Friday, January 17, 2014

17 January 2014: Friday ... a Facebook thread on life itself and understanding ... Julie, PRN nurse, makes a visit ... Y workout ... 2-mile walk with Dancer ... phone calls to Liz and Joyce on walk

Today has been an incredible day of insight into the human psyche. First of all, mom was visited by the PRN nurse, who saw dad once, Julie, from Delaware Hospice. I remembered her because she is also a care provider for her father, who she said, receives CNA assistance five days a week. She is good at what she does. A quick study, she has to size up her patient and offer guidance with not a lot of time. Today, she assessed mom's difficulty with the nasal cannula and it producing an irritation in the nostrils. Her solution: I brought out the humidifying bottle and she hooked it up and the air got cycled through the water and thus moisturized or humidified. Mom's doing better because of it and her thoughtfulness and problem solving was the key.

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Julie caring for dad in her visit to our home well over a month ago. 

I invited the Jehovah's Witness woman, Beverly, who brought her husband, Brian, to the house to discuss a broad range of topics that have puzzled man since he or she first gained a cognitive and aware sense. The result was a FB post that initiated the greatest amount of commentary of any one I have ever done. I was amazed. The following is the current activity on this post. I wrote and the people commented:




"I'm all for dialogue, reasonable and enlightening talk that furthers an issue. And there's not any greater talk than our origin and just why we humans, one species, have a brain that can presumably dispense reason and morality. We're no longer in a "survival of the fittest" mode, at least in the Serengeti-plains version, according to my interlocutor Brian and his wife Beverly, both Jehovah's Witnesses.

Our talk was wide-ranging and enveloped a multi-millennial quest of all thinkers in human society. Just how did we get here, why are we here, and what is our purpose?

Whether Unitarian-Universalist or Jehovah's Witness or whatever faith tradition, it unites us all. Or does it?"
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  • Craig O'Manion not really. various 'faiths' do more to divide us than anything else. unitarians like to meet and have coffee. there are no stories that you have to buy into in order to belong (I'm one). ask a jehovahs witness if you can join their organization while refuting their version of truth. you have mentioned two groups that are as wide apart as apples and adverbs
    11 hours ago · Unlike · 3
  • Charla Larrimore no, i don't think that organized religions unite us. the spirit that lives within us--that doesn't recognize "religion"--unites us. most wars have their roots in religion. however, i love jehovah's witnesses--i enjoy tormenting them--what circle of hell will i be sent to for freaking out the faithful?
    10 hours ago · Unlike · 3
  • Rudy Nyhoff Certainly an "alliterative" hell Charla.
  • Craig O'Manion agree Charla. how 'welcome' would you feel if I said you could come to my house for dinner but first you have to agree to a list of things I think are true?
    10 hours ago · Unlike · 3
  • Rudy Nyhoff This couple, Craig, never ventured into proselytizing. I was amazed. Brian did get worked up a bit talking about values and how humans have morals, et al., and I sensed a certain animus in his tone. But I confronted him and asked whether he was challenging me and he backed off, immediately. I truly enjoyed this talk with an "apple" as I prefer the label "adverb".
    10 hours ago · Like · 2
  • Craig O'Manion thats good in terms of not being annoying to you personally, but it does not negate the probability that by not steering you to the nearest kingdom hall they are working outside of the bounds of their own identity. this would amaze me too! I doubt that...See More
    10 hours ago · Edited · Unlike · 3
  • Bridgett Ann Story  Just gonna sit back and enjoy this conversation.
    10 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Regina DePace I call my religion "tolerance and compassion" and anyone can join, only requirements are a warm heart and an open mind.
    10 hours ago · Edited · Unlike · 5
  • Craig O'Manion personally I always found the basics of the JW movement to be very strange and almost silly. how likely is it that after centuries of every attempt to redeem mankind via one failed arrangement after another that a distant all powerful deity would send ...See More
    10 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Charla Larrimore i'm going back to the 14th century hesychastic practice of contemplating my navel until i see the divine therein--
    9 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Craig O'Manion while I will accept your plans as being rather (hopefully) tounge-in-cheek, I still have to refrain myself in these conversations from offering up yet another option even though it would seem to be almost too simple to miss; the goal of simply living ones life doing what makes for subjective happiness surrounded by nice people
    9 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Skinner Graham Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony." Gandhi "
    9 hours ago · Unlike · 3
  • Craig O'Manion I like this statement, but prefer the more open ended subjective idea that, while difficult to quantify, happiness is something that we know when it is in operation and requires no further defining, much like finding someone attractive or why something tastes 'good'
    9 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Craig O'Manion and in keeping with this thread, for me personally I have never found that accepting explanations for reality from those who have given themselves the authority to do so has given me that effect and in fact it seems to have worked the other way 'round
    9 hours ago · Unlike · 3
  • Rudy Nyhoff "You know it when you feel it" is a wonderful conception of happiness. I agree and how we get there, well that's the key. It might be through "omphaloskepsis" ... another great Greek word ... meditation at its best toward one's own navel, but I know one thing, this type of FB interchange, facilitated by facile and engaged minds, is a path toward feeling pretty good. It's working for me.
    9 hours ago · Like · 4
  • Charla Larrimore yes, we are engaging ha, and recognizing and respecting it within each other.
    8 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Bridgett Ann Story I can only say there is hope for all (including Jw's and those recovered  that one will eventually smell the freedom that exists when you place responsibility on yourself and know that the majority of your life track is in your own hands. To all of...See More
    8 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Bridgett Ann Story People have no idea how they can impact a single individual. Sometimes it only takes a comment, a smile, and a genuine interest. Rudy Nyhoff for instance was a breath of fresh air as our former neighbor 
    8 hours ago · Unlike · 5
  • Craig O'Manion actually the navel thing may be a misplaced bit of information. 'behind' the navel area and a little down, is the location of the Tan Tien (sp?) point. mentally focusing on this area is in fact a meditation and if nothing else will enable your posture to immediately improve
    7 hours ago · Like · 2
  • Ray Webber It is puzzling - how so many that can be devout, diverse and tolerant all at the same time. I know many people that are not only religious in a nominal sense but have a high degree of religious acceptance. Upon discussion most would say there's some tr...See More
    6 hours ago · Edited · Like · 1
  • Cindy Aiman Stimeck "You know it when you felt it." Happiness is an inside job!! Allow yourself to feel happiness and you will attract the same. Things, jobs, people, etc don't give or take away your happiness. Your thoughts and how you respond is key! I agree Rudy! Gre...See More
    7 hours ago · Unlike · 4
  • Cindy Aiman Stimeck Oops sorry on the quote. "You know it when you feel it"
    7 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Craig O'Manion well Cindy, now you can say you have been to a unitarian-universalist discussion, intended or not lol
    7 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Rudy Nyhoff Thanks Cindy ... your perceptions enlighten, as always. And I agree, those with an agenda and a need to proselytize need to get a life. (Oh, and present or past, happiness need not diminish.)
    7 hours ago · Like · 2
  • Cassandra Harris I have no problems with anyone else holding their beliefs as long as they:
    1. Don't attempt to proselytize me into their faith. 
    2. Respect my lack of belief as I respect their belief. 
    ...See More
    7 hours ago · Unlike · 5
  • Rudy Nyhoff Amen Cassandra!
    7 hours ago · Like · 2
  • Cassandra Harris Darwin Rudy!
    6 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Charla Larrimore Craig, it's about the Hesychasts. Really, just practicing my Ren and Stimpy devotion to happy, happy, joy, joy! Now, shall we try some cephalonamancy--could be a great Friday night!
    6 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Karen Shields Broccoli
  • Rudy Nyhoff Thank goodness ... happy, joy ... it's not the 13th Charla or my paraskevidekatriaphobia could kick in. It's not a pretty sight when that occurs.
  • Rudy Nyhoff A sincere apology to all friggatriskaidekaphobics out there, we know you are in the same boat. Hold on and be brave.
  • Tina Slendak Well, I'm a Christian, I know nothing about being a Jehovah's Witness or a Unitarian (?), I think this conversation is way over my head! But it's been informative...
    6 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Rudy Nyhoff FYI: http://www.uua.org/beliefs/

