Does Anything Really Make A Difference Anymore?

One of the network channels offers a weekly news item on their program dedicated to persons who are making a difference in our sometimes-discouraging world of affairs.  This effort to show bright spots in what is often a shadowy world of indifference and self-centeredness is certainly needed.  When one news story after another can make one feel that there is little reason to be hopeful, little cause for celebrating our apparent successes, it is not difficult to understand why so many people are angry, disillusioned or just plain don’t care anymore!

I find myself slipping into that mood at times.  After the tragic years of the Bush/Cheney administration and the long-lasting destruction caused by their narrow-minded aggressive tendencies, it will be generations before we overcome the devastating effects of their so-called leadership.  Today, we need only look at the ruining of the environment in the Gulf of Mexico, the loss of livelihood of family businesses built over generations, the death of untold numbers of fish, fowl, mammals and other life forms to realize that our country (its politicians and business leaders) have abandoned the principles that made this country what it was on its way to becoming.  I say on its way to becoming because we had only begun to realize the limitless capacity of our citizens to invent, build and deploy imaginative ideas and products for the benefit of humankind.

I am not a Tea Party person nor am I a sympathizer with most of what I see them display through their thoughtless accusations and actions. Really, some of these people must be from another planet!  That we as a nation have come to the point where our mutual anger and frustration has taken on the psuedo leadership of dropout dysfunctionaries as Sarah Palin and the discredited John McCain only shows how far from understanding our democracy and its founding documents we have come.

I cannot even begin to put into words my disgust about the priorities our Congressional members have determined to be important.  What I can say is that they are clearly based on greed and avarice. The money that controls our representatives and senators has become so much a part of their function that they can in no way continue to represent the people.  They clearly are in bed with their financiers.  Look at the literal bed-hopping of the Minerals Management Agency office in Denver, responsible for granting licenses and policing the oil companies.  And, again, look at the Gulf disaster. It is government policy and lack of enforcement of big business that has largely been responsible for the chaos we are currently facing.

Even in the face of these catastrophes the Republicans maintain their belief that business does not need regulation.  It needs to be left free to market action.  This belief that business will self-control is an impossible dream when the unimaginable amounts of money to be gained are on the table, up for grabs for those who don’t give a damn about people or country! Don’t begin to disregard my comments as simply the rant of an unhappy Democrat.  I am NOT a Democrat either.  Neither of the two parties offers policies or purposes that are compatible with my own. 

What I am in favor of is the real grass roots efforts of those who are free of party dictates.  I believe wholesale change in government is necessary—Congress, the White House and the Supreme Court.  Consistent with this concept is my belief in the need for a Constitutional Convention, the purpose of which is to re-evaluate the relationship of that document to the desires and priorities of we the people.  The world we live in is a vastly different world than that of our forefathers.  Just as any business with an operational procedures manual must regularly update that document so that it represents current priorities and policies, so must our government review and update our Constitution where necessary.  It may not require any changes, but just reading it again should be a benefit.  I recently picked up a copy and read it thoroughly.  I keep it handy for when stupidity raises its ugly head so I can remind myself of what our founders really said, not what someone thought was in there.

The difficulty of bringing about change in our country today was clearly demonstrated following the last election.  A majority of people said they believed in the change Obama promised.  Unfortunately, we forgot that no one has the power to change anything where government is concerned.  I fully supported Obama and I was also swept up in the belief that here was a person who could really get it done!  Well, he couldn’t and he didn’t. Maybe his staff isn’t as good at managing government as it was in managing a campaign. It certainly does not help that the Republicans simply decided to withdraw from any role in governing.  Saying “No” was all they had to do to stop change in its tracks.  And of course we all know the Democrats are the original “bad news bears” whose way to handle differences of opinion is to form a circular firing squad.  OMG, is this not clearly apparent to the general public?  I guess not.  And because I see no real powerful leadership, I am deeply concerned.  I probably will not be around when the pillars of democracy tumble, as they surely will if nothing changes. 

So, why should I care?  Does anything really make a difference any more?  I have to find my own answer to this question, as each of you who have continued to read this far along in this essay will have to do. It is not my nature to be negative. However, I am so totally disgusted with the apparent hopelessness of the situation that I just do not have an answer.  I write.  That is something I know a little about.  I wish I were able to be eloquent enough, with opportunities sufficient to command an audience, that together we could begin to make the difference that will bring the true light of individual responsibility and strength of character to lead that is needed.

I am not going to give up.  I think I will have to give up listening to the news, however. 

The State of Excitement!

When I arose Saturday morning the sun was bright, the sky was blue and everything seemed all right with the world! May was the third wettest month since 1998 and we had the lowest average high temperature on record. Taking that into consideration, it was time to fly the coop! After my morning coffee ritual I headed to the mountains, Detroit Lake and McKenzie Pass along the branches of the Santiam River. OMG this is a great state!

