The Other Energy Crisis and The Prom Night Pimple

I have yet to pay $4.00 for a gallon of gas but I am sure that magical moment for me is only days away. It won't be quite as memorable as where I was when JFK was shot, but breaking the $4.00 barrier will be a pretty big moment for me. For decades, it's as if we have been asking Stevie Wonder to watch the world oil and gas situation for our country. No, I take that back and apologize to Little Stevie 'Fingertips' Wonder for that comment. Even a blind man could have seen this coming. A commitment similar to Kennedy's moon landing promise should have been made decades ago. Maybe we have just had a little too much Texas in our government over the past couple of decades and that has kept us from attending rehab for our gas addiction.

As challenging as our current oil predicament is, that's not what I need to discuss right now. We have a bigger and potentially much more dangerous energy problem. The Other energy challenge has the potential to do much more damage than the oil and gas problem. The Other energy challenge touches each and every American on a daily basis. The total dollar cost of the Other energy crisis is hard to put a figure on. Lives are lost every single day due to the Other energy crisis. The Other energy crisis is the negative energy and lost opportunities created by lack of action, surrender or apathy.

There are times when the challenges we face personally or as a society seem insurmountable and overwhelming. The perceived magnitude of some of the issues we need to address often causes people to throw up their hands and give up.

There are times when our skewed vision of our personal short comings, abilities or lack there of keep us from stepping forward and changing the world. Personal issues are often like the prom night pimple. As you primped for the prom, the pimple on your forehead looked like a third eye. The reality is that your inside out perception acted like a magnifying glass. From the outside it really wasn't nearly as bad as you viewed it in the mirror. So don't let your perception of your abilities or short comings keep you from going to the prom. You can make a difference.

Often the roadblock to action is caused by the sheer magnitude of some of the challenges we face as a country or in our own communities. There are problems that seem too big to even try to address. We have to keep sight of the fact that every change, every invention and every major problem that was ever solved throughout history started with an idea in the head. The idea was followed up by a commitment from the heart. The hands then listened to the heart and the rest is history.

Albert Einstein changed history not only because he was smart, but also because he was wise. He was quoted as once saying, "I don't know what your destiny will be but one thing I know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." Most of what I write involves calling attention to a challenge we are facing followed by a call to action. I always have hope that at least one person will hear each call, move forward, and find happiness. I hope it's you.