Confession

      I have a confession to make. It's not nice. It's a failing. I know it is, but I doubt I'll change. It's this: There are a lot of things in this world that I don't care about. Like Tom Delay's supposed crimes. Or whose fault it was in New Orleans. Or anything else that those dolts in Washington do. I don't care. I try to. I know it's important. You can read exhaustive and exhausting debates on other blogs and listen to the debates on Public Radio. The debaters care. Some people go around in a state of constant outrage. Once I admired their energy.
      But those people are important. Listen to Public Radio. Read the editorial page of the newspaper. Read the blogs and websites. They're important. Their opinions are important. People quote the Bible, philosophers, Founding Fathers, Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken, the Bill of Rights, the New York Times, the Washington Post, secret sources, the CIA, the Toran, the Koran, and the also rans. Everyone has an opinion and the wind to blow it out there so that everyone can smell it. Good for them.
      But it doesn't seem to mean anything. They change nothing. No one convinces anyone of anything. They yell and fight and in the end nothing changes. It's the same fight every time; names may change, but nothing else ever does. It bores me quickly.
      Let me tell you what interests me. Let me tell me of my friend Randall. His church has arranged to take volunteers to Louisiana to help clean and rebuild. That's interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing his story when he returns.
      My friend Linda has life threatening cancer, but is taking a brand new drug that may give her a miracle. That's interesting. I'm looking forward and praying for a good report.
      My Mikey has learned how to spell his name. Loudly, but all the letters are there. That's interesting. That's wonderful.
      I have more, but I guess it comes down to this. I don't care about abstractions. I care about people. Those Change the World links at the left aren't there for show. I give as much as I can to those organizations because they're trying to change the world for the better. They're out there on front lines. They're actually important. They're who you should be supporting or others like them. Stop talking and start doing something!
      This may sound like I'm attacking those other people. I don't mean it that way. Really, I don't. Everyone has the right to spend their time as they wish, but don't expect me to participate or even listen or read. I got taken to task harshly today because I don't wade into those fights with my elbows flying. I was told that I had an "obligation" and a "duty." To be heard. To be a part of the process. To participate. Blah, blah, blah.
      Well, I don't do that. And now you know why.