You cannot really avoid taking the freeway for parts of the trip—getting to and getting from the mountains. But once you head east from Interstate Hwy 5 you quickly know why you love traveling in Oregon.

Detroit dam was completed in 1953—the year I graduated from high school for heaven’s sake---by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dam created 400 foot (122 m) deep Detroit Lake, more than 9 miles (14 km) long with 32 miles (51 km) of shoreline. Following around the lake and heading south, I stopped at a little restaurant at Marion Forks for lunch. Several years ago on a similar trip I had stopped there and had a great meal. On that visit much of Oregon was in a wildfire zone and we were actually told we might have to evacuate the restaurant immediately if the warning came from the Forest Service. Turns out the restaurant survived. It is now under new ownership, but the food was still very good, plus the hummingbirds put on quite a show outside the windows at the feeders.

You rise to an elevation of about 4000 feet on this loop trip. In the beginning you do not realize that you are climbing to that elevation, but after connecting with Highway 20 and heading west the road weaved down through the gorgeous mountain passes for miles before coming out at Sweet Home to the flatlands of the Willamette Valley. Then to the freeway again, heading north toward home. How great it is to live in this state of excitement! Actually, the Oregon State motto is: “She Flies with Her Own Wings” and was adopted by the 1987 Legislature as the state motto.

I hope you enjoy a few of the photos taken along the way. Check them out here.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dan.perin/DetroitLakeMcKenziePass?authkey=Gv1sRgCKflvuvrkpeaMA#

Devil In the Details

Well, here are the Big Three for me! The Devil in my Details consists of self-doubt, guilt and anger. I observed the encroachment of these three characteristics in my consciousness the other day and realized it was familiar territory. Whenever I find myself in a situation that causes me to doubt myself in some way I seem to begin to feel guilty. What should I have done that I didn’t? How could I be so stupid as to make that mistake again? Am I ever going to get beyond this crazy feeling that I am just not good enough? It isn’t long before I drop into the pit of anger. I get mad at myself for the shortcomings, the lack of self-confidence and the vulnerability that I feel. 

It doesn’t seem to make any difference how much success I have experienced or how many things I have done right. Whenever the self-doubt appears, immediately all the positive accomplishments are not enough to prevent feeling the guilt for not achieving more, or particularly, not seeming successful in the most recent effort. The anger comes because I know better. Then I get angrier with myself because if I know better, why in the dickens am I feeling this way? 

Your anger is like a flower. In the beginning you may not understand the nature of your anger, or why it has come up. But if you know how to embrace it with the energy of mindfulness, it will begin to open. You may be sitting, following your breathing, or you may be practicing walking meditation to generate the energy of mindfulness and embrace your anger. After ten or twenty minutes your anger will have to open herself to you, and suddenly, you will see the true nature of your anger. It may have arisen just because of a wrong perception or the lack of skillfulness.   --Anger: Wisdom For Cooling the Flames, Thich Nhat Hanh, Riverhead Books

Certainly self-doubt could be considered a “wrong perception” as pointed out in the text above. If I want the flower of my anger to reveal itself to me, changing my self-perception is a critical starting point. It may seem impossible to change my mind when anger sets in due to self-doubt. However, that is exactly what must be done. Correctly perceiving myself as a capable, competent spiritual being expressing, learning and growing in this physical body is how I remind myself of the correct perceptions of self. This is precisely how skillfulness in mind action comes about.


There are many occasions that can generate self-doubt. Perhaps someone didn’t respond to me as I expected him or her to. I remember back in my seminary days how the subject of expectations came up in regard to giving someone a gift or doing something nice for another person. I had been brought up to always send a thank you card or do something nice in return. The lesson that came up was that when you give a gift it is only a gift so long as there are no expectations connected with it. Doing something nice for someone only counts if there is no quid pro quo. One might respond that common courtesy would dictate one should say “Thank you,” when given a gift. That is another lesson for the recipient to learn if they choose to. My lesson is to give and totally let the gift go. No hoped for response and no waiting around for “appreciation.”


Self-doubt also springs from realizing that you have said or done something that turned out to be off base. Sometimes you know this as soon as you speak a word and wish you could take it back. At that point one might feel a bit sheepish. The degree of self-doubt one feels might relate to how apparent the gaff was. If no one else noticed, you might be less affected. If your words or actions were like yelling in the library you may well sink deep within yourself and beat yourself up for a long time. This is when guilt begins to surface. If the guilt is not addressed quickly, anger follows. For me, that anger is almost always self-directed. No matter what case might be built for blaming someone else, I often take that blame to myself. I am certainly not trying to be a martyr. It is simply recognition of how my lack of skillfulness surfaces when I let my thoughts and feelings center on self-doubt.


That downward spiral is so self-defeating. When one is on that course it seems nothing helps in turning around and climbing back to the surface of self-respect, confidence and empowerment over conditions in your life. If you are alone, or feel that you are, the journey is even more difficult. I am on that journey right now, and fortunately I have companions on the path. Were it not for these companions, I would have little incentive to plod on. That little glimmer of hope that recognizes there are those who believe in me, no matter what, gives me the strength and reason to stay on course until I am once again on top of things.

