From Kalil Gibran's "The Prophet" - A Few Words on Death

"Then Almitra spoke, saying, We would ask now of Death.
And he said:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.
Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance."

Thank you to my dear friend Jim for loaning this book to me months ago, with the bookmark at this particular page, as it sat on my bookshelf. And to my dear friend Alicia, who reminded me of this book just this morning.

The Great Mystery and our Gifts: A Prayer for Saying Grace Before Breaking Bread

My dear family and friends here this evening, let us pause to say Grace and wonder at our countless blessings.

All of us here at this table, indeed, all 6.something billion of us inhabitants of our wondrous planet earth, are participants in the Great Mystery.

This Great Mystery leads us to the three essential gifts we have been given by our Creator, our Sustainer, our Redeemer.

The first essential gift is that of consciousness. This gift enables us to listen; to be aware; to wonder; to ponder the sacred and sovereign and profound questions. May we use our consciousness to listen carefully to the will of our Creator. May we wisely discern, respect, and fulfill the will of our Creator.

The second essential gift is that of love. This gift enables us to express love towards our fellow human beings and receive love from our fellow human beings. Despite the deep and ubiquitous sorrow, may we recognize and relish each opportunity to express love. May we warmly receive love and let it strengthen and nourish us. May we embrace and channel the love that exists as the constant presence of our Sustainer.

The third essential gift is that of mercy. This gift enables us to experience the world through the eyes of others. This gift teaches us to invest completely in the present process and divest completely from the future result. May we strive to serve one another with humility and leave a legacy of mercy and forgiveness, as our Redeemer has done for us.

Amen.

Compassion, Love, Humor and Light

The other night I attended a lecture given by Karen Armstrong, unequivocally my favorite author. She is brilliant, a noted scholar, and yet also so warm and accessible - I would like to have dinner with her. I won't summarize her fascinating lecture - I'll cover many of her core tenets in upcoming posts. (For a glimpse of her tenets and style, see this TED video.)

What I want to do in this post is recount a few tidbits from her post-lecture Q&A. Someone had asked her about her interfaith initiatives, and she delightfully recalled that she'd recently attended a conference in, of all places, Idaho, in which the Dalai Lama was present. A man stood up and asked the Dalia Lama, quite seriously and with grave intent, what he thought about "homosexuality" (imagine this pronounced by an old woman with a thick British accent). The Dalai Lama paused a moment, beamed a smile, and said simply, "There is no harm in it." Period. Next question. Sometimes it's more HOW we say something, coupled with what we DO NOT say, that relays meaning.

Later, she remarked that she'd attended another conference in which both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu had participated. She was struck by how similar the two men are in some ways; both emitted an indescribably joyous light. When they were together, the laughter and lightness were pronounced. "They were like children," she remarked. These two old men, from wildly differently backgrounds and faith traditions, both channeling God, were like the little children.



So perhaps the manifestation of compassion and love is an ineffable lightness and an inclination to see humor as a soothing reflection of God's Light and a necessary companion of seriousness and profundity.

Daily Reverence

My spiritual journey has led me to a place where I practice reverence every day. Reverence for my Creator, my Sustainer, my Redeemer. I know that I come from God and I will return to God, an idea encapsulated in the Latin expression "Exitus Reditus." Every morning, I ask myself:

"how will I reflect the Light of Christ today?"

"how will I express God's love today?"

"how will I interpret every person, every occurrence, every experience, through the lens of charity?"

"how will I put others' needs ahead of my own?"

Throughout the day, it is a process of listening, of quietly and carefully discerning God's will, of PAYING ATTENTION to the world, of recognizing the interconnectedness of all things and all people.

Then during the evening, I ponder how I actually did. Where did I succeed? How did I foster my relationship with Christ? Where did I fail? How did I harm my relationship with Christ?

This reflection is a core piece of my spiritual journey.

Mitigating the Cravings Post-Addiction

Ask anyone who’s successfully overcome an addiction; do you ever occasionally still crave “it”?

