tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60530016083550866302024-02-22T09:54:45.268-08:00BrockBooherBlogBrock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-49063816571165991822021-02-16T19:09:00.000-08:002021-02-16T19:09:11.021-08:00For the Love of Chocolate<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp-ghZitRPE1BsnFNlge1HnJesXtaWLamIDTyfF_QkO9DcqhWOLuz7vm_9CrbAhSiZKjMxjy1m7meJ1pbOcQwCW1NQGGfuyDWuvlrpsiGeITFbQxKAB6rnIjMp8Lu0GaTVacxDFBb4vY1/s1067/IMG_1597.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="820" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp-ghZitRPE1BsnFNlge1HnJesXtaWLamIDTyfF_QkO9DcqhWOLuz7vm_9CrbAhSiZKjMxjy1m7meJ1pbOcQwCW1NQGGfuyDWuvlrpsiGeITFbQxKAB6rnIjMp8Lu0GaTVacxDFBb4vY1/w308-h400/IMG_1597.jpeg" title="Pod from the cacao tree with cacao beans" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pod from the cacao tree with cacao beans<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Of all the things I’ve learned in my life, learning to make chocolate from cacao beans has been one of the most gratifying. Give someone a piece of chocolate and feed them for a day. Teach someone to make chocolate, and feed their soul for a lifetime.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">It was a rainy day in Costa Rica with tropical storm Eta raging across Central America and bringing more rain than usual for November. I took a right turn in Huacas in front of one of the best panaderías in the area and headed to a grocery store in Villareal to pass the afternoon and noticed a small billboard in English on the side of the road — Reina’s Chocolate. Being a chocolate lover for many years, I was immediately interested. About another kilometer went by and I saw the same billboard, but this time I noticed that it offered chocolate-making classes. Now, I was hooked. The store/factory was just about a half a kilometer from the grocery store I was headed to, so I stopped by to check it out.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Ron, an American expat married to Nica-Tica (a woman from Nicaragua who emigrated to Costa Rica) greeted me at the door and asked if I was alone. He was in the middle of a class with another couple and with the COVID pandemic going on, he wanted to limit interaction. Through my mask, I let him know that I was by myself and interested in the advertised chocolate-making class. He ushered me in.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The smell of warm cocoa hit me as I passed through the door of his showroom/factory. That deep earthy smell of cocoa beans being ground into chocolate paste overwhelms you and instantly makes you feel like wrapping yourself in a blanket next to a warm fire to watch some cheesy movie with someone you love. It smells like comfort. I imagine that if love had a smell, it would smell a lot like the aroma of dark chocolate being melanged in a wet grinder with raw sugar. It was love at first smell.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Reina prepared me a cup of cocoa tea made by soaking cocoa bean husks in boiling water as Ron introduced me to the couple that was just finishing up their chocolate experience in his showroom. They were all smiles and looked like they had spent the afternoon cuddling in a hammock on the beach watching the tide change and exchanging kisses instead of sitting at the counter in chocolate factory showroom. They had some sort of chocolate-tasting afterglow about them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">I sipped at the tea and listened to Ron describe the class, but after smelling the chocolate and seeing the look on the couple’s faces, I was sold already. We set a time for my wife, Britt, and I to attend his class the next week.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The next week we arrived at for the class a few minutes early, anxious to learn about bean-to-bar chocolate making using cocoa beans from Costa Rica. After a short introduction and a few instructions, Ron began telling us about the history of chocolate, including stories about ancient priestly rituals to modern chocolate icons. Cacao has been around for centuries in Mesoamerica. The cacao bean was used as bartering currency, for creating cocoa butter for treating burns, and for making a rich and bitter drink used during religious rituals. Cortés introduced cocoa to the Spanish royal court upon his return, but it was a few decades before they started mixing it with sugar and it became an exotic drink in high demand. Chocolate as we know it today is a relatively modern invention developed by a flurry of inventions and innovations which created chocolate in solid form in the mid to late 1800s. Chocolate is a modern miracle.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The process for making chocolate involves several key steps: harvesting the cacao beans, fermenting the cacao beans, drying the cacao beans, roasting the cacao beans, husking the cacao beans, grinding the cacao beans into nibs, winnowing the husks away from the nibs, wet grinding (melanging) the nibs into chocolate liquor, mixing the sugar and other ingredients in the wet grinder to produce chocolate paste, conching the chocolate, tempering the chocolate, and pouring the chocolate into molds. Each step in the process can change the texture, taste, and body of the chocolate and requires artisan skill to get premium chocolate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14Hr92vcL4fNWSTm-Qpkij86G60zoHFJQWdfTc_6bTPKpYRZ5dEh2r27RnNFgOmd6AiImW6PsOWQXki3VftM-TCjuwqVntoZyALGJsOODsYX_z-iSqNtxmGo-MWXTsNA2PH7JDVMxnKuw/s960/IMG_1996.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="820" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14Hr92vcL4fNWSTm-Qpkij86G60zoHFJQWdfTc_6bTPKpYRZ5dEh2r27RnNFgOmd6AiImW6PsOWQXki3VftM-TCjuwqVntoZyALGJsOODsYX_z-iSqNtxmGo-MWXTsNA2PH7JDVMxnKuw/w341-h400/IMG_1996.jpeg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted cacao beans</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Most manufacturers of chocolate rely on an average cacao bean with a standardized process of adding additional ingredients such soy lecithin, cocoa butter, sugar, and powdered milk to cover any imperfections in the bean. However, craft chocolate makers do not have that luxury. They must ensure that the raw product at the beginning of the project is superior and that the process is carefully controlled to produce a chocolate worthy of being called artisan chocolate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">We spent the morning learning about the bean itself and followed it through the process to the wet grinder. It was on the job training and we helped David, one of Ron’s employee, move the beans along the production cycle to the wet grinder. The wet grinder uses a turning drum with a granite base and two granite rollers that are tightened by a spring to grind the cocoa and added ingredients (in this case just sugar) into small particles. We poured in the cocoa nibs and the sugar and left it humming along as Reina and Ron rolled out the tasting tray and prepared us to sample small amounts of artisan chocolate produced in the facility. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">“The first thing you have to learn is not to <i>eat</i> the chocolate,” warned Ron. “You can’t taste chocolate with your teeth.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">We closed our eyes and let each piece slowly melt on our tongues exploding in our mouth with flavors inherent to the superior bean and released by the artisan process. Craft chocolate is not meant to be eaten. It is meant to be <i>experienced</i>. Each piece was a slice of heaven on the tongue. (No wonder the Mesoamericans considered chocolate to be the drink of the gods.)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7RIXECOBj-uCHZiKEgGb9gBTsMjxUJgoOFBqf5NjMIm3JphaOXzVvAiEiLQgylaljlxdG8hUR3lsXDcOLEla4pFsy2vhWKZWdjYlBSVAofwlA7m0VDfbA6rOKfS5j1zsYpjP7Wj8JtbN/s1137/IMG_1599.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="820" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7RIXECOBj-uCHZiKEgGb9gBTsMjxUJgoOFBqf5NjMIm3JphaOXzVvAiEiLQgylaljlxdG8hUR3lsXDcOLEla4pFsy2vhWKZWdjYlBSVAofwlA7m0VDfbA6rOKfS5j1zsYpjP7Wj8JtbN/s320/IMG_1599.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britt pouring chocolate</td></tr></tbody></table>After we finished tasting the various chocolates produced by Reina’s Chocolates, we went back</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> to the wet grinder to check on the progress. The human tongue is amazing and can detect particle sizes down to 20 microns. The wet grinder needs to pulverize all the particles until they are smaller than 20 microns to ensure the silky-smooth taste everyone enjoys in chocolate. Our batch of chocolate had only been grinding for a couple of hours and was nowhere near that smooth. Good chocolate usually takes anywhere from twelve to seventy-two hours (or more) of grinding and conching to get the particle size below 20 microns. However, the taste was rich and vibrant in our batch in spite of the fact it had only been grinding a couple of hours. For the sake of experiencing each step, we poured our chocolate from the wet grinder into the molds and put them in the cooler for setting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The only step we did not experience was tempering. According to Ron (and most other craft chocolate makers) it is the most difficult, and maddening, step. Chocolate is so appealing to the human tongue because its melting point is a few degrees below the average body temperature. The problem is that the six crystals in chocolate melt at different temperatures and behave differently. Crystal number five is the most desirable because of how it behaves in storage and with the human tongue. Tempering is the process of getting all the crystals to cooperate together and bond with the fifth crystal properly so that they all behave similarly. (If you want to understand the chemistry behind it, just Google chocolate tempering and you can spend hours trying to understand it.) If you have ever seen the chocolatiers pour chocolate on a marble slab and spread it with special metal spatulas while wearing a funny hat, you have seen one method of tempering. Because he didn’t want to overwhelm us, we skipped that step and took home twelve bars of fresh chocolate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Sometimes in life we experience something or learn something that changes us or enlightens us in such a way that we are drawn, even compelled, down a path of learning and exploration we never expected. Learning and experiencing the chocolate making process had that effect on me. That night in our condo, I got online and researched the various machines for making chocolate at home. I watched videos about roasting beans, husking beans, wet-grinding beans, and yes even tempering chocolate. Like most hobbies or endeavors, it would take a few hundred dollars to get started, but everything was available on Amazon and could be delivered to my house by the time we got back from Costa Rica. I put a few items in my cart, but didn’t purchase them yet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">A few days later I stopped by and talked with Ron again and mentioned how intrigued I was by the class. He told me if I really wanted to start making craft chocolate at home when I got back, I needed to come spend some more time at his factory. This invitation was unexpected, but I took him up on it and went back to his facility to work through all the steps again. I have since discovered that there is a fraternity of sorts among bean-to-bar chocolate makers and this kind of mentorship is not uncommon. It must be the chocolate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">With Ron and David’s help, I roasted, husked, winnowed, and ground a batch of beans into nibs ready for wet grinding. He also let me keep the husks for making chocolate tea. He coached me on the various steps and reviewed the equipment list I was prepared to order. When I flew home to Arizona, I had two kilos of raw materials stashed in one of my suitcases. I was ready to make chocolate at home.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2hpBCigS5EfzUVtwEGeQdxYq6qXNcj-HiLW_-npkC9naneUWpggHE2sFQDKlJ-M1JiA3oq6CZmm1ykmtxTz5gUMfCoKHSpG30vhOqyxdlL0G6_b4SugjI66dvegFWB-AteEvJTSWC3Ge/s820/IMG_2120.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="820" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2hpBCigS5EfzUVtwEGeQdxYq6qXNcj-HiLW_-npkC9naneUWpggHE2sFQDKlJ-M1JiA3oq6CZmm1ykmtxTz5gUMfCoKHSpG30vhOqyxdlL0G6_b4SugjI66dvegFWB-AteEvJTSWC3Ge/w400-h280/IMG_2120.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first batch of chocolate</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">It felt like Christmas when I pulled the wet grinder from the box and set it up. With my limited experience, I measured the nibs and sugar before cranking up the machine and beginning my first batch of 70% dark chocolate. The machine was louder than I remembered, but it filled the house with the rich aroma of chocolate. I watched the process carefully, tasting the batch everytime I dipped the spatula into the machine to scrape the sides of the drum. My taste buds were in heaven! Sixteen hours later, I poured my first batch of dark chocolate into the molds. I had become a bean-to-bar chocolatier.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">I posted a few pictures of my chocolate creations on social media and soon learned the everyone wants to be your friend when you have chocolate. People I hadn’t heard from in years wanted to stop by in the middle of a pandemic and visit. Others offered to provide their services as tasters and quality control. Requests came in for me to ship bars of chocolate with the Christmas cards we were sending out. I learned that chocolate brings people together.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ji6fB1mRW7NHywuKMiYbk4mmckW5CmSNgPgMgHYWuFlB5CLoifCztCu5zlTZDwUil30QsavBp202b8Xr7AQa9Y5S64zckGWKW0aCBsMPA8v2cOB25WC3jHNcMIkJYUdeqJMONb-XBnLp/s820/IMG_2131.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="820" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ji6fB1mRW7NHywuKMiYbk4mmckW5CmSNgPgMgHYWuFlB5CLoifCztCu5zlTZDwUil30QsavBp202b8Xr7AQa9Y5S64zckGWKW0aCBsMPA8v2cOB25WC3jHNcMIkJYUdeqJMONb-XBnLp/w400-h345/IMG_2131.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first chocolate bars</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Over the next few weeks, I made several more batches of chocolate. It didn’t take long for me to use up all of the nibs I had brought back from Costa Rica, and I had to order some from other sources. The nibs from the Dominican Republic had a fruity, cherry taste. The nibs from Ecuador smelled like chocolate brownies ready to pull from the oven. When I let my wife smell the nibs from Peru, she immediately noticed the passion fruit smell. Each different source of beans was unique and provided a rich blend of tastes and smells making for a unique chocolate each time. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Who knew how much impact a small billboard on the side of the road on a rainy day in Costa Rica would have on my life? Since that day, I have learned to turn the cacao bean into a bar of delightful chocolate. I have visited a working cacao farm and factory. I have made new friends, and rekindled a few old friendships, all because of chocolate. I could have easily ignored the signs, or simply just purchased a few craft chocolate bars from Ron that day to satisfy my chocolate cravings.</p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Instead, I chose the satisfying journey of learning to make bean-to-bar chocolate, and it has been a delicious journey.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxRzUHSfpL9bSeg6M8DxkZqjnfCrmmkDM8qF0PcDKrPIjSQ6LAcAXzaYEPSK_rXOuTmsr9zdcfkTg2dJXvcew' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-32991535891103127412020-10-27T14:52:00.000-07:002020-10-27T14:52:37.881-07:00Lessons From a Dirty War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt31D7ZuxGes7nGSl19SXAxZl_TvcIFT053kgQa0ejp6ZzV1HY5OglumuD0Pf6QkAkVQFZobn7r71s-d3LSx2DLY0bZz-dmNArNfzI6e4Pe0y0s34gbOF5a1lBnHrn2h_X5UKQMvjpMUkT/s1350/Screen+Shot+2020-10-27+at+3.29.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="1350" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt31D7ZuxGes7nGSl19SXAxZl_TvcIFT053kgQa0ejp6ZzV1HY5OglumuD0Pf6QkAkVQFZobn7r71s-d3LSx2DLY0bZz-dmNArNfzI6e4Pe0y0s34gbOF5a1lBnHrn2h_X5UKQMvjpMUkT/w400-h174/Screen+Shot+2020-10-27+at+3.29.42+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All wars are dirty, but some wars are dirtier than others.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Most of us in the United States think of civil wars within the context of our own civil war where the geographic lines were clear and the combatants wore different colors. The reality is that in most civil wars the battle lines are not so clear and combatants not so easily identified. In the 1970s and early 1980s Argentina suffered through a quiet civil war that played out in the shadows while average citizens tried to continue with their daily lives. No battle lines were drawn on the map. Combatants dressed like ordinary people. Neither side followed the traditional rules of war. The violence spiraled out of control until the conflict degenerated into “La Guerra Sucia” (“The Dirty War”). <span style="font-size: x-small;">1</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With political unrest and incivility dominating the news and our own cities burning, we may have the makings of a civil war within our own borders. Perhaps it would be wise for us to learn a few lessons from Argentina’s Dirty War.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>The end does not justify the means, even if you seek a “righteous” end.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Napoleon supposedly said, “God fights on the side with the best artillery.”<span style="font-size: x-small;">2</span> Men and women on both sides of the battle lines invoke the name of their god for protection and victory, but most often, in the name of a military victory, they ignore or rationalize a departure from the moral code given by that same god. They justify deceit, torture, and killing innocent people as long as they achieve a righteous ending. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The rebels of Argentina called themselves “Montoneros” adopting a pejorative term used for indigenous raiders of a past era. They pledged to fight against the encroaching and evil imperialist Yankees of the United States in the name of the oppressed people and replace the current quasi-democratic governments with socialism. They spoke of championing the cause of the downtrodden, the worker, and the poor. The road to victory would be long and require them to fight by any means necessary.<span style="font-size: x-small;">3</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The first act of violence was to kidnap and execute the former Argentine dictator Pedro Eugenio Aramburu for his “crimes.” They left his body in a farmhouse outside of Buenos Aires and it wasn’t discovered for almost a month. They began the violence, but it was far from over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In November of 1971 they took control of a Fiat car manufacturing facility and torched 39 vehicles. In July of 1972 they bombed in the Plaza de San Isidro injuring and killing policemen and a fireman. They bombed the Sheraton in October of 1973. Then on September 16, 1974, they detonated over forty bombs in one day in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The indiscriminate violence most often killed or wounded the innocent working class they had pledged to liberate. Hundreds of workaday soldiers and policemen were killed or injured by the attacks. In 1976 over 150 soldiers or policemen were killed by the Montoneros.<span style="font-size: x-small;">4</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In spite of their claims of altruistic intentions, the socialist revolutionaries had a history of capitalistic extortion of their own. In addition to the bombings they kidnapped and/or assassinated military leaders, political opponents, and foreign business executives. Sometimes they held mock trials and executed them, and other times they demanded ransoms to finance their revolution. They extorted millions of dollars for their cause, including $60 million (the largest ransom in history) from the kidnapping of the Born brothers, heirs to a large food supply chain conglomerate.<span style="font-size: x-small;">5</span> Then with the help of the shady banker, David Graiver, they invested their capital in a variety of questionable banking ventures.<span style="font-size: x-small;">6</span> Extortion and capitalism seemed to work well for the socialist revolutionaries hell-bent on stopping the capitalist extortionists.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Montoneros hoped that the violence would destabilize the country and provide a fertile philosophical ground for their anti-imperialist message. However, their lackluster manifesto didn’t resonate with the average Argentine citizen and they only alienated the majority seeking stability and peace.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">To make matters worse, the political leaders of the day failed to quell the violence and often just looked the other way leaving the police and military to endure the violence. By March of 1976, the Argentine military leaders had reached their limit. A military junta took over the failing government with General Videla as acting president. Then the real violence began.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Having borne the brunt of most of the terrorist activity, the military junta began to crush the enemy. They called it <i>El Proceso de Reorganización Nacional </i>(The National Reorganization Process) or <i>El Proceso</i> for short. The goal was to defeat the urban guerrilla forces and restore order and security in order to save their nation. Like the enemy they were determined to defeat, they felt justified to use any means necessary.<span style="font-size: x-small;">7</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The civil unrest degenerated into “La Guerra Sucia,” a dirty war where any act of torture, violence, extortion, kidnapping, or murder was accepted by both sides as a necessary means for accomplishing a “righteous” end. Both sides claimed the moral high ground while they systematically abandoned the moral code they claimed to live by. Without the rule of law, a civil war became a dirty war. Anarchy prevailed and liberty was lost on all sides.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The military junta set aside due process and began to “disappear” anyone considered to be subversive to <i>El Proceso</i>. They muzzled the press and other free speech. They raided homes in the middle of the night and arrested citizens without due process. They set up secret prisons with torture chambers filled with thousands of captured guerrillas or anyone else suspected of subversive behavior. Executions took the form of anything from a simple bullet to the head, to tossing drugged prisoners out of aircraft into the ocean. Captured expectant mothers were kept alive until the babies were delivered. Those babies were given away to families loyal to <i>El Proceso</i> and the mothers were never heard from again.<span style="font-size: x-small;">8</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the process of “saving the nation,” thousands of innocent people disappeared. The violence put an end to the enemy, but it also destroyed any shred of the rule of law that may have remained. Thousands of people disappeared in the name of a process that was intended to restore order. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the end, neither side achieved the victory they hoped for. The Montoneros were destroyed and scattered, never to achieve the socialist change they hoped for. The military junta returned power to elected civilian officials and many were prosecuted for their crimes. <i>El Proceso</i> eliminated the immediate enemy, but left a gaping hole in the psyche of a country that will take generations to heal. The ends did not justify the means, nor did the means achieve the desired end.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Right now, we see violence in our streets. Rioting, looting, and destruction of public property are being used as tools for political change. Lawless behavior is lauded as a necessary means to accomplish a “righteous” end. The rule of law is being trampled in the name of social justice or for the sake of security and order. Both sides are abandoning their moral code in order to achieve victory even as they plant their flag in some moral high ground that has long since been abandoned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">If we aren’t careful, the violence will spiral out of control and we may find ourselves in the middle of our own dirty war. We must NOT abandon the rule of law to achieve victory or we will lose the battle, the war, and our liberties.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Listen to the voices of the marginalized, especially when you don’t understand their plight.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On April 30, 1977, a dozen mothers linked arms and marched around the Plaza de Mayo. Each of them had a child that had disappeared without a trace because of the government crackdown on subversion. At the time they defied the order against assembly and marched around the plaza across from the Casa Rosada (the equivalent of our White House) to protest the military government’s suspension of due process and the violent results.<span style="font-size: x-small;">9</span> Nobody seemed to notice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It is estimated that almost 30,000 people were “disappeared” during Argentina’s Dirty War. Perhaps they were guilty. Perhaps they were innocent. Perhaps they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps they were only guilty by association. It didn’t matter. They were rounded up in the middle of the night, incarcerated, tortured, and executed. Their bodies were buried in undisclosed locations or dropped into the ocean. Any record of them or their disappearance was eliminated. There was no presumption of innocence. They were never given due process or a trial. They were “disappeared” from existence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At first the group of mothers walking around the plaza went mostly unnoticed. Leaders scoffed at their insignificance and called them ‘<i>las locas</i>’ (crazy). People said to themselves, “Their children were probably guilty anyway. They deserved what they got.” Their voices were easily dismissed, but the “<i>Madres de la Plaza de Mayo</i>” (Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo) persisted.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On December 10, 1977 (International Human Rights Day), the mothers published the names of all their missing children in a newspaper ad. The very same night, Azucena Villaflor (one of the original founders) was kidnapped from her home and never heard from again. Most likely she met the same fate as the missing children—tortured, executed, and disappeared.<span style="font-size: x-small;">10</span> The junta hoped the intimidation tactics would silence the protests.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A few months later, the group had grown from dozens to hundreds of mothers who locked arms every Thursday and marched around the plaza. Their movement began to gather attention, and political momentum. They could no longer be silenced or ignored. In 1978 Argentina hosted the World Cup and won, but while the country celebrated the victory, international journalists spotlighted the mothers walking around the plaza every Thursday. Their simple act of protest turned the tide of public opinion, both domestically and internationally, against the ruling military junta.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It took several years, but eventually, the military finally capitulated and returned power to civilian elected officials. A group of mothers and grandmothers managed to captivate a nation and force a change. But what if people had given more credence to their claims earlier? Could innocent lives have been saved if the voices of the marginalized had been heeded sooner? If the military junta had listened to their protests and made policy corrections could they have actually achieved the goals outlined by El Proceso? Perhaps, but we will never know because the voices of the marginalized were largely ignored. Eventually, many of the military leaders were prosecuted for their crimes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In spite of our understanding, or lack thereof, of those protesting (peacefully) in our streets, we should make an extra effort to understand their plight. Is there truth to what they say? Have they been marginalized in some way that we can redress? Can we make sure their voices are heard even though we may not agree with the solutions they propose? Sometimes just taking the time to validate the emotions of those who feel slighted or wronged can deescalate the situation and cool the rhetoric. Then we have the opportunity to have productive dialogue and effective change.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It starts when we take the time to listen to the voices of those who feel marginalized, even if we don’t understand, or agree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Peaceful exchange of power requires us to put principle over personality and politics.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It is impossible to discuss the political history of Argentina without spending hours on Juan Domingo Perón. He began his rise to power in the military, climbing to the rank of Colonel in his early thirties, and began his political career after supporting the military coup of 1943. He quickly climbed from cabinet positions to the Vice President and was elected President of Argentina in June of 1946. Charismatic and politically astute, President Perón formed alliances with disparate political groups and remained in power until September of 1955 when he was ousted by another military coup of his enemies and exiled. (The incoming military junta outlawed his political party and even the mention of his name.) Even from exile he continued to influence Argentine politics and eventually returned for another term as president in 1973 and died in office July of 1974.<span style="font-size: x-small;">11</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Unfortunately, his story is an archetype of the generalissimo-cum-dictator that is so prevalent in history. Argentina suffered through six military coups in the 20th century (1930, 1943, 1955, 1962, 1966 and 1976).<span style="font-size: x-small;">12</span> Countries cycle of from military coup to popular president to dictator back to military coup because the power resides in a single strong executive and not with the people. People put their trust in an individual and not in principle. Liberties protected by enduring and tested law were only as good as the current self-appointed leader.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When the cycle repeated itself in 1976, people were willing to turn a blind eye to the heavy-handed approach of the military because they had been conditioned to accept violent exchanges of power followed by liberty-limiting measures of the new government. Peaceful exchanges of power by election had become a distant memory. This gave the military junta tacit approval to eliminate human rights and the liberties of the individual in the name of security.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When you put a person or politics over principle you begin to ignore or rationalize away the bad behavior of the candidate or elected official you support and accept actions you would vehemently condemn from a political rival or opponent. You tell yourself that such behavior is justified because the opposition is underhanded and intellectually dishonest. You begin to defend the person, or party, at all costs, no matter the behavior, in an effort to remain in power. (By the way if you are reading this and thinking this applies to your political opposites, you are part of the problem. Go look in the mirror.) All candidates and elected officials are flawed and imperfect. They are all human. We will always have to overlook some imperfections in order to vote for them. However, we should support them and their causes without worshipping them. We should celebrate their victories even as we speak out against their bad behavior or ineffective policies. We can vote for them without idolizing them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We have a long tradition of peaceful exchange of power through the voting process. But it is more than tradition. It is a principle upheld by time-tested law and constitutional principles that elevate the liberties of the individual above the power-seeking politician. For the process to continue, we must continue to put principle above person or politics. We must accept the legal results of elections. If we win, we should be gracious in our victory but guarded in our support of the victor or the winning party. If we lose, we must suffer patiently until our next opportunity to vote, but allow the elected officials room to perform their duties without constant threat of legal action. Above all, we must not allow any person or political party to persuade us that violence or the suppression of constitutional liberty is necessary while we still have a fair election process in place.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We have suffered through turbulent times as a nation, including one civil war with battle lines drawn geographically. We are experiencing turbulent times today, and if it continues to escalate the battle lines will be invisible ideological lines that cut through homes, neighborhoods, and cities. Because of our protected liberty to think and speak as we please, this ideological civil war will pit brother against sister, neighbor against neighbor, and friend against friend. We will be surrounded by both allies and enemies at the same time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Perhaps we can avoid an escalated conflict by learning a few lessons from Argentina’s Guerra Sucia. If we can learn from their history we can avoid justifying the means by the ends, give an ear to marginalized voices, and vote for candidates (or party) without worshipping them. Maybe it can help us avoid our own <i>guerra sucia</i>. I certainly hope so. <i>Buena suerte!</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>(Sorry for the trouble with the footnote formatting.)</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRve7GNHnDgoXQzHJ9yWUTpL5I7omslMAjYZWeuXgyjcRFSWcMTTN6dzifm9X5CtT7v-h2tCk1wPchYVZSEgS4OrERfuErmv6gbC-Ydx4rmMDnFlbGZzPHULwQve21o7IcF3REMRM5vP3X/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="244" data-original-width="468" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRve7GNHnDgoXQzHJ9yWUTpL5I7omslMAjYZWeuXgyjcRFSWcMTTN6dzifm9X5CtT7v-h2tCk1wPchYVZSEgS4OrERfuErmv6gbC-Ydx4rmMDnFlbGZzPHULwQve21o7IcF3REMRM5vP3X/w640-h334/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><p><br /></p>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-30255698049977377642020-05-07T20:01:00.000-07:002020-05-07T20:01:50.489-07:00The Time Traveler's Dilemma<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZr_kWCqMqXVBp0BnKSFDCy3-wWBuJj4CsjwqciYC3xowhAfWnYEjoZPuNPlltItRSfAa8qupKCxTSL3mmg8LrsZPlF-lS14vBn3Zs4CKm5PNHQzJ0Dn-2JI2zapoUyrUYdh861RHxCWNl/s1600/who-s-denilo-3ECPkzvwlBs-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZr_kWCqMqXVBp0BnKSFDCy3-wWBuJj4CsjwqciYC3xowhAfWnYEjoZPuNPlltItRSfAa8qupKCxTSL3mmg8LrsZPlF-lS14vBn3Zs4CKm5PNHQzJ0Dn-2JI2zapoUyrUYdh861RHxCWNl/s400/who-s-denilo-3ECPkzvwlBs-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>April 2015<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Who gets this truck when you die?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I looked in the rearview mirror at my five-year old daughter, Rylee, in the back seat and smiled. “What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“This is a great truck. Can I have it when you die?”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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May 2020<o:p></o:p></div>
