Being the spark is all that it takes to spread the warmth and the luminosity that the world needs right now. Igniting the flame to be the light would be an amazing gift to someone this season.
Similar to the butterfly effect, many people can be impacted by one small act- one tiny gesture of love and compassion. Fire spreads quickly and joy is contagious.
Loneliness, isolation, and sadness are kindling which can be dispelled in an instant by the spark and the subsequent flame.
The facade of happy holiday cheer and joyous music masks the reality of so many peoples’ inner pain and suffering.
Being the spark to light the fire in someone’s heart can bring relief and hope in an otherwise dark time.
As the coolness of winter settles in, many holiday traditions seek to counter the shorter days and the growing darkness with symbols of light. Whether it’s with candles, fireworks, or brightly colored LEDs, our winter religious ceremonies are filled with joyous expressions to warm the soul. Tall, strong structures are erected to display the light for all to see. Evergreen trees and menorahs will stand bright and serve as radiant beacons and positive gathering places for communities, families, and friends to come together in a spirit of peace and good will.
This tall, bright luminosity can help push out the encroaching darkness of our modern, fractured world. As our nation and local communities are less cohesive and less united under a common purpose or goal, the need for warm bonds and true, meaningful connection is more important than ever.
Menorah setup in Phoenix plaza. Photo by Steve Smull
As the world continues to face terrorism and wars, we need to stand tall and be the light. As some members of our community face increasing levels of discrimination based on their religion or skin color, we need to stand tall and be the light against these dark forces.
Another challenge many people face during the holiday season is loneliness and isolation, which effects young and old, rich and poor. To combat this epidemic, I encourage you to look for ways to reach out to someone with a warm and heart-felt greeting. Take the extra effort to connect and make a positive difference in someone’s life.
As we look to this season of giving and light, I am reminded that the greatest gift is time. Giving someone your time and attention is a priceless present that will brighten their day. If you can, reach out and touch someone with a personal visit, card, or phone call. Check in to see how they are doing and let them know you are thinking about them. This is how we can strengthen the social fabric of our communities.
Now, more than ever, we need to share our light with others.
May your candles burn bright.
May this holiday season fill your heart with love, your home with joy, and your life with laughter.
In the United States, November 11th is the national holiday when we recognize our fellow citizens who have served their country in the military. Veterans Day, unlike Memorial Day, is meant to appreciate the sacrifices of the millions of living veterans who raised their right hand and pledged to defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
This year Veterans Day has more meaning for me than usual. With the active and brutal battlefields in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I am acutely aware and distressed at the heavy price that is being paid by both military personnel and civilians during wars.
As a U.S. Army Veteran from the Gulf War, it my honor to serve as the Commander of Ahwatukee American Legion Post 64 which is focused on helping veterans and their families in our local community.
Now more than ever, we need to strengthen the social fabric of our society and in our neighborhoods and, in my opinion, this is best done by connecting and bonding with people in person with a sense of common purpose. One of the things I miss most about my time in the military is the camaraderie and sense of shared values with fellow service members. When in a foxhole together at the morning stand to during my deployment in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, it didn’t matter what color your skin was or what your religious beliefs were. The only thing that mattered was that you were an American and believed in freedom, liberty, and our country’s Constitution.
As part of our Post’s Veterans Helping Veterans initiative, we are conducting Buddy Checks, where American Legion members are actively calling members to check in and see how they are doing. We are letting veterans know that we miss them and are thinking about their health and wellbeing. This focus is in support of the American Legion’s “Be the One” program, a suicide prevention effort which is addressing the growing health concern among those who served and are suffering with PTSD, TBI, or other debilitating issues.
American Legion Post 64 is Ahwatukee’s sole Veteran’s Service Organization and we meet monthly (3rd Wednesdays at 4PM) at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center (ARC). This November 11th you can visit with veterans from Post 64 at our table at the 19th Annual Ahwatukee Car Show on 4700 E. Warner Rd.
Please visit our website at www.americanlegionpost64.com for more information on the many events and social activities we are hosting in the local area.
The Ahwatukee community mourns the loss of a great friend, teammate, and citizen. Alice Maynard passed away on August 20, 2023, and will be remembered as someone who was always busy helping other people. Whether it was for charity or fundraising events at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center or Color Guard services with the American Legion Post 64, Alice was the embodiment of Selfless Service.
Photos by Steve Smull
As the Commander of the Ahwatukee American Legion Post, I honor and salute Alice for the countless hours of support and sacrifice she gave to so many active-duty military members and veterans. She never stood idle and actively volunteered in numerous groups including: Support the Troops, American Legion Auxiliary and Color Guard, Ahwatukee Recreation Center (ARC), and the RD-1 sub HOA.
