Action 27: Oh YES!

So Glad You are Here!

Yes!  YES!   YES!

Obama FOUR more years!  YES …

Great choices for the Senate.  YES …

Amazing wins on mandates throughout America.   YES!

It is an exciting time.

I am happy to be alive!

So, now what?

What’s next?

For me, it’s a dead bird.

More precisely, it’s a dead turkey in my big grocery store.

In the next week I must decide whether to pick up a free dead turkey from my grocery store, 

since I have earned my points, by being a loyal customer … or not!

It’s a real dilemma.

That turkey is valued at $12.99.  That turkey has suffered every minute of its miserable life.  

I want another turkey.  The turkey I want instead, lives up on the farm,

over the hill, not far from my house.  

THAT turkey has lived a really good life.  THAT turkey cost $29.99. 

Here is the dilemma.  If I accept the tortured turkey I save $42.98.  (WOW!)  Yet, if I accept the tortured turkey, the store will torture another turkey for my family for next Thanksgiving

and the farmer up the hill, not far from my house, may call it quits.

It’s a chain reaction. 

My action, no matter how small, has a re-action. 

All of our combined actions have HUGE re-actions.

When my actions, combine with your actions and our neighbors' actions ....

CHANGE happens.

Change happens because WE change.

Now I’ll tie the dead turkey-dilemma to Obama’s re-election.

(See, this blog DOES have to do with the election after all!)

We voted for CHANGE  ..... forward.

Yet a single man cannot CHANGE a nation.

Only a nation can change a nation.

That means you and me and millions upon millions more …. mostly peeps.

Certainly the election of President Obama is HUGE.

It is WONDERFUL

and AMAZING

and EMPOWERING,

BUT

 it does NOT guarantee change.

I realize the top issues on our minds are jobs and the deficit.

Yes, those are BIG issues to be addressed largely by our elected officials.

Yet, that is only the beginning.   

Obama can walk with all his vision and intelligence and style, but unless we follow,

there is NO change.

If I accept that tortured turkey from my grocery store, instead of buying a happy one 

from my local farmer,

I STOP change.

If I know the earth’s temperature keeps rising, but I don’t turn off that lamp, TV or air-conditioned when I don’t need them,

I STOP change.

If I know America is becoming fatter and sicker, but I continue to feed our kids junk,

I STOP change.

If I know the name of every single Super PAC, but don’t send a letter to my congress person

to stop future election insanity,

I STOP change.

If I keep eating out of styrofoam plates at local restaurants and church picnics,

and don’t open my mouth to suggest an alternative,

I STOP change.

If I know we are suffocating from garbage dumps full of plastic, but keep forgetting my reusable shopping bags,

I STOP change.

If I know I could be one of the millions of decent, hard working Americans struggling with cancer, with crappy health insurance, but don’t send a note of encouragement to my senator to keep improving Obamacare,

I STOP change.

If I keep buying massive junk to fill my drawers and garage and basement, rather than buy less with more style,

I STOP change.

If I keep buying gas guzzlers, and complain about the price of gas,

I STOP change.

If I keep buying apples from across the globe, rather then take my kids

to our local farmers market,

I STOP change.

Change only happens when we change.

Having an amazing leader is a start.

The rest is up to me and you and millions upon millions more …. mostly peeps.

Let's do it!

Yours truly, Bena

All right, that was my last bog on Peep and the Parade.

I will end by saying THANK YOU.

Thank you for taking the time to check in periodically.

Thank you for your phone calls and e-mails and blog comments with encouragement.

Thank you for your hope,

and courage,

and your belief that things CAN be better.

May we all keep marching.

Here are five peep ideas to take along.

Yours truly, Bena

Action 26: A Step

So Glad You Are Here!

In less than 10 days I will either be dancing along with half of the American population,

(and the HUGE majority of nations throughout the world)

OR

I will crawl under my covers to build my strength to face the next four years.

This election is so very important.

This election is so very important, because it is a STEP in one particular direction, 

rather than another.

A step towards supporting the middle class or not …

A step towards protecting women’s rights or not …

A step towards choosing who we love and marry or not …

A step towards working against pollution or not …

A step towards immigration laws that give a fair chance or not …

A step towards American jobs on American soil or not ….

A step towards world politics based on respect and cooperation or not …

And most certainly a step that believes ‘loving our neighbors’ includes guaranteed health care for that single mother diagnosed with breast cancer five states away, rather than simply a prayer and 

a casserole delivered with a hug.

This election means:

A Step … in one particular direction, rather than another.

