The big E

"Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance
Everybody thinks its true
What is the point of this story?
What information pertains?
The thought that life could be better
Is woven indelibly
Into our hearts
And our brains"

Lyric by Paul Simon

Ever had a "one-way" conversation? You know the kind that you might be present for, but the other person never really acknowledges you once they get rolling? I experienced one of those today. It was the best talk in which I've participated in a long while, and I didn't say a word. It didn't come from a paid therapist nor a priest. However, I was paying this person a lot of money.
Today I received much clearer vision, a wake up call of sorts, from a stranger.
I've worn glasses since the third grade. I don't mean the "aren't-those-cool, some-sort-of-name-brand-framed, Gucci-hip" glasses either. I'm talking big, dorky, "God, you are blind!", turn dark in the sun, geeky, birth-control glasses. REAL heavy prescription. You need a prescription to get the prescription, OK? Maybe a special driver's license, too. Anyway, when you are as blind as I am--was, you always have to consider "your glasses." Where will I put them? Because once I take them off I'd better remember where I set them down because I'll never be able to see them again if I were to forget their placement. So, I've been through countless pairs, countless replacements, a bunch of stupid "I lost my glasses again" stories. I tried doing the 'pretend I don't wear glasses' by wearing contacts. Whatever.
All in all, for 22 years, a giant pain.
But now, three days after LASIK surgery: I'm glasses-free. Very weird. I keep thinking, because I can see so well and I know that I don't have anything on my face, "I need to take my contacts out!" It's really strange. I can see, dang it!!!
It's a miracle, and the best part is that no one had to slap me on the head, shout "Hallelujah!", and then ask for a donation.
Anyway, I paid this guy in Hinsdale a lot of dough to be free of my constraints--to live a different way--to get my sight back. But today, while in for a follow-up exam, I received more than I bargained for. I got my eyes rinsed and my heart shakened.
I read all the lines on the chart, and the good doctor read seemed to be reading my mind. In remarkably succint fashion, he told me the truth about life, the reality of living, and the cost of the alternative. He read me my chart without really examining me all that closely, yet somehow he knew just what to say. In eight minutes, I got to benefit from his experience: not only as a surgeon, which gave me freedom from glasses, but I gained an immeasurable insight, from his words, into life truths that I so desperately needed to see. I'm at a turning point in my life. (It's odd how we place so much energy and time into gaining our independence, yet it's dependence that can sometimes truly set us free.)
Everybody loves the idea of something better. Something newer or different than our "now." I wanted to see better--to see independent of aid. My doctor gave me the first wish, but I needed the "one-way conversation" we had today to capture the second. Despite my instinctive desire for independence, I benfited greatly from the aid of his sage advice. I might never need glasses again (hopefully!), but I will never know it all, I can always use a re-focusing of my life-vision onto what's really important, and I will still, even though I am 20/20 again, sometimes forget where to look---to see, to really see. Sometimes the lines get blurry, and we need some guidance. Like the song reads,
"Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance. Everybody thinks its true. . .What is the point of this story? The thought that life could be better is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains."
Being rid of my glasses may not automatically provide me with a better life, but I know what my eyes have been readjusting to for the past few months: I need to do something to provide a better life for others. I can, I've been blessed with the resources, and I believe it's expected of me to step up and give: to serve those who can't see where they are going because their day-to-day reality is blinding despair. They have no vision of something brighter, something clearer, something better. Injustice and inequality has robbed them of their right to see a better tomorrow. Now that I am seeing clearly again, what will I do with my new-found sight? Hopefully, I'll do what is required of those who possess the ability to see: lead those who, through their life's circumstances, have lost their way. They've either forgotten where to look for hope because they set theirs down so long ago, or they have never been able to see it for themselves. Some people have just learned to live with hopelessness; just as I had learned to get used to my glasses. I just assumed that that was the way it was: you can't do anything about it. You can't do anything to change the inevitable. If you don't stop to look at someone else's problem, it can never be your problem.
Thanks to Dr. Foulkes, I see things differently now.
Thank you, Doctor.




Ben Wilcox

A little giant is loose on capital hill!

My little wife is in Washington, D.C. today, but what she is doing there is anything but small. (Because of her height, I jokingly refer to her as 'The Midge.' My midget is my hero.)
Although not an official "little person" according to any diagnostic criteria, she is quite small, but she always seems to acquire a lot of attention. I'm pretty confident she'll get the attention she needs this week as she seeks to raise the awareness of, and the amount of money allotted to, the fight against cancer.
My wife has done so many noble things, and she continues to amaze and outshine--others, AND me, most of all me. I sit (to be at eye level, otherwise I'd stand) in awe of this small wonder who is always busy making a difference in so many people's lives: her family and friends, the Church, nationally at the governmental level, and globally as well.
I'm proud of you, dear. Keep fighting & live strong. You always have.