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My daughter Rylee and I rolled out of our home in Arizona as the sun was coming up, intent on driving to Salt Lake City, Utah, before the sun went down. The fifteen-year old truck carried a load of used furniture, needed personal items, and hopes for the future. I volunteered to drive the first shift.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The pandemic and the early morning combined to make traffic light as we left the valley of the sun. I looked over at my baby girl curled up in the passenger seat with a pillow and fuzzy, blue blanket sleeping in a position that would certainly make my aging body ache after just a few minutes. She seemed at peace with her sleeping position and glad to be taking the road trip. After two weeks at home sheltering in place, I was certainly ready for some windshield time. I left the radio off so she could sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My mind drifted back to my first solo cross-country drive from Kentucky to Utah in a 70’s vintage Mazda RX2. The silver car hummed along Interstate 80 while the sheepskin seat covers my mother made kept me comfortable on the way to my future. It felt liberating to take to the open road with everything I owned stuffed into the back seat and trunk. My listening menu drifted between radio stations along the way and cassette tapes from my personal collection. I kept a signed, blank check from my parents’ bank account for emergencies, along with enough sandwiches and snacks to last me for the two-day drive. The smell of fresh-turned earth filled the afternoon air as I drove through Nebraska with the windows down.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just like today, life was full of uncertainties, but of different types. The Cold War raged, coupled with the threat of nuclear winter. I only had enough money for one semester of tuition and room and board for a month. I had no safety net other than the meager help the blue-collar parents of ten children could offer. Like my daughter, I was full of hope in a bright future, in spite of the overwhelming evidence of a menacing world awaiting me. It was an act of both blind stupidity and sheer faith.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now here I sat, more than thirty years later, in the driver’s seat of an old Nissan truck with my youngest daughter curled up asleep next to me wondering where the years had gone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After a couple of hours and a fuel stop, Rylee woke up. She volunteered to drive, but I stayed behind the wheel for now. We chatted about mundane things for a bit until she plugged in her phone and turned on a podcast. (That would have been a nice option thirty years ago driving across Nebraska by myself.) We listened together stopping occasionally to opine about the comments presented. Together, we questioned the validity of the information offered or validated it. We were two people listening to information in the same space but with very different points of view and nowhere to go if a difference of opinion arose. It was a refreshing change to the social-media-fire-and-forget method of personal interaction.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You would think that an adult child’s opinion about life would not be that different than the parent’s opinion, but you would be wrong. I have found that in the realm of philosophical opinions about life, the phrase, “The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree” is absolutely false. If we raise our children correctly, they will be as independent, stubborn, and full of sheer hope for the future as we were. It is every successful parent’s dilemma: If you teach your children properly, they will be able to think for themselves, which means they may not choose to think as you do. As a parent you are stuck somewhere in no-man’s land between pride at their independence and incredulity at their divergence from your way of thinking. I’m learning to default to pride.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At some point, the conversation drifted to time travel and the works of Neil deGrasse Tyson. “He says that even if we could travel back in time, it’s impossible to help yourself. You could help the various other versions of you in the other dimensions but you couldn’t change your own future. It’s impossible,” she said. (This was an unexpected twist in the conversation, but since I couldn’t go back in time and change it…) “I think I would like to go back in time and talk with myself.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Do you think you would listen?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Sure. Because your future self has experienced life and knows how some of your choices will turn out.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“If that’s the case,” I asked. “Why don’t children listen to their parents’ advice?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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She thought for a moment and then chuckled, caught in my parental ruse. “I guess that’s true.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“You see,” I explained. “Knowledge is different than skill. I know how to shoot a three-point shot in basketball. I stand beyond the designated line. I toss the ball at just the right arch and send it through the hoop. Three points. But just because I know how to shoot a three-pointer, doesn’t mean I have the skill to do it. Skill is born of knowledge, but they aren’t the same thing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I went on to explain how that if your knowledge-laden, future self could have a conversation with your inexperienced past self, the passing of knowledge would not be enough. Knowledge would have to be forged into skill. An addict from the future could pass on helpful knowledge to her past self, but could not pass on the hard-earned skills required to break the addiction. Anyone who has overcome a bad habit can go back in time and impart knowledge to his past self, but not the skills required to overcome the bad habit. That takes repeated effort and practice. A master piano virtuoso is unable to impart the skills honed by hours of effort and repeated drills at the keyboard by simply telling someone what to do. Knowledge can be transferred, but skill cannot. Skill must be earned through effort.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We breezed through the uncrowded streets of Las Vegas amazed at the empty parking lots and shuttered businesses. When we stopped for lunch, I turned the driving over to her. I struggled to keep quiet when I felt she was too close to the vehicle in front of us or when she glanced at her phone, but I managed to let her command the vehicle without my interference (most of the time).<o:p></o:p></div>
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When we crossed over the Utah border, it dawned on me that in spite of the fact that I had owned the truck for fifteen years, we had never taken it on a long road trip. I told her this was the first time. She laughed and recounted all the accidents the truck had been part of over the years. She and her brothers had managed to rough it up a bit as teenage drivers. It was simply part of the developing process, I acknowledged. As a parent, I had expected, even anticipated, the accidents.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“What are you going to do about your car?” I asked. (Her vehicle was experiencing mechanical difficulties at the time.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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She sighed. “I don’t know. I have to figure something out.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Maybe I’ll sell you this truck,” I offered.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’ve wanted it since I was a little kid.” She laughed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Yes, you did.” I smiled. “If you had known that was a possibility you might have taken better care of it as a teenager. Besides, you might not want it now because you know it’s history.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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We both laughed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Life is meant to be lived. We were never intended to sit still and avoid failure. On the contrary, failure is an integral part of acquiring knowledge, skill, and ultimately wisdom. The dilemma of every parent is teaching your children to be independent while knowing full well that no matter how much you teach them, they will not become who they need to be without failure. You only hope you can help them avoid catastrophic failure, but even that is sometimes unavoidable. Your only recourse as a parent is to be prepared for the crashes and hope that both of you are around to discuss the lessons learned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is impossible for us to travel back in time. Even if we could, what would I go back and tell myself? If I could go back thirty years and ride in the passenger seat on that drive across Nebraska with the windows down, could the knowledge I impart make a difference in my life? Perhaps, but knowledge is not enough. Wisdom must be earned. Skills must be practiced. Life must be experienced. The time traveler’s dilemma is the parents’ dilemma.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here I sat with a younger version of myself at the wheel of my well-used truck making a similar fateful trip. She is strong, independent, and full of hope for the future. I have knowledge. She has youth and exuberance. I have wisdom forged in the crucible of my mistakes. She has her sense of wonder for the future. Try as I might, I cannot pass on all of my hard-earned life skills that make me who I am. She will have to develop those skills using the same process I did.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We made it to Salt Lake City before sunset and she dropped me off at the airport to catch my flight back to Arizona. I hugged her at the curb, grateful for the time we had to talk, to laugh, and to learn from one another. As my baby girl drove away in my rickety truck, I didn’t see her as a child, but as a grown, independent, and capable woman. I could give her the truck, but she would be better served by buying a truck of her own with hard work and effort. I only hope she stays for a few days when she brings it back home to me.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-44816123861367861922020-04-26T20:11:00.000-07:002020-04-26T20:11:53.393-07:00When Will We Live Again?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I did a double take when I read the headline—“<i>Meridian woman arrested during protest after refusing to leave a closed playground.</i>” Sure enough, forty-year old Sara Brady from Meridian, Idaho, refused to leave a playground that had been closed. She, and several in her party, intentionally went to the park and allowed their children to play on the plastic playground equipment that had been closed by the city. When the police showed up and asked them to leave, it turned into a confrontation that ended with the mother of two in handcuffs. She was charged with trespassing. (You can watch the video here -<b> </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-B1qujVjNE" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-B1qujVjNE</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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What would drive a suburban housewife into an act of civil disobedience?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m a risk taker. I ride a motorcycle. I’ve been skydiving—twice. I fly airplanes. I have six children. I discuss politics on social media (sometimes). For me, a life without risk isn’t worth living. Risk is an inherent part of life. Death will come for us all at some point, but the life we live before that day is largely determined by the risks we take. If we spend all our days avoiding risk, then we haven’t really lived. Therefore, I take risks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like all of you, my life has been turned upside down by the pandemic. I have taken the recommendations seriously in my personal efforts to slow the spread of a deadly disease. I have canceled travel plans and avoided gatherings. My hands are chafed from washing and I wear a mask in public, without any embarrassment I might add. My list of home improvement projects has dwindled dramatically. Binge watching has become a new pastime. Drive-through restaurants are now fine dining establishments. Video conferencing with family and friends has replaced social gatherings. I’m alive and well, but I would hardly call this a life worth living.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When will we sit at a restaurant table with family and friends to celebrate a birthday, a wedding, or the birth of a child? When will we gather to watch a concert, a sports event, or a graduation? When will we gather to worship, to learn, or to simply have fun? When will we travel to see wonders of the world and connect with the people and places that help us feel connected to fellow travelers? When will we play at the crowded beach, the crowded park, or the crowded gym? When will we embrace our friends, our families, and our elderly?<o:p></o:p></div>
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When will we hustle to the office, the store, or the shop to accomplish the work that puts food on the table? When can we launch a new venture, large or small, that will fill the need in the marketplace and increase our personal wealth? When can we learn a new trade or skill that is in demand and increase our earning capacity? When will we restore the supply chain, the hospitality industry, and the travel industry? When can we invest in the market and expect a return for the future?<o:p></o:p></div>
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When will we take risks again? When will we live again?<o:p></o:p></div>
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No doubt, this disease is deadly, but if we allow this disease to bring our lives to a complete halt, then are we really living? Life is inherently risky. Part of living, truly living, is taking measured risks—driving a car, playing a sport, starting a relationship, taking a trip, flying a plane, getting married, having a child, or building anything. Any cure that causes us to stop taking risks has the potential to be more lethal than the disease itself. If we huddle in our homes in fear, we have stopped living already. Apparently, the suburban housewife from Meridian, Idaho, was willing to risk exposure to a disease (along with her children) and potential legal action to start living again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The most dangerous argument out there right now is that we only have two choices—lockdown our society (and economy) <i>or</i> expose everyone to a deadly disease. We have boiled down a complex, multifaceted issue into a binary decision. The social media mobs on one side try to shame anyone less averse to the risks posed by the disease, or on the other hand activists try to shout down anyone who advocates for restricting gatherings or social interaction. Advocacy groups for each of the two camps are cranking out the memes. When Sara Brady was arrested she told someone to call the Idaho Freedom Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting libertarian values and less restrictive government. Her arrest also sparked a fake news articles stating that she tested positive for the virus. Both sides dug ideological trenches and lobbed philosophical mortars. She was discounted as an anti-vaccination shill and lauded as a freedom fighter, depending on who you listened to.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is not a binary choice. We have multiple options and just because we choose one course of action does not mean we are unable to adjust or change our course. We can certainly find a way to protect the public, ensure the rights of the individual, and minimize the risks. For us to live again we must stop thinking of this crisis as a binary choice. We can find alternative solutions that balance the risks and benefits.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Professionally, I am a risk manager. I’m charged in taking a machine into the sky several miles above the earth filled with passengers and bring them safely to the ground again. The risks involved are enormous, but I manage to do it several times a day without incident, because I have been trained to manage the risks. The FAA outlines four basic principles to risk management: 1) Accept no unnecessary risk. 2) Make risk decisions at the appropriate level. 3) Accept risk when benefits outweigh dangers (costs). 4) Integrate risk management into planning at all levels. (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, page 2-4) Perhaps we can apply these same principles to coping with this pandemic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Accept no unnecessary risk. The other day I went for a run through a park and noticed a young couple making out on the hood of parked car. Clearly, they were not practicing social distancing. In the same park, groups of people gathered to exercise and share the same fitness equipment. I kept my distance and kept running. I’m sure you have seen similar examples of people ignoring the call for social distancing simply to satisfy a personal desire instead of a need. Sara Brady could have chosen to let her children play in the open area of the park and avoided the risk of exposure, and arrest. She could have avoided unnecessary risk. On the other hand, a distant family member working in the medical profession has been exposed twice to the disease because the risk was necessary for him to do his job. Sometimes risk is necessary. Each individual will define what is “necessary” risk differently, but avoiding unnecessary risk implies that some risk is actually necessary. For us to live again, we must learn to avoid unnecessary risk while taking necessary risk.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Make risk decisions at the appropriate level. This is where governmental agencies operate. We look to our government to help us determine which risks are unnecessary. Governments impose speed limits, construction codes, banking regulations, and a variety of other federal, state, and local laws determining the level of risk we are willing to take as a society. If I’m out riding my motorcycle, I can choose how fast I want to go, but if I break the speed limit, I know I’m taking on more risk, including the risk of a speeding ticket. The risk decision is ultimately left up to the individual. Similarly, governments have the power to order us to shelter in place or avoid gatherings to stop the spread of the disease based on the perceived risk. Based on my first amendment rights, I have the right to peaceably assemble and expose myself to risk of the disease, even if good reason keeps me from taking that risk at the moment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sara Brady felt otherwise. She, and those she supports, were protesting the overreach of government interference in their ability to manage risk at the individual level. The laws allowing for quarantine and lockdown are in direct conflict with some of our basic rights. If we abdicate our rights at the first sign of crisis, we really don’t have any rights. It is a balancing act between what is best for the group and the rights of the individual. However, we must push the risk decision to the lowest possible level. For us to live again, we will have to restore the rights, and risk decisions, to the individual.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Accept risk when benefits outweigh dangers (costs). Thousands die each year in car accidents, but that doesn’t keep us from getting in our cars and driving to work or the supermarket. We accept the risk because the benefits outweigh the dangers. Likewise, we make risk decisions based on costs, like choosing not to break the speed limit because of the high cost of a speeding ticket. Sara Brady accepted the risk of exposure and arrest because she felt the benefits outweighed the dangers (costs).<o:p></o:p></div>
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The cost of shutting down our entire economy will be staggering. Unemployment estimates look to be worse than during the Great Depression. Since the begin of the pandemic our unemployment rate has gone from 4% to over 20% with 33 million people out of work. Every one percent increase in unemployment will cause a 3.3% increase in drug overdose deaths and a .99% increase in suicides. “If unemployment hits 32 percent, some 77,000 Americans are likely to die from suicide and drug overdoses as a result of layoffs. Deaths of despair.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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(<a href="https://nypost.com/2020/04/14/we-must-count-the-deaths-from-shutdowns-as-well-as-from-coronavirus/" style="color: #954f72;">https://nypost.com/2020/04/14/we-must-count-the-deaths-from-shutdowns-as-well-as-from-coronavirus/</a>) How do we plan on flattening that curve?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The dangers of this disease are real and the measures taken reduce the risk of exposure, but we are foolish to think our current course of action is risk free. We have chosen a path based on the perceived dangers and costs of the moment, but we have not properly assessed the other risks associated with our choice. At some point, the benefits of continuing this course of isolation and economic shutdown will not outweigh benefits. The price will simply be too high. For us to live again, we will have to accept the fact that the benefits of opening up the economy outweigh the dangers and costs of exposure to the disease.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Integrate risk management into planning at all levels. In other words, mitigate risk at all levels through proper planning. When we have to accept risks, we can mitigate those risks by planning and preparing to deal with them. I can plan to mitigate risk at a personal level by wearing a mask, keeping my distance, and washing my hands frequently. Businesses can mitigate risk through extra cleanliness, providing space for distancing, and allowing employees to work from home when able. Hospitals can mitigate risk by stockpiling personal protective equipment, ventilators, and medication. Governments at every level can mitigate risk by educating its citizens, providing resources to combat the disease, and preparing infrastructure for the next pandemic. The mayor of Meridian, Idaho, felt strongly that he was mitigating risk for his citizens by shutting down the playground. (According to current information, the virus can live for several days on plastic.) If we want to live again, at some point we will have to accept the risk, but we can prepare to manage the risk at the individual and societal level.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Instead of a binary choice, we have multiple options to start living again. We can find a way to safely interact without spreading the disease. We can protect those at most risk while allowing others to get back to work. We can continue to practice cleanliness and hygiene without cocooning ourselves in some underground bunker waiting for the end of days. We can risk interaction with one another using caution and measures of protection. This need not be a choice between two evils—complete isolation or the complete chaos of a pandemic. We need not arrest mothers at playgrounds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When will we live again? As humans, managing risk is in our DNA. Risk is an inherent part of life. Managing those risks is the cost of doing business and actually living. I’m a risk taker, but so are you. I believe that if we follow a few sound principles for managing risk, we can find a way to manage the impact of this disease and continue living, because the alternative is not a life worth living.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I for one am ready to start living again.<o:p></o:p></div>
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-48833543571012022072019-12-24T13:20:00.001-08:002019-12-24T13:20:47.995-08:00O Little Town of Bethlehem
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I love that Christmas hymn!
In my mind’s eye I can envision some small desert village with smoke rising
from the chimneys of modest homes into a starlit night while shepherds tend to
flocks nearby. I can imagine the newborn baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger while the villagers smiled on. I must admit that
my recent trip to the Middle East almost ruined the hymn for me. Bethlehem was
nothing like I imagined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6bk857dS7XyHbYb1gYzfYuuUC8NbvoCYnH6jAbAkI8wKESYfPLrtyZEo_wfkHL7SZ-Nbk8U83vcxyHzh1z2QDDwOSQWQwoEd9a9wcJdYIFebTq2ahZhtpDJ4Up6DBEpFzqZCc3VNY6HZ/s1600/IMG_2558.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6bk857dS7XyHbYb1gYzfYuuUC8NbvoCYnH6jAbAkI8wKESYfPLrtyZEo_wfkHL7SZ-Nbk8U83vcxyHzh1z2QDDwOSQWQwoEd9a9wcJdYIFebTq2ahZhtpDJ4Up6DBEpFzqZCc3VNY6HZ/s400/IMG_2558.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (You may notice the red and yellow flags from the tour company.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As our tour bus entered the
outskirts of Bethlehem, we were greeted by a large red sign with a message in
Arabic, Hebrew, and English. It read, “The entrance for Israeli citizens is
forbidden, dangerous to your lives and against Israeli law.” That was not
exactly the welcome I was expecting. Our bus navigated the crowded streets
dodging cars, pedestrians, and other tour busses. It was not the quaint,
bucolic village I expected. Like most of the area around Jerusalem, it was
hilly and roads wound up and down the hillsides lined with homes, apartment
buildings, and the occasional inn or hotel. Eventually we arrived at a large
parking structure for busses where a man in a paramilitary uniform directed
traffic. Somehow, with shouts and hand signals, our driver managed to jam our
bus into the underground building with more than twenty other busses. We
followed our guide with his yellow flag brandishing the tour company name –
“Fun For Less” – through the chaotic parking structure with the smell of diesel
fuel in our noses. Even before we left the parking lot, we were attacked by
vendors selling everything from women’s scarves to ornate, olive-wood carvings.
We climbed the stairs and walked up the street to tour of the Church of the
Nativity, the oldest Christian structure, built over the grotto or cave where
Jesus Christ was reportedly born. The noisy street was crowded with shuffling
crowds of tourists, aggressive vendors, and annoyed local residents hurrying
about their business. It was nothing like I had imagined, and the phrase “How
still we see thee lie” did not come to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cLUsOwYO-EXAm8fopUeiR5RWBLOW3j6AlDQpN5GSneR1rqccFlesyGuRgK8s9HO6oto544JBx8PevcbPFldwM18tAyJ_Y2k2I2Qa9fIdu6fdsELIZ7Z8rHGD2Jv1tn6AKzeEiREOtzbJ/s1600/IMG_7966.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cLUsOwYO-EXAm8fopUeiR5RWBLOW3j6AlDQpN5GSneR1rqccFlesyGuRgK8s9HO6oto544JBx8PevcbPFldwM18tAyJ_Y2k2I2Qa9fIdu6fdsELIZ7Z8rHGD2Jv1tn6AKzeEiREOtzbJ/s320/IMG_7966.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britt entering through the Door of Humility</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBccITKgMBQuHtKGQMvAVAE2vY-AZGHIj3tOmk75CUZw2bq0lmsDg7JOk2gwe8aXSKhxfcjb73PwwN5NZ-Bf0rhAXikqEJBOVtRhp1pvVFzjgrlMD0Q0U4leDLuCzSDYCUq1VAYVLPTDtK/s1600/IMG_7967.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBccITKgMBQuHtKGQMvAVAE2vY-AZGHIj3tOmk75CUZw2bq0lmsDg7JOk2gwe8aXSKhxfcjb73PwwN5NZ-Bf0rhAXikqEJBOVtRhp1pvVFzjgrlMD0Q0U4leDLuCzSDYCUq1VAYVLPTDtK/s320/IMG_7967.jpeg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We entered the Church of the
Nativity by stooping through a very low door appropriately named, “The Door of
Humility,” which opened up into the main hall adorned with 44 columns. Although
built for Christians by the mother of Emperor Constantine, the site today is
divided and administered in parts by the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and
Armenian Apostolic churches and is a divided structure. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We passed from one area
to the other and eventually down into the grotto. The dark cave would have
provided shelter to the weary traveling family unable to secure more
comfortable accommodations. I imagine it would have been a source of peace and
comfort to Mary and Joseph in difficult circumstances. Since that historic
night, the site has experienced its share of turmoil – ransacking armies,
terrorists holed up seeking sanctuary, and even brawls between monks of
different Christian sects. I was reminded of the “dark street” mentioned in the
hymn intended to represent our current human condition. “Yet in the dark street
shineth the Everlasting Light.”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0IjNW3i7giEKCoECIfDJJ1WP9bcGiVeC2wfKToA6SKSwQv02Q2ZvyUxFPbMK7uetxB_tjYEajQ9yADq2ImGShFGC6KFdgVwSYT-FRKJVAMKUoXDx3zN7cO7D6wp35rpNNK4uBnTEV9pT/s1600/IMG_2593.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0IjNW3i7giEKCoECIfDJJ1WP9bcGiVeC2wfKToA6SKSwQv02Q2ZvyUxFPbMK7uetxB_tjYEajQ9yADq2ImGShFGC6KFdgVwSYT-FRKJVAMKUoXDx3zN7cO7D6wp35rpNNK4uBnTEV9pT/s400/IMG_2593.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Grotto</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />After touring the Basilica
and the grotto, our group moved to an alcove in the courtyard. As we listened
to a lecture from the educator Michael Wilcox, the loudspeakers from the local
mosques sounded the afternoon call to prayer – “Allahu akbar!” – and were
reminded of the religious and political tensions of the region. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Then, while
Christian tourists, priests, and monks ambled by, we began to sing Christmas
hymns. We were not professional singers, but the acoustics of the alcove
carried our voices. A crowd soon gathered around us. During the singing I
looked into the faces of our group and saw the devotion in their eyes. These
were good people trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in their lives.
