This is the day!

Mom and dad always told me, “this is the day.” They told me this to give me a sense of comfort, and trust, the the workings of something higher than myself. My parents were always God-loving, and God-fearing. They always looked up and gave gratitude. They were always positive. Even now, mom keeps a positive outlook on everything. She only sees the good, and as a result of that attitude and perspective on life, she always has what she needs, wants, and is healthy and happy. She is always filled with gratitude, no matter what appears before her or around her. Her world, just like dad’s is a harmoniously display of right activity, with right results.

Because of my upbringing, and the positive environment I have always been associated with, I too, can say, with trust and certainly, that “this is the day.” This is a beautiful day! This day is an open door to so many possibilities for the demonstration of good. Not just for me, but for others as well. Good is a natural element in the universe. It is as necessary to existence as flour is to bread. It is like the water we need to drink daily. Good is also a daily characteristic that does not come and go, but comes and stays as a joyous inhabitant in our circle. I can say, just like dad and mom, that this is the day, because good is here in this day, and this day belongs to good.

A while back, I was trying to start a career in real estate sales, and encountered my share of challenges, and obstacles along the way. Since I relocated back to my familiar town, I needed a place to stay until I was able to get on my own feet. Every day, I came back from work, filled with gratitude the for the, but also, disappointed in that I had not made a sale, and therefore, I saw no money. Mom and dad saw something that I should have seen, but did not always acknowledge, and that is that, this is the day in which I will make it in my new career. This is the day that will open up something wonderful for me. This is the day that I had been waiting for. No, they were not talking only about the money that would come in, but rather, something much higher than that. I began to see with certainty that everyday is the day. I dwelled on that perspective. As a result, I started developing a database of wonderful and interested customers. I started to get listings, and sell homes. I met the need for some people in the community who needed housing, or who needed to sell their home in order to relocate or move into a more suitable dwelling.

Nothing changed about what I was doing to grow my business. I was doing everything right. I only had to change my mental standing, and recognize the goodness, wonder, and beauty of everyday. I had to hold on to a sense of trust in something spiritual, divine, lovely, something beyond the thought of making money in a new career. I began to see the harvest, and I picked what was rightfully mine.

Although, I had to leave the community for family reasons, and because of Hurricane Ivan, and go back to the part of the state where I had been living, I will always be grateful for the lessons of gratitude, and trust that mom and dad showed me while starting out in a new activity, in an old, but familiar town. I am inspired and grateful for their loving tidbits of wisdom that they gave to me.

We pass through this existence learning, learning, and relearning. We take tests, sometimes hard tests, and sometimes we make bad grades, or fail. However, we continue progressing, and taking more tests. We pass many of them, and continue learning, relearning, and growing. We don’t do this alone, but with others, maybe not with others always physically present, but as a universal family, we are together, and experiencing the richness of every day.

This is the day. There is an abundance of light for everyone in this day. Light does not discriminate, and divide. Where the sun shines, it shine on all of us equally. It is a glorious light. This is your day, and my day. See you in the light!

The World of Work

I wake up giving gratitude for the goodness of God’s creation. I admire all His perfection, and harmony. God is good. This I have always believed, demonstrated, and understood.  Mom and Dad taught me much about God, His kindness, goodness, allness, perfection, everpresence, and love.

One day, my son asked me, “Dad, why to you have to go to work everyday?” That made me think. You see, a child does not understand why mom or dad can’t be home and do things with the child. I responded back saying, “Son, I have to work to pay the bills so we can live comfortably.” Son responded back by saying, ” Dad, can’t you take some days off so you and I can do things together.” I said, “Son, when you grow up and go to work for somebody else, you have to give away part of your life, part of what you want. Yes, I want to be with you more than going to work, but employers are not in the family relations business, the empathy business, and some bosses do not like employees taking even one day off, while others will allow a few days taken off, but very few employers will actually encourage employees to take sufficient time off to be with family.”

I then discussed the nature of work, at the level that an 11 year old can follow. I explained that working for somebody else is not freedom, that freedom comes when you can work for yourself, have your own successful business, being an entrepreneur. Although, that requires much responsibility, and hard work. I have been in both worlds, and appreciate the benefits of entrepreneurship, as well as the benefits of working for someone else. 

You see, there are two types of work: 1. Working for yourself, by having your own business, and 2. Working for someone else, a company that hires employees. Both serve their purpose, although, the second one is typically not family oriented.  The history of employer-employee relations has had its sour record, and old school bosses still work in the new school world. I have experienced different management styles, and employer-employee relationships. Experience makes us better observers.

My son will have to make his work choices later in life, but, I am one of his life’s teachers. I hope I can teach him well.

