Norm Hacking's Prose
Race Track Hack:
"May I Reflect?"
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Taxi News,
August 2003
© Norm Hacking 2003
I am writing this column with my 53rd birthday looming on August 1st.
The passing of another precious year always seems to require a period of quiet contemplation regarding life's elusive lessons.
(It also prompts writers with too much time on their hands to offer unsolicited words of wisdom based on said lessons.)
So, I suspect, if left unchecked, I'll get wrecked and subject my readers' intellect to thoughts so introspect, that they may elect to select, or reject, that upon which I reflect.
The effect, I project, will allow you to detect, and dissect, the lessons I collect.
Oops, I think that last bit made me a little dizzy! So, without further ado, here's a personal list of suggestions that might make time spent on planet Earth a little kinder.
1) Respect Each Other: Especially the differences, between people, and countries and religions, and political parties, and ages, and beliefs. These are the things that make life interesting. (If all the butterflies were Republican bankers, they'd all come in the color green!)
2) Genuflect For Each Other: Or what ever you do to say a little prayer for the next guy. Find the place inside of you that truly wishes well for all our Fellow travelers. Try to visit that place more often.
3) Be Direct With Each Other: How many relationships fall apart because people can't or won't talk to each other honestly? Lies run out of time.
Also, try never to utter the line, "If you don't know what's wrong, I'm certainly not going to tell you!" Those of us who are not psychics sometimes guess wrong.
4) Inspect Each Other: Check out what makes each person "tick." Exercise your empathy and understanding muscles. You just might discover the shared humanity that unites and defines us all. It feels good.
5) Learn Dialects From Each Other: Go back to having fun with the differences between folks.
I used to love telling bad Scottish jokes in Scottish dialect to my wonderful Scottish songwriting friend, the late Glen Maguire.
When we were kids, we told Polish jokes to our Polish friends, Afro Canadian jokes to our Afro Canadian friends, etc.
I guarantee you, I never felt hurt by any "wasp" jokes I was told. I would have felt hurt and excluded if it were otherwise.
Kids have a natural instinct about laughter and playfulness, making the bad stuff go away.
So, stop being politically correct! It does not replace genuine warmth. Celebrate the differences with laughter as well as respect. In short, lighten up!
6) Don't Neglect Each Other: Some family and friends are more high maintenance than others.
That's just the way it is. People don't come with unlimited warranties. Life's wear and tear takes its toll.
We all require repairs from time to time, so try to be a fixer, not a breaker.
7) Help Connect Each Other: Embrace and nurture a sense of community in everything you do.
Whether it's based on the neighborhood in which you live, or the job you do, or the interests you have, etc., it feels good to belong somewhere and to share a sense of good will and understanding. It gets pretty lonely otherwise.
8) Resurrect Each Other: We all have the opportunity to help folks get back on their feet, when they've hit bottom. Do it. It may be your turn to need help, sooner than later.
And while I'm at it, I may need all the help I can get, blowing out the inferno that my birthday cake has become.
So, dear readers, I'd best save some of this hot air just for that purpose. In other words, it's time to disconnect…
P.S. Visit Norm's web site: www.normhacking.com
Webmaster's Note: See the list of Norm's on-line lyrics, poetry and prose, including other Taxi News columns.
Taxi News website is www.taxinews.com with Norm's current monthly column at www.taxinews.com/racetrackhack.html and a few archived issues in .pdf format at www.taxinews.com/archives.html (check the last few pages of each issue). Taxi News is a monthly publication with news and commentary on Toronto's taxi industry and is available by subscription or free at distribution points.