The Eyes Have It.

Headline news held two striking images for me this week. The close-up pictures of the eyes of top Olympic athletes as they began each competition. And, in contrast, the eyes of the Russian soldiers preparing to demolish the State of Georgia.

In the eyes of the athletes I read determination, calculated moves, the drive to succeed and show their BEST performance, and HOPE. A great fire of depth, clarity and expectation. Dominant in the eyes of the soldiers I read a shallow, glazed-over look. Determined? Yes. Calculated? Perhaps. A drive to succeed? I couldn't see that but it might have been there. HOPE? That's what was missing in my view of their eyes.

I read the contrast between being YOUR BEST and BESTing your neighbors! A clarity in the eyes of those with their eyes on their own pre-set goals versus lack of clarity in the eyes of those who were following the goals set for them by others.

Often both sets of eyes burned into me from side by side positions on MSM's home page. Too starkly contrasted to miss. Which story did I want to read first? Which filled me with joy, satisfaction and hope? And which story shredded my heart, pulled out the protective mother bear emotions and made me want to gather up the torn bodies, lives and dreams of people whose eyes carried shock, disbelief, fear and hopelessness? A rhetorical question to which you already know the answer.

The Eyes Have It. What will you read in the eyes you encounter today and over this next week? Even those in the mirror.

Small World???

We all saw the breaking news during the Olympic coverage, couple attacked while visiting a tourist attraction. A collective, compassionate sigh was heard around the world. When it was announced that it was an American couple, a collective American sigh was felt across the ocean. In Minnesota another holding of breath and then a sigh was felt when the couple's identity was noted to be from that state. As the victim's names were released, one dead and one in intensive care with stab wounds, the city of Lakeville, MN began to feel the pain and loss. Throughout the state the pain and loss became more real as well. These people had touched many lives through their well known family floral business and civic involvement. And of course the family, friends, neighbors who knew them best, suffered most.

There, I believed, the pain came to rest. Not so. I was checking out a family funeral in the Beaver Dam, Wisconsin newspaper. The local church noted the Olympic couple's death as one of the denomination's family. The denomination' community shared by so many.

It was then I became crystal clear how the pebble dropping in the pond ANYwhere, effected people EVERYwhere. Count the number of 'communities' touched by this one event. Unfortunately, a negative life event, but masses touched just the same.

If we were more acutely aware how the actions of just one person could impact the people in the farthest corner's of this small world, would we live our lives differently? We could all begin today, right now, making sure our thoughts, words and deeds sent out positive ripples to stroke the face, move the flowers, carry the music of positive life to 'family' we never met.

Are you game to try?

What's in YOUR toolbox?

Everyone carries a toolbox. I've seen a stall box, whine box, get 'er done box among others.

One person wears out the tools and his/her welcome by using the whine box too often. "I could do better BUT THEY give me too much to deal with. I'm expected to do everything myself! I have no time for fun, I'm working ALL the time." Tears have top priority in the box and they effectively turn the attention from the problems of others to pity for the self. Thus avoiding resolving the issues at hand.

The stall box holds arguments, excuses, distractions enough to loop constantly 24/7, with the intention of wearing out the opposition before being required to respond. "Why should I? I did it yesterday. Who said so? Not now. I have to so something else first." Thus avoiding resolving the issues at hand.

Get 'er done toolbox grabs at anything available to get it over with, with no concern for doing it 'right'. A hammer to fix the screw on glasses kind of response. "So there, I did it, don't ask me again." Spray painting the symptoms to hide the deeper issues. The kind of response that causes used cars to crash, bridges to fall down, relationships to shrivel in confusion. Like putting band aids on earthquake sites.

Despondency toolboxes carry volumes of past failures, shattered dreams, self recriminating reasons for not trying again. "What do you expect from me? I never do anything right. I screwed up before I'll scew up again."

Toolboxes have traditionally been used to FIX things. Maybe the rusty hinges need to be reoiled to stop the squeaks. Or maybe it is self-gift time to replace it?

What's in YOUR toolbox?