The Spirit testified to me, “Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear
Christ enters in.”</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9Z3lSI7Ljxbv8hEgsqrNAgH9c9rZJevhG-dkphEbd0lDEmTXKtO8DB-P1nhY1viRsMe1Oqt9OMh5GWrTkF56Bz9PdMxl0OCLCRsBqX07vZrcY6a69XOXVa5XyuE8WrUdDBnw0ik0CPoN/s1600/IMG_7970.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9Z3lSI7Ljxbv8hEgsqrNAgH9c9rZJevhG-dkphEbd0lDEmTXKtO8DB-P1nhY1viRsMe1Oqt9OMh5GWrTkF56Bz9PdMxl0OCLCRsBqX07vZrcY6a69XOXVa5XyuE8WrUdDBnw0ik0CPoN/s320/IMG_7970.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A passing monk</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After my experience in modern
Bethlehem, I imagine ancient Bethlehem differently than I did before. Like
today, the ancient city was full of political strife. After all, Joseph and
Mary only traveled to Bethlehem because of the decree of an occupying ruler.
Like today, it was full of the hustle and bustle of a busy town with street
vendors, shopkeepers, and travelers. I imagine it was a noisy, smelly place
with its share of discontent and contention. Life, with all of its
imperfections and irreverence, filled the ancient town of Bethlehem. Yet, in
the midst of all of the commotion and banality, a miraculous child was born. My
guess is that many in the town of Bethlehem didn’t even notice the birth
because they were so caught up in living their lives. They were so busy
building, selling, cleaning, eating, sleeping, and just existing that they had
no clue that their best and only hope had just been born in a small cave in
their town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Are we like the ancient
inhabitants of Bethlehem? Are we so busy studying, texting, entertaining,
eating, sleeping, cleaning, playing that we miss our best and only hope? Life,
with all of its activities and demands, can sometimes distract us from the
miracles right in front of us. Are we so busy with the demands and distractions
of this life that we miss the gift of eternal life that Christ brings us. “How
silently! How silently! The wondrous gift is giv’n.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Bethlehem may be nothing like
I imagined. It may not be the scene of peace and tranquility I envisioned.
However, in the midst of it all, Christ was born. Bethlehem may not be at peace,
but I testify that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring us everlasting peace. I
testify that He is the wondrous gift given to us today to bring and hope to our
lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Take a moment this Christmas
season to stop and unwrap the wondrous gift of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLuUtlCLcOU3QKBMrB7mfwBm923tTUEKEdxvBXpOL-dAYlr6NTMzcVEtso21zapHhDh0AL84auVgt_vE1IJsE_PuOUcr9_cbcpVvtmgJX3605r4Pq_CBo-o8DBb7useQEfMygT5PgSSPS/s1600/IMG_2598.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLuUtlCLcOU3QKBMrB7mfwBm923tTUEKEdxvBXpOL-dAYlr6NTMzcVEtso21zapHhDh0AL84auVgt_vE1IJsE_PuOUcr9_cbcpVvtmgJX3605r4Pq_CBo-o8DBb7useQEfMygT5PgSSPS/s320/IMG_2598.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "site" inside the Grotto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-77974018941589846292019-10-25T12:21:00.001-07:002019-10-28T18:07:06.394-07:00The Winding Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9XV1sGBk7tockRr1QUMndzenaacuwQlll7Gs7g3WAu9WxBXxqa4c45aYLkRwYFbrxUxxnVYQm5chCQlhAP9BojySkuliefFp14kuf4GI_7Pc-h4sXdJBR8QNhpqXKdR5ND1xFkFfYmiD/s1600/IMG_1745.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9XV1sGBk7tockRr1QUMndzenaacuwQlll7Gs7g3WAu9WxBXxqa4c45aYLkRwYFbrxUxxnVYQm5chCQlhAP9BojySkuliefFp14kuf4GI_7Pc-h4sXdJBR8QNhpqXKdR5ND1xFkFfYmiD/s640/IMG_1745.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The celebrity on the front cover of the inflight magazine
was laughing and the title’s headline suggested that she was “in a good place.”
I stared at the cover and sighed before shoving it back into the seatback
pocket in front of me. I couldn’t say the same at the moment, but I was on my
way to a good place in hopes of lifting my mood.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I get older, my sense of wonder seems to wane. It isn’t
like I stopped caring about what’s happening in the world, but I just don’t see
the value of keeping up with it all. That same attitude begins to bleed over
into all the areas of my life until I’m no longer fascinated with a sunrise, or
moved by a sunset. My whole attitude slowly evolves into one of “been there
done that” and I lose interest in the things that once brought me joy, not
because I no longer enjoy them, but because I have lost my sense of wonder. The
intrinsic value of the event itself hasn’t changed. I just don’t get as excited
about it as I used to. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This happens for several reasons. Perhaps I have been
disappointed too many times before and no longer expect the world to produce
anything that might surprise me. Maybe I’ve done so many exciting things and they
no longer feel exciting. Life’s challenges may have numbed me into a state of
existence in which I no longer live, but simply exist as I stumble from one
crisis to another. The result is the same—I just don’t feel like putting forth
the effort to get excited.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, the celebrity may have been in a good place, but at the
moment, I wasn’t. My mood tasted like old yogurt, bitter and slightly sour. I
wanted to be in a good place also, but instead I felt like I wasn’t any place
at all. I felt like I was traveling a dark, unfamiliar road wondering where it
would lead in spite of the help of a trusted navigator and pleasant traveling
companions. My thoughts and emotions were unsettled by a heavy dose of stress
at work, regrets over parental failures, and debilitating self-doubt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
My flight was taking me to Atlanta, where I would rent a BMW
K1600 motorcycle and tour the Smoky Mountains and the surrounding states with
several family members—a two-wheeled family reunion. I was hoping the trip
would help improve my mood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I awoke before my hotel alarm the next morning. Maybe I was
more excited than I realized. When the attendant at the motorcycle shop rolled
out the rented BMW K1600 motorcycle and gave me a short orientation, I was
nervous. It was bigger than my bike and I was worried about how it would handle
on the highway. I shoved all my clothes and gear into the saddlebags, slipped on
my helmet, and started north to the rendezvous point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In spite of being three hundred pounds heavier than my
motorcycle, the K1600 handled like a smaller machine. The six-cylinders purred
like a jet engine and provided smooth acceleration and ample power at any
speed. The adjustable windshield and upright riding position also made it as
comfortable as a rocking chair on the front porch. My troubles seemed fewer and
fewer with each mile I rode, but I knew there would be some unexpected twists
and turns ahead. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHv-kBFOMNPZnjsFlJEEY1zy69qDgZasDKYv08aWod3tLpb89_ZI5Vg_mquNGIzaxGwmNonuzYgWBii1goncVhocGBdy_QhTfOckLHUUWo0pfHOploRI_fmU_AROB7SaLp4KltDqp4YLTP/s1600/5DF3A92B-5A7D-4F1C-9991-C657368A2998.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHv-kBFOMNPZnjsFlJEEY1zy69qDgZasDKYv08aWod3tLpb89_ZI5Vg_mquNGIzaxGwmNonuzYgWBii1goncVhocGBdy_QhTfOckLHUUWo0pfHOploRI_fmU_AROB7SaLp4KltDqp4YLTP/s400/5DF3A92B-5A7D-4F1C-9991-C657368A2998.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all converged on Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee,
and met near a large waterfall. A family favorite for many years, the secluded
park is full of wooded hikes and beautiful waterfalls. It certainly qualifies
as a “good place.” We took a break and jumped into the cool water before riding
on to Athens, Tennessee for the night. We all had a connection to this place,
but life had taken us down different roads and across different thresholds. We
came together to ride, even though our life’s journey had taken us along
different roads.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The next morning, we got an early start on the Cherohala
Skyway heading southeast to Robbinsville, NC. For forty-three miles we wound
our way along the ridgeline in and out of the low-lying clouds. Built in 1996,
this stretch of highway serves only one purpose—scenic driving. It isn’t the
straight interstate highway with multiple lanes of traffic carrying the
commerce of a nation. It isn’t a mountain road connecting a hidden valley to
the outside world. Instead, it takes you to the top of the mountain and gives
you a sweeping view of the world around you as you enjoy the motion of every
twist and turn. The road invigorated me and I felt a spark of wonder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtIdbnO8j0lFaDiU8GYmuZnliVAsVip_FL7ZRX7kUYycxbgBszv8qxvH7lMESsmNpVWZMJPsjMMv316MVwdgI90mOMgwNTl_8IH5YxEuMOIuW5bA3aN8gMmUbyzaDzLSGunyluMWPPn7Q/s1600/IMG_1701.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtIdbnO8j0lFaDiU8GYmuZnliVAsVip_FL7ZRX7kUYycxbgBszv8qxvH7lMESsmNpVWZMJPsjMMv316MVwdgI90mOMgwNTl_8IH5YxEuMOIuW5bA3aN8gMmUbyzaDzLSGunyluMWPPn7Q/s320/IMG_1701.jpeg" width="240" /></a>We stopped at a graveyard in Robbinsville. My brother-in-law
was riding and old green BMW motorcycle that once belonged to a friend now
resting in the cemetery, a victim of a violent crime several years ago. His
life took an expected twist, that by not fault of his own, cost him his life. I
was reminded that life’s difficult journey could end unexpectedly. We paid our
respects to a young man whose life ended too soon, but whose memory lived on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Out of Robbinsville, we headed northwest on highway 129 towards
Deals Gap and the Tail of the Dragon. The famous stretch of road with 318 turns
in eleven miles calls to riders like a siren from a dangerous coastline. The
Tree of Shame (a collection of motorcycle parts left over from various crashes)
located at the beginning of the ride reminded of the real dangers found on this
section of the road. I elected to ride ahead of the group and face the Dragon
alone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The comfort of the straight and easy road gave way to
constant hairpin turns and switchbacks. I eased into the pace of the
unforgiving road and then slowly picked up speed trying to challenge my
abilities without scaring myself. The large machine purred along accelerating
and decelerating at my command and I settled into a rhythm with the road. A few
times I pushed harder than I should have and found myself at the edge of my
capabilities. I passed a couple of bikers with less ability, and I was passed
by a biker with more ability. My sense of wonder may have waned, but that
stretch of road demanded my attention. If I was unwilling or unable to give it
the attention it deserved, my sense of wonder would have met me head on as I
recklessly rounded a corner and either ended up in a ditch or on the grill of
oncoming traffic. Towards the end of the stretch I began to throttle back and
relax, but then I rounded a corner and slammed on the brakes for a flock of
wild turkeys in the middle of the road. Sometimes, life demands all that we
have. Maybe it needs to wake us up to its challenge and beauty.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
We met up at the end of the Tail of the Dragon and continued
our ride together cruising the back roads of the countryside along small creeks
and through less-travelled hollers and passes. We paid homage to my parents by
spending the night in their hometown of Burkesville, Ky. Most of the trip I
lived off of fried food and soft-serve ice cream, but that night we rode the
bikes through the cool evening air to our cousin’s house for the best meal of
the week. Joe David and Linda put out a spread in their country home that would
make a five-star restaurant jealous. After dinner, we watched for deer in the
road as we eased our bikes back to the Alpine Lodge above Burkesville. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7LDYeo3HUU-9boQ2NusUmT7a4vBuRDGTg37NnAITZ2dEGoXbl_NqKABtk9Lhok6YgC26i0hZdHW2xj-GymUU2xiq72-weyX13sF9yt1M2x4lFZmSso7OqmXc3A5b4kacV-pdxKV6HnJw/s1600/IMG_3692.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7LDYeo3HUU-9boQ2NusUmT7a4vBuRDGTg37NnAITZ2dEGoXbl_NqKABtk9Lhok6YgC26i0hZdHW2xj-GymUU2xiq72-weyX13sF9yt1M2x4lFZmSso7OqmXc3A5b4kacV-pdxKV6HnJw/s320/IMG_3692.jpeg" width="240" /></a>We got a late start the next morning and headed south before
turning east on Judio Road. After dodging a deer, we eased our bikes onto the
ferry at Turkey Neck Bend and crossed the Cumberland river. We continued east
along Highway 100 passing through the small country towns with their county
courthouses, multiple churches, and Dollar General stores dotting the
landscape. I remembered traveling the road many times as a child, but now I
felt like a stranger. Riding a rented motorcycle with my hi-vis yellow jacket,
I looked like a strange tourist in the land of my childhood. After so many
years away, my sense of identity with the location had a waned and I no longer
felt worthy to call myself a Kentuckian. But what place did I identify with?
What “good place” would I call mine if not my childhood home? My feelings were
punctuated when we passed my parents farm. With their passing, the farm was
sold and now strangers live there. I twisted the throttle as I rode by trying
to ignore the piece of land that I once called home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk1gKBwI2J8s6xmUGYVip75K3_HfTZEm2huWGDRy-RaHZopsmBt9DeA5aTq13LkPVUrCRKuIgfFaOJ6P8Ot6JDqoCiQhVMsoYLhJPsTp8f-2hLXFfiT5ocOQDN9uQ5U5FOPosfoPIzI3I/s1600/IMG_1730.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk1gKBwI2J8s6xmUGYVip75K3_HfTZEm2huWGDRy-RaHZopsmBt9DeA5aTq13LkPVUrCRKuIgfFaOJ6P8Ot6JDqoCiQhVMsoYLhJPsTp8f-2hLXFfiT5ocOQDN9uQ5U5FOPosfoPIzI3I/s320/IMG_1730.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That evening, I took a solo ride through Simpson County, the
county of my childhood. The country road was dark and I rode the rented
motorcycle more like a little old lady on her way to church than a man out
gallivanting around the countryside of his childhood. I wasn’t in any hurry.
Maybe because the night air was cool and comfortable after the hot and sticky
day I had experienced, or maybe because I wasn’t excited about where I was
going. Either way, I putted along on a machine designed to go twice the speed I
was traveling. In the dark I could see my destination, but it looked nothing
like I remembered. I pulled off the road onto an old semi-circle driveway with
grass growing up through the crumbling asphalt. Once there was a large brick
building on the spot—my elementary school. It proudly stood on a small rise
along the country road, the flag fluttering atop the large pole in front. Now
it was simply a farmer’s field full of soybeans. The playgrounds and ballfields
behind the school had been plowed up as well. The only vestige of the vibrant
structure was the crumbling section of the driveway I parked on. For a moment I
remembered the wonder I felt my first day of school. I slipped the bike into
gear and rode away. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgs8jUs4EO-28-qiW2-TmqWgtvaZoRzw2qKuqkZc6yelFTyuraCdWK9R0D2zWu7zG4T43GPxa7O54HrUJ4eKqDQPycF4_pKtLk4Ho_TG5UXJmzMJWqPm6f7diRxcnDLVS33Tq3xI8KeuGn/s1600/IMG_3718.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgs8jUs4EO-28-qiW2-TmqWgtvaZoRzw2qKuqkZc6yelFTyuraCdWK9R0D2zWu7zG4T43GPxa7O54HrUJ4eKqDQPycF4_pKtLk4Ho_TG5UXJmzMJWqPm6f7diRxcnDLVS33Tq3xI8KeuGn/s320/IMG_3718.jpeg" width="240" /></a>We had one last destination together before we split up and
returned back to our separate lives. In Marion, Ky, our Granny was about to
turn 96 years old, and we vowed to pay her a visit together. She greeted us
with strained voice and vibrant smile, happy for our visit. She still manages
to live by herself, with a little help. After a short visit and an unsuccessful
attempt to get her to ride to the restaurant on the back of one of the
motorcycles, we piled into her old car and drove to lunch for some of the best
fried catfish and hush puppies in the entire state. She smiled and enjoyed the
familiar setting content to be seen out and about with some of her grandsons,
grandsons-in-law, and a one great grandson. I wondered if she still enjoyed the
twists and turns of life or if the simple act of going to lunch at a nearby
diner was enough to excite her about living. We left her sitting in her easy
chair with a smile on her face.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My older brother started for home as the rest of us motored
south to the Land Between the Lakes. The trip was drawing to an end and we had
chosen the bucolic highway through the park as our final stretch together.
After four days of twists and turns the meandering stable highway felt
peaceful, and boring. The tree-lined highway felt like a Sunday afternoon drive
with your grandparents. It didn’t challenge us. It didn’t push us. It barely
kept our interest. As gorgeous as it was, the road failed to capture or spark
my sense of wonder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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After we traversed the park, riders began to peel off and go
their separate ways. I soon found myself alone on the busy highway wishing the
ride together could continue. The next morning, I chased the sunrise on my way
back to Atlanta feeling melancholy about ending the trip. After I returned the
rented motorcycle and boarded a flight for home, the same inflight magazine with
the laughing celebrity greeted me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe I didn’t start the trip in a good place. I really couldn’t
say that I finished the trip in a good place either. The stress of work,
family, and self-doubt still loomed over me. However, I was reminded that the
journey, along with its twists and turns, is more valuable than the place. The
road of life is full of surprises. Sometimes the challenging road can scare us
a bit. We may not be ready for the turn and might find ourselves
at the edge of our abilities hoping we don’t end up in the ditch, or on the
grill of some oncoming vehicle. But the twists and turns of life can elevate us
more than the long straight stretches of highway. The straightaways have their
place, but to a motorcycle rider the long straight stretch can lull us into complacency.
Life would also be boring without the twists and turns.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Life is a journey, not a destination. Maybe life is meant to
be a ride not a place. I accepted the fact that I wasn’t in a good place, but I
realized that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> on a good journey
full of challenge and purpose. I wasn't on the long straight highway of complacency and ease.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I smiled at the winding road ahead.</span><!--EndFragment-->
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-->Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-48516420169445380892019-05-21T18:59:00.001-07:002021-09-21T15:11:22.327-07:00The Constant Tug of War Between the Human and the Machine
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2S5F0pDgJR5nICKPkFrjgwG572zUTs-Q43aETrJScMUWRCEB3svi74dlDDXw4c6oVtcsIj9EUvACKVuwbRkSmIGWku1pbfqrphkN6rxKhiHfgIlxeVrSzPr4ZiGczapG5JMykLPKw9zy/s1600/gg112328805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2S5F0pDgJR5nICKPkFrjgwG572zUTs-Q43aETrJScMUWRCEB3svi74dlDDXw4c6oVtcsIj9EUvACKVuwbRkSmIGWku1pbfqrphkN6rxKhiHfgIlxeVrSzPr4ZiGczapG5JMykLPKw9zy/s320/gg112328805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other morning, I was driving to the airport and realized
that I had forgotten my cell phone. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
panicked.</i> How would I stay in touch with my wife for the next four days?
How would I be able to keep track of my schedule? How would I board the plane
without my digital boarding pass? What important events would I miss on social
media? How would I manage my hotel reservation? I was in the middle of rush
hour traffic and knew that if I turned around and went back home to get my
phone I might not make my flight. I turned around anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since the first primitive human picked up a rock and
fashioned it into a tool to change his or her environment, we humans have set
ourselves apart from other species by developing and using tools to advance our
way of life. Nowhere has the use of complex tools shaped our lives more than in
transportation and communication. We have developed increasingly complex tools
that both improve and dictate our daily lives. Clearly these innovations have
made our lives easier, connected us more with each other, and made the world a
smaller place. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We live in an increasingly automated world. Digital
assistants, self-driving cars, cleaning robots, package-delivering drones, and
AI customer service agents are just a few of the automated features in our
modern society. We interface with some form of semi-automated or intelligent
machine almost from the time we wake up in our smart houses until the time we
set our alarms on our smart phones before going to bed. We are never far from a
host of other wireless devices designed to make our life easier, better, and
more connected. But have the tools themselves transitioned from servant to
master? What happens when these intelligent machines become smarter than we
are?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The recent deadly accidents involving two Boeing 737 MAX8
airplanes highlights again that the epic tug of war between the human and the
machine continues. At one end of the rope is the creative, adaptable, and
intelligent human. At the other end is the increasingly cognitive and almost
sentient machine. It is a battle that will continue as long as humans employ
complex machines to do their bidding. The full investigation of these two
accidents will yield pertinent information about the design, training, and
employment of the aircraft, but already we can glean several important lessons
from the accidents that can be applied anywhere we employ intelligent machines
to improve human life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before I continue, let me state categorically that I love
the Boeing 737! It has been the most successful airliner in the history of
aviation. I have operated it safely for well over 12,000 hours across this
great continent and to Hawaii and back. I have flown it into low visibility
weather, short runways, and heavy rains. I have flown old versions ready for
the boneyard and new ones fresh from the factory floor. I have also deadheaded (a
passenger in the back being transported to my next assignment) or jumpseated
(on the fold-out seat in the cockpit) for thousands of hours as well. I have
flown multiple versions—the 200, 300, 500, 700, 800, and yes, the MAX8. The
Boeing 737 has always brought me safely home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only has the Boeing 737 always brought me safely home,
it has been the workhorse that has afforded me a comfortable lifestyle as a
professional pilot. It has put food on my table, put diapers on my young
children, and put my young adults through college. It has allowed me to take my
family on good vacations, drive nice cars, and pay for braces for all my
children. The Boeing 737 has been the economic engine that put a nice roof over
my head and funded my 401K. That machine has afforded me a lifestyle that
otherwise may not have been possible. This discussion is not intended to cast
stones but to highlight lessons we can all use as we develop and employ the
intelligent machines in our lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our modern world, we shouldn’t be thinking in terms of
which is better—human or machine. Instead we should be asking, “How can we
develop machines that humans can employ to advance our way of life?” It should
not be a question of human <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or</i> machine
but more a question of human <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i>
machine. Then our focus productively moves from the question of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> should we employ these machines, to
the question of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> should we employ
them. How do we interface with smart machines in a way that retains our
humanity and advances our way of life?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The world of aviation has struggled with this question for
many years, particularly as the automation tools in the flight deck have become
ubiquitous and dominant. The proper employment of automation has helped make
aviation the safest form of travel on the planet, statistically speaking. Pilots
have learned to use automation as a tool, without allowing it to become the
master. In the process of improving and employing automation in commercial
aviation, pilots developed automation philosophies, policies, and procedures
that ensure the proper employment of, and interface with, the aircraft
automation. These rules have not been developed in a vacuum or in some
ivy-covered tower of academia, but in the real world where the cost of the
lesson is paid in the blood of pilots and their passengers along with the
capital of crumpled aluminum and broken glass. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Essentially, three basic principles provide a framework for
managing the tug of war between the human and the machine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The human
should possess the same basic skills performed by the machine.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The human
and the machine should be able to interface easily.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The human
should always have the power (and knowledge) to override the machine.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The human should
possess the same basic skills performed by the machine.<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Smart machines are wonderful tools that accomplish complex,
repetitive, or mundane, tasks efficiently. They unburden the human from complex
tasks such as in-depth mathematical equations. They reduce the workload of
repetitive tasks such as routing incoming phone calls to the right department.
