Finding God - in George Washington

There is a movement afoot, courtesy of John White (The Wall Street Journal, 1/28-29/2012), to have the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously awarded to George Washington.  This highest military award for an American soldier, is given for “gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty” in combat with an enemy of the United States.

President George Washington.  Soldier?  Combat?  A vague recollection of my American history reminds me that Washington, before he was President, was indeed a military leader -  a senior officer in the colonial forces during the French and Indian Wars and subsequently  commander in chief of the Continental Army during the revolution.  We tend to think of senior officers and (especially) Generals dictating the course of battle safely removed from the fray.  Obviously, their loss could very well alter the outcome of a battle, or even an entire war.  But not George Washington.  As revealed in Mr. White’s article, Washington was one of the bravest combat soldiers in American history. 

There are many documented examples of how he constantly put himself in harm’s way in order to command and rally his troops.  This garners even more significance when we pause and contemplate that Washington stood 6’ 3” tall, a literal giant at that time.  Put him in an officer’s, then a General’s uniform, astride a horse, and Washington became a sitting target, with a bulls-eye painted on his back.  And everyone, friend and foe alike, knew exactly who he was, and where he was.

In one two hour engagement during the French and Indian Wars, he rode all over the battlefield, carrying orders to other officers.  Two horses were shot from under him.  At battle’s end, he had four musket ball holes in his greatcoat, and survivors later reported that the hail of gunfire at him was so heavy that they expected to see him killed at any moment.

This heroism was also demonstrated during the revolution.  Washington repeatedly led his forces from the front of the battle.  Once, he was only 30 yards from British lines when he led a charge directly toward British troops, yelling at his own soldiers to rally behind him.  On another occasion, he noted American soldiers retreating in disarray.  Washington rode among them, up and down British lines, to halt and reverse their retreat.   At times he was only 30 to 40 feet from the enemy.

Think of that…only 30-40-90 feet from the enemy…sitting on a horse….in uniform, British soldiers and sharpshooters everywhere.  All reason and logic says that Washington could not possibly survive such exposure.  Yet he was never even wounded in battle!

At various times in my life, I have looked for “proof” of  God – a God who watches over us, protects us, guides our path, and directs our destiny as a people and as a country. This day, I have found such a God.  I can think of no other possible explanation for Washington’s survival than to credit a Higher Power who saw the absolute necessity to protect him, knowing that he, and only he, could lead a fledgling nation through the challenges of infancy toward the promise of its greatness.

Mark Twain Quote:  “I am different from Washington; I have a higher, grander standard of principle.  Washington could not lie.  I can lie, but I won’t.”

My Favorite Movies

Notice please I did not say favorite movie.  That is because I don’t have one!  (well, if gun + pointed at  head were a part of the equation, I could come up with a name)  But seriously, how?  The concept of a favorite movie is, has to be, a moving target.  So many films have been made over so many years, that to have one as your favorite seems to me….impossible.

So I’ve developed another way of categorizing my favorite movies:  into groups of five that represent my treasures as I conjure them up, at any given moment in time. 

And what are the criteria for a movie to be one of my favorites?  There is only one. It has to be a movie I am able to view over and over and over again, and enjoy it the last time I see it just as much as the very first time I watched it. 

So today I offer you five of my favorites, with the caveat that they are just five among many.  And I list them just as they come into my head.  If you ask me a month from now what my favorites are, I would give you five different titles. 

So with that in mind we will visit this topic every now and again, and see just how they do change. 

For today, my five favorites are:

1.     Dave

2.     Sabrina*

3.     Amistad**

4.     The King's Speech

5.     Braveheart

1995 Version Poster

David and Sabrina - 1954 Version

*For me, any films made in the decade of the 50s and prior qualify for the title “Classic.”  They belong to another category, another time, and should be treated separately.  In a very few cases, I do make an exception, and this is one such time.  Both versions, the ’95 (Ford, Kinnear,and Ormond) and the ’54 (Bogart, Holden, and Hepburn), are films I love equally and I must include both on any list I make.

**I just watched this again. I can never watch this movie without being visibly moved.

Mark Twain Quote:  “When I reflect upon the number of disagreeable people who I know have gone to a better world, I am moved to lead a different life.”

Oh The Games People Play Now

“Na-na-na-na-na-na!  Are too!  Are not!  You do!  No, you do! Oh yeah, says who?  Me, that’s who!”

Some things happen in life that make you feel better about yourself, even as they assault your sensibilities.

One such case in point involves Her High Honor Mayor Miner and the larger than whatever District Attorney of Onondaga County, Mr. William Fitzpatrick, Esq.

Every now and then I get into a behavioral snit (don’t we all) and think to myself:  how, at my age, can I act so petulantly.  But I do, and it conjures up remembrances of how we used to handle some situations….as children.  Oh, I must have learned that lesson 1,000 times over I think, only to succumb to the siren call of my imperfect youth.  And I feel all sorry and contrite once it has run its course (which is never long, thank God) and I am returned to “normal.”

