a story and people are watching and listening to the narrative.

I pray that His Story living through my life will make people think about the Author.

LaMott

Anne LaMott has recently written a book entitled, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

I was in the Salvation Army Thrift Store in downtown Detroit two weeks ago and was looking through the book shelves tucked in the back of the warehouse when I ran across LaMott's book.

I had seen it before on Amazon.com and at Borders but I was not ready to fork over $15 for her book.

Imagine my surprise when I opened up the paperback and saw the price...99 cents.

How sad that a book on writing by a prolific writer would land in a warehouse in downtown Detroit for less than a dollar.

I purchased the book and begin reading it immediately.

LaMott quotes Kurt Vonnegut another great writer who said, "When I write, I feel like an armless legless man with a crayon in his mouth."

LaMott says that it is not uncommon to find the task of writing to be a difficult one. I can identify with that challenge at times.

Writing is not an easy task, but it is a rewarding one.

I was delighted to find the book for 99 cents because it is clearly worth more than that. One of the fears that I have of getting a book published is that it could end up in a warehouse downtown with 99 cents penciled inside the front page.

Fortunately I am not writing with a crayon in my mouth.

For all you artists, writers, dreamers, schemers and creators...keep plying your trade. And if you have a crayon in your mouth use it to be creative.

Word

Today I was reading and ran across a word that I had never seen before. I love words and today's discovery was akin to finding a buried treasure in a sandy cove.

I read it and passed over it thinking that it was an aberrant word inserted by the author to demonstrate her intellectual prowess.

Reading it a second time in the same book made me curious as to its meaning.

Finally I saw the word a third time in the narrative.

Sangfroid.

Before looking it up, I tried to guess its meaning. Here are my three guesses.

1. An entree at my favorite chinese restaurant.

2. A muscle in the lower abdomen

3. A quasar in the furthest galaxy

Upon closer inspection I discovered that "sangfroid" means "composure in the face of difficulty or danger." It has its roots from the French word meaning "cold blood."

Have you ever heard someone described as having "ice water" in their veins? They are the epitome of composure.

Quarterbacks facing a blitz need "sangfroid." Being alone at home and hearing a noise outside the window requires "sangfroid." Receiving a phone call in the middle of the night calls for "sangfroid."

In this day and age we need "sangfroid...composure in the face of difficulty or danger."

I learned a new word today and I can't wait to use it tomorrow. I am praying that I will not face any difficulties or dangers, but if I do, I know the right word to use.

Test drive the word for yourself and let me know how it works.

Report

I tucked my book underneath my arm and headed for the parking lot. Getting into my car I was making last minute preparations for my trip to the poll to cast my vote.

Pulling into the parking lot I had my choice of parking spaces. Where were all of the long lines?

I got out of my car and entered the polling place. Where were all of the long lines?

I showed my photo ID and filled out the paperwork to prepare to vote.

The "Election Inspector" peered in my direction as I received my ballot.

I still had my book underneath my arm in anticipation of waiting in long lines. I put it down and entered the voting stall. Opening my folder, the ballot awaited my pencil.

Seeing all of the names of the candidates reminded me that each has a story. I wish I knew each of their narratives, not the ones that are projected in their campaign advertisements.

After a few minutes I completed voting and turned around and waited to feed my ballot into the scanner so that my vote would be recorded. In a matter of a few minutes I had completed my civic responsibility, all without having an opportunity to read my book.

Here are three observations that I want to make as I reflect on today:

1. Nobody asked me how I voted as I left the polling place. Who are these people that take part in "exit polls?"

2. I wonder if John McCain will call back next week to see how I voted? He called today asking for my vote.

3. Tomorrow there will not be any campaign commercials on TV. I wonder who is going to declare their candidacy for the Presidency in 2012 on Wednesday? I guess it's never to early to start thinking about 2012.

I am at home this evening and until just a few moments ago I was reading my book that I had tucked underneath my arm. It is far more interesting than listening to a group of old geezers prognosticating about who our next president will be.

Signs

I am always intrigued by signs. I make notes of humorous signs that I have seen in my journey.

While working in New Orleans during Katrina I saw a sign that said, "Looters will be shot." I have seen funny signs on church lawns. I have seen signs with mispellings that made me chuckle.

This sign caught my attention earlier today.

Nuff' said....I will be glad when the elections are over....24 hours from now and we should begin to have a sense of who will be the President elect of the United States.

By the way, November 5th will come and America will return to "business as usual" and for that I will be thankful.

Here is my checklist for tomorrow...

1. Eat breakfast....think about how I will vote

2. Head to work...

3. Eat lunch...try to vote during my lunch hour (lines will probably mean I will have to vote later)

4. Head back to work

5. Go back to vote after work

6. Get ready to stand in line to wait to vote (bring good book)

7. Vote

8. Go home and wait for the results while I watch Seinfeld.

9. Give thanks that the campaign is over.

Aaaahhhhhhh!

Television

With less than 48 hours away from electing a new president, I have been thinking about the role of media in helping shape people's opinions.

Television has played a pivotal role in defining reality for many voting Americans.

Saturday Night Live has poked fun at the candidates and has provided levity for those who have taken the process to seriously.

Evening newscasts have provided biased perspectives through the medium of television.

Reporters will predict winners and interview losers, all broadcast on television.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that TV has both positive and negative aspects. Unmonitored it can introduce images that are unhealthy.

I was reading this week and ran across a quote that put it into perspective. It is by David Frost who is an English satirist and was a television host when I was a kid. He said...

"Television is an invention that permits you to be entertained

in your living room by people you wouldn't have in your house."

Something to think about...

Clocks

"If I just had one more hour in the day..."

How many times have you found yourself saying that? How many times have you felt like you did not have enough time to get everything done that you wanted to do?

With an additional hour I now will have time to walk around my house and re-set all of our clocks.

In adjusting them I noticed that no two clocks had the same time.

One clock was adjusted 10 minutes ahead to insure that we get out the door on time. It makes me wonder if it really works or not.

One clock on the stove was several minutes off the real time.

One of the clocks will adjust itself later on.

My cell phone adjusts for the time change automatically.

And my computer will remind me tomorrow morning that the clock has re-set.

Recently we replaced the battery in a wall clock. For several days time stood still. Without a fresh battery the clock was worthless except for two times a day.

Walking around the house and adjusting clocks has reminded me that my life could easily be governed by time. I don't want to "punch the clock" and "watch the clock." I want to be fully present in each moment. I want to savor the moment rather than look for ways to quickly get through the minutes of the day.

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes has it right...."there is a time for everything." I affirm again..."my times are in your hands."