They liberate us from mundane tasks like washing dirty dishes. However, what
happens when the machine malfunctions?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because of the more powerful, and more efficient engines on
the Boeing MAX8, an adjustment had to be made to the flight controls to inhibit
the aircraft from entering a stall (a condition where the wings are no longer
producing lift and the aircraft begins to fall out of the sky) in certain
unusual situations. Designers of the new airplane relied on intelligent
technology operating in the background (without the knowledge of the pilot) to
keep the aircraft safely within the flight envelope. The engineers and
designers called it <span style="background: white; color: #313132; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Maneuver Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. If the thrust of the new, powerful engines
forced the nose of the aircraft past a predetermined angle, the MCAS adjusted
the pitch by moving the large horizontal stabilizer and pushing the nose of the
aircraft downward to prevent a stall. </span>In and of itself, this design
feature is robust and almost transparent to the pilot, until something goes
wrong. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Computers, no matter
how intelligent, are only as good as the sensory information they can gather.
Garbage in. Garbage out. In the case of both the Lion Air and the Ethiopian Air
accidents, it appears that the angle of attack sensor (the sensor that warns of
an approaching stall) was giving the flight computer erroneous information.
With no other sources of information to crosscheck, the computer activated the
MCAS and began forcing the nose downward to prevent a stall that was not
occurring. Additionally, other false warnings sounded and displayed in the
cockpit. The pilots became disoriented and did not analyze the problem
correctly or apply the designated corrective action. Like the computer, the
sensory information they were receiving did not correlate with their knowledge
and they were unable to save the airplane. Garbage in. Garbage out. Tragically,
everyone onboard the aircraft paid for the breakdown of both machine and human
with their lives.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When the machine malfunctioned, the
human in the equation did not apply the basic skills to continue safe operation
of the machine. Why they were unable to do so is not clear yet. The training
and ability of the pilots will come under scrutiny, as it always does in an
accident. Likewise, the distractions caused by the malfunction and the design
features of the pilot interface with the aircraft will be analyzed. Changes in
the aircraft design will not be enough to ensure safety. After the investigation,
professional pilots will study the report. Every pilot of the Boeing 737 MAX8
will receive training to handle the malfunction if it occurs again. They
understand that their lives, and the lives of their passengers, depend on the
basic skills of the human operator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What happens when we no longer know
how to do simple mathematical equations, drive a car, or fly an airplane? If we
rely entirely on the increasingly capable and intelligent machines to perform
complex and dangerous tasks, we may find that the human ability to perform
those same tasks will atrophy and perhaps disappear entirely. We must ensure
that the human in the equation possesses the basic skills to perform the tasks
performed by the machine, or when the machines fail, we will not be able to
survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The human and the
machine should be able to interface easily.<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the automation does something unexpected, pilots will
often jokingly say, “What’s it doing to me now?” It’s an indication that the
pilots either lack knowledge, or the system does not allow for proper
interface, or both. Either way, the result is technology in charge of the
process, and pilots that have become passengers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the ill-fated Lion Air 610 took off, the stick shaker
(a small vibrating motor attached to the base of the pilot’s yoke) immediately
activated on the captain’s side. The annoying motor is a warning to the pilot
that the aircraft is dangerously close to stalling and that a recovery is
needed. In addition, the pilot’s screens indicated “IAS DISAGREE” a warning
that the right and left side airspeed indicators (indicators that let the pilot
know how fast the airplane is flying through the air) did not agree. Most
likely, the captain’s instruments also displayed other unusual and erroneous
information. The noise of the stick shaker and the unusual display information
are powerful distractors, but professional pilots train for these situations
and should be able to follow emergency procedures and safely land the aircraft.
But what if you add one more thing?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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In the case of the Lion Air accident, the one extra thing
was the moving horizontal stabilizer trim. The horizontal stabilizer on the
tail of the aircraft is controlled by an electric motor that can be operated
manually by the pilot or automatically by the autopilot. The stabilizer is a
larger aerodynamic control surface than the elevator controlled by the pilot’s
yoke. Because it is a larger control surface, the horizontal stabilizer can
override the elevator. In other words, if the nose of the aircraft is pushed
down by the horizontal stabilizer, the pilot can pull back on the yoke as hard
as he wants and the aircraft will still enter into a dive. This is what
happened when the MCAS, being driven by erroneous information from a bad
sensor, pushed the aircraft into a dive using the horizontal stabilizer. The
pilots had the power to turn it off (and should have), but because of poor
interface and the distractions caused by the malfunction, they did not. (Note:
A jumpseating pilot on the same airplane the day before recognized the
malfunction and instructed the crew on how to alleviate the problem. This is
most likely because of the vantage point he or she had when the malfunction
occurred.) (<a href="https://reports.aviation-safety.net/2018/20181029-0_B38M_PK-LQP_PRELIMINARY.pdf">https://reports.aviation-safety.net/2018/20181029-0_B38M_PK-LQP_PRELIMINARY.pdf</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
The more that automated
systems confuse or distract the human, the more dangerous and ineffective those
systems become. Ease of interface with the machine is essential.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The human should
always have the power (and knowledge) to override the machine.<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s an old joke among pilots. The flight deck of the
future will have one pilot and a dog. The pilot will be there to monitor the
aircraft automation and ensure that it performs correctly. The dog will be
there to bite the pilot if he tries to turn off the automation and actually fly
the airplane. Humorous as this sounds, the human should always have the power,
and knowledge, to override the machine. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somewhere during the certification process of the Boeing
MAX8 the engineers had to decide how much information to tell the pilots that
would be flying the airplane. Too much information and the FAA might require
lengthy and unnecessary training. Not enough information and the pilots would
not understand what the aircraft was doing when an automated system took
control. It is reported that Boeing “…decided against disclosing more details
to cockpit crews due to concerns about inundating average pilots with too much
information—and significantly more technical data—than they needed or could
digest.” (<a href="https://theaircurrent.com/aviation-safety/what-is-the-boeing-737-max-maneuvering-characteristics-augmentation-system-mcas-jt610/">https://theaircurrent.com/aviation-safety/what-is-the-boeing-737-max-maneuvering-characteristics-augmentation-system-mcas-jt610/</a>)
It was assumed that a malfunctioning MCAS would appear like the similar
malfunction of a runaway horizontal stabilizer in which all pilots are trained.
They walked a dangerous tightrope between education and information overload.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Boeing’s defense, the decision to keep updating the B-737
and not redesigning it entirely provided pilots with experience in previous
models a knowledge and experiential base from which to learn the new
iterations. Although this philosophy comes with the inherent danger of not
explaining significant changes to newer generations of the aircraft, it is
countered by the improved safety of familiarity. In other words, familiarity of
pilots with past versions of the aircraft increases the chances of safe
operation of future versions of the aircraft, as long as differences are
properly explained and trained.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to the accident report, the pilots of Lion Air 610
counteracted the MCAS over twenty times before it caused the aircraft to crash.
(<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/aerospace/aviation/indonesias-safety-committee-releases-preliminary-report-into-lion-air-crash">https://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/aerospace/aviation/indonesias-safety-committee-releases-preliminary-report-into-lion-air-crash</a>)
Each time the MCAS forced the nose of the aircraft downward by using the
horizontal stabilizer trim motor. Each time, either the captain or the first
officer used the manual switch on the yoke to override it. Boeing procedures
dictate that when the stabilizer runs away, that the motors controlling it
should be turned off using two small switches on the throttle quadrant. In
effect the pilots revert to manually controlling the large horizontal control
surface and don’t allow the automated system to make any further inputs. Because
these switches are critical during a malfunction and runaway of the horizontal
stabilizer, this cutout feature gets tested during every initial preflight
check.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It appears that the pilots were overwhelmed by the other
distracting events in the cockpit and did not recognize that the stabilizer was
moving without their input. As the flight progressed, for some reason they
stopped countering the automated response of the MCAS with the manual switch on
the yoke and the aircraft became uncontrollable. They had the power to override
the automation, but perhaps because of insufficient training, confusion, and
distraction caused by other warnings, it appears they didn’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Automated systems should never have ultimate control of the
machines we operate. Humans should always have the power, and knowledge, to
override the machine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In spite of these recent high-profile accidents and the
tragic loss of life, air travel is by far the safest form of transportation.
According to Ian Savage, a professor at Northwestern University, between 2000
and 2009 air travel accounted for 0.07 deaths per billion miles of travel. Cars
accounted for 7.28 deaths per billion miles. (<a href="http://www.cityam.com/215834/one-chart-showing-safest-ways-travel">http://www.cityam.com/215834/one-chart-showing-safest-ways-travel</a>)
You are one hundred times more likely to be part of an accident driving to and
from the airport than you are while flying on your flight. This safety record
didn’t happen by accident. It is the combined effort of aircraft manufacturers,
government regulators, airlines, and the pilots that fly the airplanes. We will
take lessons from these tragedies as well to ensure that they don’t happen
again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Advances in automation have helped make aviation the safest
form of travel today. It is the combination of human and machine working
together in harmony that allows for that safety. The tug of war between man and
intelligent machine will continue, but in the end if we don’t follow some of
the basic principles learned through these tragic accidents, we will lose that
tug of war and humans will pay for it with more loss of life. Even worse, we
may lose our own human autonomy to intelligent machines.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most optimum way to move forward in this age of
increasing technology is a combination of human <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> machine where the machine serves the human, not the opposite.
We must be able to employ increasingly complex and capable tools without fear
that they will one day become our masters. Like the first human that fashioned
a rock into a tool, we must maintain basic skills, learn to properly interface
with tools, and when necessary, abandon the tool that no longer serves our best
interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hurried home that morning and got my cell phone because it
has become an integral tool in my everyday life. I only made my flight because I
employed another new technology. I drove my Tesla in the HOV lane. The
combination of human intellect and intelligent machine saved the day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-12614023938612154912019-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:002019-01-23T10:55:11.856-08:00Sometimes
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I am an angry man.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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That may surprise a few of you who think you know me, and it
may likewise seem out of synch with the smiling picture you see of me on social
media and on my website. The statement, no matter how out of character or out
of place it seems, is indeed true. I am an angry man, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sometimes</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This past week I listened to the celebration of life for
Herb Kelleher, one of the founders for Southwest Airlines. He was loved by
many; admired by many; hailed by many as one of the most successful businessmen
of our day. He helped start the most profitable, and successful, US airline in
aviation history. He was remembered for his wit, his laugh, his tenacity, his
courage, and his larger-than-life personality. However, as his close friends
discussed the great man, they also talked about his faults and weaknesses. He
forgot and lost things regularly. He was unorganized. He probably drank a
little too much Wild Turkey. In spite of his weaknesses, he was by many
standards wildly successful. He made a difference in the lives of thousands,
even millions, of people because of what he accomplished.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every man (and woman) has faults and weaknesses, but they are
only threads woven into the tapestry of character that we weave throughout our
lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like most of you, I followed the confrontation between high
school students in MAGA hats and the drum-beating Native American protestor in
Washington DC. The incident itself made me cringe on multiple levels. I was
grateful it didn’t turn into a physical confrontation. I was disappointed at
the rush to judgement and the hateful things said of the participants. Almost
immediately I saw hateful memes and heated arguments full of name-calling and
vitriol blanketing social media. Somehow, without ever being there, we all
became experts in human behavior and omniscient diviners of the human heart. We
rushed to judgement and became social-media mobs with hashtags, likes, and
tweets, instead of pitchforks, torches, and buckets of tar. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every enemy we face is a fellow human being, until we vilify
them and contort them into a monster through our own interpretation of their intent,
character, and soul. In his book, <u>The Gulag Archipelago</u>, Aleksandr
Solzhenitsyn said, “<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If only there were evil people somewhere
insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary</span><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">only to separate them from the rest
of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and evil cuts
through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy
a piece of his own heart?”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everyone you meet is a mixed bag of good and evil, of virtue and
vice, and of heroism and villainy. The same thing is true of the person you see
in the mirror. Do you offer the same gentle judgement and the same merciful hand
to both? Evil does exist in the world and should be contained, but perhaps we
need to start by trying to root out the evil in our own heart first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am an angry man, sometimes. But I am also a kind man, sometimes.
When I am weighed in the balance, which side will tip the scale? Will I be
remembered for my faults, or for my strengths? Will I be judged by my successes,
or by my failures? Truthfully, I hope that I am remembered for all the good,
and evil, that sprang from my heart. Hopefully, people will judge the entire
tapestry I have woven with the acts of my life and not pull only at the dark
threads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-82488143332761428442018-12-27T18:05:00.000-08:002018-12-27T18:05:33.293-08:00The House Is Quiet Now<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is quiet now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The decorated Christmas tree shines in the window and the
lights on the house cast a red and green glow in the night. A mountain of neatly
wrapped gifts awaits. The pantry is stocked with treats and the refrigerator is
overflowing with food. The beds are all made with clean linens and the smell of
scented candles wafts along the hallway. Everyone will be home for Christmas
soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is noisy now. Everyone arrives with holiday
greetings and a warm embrace. The kids chatter on about school and friends. The
grandkids squeal with delight at the sight of the miniature train as it circles
the tree and blows its whistle. The kitchen is filled with the sounds of
tinkling glasses and pots and pans. Animated conversations fill the living room
and rise above the sound of background music. Laughter echoes down the hallway.
Everyone has arrived for Christmas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is crazy now. The bathrooms are constantly full
and hot water is scarce from time to time. Mealtime is an undertaking akin to
feeding a starving army marching across Siberia in the wintertime. Siblings
fight over the comfortable seats on the couch and jockey for position in front of
the television to play video games. Wrapping paper seems to have proliferated
through every room in the house. Offices have become spare bedroom space with mattresses
on the floor. The doorbell is constantly ringing as deliveries roll in. Everyone
is anxious for Christmas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is happy now. Christmas morning has arrived! With
a prayer of thanks the festivities begin. Presents are distributed and one by
one the ribbons and wrapping paper are discarded. Eyes light up at the sight of
cherished gifts. The words, “Thank You” and “You’re welcome” are repeated over
and over again. The smell of waffles with buttermilk syrup and bacon invite
everyone to the kitchen. Everyone is happy that Christmas morning has finally
arrived.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is dirty now. Piles of wrapping paper are
scattered across the living room. Dirty dishes languish in the sink waiting for
their turn in the dishwasher. Discarded socks litter the entryway and shoes
clog the hallway like cars in a traffic jam. Crumbs from cookies and homemade
bread await the broom. Fingerprints cover the refrigerator door handle. Damp towels carpet the bathroom floor. The washing machine hums along trying to keep
up. Everyone wonders how Christmas could make such a mess.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is stressful now. Travel arrangements are checked
and suitcases are stuffed with gifts. Work emails must be answered and school
beckons. Linens are stripped from the beds and piled in the laundry room. The
alarm clock is employed once again. Quick farewells are exchanged and tears wiped
from cheeks. Vehicles are packed with bodies and suitcases are stuffed into trunks. The car exhaust
lingers in the garage like spoiled perfume. Everyone has departed after
Christmas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsExwGSX7s59SCeGO1J6VpKAGpernXjXuZRvQjEnoQcpiHh6tpRO25Z-eWsDCImenuqFFjgoZa4i8iO3CwWSRtJTI9c5bns4zIzBvr_lfbIJF7lrUH0j50mPgW95nYJqVrGCDdDcreLvB/s1600/00000IMG_00000_BURST20181223211429568_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsExwGSX7s59SCeGO1J6VpKAGpernXjXuZRvQjEnoQcpiHh6tpRO25Z-eWsDCImenuqFFjgoZa4i8iO3CwWSRtJTI9c5bns4zIzBvr_lfbIJF7lrUH0j50mPgW95nYJqVrGCDdDcreLvB/s400/00000IMG_00000_BURST20181223211429568_COVER.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matching Christmas Pajamas Yay!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-47863272836719282672018-07-23T21:57:00.000-07:002018-07-23T21:57:08.798-07:00Social Media Makes Us Stupider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other day I did something dangerous—I gave a political opinion on social media. I didn’t promote a particular political party or specific candidate. I didn’t call anyone names or malign anyone’s heritage. I supported and promoted the rule of law. Period.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It all started when my nephew posted an opinion about a current political policy. His comment was passionate and thoughtful. He believed something should be changed and he expressed what he thought should be changed and why it should be changed. He supported his argument with his morals and was respectful in the process. I read his comments and although I agreed with his passion on the topic, I did not agree entirely with the methodology he promoted to achieve the end. We agreed (in general) on the desired results, but not on the methodology. His comment made me think and I responded with my opinion on the matter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After posting my comment, I saw that several other friends had commented on the same topic with a variety of positions. I thought, “Maybe I should write down my thoughts in a coherent, logical structure and post them for others to see and we can discuss this important issue rationally.” Wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have friends from a variety of political views. I’m okay with that. We live in a country that promotes freedom of speech, and I believe in robust debate about important issues. When I peruse social media I am bombarded with memes, news articles, and headlines from both sides of the political aisle and the political slant on the issues. What I don’t see is open, honest, rational discussion on any given topic. I am constantly bombarded with sharp rhetoric packaged in memes and one-line statements intended to alienate and divide. Nobody really wants to have a discussion. They just want to give their opinion and shut down any contrary opinion with name-calling and SHOUTING.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My post garnered responses from several people and was shared by several friends. One commenter asked if it was okay to disagree with me. After a few posts some of the people commenting began to post point and counterpoint. For the most part, the discussion remained civil, but nobody changed their mind about anything. One friend shared my post, and the responses of people who didn’t know me were a lot more mean-spirited. The conversation spiraled downward into slights, innuendo, and labeling. One person stated with great confidence that I would have surely sunk Washington’s boat as he crossed the Delaware river to attack the Hessians. <sigh><o:p></o:p></sigh></div>
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After a few days, everyone moved one and the conversation waned. Nobody changed their mind. Nobody walked away from the exchange with a new perspective. We were all just as stupid as we were when we started, and maybe stupider.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why? Social media doesn’t lend itself to an engaging conversation or exchange of ideas. It is the classic case of failing to listen because you are formulating your response instead of trying to understand the other person’s viewpoint. The mechanism limits the fluid exchange of feelings and restricts the back-and-forth conversation that enlightens both parties and helps them arrive at a point of learning and compromise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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People are emboldened by the perceived anonymity that social media provides. It’s much easier to sit in the safety of your living room and smear someone personally than to say it to their face. It takes little courage to fight a Twitter war. It takes little intellect to troll someone and attack their viewpoint with half-truths or name calling. There are no heroes in a battle of memes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is impossible to capture difficult abstract thoughts in short bursts of emotion. Complex issues really cannot be boiled down to a few characters on a screen. It is true that aphorisms have the power to inspire and guide, but they won’t solve multifaceted issues with no right or wrong solution. Complex issues require lengthy discussion and often need time to percolate before the solution presents itself. Social media abhors the lengthy, careful argument.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I love my nephew and enjoy exchanging opposing ideas with him, and I wish that social media could create that same space. It should be a space for open, rational discussion that enlightens us and makes us think. But in the end, social media has reduced us to pictures with words, pithy digs, and one-line zingers that malign anyone with a different opinion. Social media just makes us stupider.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-853149739768211502018-07-04T22:20:00.001-07:002018-07-04T22:20:50.641-07:00Thirty Years of Moments<div class="Body" style="border: none; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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It isn’t every day you fall in love, but it can take a lifetime of days to realize how much in love you really are with someone. I have heard of love at first sight, but I have never experienced it. I imagine it feels something like I felt thirty years ago on the first day I realized I was in love with my wife.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We had been dating for a few months and spending a lot of our time together. It started casually at first—card games, study sessions, motorcycle rides, but as we grew more comfortable the spark kindled. One day we went for a drive up into the canyon. It was springtime and the snow had melted. For some reason, as we were driving she yelled, “Look at the cows!” Sure enough a herd of cows were grazing at the fence near the road. She wanted to stop and pet them. Now, being a farm boy from Kentucky, I had seen plenty of cows and had no interest in “petting” them. Her enthusiasm convinced me to stop. When I pulled over she jumped out of the car and called the cows as she approached the fence. Surprisingly, the cows responded and gathered around her. I opened my door and stood by the car with a big grin on my face while she plucked the long grass on our side of the fence and fed it to the cows giggling like a little girl.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I stood by the car with my jaded view of petting cattle and shook my head at the scene. Then it happened. Time slowed down. Sounds were muffled and in spite of being in the outdoors my vision seemed to constrict until the only thing I could see was her. In spite of the pleasant temperature, I felt suddenly flush and my heart rate quickened. It was if the whole world full of billions had dwindled down to just two people. My entire being was overwhelmed with the feeling that I loved her. Her laughter broke the trance, but after that moment I knew I was in love with her.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can’t build a lasting relationship on a moment, but it is a good place to start. From that epiphany moment I mustered the courage to ask her to marry me. From the marriage commitment we began to build a loving relationship brick by brick. Some days I added a brick to the structure. Sadly, some days I destroyed a wall or two and had to spend time repairing the damage instead of adding to the structure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A moment does not a marriage make. A flourish of emotion is not the same as devotion. A passing desire will never rise to the level of love. You can begin with a moment, but you must intentionally build thousands of other moments if you wish to continue building a loving relationship that will stand the test of time. Love is not just an emotion. It is a verb, a call to selfless action.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, thirty years later I’m blessed to still be married to the girl that made me stop to pet the cows on the side of the road. It has been thirty years full of moments—sometimes loving, sometimes angry, sometimes tender, sometimes harsh, sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter. In spite of the ups and downs and the highs and the lows, I remembered that moment. And in remembering, I pressed forward in the darkness knowing that the light of love would return as long as I followed through with my promises to her.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I fell in love that day, but it has taken thirty years of loving moments for me to realize how much in love I really am.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Happy 30th Anniversary!</span><br />
