Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Life to be Lived

"The soul is where hope lives; not a naïve hope that I will, by some miracle, have my former self restored, but hope that tomorrow, and the day after, can still be days from which a measure of joy, and meaning can be derived.  And from hope springs optimism that, even with great limitations, there is life to be lived."  Thomas Graboys "Finding Hope in the Midst of Despair: My Decade with Parkinson's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia"

I just finished the book "Brain Storms" by Jon Palfreman last night and reflected on those people in my life who have or were given the challenge of a long term (and slow term) disease.  The emotional toil of this for the individual and their loved ones can be difficult and trying.  Understanding the causes and implications of suffering and then dealing with a future view of continued suffering is part of the human condition.  But the final sentence of the quote above hit me squarely in the heart - "There is life to be lived."

So we cope, we depend on others, we search for meaning in spite of the suffering.  For many it reveals a path to hope and joy within their soul.  And for many this is a glimpse into who God is.  Suffering has a place for each of us - a way to see limitations and possibilities.  But most of all it shows us that we need more than ourselves.

"Suffering compels us to seek the God that success makes us think we don't need."   Patrick Morley "How GOD makes men"

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Driving Tricks or Tips

Ellen and I are the proud Graduates of the Honda Teen Defensive Driving program which we attended at the Mid-Ohio Racetrack on Saturday. 
.

It was a full day of both classroom instruction and three driving practice courses of braking, spinning, and collision avoidance. The return trip was great highway practice for Ellen with torrential rain on a crowded highway at night.

Recommended (if not mandated) by A.M. several times, I can see now why this should be something every parent should consider for their new teen driver.  What a great service Honda has done (with other sponsors also) as the primary sponsor and contributor of the practice cars for the students.

So what did a driver like me (of 40+ years) with only one car accident learn?  Actually quite a few new things:

(1) Never hold the steering wheel in a reverse handhold at the top - if you don't want at least two breaks in your wrist when the airbag drives your wrist into your stomach.
(2) In a spin - look to where you want to end up and not at the obstacle you think you are going to hit.
(3) Adjust your sideview mirrors away from any view of the side of the car.  You should see the middle line and white edge of the side road.
(4) Don't use the one car length per 10 miles per hour safe distance rule.  Instead use the 3-5 second rule.  Count 3 seconds from the time the car in front of you passes a landmark to the time you pass from it.
(5) Cell Phones in car?  NEVER USE THEM (even with hands free).  This takes too long to explain - but I'm convinced of the danger. 

So you can teach on old car dog new driving tricks.