Analogy: Taking down the bird feeder.

I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it was, as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.
But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue.
Then came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table... Everywhere!
Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket.
And others birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food.
After a while, I couldn't even sit on my own back porch anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio.
Soon, the back yard was like it used to be... Quiet, serene... and no one demanding their rights to a free meal.

Now, let's see... Our government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care and free education, and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen.

Then the illegals came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor; your child's second grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English.

Corn Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than 'Old Glory' are squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird feeder.

If you agree, pass it on; if not, just continue cleaning up the poop...












--
Craig Bristow, GRI

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is truly one of my favorite holidays. It is nice to get together with friends and family with a focus only on enjoying one another and being reflective on the wonderful world we have to live in.

Hopefully you will be able to spend some time over this holiday weekend appreciating the world we live in, including your significant others of many different degrees of separation. According to some of the latest research for the social media, we are closer to anyone else in the world than 6 degrees of separation.

The world seems huge but it really isn't that large. Hopefully we will be mindful of that in every aspect of our lives and behave accordingly. It is truly best to think globally and act locally. All of us have a direct impact on our part of the world and our part of the world is a significant part of the entire planet.

My best to you and yours during this holiday weekend and always!

Rotary day yesterday. Presented with Blue Sky Taxi's chief pilot.

Wednesday morning started with a friend of mine and I presenting a paragliding program to the Aurora Sunrise Rotary Club. Scott Clark was with me and he is the chief pilot for Blue Sky Taxi service based in the Chicago area. It went well. There were about 25 Rotarians present.

I then went home to do some paperwork and phone calls for the office. There wasn't any notice about the Niles Township Clergy Forum Service on the major community calendars so I attempted to rectify this. I also sent out an email to all of my Dental Family about this wonderful community event. Hopefully, those of you in my geographic area, reading this will attend it also.

Here is the needed information:

When:
Wednesday, November 23rd, at 7:30pm

What:
"41st Annual Interfaith Service of Thanksgiving" sponsored by the Niles Township Clergy Forum

Where:
Assyrian National Council Building
9131 Niles Center Road, Skokie, IL

Please bring non-perishable food items for the Niles Township Food Pantry

I then did some paperwork at the office and had a Skokie Valley Rotary Board meeting at 5:30pm.

Hope all of you are well!