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Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-21736323958509684722018-01-09T07:17:00.000-08:002018-01-09T07:59:06.425-08:00Markito Flaquito<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4lOdyq9Z93w9tIZVyc9HjQt92KQzD_pes4lSSBMqb5WP1lzvKx0tyWPKN5y4t46lSSy4i7C-ee-WTgCHHQRfiMO3_0ItHhyphenhyphenkJQCfd3UsbAZC7flI0DYNuOQ4nRin8HzNVb_4RC0094sY/s1600/IMG_0969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4lOdyq9Z93w9tIZVyc9HjQt92KQzD_pes4lSSBMqb5WP1lzvKx0tyWPKN5y4t46lSSy4i7C-ee-WTgCHHQRfiMO3_0ItHhyphenhyphenkJQCfd3UsbAZC7flI0DYNuOQ4nRin8HzNVb_4RC0094sY/s200/IMG_0969.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I pitched the trip to my friends as a “bucket list” type of trip. Fly into San José, Costa Rica, rent dual-sport BMW touring motorcycles from Elephant Motorcycle Expeditions, and experience the country in a way that only riders can appreciate. I promised them it would be epic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I first mentioned the trip to my friend Mark, his eyes lit up. He is a cancer survivor who loves the adventure of the open road on a motorcycle, and Costa Rica is on his bucket list. His enthusiasm spurred me to set the trip in motion, but then a couple of months before the trip, Mark’s doctor discovered a tumor on his liver and he had to drop out to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatment. In spite of this, he encouraged the rest of us to go and embrace the adventure. He only asked that we keep him in the loop via text and email as we traveled so he could enjoy it vicariously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pura vida</i> is the national slogan of the people of Costa Rica. Literally translated it means “pure life,” but in reality it means so much more. It is an expression about how they embrace the excitement and adventure of life. It symbolizes how they feel about the goodness of the earth and everything it provides us. It represents a sense of wonder found in the natural beauty of the forests, mountains, and beaches of their land. It symbolizes gratitude for what is, and hope for what is to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first night together in San José we discussed the schedule over dinner. The husbands would pick up the motorcycles and make their way through the mountains up to La Fortuna. The ladies would embark on their own adventure whitewater rafting on the Balsa River, and then we would meet at our hotel in the afternoon. In order to keep Mark involved in the fun, my wife, Britt, suggested that we fashion a photo of Mark after Flat Stanley and take pictures of him during the trip. We affectionately dubbed our traveling companion “Markito Flaquito” (little skinny Mark) and our adventure began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIVsw0PcxRAP-NS65-NtrtKxf3srupi9TA2_FiAVEBTdqZkPUPp9pVqY8LWTQ9cqULKwHU8lDWkyKnxSB7NUG9xvHBagScpG8RVQKz-RhNNjlVuppQiac9CRKCmUKo8T-RYg1UjL7Qw1j/s1600/IMG_0485.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIVsw0PcxRAP-NS65-NtrtKxf3srupi9TA2_FiAVEBTdqZkPUPp9pVqY8LWTQ9cqULKwHU8lDWkyKnxSB7NUG9xvHBagScpG8RVQKz-RhNNjlVuppQiac9CRKCmUKo8T-RYg1UjL7Qw1j/s200/IMG_0485.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After seeing the wives off on their own adventure, we picked our way through traffic and out of the city with the help of Henry, our motorcycle guide. We traveled through Alajuela and up to the waterfall of La Paz passing fields of coffee beans and traversing misty rainforest valleys. Each sweeping turn brought another breathtaking vista and the smell of tropical flowers. Each switchback filled us with the adventure of the open road. The chatter over our headsets included a lot of “wow” in the vocabulary. We took pictures of Markito Flaquito along the way and ended the day with our wives in the hot springs behind our hotel bubbling with excitement.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukPZYDOeboL-LKXbsgDd1MKWY5OOEpyy12fhzWyRu4JOGSNUO0Gmspl98ceJVDqJGsAKjsLp5V4PMeuBM3bppS8Ky7wmJgffnWpNC-5bX7NHYrzsvCvPoYTkCCNwks4qDKUUMcqn8tkrs/s1600/IMG_0835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukPZYDOeboL-LKXbsgDd1MKWY5OOEpyy12fhzWyRu4JOGSNUO0Gmspl98ceJVDqJGsAKjsLp5V4PMeuBM3bppS8Ky7wmJgffnWpNC-5bX7NHYrzsvCvPoYTkCCNwks4qDKUUMcqn8tkrs/s320/IMG_0835.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The next morning we went rappelling down waterfalls in the rainforest with Desafío Tours. We climbed on to the metal benches in the back of a truck and jostled our way up the rocky mountain road to the starting point. After a safety briefing and getting geared up, we hiked to the top of the canyon and began our rope-sliding adventure. One by one we traversed the waterfalls of the canyon dangling on ropes and scrambling through muddy pools. I was more afraid of slipping on the rocks than falling. By the time we finished the course and hiked back to the start, we were soaking wet and grinning from ear to ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the ride, the ladies relaxed at the hot springs while the guys rode the north shore of Lake Arenal on Highway 142 which winds around the largest man-made lake in Costa Rica. At the end of the ride, we were meeting at the Tabacón hot springs restaurant for dinner and relaxation. Highway 142 has everything an adventure rider could want—curves, light traffic, and beautiful views. We made our way to The Macadamia Café at the northwest corner of the lake before turning around. Brian led on the way back, and with the sun going down and some water running over sections of the road, we slowed our pace on the return in spite of possibly being late for dinner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I entered into a left-hand turn about thirty yards behind Brian focused on the road, but thinking about getting to dinner on time. By the time Brian told me that the road was slippery, I guess it was too late. The next thing I remember I was sliding across the asphalt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My mind kicked into overdrive. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How close are Greg and Scott? Far enough back not to be a problem. Was there any traffic in the other lane? No. Get away from the bike. Relax. Slide. Tumble. Stand up and get off the road.</i> After sliding I popped up and scurried off the road as the bike slid into the muddy ditch on the opposite side of the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The headsets got busy. “Someone’s down! Someone’s down!” “Are you okay?” “Get your hazard lights on.” “No traffic.” “Brock are you hurt?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“I’m okay,” I answered when I found my voice. “But my wife’s going to kill me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Somebody said, “Who says she has to know?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As Greg and Scott helped me pull the bike back onto the road and cleaned the mud off, I said, “Well guys, I think this trip is over for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They told me, “These bikes are pretty rugged. Let’s get it upright and I’ll bet it’s okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a quick inspection, we started it up and finished the ride to dinner. My mind raced as I replayed the accident searching for clues about why it happened. I wondered how I was going to tell my wife. I decided not to tell her until the trip was over. I didn’t want to ruin her vacation. The guys didn’t think I would make it through dinner without telling her what happened, but I focused on the fun we were having and managed to keep from spilling the beans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I woke up in the middle of the night with my mind racing. I replayed the accident over and over again. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What did I do wrong? Why did it happen? What was I doing riding motorcycles in Central America? What if I had been hurt or killed? What was I going to say when I told my wife?</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Should I continue riding? </i>Fear lingered and kept me from sleeping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Life never goes as we expect. We make plans for epic adventures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences in far away places, but the truth is that things seldom work out the way we plan them. With each day dawns a new mystery. Each moment teeming with life will develop on its own, in spite of our intentions and desires. Death looms on some unseen, and sometimes unexpected, horizon, but it is always there to remind us that our time here is finite. Yes, we should plan our future and work towards our goals, but we should make room for living, or dying, along the way. We should live a <i>pura-vida</i> life.</span><!--EndFragment--> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I got up early and found Scott and Greg cleaning the rest of the mud off of my bike. It was scratched up, but mechanically sound. I put my fears aside and geared up.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsgk1kDyOvEaeIrJ958iLtKSUe62FPhyphenhyphenTKkAQYEJgK_uXIvEY-HX4BkOhoB2_uW-gFf21UVyFFSwPRQDiNYMwVuDKTJ8av_bGOu45e6RdzAxBA-CWIRmvhdVQpEZK_9SdyYYMsBldbVPC/s1600/IMG_0876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In addition to touring the Costa Rican countryside on motorcycles, each remaining day brought its own adventure—ziplining above the rainforest in the shadow of a volcano, watching crocodiles in the river, boogie boarding the warm surf of the Pacific, and walking along a secluded beach. Pablo, one of our drivers, even opened up his home and had us all over for dinner with his family. We snapped pictures of Markito Flaquito and sent them to our friend to lighten his spirit and let him know that we were thinking of him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYTLAwdugsh7cO8MN5BqpeZJklQuNEkwjrwkm7S8rS8A-9krNPYfN3e4HQlO30tnCSwsgsnJypQyBYL6YXv6R-LP6hzgXOx5718fNcn400w1wOmGXZhol25Mt92RB6eSyjM71_4L24bsZ/s1600/IMG_0863.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYTLAwdugsh7cO8MN5BqpeZJklQuNEkwjrwkm7S8rS8A-9krNPYfN3e4HQlO30tnCSwsgsnJypQyBYL6YXv6R-LP6hzgXOx5718fNcn400w1wOmGXZhol25Mt92RB6eSyjM71_4L24bsZ/s320/IMG_0863.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every day of our trip was filled with adventure, friendship, and fun. Every evening was filled with good food and lively conversation. Perhaps because of the accident, or because of the calculated risks, or maybe because of our missing friend, the trip seemed full of life and longing for the excitement of the next day. We soaked it all in like the warm tropical sun at the beaches of Manuel Antonio. We relished in the beauty of nature that engulfed us. We marveled at our wonderful world as we watched the brilliant sunset over the Pacific Ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xbZlMjcn6xEENXsSZlg0wR7eTWvsiChVHljddSAw_M22hwxMTJ6Vxwt3r9FEiIPeqgam-LD02LkIXeI3x9gGO9juxbkwmkAtthYnJQrPHP6F3NE9xjHlSLQPwNN1violABC30rB7viyi/s1600/IMG_0934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xbZlMjcn6xEENXsSZlg0wR7eTWvsiChVHljddSAw_M22hwxMTJ6Vxwt3r9FEiIPeqgam-LD02LkIXeI3x9gGO9juxbkwmkAtthYnJQrPHP6F3NE9xjHlSLQPwNN1violABC30rB7viyi/s640/IMG_0934.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the second to last day we were gearing up for a couple’s ride and Britt noticed the scratches on the motorcycle. “Did you lay this bike down?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I pursed my lips and took a deep breath, certain that she would be upset with me. “Yes, the other night on our way to Tabacón.” I told her the whole story and explained why I hadn’t told her. She took it all in quietly, asked a few questions, and then climbed on the back of the bike and rode with me all day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2hfPnGcYHNIh5blqJYCdPXqpf2-TOeDoLnHM9sMa0ubxk0wSMERzWhEBTjqrRISbVS_5lf5ado3LxhxZGkJ1MkufR8lAI93BXGs9IM9tJ6pL1yfRpFWoM3I0-9omL-lUVylzyxnd4tPH/s1600/IMG_0965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2hfPnGcYHNIh5blqJYCdPXqpf2-TOeDoLnHM9sMa0ubxk0wSMERzWhEBTjqrRISbVS_5lf5ado3LxhxZGkJ1MkufR8lAI93BXGs9IM9tJ6pL1yfRpFWoM3I0-9omL-lUVylzyxnd4tPH/s200/IMG_0965.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Henry, our guide, picked us up the last day and took us down the coast before turning inland for San Isidro and northbound along the mountainous Highway 2 toward San José. We stopped near the highest elevation and watched the clouds drift over the elevated rainforest. “This is a dangerous highway,” explained Henry. “In the olden days, people traveled it with oxcarts and many died along the way. They nicknamed it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cerro de la Muerte</i> (Hill of Death).”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We descended into San José and followed Henry through the chaotic city traffic and returned the bikes. Indeed, it was an epic, bucket-list type of trip, and I was glad that I had survived it, only losing my deductible on a rented motorcycle.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCzrA4dnNzN320qGbWzpswuKsZ76lAsjcegaU0WzQBD5fEb4Y_xxwo3wLMw6IyVURFFf7h-yklgPgtJdmvkn0qZ4UfT9YddKE-qbFEY4TFg2M-1ei_NApai2GzwpojwgiTMXtXZ-Mf8kF/s1600/IMG_0970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCzrA4dnNzN320qGbWzpswuKsZ76lAsjcegaU0WzQBD5fEb4Y_xxwo3wLMw6IyVURFFf7h-yklgPgtJdmvkn0qZ4UfT9YddKE-qbFEY4TFg2M-1ei_NApai2GzwpojwgiTMXtXZ-Mf8kF/s320/IMG_0970.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pura vida</i>—pure life—is a good expression to live by. Each day is a gift that we must unwrap in our own special way. Markito Flaquito reminded us to enjoy each moment and remember what a blessing it is to live. Fill every minute with a zest for life. Be grateful for the blessings and opportunities we have been given. Lift the spirits of those around you with optimism. Don’t let the certain specter of death keep you from living. Like my friend Mark, I choose to live every day with <i>pura vida</i>. </span><!--EndFragment--><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZOdWGbXswrxiW6n6crLwvIy0G3MDotUVMChmy-Ki_-VVvZo3YURt21nuT8gMvFfNpNok5KeD4tkmRGTYfDy4HYa3Rfb3ocdsrIpqzjqk35uHXqW2U_brsx0jxzno1BqjYxHQ5wNCMsqC/s1600/IMG_0376.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZOdWGbXswrxiW6n6crLwvIy0G3MDotUVMChmy-Ki_-VVvZo3YURt21nuT8gMvFfNpNok5KeD4tkmRGTYfDy4HYa3Rfb3ocdsrIpqzjqk35uHXqW2U_brsx0jxzno1BqjYxHQ5wNCMsqC/s320/IMG_0376.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-31155650907355792052017-06-17T14:28:00.000-07:002017-06-26T08:56:03.114-07:00Five Reasons Why Fatherhood is the Toughest Leadership Position You Will Ever Hold<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, I stood in front of a group of Japanese exchange students holding an index card with a question on it. “What has been your most difficult leadership position?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The answer popped into my head almost immediately. I didn’t think of the many leadership positions I have held in my church. The stressful Air Force leadership positions I once filled didn’t cross my mind. I never even gave my titles as an airline Captain or Check Airman a thought. “The most difficult leadership position I have ever held,” I told them almost without hesitation, “Is being a father.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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Before any of you mothers out there get your dander up, I tip my hat to motherhood as well. I merely stated that being a father is the most difficult leadership role <i>I</i> have ever held, not that fatherhood <i>is</i> the most difficult leadership role out there. I have never been, and never will be, a mother. So, in answering the question, I was limited to the roles I have held. This is an expression about my experience as a father, but it certainly applies to a woman’s experience as a mother. Parenting is the most difficult leadership role in the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsF9ZnynzgQuTv1suAGBPLmvIakWV_kGnlcxhGTfL9GqYtjXzey1ulY5nXVk9oNyY_vCGMc-Dy_7pnIp-VFR9kBw1f5m_bxphG_5RoM9YV0OLIDKbVFHy3NOVjFICuk_bIW5gPbNMiBPl/s1600/fullsizeoutput_6f0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsF9ZnynzgQuTv1suAGBPLmvIakWV_kGnlcxhGTfL9GqYtjXzey1ulY5nXVk9oNyY_vCGMc-Dy_7pnIp-VFR9kBw1f5m_bxphG_5RoM9YV0OLIDKbVFHy3NOVjFICuk_bIW5gPbNMiBPl/s400/fullsizeoutput_6f0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to organize the family photo</td></tr>
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Leading a family is the most difficult task in the world for several reasons.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1) Your family knows where you buried the bodies. Remember that time you decided to burn the leftover boxes from Christmas in the fireplace and set off all the smoke alarms after midnight and almost burned the house down? Or how about the time you backed into a telephone pole with your minivan because you were shouting at your boys for fighting? If you have done something in front of your family that is embarrassing, shameful, or might land you in jail, your family will remember. It’s tough to lead a group of people who know how imperfect you are. You can’t pull the wool over their eyes, or pretend that you’re perfect. They know who you really are. They know where you’ve buried the dead bodies of your temper tantrums, your broken promises, your lies, and your failures. It’s tough to lead a family, because your family knows you aren’t anywhere close to perfect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2) Your children will pick up your bad habits before they develop your good habits. Have you ever had to wash your child’s mouth out with soap because they repeated a swear word they heard you utter? Have you ever put your child in time out for behaving like you? Bad habits will always be duplicated sooner, and more often, than good habits. A child will do what you do long before they will do what you say, even if what you are telling them is better for them. You can put on a good face at work and hide or minimize your bad habits, but not at home. It’s tough to lead an organization that is quick to repeat your bad habits, and slow to develop your good habits. <o:p></o:p></div>
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3) Your children know where you sleep. Vince Lombardi said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” When you have worked a long day and your toddler crawls into bed with you because he’s afraid of the dark, you find out what you are really made of. It’s tough to be brave and lead when it’s 1:00 AM and your teenager is still out on prom night and you can’t sleep even though you have to get up at 6:00 AM and go to work. Everybody can keep their cool and make good decisions when they get eight hours of uninterrupted rest. Only a parent understands the challenge of running a household full of energetic grade-school children when you’re sleep deprived, without snapping someone’s head off. Only a parent can appreciate the struggle to remain sane when you can’t remember what it’s like to sleep without someone kicking you in the kidneys all night long. Leading a family is difficult because you are constantly fighting fatigue.<o:p></o:p></div>
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4) Your children don’t know and don’t care how important you are at work. I don’t care if you are the CEO of Apple, the Rear Admiral of a Naval shipyard, or Supreme Court Justice, and neither do your children. Your children don’t care about how many lives you saved that day, or how much money you made on that big deal you closed. Your children aren’t impressed by some fancy title or corner office with windows on two sides. All your children care about is what you are going to fix for dinner and if you will let them stay up and play a game past their normal bedtime. The world may bow at your feet or shower you with accolades, but when you cross the threshold of your home the only title that matters is Daddy. To lead a family you can’t pull rank or rely on some earned status. Leading as a parent is difficult because parents have to lead in the moment without the help or trappings of authority. <o:p></o:p></div>
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5) You can’t quit from being a parent. No matter how old you get, you will always be the father of your children. There is no finish line. There is no retirement. There is no quitting. It is true that you can simply give up, or abandon, your children, but that only shifts the burden to someone else, not the responsibility. Children will look to you as a parent (good or bad) for the rest of your (and their) life. The job of a parent does evolve over time, and the task loading does wane as children grow older, but the job is never complete. Once a parent, always a parent. Parenting is not for quitters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, leading as a father is the toughest thing I have ever done, but it also the most rewarding. Your children may know of your biggest faults, but they will also love you when you don’t deserve it. Your children may pick up your bad habits, but they will also surprise you with their ingenuity and accomplishment. Your children may deprive you of sleep, but they will also reenergize you with their sense of wonder and zest for life. Your children may not respect you for your titles and accomplishments in the workplace, but they will look up to you because of (and in spite of) who you really are. You may not be able to quit being the father to your children, but why would you ever want to?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12pt;">Nothing I have ever done has been as difficult as being a father, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJX4VwDzw2sKm0tS6v_CYzvpFsPoYbTqUVf-5RgAez_TbbL9th-vM0MwniQpRBOLNrAd2VQRYHz_STQN0pSRwtGYLwVm9d62GgmHu-T1sm5oOvfbhXMWlTaVES1wjgjoBjJucXSuGuPstL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_6ca.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJX4VwDzw2sKm0tS6v_CYzvpFsPoYbTqUVf-5RgAez_TbbL9th-vM0MwniQpRBOLNrAd2VQRYHz_STQN0pSRwtGYLwVm9d62GgmHu-T1sm5oOvfbhXMWlTaVES1wjgjoBjJucXSuGuPstL/s400/fullsizeoutput_6ca.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Family Photo</td></tr>
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Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-84994635895088368562017-04-05T12:20:00.000-07:002017-04-05T12:20:31.943-07:00Thailand: Adventure Into the Unfamiliar<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83gLOq7ETVaF4oJTEfs8eLZDLSp_qQ5c6Laik9_sDf4TIthhwBJDReHZvncw0f6tnoy6SO5Pgx3pEg8qdyYMfp7bLxPm0ZbtqmKo4FMTvb3ourIAaO_D7BQ854n5uzUloLQej1L8BpSWz/s1600/IMG_0094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83gLOq7ETVaF4oJTEfs8eLZDLSp_qQ5c6Laik9_sDf4TIthhwBJDReHZvncw0f6tnoy6SO5Pgx3pEg8qdyYMfp7bLxPm0ZbtqmKo4FMTvb3ourIAaO_D7BQ854n5uzUloLQej1L8BpSWz/s640/IMG_0094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view at the top of Tiger Cave Temple</td></tr>
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The sound of metal crashing against metal made my heart skip
a beat. It was our last night in Thailand and I didn’t want to spend it in some
urgent care, or police station, where nobody spoke English. However, I had
taken a few risks on this trip and although risk can produce rewards, it can
also produce injury, and incur cost.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I like to take a few risks while traveling. I’ve raced
horses on the beach, whitewater rafted, rappelled down waterfalls, explored
caves, ziplined above the rainforest, jumped off cliffs, boated down the Amazon
(the river not the website), scuba dived shipwrecks, and swam with sharks. A
bit of adventure gets the heart pumping and makes travel more memorable. Sitting
by the pool or on the beach is boring. I like a little more adventure. My trip
to Thailand incurred a few risks, but it was packed with once-in-lifetime
adventures as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Grand Palace</td></tr>
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When my daughter suggested Thailand for her Senior trip, I
must admit that I wasn’t enthusiastic about it. I couldn’t understand why
anyone would want to travel that far when perfectly acceptable destinations
were within a few hours of air travel. What could possibly be worth spending
twenty hours in an airplane and crossing the International Date Line? She
promised it would be an adventure into the unfamiliar.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">From the moment I stepped off the airplane onto the streets
of Bangkok, I felt like I was swimming in the unfamiliar. I couldn’t speak the
language. I didn’t know much about the culture. I struggled to hire a taxi. The
money was strange. I had trouble finding my bearings. I was in deep water of
the unfamiliar and all I could do was tread water. The streets of Bangkok
enchanted me with the intoxicating smells of street vendors, the melodic sound
of the Thai language, and the rhythmic movement of a city in motion. I went for
a walk the first night and soaked it all in. I wanted to communicate and my
brain instinctively began searching in vain through my rolodex of languages for
phrases I could use, but found nothing useful. I was relegated to pointing,
smiling, and hoping that I could get my point across. Just finding a place for
dinner was an adventure in the unfamiliar.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhfM5ClfxZJXotMfOVDDz_ewmett0SQ8OpuEaGoFHQQHAfr1jGMvLMEHRgg_dQLTKRaquHbdqL8pYd2jrcRAVHmD7puPZ3Ib_Hd6HT3HxBW-X8WyjvhMu8dSbT1rCEzSTdUXl_KI5IZ1T/s1600/IMG_0231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhfM5ClfxZJXotMfOVDDz_ewmett0SQ8OpuEaGoFHQQHAfr1jGMvLMEHRgg_dQLTKRaquHbdqL8pYd2jrcRAVHmD7puPZ3Ib_Hd6HT3HxBW-X8WyjvhMu8dSbT1rCEzSTdUXl_KI5IZ1T/s200/IMG_0231.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9gvMvq1S0US-4jB7Bl7tnAHQ18CybwK4d2ORAuZABNpF6J-yFCQNJDDWHq8-xYK1dM8r0SgrR5w6fABbVX2mpPQ_byzMol5acNM1cApyA-HZW4PbY_U7fPDCyknxuTmV2Fjwwt29HA4g/s1600/IMG_0134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9gvMvq1S0US-4jB7Bl7tnAHQ18CybwK4d2ORAuZABNpF6J-yFCQNJDDWHq8-xYK1dM8r0SgrR5w6fABbVX2mpPQ_byzMol5acNM1cApyA-HZW4PbY_U7fPDCyknxuTmV2Fjwwt29HA4g/s200/IMG_0134.jpg" width="200" /></a><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZNVHUorccHkS_4OQtHOIrtgqeeV3hmHZHCmyfWeG25e9R_dGXEI5bauYV2cU9D7twhUUO4yjgfUfQ0cxaGmUDQI0EefcTRyoK77MHUDyEbpNBGF4oYc6R67N-Q-P4ZB8LcHeZF5TnjSY/s1600/IMG_0207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZNVHUorccHkS_4OQtHOIrtgqeeV3hmHZHCmyfWeG25e9R_dGXEI5bauYV2cU9D7twhUUO4yjgfUfQ0cxaGmUDQI0EefcTRyoK77MHUDyEbpNBGF4oYc6R67N-Q-P4ZB8LcHeZF5TnjSY/s200/IMG_0207.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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After a good night’s rest, we embarked on the first
thrilling quest—feeding tigers and riding elephants. Growing up on a farm you
develop a healthy respect for large animals. You learn that no matter how loyal
or docile, large animals have the propensity to injure or kill you at any time.