A Step … right along Obama and Biden and Michelle and millions upon millions of other Americans.

I am so very grateful to take this step right along with you! 

Your truly,  Bena

Peep and the Parade    by Bena

_________________________________________________________________________

A STEP is a mighty thing …

 …. when we take it together.    

_________________________________________________________________________

Oh, one more thing.

I have decided to write one more blog after the election, and then give Peep a rest.

It has been an amazing six months of thinking and writing and sketching.  I thank all of you who have hung in there with me.

See you after the election.

In the meantime, don't be surprised, if you happen to see me practicing a few new dance moves.

Yours, Bena

Action 25: Forward

Welcome!

I have a friend who says, “I’m not voting!”

She says, “In 2008 I voted for CHANGE.  CHANGE didn’t happen.  I quit.  I am not voting.”

Once again, it takes me a few days to figure things out. 

In my opinion, there are two kinds of change.

The first, I’ll call Switch Change.  The other, I’ll call Vision Change.

Switch Change looks a bit like this:

The best indication of Switch Change is a sore neck from whip-lash.

Up-Down

Right-Left

Front-Back

In many ways our society loves Switch Change. 

It gives us quick results.  (Think crash diet.)

AND

It is highly entertaining.  (UpDownRightLeftFrontBack)

There is just one problem with Switch Change.  

It doesn’t work.

The fat comes back …. The whip-lash hurts.

Since Switch Change doesn't cut it, how about Vision Change.

Unlike, Switch Change, Vision Change can be boring and so very, very slow.

For people like me, who barely have an ounce of patience, Vision Change can drive me nuts.

And yet,

if I want change,

TRUE CHANGE,

it’s all about VISION.

Think of an ocean liner …. thousands of tons …. moving over the immense ocean.

Let’s say we are standing at the railing looking out.

Blue and blue and blue and blue and …..

The ocean liner adjusts its course by a few degrees.

We feel nothing.

A month later …. still nothing.

A year later  ….  barely an inch.

Four years later …. just a foot.

And yet, what started small, with time, becomes OH SO BIG.

Change by vision is gradual, and steady, and slow….

And oh so boring….

UNTIL…

we look back

and say,

WOW!

CHANGE HAPPENED!

Yours truly, Bena

Peep and the Parade by Bena

______________________________________________________________

Four more years of CHANGE … with vision!

_____________________________________

Action 24 ... regardless, THANK YOU!!

So glad you are here.

OK

The debate was a flop.

TOTALLY  ....

....   crawl under the covers, kind of terrible ….. 

And yet, I’d like to say:

Dear President Obama,

One flopped debate means nothing in comparison to

FOUR YEARS

of

courage

sincerity

perseverance

compassion

brilliance

grace

and

a vision worth fighting for!

Yours truly,  Bena

 P.S. Just  please do better in the next debate, for all those that STILL don’t get it!

Action 23: Avoid the OOOOPS!

WELCOME!
The presidential debates start on Wednesday.  I am excited!
This blog is dedicated to one of the topics (out of many) that I care about.

When you read this blog, you'll be confused at first.  
Don't worry.  
It will make sense in the end.

drip .... drip .... drip ...

The roof is leaking.

 BAND-AID #1 

Wait for ceiling to dry. 

Paint over.

  

DRIP…DRIP….DRIP…

The roof is leaking  HARDER.

BAND-AID #2

Scrape off loose paint. 

Paint over.

  

DRIP…DRIP….DRIP…

The roof is leaking   HARDER.

BAND-AID #3 

Ignore spongy ceiling. 

Paint over.

  

DRIP…DRIP….DRIP…

The roof is leaking    HARDER.

BAND-AID #4

 Ignore black mold. 

Paint over.

CRASH

Oooooops

The house fell down.

Who could have guessed?

Let’s try that again:

Oh no … oh no … oh no  …  our country is running out of gas.

 BAND-AID #1

Sign agreements with countries

that don’t like us.

OH NO … OH NO … OH NO  … OUR COUNTRY IS RUNNING OUT OF GAS.

 BAND-AID #2

Wage war on countries

that HATE us!

  

OH NO….OH NO….OH NO …

OUR COUNTRY IS RUNNING OUT OF GAS.

BAND-AID #3

Suggest a pipeline of the dirtiest crude oil

ALL THE WAY FROM CANADA TO TEXAS

 through 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8 American states.

OH NO….OH NO….OH NO…

OUR COUNTRY IS RUNNING

OUT OF GAS.

 BAND-AID #4

Suggest we lower gas prices to $2.00 per gallon

(Wait a second  …. now I’m really confused!)

