Being Prepared

As I get older I am appreciating preparing ahead of time. Sadly my life as I have known hasn't required a whole lot of preparation, or maybe I was able to skate through. As a teacher I know the value of being prepared ahead of time. If you really want your students to learn you have to prepare in advance. Sure, you might be able to get by and most of the students will do alright, but you aren't really being effective. When teachers prepare ahead of time students learn, and a by product is that with good preparation good student behavior follows.

I know there are some things we can't prepare for in life, but the majority of life is able to be prepared for in advance. The emotional, physical, relational and spiritual components of our life all benefit from preparation. Yet I hardly ever prepare for the emotional, relational and spiritual situations in which I am involved and very seldom for the physical. Yet I am realizing that I need to prepare, that much of my life is about preparation.

I know there are certain relationships for which I need to prepare. Sometimes the effects of relationships can disturb our well being. There are also emotional situations that I need to be working towards or I will not react adequately when I am confronted with them. Our ability to live in community and interact with each other takes more preparation than we think. If there is someone who is good at what they do, it is because they are prepared. Yet how good are we at being husbands, fathers, friends, co-workers, sons, daughters, etc.? We can either prepare to be good, or even great, in these relationships or we can settle for being mediocre. Plus we might as well get used to preparing, because this life is about preparation for the next. Whether we are preparing to live with God or be absent from His presence, our lives and the decisions we make are preparing us.

Reflection on the election. (Yes, it rhymes. Yes, it was on purpose.)

My feelings about the election are mixed. In my opinion we have gone from making progress back to an illusion of security and prosperity. I think all of us who voted probably voted against something, instead of for policies that will ultimately secure the future of all Americans. I hope as we move forward that we can find middle ground without comprimising our values or the welfare of others. Every voter is part of society, a society which finds itself rapidly dividing. We need to stop lashing out against each other and work towards creating a better, more just society. Yet as I am writing this I sense that I am being overly idealistic. Due to the uncertainty of our economy and power as a nation we live in fear, whether it be realistic or not. That fear has been exploited by both sides. We need to stop listening to "fear" talk. The Republicans had so much success because they have convinced many of us that we have to "fear" the Democrats. Sadly most Republicans have nothing to fear, but have been manipulated by fear mongering. We need to focus on hope, not fear. Hope for all of society. I keep reflecting on Liberation Theology and the idea of solidarity. A concept where we try to identify with the poor, the needy and the oppressed. We join with them in search of justice and equality, of a better future. I think of Oscar Romero and his willingness to not be manipulated by politicians, institutions or the wealthy, but stood by in his conviction that we must foremost look after the poor and the suffering. I don't see much of this these days. I see a lot of self interest, a lot of decisions being made out of fear instead of conviction and values. The great thing about solidarity is that in turn the poor identify with us, identify with the pressures that we have, the struggle to let go of our security and in humility accept us with all of our faults, even though we may have been the cause of much of their suffering. It is idealistic, but it rings true. We have to start accepting each other, with all our faults and realize that ultimately what is good for my neighbor, for the least of these, is also good for me.