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JUST LIFE...IN GENERAL? BE "BAMBO"

One of my wife's relatives recently posed a question to me. Now, I don't know why they asked me, because I don't have all the answers. As I've stated many times, I'm not even sure what all the questions are.

"How do you get through your life?" they asked.

"Do you mean life in general or me in particular?" I responded.

"Just life...in general."

Whoa. That's THE question, isn't it? I pondered for a minute or so and looked at my life and gave this little bit of sage wisdom:

"You gotta be a cross between Rambo and Bambi. I guess, like, "Bambo."

The duality of man. Power and strength tempered by love and kindness. Love and kindness regulated with power and strength. Sounds kind of like an impossibility, doesn't it? But, really, that's what it takes. You have to have love in your life and strength. Life throws us curve balls all the time. We all know that. Sometimes you have to take the strike. And sometimes you have to hit it out of the park.

Take, for instance, work. Sometimes you have to just suck it up and do the job. And sometimes you can slide a little. Sometimes, it has to be the "company" way and sometimes it can be your way.

Take, for instance, relationships. Whether it is a family relationship, a love relationship, a friendly relationship, or even an antagonistic relationship. Give and take. Pick your battles. Or decide you're not even going to battle. Again, just suck it up and do the job.

Life is really just a war. That might sound harsh but, even though there is death and defeat in war, there is also moments of kindness. Sometimes wars are fought to help people. Sometimes wars are fought to take things away from those same people. Just like life. We give in life and, if we're honest with ourselves, sometimes we take.

I've seen babies born in my life that I would give anything I had to make their lives better. I've seen some of those same babies grow up into adults that think they should have the things I've worked for without putting in a lick of work. Then it's no longer love and kindness, it's power and strength. You're not taking my things from me to better your life. Now, it's war. It's life. And, sometimes, life just happens. I believe in charity but not entitlement.

"Bambo, huh," my young questioner stated, "But that sounds like a no-win situation. Trying to be loving and strong."

On my wall, right where I can see it, I have a framed picture I made. It's of William Shatner, starring as Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek fame. One of the lines in "The Wrath of Khan" that he said has stuck in my mind for years and summed up how I feel about my life and living it. I put that line on this picture and printed it out and framed it so I would never forget it.

Kirk, stranded inside a planet with several others including his former girlfriend and his son, was in a tight situation, An "impossible" situation. Every one around him had conceded defeat. Death was going to win. Khan was going to win. But James T. Kirk was "Bambo." He had a plan all along. As he told the others to "suck it up" and how he was going to win the day, win life, he simply stated:

"I don't like to lose. I don't believe in the no-win scenario."

Yep. That's what I'm talking about.

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	Really? It's important to patriots, Papa Bin Osama.
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	Really? Better check those "facts", Papa Al.
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	"The biggest terrorist is George W. Bush."
	Really? Better look in the mirror, Mom Wacko.