Heritage

"Happy Hill" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy Sez-  Often is heard talk about Heritage, the heritage of a family, a people, a nation or a culture and usually that talk is in grandiose terms, filled with platitudes and generalizations but what is Heritage, real Heritage?  It is a question we must ask and need to answer before we can really understand ourselves.  Heritage, it seems comes from two sources - one type of heritage we inherit from our past, from our family, our culture and our environment, the other we create ourselves and that is our legacy which with the heritage we inherit becomes part of the heritage we leave.

The heritage of a people or family can be expressed in terms of monetary wealth, the lands and special places, the silver of generations back and the potential for future wealth. These are all types of an inherited heritage, but heritage is much more that that - it is not just the lands, castle nor silver but it is the ideas, ideals and values that as a people or family we aspire to.

Now the question is what are these ideas, ideals and values we aspire to and more importantly - why.

Each person in every group of people, every culture is different giving them a unique perspective and reality, but it is the collection of similar experiences and inherited heritage that binds these different individuals together into a family, a culture and a nation. Not only does each individual have their own ideas, ideals and values but so does each culture and most of these are naturally guided by certain universal constants.   These constants, like the land we live on are a part of our environment, our inherited heritage and while not all people or cultures are influenced by these constants most are and that is why we for the most part as individuals or groups want to leave a positive legacy and a positive heritage.  A good name, present and future monetary wealth, icons and heirlooms are usually what most people and groups of people desire to receive and leave as a heritage rather than hate, death and despair.  Two examples of different heritages left by two different people and their organizations can be shown by Mother Theresa and the Missionaries of Charity and Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party, one followed the moral constants of their inherited heritage, the other did not.  Both inherited a heritage completely different from each other except for one thing - the universal moral constants, both had them but only one choose to leave them as their heritage.

Now we know that the single most important part of our heritage as an individual or nation is the universal moral constants left to us.  It is from acknowledging and following these constants that no matter how dark the rest of your heritage may be, that darkness will be turned into light.  By following these constants that we all inherit we all inherit light, we all inherit the potential to leave a legacy of not just wealth but goodness. It is from these constants that the silver, lands and castle spring from, it is these constants that are the fountainhead for ideas, ideals and values, it is from these constants we find a purpose to our life and a reason for our heritage.

The only constant thing I know of is GOD.

A Sad Place

"Happy Hill" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez- The world is a sad place -  a place of sadness.  We are born into this world only to suffer through our tormented lives filled with pain, death and despair.  But there is other things in the world and in our lives, there is beauty and grace, there is joy and peace but most of all there is love. It is because of these things that God has gifted us with that not only makes life possible but makes life joyful.  The trouble, tribulations and darkness is put before us for a reason, the darkness was put before us to let us see that there is light, the torment, death and despair is there so we might know joy, life and hope.  But it is Gods love that lets us not just survive, but live and live with God eternally.
And so life is complete.

Fear God?

"The Point" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-   I remember when I was just a small child the first time I heard the phrase "God Fearing" and I could not understand it.  I love God and He loves me -how could I be afraid of Him?  He will ALWAYS do me good - He loves me and I love Him.  He will put me where I belong - How could I be afraid of that? If He puts me in Hell then I know that's where I belong and because of that I will go there with joy in my heart.

A Family Legacy

"Power Mountain by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  A friend of mine recently lost a close family member and gathered along with other family members to take care of their estate.  As the estate is a rural one with many animals the families first concern, and rightly so was for the animals that were left orphaned to see that they were well cared for for the rest of their lives.  The next order of business was to identify family heirlooms and keep those in the family, while offering what was left to friends or the needy, anything else will be auctioned off to pay for the expenses of the estate. Everyone there realized, I believe, that the real legacy of a family is not the wealth of the family nor the heirlooms, for they will soon dissipate with the ages, rather it is the ideas and ideals of that family that are the true legacy for even if the family dies out it lives through that legacy. These are the things that should be important to us, for they are the things that are important to God and these are the things that will not dissipate through the ages.  May God wrap his arms around his child coming home and embrace the family with love.

Gave Us All

"Through the Barrier" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  The cold for many continues and continues fiercely.  We hope everyone is not only able to keep themselves safe and warm but is also able and willing to aid those are not so able, the old and young, the sick and disabled and just every bit as important, if not more important, is the animals, domestic AND wild.  God gave us all life and with that life a soul, and He never made a half soul.

Little Boy or Angel

"Misty Cross" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy Sez- This is a reprint of a previous post, and is something that I plan to re-post over and over again.  When you read it you can see why.  Even though his name is lost in the shroud of history, he should not be forgotten.  He was my friend.

This story is absolutely true.

