Difficult Seasons

We live in a culture where we’re told “More is Better!”

More is Not Better ©2009 Jim Hughes

The slogan sells stuff, but often is just not true. In fact, more is often worse.

Take megapixels, for example. Camera manufacturers know that most people believe that the more mexapixels a camera has, the better it is. That’s true to a point. But beyond that point (generally between 10-12 megapixels), noise increases significantly, actually providing worse photos. You’re now seeing some high end camera makers reducing the number of pixels to improve photo quality.

In the 1950′s and 1960′s, more speed in jet fighters was assumed to be good. That was true until a speed was reached at which the fighters could no longer maneuver effectively to participate in a dog fight. So the push for more speed ended. Enough was enough.

There are so many areas of life in which, once there is enough, more can be bad. How about a little time this Christmas season thinking about where in your life less might be better, more might be bad?

This time of year there just seem to be more grey mornings. It can make for difficult days.

Bright sun just seems to make such a difference in how we feel, and how we are able to deal with our aches and pains — physical and emotional. Grey mornings seem to accentuate the aches, the pains, the emotions. Light makes such a big difference.

I’m working to add more light to my life, especially on grey mornings.  Sometimes it’s as easy as flicking on a few light switches. Other times it means choosing to look at light, such as the photo below. And sometimes it’s choosing to turn on an emotional light.

Hope you’re seeing the light today — and not the grey fog currently enveloping Houston.

High Blue Sky (© 2009 Jim Hughes)

Fragile

My friend Virgil Fry, Executive Director of Lifeline Chaplaincy, wrote a really good post on here and now this week. I especially found his words about holding those we love vs. clinging to those we love helpful.

I hope you enjoy it!

Sometimes a metaphor can help us understand. I liked this one. Click here to read this short post, “Grief is like telephone poles!” It wasn’t what I expected.

Note: the photo has nothing to do with the post, but I thought you might enjoy seeing what Fall looks like in Houston this year.

Seeds

My 85-year old dad called this afternoon and read me a letter from his primary care physician.

In essence the letter said that the physician was now associated with a certain Medicare Advantage plan, and that his office would be happy to explain the advantages of this particular plan and answer any questions.  It also presented some of the benefits of the plan, along with other marketing information.

Since it came from his doctor, Dad was wondering if he needed to investigate making a change from his current plan. After all, the doctor was recommending it.

We talked, and agreed that he should stay with the plan he currently has.

To me, this feels like a breach of trust between a physician and his patients. The physician obviously has a financial interest in the plan or he would not be spending money to market it.

What do you think?