Well, first, I think it matters what “it” is. If “it” is an exclusively nefarious substance (such as, cigarettes), that’s one thing; but if “it” is a more ambiguously-natured substance, for example, food, then it’s another matter. We cannot live without food; thus, the overeater has a particularly challenging addiction to overcome, because he cannot abandon the substance; he must learn to make peace with it and not abuse it. Much the same could be said for “sex addicts” – sex, when enacted in a healthy way with a loving partner, is a fulfilling aspect of life; when abused, via pornography, exploitation, and/or anonymity, it is very harmful to all parties involved.

Since I was a teenager, I’ve battled the seduction of alcohol and cigarettes. I believe these two substances are particularly nefarious, because both are legally sanctioned by our culture. (While cigarette smoking is certainly admonished in the U.S., it is still perfectly legal and easily obtainable.) Alcohol is even more infiltrated into our culture; it’s a wonder there are not more raging alcoholics. In my life, I have achieved a measure of victory over these substances; I have not smoked a cigarette since January 1, 2009, and I have not had a drink since August 13, 2008. I still go “one day a time.”

Sometimes I wonder about the pull of cravings; fortunately, for me, cravings have yet to seduce me to the point of indulgence. My primary coping strategy is Spiritual. Alcohol and cigarettes are poisonous to my body, and thus are poisonous to my life. (I know there are some people who are able to drink in moderation, and some studies have even proven that moderate intake of alcohol can yield health benefits. Given my personality and tendencies, though, I cannot drink moderately. The ol' AA saying "For an alcoholic, one drink is too many and a thousand is not enough" rings true for me.) I live with the knowledge that any indulgence in these poisonous substances is an action that will alienate me from God. In essence, it is sinful for me. (Everyone has their own definition of “sin.”) In other words, I live with a measured and present knowledge of the impact of the dreaded “morning after” feeling. I know, deeply in my soul, how much I will regret any such indulgence, and this knowledge puts a vivid damper on any kind of craving I might experience. Life is a series of choices and, for the faithful, a practice of listening to discern God’s will. From a very Spiritual standpoint, I know that poisoning my body is an act of alienation from God.

This all being said, I confess that I occasionally ponder the delight of a pint of room-temperature Guiness with a thick head. Fortunately, since I’d indulged in a number of these throughout my life, the mere ponderance of such an indulgence will suffice.

on miracles and such: the miracle of language

The truth is, the mere fact that I am standing here writing this blog post (I have a "standing" desk, in case you're wondering; just imagine me standing at a bar) is a miracle. My existence is a miracle. Your existence is a miracle. My consciousness is a miracle; the fact that I am able to write this blog post is a miracle. Your consciousness is a miracle; the fact that you are able to read this blog is a miracle.

Language is a miracle.

Christine Kenneally, author of the book "The First word: the Search for the Origins of Language," essentially states that nobody really knows how humans initiated language; it's a complete mystery to this day; she call it science's greatest mystery of modern times.

Actually, I don't think it's mysterious; I think it's a God-given innate ability that all humans have - yes, miraculous. She positioned language as this "virtual world" that we inhabit, that's different than the physical world we inhabit. And it's amazing how just "words" have the power to both wound and comfort so profoundly.

Karen Armstrong, in her biography on the Bible, states it this way:

"Human beings are meaning-seeking creatures. Unless we find some pattern or significance in our lives, we fall very easily into despair. Language plays an important part in our quest. It is not only a vital means of communication, but it helps us to articulate and clarify the incoherent turbulence of our inner world. We use words when we want to make something happen outside ourselves: we give an order or make a request and, one way or another, everything around us changes, however infinitesimally. But when we speak we also get something back: simply putting an idea into words can give it a luster and appeal that it did not have before. Language is mysterious. When a word is spoken, the ethereal is made flesh; speech requires incarnation - respiration, muscle control, tongue and teeth. Language is a complex code, ruled by deep laws that combine to form a coherent system that is imperceptible to the speaker, unless he or she is a trained linguist. But language has an inherent inadequacy. There is always something left unsaid; something that remains inexpressible. Our speech makes us conscious of the transcendence that characterizes human experience."

