We used to just call it hinting around...

(Public Domain)

It seems as though things have taken a turn for the dramatic, especially insofar as language is concerned.  What used to be simply called “hinting around” is now dubbed “dry begging.”

The very phrase “dry begging” conjures up images of extreme hunger and thirst. We’re talking the very bottom of Maslow's pyramid rather than just a fatigued spouse who’d rather not tackle the evening dishes.

In the latter case, one partner might sigh out loud, “Gee, that pillow’s looking mighty inviting…”  The other half then has a choice: He or she can make a beeline for the dishwasher or simply reply, “I’m feeling exhausted myself, how about helping out with this one last act of mercy before diving between the sheets?”

Direct communication can often avert cumulative resentments. When wants or needs are stated calmly and clearly, negotiations can more fairly proceed. “Dry begging” would then be reserved for dire situations that far transcend life’s everyday blips.  

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/what-is-dry-begging-in-a-relationship-a-therapist-explains/rk

 

Ex Marks the Spot

(Huastec Sculpture, c. 250-900 CE)

On again, off again, on again, off again…  It’s becoming a THING within certain circling circles.

We’re talking relationships.  Ones that break up only to make up.  Ones that eventually last - only after repeated trials and errors.

Some warn against this, saying: “Your ex is an ex for a reason!” But perhaps the reason is also you.  And perhaps you were brought together in the first place in order to learn from one another’s rough edges.  And perhaps no great thing is ever accomplished without a bunch of persistent tries.

John Lennon declared that karma is sometimes instant.  Although that may seem the case, it’s more likely that what seems instant is only the tip of a long-developing saga.

So buckle up and ride those waves.  Love is more of a slow burn than a hot little number. Some relationships may indeed run their karmic course in a hurry, yet others may need LOTS of practice in order to bear spiritual fruit. 

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/inside-the-rise-of-the-circular-relationship/

 

 

When it's your time...

Self-Portrait
(Johann Zoffany, c. 1776)

The very thing that you think will protect you might be the very thing that gets you in the end.

Umbrellas were designed to keep us safe from the sun’s burning rays and the rain’s drenching drops.  They are often attached to outdoor dining tables.

So there was nothing unusual about Dana Weinger’s seating on a restaurant patio overlooking Lake Marion in South Carolina. She and her husband were enjoying an evening meal when a gust of wind suddenly appeared.

It knocked over a nearby umbrella which then struck Dana's ”head and neck area.”  Help arrived soon, but not soon enough.  She was ”pronounced dead at the scene.”

There’s a Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids in Matthew 25 that warns of such occurrences and urges folks to prepare in advance. We’re not talking bullet-proof vests and helmets, we’re talking spiritual “dress rehearsals.” 

Although folks often plan for worldly events, they tend to ignore otherworldly ones.  Death will surely come, we just don’t know when.  An ongoing practice of soul-searching can therefore serve us well when the hourglass empties.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-05-26-patio-umbrella-killed-woman-while-she-was-dining-at-outdoor-restaurant/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Ten_Virgins 

Off-the-Cuff Religion

Starhawk
(Photo by Dedda71)

Pastor Jim Rigby of Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin explains that many “intelligent and compassionate” people colloquially describe religion with terms such as “superstition, hierarchy and… intolerance.”

They could just as well have cited examples of how religionists have uplifted women (Starhawk), children (Mr. Rogers), people of color (Martin Luther King, Jr.), the politically oppressed (Gandhi), and the Earth itself (Sadhguru).

Some on this list might not like being dubbed a "religionist." Some might prefer to be viewed as a spiritual leader.  Yet many religious adherents believe that Spirit is a core component of their faith.  Therefore, it may just come down to semantics.

The word “religion” has been bantered about in so many ways that it’s become somewhat meaningless. Worse yet, it’s become a catch-all term for all that folks dislike most about their own recalled experiences.

If only the scope could be broadened to include a spectrum of best to worst and everything in between.  That could paint a more authentic picture of religion’s many hues.

Resources

Before rejecting religion, let's define what we mean

Super Pigs

(Fair Use)

You’ve heard of Mighty Mouse?  Now Porky Pig has also morphed into a super-sized being.  It turns out that nuclear fallout has further implications than was previously cited.

When humans fled from the Fukushima disaster, domestic pigs were left to fend for themselves.  This led to their cozying up with some wilder brethren.

Porky’s lineage quickly began looking less and less like three little pigs, and more and more like countless big boars.  Hybridization moved right along through the maternal line.  Domestic genes were rapidly diluted.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take a nuclear meltdown for scientists to note this phenomenon.  Pigs and boars have interbred within far more tranquil circumstances.

Let’s face it: When humans step aside, nature will take its course.  And who’s to say what’s for the ultimate best?

Resources

Mutant 'Super Pigs' Developing In Nuclear Fallout Zone Near Fukushima 

Handlers, Schmandlers

 

Belle's Ball Gown
(Fair Use - Disney)

During last month’s Met Gala, all eyes were upon the fashion parade.  Artsy gowns seemed to be particularly favored, especially those with poufy trains that required “handlers.”

When Blake Lively’s handler turned this way instead of that way, she motioned to him in a manner that evoked controversy from folks with too much time on their hands. The ensuing hoopla included questions about whether a female should be criticized for issuing orders to a subordinate employee.

Although the jury remains out on that one, a sounder concern might be to wonder whether a dress handler should even be needed by anyone with the wherewithal to prance around on their own two well-heeled feet.

Resources

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/leylamohammed/blake-lively-met-gala-behavior-sparks-debate

 

 

Just One Word and It Ain't Money

 

Buffett in 2015
(Public Domain)

When people hear the name Warren Buffett, they tend to think of money.  Buffett himself may have fostered such thoughts during certain phases of life, but these days his priorities go way beyond that realm.

When asked by Georgia Tech students about his current definition of success, Buffett replied: “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.”  Sounds good, but people think all kinds of things about all kinds of folks, so perhaps some clarification is in order.

And Buffett did indeed clarify by summing up his response with one resounding word: “Love.”  He then elaborated: “The trouble with love is that you can’t buy it… the only way to get love is to be lovable… The more you give love away, the more you get.”

Resources

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/warren-buffett-success-your-life-1-word-career-advice/91313453