Ok, August kinda sucked. Yes I did celebrate my birthday but other stuff happened to make it not so good. Let’s hope for a better September. OK. OK.
Tag Archives: life
Something About Online Living
It seems so many people are living their lives online without stepping away to live it in reality. The lure of a virtual life is so much more appealing than that of a real existence. We find people who can’t differentiate what is artificial and what is actual.
When you un-friend someone on social media it could be interpreted as un-friending in the real world which is not the case but the two seem to have linkage in the hearts and minds of many.
People are emboldened to do and say things on social platforms that they might not say to your face. That in itself can cause many problems and can end friendships and family connections. You have to decide if it’s all worth it.
Everything is amplified online and there is no way to translate full meaning in text or words without possibly offending someone. Freedom of expression is a great thing but with it comes great care and responsibility. You have to know who you are conversing with and not everyone will get what you are saying could be humorous or even serious.
Your online life is to enhance your real world life not the other way around. Although for me I am always looking for things to blog about and to be inspired by what happens to me in daily living.
My friends it’s a very good thing to get out and get off-line for a bit. Get some fresh air, go to a coffee-house and meet friends face-to-face. Engage in conversations over a meal. If you have a porch invite your friends over for real face time. The social network has existed for years before computers or social networking. It will give you a lot of great ideas to post about.
Living online should be done in a measured way. Living off-line is where the action and adventure lies. Having the world at your fingertips does not replace having the world outside your door.
Y’all Means All
It’s a true gift to be in community with a body of believers who are from all across the spectrum of life and experience. Opening the doors wider is better for everyone. Right now the people of the world need to know about a love that never ends. As a person of faith I am committed to being a part of that community that makes connections with people where they are and who they are. Diversity in gift and spirit makes this whole thing work. To God be the glory. May the peace of the Lord be with all people. Thank you St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga for being that place.
Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness
On this the 241st birthday of The United States of America I am a firm believer that every American (and everyone around the world) should have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as prescribed by the Declaration of Independence which was bravely signed by some very wise men during the early days of this nation.
I think if you are believer, non-believer, LGBTQ, immigrant, refugee, male, female, everyone should be afforded the rights to be who you were created to be. Our racial and ethnic diversity should be celebrated too. I also think that globally people should have the freedom to be, to be. There are too many people trying to make decisions about how people are to live and that’s not right.
In America people from all places on Earth have come to this place to find a new home, new opportunities and shelter from oppression. It is my hope they will never find America a new place where because of who they are they are not welcome.
It has been said that America is an experiment and it is still true. However let’s hope the results of this experiment result in a place where people are indeed free to be. May the world take note and may places where people aren’t free be encouraged to seek out a new path where they too have the rights to life in abundance, liberty to be who they are and happiness where they can have joyful participation in all of what life has for them.
Six Word Story
Filters strip the reality from life.
Something About Graduating High School
High School graduations are happening this weekend here in Chattanooga and it makes me remember those days in the 1980’s when life was simpler or so it seems. As you see from my yearbook picture I was just as nerdy then as I am today, minus the mustache. Do I miss the angst and pressure of those days? yes and no. I don’t miss the academic pressures but the social stuff was alright. I had friends but I found myself spending more time at home than out and about.
We all have times when we were at our best and in high school I was not the best I could be or would be. It is sad when I hear people talk about their days back then being the best of their lives as if nothing had improved or they became better versions of themselves.
For me it was my college days when I flourished. Maybe a different atmosphere and I was a little older. Graduating from high school or college for that matter means that there is a new chapter ahead in your life and you have the opportunity to do amazing things without the restrictions of youth. You become a grown up person and that is when the fun can really begin if you open your mind to it.
So to the class of 2017, you are going into an exciting time. Be willing to leave behind home for awhile and explore what is out there. Hang in there and have the time of your life ahead of you.
The Tony Burgess Blog 