Brilliant.

wherever you go, there you are

I had the pleasure of watching Sam Mendes's Revolutionary Road this week (well, maybe I shouldn't characterize it as, "the pleasure," as it was actually quite difficult to watch... but I am an incorrigible Winslet fan, so whenever I get the chance to see her render emotion in the way she does, I seize it). If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. Many things about the movie, about the performances, struck me. This post will address only one.

April and Frank, the young married couple at the center of the movie, are suffering through the mundane realities of 1950's American suburbia; Frank is less-than-thrilled with his 9-to-5 job and daily commute, April is suffocated by her role as wife, mom, and housekeeper. April suggests to Frank that they could essentially fix everything (their boredom, their restlessness, their quiet devastation) if they simply uproot themselves and move to Paris. Money? Oh, well, they've got enough savings to last them 6 months... Job? Oh, well, April suggests that Frank should simply quit his job so he can "find himself" and she, why, she can get a job as a secretary in Paris.

Well, who can blame them for conceiving of and nursing this fantasy? The mundane realities of life strike all of us; the challenge becomes, how do we respond to the mundane aspects of the routine nature of modern life? Do we pine for someplace "better"? Do we convince ourselves that we could make everything better, "if only" we could move to someplace better? Or do we embrace the aspects of routine that can offer us comfort? The truth is, "home" is wherever we happen to be living at the time. As John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens while you're making other plans." And, although I don't know who coined this phrase, it is apropos: "Wherever you go, there you are." You can move to a new place, but you cannot do so without bringing your emotional baggage. Frank realized the folly that was the plan; April did not, and it led to her demise.

The Ultimate Commandment for Achieving Inner Peace: the Promise

"The Ten Commandments" - quick, can you rattle them off without even thinking? What meaning do these commandments play in our lives? Let's examine them one by one.

Of course, there is the most obvious one, the "duh!" one that is irrefutable as a moral foundation:

• Don't kill - ok, it seems, on the surface, to be obvious. But, dare I say, what about abortion? Over the past 20 years, ultrasound technology has improved markedly; it has literally changed the debate on abortion. When it's possible to see, in vivid clarity, tiny fingers and toes at 10 weeks in utero, it shakes us to realize that we're dealing with a God-created soul. I can remember, when I was about 10 weeks pregnant, I went to the ER with severe abdominal pain. It turned out to be nothing more than a gall bladder attack, which we treated with pain killers. But it rocked my world to hear the baby's heart beat via the ultrasound machine. 20 years ago, I was pro-choice. Now, having reached middle age, having suffered through many dark nights of the soul, I have come to a massive personal revelation, brought on by my faith, which is that "don't kill" includes abortion. I think it also includes the "death with dignity debate." So while "don't kill" may seem like an obvious moral foundation, I think it's actually quite controversial in terms of beginning- and end-of-life matters.
  

How about the rest of them:

• Don't steal - ok, what exactly qualifies as "stealing"? When you take home a package of post-it notes from the supply cabinet at work, is that "stealing"? What about when you enjoy a few grapes in the produce department at the grocery store? Or how about when you leave a good waiter a measly tip, is this stealing? Commandments challenge us to take a stand and hone our moral compass.
  

• Honor no other Gods; do not have false idols - this one, to me, is actually quite simple; let nothing in your life become more important than your faith in God. This one is the ultimate frame of reference for keeping things in perspective. We tend to pursue endeavors that we believe will grant us fulfillment (careers, family life, hobbies, etc., et al.,); the challenge is to ensure that none of these endeavors supplant our faith by becoming idolatrous. Because nothing else can or will fulfill us; only our faith can do so.
  

• Do not take the Lord's name in vain - you may be inclined to just sum up this commandment as, "don't swear." But I think it's more than that. It's a recognition of the power of language. It's a recognition that we diminish the sacredness of God by speaking casually or irreverently. And, as my now-deceased father-in-law used to say, "people who swear are simply unable to express themselves intelligently."

• Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy - What is the "Sabbath" and how does one keep it Holy? This depends on your religious tradition. For Orthodox Jews, the Sabbath is the utmost expression of reverence for God and God's laws; they cannot do anything that might be construed as work on Saturdays. For most of the Christian traditions, the notion of the Sabbath is less stringent. In my life, I respect the Sabbath by attempting to attend my church service every Sunday morning, and also by doing something outside in nature every Sunday afternoon (whether it's tending the garden or taking a walk or some such endeavor). To me, respecting nature is a manifestation of respecting the Sabbath.
  

• Honor your parents - Seems simple, right? But how do we actually "honor" our folks? Tensions frequently arise in the complex parent/adult-child relationship. Parents "just want us to be happy," while adult children are desperate to forge their own identities in the world. Can we still honor our folks while blazing a trail that may not align with our parents' vision for us? Certainly; it has to come down to mutual respect.
  
  
• Don't commit adultery - Seems like another no-brainer. Again, this one's also about respect. Respecting our own relationships and those of others. It seems, doesn't it, that trust and respect are common themes in these commandments.
  

• Don't bear false witness against your neighbor - Again, respect. God had it right long before Aretha, "R-E-S-P-E-C-T."
  

The last one, I think, is the most powerful and the least understood. It is the "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or anything that belongs to your neighbor." The common ethos of this commandment is that it is seriously over-reaching; why would God issue a command that seemingly is designed to control our thoughts/feelings/emotions? How could my thoughts/feelings/emotions be in violation of God's Law? Does "coveting" actually have any behavioral manifestation?

Let's read into it more deeply. Rather than a command, it is actually a promise. By following God's Laws, you hone your moral foundation and practices. You grow spiritually. You deepen your faith. As such, you become content with what you have. You are not stricken with the agony of unfulfilled desire. You are liberated from the conflicts that inevitably arise from thoughts/feelings/emotions that stem from coveting.

It is a promise, not a command.

Fumbling Towards the Top of Maslow's Hierarchy: Faith as a Context for Meaning

Maslow's Hiearchy is a brilliant snap-shot of the human condition. At the bottom of the pyramid, we address our basic human needs such as food on the table and a roof over our heads.








Then, as we progress higher up the pyramid, we start to address the more difficult conundrums of human existence; the "why am I here, what's it all about?" questions. The higher needs are all about "self-actualization," and include aspects such as:

• Embracing the facts and realities of the world rather than denying or avoiding them.
• Feeling a closeness to other people, and generally appreciating life.
• Being spontaneous in ideas and actions.
• Being creative.
• Having discernment and viewing all things in an objective manner.
• Being interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others.

For many Americans, and indeed for much of the "1st world," the "bottom row" of our needs are met. Even if tenuous and at risk, we usually have enough to eat, we have a place to live, and access to clean water is not an issue. It occurred to me last night, as I was walking the dog, that so many of us are struggling with the upper rows of the pyramid; the "how to find meaning in a broken world?" questions.

Then I had an epiphany: what if all of us, as we work our way up the pyramid, focus on the various means of helping all those folks just struggling with the bottom row of the pyramid? Inherently, we simultaneously find meaning. This, I believe, is one of the foundational aspects of religion; because most religions instills in us a framework that challenge us to:

• put others' needs ahead of our own
• diminish our egos
• focus on the "common good" rather than our own selfish gain
• do less narcissistic navel-gazing and do more to contemplate our existence with awe and reverence for a higher power

All of these challenges are designed to temper our natural human tendencies of aggression, selfishness, and hostility.

Rabbi David Wolpe, author of a recently-published book called "Why Faith Matters," eloquently renders arguments for faith as a context for meaning. Essentially, he argues that the human condition yearns for something bigger than itself as a path to meaning. Religion has, he posits, provided humanity with a framework for meaning. It provides a framework for exploiting our virtues (loving kindness) and mitigating our vices (selfishness and aggression). Though he doesn't deny that great harm has been done in the name of religion, he deftly refutes the argument that religion is responsible for all violence in the world. Rather, he articulates how it's usually much more complicated than mere "religion" that exhorts violence; that political, national and other social constructs are also at work. He then points out, which I think has great merit, that atheistic societies induced much greater violence and oppression than those with the freedom to practice faith. He cites the 20th century, which was the most violent in recorded history; this violence was rendered by atheistic regimes, by Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, to name a few.