In spite of that learned respect, I found myself bottle-feeding juvenile leopards in a cage. They tugged at the bottle like baby calves I used to feed,
but I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when the bottle was empty. Of
course, I found out. I fed them raw meat at the end of a rawhide bone while
they sat on my lap. I was relieved to emerge from the cage with all my fingers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next we boarded a safari bus with open windows and passed
through areas with lions, tigers, and various other wild animals capable of
eviscerating a human without breaking a sweat. I felt pretty safe, until I
realized that my window was broken and wouldn’t close. When we finally arrived
in the herbivore section, our bus was bombarded with giraffes, zebras, and one
aggressive ostrich looking for the sliced carrots we had on board. Luckily,
when we ran out of carrots they went back to standing in the shade and let us
move on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
We topped off the day by riding elephants bareback along the
banks of the Kwae Noi River. As we approached the lumbering beasts with
bananas, their long trunks greeted us like groping hands. I climbed aboard
Mayura, my ride for the day, straddling her neck with her coarse hair poking at
my legs and her ears flapping against my hips. The trainer grunted and she
sauntered forward to follow the other elephants, but every chance she got she
stopped to eat, pulling up small trees and clumps of grass. The trainer
dismounted and I sat atop of that great beast feeling completely out of
control. I knew no commands. I had no bridle or saddle. I was keenly aware that
had she wanted to, Mayura could have yanked me from her back with her trunk and
ripped me limb from limb. Instead, she was content to pull saplings out of the
ground from their roots and get me soaking wet in the river. I was a helpless
passenger in this adventure into the unfamiliar.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbbdAV4XRI3SWiv9GlJbMS5fk78QYgZKEzQRjL6nc20-EIWk16yzXbjaFdCqhRkC8F0hf9PGWlOuy5vtJAiWa0OpPNyImyhyphenhyphen4dkketQw3vDs-C2PFMlsR898OURQOwtHdC1Ulp5_vNQyp/s1600/IMG_0269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbbdAV4XRI3SWiv9GlJbMS5fk78QYgZKEzQRjL6nc20-EIWk16yzXbjaFdCqhRkC8F0hf9PGWlOuy5vtJAiWa0OpPNyImyhyphenhyphen4dkketQw3vDs-C2PFMlsR898OURQOwtHdC1Ulp5_vNQyp/s320/IMG_0269.jpg" width="320" /></a>The next day we traded our four-legged transportation in for
long-tail boats and tuk tuks (open air taxis powered by motorcycles) as we
toured the sights of Bangkok. We visited several Buddhist temples as the
oppressive heat beat down on us. We followed the masses through the opulent
Grand Palace. We weaved in and out of gnarled traffic in the back of a tuk tuk
and explored the city from a water taxi on the Chao Praya River before heading
to the airport and our flight to Krabi. The mix of unfamiliar sights and sounds
kept me off balance and intrigued me the entire time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;">Riding in Ao Nang</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our first day in Krabi and Ao Nang began with a little
slower pace. Our villas were nestled in the countryside away from all the
hustle and bustle of the town. After breakfast we ventured into Ao Nang to
stroll along the beach but found ourselves peppered by shop owners hawking
their wares. The streets were filled with motorcycles and scooters creating a
cacophony of revving two-cycle motors and the air smelled of lingering oily
exhaust. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, we rented a couple of scooters
for the afternoon and were soon dodging in and out of traffic along the beach
on </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the wrong side of the road. By the end of an exhilarating afternoon cruising
around on two wheels, I </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
was starting to find my bearings, and we decided to
rent them again the last few days of the trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britt with Natty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We thought we booked a private boattour across the Straits of Malacca to Phi Phi Island, but soon
realized as our flatbed truck-cum-taxi filled up with people, that we were part
of a bigger tour. After some heated and somewhat confusing negotiations, we cut
the price in half for the tour and were assigned to Boat 21 and lined up on the
beach to load up. Our guide, Natty, burst on the scene with great fanfare
dressed like a banana with shorts on. His flamboyant delivery of instructions
and coquetry kept us entertained as we island hopped our way to Phi Phi Island.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately, the tour on Phi Phi Island was overcrowded
and didn’t deliver the adventure experience we wanted, until the ride back to
Ao Nang. On the way out that morning the water was smooth and the skies were
clear, but when we started our return a squall line loomed on the horizon. The
seas became rough and the wind whipped at our faces as we headed towards the
storm. We were at the mercy of the capable Captain and his First Mate as we
ploughed forward into the waves. I was sitting at the back of the boat with the
sound of the two outboard motors pounding in my ears as the waves continued to
build and crash over the side of the boat on top of me. Each time we crested a
wave with the bow of the boat I got soaked in the back. For thirty minutes the
warm water of the Indian Ocean pummeled me and soaked me through and through
and I laughed a nervous laugh as we headed into the teeth of the afternoon
shower. By the time we pulled into port, the rain was coming down in sheets,
but we were all laughing at the thrill of the ride.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HUsM_5UuGM6lIlFO9qXyi16jPcKGVTOAJGsP3oj3zKbA2DWI7cISf5gBgjYGiuOax7lugrf_xR_wZzWtFHiDjtjcV5DFvhOZh8o-0XQXa01lsTaaY8wnjDJyfMRNjwlZ90va8mu2hAip/s1600/IMG_0223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HUsM_5UuGM6lIlFO9qXyi16jPcKGVTOAJGsP3oj3zKbA2DWI7cISf5gBgjYGiuOax7lugrf_xR_wZzWtFHiDjtjcV5DFvhOZh8o-0XQXa01lsTaaY8wnjDJyfMRNjwlZ90va8mu2hAip/s200/IMG_0223.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monkeys at Tiger Cave Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was foggy and cooler the next morning, but that was
perfect weather for the next adventure—climbing 1237 uneven and steep steps to
a Buddhist temple atop a limestone mountain. Tiger Cave Temple overlooks Krabi
from the North and boasts incredible views of the surrounding geography, but
you will pay a price for those views. My daughter wanted to race to the top, so
we split off from the rest of the group and kept a grueling pace. We stopped
for photos and to catch our breath, but made it to the top in about forty
minutes covered in sweat. The breathtaking vistas made the climb worthwhile. I
sat and took it all in as everyone else climbed to the top. As I sat enjoying
the view, I met people from the Philippines, Malaysia, Germany, France, Canada,
and Spain. I guess the desire to climb is universal and the risk was certainly
worth the reward.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIirUts2o_El2hhX39ogS6Dv09rLXpQcnDW89e-I9efrQplmLqVLcUA4Yfrsc6cequtc_UHaPDOGjVqg5D1OB7sZ8LyZWFySgCkWVM8GenuXPhiHAkU5ECdHWsrtEOtYPfgXNMFYlE3T8v/s1600/IMG_0215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIirUts2o_El2hhX39ogS6Dv09rLXpQcnDW89e-I9efrQplmLqVLcUA4Yfrsc6cequtc_UHaPDOGjVqg5D1OB7sZ8LyZWFySgCkWVM8GenuXPhiHAkU5ECdHWsrtEOtYPfgXNMFYlE3T8v/s200/IMG_0215.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOYfRNxvuBvWzvYSI8WhOsPKALZZQDK-OOEQsMdXecuMNesYi7HGyEJiOJW9swfSiVgr6trtnBgnQDzN63MrS98t2rsNJ0-pqUH7l50IT33duxh1WgODPrUHcbqh6XdhNNH5NoAsyvLi2/s1600/IMG_0280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOYfRNxvuBvWzvYSI8WhOsPKALZZQDK-OOEQsMdXecuMNesYi7HGyEJiOJW9swfSiVgr6trtnBgnQDzN63MrS98t2rsNJ0-pqUH7l50IT33duxh1WgODPrUHcbqh6XdhNNH5NoAsyvLi2/s200/IMG_0280.jpg" width="200" /></a>The last day we rode our scooters back down to the beach and
hopped a long tail boat over to Railay Beach. This gorgeous beach boasts white
sand with the consistency of brown sugar, clear blue waters, and great
kayaking. We kayaked out to the nearby limestone islands and explore the caves
carved by the ocean. The lack of waves made for great kayaking, but monotonous
beach time. After a few hours we headed back to Ao Nang and toured the area on
the scooters enjoying the afternoon sun.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvZN9vSWlquNcywBWFwhBTOOQSADMbFCo1iD0Fy8-xxcYojYTkhfGxAT2bFXUYZs8SgP9nXdf84WZIAph0wYYPxn0B-fggTMaUy9Agi5EEfQLP8gDzGHVPwongCIWCheI7PuaJru-Gb-z/s1600/IMG_0275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvZN9vSWlquNcywBWFwhBTOOQSADMbFCo1iD0Fy8-xxcYojYTkhfGxAT2bFXUYZs8SgP9nXdf84WZIAph0wYYPxn0B-fggTMaUy9Agi5EEfQLP8gDzGHVPwongCIWCheI7PuaJru-Gb-z/s200/IMG_0275.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8Oxei66pvMIAzIk6YPKD81MSosJCWcT1IpE0lwqzSqzA1YMZv8G1jOHtCYiXLqbQychBhyw7MQU51V3-HikQjudT5DOjr983hJ9ClxlfBFeIxQG_I2-PtqUff4KL2FmA9c3hbDptGcBh/s1600/IMG_0226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8Oxei66pvMIAzIk6YPKD81MSosJCWcT1IpE0lwqzSqzA1YMZv8G1jOHtCYiXLqbQychBhyw7MQU51V3-HikQjudT5DOjr983hJ9ClxlfBFeIxQG_I2-PtqUff4KL2FmA9c3hbDptGcBh/s200/IMG_0226.jpg" title="" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For our last dinner in country, we rode to a restaurant
where we could watch the sunset. The view was spectacular, but like almost
every other meal ordering food was an adventure in itself. When we finished, we
hopped on the scooters in the dark for one more jaunt along the beachfront road.
One more chance to take a risk and glean the reward of soaking in the sights
and sounds of Thailand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sound of metal crashing against metal made my heart skip
a beat. My daughter, riding double with her friend, had gotten off balance
during her start and crashed into two parked cycles. I pulled over and went
running back to the accident. She had banged her ankle in the mash up, and they
were both shaken a bit. I picked up the other bikes and examined them. They
didn’t appear to have any damage. Her scooter had a broken headlight and
damaged fairing. As I examined the rented scooter, a policeman came up and
started taking notes. For a moment I regretted taking the risk of riding in a
foreign country. I worried that my propensity for adventure might cost me more
coin than I anticipated. Maybe I should stay home and watch TV like everybody
else. Perhaps taking risks is not the smartest course of action when you are a
long way from home and don’t speak the language. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the help of a local hotel employee (Holiday Inn no
less), we got it all sorted out. The other bikes were not damaged. No laws had
been broken. Although my daughter and her passenger were shaken a bit, they had
suffered only minor bruises. The only problem remaining was the cost of
repairing the rented scooter. As my wife and daughter got one last massage, I
solicited the help of a local shopkeeper and got an estimate on the repair. In
the end the damage came to about $160, a small price to pay for the fun we had.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yes, I like to take a few risks when I travel,
probably too many risks. But the very nature of traveling is risky. We leave
the safety of our home to visit places where we don’t understand the language,
the culture, the food, and the customs not because we are looking for the
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0rAd2kSVmu3q1PrJTkBUyiser8NqKj0S1IeL2zEwb905I7VVWiOSxLGPI2UXD2WieeMQkRPedGRm2nw2BlorJdUMhdOwVfY9lBmYK9j5D6qWI7lpiClhEQKUMIAwfk1HZcT697zqm1oD/s1600/IMG_0205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0rAd2kSVmu3q1PrJTkBUyiser8NqKj0S1IeL2zEwb905I7VVWiOSxLGPI2UXD2WieeMQkRPedGRm2nw2BlorJdUMhdOwVfY9lBmYK9j5D6qWI7lpiClhEQKUMIAwfk1HZcT697zqm1oD/s640/IMG_0205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Railay Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlDdpVUIbIGzFrObaNYWZSjAEACXgLku0UU4LzNem9N6uWC6Iq2pg3goMUm2Zp7TotzzaxCbwdX6d_g6UKz5vkLw0qnqhnh0Ei0MeiRcXHOrfTj0B6D36BB7K6L_GOwp_sV0d8DbtzKPk/s1600/IMG_0173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlDdpVUIbIGzFrObaNYWZSjAEACXgLku0UU4LzNem9N6uWC6Iq2pg3goMUm2Zp7TotzzaxCbwdX6d_g6UKz5vkLw0qnqhnh0Ei0MeiRcXHOrfTj0B6D36BB7K6L_GOwp_sV0d8DbtzKPk/s320/IMG_0173.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rylee on her to Railay Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-52222040246823100282017-03-06T20:33:00.001-08:002017-03-06T20:33:53.197-08:00Scared of Getting Old<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My Dad used to say, “You can’t scare a man who ain’t afraid
to die.” I don’t think I’m afraid of dying, but I must admit that I am afraid
of getting old. Aging is an easy process. No matter what you do the clock keeps
on ticking and with each passing second, we age. But aging without getting old is difficult. I
don’t mind aging, but getting old scares me to death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Every time I look in the mirror I see more wrinkles, more
pronounced lines, and more gray hair. In fact when the stylist finished cutting
my hair the other day she asked if I wanted hair gel in my hair. When I replied
that I did, she looked around for a minute and said, “Let me get the gel that
looks better in gray hair.” I guess that means I’m aging, or at least my hair
is turning gray. I’m not ready to get old, but that doesn’t stop my biological
clock from ticking away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The problem with aging is that the person inside my body
doesn’t know it. I still feel like I’m in my twenties or thirties (at least in
my mind). I still think I can haul hay all day long, play tackle football, take
a tumble from a horse, and any other laborious, or possibly injurious,
activity. The truth is that I can still do all of those things, but the
recovery time is about ten times longer than when I was younger. In my mind I
don’t feel any different. My skills are essentially the same. My physical
abilities are still pretty good. My desire to take on a bit of adventure is
still strong. The difference is that my body isn’t capable of recovering from
the aches, pains, or injuries of strenuous and taxing experiences. It takes me
weeks instead of days for my body to put itself back into working order, and
that is only if I take copious amounts of ibuprofen. My mind is still young and
doesn’t want to accept the fact that my body is aging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As I come to grip with my own gerontological journey, I
realize that I am becoming the “crazy old man” I used to make fun of as a
teenager. You all know some version of the crazy old man I’m talking about. The
one who wears socks with sandals, Bermuda shorts, and a funny fishing hat as he
sits in the local diner all morning ranting about the government and the sad
state of society. (By the way, the root word for gerontology comes from the
Greek word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">geront</i> which means “old
man” lol.) I find myself wanting to wear only long pants with an elastic
waistband to hide my aging legs and cover my increasing paunch. I catch myself
talking about the way things were when I was growing up. I hear myself say things
like, “Kids these days…” about some random twenty-something punk with his hat
on sideways. Yep. I am becoming that crazy old coot that teenagers laugh about,
and ignore. Some days I fight the urge to become the crazy old man, and some
days I embrace that persona.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Old people aren’t any smarter than young people, but they do
have more experience. That experience speaks to them and guides them. Young
people have no seasoned guide, no intuition, to carry them through difficult
choices. They have no tingle in the hairs on the back of their necks warning
them of danger. Their brains haven’t developed the ability to process large
amounts of input in short order and produce a conclusion that manifests itself
in the form of a hunch. Old people aren’t smarter, but they do have the
advantage of experience, and that experience is worth all the exuberance of
youth when it comes to making quick decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Of course there are some other advantages to aging.
Discounts. I often get asked if I want the senior discount and save lots of
money on purchases. Time. I don’t waste time on things I know don’t work. I
have made most of the big mistakes in life and I don’t waste any time on making
them again. Emotion. I expend less emotional energy on things that don’t
matter. I don’t get as angry as I used to. I don’t get as worried as I used to.
I don’t get as stressed as I used to. I figure if the whole world goes to pot,
I don’t have that long to live anyway and it doesn’t matter. Lust. The drums of
lust don’t beat as loud as they used to, and I’m okay with that. I’m happy with
who I am and what I’ve got. Spirituality. I don’t know if I feel more connected
to God because I am closer to seeing Him again, or because I have seen a
lifetime of His hand in my life, but the things of the unseen spiritual world
have more impact on me now. Aging does have a few perks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If I want to age without getting old, I must refuse to
accept some of the negative things that come with getting old. I refuse to stop
learning. I refuse to stop trying new things, as long as I can avoid injury. I
refuse to become pessimistic about the future. I refuse to waste the time I
have left on trivial things. I refuse to carry grudges or seek revenge. I
refuse to spend all my time looking back at the past. I refuse to spend all of
my time chasing a dollar bill. I refuse to look in the mirror and only see
someone who is getting old. I will continue to live as long as I have breath,
and I will fill each day with twenty-four hours of living (as long as I get to
take a nap from time to time).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I think maybe you can scare a man who’s not
afraid to die. I’m not afraid of dying, but getting old scares me death.<!--EndFragment-->
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5CvtEqwIhszKAfQfm9rS8se33r7XnOLbmDmy0ePYloGdjgFM06TDgST3quL5O0tnukI2thDE-NCQa0VgwqbOZvdIAFebjddBV2_elZldp3DnOyEgi61QQ4eBHUZKlxDscYX_Zz7DIkOs/s1600/Old+Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5CvtEqwIhszKAfQfm9rS8se33r7XnOLbmDmy0ePYloGdjgFM06TDgST3quL5O0tnukI2thDE-NCQa0VgwqbOZvdIAFebjddBV2_elZldp3DnOyEgi61QQ4eBHUZKlxDscYX_Zz7DIkOs/s400/Old+Man.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A projection of what I will look like in another 20 years </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-55861044660272241742016-10-19T10:23:00.000-07:002016-10-19T10:23:25.448-07:00The End of the World Began With a Writer's Strike<div class="MsoNormal">
When we look back in history at the beginning of the
downfall of the United States of America, we will see that it all began with
the writers’ strike in Hollywood.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go ahead and scoff at that statement, but hear me out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the writer’s strike of 1988, TV producers began
looking at alternatives for producing programing if and when the next strike
came along. That alternative came in the form of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Survivor</i> and reality TV was born. Now all producers had to do was
pull together a group of narcissistic fame seekers and put them on an island,
in a house, or in a dating competition, add some contrived drama and BAM! —the
viewing public lined up in droves to watch. Who needed a plot when you could
watch someone get naked on an island and try to spear fish, or each other? Who
needed to cast strong noble characters when you could ask for volunteers to
compete in a singing competition and thousands lined up outside coliseums? Who
needed a romantic setting when you could fly wooing couples around the world to
exotic locations? Why pay for writers to actually write drama when you can put
a bunch of housewives together and let the drama unfold? Writers became
obsolete.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2001 when the next writers’ strike loomed, the Writers Guild
had less leverage than in 1988. And the strike of 2007 pushed reality TV to the
top of the charts. Our society ate it up. We longed to see the likes of Snooki
or the Bachelor. We yearned to enter the world of ice-road truckers, crab
fishermen, or doomsday preppers. Now TV is filled with self-absorbed characters
looking to extend their fifteen minutes of fame and cash in through some
flamboyant act of self-indulgence that attracts the public attention like a
two-headed calf, or the Kardashians. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reality TV was the beginning of the end of the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since writers could not make a living producing actual
stories with plot and characters, they began working in reality TV. Producers,
directors, and writers all worked together to make “reality” TV more emotional,
drama-laden, and bizarre. They encouraged conflict since they didn’t have a
plot to thicken. They encouraged brash behavior since they had no characters to
develop. They manipulated the dialogue since they weren’t required to produce
any. In other words, reality TV isn’t real, but it appears to be, and that has
the viewing public conditioned to believe anything they see on TV. The lines
between fact and fiction became so blurred that we actually thought two people
could fall in love while millions watched.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward to the election cycle of 2016. What did we get?
We got possibly the two worst candidates in US history. Why? Because the public
longed for more reality TV and these two candidates provided more material than
anything the viewing public had seen to date: clandestine (and illegal) email
servers, claims of sexual misconduct, violence at rallies (intentionally
promoted and fostered by the way), shouting matches, secret meetings on
airplanes, third-grade name calling, secret deaths, political spies, moles, and
hidden tax returns. As the campaign unfolded candidates stood on the moral high
ground the size of an anthill and hurled disparaging tweets at each other. The
viewing public stood on that same moral high ground and snapchatted about the
need for a third candidate. It was a reality TV bonanza! Unfortunately, the
results of this season’s voting has more serious consequences than a record
deal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reality TV conditioned us to accept whatever we saw on TV as
reality. We no longer have the ability to discern between fact and fiction. We
no longer look for a moral deeper than who gets the most votes. We lost our
ability to guess the culprit in a mystery, or unravel a tightly woven plot. We
have been reduced to spoon-fed entertainment and spoon-fed information. We are
no longer capable of eating the solid foods of individual thought or critical
thinking. We just want to know what the Kardashians are wearing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, reality TV made us easy to manipulate and control. When
the 2016 election cycle began, we got front-row seats to the biggest reality TV
show of them all—the biggest losers—and we voted for them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-36536826061092504072016-09-18T09:51:00.000-07:002016-09-30T00:10:47.993-07:00Finding Mount Zion<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">watched the dawn burst across the dark morning sky from the seat of my
motorcycle and wondered how the day would go. Would I enjoy the trip? Would the
weather be good? Would I finish it without any mechanical problems and without
accident? Would we make it to Zion? Would I make it to see my new grandson?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Zion
is an interesting word full of symbolism. Originally it was a mountain outside
of Jerusalem, but over the years the word has taken on the meaning of a utopian
society where everyone lives in peace and cares for each other both spiritually
and temporally. Several religious groups seek to establish “Zion” where their
followers can be free from the toil and trouble of the world. My goal for the
day was not so lofty. I simply wanted to ride trouble free from Gilbert, AZ, to
Zion National Park in Southern Utah, and then on to Provo, Utah, the next day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsv2VFJIrVeFgKlFAjzztI9JWntDPANWqrH4ztwtnMrP2ylBPItiVmJm3HXTvDnEU5BMcAhAotBUwODtYwrt39uWNOJKKCX2scZmBGQ6XDqNWh0ilf9rXDrkib2kTa7ybHQnK1jR_vSRy9/s1600/Tom+in+the+storm.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsv2VFJIrVeFgKlFAjzztI9JWntDPANWqrH4ztwtnMrP2ylBPItiVmJm3HXTvDnEU5BMcAhAotBUwODtYwrt39uWNOJKKCX2scZmBGQ6XDqNWh0ilf9rXDrkib2kTa7ybHQnK1jR_vSRy9/s400/Tom+in+the+storm.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding into the storm with lightning in the clouds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
met up with Tom and Tim, two of my riding buddies, and we headed northbound
watching the sun come up over the mountains. As we climbed in elevation, I
listened to the playlist of 80’s music my daughter helped me put together the
night before. Back in the day when I was listening to those songs, the world
was full of gloom and doom—the Cold War, hostages in Iran, nuclear winter, etc.
I never expected my life to turn out as good as it has. Lately, however, I feel
like the best days are behind me. It’s a nagging feeling that lurks in the back
of my head like some dirty thought I have disciplined into the recesses of my
mind in an attempt to remain virtuous and can’t seem to shake. Tomorrow doesn’t
hold the promise that it used to, but today I am on my motorcycle climbing a
winding mountain road watching the sunrise with friends. I have been blessed.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oMqWf3XvQiviKSOwdftD3rJ1osyqXghj2QnBWU7GkEUbxd57uYlM1FWkJtDLnhQI03YStg1qoLCwM4_1HwTGp_DAvhX-zlzoK1gPX6hmqvnqsaXWbDE2oZjxEcOE10BXfMB5qhZ1iFQQ/s1600/GOPR0437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oMqWf3XvQiviKSOwdftD3rJ1osyqXghj2QnBWU7GkEUbxd57uYlM1FWkJtDLnhQI03YStg1qoLCwM4_1HwTGp_DAvhX-zlzoK1gPX6hmqvnqsaXWbDE2oZjxEcOE10BXfMB5qhZ1iFQQ/s400/GOPR0437.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three BMW R1200 RT motorcycles without riders</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My
grandson is inheriting a less than perfect world. Zion is still just some
ethereal place longed for by the faithful. The world is still full of conflict,
trouble, and despair. I hope he gets to experience some of the great things I
have experienced and that his life will be better than mine. I hope the world
he inherits from my generation is a better place than the world I inherited,
but when I watch the news I can tell that our world is still a long way from
Zion. Maybe Zion will be possible in his lifetime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Riding
motorcycles is risky, but that’s part of the enjoyment. Having a baby is also
risky. Women shake hands with the Grim Reaper to bring a child into this world.
Sometimes the Grim Reaper wants more than a handshake, and women have to slap
him across the face. Only a mother can understand what if feels like to stare
death in the face in order to produce life. Only a mother understands the
physical cost of delivering a child. Thankfully, we all benefit from a mother’s
risky endeavor and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Each child renews our hope
that tomorrow will be better than today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
traversed mountains, crossed the painted desert, and endured an afternoon
thundershower, but we arrived at Zion National Park without accident or
incident. The towering canyons of painted rocks against a blue sky reminded me
of majestic temples. Man may build tall towers and broad domes, but God’s works
of architecture are unrivaled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5nkS4PGaosI_7cSPeuJ_TLvUFLnkN5xdwSo-9CEe6VTA1TXyB5ZUMRg_1RkmU0Svz7Qi65UpOij6ix7PJfjrdgZGr1xe32BWHiQye8Ww42SvKZ0uInwlE0GggzzSDaFTb5Fms2BNsYt1/s1600/Brock+in+Zion.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5nkS4PGaosI_7cSPeuJ_TLvUFLnkN5xdwSo-9CEe6VTA1TXyB5ZUMRg_1RkmU0Svz7Qi65UpOij6ix7PJfjrdgZGr1xe32BWHiQye8Ww42SvKZ0uInwlE0GggzzSDaFTb5Fms2BNsYt1/s400/Brock+in+Zion.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zion motorcycle selfie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After
a long day of riding we enjoyed dinner (topped off with pie) and headed to bed.
My riding buddies were traveling in different directions the next day. I would
be traveling solo to meet my grandson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14pt;">A
thunderclap woke me up at 0454. I could hear the rain pelting the windows and
checked the radar. The only storm in Utah was right over my head. Fortunately,
I had recently purchased some good rain gear, and now my ounce of prevention
was worth a pound of cure. By 0600 the worst of the rain had passed and I
climbed on my bike in the dark. Tom waved at me from his hotel window as I
pulled out of the parking lot and rode off into the storm. I had an appointment
to meet my first grandson, and was determined not to let a little rain stop me.
However, I must admit that I took things a bit slower than usual, especially
when I passed flashing signs warning of deer. Would I make it without incident
or accident? Would meeting my first grandson be all that I hoped it would be?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As
I rode, I wondered how I was supposed to feel about being a grandfather.
Everyone tells me that being a grandparent is the best thing ever. My friends
say it’s much better than being a parent, or that grandkids are the payback for
all the struggles as a parent. I knew my wife was giddy, but I wasn’t sure how
I felt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
can honestly say that being a father is the best thing I have ever done. It has
brought me more joy and happiness than I ever expected. It has stretched me in
ways I never knew possible. As a father, my emotions have ranged between the
extremes—worry, fear, elation, joy, impatience, frustration, anger, and yes,
happiness beyond compare. I was afraid that being a grandfather might somehow
diminish the greatest experience of my entire life. I didn’t want to adopt some
cynical attitude about my struggles as a father because being a grandfather was
so much better. I wanted it to add to my joy, not diminish the struggle, or joy,
of fatherhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
rain subsided and the sky burned with streaks of red, yellow, and orange as the
sun came up. I wasted no time and only stopped when I needed gas or a bathroom
break (which is more often than I like as I get older). Somewhere overhead my
wife was flying to Salt Lake City, and I needed to arrive around the same time
she did. Fortunately, I didn’t hit any of the deer the flashing signs warned me
about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
arrived ahead of schedule and traded the thrill of the motorcycle for the
safety of a rental car. When we pulled up to my son’s small basement apartment,
my wife was so excited that she jumped out of the car before it stopped
rolling. I took a deep breath and tried not to let my emotions get away from
me. I was holding it all in. How would I feel when I held my grandson? Would it
be everything my friends told me it would be? Would I take one look at that
beautiful baby and suddenly have disdain for my parental journey thus far?
