It's Not Gonna Rain

Orig: 08/28/08

It hasn't rained around here in about a month, and everything is brown. So with today's dreary skies and high humidity it seems a no-brainer that it's going to rain. It's not -- at least not today. What we expect to happen based on our view of the moment often isn't what is really going on -- especially when we're thinking in terms of forecasting.

Things are going pretty bad right now, and they'll probably get worse. Not necessarily.

Things are going good right now, and I don't see why it can't continue. Not necessarily.

Or even: Things are so bad right now, they've GOT to get better. Not necessarily.

Even if we're 80 years old (and no, that's not me!!) and remember all our life's experiences, there's no guarantee that what happened to us in the past -- even many times in the past - will happen in the future. Not if it's something happening TO us. What can make the future more certain is based on what WE do. We can choose a better future through our actions and attitude.

Today's the feast day of Saint Augustine, a man I very much admire. He took what was happening TO him in his life and decided to take charge -- despite the fact that things that were happening to him seemed pretty good at the time: he had a sharp girlfriend who did everything for him -- along with many "temporary" girlfriends, he had a good education and a respectable job, he had money, he had friends -- things were great. Right? Well, they were "great" for him like they are great for many of our Hollywood and sports stars -- who are killing themselves either directly or indirectly with drugs, and find that all the "great" things happening to them are making them pretty miserable. Only Augustine was wise enough to see that, and to want to change.

Augustine tells the story of a drunk he saw, singing in the gutter. He realized that the guy was very happy -- a lot happier than Augustine was at the moment. But Augustine reflected that "I would prefer to be myself". He recognized the difference between the joy of the moment versus true and lasting joy. "It does indeed make a difference where a man finds his joy. This I know, and the joy from hope and faith are incomparably greater than such an empty thing."

What's happening to us right now, today, is what it is. But the future is what we choose. "It does indeed make a difference where a man finds his joy." So: Where're ya lookin?


Hope you are having a bright sunny day today, and finding much joy