What a hectic time we are in at this moment. The economy continues to sputter. Confidence in politicians is at all time lows. Jobs are hard to come by. And it seems all we hear and read about these days is bickering back and forth between one side and another. On top of all that, it is hotter than it has been in a very long time, years perhaps. I read a phrase online the other day that I think adequately describes this hot August. It went something like this. It is so hot outside that the trees are whistling for dogs! Let that sink into your brain for a moment. Now that’s hot!

Nowadays it seems that words are twisted, taken out of context or otherwise bent beyond all recognition of the original thought that it bears little if no resemblance to what was said or written in the first place. We use these words to “trap” someone, or to play “gotcha”. But neither is productive and neither is fully honest. Such is the condition of our instant need society. We have a need to brand a person, project, community or group as either completely for or completely against, old-timers or progressives. We have become black or white.

And to me, that is just sad really.

To adhere to this concept means that all the “colors” in between black and white are overlooked. White is defined as a color without hue at one extreme end of the scale of grays, the opposite of black. White reflects all light and absorbs none. Black is defined as the absence of color and therefore is not a color. A black object absorbs all the colors of the visible spectrum and reflects none back to the eye.

So, what does all this have to do with taking a time out? Think of it this way. What would the world look like if all we could see, feel, think or taste were black and white only? It would be a very bland place to be sure. Just think about all we would miss!

We would miss the smell of fresh cut grass, of a watermelon so ripe that it pops open before the knife can finish its cut.

We would miss the sound of laughter, of children playing, of grandchildren calling our names. We would miss the joy present in the eyes of the innocent and their reminder of the truly important things in life.

We would miss the taste of a hamburger fresh from the grill with cheese dripping off the sides of the bun. The crunch of popcorn and its siren cry to our hunger while sitting in the cool darkness at the movies. The smell of rain before it reaches wherever we are and the bright sheen of clean it brings.

We would miss the smell of sheets dried on the clothesline out back. The smell of grandma’s house. The sweet sugary taste of the special candy she kept in a dish just for us.

The renewal of souls when families get together for home-made ice cream and holidays.
We would miss the simple things in life that fall between the cracks of black and white, of left and right, of good and evil.

So, at this time, I say let’s all take a time-out from the extremes of heat, political views, race, gender and all other means by which we divide and categorize each other and our towns. Let’s all take the time to look around, enjoy and respect each other for who and what we are. Not for what should or should not be.

Watch a small child at play. You will understand. Keep a child’s mind. Not from the respect of knowing little or being naïve. But from the perspective of a mind that is always open. Always having room for more. Always willing and able to look at all points of view without any preconceived notion of right or wrong, of black or white. Do so, and the world will be a much brighter and happier place.

(I found this while looking through some of my old columns. Written in 2010. Still true more than a decade later.)