Poltergeist

#662

I was in the Central African nation of Zambia, in a very small city where the plane made a stop once a week. We disembarked the plane because a plane repair was necessary. I was sitting, waiting to get back on the plane, when a group of villagers came into the building to say goodbye to a young man who was leaving on the plane. They were all crying and acting as if they would never see him again. The thought occurred to me, having been in Africa many times with the poor electrical systems, the poor plumbing systems, broken down vehicles everywhere, are they sad to see this young man leave or, are they frightened that he is getting on a plane who has mechanics that have the same mentality and work ethic as those who do the repairs and work on the other mechanical and electrical work in the country? Always, a plane having mechanical problems, in a foreign country, I was afraid the airline mechanics were not up to the job. It is a frightful thing to think of falling thousands of feet out of the air. A true poltergeist experience.

In Mississippi this week, powerful air currents which we can not see, tornado, swiped through a 12 mile area near Yazoo City leaving homes, churches, and businesses in splinters and leaving 10 people dead, many injured.

We live in a time when most are indifferent to the abilities and character of those around us. In all my years as a doctor, I never had the first patient ask me my status in my graduating class... whether I was first in my class or last. We just assume, that anyone in a profession, a business, possess the education requirements to have a license, to have the skills necessary. We well know that many do not. This is the reason we have so much fakery and fraud in every area of political, spiritual, and business life. Cream always rises to the top. Usually because of ability. Family name, appearance, personality, may get you somewhere in society but does not get you very far in professional competence. It is true that who you know is often more important than what you know. But, when a surgeon approaches the operating room table I don't care how good looking he is, I want him to know what he is doing. We live in a politically correct world, everyone trying to say the right thing. To not be offensive to anyone. How many times have you heard, after some scam or tragedy, “Life goes on, everything happens for a reason, lets just get over it.”

As a Christian, I often ask, “How could God love me so much, love me enough to die for me, love enough to bless me while on this Earth... forgive me for my rightness, protect me in spite of my carelessness?”

As a American, having seen the depravity and poverty of the rest of the world why should I be so blessed to be a citizen of this country when I have not been the example of a patriot... have not shown my patriotism in all my actions.

As a son, why was I blessed with two responsible, loving, dedicated parents when, over 50% of children even in America, do not have parents. I can trace my family back many generations, have seen photographs of great grandparents etc. know stories of my ancestors. Think of the boys and girls born in this country who have never seen their father. Who know nothing about their family background. Just think, I was reared in a church, where both my mother and father were reared as children. I did not realize it then, but all the families were so concerned about my parent's children. I can remember the first time I came home after entering college and all the older families of the church were so happy that I had gained this opportunity. I can remember the first time that I walked into the same church as a blind veteran of a war and their tearful reaction. The people in my community, the people in the church were I was reared, had a large flag in the front of the church with a star for every community son serving in WWII. Each Sunday, they would pray for each one of these stars individually. At the end of WWII, there was not one gold star on the flag of the 50 blue stars.

As a grandson, I was blessed to know all of my grandparents, knew their concerns in my development. In the old country homes, in the dining room, chairs being so expensive, a long bench was always on one side of the dining table. This is the way it was in both grandparents homes. I can well remember how grownup I felt, as a small child, when each grandmother would pick me up and sit me on that bench between two older family members. Perhaps more so than parents, grandparents always emphasize the importance of school. They had such wonderful stories to tell about family traditions and family history. I wish I had listened more. Evidently, I was the only one who did listen because I am the one younger cousins always go to for information. Since so much of your family background and history is not recorded you should listen very carefully to those who know because, when the oral memory is gone, it will be gone for ever. Always write names on the back of photographs. It only takes one generation for everyone to forget those in a photograph. Before 1950, and that was only 70 years ago photographs were very rare. There are practically no photographs before 1900. Most had a picture taken perhaps once in their life. I have inherited many old family photographs and would like to know who they are. I recently sold the photograph of one pre 1850 NC governor's wife. A historian told me that it was the only one in existence. Why did it get away from the family? I have the photograph of a former governors nephew, made by a world famous photographer (W.C. Yates). Why did it get away from the family?

As is the case with a Christian, an American the son or daughter of hardworking, caring parents the grandchild of productive, concerned grandparents, why should God, the men and women who have died for this country, the parents that have worked so hard for their children the grandparents who have left such a marvelous legacy have cared when we seem to care so little? We, certainly as Americans, have inheritance unlike any other place on the globe.

Sometimes, just for your information, write your biographical history... the things that identify you as a person. Identification theft is the biggest crime in this country... Someone always trying to steal your identification. Mostly because of financial gain. Two of my former employees, went to prison, for stealing my identification. They thought with impunity, they could write checks on my bank account. Remember, if your personal signature is not on a check and the bank cashes the check the bank is responsible. Since the bank most replace the money you can be sure that the bank will prosecute the thief. Lowest on the list of importance for law enforcement is I.D. Theft. “The law expects you to take care of your things.” Of the 7 deadly sins, perhaps greed is the most fashionable... not just among punk criminals but study your mornings newspaper, the worlds largest investment bankers, the worlds most recognized news makers. Administrative notables, now serving the President, who were former officers of Goldman-Sachs... the world's largest bank which has scammed billions from the American tax-payer while their chief officers were getting millions in bonuses for performing the treachery. You, the hard working taxpayer, will bail them out. The next great bail out... .com, financial and banking, automobile, insurance, housing, will be the movie industry. Slowly but surely, the Poltergeist noise of bristling contempt is breezing through all areas of American business life.