Change of Scenery

Everyone likes a change now and then. I think this blog was long overdue for a new look.

The last time I changed my blog template, it was 2005. My husband Pete was alive, my children were single, and it was three job changes ago. As regular readers know, I'm even a new grandmother now. Yes, it is definitely time for an update.

I hope you like the new page for "One Clear Call." Thanks for reading.

Remember Our Heroes

In honor of Memorial Day

Photo: Michael Yon

Life Moments

I've been offline, enjoying my new grandson. Becoming a grandparent is one of those life moments in which you don't want to miss a second. I was fully immersed in the moment and loved every minute of it.

It has been awe-inspiring to watch my daughter turn into a mother--and a very wonderful one--right before my eyes. It's gratifying to see that she and her husband are forging a strong family right from the start. It has been a joy to hold the baby, look into his beautiful eyes, and know that his arrival is one of those unique, very special occasions that make my life worthwhile. If parents have a payday, these past few weeks have been mine.

Time is like a river, and sometimes its currents surge with startling power and speed. Suddenly I find myself back home on the West Coast, ready to follow the stream of my own life again. Before I know it, my grandson will be coming with his parents to visit me. I'm already anticipating that next life moment, hopefully one of many in the years to come.

A Forever Day

"Trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home"
- William Wordsworth

There are certain days of our lives that stand out in memory, vivid and shining forever. My wedding day was one such day. The days my children were born are others. Today, the day that my first grandchild was born, is certainly another.

Perhaps it is our reward for realizing the precious nature of time that God saves the greatest joys for the later years of our lives. Whatever the reason, I shall be grateful for this day forever. Welcome to life, dear grandson. You are the past, the present, and especially the future to me.

For Reasons Unknown

Junior Seau ~ 1969-2012

Richard Cory

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean-favoured and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good Morning!" and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich, yes, richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine -- we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked and waited for the light,
And went without the meat and cursed the bread,
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet in his head. 

~ Edwin Arlington Robinson

A Contrast in Leadership

From Michael Mukasey's Wall Street Journal article, "Obama and the bin Laden Bragging Rights":

While contemplating how the killing of bin Laden reflects on the president, consider the way he emphasized his own role in the hazardous mission accomplished by SEAL Team 6: 

 "I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority . . . even as I continued our broader effort. . . . Then, after years of painstaking work by my intelligence community I was briefed . . . I met repeatedly with my national security team . . . And finally last week I determined that I had enough intelligence to take action. . . . Today, at my direction . . ." 

The man from whom President Obama has sought incessantly to distance himself, George W. Bush, also had occasion during his presidency to announce to the nation a triumph of intelligence: the capture of Saddam Hussein. He called that success "a tribute to our men and women now serving in Iraq." He attributed it to "the superb work of intelligence analysts who found the dictator's footprints in a vast country. The operation was carried out with skill and precision by a brave fighting force. Our servicemen and women and our coalition allies have faced many dangers. . . . Their work continues, and so do the risks." He did mention himself at the end: "Today, on behalf of the nation, I thank the members of our Armed Forces and I congratulate them."

Red words, President Obama. Blue words, President Bush. Who would you rather follow into battle?

Read the full article for additional telling accounts of the noble and humble approaches of Presidents Lincoln and Eisenhower to their own very significant wartime accomplishments.

For the Graduates

We're entering graduation season, be it from high school or college. I found this article, addressed to college graduates, to have more than a bit of truth embedded in it.

Life rarely turns out the way one imagined as a tender-aged graduate on the cusp of adulthood.  It can disappoint, or it can far exceed our expectations. For example, one of my college classmates was a hard-partying frat boy who had long blond hair and a beard and usually wore red, white, and blue sneakers. Twenty years later I saw him in a blue business suit on the cover of CFO magazine. A few years after that, I read about his success story in the annual Forbes list that celebrates the 400 richest Americans. He described a "series of opportunities" in his career in which he always seemed to make the right choice.