Alice moved to Phoenix from Illinois in 1999 following the death of her husband, Harold L. Maynard, who was a Marine veteran and served in the Korean War. For over two decades she was active in the ARC activities and enjoyed swimming, water volleyball, and lawn bowling.
I first met Alice in 2018 when I joined the American Legion Post at the ARC and was immediately impressed with her kindness and generosity at every monthly membership meeting. She always made sure that the attendees of our events had a full spread of food, desserts, and drinks. I especially loved it when she made her deviled eggs for special occasions.
Alice donated her time and her talents to make the world a better place for those in need and those who served their country. She participated in Honor Guard flag folding ceremonies that gave the solemn respect to deceased veterans and their families.
Words can’t adequately describe the impact of the loss of Alice Maynard to her family and friends. It is my hope that this article provides some sense of the large amount of respect and admiration many felt for her. I have been active in volunteer service organizations for decades and Alice was the most loyal and dedicated person I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Alice was a patriot and always spoke her mind. She was passionate and caring, fierce and determined.
As someone 30 years her junior, I greatly admired Alice’s energy and often wondered where it came from. Perhaps it was her sense of Selfless Service.
All I know for sure is that Alice’s contributions to our organizations and community will be sorely missed, fondly remembered, and greatly appreciated.
I’m in a funky, themed house with dozens of clocks- all standing (or tilting) still with different times.
I even wrote on the wall in the kitchen- “Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?” These lines are from a great song by the band Chicago and it got me thinking. Is there any one thing that two humans can agree upon? Is the time on the clock the one thing that we are on the same page about?
Some of my friends are always early while others are always late. Why is that?
Could it be that the perception of time is unique to each individual mind?
Some people seem to appreciate and value time more than others. Some people are obsessive about time while others pay it no mind.
The one thing that is common to the majority of humans is that we don’t know when our time on this planet is up. If we all are on a “lifespan timer” or have a known expiration date (like in the movie Logan’s Run) , we would be better off ? Animals don’t be to care about this and they are always living fully in the moment .
How many humans live fully in the present moment? Why do so many people seem fixated on the past or worried about the future? Do our many clocks and time constraints drive this?
So many questions but not many answers on this topic. But what can I expect when I seated at the Tea-Party table in the Mad Hatter House (a cool AirBnB in Flagstaff, Arizona)?
“We are all quite Mad here” it says on the wall- plus “ It’s always tea time”.
Hopefully you will find more time for creativity and fun in this life.
As a proud member of Generation X, I sat in a café at Hotel V in Amsterdam and pondered the meaning of the red, black and white XXX flags I kept seeing on the boats and buildings of the beautifully damp city. I asked the Dutch waitress (probably Gen Z) what the significance of the 3 Xs was, and she said she didn’t know but she came back 20 minutes later to explain that it represented the three values of Amsterdam- Valiant, Steadfast and Compassionate.
Flags flying at Hotel in Amsterdam
After doing more research on the topic, I learned that the Xs are taken from the coat of arms of Amsterdam which consists of red shield with three silver (white) St. Andrew’s crosses on a black stripe, the imperial crown of Austria, two golden lions and the motto of the city– Heldhaftig (heroic), Vastberaden (resolute), Barmhartig (merciful).
So the mystery was solved and I was happy to know that the triple Xs didn’t represent the infamous red-light district of Amsterdam!
The letter X has been on my mind lately and certainty front and center in the news as Elon Musk boldly rebranded the company Twitter to X. Mr. Musk even erected a huge, white light X sign on the top of the HQ building in San Francisco, which the city ordered him to remove within 3 days.
The future of X is unknown but it’s eXciting nonetheless.
Other reasons I’ve been interested in all things X lately are:
1) the generational differences and challenges among Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and Gen Zers.
2) the focus of the biology of female sex chromosomes XX in the context of Transgender ideology and the Save Women Sports movement.
3) the many symbolic, mysterious and seemingly opposite meanings: harmony and balance, censorship and porn, toxicity and error, and death and rebirth.
What does it all mean?
As an eager student in 8th grade Algebra class, I was always excited when I would “solve for X”. I loved setting up the equations and writing out the values of the known variables. The challenge was a fun puzzle that made sense to me.
As a driven IT professional and sci-fi nerd in the 1990s, I was a super fan of the X-Files and even changed my hairstyle and color to emulate Agent Scully.
As a curious traveler and writer, I marvel at the rich history and meaning in the Old World’s art, flags, and symbols.
X marks the spot of the buried treasure and is clearly the Most Powerful Letter in the alphabet. Its countless meanings in the areas of science, algebra, sports, astronomy and spirituality. Symbolizing Danger, a Kiss, a Strike, the Unknown, Death, Transcendence, Poison, Sex, and Rejection– this letter is amazingly mystifying.
There is so much more to share on this topic, but I like to keep my blogs short, so I’ll end with this.
