Explaining the universe

All should have the right to explore the meaning of the universe, without fear of persecution or harm from your fellow man.

Every life is precious. Every mind is a wonderment that should be allowed to experience that life to the fullest it is capable.

The sheer joy of experiencing a thunderstorm for the first time as a child can be felt again if we allow it.

The sunrise on a cold November morning in Colorado, where the air is so cold it burns your nose as you breathe it in, can fill your heart with peace.

How you explain the thunderstorm and the sunrise is irrelevant. That you are allowed to explain them, as it makes sense to you, defines humanity.

Study the philosophies and religions of the world. Get to know how they came to be and what they really mean to those who follow them. Perhaps they all point to common ground.

We live in this universe together.

Reading and writing must be a universal right

One of the insanities in our world is that not everyone learns how to read and write. Cultural barriers, physical barriers and a lack of world wide support for the written word are slowly changing for the better but it's always too slow.

I don't advocate forcing everyone to learn their ABCs, I'm advocating everyone have the same chance, the same access to reading about the this world and all the other worlds in our combined imaginations. The same access to add to that vast collection of human experience.

If you know someone who can't read or write, help them. It's hard to set this as the highest priority in someone's life but it should be as high as possible. Reading and writing open the doors of life in so many ways.

Here it comes: paper exercise time.

In your 'Insanity Notebook' ( you did put all these exercises in a notebook, right? ;-) add this one, and yes I realize it's slightly ironic to do and exercise about reading and writing in a notebook.

Look up three places in the world where you could help spread the gift of the written word. I would suggest the Red Cross and checking with religious outreach programs. Use your imagination, you'll find a way.

College isn't for everyone

Somewhere along the line we've muddied the waters in education where it applies to 'higher' education.

Everyone should have access to education beyond the 12th grade. If you can pay for it, you will. If you cannot pay for it society should help you. With the agreement that you will pay society back as you are able.

College is not the only educational access that will help you lead a rewarding life. It certainly is one path that you should consider. Everyone should have access to career mentors that know you and can help guide you with the right educational choices.

If you want to be a vet or doctor or a judicial professional you're going to need a college education. That's great. It's wonderful. Go get 'em, Bucko!

If you want to be writer there are classes and even online course to help.

If you want to be in the trades, like a machinist or engine mechanic or potter, you can get an education in trade schools. And you can definitely have a happy and rewarding career.

You want to farm or ranch? There are farmers and ranchers who will gladly show you the ropes. Roll up your sleeves and find a few. You'll hit it off with the 'right' one and you're off.

It's a simple point. Never stop learning. Never stop pushing your talents a little further, explore a little further. Part of what makes life worth living is looking for and finding new ways to enjoy your job and your life.

College is one way and it's a great way. But it isn't the only way. Explore, examine the alternatives.

Here we go with my 'on paper' exercise ;-)

Write down 5 'jobs' you want. Really want, not wish. A wish is a dream you know will never happen but is fun to think about. A want is something you can and will accomplish if you set your mind to it.

For each job draw a picture of you at this job. Simple stick figures are fine, don't get hung up on the details. Next to 'you' draw some of the 'things' you will produce/conceive/achieve at this job. When you have all 5 done, sit back with a cup of tea and daydream about each one. Pick the one you like best.

Then find out what education you need to get to that picture.

Go. Explore. Dream.

Health care

If humanity commits itself to finding the causes and prevention of disease we could all live long and healthy lives.

We've made some marvelous advances and there are more in the wings. But disease research is still a 'for profit' endeavour for the most part and that's holding us back.

This is a common 'theme' for me when I'm contemplating life in general. Humans are capable of amazing leaps of advancement but most of it comes when there is money to be made.

Yes I know not all and I'm so very grateful for the not-for-profit research you are doing. Thank you.

For all the rest of the research that is only done because of the return on investment, I worry for us. Why do we risk only for monetary reward?

Why do we seek answers only when the answers come with power in some form. Money, status, recognition.

Draw a picture of a University in your town that is dedicated purely to the goal of eradicating disease. Add the different buildings and what research is performed there. What is the study list, who would teach there, who would speak.

Now draw the connecting lines to all the Universities in all the cities of all the world, sharing and pushing us up out of our lethargy.

What a marvelous picture you've drawn! Well done!

Why aren't we on the moon?

Look up the advances that were made when we decided to go to the moon. Why not tell you? Then you wouldn't go find out for yourself and you'd miss a million things. Use this marvelous knowledge tool called the Internet. Please spend a few minutes trying to find a few sites that talk about the days when man pushed his way to the Moon for Pete's sake.

You back? Well? You should be impressed as hell and shocked that so much of what we enjoy today came from that space program.

Now ask yourself where we'd be today if we had continued that program and put a colony on the moon. Use your imagination. Let it go, let it soar. Draw a couple of pictures of what YOU think a colony would look like. Write down a couple of things you think we'd have today if we had kept pushing, kept striving, kept dreaming.

You sad now? I am. The space program is essential for mankind's soul and advancement.

We'd be insane to stop striving.

It's obvious we are all a little crazy

After thousands of years of human civilisation we still fight, starve, kill, abuse, hurt, ignore, ... well you get it. We act badly towards each other and ourselves.

Yet we're humble, loyal, helpful, sharing, happy, giving, heroic... again you get it. We can act nice.

So we know right from wrong. We want to be good and live a good life and yet we don't. Isn't that a symptom of a crazy species?

That's part of this blog. It's at the core of why I believe mankind is hobbled in our search to be 'better' by a basic problem We're all nuts. But we can loosen the hobbles if we want to.

As wonderful a creature as mankind is, we can't seem to focus on the important work of living for longer than it takes us to drink a latte and eat a donut.

By now in our history there should be no war, no want for food, clothing or shelter, no disease.

We should have the freedom to seek our spiritual values, seek and enjoy work, travel at will, pursue new adventures, pursue education at any and all points of our lives.

We should have active and vibrant art and sports communities. Places of learning should be open, free and bustling with minds both young and old.

We should have colonies on the Moon and Mars. We should have an energy system that pollutes our world as little as possible. We should have no 'waste'. Waste is a resource we're too lazy to recover.

You can't get rid of everyday problems nor would I advocate a Utopian society where everyone is free to do what ever they wish.

Maybe this is a foolish blog. Maybe others have already figured out that humans simply cannot go further because of what we are.

Or maybe we can pull ourselves up a little more each day if we talk about it and find small simple solutions.

I like small simple solutions.