In the 1950s in Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles there was a whole floor, the fourth floor devoted to children that were dying of heart trouble.  In those days doctors did not have the knowledge, procedures and medicines of today - they just were not invented yet, the iron lung (there was a room full of them just down the hall we were never allowed in) along with some of the first antibiotics and the fluoroscope were state of the art technology then.  For most of us, the lucky ones, there was only one hope - an experimental operation that could give us a chance at life and the doctors a chance to learn something that might help someone else.  Open heart surgery and the heart lung machine was just being developed, and was often used in these experimental surgeries and with each use something new was learned.  In those days they operated on one child a day, Monday through Friday, and by Friday  night, oftentimes all five children were dead.  We, the children understood this and for the most part accepted this the best we could.  You grow up rather fast in many ways and you learn several things - you learn to fight, you learn to have faith, faith in your parents, faith in your doctors but most of all you have faith in God.

It was fall 1958 when I was in this time for a rather extended period of time.  In those days there were four beds to a room and as kids easily do you soon became friends with your roommates, at least the ones that were well enough.  (You can always tell the really sick kids, they don't cry, they mostly lay staring or are unconscious).  I was almost nine and there was a kid in one of the other beds that I immediately struck up a friendship with.  He was a lively little boy of about six or so with dark hair and a ready grin and easy laugh. Even though he was dying he loved to pull jokes on the nurses, or sneak out of bed and go for wheelchair rides or go into other rooms ( a BIG no-no) and talk to the kids and sing Yankee Doodle to them, a song that he just loved. It was obvious how much he loved everyone and was he was always concerned with them, not just how they were feeling physically but how they were inside, in their spirit and heart.  He was always going to the the one that was having heart surgery that next day and somehow he had a way of calming a soul.  I remember a little dark haired little girl of about eight in the next ward that was having surgery the next morning, her parents were gone and she was terrified.  He went to her (I know the nurses had to know he was there out of not just his bed but his room) and spent most of the night in there singing Yankee Doodle to her, a song he was constantly singing, sometimes annoyingly so, until she finally was graced with some calmness and got a little sleep.  She died the next morning during surgery.
It is those after hours that can get to you in a children's hospital, the time after visiting hours when your parents are gone, when the hum of hospital life has slowed down and the lights are dimmed in the wards with only the light from florescent tubes in the hallways reflecting off the pale yellow walls. It can be lonely and terrifying but I never heard him complain or talk about himself, his only focus was others. I got to go home for a couple of months just before Christmas, and I never saw him again but my mother later told me his story, a short story, a story he never got a chance to live out but a story that was filled with God and Grace.
He was dropped off at the hospital by his parents, who lived two miles from the hospital, sometime in June or July.  They never came to see him or contacted him in any way, they left him to die.  He died right after Christmas. 
As one of the lucky ones that survived, you soon get caught up in the whirlwind of life, of living that life you were graced with. As the decades go by and I think back and I realize that even though his name is lost, the calmness of spirit that he gave you, the lessons by example on how life should be lived to the ready smile and laugh, but most of all that voice singing Yankee Doodle and I know my life was blessed by an angel!

The Cycle Continues

"Hidden Hill" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy Says- Winter in all its frigid relentlessness is at its peak in most of the nation.  Its unforgiving harshness will not stop, will not relent, but behind it all the days are getting longer slowly, bit by bit, bringing the vital warmth of summer.  The sun will shine and the days will be warm, the grass will be green and the birds will sing.  And so the cycle continues.

Silent Serenity - Again and Always

"The Lamp" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy Sez-  It has been a long time since my last post for which I am truly sorry and, in the spirit of the great P. G. Wodehouse I hope I have not caused my gentle readers any undue concern. Suffice it to say all is well on the old home front and the blessed busyness of life has kept this wretched writer at bay.   I would however like to take this time to re-post the following that I like to share at least once every year, usually during the Christmas season.

A lamp was lit over two thousand years ago that shines the light of heavenly love across the face of the earth and the soul of man and because of that light the silent serenity of God's peace and joy lights our hopes not just for the season, but for all eternity. 

Fear of God

"Mountain of Power" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  As I mentioned in an earlier post God is always there, it's up to you whether or not you are, indeed the times in my life when things do not go well, the times when I screw up are the times when I do things that I know in my heart, in my gut are not right but I somehow always justify it and go ahead and listen to my ego instead of listening to God, listening to my heart.  God is always there and God always loves you. When I was very young and innocent I would hear people talk about the "Fear of God" and I never understood, how can anyone be afraid of one that gives you total and unconditional love?  God is not mean nor vengeful, nor will He ever hurt you, so how could one be afraid?  It is only when one gets away from God, when YOU leave Him, when YOU lose sight of his love that fear can grip your heart, that indescribable loneliness of being without God.  That is the real fear, not the fear of God but the fear of not being with God.   God will always love you and care for you, He will put you where you belong and will bless you with the challenges and rewards you need.  They may not always be what you want but they will be what you should have, and these, no matter what they are you should accept with love as they were given with love.