Ben Wilcox

ONE

Letter from a ONE member reporting on what he saw and learned

"I just returned from a 7 day trip to South Africa and Zambia. What I saw changed my life. I want to tell you about my trip and let you know about billions of dollars in development assistance that is at risk this week.Each day, I saw the devastating impact of AIDS and extreme poverty, but I also saw the incredible work being done to save lives and give people the tools to provide for themselves. I visited a facility that reduced, by half, the chances of a mother transmitting HIV to their child. I met a 24 year old woman who told me that there was a good chance the anti-retrovirals she was taking would save the her baby's life. The next day, I met a widow who had become self-sufficient thanks to a micro-finance loan. With her new financial freedom, she was not only able to take care of her children, but also began caring for local orphans.The biggest lesson I took home from the trip was that folks in these countries can turn things around if given the basic resources that we take for granted here every day. That's why I was shocked to learn from the ONE campaign that within the next 2 weeks the U.S. Senate is poised to slash billions of dollars from President Bush's plan to fight AIDS and poverty.This is an outrage - and it can be stopped. Please join me in speaking out right now!The second day of the trip, I met children at an orphan care center in Zambia who had HIV\AIDS. Most of them couldn't remember their parents because they died of AIDS when they were only babies. Frederick, an HIV positive father showed me something called a "Memory Book." A scrapbook with pictures and stories about him he was putting together for his son so he would have something to remember him with after they he was gone. About 650,000 children in Zambia are AIDS orphans. They play "Duck, Duck, Goose" and "London Bridge" just like kids around the world, but without help; the problems they face are only going to get much worse. We can't let Congress cut funding that provides critical assistance to kids like these all across Africa.Senators Mike DeWine (R) and Dianne Feinstein (D) have written a letter to their colleagues in the Senate asking them to stop these devastating cuts in funding for the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty. With just 30 seconds of your time, you can send a quick note to your Senators asking them to support this funding and add their signature to this important letter. The work we are doing on the ONE Campaign will change the world. It already has. Let's keep up the pressure and make sure they know we won't let billions of dollars in cuts to the President's request for the world's poor go unnoticed.Ask your Senator to support critical development assistance"

P.S. Click here to join communities around the world for the AIDS Candlelight Memorial on May 21.

Isn't there a Walgreen's on every corner!?!

In some places--like the U.S.--yes. In developing countries, not so much.

Fill in the blank:
"An estimated 1,205 children die from ________ disease each day"

What did you guess? Malaria? Bird Flu? Pneumonia? Colds? AIDS? Some other gastly, untreatable bug?

Nope. All wrong. Kids are dying in that quantity from=== diarrhea??? (actually, it's formally called 'rotavirus') Why? How can that be?
Here's the rest of that statistical sentence:

" . . . and 82% of these deaths occur in children in the poorest countries." (Italics mine)

Hmmmm. But, aren't, like, diarrhea medicines really cheap? Really accessible? Of course. Then, why so many deaths? Shouldn't/couldn't most of these deaths be prevented? You would think.

"For persons with healthy immune systems, rotavirus gastroenteritis is a self-limited illness, lasting for only a few days. Treatment is nonspecific and consists of oral rehydration therapy to prevent dehydration."

Right! So, get these kids some water, and let's call it a day! Problem solved. Except---what if water isn't accessible? Or, what water there is isn't potable? Also, what if the kid doesn't have a "healthy immune system?"

"ac·ces·si·ble adj.
1. Easily approached or entered.
2. Easily obtained: accessible money."

I just finished taking a class in child psychology. What was very interesting to me was that, through research done mostly in the U.S., it's found that most of the disorders that might develop seem to be more prevelant in kids from lower socioeconomic class families. What's with this link between how much money you have and how sick you are?

Ahhh, I over-react. I'm sure Walgreen's is just about to launch their new wave of store openings in Zambia. Yep. ANY DAY NOW . . .

I'm so glad none of this is MY problem. Aren't you?


http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/rotavirus.htm


Ben Wilcox

Oh, Popeye!?!

What are three things you can't stand? I mean REAL things--not stuff like 'traffic' or 'stupid people.' I am interested in issues and ideas and idealogies, etc. What are your top three?

Here's a good one:
Read----

My Problem with Christianism
May. 15, 2006 By Andrew SullivanA believer spells out the difference between faith and a political agenda . . .



Ben Wilcox

Punt, pass, or kick?

Here's an interesting article regarding the custody issue found on Elizabeth Marquardt's blog:(http://www.familyscholars.org/index.php)

"A long article in the Christian Science Monitor, here. "

Thank God I was old enough to not have to do much of the 'two-household-shuffle.' I feel so badly for kids that do.
I was emailing a friend of mine who is a youth minister in his "spare" time (ha-ha), and he had commented how it seems that today's adolescents experience more "drama" (his word) than we did at the same age(s). I wonder why? I believe a big part of it is the increased prevalence of divorce.

Your thoughts? Do today's adolescents really face more stressors than those of us Gen X and older did in our day?



Ben Wilcox

A Quick Write?

Check out
Continue reading "Contest for my entertainment"

My bud is hosting a writing exhibition with some constraints. Enjoy!!!

Maybe I can add some new material here soon.
I mean--after all, Blogger doesn't pay me to just sit around and do nothing; nope--the FAA does that quite well.


Ben Wilcox