In the garden my dad loved so much

My dad loved putting his hand to work in the garden, and had a natural “green thumb,” but more on the artistic, aesthetic side. When I as a child of seven, living in Orange County, in southern California, dad built an awesome Japanese Garden. I remember that garden as if I was in it now: the two waterfalls he build of stone and cement, one about 10 feet tall, and the other smaller, the stream that flowed from the two waterfalls into two ponds stocked with goldfish. The red, wooden, arched walking bridge to walk over the stream, the field of pebbles, and gravel that sat between the pond and the waterfalls, the sitting bench for quiet retreat, the Japanese light ornament, the green plants that provided a border, and forest display around the garden, and the attraction of the birds. I can never forget going with dad to look for rocks for the garden. We traveled out into the desert, and picked out many rocks. This dad liked so much, and most of his life, he was interested in rocks, and what rocks can do in a garden, with their shapes, sizes, and relationship to other elements of nature. 

Like dad, I also am interested in rock gardens, zen gardens, Japanese gardens, and look for opportunities to find them to view and gather ideas. I do plan on making an delightful garden that dad would be pleased to view and pray in. Yes, dad spend many moments praying in the garden, reading the bible, and getting close to the Creator. When we think about it, a garden is a pure representation of the Creator’s love. I see divine Love manifested in so many forms and colors in a garden. 

Currently, my wife and I have an organic garden, and we have organically grown most of our tomatoes, peppers, basil, parsely, lettuce, and other vegetables, for years now. We share with family and friends. We would like to see more people out cultivating a vegetable garden. We strongly support the idea of community gardens, and know of folks in Indian Head neighborhood in Tallahassee that do just that. They have a community garden and neighbors come over to their yard to contribute their plot of organic produce.

Gardening is one of the most rewarding, and self-satisfying activities we can participate in, whether it is a meditative garden, such as a zen garden, or a garden of vegetables. Get out into the garden, and make those individual garden discoveries. I have, and so can you.

Growing up hiking

I am attracted to all the hiking opportunities that are available inside and near Tallahassee, Florida. There are trees and trails for everyone who likes being outdoors. The forests in our community make up for the lack of sea and mountain, although the sea is only about 45 minutes from Tallahassee, if driving.

My love of hiking started with my dad. When I was a child under 10 years of age, living in southern California, dad took me camping and hiking in Yosemite, Sequoia, Big Bear and other parks. I remember the rocky streams we crossed, and the narrow trails we hiked on through challenging terrain. I remember the rattlesnake we met on the trail and the deer.

Then, when living in Albuquerque, New Mexico for two years starting at 11 years of age, I experienced more hiking. Grandpa owned a mountain canyon, which he partly subdivided into home lots. One afternoon, grandpa offered to take me for an early morning hike the next morning through the back of the canyon and over a couple ridges.

The next morning I woke up, went to Grandpa, and without saying anything to him, he stated that he knew why I was there that early in the morning. He knew I was ready to hike up Echo Canyon with him. That is what we did. Grandpa always hiked and made an extensive list of all the flora and fauna he observed in his canyon. I am so grateful to have seen that list and the artifacts he collected.

I will always be grateful for my humble hiking beginnings.

Won’t you like to go on a hike with me?

Seven Qualities of Good Citizenship

I grew up in ranch style homes, and in a very patriotic family. Dad was the most patriotic American I ever knew. Dad just about had the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution internalized, and valued the fundamental meaning of the American Republic. He regularly exercised his right and duty to vote and write his congressmen, and other political leaders. Dad was almost an isolationist in his political views, seeing America through the eyes of the Founding Fathers, and believing, as did most of early Americans of the Republic, that America should go it alone in the world, an individual nation following the protestant ethic of self sufficiency,  rugged individualism, and determination, like the individuals that made  the land. Their viewpoint was a nation unto itself, not entangled in other nations’ affairs. Along this train of thought, Dad was a fan of the actor, John Wayne, who also was a strict patriotic American in dad’s day, and shared the isolationist views of the early Americans. In recent years, Dad saw the fundamental American Republican values decaying, and was very concerned about that, and even wrote articles, gave talks, and prayed daily on this theme. He protested against the rampant decay in moral values, the  growing lack of courtesy in society. I too have noticed the lack of courtesy today compared to when I was a younger man.

Dad, who served in World War 2, was a businessman during  the era of the Cold War,  in which fear of communists was rampant. Bomb alerts were practiced in schools and office centers. News was filled with the communists-under-the- bed threats. Even, the word communism, was an evil word not said in the home in just any manner of speaking. There were attacks and threats towards America on all sides.

I cannot say I agree with the entire worldview of my dad or my mom, although, much I do agree with. I see that dad was a great forecaster of history. As for mom, she  has always been very steadfast is believing in the genuine good of American society, and the innate goodness of people. Although, not as critical about issues like dad, mom formed much of her worldview from being with dad.

Dad knew the Wall separating free Europe from communist Europe would go down, years before it actually did. He know we would be fighting in the middle east for years, and that it would turn out to be an unpopular war. He saw that the emergence of globalism would change our concept of  citizenship and neighborliness, since globalism by its very nature is an attack on the the local community, reducing the importance on local issues, needs, affairs, since in a globalist mindset, the world is supposed to be a uniform, collective servant to the interests of one global community sucking in all the local communities in its influence, and conforming all interests to one united whole. Dad saw the wide attraction of this ideology among so many people, not really concerned or aware of why America was formed, how it was formed, and what separated America from the rest of the world.  It amazes me the correctness of dad’s forecasts, even if I do or do not personally agree with them or his ideology. He saw that Globalism has brought us to the era spoken of in the Communist Manifesto, which would make Marx  happy.