As an inquisitive member of Generation X, I feel more affinity than ever to the extraordinary letter X. People born between the years 1965 and 1980 tend not to want to be defined and don’t like labels (especially “latchkey kids”). I do agree that most Gen Xer are independent, resourceful, and flexible. Plus, my generation inspired the incredible series Stranger Things.
While I don’t think I’ve Solved for Xin this brief article, I have exposed more of its significance and history.
I encourage you to explore more on the magical meaning of X and perhaps you can solve for it.
May is the month for poppies in the U.S.A. These simple, red flowers represent so much passion and emotion that I often marvel at their worldwide impact. Millions of members and supporters of veteran organizations like the American Legion and the VFW distribute handmade paper poppies in the lead up to Memorial Day (the last Monday in May was declared a U.S. federal holiday in 1971).
For almost 100 years, the poppy has been a powerful symbol of remembrance, respect and honor for military veterans in the UK, Canada, France, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
For many, the red poppy represents sacrifices made in the defense of freedom.
Photo by Brenda Smull
For me, the month of May is a time of solemn tributes and memorial services for veterans who have lost their lives while serving their country and more personally, for my father, who passed away on May 2, 2003.
Fifteen years ago this month, I gave an impassioned speech at the Austin Toastmasters club titled “In Flanders Fields”. I opened with a recitation of the powerful World War I poem by Canadian Lt Col. John McCrae and told stories of how important the red poppy and the solemn Memorial Day traditions are to me and my family.
This year I share an excerpt of the poem “We Shall Keep the Faith” written by an American woman named Moina Michael in 1918.
We cherish, too, the poppy red That grows on fields where valor led; It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies, But lends a lustre to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders Fields.
Photo by Steve Smull
In keeping with the spirit of this poem and the opening thoughts of this article, below is a portion the First Vice Commander report I submitted for my American Legion Post’s newsletter.
“Across the country, May is an important month of remembrance which culminates in the Memorial Day holiday and tribute ceremonies. American Legion Post 64 continued with its annual tradition of holding an Honor and Remembrance Service during our May 17th member meeting. This year we rang the bell and called out the names of ten post and auxiliary members who passed away in the last year. This experience was especially impactful for me, since I participated in an honor guard ceremony and penned tribute articles for three of the deceased veterans. It was a simple, solemn and touching ceremony that gave our fellow legionnaires and auxiliary members the honor and respect they deserve. The meeting room was tastefully set up with a remembrance table of photos, programs and red roses for the family and friends of the deceased. In front of the lectern was an honor table with a beautiful wrought iron cross, candles, a Bible, a Koran and a yarmulke. Red poppies stood out brilliantly against the white tablecloth and added the strong and significant symbol of loss, sacrifice and hope.”
Over forty-five U.S. military veterans and American Legion Auxiliary members gathered at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center in Phoenix on April 5, 2023 to share experiences, eat, drink, laugh, and play cards. The event opened up with Post 64 Commander, Pete Meier, leading the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Photo by Steve Smull
Five large, round tables were set with color-coded tablecloths and signs to denote the military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard).
Photo by Brenda Smull
The Emcee of the event, Brenda Smull, went around the room with a microphone so that the veterans could introduce themselves and share where and when they served their country. The dates ranged from 1962 to the early 2000s. All branches of the military were represented with the Air Force table having the most people. John Augustyn was our sole Coast Guard veteran and he enthusiastically shared light blue playing cards with the crest of his branch.
Photo by Roddy Charlton
The Auxiliary table was full with supportive and generous spouses and daughters of veterans. This group is a newly forming Unit of the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) and provided a great deal of help and assistance with the food and drink at this event.
Photo by Roddy Charlton
All enjoyed large and delicious pizzas from Venezia’s, salads, spinach dip, and homemade molasses cookies by Darlene Hunter.
Photo by Roddy Charlton
A brightly colored information table displayed history books titled Letters to Ann, Shoot Like a Girl and Ashley’s War. Red, white and blue pamphlets on the American Legion, the Auxiliary, and U.S. flag etiquette, provided information about the history, services, and benefits.
Photo by Roddy Charlton
Rockin’ music from the 1960s, 70s and 80s added to the fun and festive environment. A small, blue Bose speaker filled the large meeting room and did its job admirably.
The energy and connection of this positive gathering helped strengthen the social fabric of our community. Camaraderie, respect and support go a long way to bridging generational gaps and mending past wounds.
Photo by Roddy Charlton
During this small, simple social mixer, there was a feeling of being united– not just as veterans and supporters but as united citizens of our country- One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.
A bonus of this Veteran’s meeting was an increased sense of belonging in the community and a renewed focus and appreciation for those who have bravely and selflessly served their country.
As I reflect on Women’s History Month, I wish I had met and been able to talk to my grandmothers. They were born around the turn of the last century and passed away long before I was born in the late 1960s.
