Sal's Reflections

Life begins where your comfort zone ends. It is marvelous that so many of us daily meet our personal responsibilities. We have obligations and  the community relies on our fulfilling the many rules,roles and duties that come with adult life. However,being responsible does not mean that we have to abandon the idea that life is an adventure filled with myriad possibilities. It is an accepted reality in many circles that at some point we should establish a bucket list that would enable us to share some of those experiences.Instead of following that list when we are on the porch in the rocking chair maybe it’s time to follow a few of those wistful dreams now. Being responsible to one’s self need not be overly selfish, but rather an attempt to develop an ongoing process of development. I have found that in leaving my comfort zone I became more responsible to others.In the immortal words of Santa”Make the list,check it twice and then follow at least one of the dreams .

Yesterday I received an advanced copy of my novel and it was quite startling to actually hold the finished copy in my hands.As I examined each chapter I was reminded of how many people were actually involved in the process. From day one, there were those who lent ideas,made suggestions,critiqued passages and edited endless rewrites. Others were supportive when the writing became sluggish and lent emotional help when the pen was still, and the creative spirit was sluggish. All in all, I realized that when I held the book in my hands that it was the work of a community of friends and loved ones that had written the work.Life is filled with so many moments when a word,a gesture or a helping hand unseen makes a tremendous difference. Today I basque in all of the acts of concern that have been showered on me in this process.

Watched an interesting program about nostalgia last evening. The premise was that many older persons(defined as anyone older than I am) prefer the past to the present. They see their earlier days as ones that were filled with values that have faded ,and in their views we as a society have lost a great deal.The past has value, but I think that there is a romantic layer in the view over our shoulders. There certainly were wonderful memories ,but there is also a tendency to embrace the entire period.I do not believe that we are worse off as far as values, and the human experience always has benefits and challenges. Life is a progression, and accepting the challenges that are now front and center does not warrant a return to the past.There is resident in life today as many pluses as in the past, and certainly as many negatives. I choose to see that today there are opportunities that were unimaginable when I was a child, and there is no paucity of terrific human beings . My choice is to see the glass as half full with the possibility that I can fill it to the brim.

I had an extended conversation with a young Army vet yesterday.He had two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan ,and has been unemployed for six months. He was obviously bright, well spoken and had a bevy of experience in the I.T. area. The recession has made his field shrink, and despite his dogged persistence there is nothing on the horizon.My heart aches for him, and all the others who have served with dedication and courage.It is time to stop all the platitudes that refer to these marvelous Americans as our best and brightest and show them concretely our gratitude.All of us need to connect to their transitions in whatever way possible.I ,for one, will offer my expertise in the job search process ,and send off a volley of communiques to my senators and congress persons,requesting they provide more opportunities. As we wind our way out of this recession, they who served with courage should be at the head of the line, and it should not be the bread line.

There are many influences that help shape the character and belief system of children. All of us have in many ways internalized the feedback provided not only by parents, but but also by other members of our environment. The world is certainly more complex that when i was a child, but the needs are the same for children.In every one of our days there are opportunities to bring care and positive learning to children.It can be as little as a smile in the grocery store, or asking a child about what he has colored while in a fast food chain. We don’t have to be parents to foster a legacy of love and warmth for all children. Today I will consciously be aware that at some point I will encounter the world of the child.If I am attentive ,two things will happen.I will learn something, and the child will feel, for at least a moment, that one of the giants was nice and caring.

Riding on the train yesterday through many of the small towns and villages of New Jersey I was struck by the explosion of nature. Flowers and new plantings casts their myriad colors to form a palette that filled the human eye. Winter in its quiet retreat had allowed the earth to process seed into the vegetation that fills the landscape for the coming months. In essence this what happens in our lives. There are periods of dormant reflection when the seeds of new opportunities and goals seem to lie fallow. There appears to be a silence within us, but in fact there is always a churning that provides the opportunity of growth. Age or past do not limit the new growth, and achievements lie sometimes barely beneath the surface of our wills. The now beckons us to sleep no more, for the spring of new choices has arrived.

I was enthralled by the beauty of the art displayed yesterday in my visit o the Frick museum. The genius of artists from different cultures,different periods and diverse styles was so magnificent that it clearly indicated the value and beauty of art in our lives. The canvases leap out and invite us to imbibe in the wondrous scenes,portraits and images of the joy and sadness of life. Housed in this magnificent mansion the guide spoke of Mr.Frick’s on going love affair with art, and his desire to have others access his marvelous collection.My apartment in Manhattan does not resemble the size and magnificence of the Frick mansion, but it has one thing in common. I,like him, am surrounded by wonderful works of art. The genius of putting brush to canvas did not end with the masters .It lives to day in the artists I have come to know and love. My friends Susan Budash,Michael Doyle ,Alan Fetterman and Dennis Sheehan have masterpieces that adorn every wall of my abode. They warm my heart and have transformed my walls into a museum of beauty.I am ever so grateful that the search for beauty continues through the enormous talents of my friends,