I do not know how anyone truly alone in his or her life journey can survive! 

My instincts tell me that no person is really alone, though he or she may not yet have determined how to reach out for help, believing someone cares. I wish I could somehow impart that belief to anyone who feels alone so clearly that they would never feel that way again. What I can do is remember the story of the unfolding of the flower of anger and remind others of the positive perceptions and skillfulness that open the way to new possibilities and new ways of thinking about your true self. The devil in the details can be overcome. I believe this for myself. I believe this for you.

The Election Charade Begins

Have you also noticed how many candidates running for office this time around are NOT identifying whether they are Republican or Democrat in their TV ads?

I’d be ashamed to say I was identified with either party too if I wanted to be elected. I think many citizens have figured out the ploy, but in case you haven’t, PLEASE research beyond the ads for who these people really are and who is paying their political bills.

Congress has the lowest approval rating in history—because they DO NOTHING if they can possibly avoid it. After all, committing to something may upset some of the fat cats who send them money. Yes, I know, some good acts have been passed, but the bottom line is that elected members of Congress have only one goal—getting re-elected—and if it takes lying to you and me to do it, by all means lie they will.

I am still trying to decide whether I will even vote for dogcatcher this time around. I am totally frustrated by the mess in Washington that we call Congress, the White House and most of all, the Supreme Court. I have voted in every election since I first became eligible. That’s a LOT of years! I have considered it a privilege to be able to voice my opinion by the marks I put on the ballot. And, like many, I mostly feel the representatives in my own state know what they are doing and truly represent MY interests. It’s those other guys/gals in other states who are fouling things up! Now I’m not even sure that is true. Maybe it IS time to throw them ALL out!

Whatever YOU decide, do it intelligently, which means STAY AWAY FROM THE FOX NEWS NUTBALLS! There! I’ve said it. Now you can do as you please.

Where Have the Mentors Gone?

I suddenly realized that all of my mentors were gone!

I am not sure what prompted the realization.  It may have been out of some shadow in a dream I had just as I awakened from a nap.  In any case I found myself thinking of the major mentors I have had in my life, all of them physically gone now.  At the same moment I felt the loss and the deep value their lives and example had on me.

I do not remember whether as a young child I had mentors.  I know I had “heroes.”  Heroes are somehow different from mentors.  Heroes come in uniforms, like Superman and Batman, the Green Hornet—icons like that.  Mentors, on the other hand, are often the ordinary humans who stand out in our experiences, people we look up to.  They may seem like everyday people when viewed by others, but to me, they are special.

It was while in seminary that I discovered my first mentor.  Ed Rabel was a fellow student, several years ahead of me.  He was already an extraordinary and insightful person who had grasped a unique understanding of the secret doctrines tucked away within the covers of the Bible.  His ability to take well-known allegories, parables and characterizations and weave them into everyday life experiences brought a guiding light to my heart and mind.  His path to understanding the Bible led to his becoming a singular authority on metaphysical Bible interpretation at Unity School.  He took the Bible out of the past and into today using the stories as templates for how the interactions of our thinking and feeling created both our challenges and the means to overcome them.  He was a great friend and teacher who also shared his love of music with me.  I thank him in large part for my appreciation of the classics.

My second mentor, James Dillet Freeman, was the Director of Ministerial Training at Unity School.  I had the privilege of serving as his secretary for two years while preparing for my student years.  He personally tutored me in philosophy, comparative religion and public speaking.  As Poet Laureate of Unity he was the author of numerous books and poems that brought inspiration and hope to millions of readers.  He and his wife, Billie, were the God Parents of my son, David.  Astronaut James Irwin on Apollo Flight 15 took his poem, I Am There, to the moon.  Earlier, on Apollo Flight 11, his Prayer for Protection was on the first moon landing.  Here is that prayer:

The Light of God surrounds me;

The Love of God enfolds me;

The Power of God protects me;

The Presence of God watches over me;

Wherever I am God is!

From Mr. Freeman I learned to view different possibilities when considering decisions.  Sometimes we would spend what seemed like hours debating some subject.  He would lead me on in the debate until I almost reached a point of agreement with him.  Then, he would switch sides and force me to support the opposite.  This invaluable exercise provided me with practical understanding of and appreciation for the views other people might hold on any given matter.

As I viewed these important people in my life I realized I still have mentors.  They guide me in different ways than when I was embarking upon my education and career in the ministry.  Now my mentors are the friends I hold dear, those who support me, but also who care enough to tell me when I fail to maintain my objectivity.  Thank goodness for these new mentors.  As we age it is very easy to become more entrenched in our attitudes, beliefs and actions.  In and of itself this is not a bad thing.  However, if we become more isolated and disengaged from our relationships with others, we may lose sight of those who care about us and who want to be a part of our lives.

So, I choose to not lose sight of these new mentors in my life.