So, it is amusing at first when I see two mature, obviously intelligent, accomplished beyond my pay grade, respected leaders of our beloved community – literally have at it with each other.  And they chose to do it right in front of us all!  Guns blazing, they aired their personal and professional laundry in the public square.  And yes, I couldn’t wait to hear the details.

I listened as Joe Galuski talked with Mr. Fitzpatrick one day, and Ms. Miner the following day, on his morning radio program, right at the height of the rush hour. Thousands of people heard those two use children’s logic and reasoning to explain away an incident that deserved nothing more than molehill status, yet had assumed the size of a small mountain.

And all of us, I’m sure, had a laugh or two before we sadly shook our heads and perhaps decided who we believed more.  In my opinion, they both failed the “I’m right” test. 

My take away from this was comforting, yet disturbing. Why, I thought to myself, I’m not so deficient after all….if those two “distinguished” people can act like that, given their respective positions in our community, then surely my little behavioral shortcomings are in good company.  We’re all human and subject to the same frailties. 

But I’m in a much different place than they, for in their esteemed position as leaders is placed a higher standard of adult behavior.  What they do and how they conduct themselves affects us all, and it is not outside the realm of possibility that one day, they may indeed have another “spat” that will have dire and significant consequences for our city and county. 

They both deserve a “time out.”  C’mon kids, kiss and make up.  For our sake.

Mark Twain Quote:  “I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning….politics a man’s reasoning powers are not above the monkey’s.”

Why Blog? (Part 1)

I have no pedigree for writing a blog. I’ve never really written anything.  I’ve been told I write a good letter, and good reports.  But that was mostly in a business or a political setting, where people are apt to tell you anything if it serves their purpose. 

In retirement I’ve subconsciously looked for “something” to do – something that stimulated and challenged me.  There are lots of things that will do that of course, golf being a prime example. But I guess I was looking for something less tangible, and less common, and certainly something I’ve never attempted before.  Something “new.”

Writing!  By some accounts, we humans have been perfecting this for about 5,000 years, give or take. It is practiced by billions, and is the one thing I (and you) can do anywhere, anytime. (Sometimes it seems I can do it anytime I want to, except when I do want to. The bane of writing!)

To set my ideas, my thoughts, my opinions, and who knows what else, down on paper as they say, now that suddenly seemed like the ultimate challenge. 

There are currently, by one estimate, over 450,000,000 active English language “blogs” floating on the internet for the rest of us to find.  What an absolutely astounding statistic. I have no doubt that very few persons will find mine, or once found, read it with any regularity.  I doubt even fewer will make a  “comment” on something I write.

And that will be fine with me. I’m not really doing this for a mass audience.  If that happens (highly doubtful) that would be ok, and if it doesn’t (very, very likely), that will be just peachy. Ultimately, I am doing this….for me.

I enter this experiment with no grand expectations of my one little star lost in the cosmos, with one exception.  I hope that one day my kids and grandkids will want to read these odd musings, and get a better sense of my more inner thoughts, and hence learn a little more about who I am. 

Mark Twain quote:  “The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction.  By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say.”

The Winter of our Content

It is February 6^th, and I am buoyant this day.  Giddy almost.  There’s a bounce to my step, and I abound with energy.  Coffee?  No, weather. 

Syracuse, long known for its loonngg winters, is in celebration this season.  Snows are thus far non-existent (I have used my snow blower twice), and what was for some time  like an extended fall season now has the faint smell of an arriving spring.  Temperatures are up, and the sun (yes, the sun!) paints our sky almost daily with precious light.

This is simply unheard of in this land of snow and ice.  What a far cry from last year.  I was talking to a new friend recently, (perhaps more on that later) and we both agreed.  At this time last year, we were in the clutches of what could easily be called a depression of our spirit.  Remember, it started snowing early and didn’t stop.  By February of last year, I felt like looking for a tall bridge over water, some rope to tether me to my snow blower, and … well, you know.

In a general sense, I buy into the theory that weather can affect human behavior.  An article in today’s Syracuse Post-Standard, though controversial, points to some studies that say this is so.  Think about it, it does make sense.  We all crave warmth, light, and the absence of rain and snow.  We’re just happier people then.  It is a part of our genetics.

Time has something to do with that as well.  As kids, we couldn’t wait for the snow to come.  Sleds, forts, snowball fights, bring them on!  As we got older, our toys changed, but we still enjoyed the winter season.  But by the time we put 30 or 40 winters behind us, this snow thing started to become “old.” 

I love Syracuse; it has so many nice things going for it.  I just wish each winter from now on could be just like this one (now, there’s a wish!!).  It’s tolerable, bordering on enjoyable.  And the best part is that it’s almost over.  No matter what happens, only 5 or 6 more weeks stand between today and the beginning of our spring season. 

I know I shouldn’t say this, but if this is global warming….bring it on!  Of course, around here, all one has to do is wait……for 10 minutes.  Cross your fingers.

Mark Twain Quote:  “I reverently believe that the Maker who made us all makes everything in New England….but the weather.”