Bird Droppings September 27, 2021
We all know the slogan, “just do it,” but I would add when?

I shared a story of The White Buffalo Calf Woman on my Facebook page several months past. Today while at home, I went to read again on my iPad, and it was restricted. Since it was an old-school iPad, it can no longer update even though I bought it for twenty bucks. I tried another story of the Eight Prophecies of the Anishnabek, which was also restricted. I typed in seven prophecies and got all sorts of Christian prophecies, including bizarre Edgar Cayce writings. I was initially upset, assuming I had a religious filter on my iPad from school. So I typed white buffalo calf and thousands of hits and sites. That led me to type woman, and it was restricted. I tried Congresswoman. It, too, was restricted. Now the great control factor I typed in man, and no problem. I typed Congressman and White Buffalo Man, no problem. With the issue of women’s rights at the political forefront of nearly every election and several other civil rights issues, I borrow from two very famous and wise women in history to start today. I often wonder why sexism never came up when these two influential and very involved women’s names came up. Although at one time, Texas wanted to ban Helen Keller from their History books.

“I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” Helen Keller

“There are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.” Indira Gandhi

As I read this morning, these two statements stood out. I doubt from what I have read if some of the current various political pundits around the country would recognize the names out of history. These two great people were tremendously influential in their time. Helen Keller was blind and deaf yet addressed world leaders and lectured worldwide. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru and the first woman prime minister of a leading world country. I will try simplifying their remarks, “don’t just sit there, do something.” So often, people sit and wait for someone else to do whatever needs to be done.

“Don’t wait for someone to take you under their wing. Find a good wing and climb up underneath it.” Frank C. Buraro

“Never leave that till tomorrow, which you can do today.” Benjamin Franklin

Each day I see teachers and students hesitate, myself included, “I can get it done tomorrow” or “I can’t do it.” I am the worst procrastinator; ask my wife. In the end, so often what gets done is only adequate and could have been so much better; we hesitate, we procrastinate, we accept partial over a whole, and we will take a seventy percent on a paper “it’s passing.” I see red when I hear that, and yet I remember when I would accept that grade and walk away happy with less work and less studying.

“Do you know what happens when you give a procrastinator a good idea? Nothing!” Donald Gardner

“There is nothing so fatal to character as half-finished tasks.” David Lloyd George

Every day, try and explain that it only takes a bit more effort and a bit more energy for an A over a C. Is it human nature to seek the easy path in life? I am starting to believe and think it is becoming worse in our society.

“Don’t wait; the time will never be just right.” Napoleon Hill

“Putting off an easy thing makes it hard, and putting off a hard one makes it impossible.” George H. Lonmer

I had a student explain why it took so long for him to finish projects. He wanted to be sure it was right. I told him it was because he didn’t work at it. He assured me it was seeking perfection that was his downfall. I am all about keeping data, the key to many choices in life. Yesterday my perfectionist unknowingly was observed for ten minutes. In each half of ten minutes, anytime someone mentioned anything, he would get up and walk over to see what it was or come over to me to see what I was doing. So in perfecting his work, nearly two-thirds of his time was getting out of doing it. I commented to him, “if you put that hard work from the three or four minutes out of ten you worked into all ten minutes, you would be done in time and have plenty of time to spare.”

“How soon not now, becomes never.” Martin Luther

“Don’t wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good; try to use ordinary situations.” Charles Richter

We wait, pause, and hesitate; I wonder at what point in our evolutionary makeup pausing came in. I am sure it was not when running from the giant cave bears of bygone days or saber tooth tigers. Maybe with the advent of remote controls borrowed from the movie blink where Adam Sandler could stop everything else and get things done. I would think if you paused when a saber-toothed tiger was chasing you, it would only be once; there it had to be when remote controls came around.

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” Haile Selassie

“During a hectic life, I have often been asked, “How did you manage to do it all?” The answer is very simple. It is because I did everything promptly.” Richard Tangye

When is it time? When it is time to rather than putting off and often doing only a partial job to know when and when not to do it? When is it not wasting time, either? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have back those ten minutes here and there?

“The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started.” Dawson Troutman

“The best labor-saving device is doing it tomorrow” Source unknown

Each of us will have excuses for waiting, but in need, perhaps we should put aside excuses and get the job done. Today keep all in harm’s way on your mind and heart and always give thanks namaste.

My family and friends, I do not say this lightly,

Mitakuye Oyasin

(We are all related)

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