Dad was a thinker, and for that I am deeply grateful to have had him as a father. Although we had long arguments about world affairs, I deeply cherished the moments of discussing, and learning from dad.

Dad has since passed on, but I see more and more, the ills in society that concerned and irritated my father. He was particularly concern that Americans are losing a sense of patriotism, and instead are selling themselves to foreign and global interests. This is so true. If you take the time to read the Communist Manifesto, almost everything that Marx foresaw, and knew would happen, is happening. Depending on one’s worldview, this could be scary. The America of today, is more regulated, more socialistic, and more collective than ever. People work harder, and religion has been taken over by corporations which now serve for many, as churches and temples, with money, the Jesus of the day. Think about it, 30 years ago, people worked less, had more time for family, picnics, cooking in the backyard grill. I know, I was around then. I grew up in the era of ranch style homes, big spacious yards, neighbors visiting neighbors, helping neighbors, eating together. Marx wanted the masses to work harder as this would usher in his next level towards communism. He wanted our thoughts to be pulled away from issues to entertainment, and other amusements so that a new system can be ushered in without our awareness. How many of us actually have time to barbecue in the backyard like they did in the ranch style home era days of the 50s, 60s, and 70’s. We are so busy, that we can’t even take time to vote, or attend town meetings.

What I see, as the way for Americans to maintain their heritage of individuality, and creativity, is by connecting to the online internet community. Blogging, participating in the Web 2.0 experience, connecting with other users, is a way to speak for ourselves as individuals, and to continue forth the ideals for which we stand, believe and defend. The internet, has done so much good in bringing cultures, and viewpoints together, without the horrors of blood being shed, and free from the ever increasing encroachment of the government tentacles. Perhaps the  internet is the last frontier. We don’t seem to be making much progress in space.

Let us read over the early founding documents of America, and protect our going forward in this still wide open horizon of the online world.

I now list seven characteristics of a good American citizen that I learned from my dad.

Good American Citizenship requires:

1. A familiarity in the founding documents that made America a nation it had become. In any organization or group, we belong too, we should be familiar with the origins, the meaning of it all, and some familiarity with the founding documents.

2. The practice of common courtesy. Courtesy includes respect for each other, kindness towards each other, and recognition of each other as individuals with a special niche to fill in the world. It may take the form of helping someone cross the street, helping to clean up the community, helping our neighbors without though of payment in return, smiling and saying a kind word to people we come in contact with, and not being rude in traffic.

3. Paying attention to the news in whatever format: internet, newspaper, radio, television, and freely discussing news issues with others.

4. Going to the polls to vote, but prior to that, spending some time researching the issues, and the candidates so the vote we make is logical to our way of thinking.

5. Participating in assembly and collective events: town meetings, local governmental meetings, neighborhood associations, uniting with others over issues of concern, such as environmental, taxes, community development, housing, etc.

6. Openly discussing politics and current events, particularly local events with neighbors, friends and colleagues. There use to be much more open discussion. Today, I have noticed the shift of discussion more in other areas not related to the community, or common welfare. In a Republic, everyone’s voice is important, not just the majority voice, such as in a democracy. Dad explained the difference, and the founding fathers prefered the term “republic” over the term “democracy.”

7. Doing as much for yourself, and not depending on others or government for what you are able to do for yourself. In otherword, doing your share, working as a team, fulfilling your part, doing your deeds. Good citizenship promotes independence, education, self-sufficience, going it alone, but in a community, and having a community support if necessary. As citizens, we need to be alert to opportunities of providing assistance. Citizenship is about how to be good neighbors. American history if filled with stories of good neighbors.

Seven Fundamentals from my Dad

I am sharing seven fundamentals that my Dad taught me when I was growing up, and even when I got into the business world.  Dad gathered much of his inspiration from gardening. Dad was a great gardener and even constructed an awesome Japanese Garden, an authentic one, with pond, waterfall, walking bridge, pebbles, and stone. He spent time in the garden, and in nature, reflecting on current events, and on God.

These are the fundamentals dad taught me and I cherish:
1. Smile at everyone you come in contact with. A smile will make others feel better.
2. Be honest in your business dealings, and in relationships.
3. You can’t always have what you want in this world, but be patient.
4. Offer to help someone and go the extra mile. (Dad had the Scout spirit)
5.  Avoid organizations if possible since they start good, but often become corrupt.
6. Eat together around the dinner table, not in front of the television.
7. Learn to question things. Question the world, question religion, question institutions.

Dad was not a conformist, but rather, a critic of the way things are going. He came from a simpler time, and always found the world of today to be too complicated, too hasty, too much of a rat race. Dad wanted things to be slower, more relaxed, simpler.

 Kenneth Fach, Tallahassee 850-339-5753  Blog: http://KennethFach.wordpress.com