• ARCHIVED MATTERS
Archived Matters consists of "matters" that were once posted on the front page of one of the sections, but it is now retired - it is not dumped, it is retired so it can be viewed by others who missed it on its first go-around. Please enjoy and let me know of your feedback. Thanks! ~ Miles Miles@VetsOrg.org.
Can You Believe? ********** Thank you, Orlando, for this thought-provoking message that calls all of us to take action! You are so right - ALL of us have unique skills, talents and abilities that should not be retired just because we have retired. We can all help our fellow Members like others are doing. The nice thing is that we can do as little or as much as we wish. We can be part of the Volunteer Member Helper Program and put in full-time hours, or we can spend just a couple of hours a week visiting Members in the hospital, helping out the Garden Club ... the options are boundless. So, I encourage all us to follow Orlando's example to get out there and be part of "We the People" here at our Home. All of us can make a positive difference! ~ Miles
Submitted by:
Orlando S. Resendez
(2/12/09)
Living amongst so many people, as we do living at the Home, you may begin to realize how diverse peoples’ beliefs are. It seems that most people believe in something, whether it is religion, politics or simply a way of thinking, and for the most part, having believed in this way for so long, their view is cemented. It seems like our views, much like our bodies, get stiff and inflexible when we choose not to exercise them.
One way I’ve found to keeping my beliefs fresh and my views flexible is through open ended discussion. Conversation brings about understanding and understanding opens one’s mind to other peoples’ points of view. I, for one, find it interesting to hear other people’s point of view. I don’t necessarily buy into it always, but at least I can see and possibly try to understand why they think in such a way and maybe, just maybe I might agree with them.
One example is: I have one friend that doesn’t believe in God. It isn’t hard to understand his position because I was once of the same frame of mind, but I have pondered this deeply on many restless nights. I had to ask myself, “What does it take to believe in God?”, and finally I came up with an understanding. It simply takes imagination to believe in God. It is so easy, if someone can believe in language, music, electronics, magic, math, science or even UFOs, then they can believe in God. If someone can believe in any one of these concepts, since all of these exist first in the mind and require a great amount of imagination, then they can believe in God.
In my circle of friends, I have realized that there are a wide range of views. What I have also found is that there are many points that we as a group agree on. The interesting thing is how we are connected as a group and what points connect each individual to the others in the group. The points that connect me to my friend John for instance, can differ quite differently from the points that connect me to Tom; John and I both like photography, where Tom and I are interested in politics, and so on. What seems to be the binding force is our beliefs.
So where the question lies is “Can you believe?” Are you willing to delve outside of your comfort zone; are you willing to hear someone else’s point of view, opinion or understanding of things. It may surprise you as much as challenge you once you get your believer tuned in. In this case, being open minded may only require a stretch of the imagination!
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Thank you, Orlando, for your sharing your encouraging message and for challenging us to “stretch!” I think we have more commonalities than differences here at the Home. I, too, want to encourage us to be open-minded and to truly hear the other person’s view.
This reminds me of that old saying about not judging a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.
I want to encourage all of our Home Members who are interested in writing to think about writing and submitting your work to be included on The Blurb. I also encourage you to submit your photographs, poems, pictures of artwork, etc. – whatever you would like to share. It is my pleasure to post such works of art and creativity on our website. ~Miles
The following is submitted on 10/22/08
by Orlando Resendez:
We the People
"We the People" is a term Americans have heard many times while in school, in political speeches, and in different aspects of life, but what does it mean? Have you ever asked that of yourself? Each of us understand it in a common sense, but the real question is: "What does it means to you?"
Minutes before I began writing this article, I began to think of what the words mean to me. Their meaning has transformed for me over the years. Currently, I am at the height of my sense of spirituality; understanding that I am a part of the whole of things; that what I say, do, feel and act on, have an effect on others. Knowing this, I have a responsibility. I now ask myself "Do I affect those around me with positive energy?"
What the words mean to me is complex and I cannot explain it simply. Nothing so meaningful can be explained simply! "We the People" is a summation of senses. "We the People" is a combination of our consciences. "We the People" is the smallest denomination of government. What the words really mean to me is that only people can make a difference.
The first day I came to the [Veterans’] Home was a day spent feeling my way around. "Would I feel comfortable here?" Could I live amongst older people? Would the people here like me? What can I offer to the Home Members? Will I affect them positively? I'm sure some of these questions ran through the heads of other potential Members as well.
It is apparent that the Home has so much to offer. What I wasn't expecting is how much other Members have to offer. My first experience that convinced me that I would like it here is when I sat at a lonely gentleman's table. I started a conversation with him and it was like opening up a spigot; he had so much information to offer. He offered up years of experiences as a rice grower in the central valley. He told me of how water is distributed by quantity and how most growers used their water in divisions of their total amount and how rice growers flooded their paddies using half of their ration at a shot causing dissension amongst the vegetable growers.
All of this information was of little [practical] use to me immediately or probably ever, but the fact was that I understood then that I am surrounded by a living library of lifetimes of information. Here at the Veterans’ Home are people who are from all walks of life and have experiences far and wide on just about any subject which may be of interest to me.
I spent 23 years studying and working on aircraft, avionics and aerospace [technology]. I reached the pinnacle of my career working in the Flight Test departments of many of the leaders in the aircraft production industry. Prior to 9/11, I had applied to be the Production Supervisor at the finishing facility at Dassault/Falconjet in Little Rock, Arkansas. A hiring freeze due to 9/11 prompted me to go back to school and get my Airframes and Powerplants License through studying Aeronautics and completing an 1800 hour program at the Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville, CA.
The irony of my life is that I have a memory disorder. As I often think of my brain as a sponge, it is logical then to figure that brains have a saturation point, mine having been reached, my curiosity reigns on though. Well, the point of this article that I write is to elicit support for a listing of Member's talents as we the people of this home are self supportive; our talents abound in every discipline. We gather in groups to hear speeches about history made, battles fought and rights won. These are our feats, our times and our promises made good. Let us share what we know and help those that we can and waste not one day because we didn't know we could have done it ourselves!
I urge those that can to give a speech, teach a class or sit in on some of the many meetings that go on around the campus. There are many hats here that one can wear and many volunteer jobs to fill here too. So many folks here need your help too - if you can sew on a button, make a store run or work in the garden. One of my many friends here grows loads of tomatoes in the garden and shares them with a lot of people. It is easy to be a positive influence when the reward is having friends like the many good people we have here at the Home. When I think of the term "We the People," I think about you all and what strength we all have in unity. I am grateful to be here and I hope that you are too.
With all sincerity,
Orlando S. Resendez