Rabbi Wolpe's book affirms one of my core beliefs: that faith matters as a framework for seeking meaning in human existence. My faith journey is fundamental as I try to scale Maslow's Hierarchy.

STC Relevancy in 2009

The "Society for Technical Communication" (STC) is currently undergoing a grave financial crisis from which it may not emerge. What, you might ask, is this STC organization? Is it as compelling as its scintillating name suggests? What exactly does it offer its members? And why is it experiencing financial duress? Well, "they" (the administration of the organization) say that the financial problems stem from simple accounting: the annual dues are not covering the actual expense of the various and myriad offerings to its members. Also, the annual conference - which is supposed to be the big breadwinner - is not bringing in projected revenue due to a reduced number of conference attendees. Hmmmm.... ok, let's explore this.

What Is STC?

A Brief History: Way back in the early 1950s (yes, the 1950s - how many of you were alive in the 1950s? Or even a glimmer in your daddy's eye?), two organizations were founded that pertained to "technical writing and editing": the "Society of Technical Writers" and the "Association of Technical Writers and Editors." These two organizations merged in 1957 to form the "Society of Technical Writers and Editors" (STWE). Then, in 1960, "STWE" merged with the "Technical Publishing Society, which was founded in 1954 on the West Coast. The merged organizations became known as the "Society of Technical Writers and Publishers." This name sufficed until someone decided to give it a make-over in 1971, at which point it became known as the "Society for Technical Communication." And this name, "STC," has stuck ever since.

Why People Founded This Organization: I don't know enough of the history, but if I were to guess about why people founded an organization of writers and editors, it was because of an inspired critical mass of people, across various industries, developing and delivering technical information (in printed manuals, of course). These inspired people wanted to leverage each other's experiences and share best practices. In essence, they wanted to hang out, grab a beer, and talk shop.

Where it's At Today: STC touts itself as "an individual membership organization dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of technical communication." They claim to have 14,000 members, from all over the world. Each one of these members must pay annual dues (these vary, based on location and various categories and components). In North America, the dues range from $60 for students, to $175 for the "classic" membership. Despite these annual dues, the organization is deeply in the red.

So What Does a Member Get for His/Her Membership?: First let's take a look at STC's "Vision" and "Mission" statements. This might help us get a handle on the "value" that STC provides to its members.

"Vision: Technical Communication is recognized as an essential part of every organization's competitive strategy."

"Mission: STC advances the theory and practice of technical communication across all user abilities and media so that both businesses and customers benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective use of products, information, and services."

Now, these both seem remarkably Dilbertesque, don't they? I'm not sure, based on these two statements, how STC provides value to its members.

Let's parse these two statements. As for the "Vision," since it's crafted with a passive voice, I would ask, "by WHOM" is technical communication recognized as such? Oh, and just what is "technical communication" anyway? And what if my organization isn't "competitive"? What if it's a non-profit or an educational institution or a research house or a think tank - does that mean we don't care about "technical communication"? Suffice to say that I am underwhelmed by this "vision" statement; it does not make a compelling case for why anyone would care about "technical communication."

As for the "mission," yet again we haven't defined "technical communication" (though apparently it's part "theory" and part "practice"). It is going to address all "user abilities" and "media." Really? All "user abilities"? What about people with various disabilities? Learning or intellectual disabilities? Or, how about people who are intellectually gifted? Oh, and all "media"? Really? So it's going to encompass visual and auditory communication, in addition to online textual mediums? What about video? These are all ways to communicate "technically." Then it goes on to say that it targets "businesses" and their "customers." But again, don't other people use technical information? How about people who interface with the government? What about students and academia? What about scientific researchers? The last part of the mission statement is the most troubling. Who is to judge what is "safe," "appropriate," or "effective" in terms of product usage? How do we go about ascertaining "safety," "appropriateness" and "effectiveness"? And is it exclusively all about "product usage" when consuming technical content?