From the stories passed down from my parents, aunts and uncles, my grandmothers were strong, stoic, and determined women who endured great hardship, made sacrifices, and cared of their large families during a difficult time in U.S. history.
Both my grandmothers saw most of their sons head off to war in Europe and Asia during the Second World War.
“The first veterans I admired were my father, uncles, and cousins that served in the U.S. Military. Most of them, my dad included, were deployed across the globe to fight for freedoms during World War II. Their strength and resolve inspired me to become a leader and a servant to others. They were my role models of what it meant to be an American.
The idea of selfless service was instilled in me at an early age as I watched my parents and my dear cousins Joey, Patty, and Richie, volunteer for countless events at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Although my small hometown was only a few square miles, it was home to not one but two veteran organizations—The American Legion and the VFW. Every year when I was growing up, our town would have a Memorial Day parade that concluded at one of these two posts. In my family, Memorial Day was a special day marked by a solemn remembrance ceremony in the local cemetery.
My time on active duty in the U.S. Army in the early 1990s was relatively short and painless, but it left a lasting imprint on my perspective, leadership style, and values.
The veterans I have encountered have a strong sense of integrity and commitment to their families, friends, and community. They are a tough and resilient lot who are some of the most kind, generous, and boisterous people I know. “
Why did I join the US Army?
I’m not sure what possessed me to wander into the Army ROTC building on the college campus of Rutgers University at the end of my freshman year, but I filled out an application for an ROTC scholarship on the spot and quickly received word that I’d been accepted into the program that would commission me as a 2nd Lieutenant once I graduated. I didn’t tell my parents what I was doing until after I was accepted. They were both excited and happy for me. I was the 4th out of 5 children and the only one to graduate college and serve in the military. My strong, supportive mother, who was a civilian, inspired and motivated me to reach for the stars.
Looking back, I think there were three primary reasons why I signed up for military service in 1986. One was to help my parents with the cost of my college education, the second was my desire to see the world, and third was the sense of duty to my country that my family instilled in me.
I served as a Signal Platoon Leader with the 1st Cav Division during the Gulf War and spent 10 months in the middle of nowhere in northern Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq. My platoon consisted of 70 soldiers and our mission was to establish mobile communications for the tanks and command Humvees in the division.
Me in Iraq in March 1991
What is important to me now?
Assisting and advocating for our veterans, like my parents did, has been my top priority for last 30 years. The incredible amount of civilian support I received made my transition out of the military easier and less traumatic. Positive veteran champions surrounded me and gave me the encouragement and tools I needed to succeed in my corporate career. Having employers that understood, appreciated, and leveraged my military skills truly helped to enhance and propel my business advancement.
I continue to be active in veteran organizations like the American Legion where I strive to keep my parent’s sense of Selfless Service alive in the community.
Supporting companies like Vanguard Veteran whose mission to equip civilians to become veteran champions is important to me as I look to expand my involvement in community and veteran outreach programs.
Now, more than ever, it is vital that we remember and honor those who have come before us and sacrificed for our rights and our freedom. I am sure that my grandmothers and my parents would be smiling with approval.
The news is filled with stories of the negative and intended consequences of new technology and/or government’s actions.
When I mix them all together in my mind, the common theme seems to be that artificial things are replacing real, natural and healthy ones.
The vagueness of the words “things” and “ones” in the previous sentence is intentional as I wish to share a number of actions which have been introduced, implemented, enforced or mandated in the past decade which had good intentions but ended up causing more harm than good.
1) mRNA Covid vaccination mandates.
I was initially excited and happy to take the newly developed shot against the novel virus in early 2021. The unnatural part came when governments and public health organizations began mandating and enforcing compliance for the young and the healthy. It was wrong to discount natural immunity. I am shocked by the lack of concern and action by the FDA in the face of the high number of serious adverse side effects due to the Emergency Use Authorized shots.
Hundreds of medical doctors across the world are now speaking out against the mRNA vaccine programs with phrases like “They are more harm than good for most people.”
2) Social Media platforms.
TikTok, Twitter and Instagram. The artificial, online world has pockets of goodness but more and more areas of negative manipulation. Social media has depressed many and has made people more divided than ever. Millions are addicted to scrolling in these emotionally draining environments and struggle to have real, live relationships with other humans. These platforms are more harm than good for most people, especially children.
3) Excessive government stimulus and control of monetary systems.
The current banking crisis of March 2023 is an example of the negative impact that government interference in the markets can have.
Preventing people from speaking on college campuses is not encouraging healthy debate and critical thinking skills. This authoritative stance against only some ideological groups is doing more harm than good.
Coercion, manipulation, control and discrimination are not healthy, they are not natural, and they cause more harm than good.
Strong Words & Simple Truths 