Questions And Prayers

Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar, is also the most difficult for many of us. It is a time when we ask for forgiveness both from G-d and from man. This year, I continue to plea for G-d’s forgiveness and I do my best to come to terms with any wrongs that I have committed against others. However, I am left going in circles at time when it comes to asking for forgiveness from others. It has been a difficult year and one that has proven rather treacherous when it comes to following my heart and what I believe to be right.

There are many instances in my life, not just during the past year, when I have held fast to my beliefs, opinions, and decisions. I believe them in my heart to be the right thing to do. I have remained true to myself, my family, and, in many instances, it has been the best option for others as well. Some would see these situations, sometimes even those who find themselves on the other end, to be something I should apologize for or, more appropriately given the time of year, ask them for forgiveness.

The issue I have is for what should I ask for their forgiveness? I really have no idea. Could things have been handled differently or written in a more delicate manner? Yes, but then I wouldn’t be truthful to myself or honest in my dealings with others. Could I have chosen to not say anything? Yes and no. It would have avoided, at least momentarily, certain situations but, again, that would have been dishonest. And I wouldn’t have been doing everything in my power to protect my family.  

Should I apologize for my opinions? No. I may not like the opinions that many others have but I don’t expect them to apologize to me for sharing their views. This “offended by anything and everything that doesn’t fit into my small world view” syndrome is tiresome and I will not abide by nor cater to those afflicted by this mentality.

Can I forgive everyone? Heck no. This is the most difficult question and the one, this year, with the most emphatic response. I can forgive most people and I can come to terms with many situations in my life. However, there are moments and situations that will forever be seared in my mind. To say I can forgive every person who ever wronged me would require me to lie. I can’t do it. I am many things, some good and some bad, but I will not try to deceive G-d by saying that I am able to forgive everyone this year.

So, in the end, I guess the one I should really be asking for forgiveness from is G-d. I ask to be forgiven for the fact that there are times when I question your motives, the moment when I have been flat out angry at what you have allowed happen, and more instances than I would like to admit when I have strayed from your words. I ask to be forgiven for the harm that I may have caused others by being honest and doing my best to protect myself and my family. And I plea for forgiveness because I am unable to forgive all those who have wronged me and my family.

However, I ask for peace for both those whom I am unable to forgive and those who feel entitled to something other than the above. And I pray that we, as a family, grow closer to G-d, continue to see His hand in the beauty of the world that surrounds us, and trust His plan for us even when it doesn’t make a lick of sense in the moment. And I pray for the time, for another year of life, to grow and love and find the peace to one day forgive.  

Sometimes You Want To Go…

Photo of Ray Tanner Sr. taken from Tanner's Sport Center website.

…where everybody knows your name.

Anyone that is familiar with the show “Cheers” knows the theme song mentioned above and is familiar with the greeting that Norm received when he walked in the bar. However, in life, that is something that not everyone has been able to experience. Over the years there have been to a few places that have greeted me with the same friendly demeanor and familiarity. Recently, the one place beyond work, Rotary, and lodge where that happens to me is when I walk into my favorite, and in my opinion best in the Philadelphia area, gun shop, Tanner’s Sport Center.

The interesting thing is that every time I go there to pick up a small item or two, usually a magazine, ammo, or beef jerky, there are people there spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars all around me. No matter how small the purchase every sales person knows exactly who I am, greets me, and entertains my requests to see firearms that they know I am not going to purchase. It is during these times of window shopping that I have had some excellent conversations with each one of the people working at the store.  

Of course, there have been times when I have gone there to trade and, by the time I left, walked out with something much better. Honestly, I don’t know how it works out, but I find myself getting the better end of the deal every time. I have seen the prices, especially during the gouging period about a year ago, and at no time did the prices skyrocket at Tanner’s. Not surprisingly, this caused the parking lot to overflow onto the grass (if you could even find a spot) and the shelves and cases to look a little to airy. But that is what happens when a store remains equally loyal to their customers as the customers are loyal to the store (that loyalty is also evident through their constant communication on the store's Facebook page).  

I have been to dozens of gun shops throughout the area and outside of the area, especially during this never ending ammo shortage, and I can say with certainty that most are not focused on customer service and that is putting a positive spin on the various situations. Tanner’s has always been a store with a family feel and, while for many people this may be hard to understand, it is somewhere I can go to relax and feel immediately comfortable. I can talk to the people there like friends I have known my entire life and with whom I share a common interest.

There are stores open for the sole purpose of making as much money as possible, even if that means gouging their customers, and there are others that focus on the service of their customers, treating them like friends or family in the process. These are the stores that take the time to know with whom they are speaking, take an interest in the products that are on the shelves, and care enough to remember your name whether or not you are there to buy, sell, or just browse. This is why we need to continue supporting the local stores where community is part of the business plan and sales are fueled by fairness, respect, honesty, and loyalty. It is for these reasons that I am writing this post, the first promotional type post that I have written on this blog (restaurant and travel reviews don't count), and why I encourage you, if you are interested in firearms, to stop by Tanner’s Sport Center and show them your support.

Is It A Beautiful Day In Your Neighborhood?

There are many television programs that seem fascinating as a child but as we get older we either begin to realize how bad they are or we think about how much they have changed and the fact that Elmo must die. Even some of the good shows that we remember watching when we were younger seem to lose a little something when we either get the adult jokes (hello Fraggle Rock) or we watch them again and see how horrible the acting really is. However, there is the occasional program that, even years later, you look back and no matter how cheesy, simple, or dated they are, they still hold a special place in your memory.

There are also very few instances that I have experienced that makes you appreciate those programs even more and have a greater respect for the show. Unfortunately, this frequently happens when we watch a modern version, which is crap, and you realize how good the original was. Then there are instances, like the one I had this evening, when I watch a program that outlined the history of the program and the man behind this long standing television series.

If you watch Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood today you would think that it is all an act, that no one can be that friendly and sincere in their daily life. Watching "Mister Rogers & Me", you really come to realize that Fred Rogers was one of those few people who refused to see the faults in people and made a conscious decision to see the good in us all. He really believed that we are all special in many diverse ways (insert your own joke here).

While there is no replacing the positive influence that your parents and family have on who you are, especially in my case, you can’t help but think that shows like this had some impact on us. Don’t get me wrong, I can be as cynical and combative as the next person, but I also try to see the good in people. I enjoy talking and getting to know people not really caring about what they do for a living but who they really are. I guess that is why I can talk to just about anyone and for long stretches of time. I guess, to a certain extent, I treat everyone as a neighbor.

That is the true legacy of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. It isn’t in the ratings, awards, or longevity. It is in the small changes for the better that the show has made in many of us years after the last time we watched it. It is about how we see ourselves and how we treat one another. We may have different views, divergent opinions, and strong disagreements but that doesn’t comprise all that we are. That doesn’t mean we can respect each other and treat one another as neighbors.

Of course, if you don’t want to be my neighbor this picture is for you….

 

…and if you refuse to respect my opinions as I respect yours this picture is definitely for you…

 

In case you missed it, the word of the day is sarcasm. Learn it, embrace it, and let Trolley take you to the Neighborhood of Make Believe so we can all see sarcasm in action through the use of hand puppets. What can I say, I'm not Mister Rogers but it is still a beautiful day in the neighborhood, isn’t it?