Puppies, Butterflies and Kum Bah Yah

After a few of my recent posts have inspired some, let’s just call it “passionate” debate [same sex marriage & gun violence] I figured I should play it a little safe with this one.  I will say that while a vast majority of the comments and interaction have been pretty civil, I have received private messages that have been slightly disturbing.  It does sadden me that it seems as if society can no longer see that moving towards the improvement of the common good requires us to be able to see to the other side of even the most contentious of debates, without dismissing one another as the worst of enemies.  There is a future post in here somewhere, but suffice it to say that I will always choose to assume the best of all people, not foolishly, but with a hope that we can be community even when we disagree. In short, I will not allow for trolls and purveyors of destructive rhetoric, from any side, to guide our theological and political discourse. We must all press on . . .

With that said, after reading some recent comments, personal emails commanding me to do things that I am fairly confident are not anatomically possible and even offending people with me newbie photography advice,  I joked with my family that sometimes it seems as if no matter what I post, someone out there will get pissed off to the point of starting a note, “Dear Fascist . . .”  unless . . .

Me, “I think my next post will be on cotton candy . . . everyone loves cotton candy!”

My daughter, “Better watch out dad, the dentists will get after you.”

Foiled again!

But wait a minute, puppies and butterflies, that’s the ticket! Certainly we can gather ’round the metaphorical campfire, join hands and rock us some kum bah yah* around puppies and butterflies . . . can’t we 😉

Here are two pics from a couple of recent photography dalliances . . .

First the butterfly . . . taken on a recent visit to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Plantation in Charlottesville, VA. [more pics]

. . . and how cute is this? A dachshund, jack russell mix dressed up for SF Pride? [more pics]

So there you have it, a few images upon which I hope we can find common ground this day.  Have a great week!

*As much Kum Bah Yah is an easy target, it’s meaning, “Come by here” calling for God to be present in all that we do, in struggle and in celebration, guides my life, understanding and hope for humanity and the world.