Category Archives: rebuilding

Yesterday was a day that started with thunder and rain and ended with strong winds. The effects of the wind were apparent in numerous yards: downed twigs and branches, animal...

Yesterday was a day that started with thunder and rain and ended with strong winds. The effects of the wind were apparent in numerous yards: downed twigs and branches, animal and bird nests from the previous season scattered and strewn, and poorly stored recycling and garbage bouncing down the street. Yesterday was a winds of change sort of day, where winter’s domination is dwindling and spring’s influence is rising.

Nature’s winds of change may seem destructive to us. Trees can lose large limbs, be split like a Thanksgiving wishbone, or be torn from the ground. Healthy trees are occasionally damaged by the detritus from a nearby unhealthy tree. Tall plants get broken or flattened. There is a hidden benefit for the perceived destruction. The tree pruning gets rid of dead and diseased branches. Healthy trees suffering damage may eventually die off, but perhaps the trees were too crowded from the start. Seeds that ordinarily travel a few yards fly for miles, sometimes ending up in a new area with ideal growing conditions. Gaps in the tree canopy allow sunlight to hit the ground and giving new plant species a survival chance. A small fire string with a lightning strike could spread for thousands of square miles because of wind. Even though the blackened are is seemingly damaged and dead, new life starts forming. It has been a natural cycle for hundreds of millions of years.

The natural cycle occurs on a time line many times longer than a human’s life expectancy. Our species has figured out ways to terraform areas in decades rather than in geological ages. We have selectively bred trees for quick growth and maximum shade. Nursery companies breed flowers to grow larger, be disease resistant, and present colors and scents that would unlikely have occurred through natural evolution. Years of grafting and cross-breeding create fruits that have longer shelf life, bear more heavily, and are more aesthetically pleasing.

We are impatient, we want instant gratification, we want to master and dominate. As much as we try to control our lives, change occurs. For most part, these changes are small, happen gradually, and are barely perceptible, like the miniscule breeze created by a butterfly’s wings. Occasionally, drastic changes occur in a short period of time, where the winds of change seem like a swirling vortex bent on destroying one’s entire world. That is when you learn how strong your family ties are and who your true friends are. They will be the ones hanging on to you for dear life, risking that vortex to keep you from being blown away. They will also be the first ones to offer love, help, and support during the painful rebuilding process. Most importantly of all, they will be the ones who will tell you that things will be all right and they will believe in you even when you do not believe in yourself. Yet for everything they will do, they expect nothing in return, because they value you and what you add to their lives.

People who are the giving type are often reluctant to ask for help because they are not used to taking. Keep those special people in mind and be there for them just as they are there for you. Be thankful for that support team because they will provide the boost needed to get through a difficult time. I know I would not have made it through the past three years without the support and inspiration of my loving family and my incredible friends, especially my best friend. Count on me to be there for you like you were there for me.

Because the topic of this post is about the winds of change, a famous Irish blessing will serve as the closing:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Daylight Saving Time occurred nearly two weeks ago. Springing ahead caused the usual increase in traffic accidents, longer lines at coffee shops, and an increase in the number of creatures...

Daylight Saving Time occurred nearly two weeks ago. Springing ahead caused the usual increase in traffic accidents, longer lines at coffee shops, and an increase in the number of creatures confused by the earlier arrival of the strange speeding metal capsules resulting in unfortunate outcomes. Even the weather in the Twin Cities took a cue and sprang ahead from a colder than normal February to a more seasonal March.

Yesterday was the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Twin Cities, the vernal equinox occurred at approximately 5:45 pm CDT, which my buddy and I toasted with a strawberry daiquiri. The forecast high of 60°F fell short a few degrees, and a breeze and moderate overcast ensured we would not be having dinner at the restaurant’s outdoor patio. There was no snow on the ground, no need for a jacket heavier than a windbreaker, and convertibles outnumbered rusty winter beaters by a wide margin in the parking lot. It was still a great day, made even better with enjoyable company, intelligent conversation, and a lot of laughter.

Springing ahead was not just limited to Daylight Saving Time. A few people are springing ahead with new jobs, new cars, and new places to live. Good news is always appreciated and I wish them the best of luck! There are rumors of my 40 year high school reunion happening this year, confirming significant springing ahead of the calendar. Orange cone and blue language season is under way with several major highways experiencing confused drivers and delays, though it beats road salt and snowplow season.

