These are the epochal first three words of the US Constitution – a work of not only political significance but also containing tremendous individual and global significance.
With that said, there is a lot of talk amongst the political parties – both conservative and liberal, right and left – about the Constitution these days. There seems to have been a barrage of hyperbole in this election cycle about how the government or any given political party is straying further and further away from the Constitution, and how we as a country might remedy that ill.
Claims like that certainly shouldn’t be taken lightly on any day. But today – Constitution Day - it becomes more readily apparent. No, it is not just another Hallmark Day. Today is a day to reflect on the US Constitution, its significance, and how we should not let politicians play frivolously with its wording and intent.
The dog days of summer are over, and September is now well and truly upon us. With that comes some new beginnings – school, college football, and cooler weather in Austin – maybe. With it also comes new endings - the Republican and Democratic National Conventions are now just a thing of the past – fortunately.
I suspect we can all take a deep sigh of relief for both.
This episode of the Rhubarb Report brings a mix of beginnings and endings from sport and politics.
We are all faced with an age-old dilemma – getting lost in the distractions of life. It can feel like time is slipping between our fingers, and it can be incredibly challenging to simply remain “present” and be “in the moment”.
There are also some things that have the incredible ability to bring us back to that sweet spot in time, bring us back to the here and now, bring us back to the purity of the moment.
For me, this always happens when I pick up my guitar. There is something magical that happens when my fingers glide around those six strings.
It never ceases to amaze me. I go away for a brief vacation, and what happens? All kinds of crazy stuff takes place the world over.
Who was I to think that anyone would listen to my requests? I thought I had made it perfectly clear to the powers-that-be that everything was supposed to remain calm until I returned to Austin. But, no, that was not the case.
It would be asking a lot for the world to ease up on it’s global rhubarb production. With that said, I bring you a plethora of fine rhubarb - welcome to episode 48.
Back in the day, I can remember going back to school in the fall and the teacher asking us to stand up and tell the class what we did on our summer vacation. Some kids would come back to school with great tales of adventure and travel. Others might have told their stories of camp. Many just tried to avoid getting in trouble in their own backyard.
One thing that we never had to do was tell the class something that we learned in the process. It was just about the “stuff” we did. This year, I am finally doing it a little differently. Here are seven affirmations from this year’s summer vacation.
The London Olympics are over. Big sigh. Are you having withdrawal symptoms? No more epic performances morning, noon, night, and late night. The world’s best reality TV show is now on hold for another two years.
I guess that means that it’s time to get back to the real world. Fortunately, college football will soon be upon us. Oh, and there is this little shindig called a presidential election just around the corner. I am sure that will provide us with plenty of rhubarb over the months ahead.
Time to dive right in to another episode of the Rhubarb Report.
The London Olympics are now in the history books. For two weeks, we were exposed to some honest-to-goodness reality TV. The beauty and spectacle of the Olympics is built on the stories and athletic performances of each and every athlete, regardless of their home nation.
Out of all of the Olympics highlights, I present to you my top 20 moments in the London Olympics – with personal bias and in no particular order!
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.