    www.uua.org
    Unitarian Universalism is a theologically diverse religion in which members support one another in our individual searches for truth and meaning.
  • Tina Slendak So, what do you believe happens when you die?
  • Craig O'Manion Tina I believe many people base their lives around hopes for a happy afterlife. Personally I dont know nor do I think I can know. I am also, in my own case, unwilling to behave as if I do know. I will leave it to others however to deal with this great mystery in their own way because they are going to do so anyway
    6 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Craig O'Manion and thanks for linking that Rudy. I like our old logo better but thats beside the point - the seven principles remain the same and are very general. Other than those, there is nothing one could call a creed per se
    5 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Craig O'Manion http://www.uua.org/beliefs/principles/index.shtml

    www.uua.org
    Our Seven Unitarian Universalist Principles are drawn from six religious sources and form the backbone of our religious community.
  • Rudy Nyhoff I don't want to echo what Craig said about what happens after death, Tina, but to wax personal for a moment. Recently, I witnessed the death of my father and it was the most natural of actions. His being or soul or whatever made him -- him -- for 85 plus years, was gone. It was just a body there in the bed and my father was no more, never to return. Where he went, I know not, but what I truly believe is that he is now a treasured memory, alive in my mind's eye, and nowhere else.
    5 hours ago · Like · 2
  • Craig O'Manion I can relate to that experience Rudy from '08 when my Mom passed. I hoped to gain some insight from going with her up to the edge of this great mystery. alas, I feel I learned nothing other than that she is gone
    5 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Susan Louth My Mom passed in 2011. I feel her presence on occasion. Warmest feeling I've ever felt, always out of nowhere. High awareness levels are key.
    2 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Craig O'Manion I think we all carry someone we care about in our hearts/minds for the rest of our lives. But as far as being privy to objective information about the afterlife, for me the experience imparted nothing new
    2 hours ago · Unlike · 2
  • Rudy Nyhoff I carry many, Craig, at least to this point in my life. Hopefully, they'll be there a little bit (make that a lot) longer. I'm a big believer in "four score and seven".
  • Ruth Templeton I lost my fiancĂ© in a car crash 30 years ago. when I choose to see his body which was very hard for me to do I knew his spirit was gone I believe I will see him again in heaven he still lives in my heart
  • Craig O'Manion I am sorry for your loss Ruth. hope is the best element of faith, I think (maybe) the apostle Paul said something to that effect. I wish I had the same ideas but I would never want to diminish these beliefs in someone else - it must be comforting to think this way for instance as one falls into sleep each night
  • Rudy Nyhoff What a loss to suffer Ruth as a young, would-be bride. Even three decades later, I hear the loss in your words and what an experience to go through. May the solace of knowing you will see him once again bring you the comfort you so deserve.
  • Rudy Nyhoff

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