CRASH

Oooooops

The country crashed.

Who could have guessed?

Pick the best candidate.
Let's work on avoid the ooooops!

Yours truly,  Bena

Peep and the Parade by Bena

______________________________________________________________

Forget  BAND-AIDS ……  makes sense!   

_____________________________________

Action 22: Gotta love words!

So Glad You Are Here

When I need a new word, I make one up.

I am not alone.

How do you think the word ‘CENTIPEDE’ 
got started?

It became absolutely necessary!

Imagine a kid having to say, ‘Mom, there is a long, flattened, many-segmented predaceous arthropod, with modified poisonous  fangs  CRAWLING UP MY ARM!’

See what I mean?

Sometimes a new word becomes absolutely necessary!

May I propose a word that rhymes with democracy:   MONEYOCRAZY

Here is the definition of my brand new word:  MONEYOCRAZY

A government for the money and by the money, which caters to a few. 

By contrast, let me define DEMOCRACY in the following succinct manner:
A government for the people and by the people, which serves all.

Now, I will remember life before my shiny new word,  MONEYOCRAZY.

I may want to ask Senator Troy the following question:

‘Senator Troy, We have lost our democracy to the pernicious destruction of principles manifested in our constitution due to the infiltration of monetary superiority, which influences great manipulation of the legislative processes to perpetuate the pernicious greed of a few.  And what do you plan to do about this?’

Got lost?   Right!  Well, Senator Troy got lost too and switched the topic
to his loyal friends in Idaho. 

Now, let us imagine life after my sparkly new word, MONEYOCRAZY.

We simply ask Senator Troy the following question:

'Senator Troy, We have lost our democracy to moneocrazy.  
What do you plan to do about this?’

In case, Senator Troy did not catch the question, and begins to talk about his loyal friends
in Idaho, you just ask that same simple question again,

‘Senator Troy, we have lost our democracy to moneocrazy.  
What do you plan to do about this?’

...  and again,

‘Senator Troy, we have lost our democracy to moneocrazy.  
What do you plan to do about this?’

Keep it simple.  

Repetition is good.

Yours truly,  Bena

Peep and the Parade by Bena

______________________________________________________________

Celebrate words .... they matter! 

_____________________________________

Action 21: What a Sandbox!

So Glad You Are Here!

Sometimes I can barely catch my breath.

Stuff just keeps HAPPENING!

First, the shooting in Aurora, Colorado.

Then, the massive fires in the West and hurricane Isaac in the South.

Now, that U-tube posting by a self-appointed nut-case, that sets off massive violence

in 20 countries around the world.

Sometimes I just want to call it quits.

Done.

Finished.

Under the covers,

where it’s safe,

and comfortable,

and PREDICTABLE!

‘Cause, I’ll be honest …. this is NOT …. I repeat, NOT …. what I signed up for!

What I want is a sandbox where the sand is soft and the weather ideal, 

where my friends are perfect and I am amazing,

where strangers have some sense, 

and birds sing in perfect harmony, 

so that I can plan and execute my life with perfect precision.

Instead, I get a sandbox where the sand is questionable, 

the rain is far too wet and the sun way too hot, 

where I am just mediocre and my friends … well, you decide for yourself …. 

where strangers can be downright nuts 

and birds that fly overhead sometimes poop …

… yes, right THEN! 

I guess I have two options:

EITHER I can get lost dreaming of that perfect imaginary sandcastle

with perfect angles,

amazing arches and

stunning details.

OR I can live.

I'll go with 'live.'

I'll pick up that shuffle,

and bucket,

and hose

and rake

day

after day

after brand new day.

Let the rain fall.

Let the sun shine.

Let my friends be.

Let strangers act.

Let the birds poop.

I have decided, what’s important is not that perfect, imaginary sandcastle,

but whether I sit down in the middle of that sandbox

and try again.

Yours truly,  Bena

Peep and the Parade by Bena

______________________________________________________________

.... ’Cause  trying  counts! 

_____________________________________

Action 20: Imagine!

So Glad You Are Here!

Imagine blue.

Imagine HOPE is different shades of blue.

Imagine HOPE comes together ....

IMAGINE a TOWN full of HOPE ….

IMAGINE your STATE full of  MORE HOPE ….

IMAGINE our COUNTRY full even GREATER HOPE ….

Most everything we treasure begins with ....

 ..... IMAGINE

..... and HOPE

..... and YOU.

Let's make it happen.

Obama 2012!

Yours truly,  Bena