Jack’s Winning Words 9/30/13
“Sit loosely in the saddle of life.”  (Robert Louis Stevenson)  The Shaka!  Perhaps you’ve seen it.  Fold down the middle 3 fingers and extend the thumb and the pinkie   In Hawaii, it means hang      loose...relax…everything will be OK.  In the dark days of WW 2, Churchill held up 2 fingers in the form of a V.  Hang loose!  In this world where every day seems to present a new problem, someone needs to give the Shaka sign.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM TARMART REV:  Seems I'm seeing more of the "middle finger" nowadays . . . I've designated that of folk unconsciously saying, "Look up! Your redemption draweth nigh!!"====JACK:  That reminds me of a time when my wife was driving and someone cut her off.  My son was in the car and said, "Mom, give him the finger."  She replied, "I would, but I don't know which one to use."  She is such  a nice person!

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  As the old hymn says, "Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all our griefs away...They lie forgotten as a dream ends at the break of day..."  Most situations which seem catastrophic at the time, do sink into proportion  with time. Perspective is key, "A thousand ages in THY  sight is like an evening gone; Short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun"  (same hymn). So "Don't Sweat The Small stuff! P.S. It's all small stuff....pretty true in the loooooooong  view!====JACK:  It's good in the short view, too.  There's an other song (I don't know whether it's in the Baptist hymnal or not)..."Slow down, baby you're going too fast   You got you hands in the air with you feet on the gas."

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Figuratively "saddle" is an expressive word.  Do we sit in the saddle of life, or are we saddled by all the material things and endless activities we believe are important?  Early native Americans on this continent were loosest of all...they avoided saddles.====JACK:  I like the Gene Autry song, "I'm back in the saddle again, back where a friend is a friend."====RI:  I know the song well.  My boyhood chums and I spent every Saturday afternoon at our local theater, and for just 5 cents admission we went to see every Gene Autry western that came along.====JACK:  I have several of those movies on videotape.  I'll send them to you, if you want to try and relive your childhood.

 FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  We did see that sign a lot last week in Hawaii!====JACK:  I read that the sign was started by a Hawaiian surfer who had those 3 middle fingers cut off in an accident.  "I'm OK!"

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Perhaps the sign of the cross would be best.====JACK:  I wonder if that's where the expression "Keep your fingers crossed" comes from?

 FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  The fall with all of its beauty and color helps one to be optimistic.  Even in Florida we have the rain tree which is turning yellow and red now.  Les planted one long ago beside the pool and it is a very happy tree.====JACK:  Fall is a beautiful season in Michigan.  Besides the nature part, there's college football, the baseball playoffs, and hockey begins.  Go Rays.  Beat Texas!