Superscout

[SuperScout]

One of the first, if not the VERY first things that came to mind in reading your last was my continual thought of "Damn, a man of his passion would have made a good Scout, and been in my unit, and not been dicked over so badly that it took years of healing." You didn't deserve to be treated the way you were, and any good officer or senior NCO should have been there, to run interference, to be your BS deflector, to provide High Cover. I considered it part of my holy (yes, a perfectly selected word to convey exactly how seriously I took it) calling to do just that for my men, to protect them from abuses of power, to shield them from petty tyrants who abused their authority and position, and to seek every conceivable benefit, reward, recognition and all the beer and steak I could beg, borrow or steal for them.

We all saw things through our own paradigms, and the healing - or lack thereof - is one of the bonding agents that we have, irrespective of all other variables. And for me, healing only happens when (1) I ask my Lord for it, (2) I am willing to let it happen at Healing's pace and time, and (3) I get out of the way and not try to be the director of healing. And to the extent given to me by that same Lord, I want to be vehicle for healing, the conduit, if you will, certainly not the source. And I certainly want to be the recipient of it when my soul calls out for that balm that only brotherhood can provide.

Subsequent discourse and communication will be of my thoughts, my words, my ideas - as simply a means of trying more honestly of being true to myself, omitting other people, places, and things, as we say in meetings. Agreeing aforehand, to be disagreeable, on occasion if necessary, while accepting the boundaries of each other, doesn't seem to be too unreasonable a request, one that I certainly can abide by, with a little practice on my part!

One of the most significant books I've read in a long time was "Conversations with God," by Neale Donald Walsche. And one that I need ........ no that I want to study more, and to absorb more into my being. Allow me, if you will, to quote a most significant passage, where God is conversing with our author, on the very subject of telling the truth:
"Remember this: It is not nearly so important how well a message is received as how well it is sent. You cannot take responsibility for how well another accepts your truth; you can only ensure how well it is communicated. And by how well, I don't mean merely how clearly; I mean how lovingly, how compassionately, how sensitively, how courageously, and how completely...." (p. 16, Book 2) With His help, and with your help, James, I can communicate better, and am committed towards that end. Belay the trapdoor, it has, truly has no place here.

Combining the simple, yet thorough ingredients on truth-telling as outlined above, with the rigorous honesty as espoused and encouraged by the Big Book has helped me to answer the question of racism or any other form of intolerance. Like getting to Carnegie Hall: it takes practice, practice, practice.

Still practicing,
Brice H. Barnes

[BLUEHAWK]

Scamp taught me that "belay" means to "tie off"

[MORTARDUDE]

Heavy stuff.. I also have "Conversations with God"....I re-read it from time to time...

Brice : Can you make the Psyco campout on April 23 ?

Larry

[SuperScout]

There's nothing more that I'd like to do than come join in the fun and festivities! Onliest problem is that my bride has grown very accustomed to enjoying the finer things in life, me included, and as a result, must continue the income earning process. Seriously, there are a couple of business situations that I'm trying to move along, and don't know if all the pieces will fit together - but I'm working on it! And thanks for asking!
Brice

PS: Conversations..... trying to get a group at my church to invest some serious study time in this..

[the humper]

Finer things in life--"ME".
Now that's an oxymoron, if I ever saw one!!!
SF
NC

p.s. EX, you've already taken the first step, which is the most important one!!!!! Keep going!!!!!!

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by 39mto39g James,,,
"Humility, Tolerance, surrender, justice, forgiveness, self examination, honesty openmindedness and willingness"

I'll have none of that.

Humility,,, Im the best-to hell with the rest
Tolerance,, Kill them all, let your god sort em out
Surrender,, yea right
Justice,, Depends on how much money you have
forgiveness,, If you didn't mean it than don't say it.
Self Examination,, every time I shower
Honesty,, Ya got me on that one, I am Honest.
Openmindedness,, As long as its my way.
Willingness,, I'll do it after the check clears.


Ron

Ron, you would have made such a wonderful lrrp. You would have got medals but not in my company because none of the people I served with in the first 6 months of the company got medals at all. If you didn't get it awarded in the 101st (where most of us came from) you didn't get it and the 101 was notoriously sparse about those things too. They were having too much trouble creating a lrrp company out of nothing in stead of worrying about such foolishness as medals.
My platoon leader did get a Bronze Star though and he desrved it--one of the only officers I knew that did the whole year on the line--first a line platoon in the Cav, then denmother to a bunch of lrrps--he got some stories!!
I can say I was a founding member, it still counts even though I was scared sometimes.
So here's the truth--I can come from a really resentful space aboput things sometimes. I have other things that set me off.

Aw cmon, Ron, I know there''s a fuzzy little bunny underneath all that genocidal rage. Sit on my lap and tell Lrrpsy all about it, then we'll go play hopscotch in the park

James

[exlrrp]

I left out Serenity on the list above. This can only be a significantly revealing Freudiun slip.
Darn--if I can't rattle em all off like General Orders, I must not be working on them, thats safe to say.
If you see me being rude or calling names thats a sure sign I'm not being serene. If you see me making enemies obviously I'm not getting the full benefits of the the surrender concept.
I'm saying all this on the hope that you all will bust me on this in a nice way when you see me doing it--it means I'm "struggling with the program" This is one of my euphimisms for not doing anything at all about it..
It can happen--sometimes I'll run a test to see if youre awake. I'm only saying all this for the good of society

Keep Coming Back!

James Worth

[39mto39g]

No