So, in my mind, both the Vision and Mission statements are diffuse and vague enough to be useless. Both statements fail because, ironically, neither of them "communicate" vision or a mission. When an organization cannot crisply define its vision nor its mission (especially one that touts its expertise in "communication"), it wallows in irrelevance. It finds itself in a crisis because the membership does not believe in its value.

OK, So, What Does My Membership Buy Me?

Based on the vague mission statement, how might one ascertain whether we're getting real value for our membership? Well, I have been a card-carrying member of STC since 1997, when I embarked on my first official job as a "technical writer" (though arguably I had been "technically communicating" since high school). (And yes, "card-carrying" is another anachronism that STC employs - though I'd heard recently that they're going to instead email a membership statement, instead of mailing a membership card.) In my experience, STC has been a "place" where I can go to network with other people in the trade. I've attended local chapter meetings and conferences, and read the STC publications, to learn about best practices and see what others in the industry are doing. It's been all about the networking and sharing tips and tricks about tools of the trade.

Eureka! That's why STC is fading into irrelevance. Because STC's "place" has slowly been supplanted by something called the Internet. More precisely, by something called "Web 2.0" and "social networking." Now of course, the Internet as we know it did not exist in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, or 80s. Thus, STC thrived; it had no competition in terms of its "platform." The STC publications and its annual conference were among the only resources to tap for networking, sharing best practices, and learning about the latest tools of the trade.

In the 90s and the 21st century, we're now dealing with a whole new "platform" for exchanging ideas, best practices and "talking shop." STC now has fierce competition. The Internet works particularly well as a "level playing field" for the group to engage each other about a broad array of ideas and issues. I no longer need to peruse STC's monthly publications to keep up on industry trends; I can surf the web, post comments to my blog and others' blogs, hang out in "virtual" cafes, and pursue trends and issues that are of particular interest to me. (STC of course is not immune to the implosion of the publishing industry; one key to their survival will be to end distribution of printed copy, and figure out how to deliver content online, exclusively.) Perhaps most significantly, I no longer feel compelled to fork over my annual dues to support the salaries of STC's administration. (Here is a list of full-time STC employees.)

Now, does this mean that I will only "talk shop" online? That I will hide in my office or my home, huddled over my computer screen, interfacing with my peers only virtually? No, of course not. I will use online "social networking" sites such as meetup to "virtually" arrange actual physical meetings. This new world of social media does not rely on monthly meetings arranged months in advance, or annual conferences arranged a year in advance; this new world is dynamic and spontaneous, and perhaps chaotic, but it is the new world that STC must "adapt to" or "die" (see link to article below).

Now if I haven't already painted a picture that renders STC irrelevant, let's go through one more parsing exercise and look at STC's "Strategic Plan Goals":

• Define the profession of technical communication
• Communicate the value of technical communication and STC
• Establish and expand strategic partnerships
• Globally improve the practice of technical communication
• Ensure the long-term viability of the organization

Let's briefly analyze each one:

Define the profession of technical communication: Though it may sound defeatist to state such, I am completely in Bogo Vatovec's camp. This is a school of thought that basically says (and I'm paraphrasing here, so bear with me) that "technical communication" is NOT a profession in and of itself; that technical communication does NOT exist in a vacuum; that "technical communication" exists only to render meaning to a given subject area. So,"technical communication" is a relevant and critically important skill for people in every professional industry. We tend to think of software endeavors as being "high tech," and of course they are. But medicine is also technical; law is technical; government is technical; the insurance and financial industries are certainly technical. And of course many other industries have technical aspects as well. "Communication" is our lifeblood as humans. So, it becomes equally important for "technical communicators" to develop their skills WITHIN THEIR professional domain (software, law, government, finance, etc.).