Very few of us are ever that fortunate, but life certainly is full of surprises--good and bad. We can make either type of situation work for us. If we don't, well, then Shakespeare said it best. "The fault...lies not in our stars, but in ourselves."

Congratulations, graduates. Best wishes in making a good life for yourselves.

Back to Basics

Since February, Hillsdale College has been offering a free, 10-lecture online course in the U.S. Constitution. It's an excellent learning experience I recommend to any American who cares about why the Constitution still matters today. There are suggested reading assignments and even a quiz at the conclusion of each lecture. I've watched four of the lectures so far, and I can attest that this is a first class academic offering. Hillsdale is to be commended for extending such a valuable online opportunity to all.

This week the tenth and final lecture will be released, so sign up while registration is still open. You'll get the education that, sadly, most of today's college students don't receive. The course explains the nuts and bolts of our government, as the Founders meant it to function for "the unborn millions," as George Washington referred to future generations. With a crucial election only months away, it's an important time for all concerned citizens to get back to basics.

The Unforgettable Ship

It was 100 years ago today that the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic after its hull stuck an iceberg. In honor of the occasion, a cruise ship is commemorating the journey by retracing the route and holding a memorial service.

Now that's staying power. There aren't too many sunken vessels that retain their charisma throughout a century. Consider the RMS Lusitania, which was sunk by a German torpedo in 1915 and lost nearly 1,200 passengers. It doesn't have a half-dozen Hollywood movies about it, plus a best-selling, Oscar-winning theme song.

I doubt many high schoolers today would know about the Lusitania. In fact, a fair amount of adults probably couldn't identify it. What is it that makes the Titanic such a powerful story?

It may be the arrogance of the now-famous assumption that Titanic was unsinkable, as reflected in the various quotations linked here, that keeps the ill-fated ship so famous. Warnings of icebergs in the ship's sea lane were ignored and her speed was increased, despite the fact that Titanic held lifeboats to accommodate only half of the passengers. Titanic Capt. Edward Smith learned the hard way that it's not a good idea to put too much stock in the superiority of modern technology.

Or, perhaps Titanic's enduring appeal is due to the unfortunate string of sad coincidences that thwarted a rescue--the distress rockets that went unacknowledged, the captain and radio operator on the neighboring ship SS Californian who had retired for the night minutes before the disaster, the lifeboats that pushed off only half full of survivors.

Possibly most riveting are the personal stories of valor, cowardice, and survival that lived on after the ship. I think this human, almost personal element of the best and worse behaviors our species has to offer is the reason that Titanic holds such a grip on our imaginations. As long as there are brave people who are willing to give up their own lives to save others, or despicable ones who will stop at nothing to preserve their own skins, it's likely that the unforgettable story of the Titanic will go on...and on.

A Hard Day's Work

Talk about a "war on women."

After a firestorm of criticism from both left and right, plus CNN's Wolf Blitzer browbeating a televised apology out of her, Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen will think long and hard before she goes after Ann Romney again. Rosen will be especially careful about any potshots regarding Romney's staying at home to raise her five sons.

Here's a link to what Rosen said, and Ann Romney's response. After viewing it,I think there's more to Ann Romney than meets the eye. Watch her calmly address the slam against her. You'll see gracefulness, classiness, and at some points, a quiet, steely-eyed anger. Considering the fact that she's been managing multiple sclerosis and breast cancer along with motherhood, this lady can handle herself and anything thrown at her.

I don't care how much money a woman has--being a mother of five children is a tough job. Money helps with many of life's problems, but it doesn't prevent the "terrible twos," high fevers, sports accidents, teenager angst, or parental worry.

Often it's a personal choice, but sometimes it's practicality that drives women into the work force. Personally, I would have enjoyed staying at home with my children longer than I did; but, I couldn't afford to do it. To women who are able to stay home and devote themselves to being full-time moms, I say congratulations.

Jacqueline Kennedy once said, "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." I couldn't agree more.