2021-10-17 - 5:00 p.m.

So today I watched the last film of my film festival run.
Belfast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja3PPOnJQ2k

It was quite beautiful.

Just beautifully told, with wonderful images.

I came home and surprisingly after a weekend of watching movies needed a NAP. I just had a lovely walk with my dog, in which I fulfilled an oddly relaxing walking ritual I sometimes do-
the picking up of every cigarette butt that littered the path around my neighborhood. There are usually between 30 to 50 of them.

I wrote a poem about this picking up of the cigarette butts after a recent walk which I think is a good start.

I came here to write about church this AM actually-

My day started by ordering Dunkin Donuts to thank our musicians that support our celebration every Sunday morning. The Dunkin Donuts could use a few more staff Sunday mornings as it was an action packed place I was watching as I stook there for well over forty minutes waiting for my order to be ready.

The new girl did not know where the coffee beans were stored... I ordered the fancy Guatamalen cofee for a Box of Joe;
the order was not ready;
I was patient as watched a fellow drop his coffee trying to juggle the door and his purchases; then watched the kind neighbors as a couple helped clean it up- just seeing the staff had NO WAY To get to that as they were so backed up.
The new girl hadn't yet figure out it is more efficient to call out the ORDER NUMBER rather than "pumkin latte"...
She kept announcing each drink ; which of course was one item on a ticket...
then would announce a sandwich...
and never quite got the two together in her system to announce a whole order.
Patrons graciously and kindly retrieved the items of their order one at at time from the young lady a week on her brand new job-
Absolutely overwealmed.

The manager, who is not a very good line cook-
was cooking.
The whole this was actually a lesson in observing patience and kindness of a community.

I learned the regular door dash guy got served fastest! Manager jumped to his order first-
which no one seemed to mind.
( There is a tip if your Dunkin is crazy busy and your are in a rush!! LOL)

All was good as they finally got my order...
after I reminded them and they were like "OH MY GOD YOU ARE STILL HERE"

I did get to church BEFORE Service and actually right on time...
so good thing I planned ahead.

Maybe that is because I was left with the trite, but true, self help mantra of our age of self improvment

FAILURE TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL

from last night's Film KING RICHARD

the story of how Venus and Serena William's parents literally molded their daughters into the champions they are- along with their support, faith, family and will all co-joined.

It was such a great story; very uplifting.
I think it validated the authoritarian parenting style which Works!! YES I just saw a study on that.
I can apprechiate that.
I try to instill that discipine in MYSELF
and try to encourage it in my kids.

I did it well with the first two. They rocked it...

It was the later ones when abuse crept in and it went overboard ; the pressure cooker situation; the breaking of a person- which the movie touches on in the side story of those who crack under such external pressure-- and how the father Richard Williams wanted to protect his daughters from that...

YET he did it by still imposing disciple but by having them answer only to family and their GOD not adding in the demands of the world and making them adult too soon.

INTERESTING.....

Really touches on parenting issues so very well as to what is the right balance?

Mistakes of course were made and in the telling of the story it was marvelous to see that.

I felt like it was really well done. I could relate to is so much frankly-

But that is not what I came her to write about.
I came to write about how at church today the elder who gave the sermon on PEACE actually spoke of how CHANGE occurs.

Now this Elder spent his career in the Army. As he put it 90% of his work really was on cultivating peace; helping countries establish order and peace; and only about 10% was actual handling of weapons and using military might to maintain order when necessary.

OK that is ancillary-- but he mentioned only as a background of his filter of lens of his experiences.

HE said he thinks there are three things he wanted to point out about change:

1. URGENCY- Change happens when there is urgency
2. Opportunity and Risk - willingness to bravely take risks is needed in order to change. It often requires BRAVERY in fact of the unknown.
3. When face change together; you are stronger.

He mentioned a book that he read that informed those ideas - on styles of change. ( He is in leadership roles so I think works on Executive Leadership - heck he worked on changing actual governance to support democracy development so is indeed a pro at facilitating positive change).

So when he speaks I listen.

He spoke of being at a recent Army awards ceremony where a sergeant major he and his wife served with was given an award, and this church elder was quoted him- when he said what struck him was they guy was thanking all who molded him as
had said "I am who I am " because of so many others. ( Told in support of the 3rd point!)

It was just such a great sermon this morning.
I really enjoyed it. I thought is is so very true! I feel like in my family; for one of mine we are on the cusp of what I hope is a change.
I am supporting my kid and encouraging to bravely take risk of facing limitations and being willing to be humble enough to accept help. Be willing to take the risk of TRUSTNG others.

I think this is where I feel like I am at as well.
Hmmm....

but is there urgency? Do I HAVE TO CHANGE?

Will I and Can I CHOOSE to effectively change without urgency? OR is it incumbent upon me to CREATE the urgency? Interesting question when it comes to relationships.
YES a very interesting question.

One had to create urgency for oneself I think.
PRIORITY
One has to really love oneself to want to honor oneself enough to feel that sense of COMMITMENT to
FOLLOW THROUGH with CONSISTENCY

He shared another interesting snippet.

" If you don't like change; you will like irrelevance even less."

AH TRUE

Interesting

On that note I am going to get dinner in the oven and work with teen on some forms she mentioned needs for school. I am making a chicken dish found on social media ! I am trying to stay off social media but for very practical reasons.
Then as it is cooking will practice guitar.

YES without commitment nothing changes.

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