So now this leads me to the March 2009 of the STC "Intercom" magazine, the "Adapt or Die" article. I have to agree with Bogo Vatovec when he says, "My belief is that the number of "technical writing" jobs will decline over time. Technical writing will be an entry-level position for a trainee to learn the subject matter. Instead, the industry will look for people with a broad range of skills who can also write. That is, technical writing and writing in general is becoming an “essential skill” and not an “added value” skill for the future. The universities offering master’s and similar degrees in technical communication are hitting in the wrong direction." He continues: "The skill set of “technical writers” is expanding continuously as technical writers are being confronted with new technologies and other related disciplines. Many technical writers transit to these other disciplines through job rotation, job change, larger added value, and never come back to technical writing. That positions technical writing as an entry-level discipline."

So, the reality that STC must embrace is that "technical communication" is paramount for every working professional and student; the role of "technical communicator" is morphing into the "entry level" position within a given domain of expertise. That is, it is the DOMAIN that matters; tech writing jobs and the like are the vehicle to enter the domain. Essentially, technical communication is like breathing; it becomes a necessary skill we develop as we master our domain. If we do not master it, we cannot master our domain.

Communicate the value of technical communication and STC: Umm, serious red flag here, folks. If we have to explicitly endeavor to "communicate the value," we've failed.

Establish and expand strategic partnerships: Yikes, this sounds Dilbertesque, doesn't it? Seriously, I have NO idea what these "strategic partnerships" might provide. (Can't you see the brain-storming session now? "yes, yes, that's it! we need 'strategic partnerships'!)

Globally improve the practice of technical communication: Hate to say it, but this reminds me of that cliched bumper sticker, "think globally, act locally." Frankly, if I were to endeavor to improve things "globally," it would be to install a well in every village in the world, to provide clean water to the people. Improving "technical communication" globally is not high on my priority list.

Ensure the long-term viability of the organization: This one, folks, is downright scary. As soon as an organization exists in and of itself, for itself; as soon as it loses focus on WHY IT WAS CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE (for the sake of its members) and starts to think of MAINTAINING THE INSTITUTION FOR ITS OWN SAKE, we're in serious trouble.

So, at the end of the day, I believe that the reason why STC is undergoing financial hardship is that its members do not see the value of being a member, and are applying their "membership dues" to other causes. Period.

The Vision statement, Mission statement, and Strategic Plan Goals are posted on STC's web site.

"All's well that ends"

Another one of my favorite quotes comes from my beloved step-father, Gene Miller. Gene is a soft-hearted teddy bear, dressed in a cynic's clothing. When his cynical side emerges, you may hear him utter one of his oft-cited quotes, "All's well that ends." (This is of course a pun, if you will, on Shakespeare's "All's well that ends well.")

And indeed, if in fact, "All's well that ends" is true, then that other oft-cited cliche is also true, "It's all good." Because surely, everything ends.

Except for one thing:

And that is, God.

Yes, God.

God is constant.

God is unchanging.

God is eternally the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Redeemer.

And this, my friends, is what I believe with my whole heart and my whole soul.

So, dear Gene, "all's well that ends," but God does not end. So does that mean He is not "well"?

On the contrary, God is much more than merely "well." God is the answer to our salvation.

Look folks, we are all sinners. Yes, all of us. Even you. Especially me. We are all vulnerable. We all make mistakes. We are all fallible human beings. And the context for the entire World, the entire breadth and depth of the cosmos, is Yahweh. God. The context to give meaning to our lives and salvation for eternity, is our faith in Jesus Christ.

I have reached this state of faith after many years of introspection, Scripture reflection, and prayer. This has not been a casual discovery or flippant epiphany. This has been a "born again" experience that has led me towards "the way, the truth, the life."

We, my friends, are the light of the world. We are the salt of the earth. And we are only here because God is our Creator, our Sustainer, and our Redeemer.

And when it all ends, God will still be there.