Season of Rememberance

"Psychedelic Cabin" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  Now that the winter with it's cold and short days are here so it is a time to remember all the people and friends we know and have known, and all our family far and near.  Many of us are busy searching for a gift, writing card and making phone calls - but if none of that gets done the main purpose this season is remembering, remembering and thinking of each of them, of their personality and presence, their essence - but of course this is the season  most of all to remember God and Christ.

No Regrets

"Through the Barrier" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  Always take the high road.  Always do what YOU feel in your gut, in your heart is right.  You may have regrets in things that happen to you in your life but you'll never regret how you lived your life

A Happy Thought

"Happy Hill" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  A happy thought to me is that God is always there - It is up to me whether or not I am!

Happy Thanksgiving

"In The Grain" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  We all have problems, the world has problems and there are some problems we may not be able to solve but there are many more that can be solved and that is one thing alone worth giving thanks for - the blessing of being given problems that can be solved.  The blessing of having health, wits and family and friends to support and care for you, the blessing of having available to you the resources to get the problems solved.  Not all problems can be solved and not all people have all these things at the same time but they are there or can be there because of the greatest reason to give thanks of all - the blessings of God.

Here's a link:

Imprimis Thanksgiving
History.com
Catholic thanksgiving

The Water that Quenches

"Misty Cross" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  This Sunday whether you are in church or not remember, especially those that are fuzzy and dry from the night before, that only the water of God's forgiveness can quench the thirst of your sins.  Have a blessed Sunday!

Beginnings and Ends

"Electric Sleigh" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy Sez-  With Halloween gone and Thanksgiving almost here fall is fast turning to winter. It's time this year especially to gather with family and friends and realize what a blessing they are. Life like the seasons quickly flows, a never ending cycle of beginnings and ends.

A Blessing To Help

"In The Groove" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  The other day I was downtown and was sitting outside at a sidewalk cafe with some time to kill.  I was watching the city scene before me when I noticed a couple of different things.  There was an old man that seemed to have a bit of trouble walking obviously due to his age. At one point he almost stumbled against a woman who gave him a look of disgust and quickly moved away in case he needed to lean on her, she obviously would rather he fall than to touch her.  At a nearby table a young man saw this and with a look of happy anticipation he quickly rose to take the old mans arm and give him that moment of help he needed.  Two things were clear:  the act of rendering help to the woman was something that was distasteful and a unwanted burden to her, while it was plain that to the young man the act of rendering aid was not only a joy but a blessing.  And indeed it is - to be able to help another of God's creatures, man or animal, is indeed a blessing, for when you help His creatures you're helping Him. And that is a blessing.

Beauty Of The Creator

" In The Groove" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez- Today's happy thought is the beautiful weather most of us are having this time of year, even though as usual there are some places that are going through weather hell and to those we want to keep in our prayers and our charitable giving.  Each time of year, each season indeed each day has it's own particular beauty in some unique way then it, like the weather and perhaps because of the weather changes.  The beauty is always there if one can see it but it can be impossible to see it if you're the one in the storm.  Life it seems is a living analogy of this; it is filled with beauty IF you are not the one in the storm at the moment and like the weather there is always a storm SOMEWHERE at the moment, be it a natural disaster like an earthquake or some sort of a karma quake like a war or a new level of social evolution like the industrial age.  It is when we are graced with fair weather and fair times that we can relax and contemplate not only the beauty we were given but the beauty of the creator.

Spinning Fall In

"Stormy Night" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy Sez-  Today we hit the equinox and summer officially gives way to fall with cooler temps and shorter days.  The softer light of fall sheds it's own special grace over the landscape of not just our world but our mind as well, cooling the frantic thoughts of summertime with the slower and softer thinking of day filled with falling leaves and hot cider.  And so it keeps on spinning. Thank God

Here's a link:

timeanddate.com
5 thinks to know

Yvonne

Today we remember a wildflower in the meadow of life, 

a flower of innocence.

a flower of kindness,

a flower of sweetness

a flower of God

 Yvonne

We Remember

"John's Squares" by Drew John Tankersley

Happy sez-  Last weekend we celebrated the American Worker but this weekend we memorialize nearly three thousand people that were murdered fifteen years ago Sunday and we remember that this is what World War III looks like.  May God be with us.