Would I mock the years of struggle, the frustrating nights, and the moments of
sheer joy that fatherhood had brought me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
entered the apartment and found my grandson doing what newborn babies
do—crying, eating, sleeping, and filling diapers. I washed my hands and waited
my turn to hold him. When my daughter-in-law put him in my arms, all my fears
melted away. I found myself transported back to my early years as a father
pacing the floor with a crying baby and worrying how I was going to provide for
all his or her needs, but when I looked up at my grown son and his wife, the
sting of worry melted away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wHVpdIVAb0b8fssjSqYkzhXfEesOUb4oaP0erEUKUEP0PB0srPjoEQDl7TLHDG54j80iygcgBGEaBkwgGWNra5V53C8CRN0Ez7BN_IBBuJApXhygiRpMp8BCMpqIFwgZvXLma5ZPjb43/s1600/IMG_1622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wHVpdIVAb0b8fssjSqYkzhXfEesOUb4oaP0erEUKUEP0PB0srPjoEQDl7TLHDG54j80iygcgBGEaBkwgGWNra5V53C8CRN0Ez7BN_IBBuJApXhygiRpMp8BCMpqIFwgZvXLma5ZPjb43/s320/IMG_1622.jpg" width="189" /></a><span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
suddenly got it. Being a grandparent is awesome because your children have
taken over the burden of the parental struggle. Grandparents are there to love,
support, and spoil. My years of parental happiness had not ended. They had
just been multiplied. I smiled and relaxed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Zion is a mountain because we only find
happiness in worthwhile struggle. Being a parent is the greatest, most
rewarding struggle of all. A newborn baby reminds us that tomorrow still holds
as great a promise as yesterday. I had set out in search of Zion, that mythical
place of enduring happiness, but the journey had not been an easy one. As I
held my grandson, I knew that I had found it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8XgraebreZnCclcmP1d5glbqL79RiXQhX8VCMlAVKyRgWq1rbjLJm9mUgI7RoHVAVBMIY1sjzpUv5fcGciUSHrLlQt83Wj1wFnfBocp02RRdDNzstFnJOsOFVNBmRu2FOlDBRh3D-VKu/s1600/IMG_1642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8XgraebreZnCclcmP1d5glbqL79RiXQhX8VCMlAVKyRgWq1rbjLJm9mUgI7RoHVAVBMIY1sjzpUv5fcGciUSHrLlQt83Wj1wFnfBocp02RRdDNzstFnJOsOFVNBmRu2FOlDBRh3D-VKu/s640/IMG_1642.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Escalante Staircase</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<!--EndFragment-->Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-53288947566094202092016-09-09T17:00:00.000-07:002016-09-09T23:15:49.916-07:00Riding With Nutnfancy<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in the day I needed to ask a hot girl out to the AFROTC
Dining Out (a formal military dinner), but I wanted to do it with pizazz.
Having watched my six teenagers over the years I know that nobody these days
picks up the phone to ask someone out on a date to the big dance. They all do
something special like drop off a poster with candy glued to it and some cute
saying to ask out their date. Back in the day, we really didn’t do that.
However, I really had the hots for this girl, and I wanted to make a statement.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My buddy was a year behind me in AFROTC and in charge of the
Honor Guard. He was one of the most squared-away troops I knew. On top of that,
he had a sword. So I hatched a plan. I offered him, and a few of the other
Honor Guard members, pizza if they would go over in their uniforms (complete
with the drill rifles and the sword) and ask out this hottie to the Dining Out
on my behalf.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When they knocked on the door with the sword drawn, it got
everyone’s attention in the apartment complex. With a crowd of young ladies
looking on, my buddy delivered the invite with perfect military precision and
bearing. He barked out commands. The sword flashed. Rifles twirled. Heels
clicked together. The invite was delivered in perfect military fashion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How can you refuse a man in uniform with a sword? She said
yes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fast forward almost thirty years. My buddy and I finished
our military careers. We both pursued post military goals. We both had
families. We both got back in to motorcycles. We both got gray hairs and put on
a few pounds. I was going to be in his neck of the woods riding my motorcycle,
so I gave him a shout and asked if he could lead me on one of his favorite
local rides. He accepted. The night before the ride he sent me a text with a
time and coordinates.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next morning greeted me with a clear blue sky and cool
temperatures. I geared up and left the condo early. I pulled off the highway
and looked at my map to confirm my position, but before I could get the map
pulled up on my phone I saw my buddy riding up on his KTM decked out in high
visibility gear. He pulled up beside me, opened up his modular helmet, and gave
me a long once over. “It’s good to ride with someone who knows how to find
coordinates and be on time,” he said with a grin. “Nice gear too.” Then he
proceeded to give me full safety briefing on his riding style, signaling, and
hazards of the road we were taking. I knew right then that I was in good hands.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The ride was an alpine loop combining crowded four-lane highway
and a small mountain road without any striping. I followed him through traffic
and then through the hairpin turns and switchbacks of the deserted mountain
road. He was fun to follow and he pushed me to improve my riding performance.
As we rode we talked via Bluetooth headsets. He caught me up on his family. I
caught him up on mine. We talked about riding, flying, and our common faith.
Then he told me he had started a YouTube channel on the side—Nutnfancy. It was
doing pretty well and he enjoyed it. Just like all those years ago in AFROTC, he
was still the same squared-away guy going above and beyond the average Joe. He
was still living life with a touch of pizazz.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I enjoyed riding with him and catching up after all these
years. I’m a better rider because of it. He reminded me that it only takes a
little more effort to be prepared, squared-away, and above average. He showed
me what it means to manage high risk without sacrificing safety, or fun.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I still remember how he impressed that bombshell blonde all
those years ago. She said yes to the Dining Out, but she also said yes when I
asked her to marry me. I guess I owe my buddy another pizza.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until next time Nutnfancy… I’ll buy lunch.</span><!--EndFragment-->
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-86489494725444453832016-08-19T20:25:00.000-07:002016-08-19T20:25:09.516-07:00Want to Make Better Decisions? Train Like a Pilot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qYCc3kQjoWyBTBJ9j_Hzf7S-jzRQKjg4zdySvYsFV5xirpZ0q85fmlQapfjO7NtJ7AME88N5yKnmDuRZQXh9uk1J3JphdKoF2ygYgT5fYBY3K-eTNfacnZMVGdUflXkP-M_9jHpNbHro/s320/pilot_training_manual_flying_skills_0.png" width="320" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
does a good decision look like?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">History
is littered with infamous bad decisions. The Donner party took a shortcut. The
Titanic launched without enough lifeboats. Engineers chose to fill the Hindenburg
with flammable hydrogen gas. Each bad decision seemed like a good idea at the
time. Hindsight is 20/20, but how can you tell the difference between a good
and bad decision before it becomes history?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
often learn more from bad decisions than we do from good decisions, but
learning from bad decisions is high risk, and the results can be catastrophic.
Take the decision to jump off of a tall building with nothing but a beach towel
as a parachute. The risk of an unsuccessful outcome is enormous, and failure leaves
no room for a repeat attempt. We can learn from a bad decision, if we survive
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEtPmLgee4ogKipfQdkFTPV27Z31EZGN_wUznYb5AmO70pNgzqLwli7WIHDXUjr1ATU6oNGaNXp6BJDgJRMVVILPkC-uLXVzB0dJ8xCTrcPpexUDlMmegEfp3NgOfBywa0_fP7u1iLF8x/s1600/_80771317_plane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEtPmLgee4ogKipfQdkFTPV27Z31EZGN_wUznYb5AmO70pNgzqLwli7WIHDXUjr1ATU6oNGaNXp6BJDgJRMVVILPkC-uLXVzB0dJ8xCTrcPpexUDlMmegEfp3NgOfBywa0_fP7u1iLF8x/s320/_80771317_plane.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aircraft Crash in Taiwan</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Can
we learn to make good decisions in advance and glean the experience of bad
decisions without incurring all the risk? Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">According
to the Aviation Safety Network, 2015 was the safest year in the history of air
travel. (<a href="http://news.aviation-safety.net/2016/01/01/despite-high-profile-accidents-2015-was-the-safest-year-ever-according-to-asn-data/">http://news.aviation-safety.net/2016/01/01/despite-high-profile-accidents-2015-was-the-safest-year-ever-according-to-asn-data/</a>)
We have come a long way since the 1970s when several thousand people were
killed each year in air travel. Multiple factors have contributed to the
improvement in air safety—better maintenance, better airplanes, better
pilots—but perhaps the most significant improvements were made in aviation training.
Air travel is safer because of better training, and training is better
primarily because of improved simulation tools and techniques.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If you want to
make better decisions, train like pilots do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 14pt;">Aviation
is not inherently dangerous, but it can be unforgiving of error and the results
of error can be catastrophic. Yet, successful aviators cannot gain the skills
necessary to succeed without trial and error. To develop good airmanship,
pilots must exercise bad airmanship and live to tell about it. Pilots become
better by surviving their mistakes. It is an effective way of learning, but risky,
inefficient, and costly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">To
solve this problem, Edwin Link, a barnstorming pilot of the 1920s, invented and
patented the first flight simulator—The Pilot Maker—in 1929. Flight schools
weren’t interested at first and his invention ended up as a carnival ride, but
when WWII began the military employed his simulators to increase the survival
rate of their student pilots. (<a href="http://www.nationalaviation.org/link-edwin/">http://www.nationalaviation.org/link-edwin/</a>)
Simulation has been a hallmark of aviation ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Can
we apply these same training techniques used to make pilots safer in other
areas such as business, sports, or families? Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Successful
leaders in any field can teach the principles of good decision making using
three basic simulation tools: 1)Historical simulation 2)Role playing 3)Risk-free
or reduced-risk execution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Aviators
love to sit around and tell harrowing stories of survival. It may seem like a
simple ego-building exercise in braggadocio, but in fact the stories serve a
very important purpose. They convey hard-earned knowledge to other aviators and
allow them to learn from someone else’s experience. This experiential
storytelling is a type of historical simulation. Listeners can put themselves
into the story and learn the same lesson without the dangers or the risks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Historical
simulation can take on other forms such as Monday-morning quarterbacking, case
studies, and accident investigations. Decisions can be reviewed, analyzed, and
learned from without the risk of personal failure. Furthermore, information
conveyed in the form of a story is more likely to be remembered. With
additional resources, successful, and unsuccessful, events can be converted
into full-blown simulation to convey historical knowledge effectively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Do
you take time to mentor the up-and-coming leaders of your organization by
sharing your personal experiences of success and failure? Do you encourage your
leaders to learn from the mistakes of others through open communication? Do you
review performance and debrief good and bad decisions so that everyone can learn?
Historical simulation can be a powerful tool for improving decision-making.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Role-playing
is an inexpensive and risk-free form of simulation that can be used effectively
in a variety of situations. The US military has been using role-playing
scenarios for over fifty years to train its pilots. During the rigorous
training to earn their wings, pilots are subjected to scenario-based emergency
training that tests both the nerves and knowledge of the pilot trainee. They
are given an emergency situation that requires a prescribed course of action
and then asked to talk their way through the resolution of the emergency
step-by-step to a logical, and procedurally correct, conclusion. To simulate
the stress that the actual emergency situation might cause, this is often done
in front of their peers, with the threat of being grounded for the day if they
don’t handle it correctly. Effective? Yes. Risk-free? Yes. (For more about
scenario-based training in aviation visit FAA.gov.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
use of role-playing can take on several forms from simple one-on-one training,
group discussions, or even expanded scenario-based training simulations. This
allows all the participants to put themselves into character and experience the
teaching moment without the actual risk of failure (other than perhaps
embarrassment with peers for poor performance). It allows participants to
experience a problem from a specific point of view and develop an understanding
of the problem and solution from a variety of viewpoints, thus increasing, and perhaps
more importantly, personalizing their experience and knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Do
you use role-playing exercises to train and teach your team? Can you think of an
experience (personal or historical) that would make an effective scenario for
everyone to learn from in a role-playing exercise? Effective role-playing can
allow us to learn the lessons of a failure, or success, without risk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
spite of our best efforts to prepare someone to make decisions, we cannot
eliminate all the risk in the learning process. However simulation can provide
learning options that are free from the risk of bodily harm. Edwin Link’s Pilot
Maker did just that. A potential pilot could practice decision-making,
execution of procedure, and manipulation of controls without risking life and
limb. Modern-day simulation elevates the experience to such an advanced level
that landings performed in the modern simulator are recognized by the FAA to
validate landing currency. A pilot can perform a variety of emergency
procedures in the simulator, and the only risk incurred is that of failure to
advance in training. Advanced simulation can provide a risk-free learning
experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTpGedB5Bv9SwLDE2_Un3whsQIoY5g-8VH0knzwWgPMDtOUvGoiWauwH-KUn8sZ43DzWnnR8etSYo5QuVGRnyfRq8CbejObEHXYKUn1q33OnSkfQ_tAvLFx49BxFVnqn5HXpJP4sYOkGi/s1600/IMG_1589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTpGedB5Bv9SwLDE2_Un3whsQIoY5g-8VH0knzwWgPMDtOUvGoiWauwH-KUn8sZ43DzWnnR8etSYo5QuVGRnyfRq8CbejObEHXYKUn1q33OnSkfQ_tAvLFx49BxFVnqn5HXpJP4sYOkGi/s320/IMG_1589.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern Aircraft Simulator</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
simulation is not available or impractical, provide side-by-side mentoring to
reduce the risk in learning. Aircraft with dual controls provide student pilots
the opportunity to fly the airplane with an experienced instructor ready to
take control when the risk becomes too great. The instructor can also
demonstrate each maneuver, and save them both from harm. The learning process
involves numerous transfers of aircraft control as the student pilot struggles
to manipulate the aircraft. Flying with an instructor provides a reduced-risk
option for learning to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
risk-free or reduced-risk training opportunities do you provide for your team?
Is simulation available for training dangerous or difficult tasks risk-free?
Can you reduce the risk of the learning process with side-by-side mentoring?
Simulation and mentoring make learning more effective while reducing the risks
of the learning process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">How
do we learn to make good decisions? Can we capitalize on the historic lessons
of bad decisions? Can we achieve the benefits of experience while avoiding the
risks? We can do all these things, if we employ some of the tools that made
2015 the safest year in commercial aviation—1)Historical simulation 2)Role
playing 3)Risk-free or reduced-risk execution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">If you want to make better decisions, train like
pilots do.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qYCc3kQjoWyBTBJ9j_Hzf7S-jzRQKjg4zdySvYsFV5xirpZ0q85fmlQapfjO7NtJ7AME88N5yKnmDuRZQXh9uk1J3JphdKoF2ygYgT5fYBY3K-eTNfacnZMVGdUflXkP-M_9jHpNbHro/s1600/pilot_training_manual_flying_skills_0.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
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Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-56761023456309048832016-07-16T15:03:00.000-07:002016-07-17T16:40:00.238-07:00Cookies From Home<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I had a small container of chocolate chip cookies tucked in my briefcase. They had survived the flight from Phoenix to San Antonio, but I wasn’t sure we would be allowed through the gates of Fort Sam Houston to deliver them to my son. It was July 4, and our son Carson was in the middle of combat medic training. Independence Day takes on a special feeling when you celebrate it on a military installation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We parked in the visitor’s center parking lot and went inside to fill out the paperwork. The sign on the door instructed us to sign in and wait. I listened to the conversations at the counter about lost IDs and visitor access, and I wondered if all our paperwork was in order. After a few minutes, a man behind the counter called our name. With a few keystrokes he found our information, took my picture, and printed a day pass for us. Security was tighter than when I was in the Air Force twenty years ago, but then again we hadn’t heard of Al Queda or ISIS. We were fighting the communists and socialists. How the world has changed…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Maybe we would be able to deliver the homemade cookies after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpIRg024MOScesiL71CP9UK15sppCat3sFsZ7Qnz8FSk3PRZdpKWvw_c9xZg4AWfVER4tDo9sGt1xFbpuyURAcS0w29TpcqP67oBTrfVNhkKM1x7YqEIgs0RdztKr5rIhEm4hDlKtH2qA/s1600/formation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'bookman old style'; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As we approached the barracks, formations of soldiers in PT gear (matching exercise shorts and t-shirts) ran by singing cadence. <i>“Hey, hey Captain Jack Jack…”</i> Each formation was a mix of men, women, dark skin, and light skin. Even in the same uniform, their differences were noticeable, but the differences didn’t impress me. The uniformity and unity did. No matter where they were before or what their background, all of those soldiers had one thing in common—an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpIRg024MOScesiL71CP9UK15sppCat3sFsZ7Qnz8FSk3PRZdpKWvw_c9xZg4AWfVER4tDo9sGt1xFbpuyURAcS0w29TpcqP67oBTrfVNhkKM1x7YqEIgs0RdztKr5rIhEm4hDlKtH2qA/s1600/formation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'bookman old style'; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpIRg024MOScesiL71CP9UK15sppCat3sFsZ7Qnz8FSk3PRZdpKWvw_c9xZg4AWfVER4tDo9sGt1xFbpuyURAcS0w29TpcqP67oBTrfVNhkKM1x7YqEIgs0RdztKr5rIhEm4hDlKtH2qA/s400/formation.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The sun beat down on us and threatened to melt the chocolate chips </span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14pt;">in the cookies as we walked over to the barracks. Each building had a covered area outside for</span><span style="font-family: 'bookman old style'; font-size: 14pt;"> formations and some of them had soldiers in training lined up and waiting for something. All the soldiers that walked by had a “battle buddy” with them and a reflective colored belt around their waist or slung over their soldier. My battle buddy was my wife dressed in red, white, and blue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As we approached the front door of the barracks, out walked our son in his field uniform and a colored reflective belt slung over his shoulder. He moved with purpose and bearing, not like the lackluster teenager gait he would have displayed just a few years ago. My wife squealed and gave him a big hug. I kept my military bearing and made my embrace short and professional, but inside I wanted to wrap him up and jump up and down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihciQXA2ev4qPJ3ItYZFhdU8c7fnAm5FGZcYwDRjTYhUQ_w8-aX8ZVVFoVn9fYwydKmwJQJImvbjpVrrJFQ-thHZI6C43GeUDPufh812inhW0ub5BfXvRfuqsujq2mlDRSEMj5AyA42MnO/s1600/4Jul2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihciQXA2ev4qPJ3ItYZFhdU8c7fnAm5FGZcYwDRjTYhUQ_w8-aX8ZVVFoVn9fYwydKmwJQJImvbjpVrrJFQ-thHZI6C43GeUDPufh812inhW0ub5BfXvRfuqsujq2mlDRSEMj5AyA42MnO/s320/4Jul2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He told us about his training as we walked to the mini-mall across the street. I still held the cookies, waiting for the right moment to share them. The mini-mall was a slice of the outside world—Taco Bell, Burger King, Subway, Dominoes Pizza. The Army really does travel, and train, on its stomach. We took a seat at one of the tables surrounded by soldiers in training and ordered lunch from Taco Bell. Nothing says “America” on the 4<sup>th</sup> of July like fast food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We talked of home, and of training. We ate fast food and filled him in on the latest family news. CNN Headline News was playing on the big-screen TV above us. The commentators and guests argued about Donald Trump’s tweet with a six-pointed star, Hilary Clinton’s FBI probe, and how to fight terrorists. We asked about his teammates and his Sergeants. The news turned to attacks in Iraq by ISIS and the two hundred people killed during a terrorist bombing. I looked around the room at the young men and women eating fast food and wondered. <i>Do they have any idea what is in store for them? Do we understand the cost they may have to pay for us?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One of the Sergeants told them during training, “ISIS has your picture up on their wall. They want nothing more than to kill you.” I watched the newsreel of mangled bodies and destruction from the ISIS attack and realized that some of the men and women in the room with me that day could be injured or killed at the hands of our enemies. I recognized that my son might pay a steep price to keep me free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We fight an enemy that is ideologically opposed to our freedoms. I wonder if they understand what they are fighting against. After all, a Muslim has more freedom to practice his or her religion under the Constitution of the United States than anywhere else in the world. And yet, ISIS (radicalized Islamists) wants to destroy the freedoms the Constitution protects. Irony is always an integral element of war.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celebrating Independence Day on a military installation transforms the experience. We civilians celebrate with barbecues, watermelons, and parades, and think little of the cost of our independence. But for the men and women who put on a uniform and take an oath, the cost of our independence is measured in pints of blood, months away from family, and white headstones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I smiled and handed him the container of chocolate chip cookies.</span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioedW5vixh4JWwzAhzJKsyeTbMw8LtSfleNi06XUh6Pzqjw66tNo_ps2tdtuDP0_4FXDLCp8HHWeZlpS5cgbqHPlfk11m3reH9gF-hHii85Xn2y25e7LpnL8mZ2jRxjAVy2I02hewMemdB/s1600/Headstones.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioedW5vixh4JWwzAhzJKsyeTbMw8LtSfleNi06XUh6Pzqjw66tNo_ps2tdtuDP0_4FXDLCp8HHWeZlpS5cgbqHPlfk11m3reH9gF-hHii85Xn2y25e7LpnL8mZ2jRxjAVy2I02hewMemdB/s320/Headstones.jpg" width="320" /></a> </o:p></span></div>
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-58766671762517068442016-05-23T17:57:00.000-07:002016-05-23T17:57:00.232-07:00Brande Jo Booher-Brock—A Song, A Poem, A Laugh, A Story, A Listening Ear<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande
Jo Booher was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on August 18, 1959, the second
child to Eddie and Jeanetta Booher. Eisenhower was president. Elvis had a new
song that was rising on the charts. It was a Saturday, and as predicted in the
old nursery rhyme, “Saturday’s child works hard for it’s living,” her life
would be full of toil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She
grew up in Simpson County, Kentucky, except for a short stay in Southern
California, and eventually welcomed eight more siblings into her parent’s home.
Indeed, living on a farm in Kentucky as one of ten children certainly brought
its share of hard work, but the work did not define Brande. She had a constant
twinkle in her eye and a quick smile. She lightened the load with song. She
eased the burden with laughter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She
grew into a woman and got married to a man who already had two boys. She became
an instant mother by treating Scott and Shane as her own children from day one.
She added to their family by bringing three more children into this world—Anna,
Daira, and Zack. Each child added to the work and worry of life. Yes, life did
force her to work hard for a living. Her life was full of heartache,
heartbreak, and eventually her heart stopped. But it isn’t the toil or
heartache of life that we remember about Brande. We remember her as a song, a
poem, a laugh, a story, and a listening ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande
lived her life with song. Growing up on the farm, she spent hours snapping
green beans, cutting strawberries, picking blackberries, or helping with a
variety of tedious tasks that carried a sense of drudgery. Brande would often
sing to lighten the load. We figure she must have always had a song playing in
her head. In addition to working beside her, we spent hours squished into an
old station wagon or the old VW van watching the scenery pass by wondering if
we were there yet. She would sing to us, and her favorite song to sing was
“Country Roads” by John Denver. After a while we would often join in. Imagine a
station wagon full of kids hurtling down the backroads of Kentucky belting out
“Country roads, take me home! To the place, I belong!” She continued the
tradition with her children and grandchildren by singing them to sleep or
singing to them on their birthday. She always had a song in her heart. She
carried some heavy loads in her life, but we all remember how she would sing to
lighten her load and the load of everyone around her. Brande was a song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Along
with carrying a song with her wherever she went, Brande carried along a verse
of poetry. She would quote a poem or rhyme to teach a lesson. She would share a
verse to make us smile. Her children and grandchildren remember her favorite
way of showing affection and love was to quote the popular Robert Munsch verse
-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d2d28; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">“I’ll love you forever, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #3d2d28; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I’ll like you for always, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #3d2d28; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">as long as I’m living <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #3d2d28; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">my baby you’ll be.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(Incidentally
he wrote that verse after he and his wife had two babies born dead.) I think
that verse helped carry Brande through the dirty diapers, the crying babies
with colic, and the late-night hospital visits. She loved to write poetry
herself and in one verse explained –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Poets write in verse
and rhyme<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Authors tell a story.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But the words a woman
lives and writes<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Will be her personal
glory.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chock
awoke the other night (it was a full moon after all) and wrote down this poem
about Brande –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">My Sister’s Eyes<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">My sister’s eyes</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Blue<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Bright<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Bold<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Intense<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Passionate<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Compassionate<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Seldom angry<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Mostly gentle<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Genuine<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Loving<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Kind<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Now closed <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">in peaceful slumber<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">While she awaits<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The resurrection<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">To open them<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Once more<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Yet she is here<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">A presence felt<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">A vision seen<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">In the eyes <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Of her family</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 31.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 23.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Brown<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Green<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Hazel<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Or blue<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">No matter the color<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">No matter the hue<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Here is a message true<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">In the eyes of her children<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Grand and great grand children too<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">She lives on<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">In each of you.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande
was a poem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande
lived her life with laughter. She had an inviting smile and was quick to laugh
at life. When the work piled up and it seemed like the list of chores was
endless, she would make things fun. She was quick-witted, especially when
someone complained, and would smile and say, “Well…” before finding something
lighthearted or optimistic about the situation. One time while shopping at
Wal-Mart she found an item without a tag. After haggling with the clerk they
offered the item for one dollar. Without missing a beat she said, “In that case
I’ll take five.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Her
laughter kept her childlike. She played with children not because she had to,
but because she wanted to. On Christmas morning she would wake up her children
because she was more excited than them to open presents and play with toys. Her
laughter wasn’t the loud guffaw or annoying knee-slapping mocking laughter.