A quote from my grandfather

God rest his soul, my maternal grandfather, William Downs (aka Bill), had a penchant for sayings that tell it like it is. One of his favorites was:

"Nothing is very good or very bad for very long."

Now, this may seem trite. But ponder it for a minute. I think it's fundamentally true. But if I were to quibble with it, here is my rationale:

* Truly ecstatic experiences are infrequent and short-lived. (Think of your latest orgasm. And the one before that. And the one before that. Notice a pattern? Or how about your honeymoon? Geez, that went by quick, right?) This, I believe, may explain our addictions; we're always trying to make it all better, for a longer period of time. We're frequently chasing that elusive state of feeling "very good." (What are the things that make us feel "very good"? Hmmm, the short list is, of course, sex, drugs and rock-and-roll. Then as we get older, we realize this short-list no longer fulfills us - for very long.)

* Truly awful experiences are also equally infrequent, but perhaps not as short-lived. (Think of something awful that happened to you recently; what was it? A car wreck? Yes, that would definitely put a damper on your day, but as long as you're not terribly injured, you move on eventually. Or how about those things you learn about from the "dreaded phone call" - a loved one is sick, dying, or has died. The impact of these events are not at all short-lived, but fortunately, are relatively rare.)

So, I think when my grandfather said, "Nothing is very good or very bad for very long," he was speaking at a very granular level. That even during hard times (a dying loved one, facing unemployment and foreclosure, a sick child), there are glimmers of ecstasy. And even during periods of utter delight, there are twinges of sadness or at least ambivalence.

I think what he was saying is this: that life ebbs and flows, and that the majority of our daily routine is spent facing the mundane realities of life. And that's OK. The only sustainable model, in fact, is one in which "nothing is very good or very bad for very long."

When we are really sick or injured, and then recover, we realize how good we feel most of the time.

When a friendship expires and causes us sadness and remorse, we savor the fond memories and grow from it.

When we don't get that promotion we'd worked so hard for, we decide to consider other options that we may not have considered otherwise.

When we try to enter this door, but find it is locked, we notice that another one is open.

a sunrise

Last Saturday morning, around 6am, my daughter hurried into our bedroom.

"Mom, come quick! Hurry, mom, hurry!" she said, as she stood by the side of our bed and shook me awake.

Initially, I have to confess, I was filled with dread. "What's wrong..." I thought to myself. Could it be one of the animals? Did one of the cats puke? Or did the dog relieve herself on the floor? Or yet again, is the toilet clogged? Or is some other neglected home repair rearing its head?

What, I wondered, was it?

I stumbled out of bed, half-conscious, while she dragged me to her room. We hurried to the window.

"Look," she simply said.

I stared out the window to take in one of the most lovely sunrises I've ever seen. All glowing and pink and misty, with wispy clouds and a hint of the blue expanse to come.

I was overcome with the simple beauty of the moment. I was thrilled to think that I've passed on this appreciation for this simple natural beauty. Indeed, nothing was wrong at all. In that moment, all was right.

The Buddha on Compassion

A young mother was wailing in agony because her only child had died unexpectedly. The Buddha approached her; she remained inconsolable. "Tell me, Buddha, how can I ease this pain? I have never been so overwhelmed with agony. Please, please, please, can you bring back my son?" The Buddha felt compassion for this young mother. "Go into the village and seek the villagers; if you can find one villager who has not suffered as you have, I will bring back your son."
The woman's spirit was renewed! She quickened her pace toward the village. "The Buddha has promised to bring back my son!" The woman approached the first villager she saw. "Tell me, surely you have not experienced agony like this!" But the villager told her a tale of agony. The woman proceeded to the next house. "Surely," she asked, "you haven't experienced this level of agony?" But the villager told her a tale of agony. She approached the next house, and the next, and the next; every single villager reported a tale of heart-breaking agony. The woman returned to the Buddha, despondent but also somewhat unexpectedly consoled. "I have not been able to find a single villager who has not suffered as I have." The Buddha assured her that her journey yielded the expected result. "And now," offered the Buddha, "you have a sense of compassion for all those who have suffered as you have."