This year, winter took a vacation early, though it might come back for an unwelcome visit Sunday evening. Even if the 2″ – 6″ of snow predicted for Sunday afternoon and evening occurs, it will melt quickly. There is no sharp cool down following the storm. The moisture from the snow melt might get the bulbs springing ahead. Looking at the positive signs, lawns are looking more green than brown, people are tapping their silver and sugar maple trees for sap, trees and shrubs have leaf buds that are getting bigger by the day, birds have started their mating rituals, and the ground temperature is almost warm enough to plant bulbs. In a seven-day period, the temperature difference between the coldest night and warmest day was almost 80°F, swinging from -7°F to 70°F. The Minnesota River is mostly clear of ice as it runs through Bloomington. I have even managed several long walks and a couple of short bicycle rides. Last year and the year before, those activities could not occur before May.

We all wish we could spring ahead through the tough times. The forty years since I have graduated form high school have gone by quickly, yet the three years since Lucy died have seemed endless. Both time periods overlap, yet there are two different perceptions of the overlapping interval. Having a wonderfully supportive group of close friends whom I love dearly is so important. They have helped me keep moving forward. If you know someone going though tough times, reach out to them and offer moral support. It is a wonderful feeling being on both the giving and receiving side of that kind of compassion.

One of the laments about modern living is “we live in a disposable society”. Disposable fast food containers that take centuries to break down. Electronic gadgets that cost more to...

One of the laments about modern living is “we live in a disposable society”. Disposable fast food containers that take centuries to break down. Electronic gadgets that cost more to repair than replace. Diapers and baby wipes delivered en masse to the landfill. But there is something even more insidious in modern culture: disposable people.

There are many good and sound business reasons to hire a temporary worker or contractor for short-term help. The problem is that many corporations have bought into the concept of “permatemping”, keeping those positions as temporary permanently. For publicly traded corporation, the biggest advantage of permatemps is hiding headcount in financial reports. Full time employee (FTE) and part-time employee (PTE) counts are listed in quarterly (Form 10-Q) and annual (Form 10-K) financial reports. Layoffs are reported on Form 8-K when they are part of a press release. Contractors, temporary workers and permatemps are considered operating expenses assigned to cost centers. Most companies do not allow permatemps to attend staff meetings. Other companies allow permatemps to attend for part of the meeting but dismiss them for the remainder. Permatemps do not get severance or paid time off and are often tasked with the work no one else wants to do. As such, a permatemp is oftentimes thought of as a commodity or an object rather than as a person. When a CEO makes a multi-billion dollar set of blunders and receives tens of millions of dollars to “go away”, we hear about the thousands of FTE and PTE layoffs. We do not hear about the disposal of a greater number of permatemps, contractors or temporary workers.

Businesses are not the only entities guilty of creating disposable people. Some people are serial daters who are merely looking for their latest sexual conquest, or think it is humorous to ditch a person on a date, since there are so many fish in the sea. We have all seen movies where a clique of cool kids allows a nerd into the group solely because they have a need for that person; once the need is satisfied, dumping the nerd happens. Other people make a game out of harrying a waitperson or clerk for sport in order to feel superior. Each of the acts dehumanizes the victim by making the victim feel like she or he is disposable and unwanted.

I am not against temporary workers or contractors. I have many friends working as contractors, some on long-term contracts, and they greatly enjoy working for themselves. But in a way, employment is like a relationship with a significant other: if the parties are in it for the long haul, they should make a commitment. They must pledge to treat each other with dignity and respect, and look out for each other’s’ best interests. Much of the blame for shoddy products is that workers lose pride in their work. They are making quotas and not recognized for their work. A pervasive atmosphere of everyone for one’s self stymies innovation because ideas are no longer shared.

Be kind to one another. If we could embrace that simple piece of advice, our society would be better off. If you have a special friend who is there for you through thick and thin and asks nothing in return, do something special for her or him. I am lucky to have friends who let me know how much I am appreciated and wanted, and I let them know how much they brighten my life. If you are lucky enough to be in a committed relationship, do not take it for granted. Never miss an opportunity for a hug or to tell that person how much he or she means to you. Every person has a story to tell and every person deserves to be treated humanely, even if they are temporarily in your life. No one should ever feel like a disposable person.