Hers was a jolly belly laugh, and her eyes practically twinkled as her laughter
built. She looked for the joy in every situation. Brande was laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande
could often be found telling or reading a story. Like her mother, she was an
avid reader. She devoured books for her own personal pleasure. She read bedtime
stories to her children and grandchildren and told them stories that inspired
their imagination and sense of wonder. Daira says she always brought home books
for them to read hoping that her enthusiasm for reading would rub off on her
children. She would use stories to teach life lessons and after watching the
news and seeing that people who lost homes to tornados were always barefoot,
she made her children go to bed with shoes on when thunderstorms were around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
addition to making reading such an integral part of her life, she also worked
with children’s reading programs teaching children to read and encouraging the
love of books. She loved to listen to, and tell, family history stories that
made us laugh, and cry. Because of her love for reading she made a donation to
charity and won the chance to have her name as a character in a published
novel. You can find her immortalized in the pages of the romance novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Matchup</i> by Laura Walker as the
character Brande Levington. She always told her children, “</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">You are the author of your own book of life. When one chapter ends,
a new one begins. But you determine the final ending.” </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes, Brande was a
story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande
was a good listener. Friends, family members, and total strangers found it easy
to share their life story with her. Mom used to wonder if Brande had some sort
of subconscious sign that said, “I care. Tell me all your problems.” Her
children and grandchildren described her as their emotional rock, their
shoulder to cry on, and their personal cheerleader and counselor. Something
about her made you open up and share what was troubling you. She would listen
intently and sift through your troubles without judging, and when you were
finished your burden was lighter because of her empathetic ear. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">She was a crackling fire, cushy chair, homemade quilt, and hot
blackberry cobbler with ice cream you could visit on any cold dark night. It
was so easy to be there and she appreciated the visit. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brande was a listening
ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Brande Jo has gone home, but as the John Denver
song exclaims, “<i>I hear her voice. In the
morning hours she calls me,</i>” we still feel her with us. We still hear her
songs. We still hear her poetry. We still hear her laughter. We still hear her
stories. I hope she is still lending a listening ear. Brande Jo Booher-Brock—a
song, a poem, a laugh, a story, and a listening ear.</span><!--EndFragment-->
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-8662993735672216472016-05-07T22:01:00.001-07:002016-05-14T13:34:03.871-07:00Eddie Bramlet Booher—Thunder, Lightning, and Rain<i>Eulogy for my Dad</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Eddie Bramlet Booher was born on July
14, 1938 in Cumberland County, Kentucky, to Ruth McCoy and Eddie Creed Booher.
He was their first child, a small baby who appeared to be stillborn at first.
They wrapped him in a blanket and put him in a shoebox because they thought he
was dead, but then his grandmother noticed that he was moving. No one in the
room would have guessed who that timid baby would become. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The short life sketch captured the
basic facts of his life, but in no way does justice to his hard work,
sacrifice, and friendship. How do you convey the essence of Eddie Booher’s life
in a sketch or even a fifteen-minute eulogy? You do what he would do—use a
metaphor or story to help explain his character, both virtues and faults.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Eddie Booher was a Kentucky summer
thunderstorm. If you’re from Kentucky you’ve experienced one of those afternoon
thundershowers that builds in the morning, crashes down on you in the
afternoon, and refreshes the evening with a cool rain. You hear the thunder,
see the flashes of lightning, and feel the rain on your skin. You smell the
moisture moving through the air. You hear the wind whistling through the trees.
You’re a bit frightened as it approaches, and yet excited at the prospect of
rain to save you from the oppressive humidity and heat that summer can bring.
Eddie Booher was like that summer thunderstorm.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">First comes the rolling thunder. It
builds and rumbles until you can feel it shake you. You know the thunder isn’t
going to hurt you, but it alarms you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Everyone who knew Eddie Booher knew
he was loud like thunder. He boomed at will and no one could ever claim they
didn’t hear him. It was a convenient form of communication in wide-open spaces.
Amory remembers being able to hear him yell over the sound of the tractor while
wearing earplugs. Visiting friends were unable to distinguish a “holler” from a
“yell” and assumed he was angry all the time. Those of you who really knew him recognized
that he struggled with his temper, and like the booming thunder its sudden
onset and teeth-rattling nature surprised you. It took most of us years to get
used to it, but when we did, we could see through the blustering noise like the
child that is no longer afraid of the sound of thunder. We learned to walk
calmly in the storm, and in later years tried not to laugh at his blustering.
One night Chock and Brock came home later than they should have, but at the
time they were both twenty something and had served missions in South America.
Dad came out of the bedroom and began to work up his usual thunder until Chock grinned
at him and said, “Why don’t you go back to bed before we decide to whoop you?” Dad
looked at them both, shook his head, and went back to bed.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes Eddie Booher was loud, but that
wasn’t always a negative thing. He was never afraid to take a stance and speak
up about important things. He was loud about his opinion on abortion and stood
up for unborn children and the right to life in 1973 when the Supreme Court
ruled in favor of abortion. He and Mom volunteered at the County Fair and tried
to persuade people that abortion was morally wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was loud about his opinion on race.
As he matured he recognized that the society around him had it wrong and worked
to liberate himself from that conditioning. Over the years he befriended coworkers and neighbors of color and broke the chain of narrow thinking in his home,
and in his community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was loud in his patriotism and
love of country. He often quoted the Van Dyke poem "America for Me"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Oh, it's
home again, and home again, America for me!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>My heart is turning home again, and
there I long to be, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,
</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars!”</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He loved
his country and the freedoms it afforded him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was also loud about his religious
beliefs bearing his testimony of Christ and the restored gospel to many people
over the years. When his parents told him to renounce his testimony of the
Church or move out, he began to pack the car. His parents relented once they
saw that he was serious about his beliefs. He never backed down from his
testimony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes, like the rolling thunder that
shakes your bones, Eddie Booher was loud.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As the storm approaches and builds,
the sky lights up with bolts of lightning that blind you and make the hair on
your arms stand up with static electricity. Each bolt of lightning is powerful,
bright, and bold. Eddie was often like those bolts of lightning.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was powerful like a bolt of
lightning in his work ethic. When discussing their father, one trait that all
ten of his children mentioned was his work ethic. He worked because he loved to
work. He worked because he loved Mom. He worked because he loved his kids. Most
poets excel in talking about love. He excelled at talking about work. He showed
us that his work was love and his love was work. When other children might get
to know their father while playing baseball, or during a beach vacation, we all
got to know our father by working beside him, because he was always working on
something. He worked at the factory and came home to work on the farm, and we
all helped. It was sometimes sad to visit him in his later years because he
wasn’t able to work, and working together was all we had ever known.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like the flash of lightning, Eddie
was bright. I don’t mean to say that he was some sort of genius, but he was a
voracious reader and assimilated information better than most people. Even
better than remembering information, he knew how to put that information to
work. Like those flashes of lightning, he had flashes of genius that made him a
bit of a visionary. As the Production Manager at the local copper tubing
factory, he had a vision of what computers could do to make production more
efficient. He almost singlehandedly implemented that vision and put a system in
place that would enhance the production for many years to come. When they
finally replaced his system just a few years ago, it took a group of
consultants over six months and thousands of dollars to get the job done. The
impact of his flashes of lightning at work caused people to ask, “What would
Eddie Booher do?” long after he had retired.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was especially bright when he
married, and listened to, Jeanetta his wife. They got married when he was
seventeen and she was sixteen, and as you would expect it was tough. They grew
up together as they started their family. You can only imagine the difficulties
they faced as the bills piled up and the hardships of raising a large family
began to pile on top of them like an avalanche of toil and trouble. Where he
was loud, she was quiet, but over the years he learned to take inspiration from
her like energy from flashes of lightning.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He loved to quote a variety of
inspirational (and sometimes humorous) sayings he picked up over the years.
“Work will win when wishy-washy wishing won’t.” “If you fail to plan, you plan
to fail.” “They told me, ‘Cheer up things could get worse.’ So I cheered up and
sure enough things got worse.” “Proper prior planning prevents poor
performance.” “I was doing okay but I got over it.” “When the time for action
has arrived, the time for preparation has passed.” “Put your shoulder to the
wheel, nose to the grindstone, butt in the wind, and try to get some work done
in that position.” And of course his favorite, “Make hay while the sun shines.”
Like those flashes of lightning he had a good quip for a variety of situations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Eddie Booher, like those flashes of
lightning, had moments of energy, inspiration, and bold genius.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After the booming thunder and the violent
lightning, the rain begins to fall. The sound of rain falling on a tin roof
soothes your nerves. The smell of moisture in the air puts a smile on your
face. The raindrops bring life-giving moisture. Eddie could storm, but he
always brought the rain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After yelling at you and maybe even
punishing you for misbehaving, Dad would always offer love in the form of a hug
and or a kiss on the cheek. He never stayed mad or upset at you for very long,
and apologized when he was wrong. Like the passing storm, his wrath passed
quickly. After the wrath came the nourishing and life-giving rain of love.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rain meant that the crops would grow,
and his favorite crop was alfalfa hay. The expression, “Make hay while the sun
shines,” could be considered his life’s motto. He loved working in the hay more
than almost everything else. He told stories of working in the hay with his
father. All of us worked in the hay—mowing it, raking it, baling it, and
hauling it. More than once we found ourselves racing against a coming
thunderstorm to get the hay into the barn. Sometimes we lost, but when we won
it was the best feeling in the world to be walking back from the barn as the
rain began to fall. Amory recalls how one time Dad was so giddy to get the hay
into the barn before the rain came that he stayed outside in the rain and
tossed a rubber ball onto the tin roof of the house laughing like a kid as he
got soaking wet. The rain made the hay grow, and making hay was the cycle of
his life. Truly the chatter of a sickle bar mower, the scraping teeth of the
rake, and the rhythmic pounding of the square baler were the soundtrack of
Eddie Booher’s life.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The rain had a big impact on his
childhood. He grew up on the banks of the Cumberland River before they had dams
along the river to control flooding. He spoke of getting rescued from the
second story of his Brownwood home in a rowboat when the swollen river
threatened to swallow up his childhood home. He told us stories about going
around the square in Burkesville in a motorboat. One time he drove a Volkswagen
Beetle to get across a swollen creek by getting a running start and floating
across the last few feet before his tires touched pavement again. Those traumatic
events left an indelible impression that always made him leery of heavy rain
and flooding.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Eddie Booher could be loud, but he
was also very tender, like a great big teddy bear. He could shower love down on
you at the most unexpected time and in a measure unexpected by a man so focused
on keeping a household of ten children in line. As a disciplinarian he was
quick to mete out justice followed promptly by mercy and love. Brock remembers
most the whipping he didn’t get when he almost burned down the barn. He could
never stay mad at you, and after the thunder and lightning of his displeasure
quickly passed, he would shower you with the rain of his affection.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He also showered others with
generosity when he had nothing to give, particularly in his later years. He
would give money to help a child or grandchild in need. He would offer money or
resources to a friend in a tough spot. He was liberal with his monetary reward
to anyone that worked for him and made sure they were well compensated.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A man of deep feelings of compassion
he had a knack of consoling during a time of grief or loss. Cameo remembers how
Dad laid down beside her on the bed and hugged her when she was inconsolable
with grief after Mom’s miscarriage. Then later in life he offered the same love
and support at the loss of a baby. He would shower you with love and empathy as
he stepped into the gap and took care of whatever needed to be done while you
coped with the loss and grief.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">His life was full of rain. He showered
his life with work. He showered his friends with service. He showered his
family with affection.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes, Eddie Booher entered this world
a timid and almost lifeless baby. But he lived his life like a Kentucky
afternoon thunderstorm with booming thunder, flashes of bold lightning, and the
life-giving rain of love and affection. Remember him because he was loud.
Remember him because he was inspired. Remember him because he loved and cared
for so many of us. The next time you hear the rolling thunder, see the flashes
of lightning, and feel the rain on your skin, think of our Dad, Eddie Booher,
and be grateful that you knew the loud, bold, and compassionate man that he
was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-13814481561265335262016-04-13T16:34:00.000-07:002016-04-13T16:34:21.388-07:00The Motorcycle or The Easy Chair<div class="MsoNormal">
In the past month I purchased a motorcycle and an easy
chair. Both can be deadly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I traded my older motorcycle for a slightly newer one with
less mileage. It’s also more nimble at slow speed and easier to handle, but in
reality it’s not any safer than the one I sold. Riding a motorcycle is risky
and dangerous, but also cathartic, enjoyable, and a singularly rewarding travel
experience. However, it’s safe to say that the singular travel experience can
become a singular life-ending event as well. Riding a motorcycle is a risky
venture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I bought the easy chair to put in my office. (Enough of my
children left home for me to regain some space for my own office.) The easy
chair isn’t anything fancy but it is comfortable, and with a pull on a lever I
can put myself into an almost horizontal position that supports my back and
legs. It’s great for reading, typing on my computer, or taking a catnap.
However, too much time in the easy chair can sap the energy from life and make
a person lethargic and sedentary with one foot in the grave. The easy chair
requires no risk.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I could chose how to die, I would like to pass from this
world to the next sitting in an easy chair at home surrounded by loving family
and friends wishing me well on the next phase of my journey. It seems like the
most comforting way to exit this mortal existence. That perfect ending to a
fulfilling life isn’t possible without risk. Unless I “ride the motorcycle” I
will never get to that easy chair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life is a paradox. If we choose the easy path without risk
we are not really living. If we choose the easy chair our life is wasted in
ease. Without the dangerous journey there is no satisfying destination. Without
the difficulty of the task there is no pride in accomplishment. Without the
hardship of trial there is no personal growth. Life is inherently risky. If we
wish to truly live we must accept risk, but if we choose too much risk we place
little value on life. Life is a balancing act of risk, a balance between the
motorcycle and the easy chair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing is riskier than raising a family. When you decide to
become a parent (biologically or otherwise) you shout to the world, “I will be
responsible for this life! I will feed, clothe, and teach this infant. I will
protect and serve this child. I will tolerate, love and correct this
adolescent. I will mentor and guide this young adult.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What greater risk can you take on than choosing parental
responsibility? So much can go wrong. So much is out of your control. So much
can end badly. Choosing to be a parent is choosing the motorcycle instead of
the easy chair of life. You suit up with helmet, boots, and jacket to mitigate
the risk, but no matter how many safety protections you put in place, parenting
is still a dangerous journey. Parenting is the ultimate risk, but it delivers
the ultimate reward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My father is nearing the end of his mortal journey and is
confined to the hospital bed, the wheelchair, and the dreaded easy chair. He
eats puree of chicken and drinks through a straw. The strong man who once provided
and cared for his family, is now unable to care for himself. Pictures of family
and friends adorn the walls of his room. Visitors frequent his bedside to
comfort and care for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He arrived at his health-induced confinement by wearing his
body out in the service of his family, combined with some dereliction of
maintenance. As a younger man he ignored the pain of injury in order to be a
good provider. Feeling duty bound, he worked when he should have rested.
Committed to his role as a parent, he pushed himself when his body needed to
heal. Accepting the risk of parenthood, he kept moving when his health required
a moment in the easy chair. He risked it all to raise ten children, and is now
rewarded with the easy chair surrounded by loving family, even if they aren’t
always present. He chose the risky path of parenthood. He chose the motorcycle
over the easy chair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This past month I purchased two deadly
instruments—the motorcycle and the easy chair. Both can be deadly. </span><!--EndFragment-->Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-52073085112412890972016-03-19T08:32:00.000-07:002016-03-19T08:32:18.523-07:00The Truth About Happiness<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span
style='font-size:22.0pt'>Joy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</v:group><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why do we suffer from
unhappiness and depression when we are doing our best to be obedient to God’s
commandments? Aren’t we supposed to be happy? Isn’t it called “the great plan
of happiness?” (Alma 42:8) If “wickedness never was happiness,” (Alma 41:10)
then does that mean unhappy people are wicked? Is disobedience and wickedness
the source of our unhappiness?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
sometimes confuse what is TRUE and what makes us happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
know that eventually we will understand all truth, and that truth is independent of opinion, or emotion. In other words truth can stand alone,
regardless of how we feel. We do not understand all truth in this mortal
existence. We seek the truth and welcome any revealed truth, but in reality the
circle of truth we understand is quite small.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1epvIwlbw7voR4ESLdAUkf7JsO7ef0BVa293_ZWNRgzSgbrpjb42vlFmIouzTLxt47ISaGeNcMDph-8bMtHuFPCZxhQhCFkb5oT2F0X1YTVCF2nw_Wk3fyMwVsWFTZIXADx7nU5YKDlmB/s1600/Truth+picture+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1epvIwlbw7voR4ESLdAUkf7JsO7ef0BVa293_ZWNRgzSgbrpjb42vlFmIouzTLxt47ISaGeNcMDph-8bMtHuFPCZxhQhCFkb5oT2F0X1YTVCF2nw_Wk3fyMwVsWFTZIXADx7nU5YKDlmB/s400/Truth+picture+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
emotions we feel (although very real) do not always represent, nor are they in
line with, the truth, especially in this mortal life. We are intended to feel a
variety of emotions in this lifetime, some of them very acute at times. We are
designed to be happy. We are intended to have joy. However, we are not
guaranteed a life without unhappiness. We are not promised some utopian
existence where we live in constant harmony and never feel the wide range of
emotion attached to our mortal journey. We will feel negative emotions, but
those emotions do not change the truth. Truth stands alone, independent, and
unaffected by emotion. It does not feel. It simply exists. Knowing and applying
truth can bring us happiness, but unhappiness in this life does not mean that
we have failed to understand or apply the truth properly. God makes the rain
fall on the just and the unjust. Unhappiness comes to the righteous and the
wicked, at least for now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
we follow the PLAN of happiness, eventually we will be happy. (That’s why it’s
called a plan.) If we align ourselves with the revealed truth and follow the
plan, we will eventually achieve a state of happiness that is unchanging. Just
as our bodies will be resurrected and glorified, our spirits will be free from
guilt, shame, and all the other impediments to eternal happiness. We will have
a fullness of joy. But for many that will not be achieved in this lifetime
because of the mortal limitations of our existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So
what do we tell someone who is suffering from depression and unhappiness? How
do we console them and reassure them when they can no longer be happy in spite
of their best efforts to live a righteous life? What do we say to someone who
cannot seem to find happiness for the moment?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">First,
testify of truth. The truth doesn’t change with our emotions. It is constant. People
suffering from depression and anxiety often describe it as a state of
uneasiness or instability where they can’t seem to find their footing. They are
looking for something—anything—they can hold onto. Depression and anxiety can
rob a person of hope, and hope is the seedbed of faith. Without hope it is
difficult to wait on the Lord and difficult to believe in anything we cannot
physically experience. Revelation becomes difficult. Truth is the ultimate
anchor in this situation. When we testify of truth it gives a reference and an
anchor point in the sea of emotion. Truth provides stability in an unstable
moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Love.
We must fill our bowels with charity and serve those who are suffering. We are
instructed to “lift up the hands which hang down.” (Hebrews 12:12) No one’s
hands are hanging lower than someone suffering from depression or anxiety.
Depression often robs an individual’s ability to feel joy and love. It makes it
difficult to give and receive love. Because of this, it is often difficult to
love someone suffering from depression because they cannot reciprocate or
appreciate the love that is offered. “Charity suffereth long.” (1 Corinthians
13:4) We must love, and continue to love in a variety of ways, all those
suffering from depression and anxiety. Love will see them through the darkest
days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
truth about happiness is that in this life we may not always be happy, even
when we are trying to be obedient to God’s eternal laws. “</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: OpenSans;">In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Life is a journey full of tribulation
and emotion, but if we follow the plan of happiness we will eventually overcome
all the mortal impediments to happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Truth
stands independent of our emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6053001608355086630.post-71057683002673243332016-02-26T08:49:00.002-08:002016-02-26T08:49:35.993-08:00Hopes for My Grandchildren<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m going to be a grandpa!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How did this happen? How did I suddenly become the old guy
in the room? I don’t feel old (at least most days). I certainly don’t think of
myself as the sage voice of wisdom that grandparents are supposed to be. I don’t
act like a grandpa (except maybe when it comes to my taste in music). I don’t
think like a grandpa, but then again I’m not sure how grandpas think. What kind
of grandpa will I be?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I don’t remember much of my paternal grandfather other than
he was a mountain of a man that died way too young. My maternal grandfather,
Grampy, survived into my adulthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
remember him vividly, and revered him as great man of knowledge, wisdom, and
experience. Because of my experiences with him, I have always deemed
grandfathers as this repository of life experience and sage advice. I’m not
sure I’m ready for that role.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What do I hope to offer my grandchildren? I hope I can
impart the same things that my Grampy tried to impart to me—experience, knowledge,
and wisdom. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Imagine if you could give a grandchild the gift of
experience. You could save a grandson a great deal of heartache and trouble
because he could learn from your experience and not have to suffer through his
own mistakes. You could give a granddaughter just learning to drive your years
of driving experience, and help her avoid accidents. You could give a new
married couple the gift of experience at raising children, managing a household,
or learning to get along. If you could simply bequeath your life experience to
your grandchildren, imagine the pitfalls and regrets they could avoid.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
History repeats itself because we cannot pass on the
experience of history to the next generation. It is true that I can teach my
grandchildren and tell them stories that they can learn from, but if I could
somehow transfer my experience to my grandchildren, they would be years ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But life doesn’t work that way. The next generation must
always learn some things from their own experience, not from the experience of
those who have come before them. We cannot magically pass on our experience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every generation must experience life for
themselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Modern technology has allowed us to download and transfer information
from one electronic repository to another at an incredible rate. Yet in spite
of all of the information available at our fingertips, the human brain still
garners knowledge bit-by-bit and piece-by-piece through the study and practice.
Imagine if we could simply plug our brain into a source of knowledge and download
knowledge from a computer. What if I could transfer all the knowledge I have
gained through the diligent effort of a lifetime to my grandchildren with the
click of a mouse?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Having more information at our fingertips does not make us
more knowledgeable. Information is not the same as knowledge. Facts don’t
automatically make us smarter. Knowing the science behind hitting a home run
does not make us a superstar in the major leagues any more than knowing the
lines of all of Shakespeare’s plays will win us an academy award. The
availability of information can accelerate learning, but each generation must
gain knowledge through study and practice. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And what about the gift of wisdom? Think of the regret you
could save a grandson or daughter if you could somehow transfer your
hard-earned wisdom to them while they are still young. Your grandson would be
wise enough to save a little money each week. Your granddaughter would be wise
enough to avoid drugs without any anti-drug campaigns. Imagine that like a bank
account we could transfer the wisdom we have garnered over the years to our
grandchildren’s account. They could avoid a multitude of dead-end pathways,
fruitless endeavors, and painful regrets.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But wisdom is gained at the cost of failure. Wisdom is paid
for with a price. We can be wise and learn from the mistakes of previous
generations, but we must also personally experience the heartbreak of some failures
in order to gain personal wisdom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps instead of wishing to pass on any knowledge,
experience, or wisdom I may have collected over the years, I should help my
grandchildren understand how to gain those precious gems for themselves. I can
help them experience the sunrise of a winter day and the sunset of a stormy
summer evening. I can teach them that trying and failing is better than not
trying at all. I can show them that learning is the one activity that never
grows stale. I can testify that knowledge is worth the effort, and that wisdom
gained too easily can be just as easily lost.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I will do my best to impart any experience, knowledge, or
wisdom that I have collected throughout my life to my posterity, but in the end
I hope I can instill in them the courage to live and learn.<o:p></o:p></div>
Brock Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734252224929008249noreply@blogger.com0