JMCKUSICK
JMCKUSICK's JournalGood morning my DU family,
Faith, as controversial topic as it can be because of its religious connotation has a much simpler place in most of our lives.
Faith is the bedrock of everything I believe, whether it involves other people and my faith in their inherent goodness, or my life and my faith that everything will be ok, and my faith that we as a country will be ok as I have faith that enough of us will stand firmly for what written on the Statue of Liberty.
For in as many ways that have been tried to break us apart, we find even better ways to stick together. Especially here.
Please keep the faith.
Please give us a day filled with reasons to hope, with moments that restore and nourish our faith.
Have a lovely day DU.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
As I wake up to a beautiful morning, I am of course chastened by the knowledge that so many laid down their lives just so I could.
As we remember all who paid the ultimate price, I, along many of you, have family members currently in harms way in the Middle East. My nephew is on a ship as a Marine.
I have been praying that our service members currently serving don't have to die for this particular cause so that they may protect our tomorrow as well.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to honor those who sacrificed everything for our rights and freedoms, with our gratitude reaching every corner of our Universe.
Have a treasured day DU.
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
One of the most important things to keep within arms reach during a trying time in our lives is a positive mental outlook.
To believe something is possible is probably half of what's necessary to achieve it. Trying to on proceed without that ingredient seems a recipe in being lost and wandering aimlessly.
Whether it's a health issue, a career decision or personal relationships, believing in a positive outcome is essential to achieving it, especially when things drag on and on without our desired resolution in our desired timeframe.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to stay positive in our own trials and tribulations, and to offer that same uplifting support to our friends and loved ones in theirs.
Have a wonderful day being part of another's solutions DU.
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
I was watching Planet Earth III this morning and this couple of scientists found a single female frog from a species that had only a old male known to them.
This scientist held this female in her hand and was almost overcome with the significance of her find.
"I have HOPE in my hands" she kept saying,
and after four long years of searching, they will literally prevent the extinction of this species of frog.
I write of this because as this weekend asks us to remember the fallen, it is with the same contemplation and reflection that I revere the incredible fights that so many undertake in their own chosen fields that defend and protect life of all forms.
I hope my posting this is not offensive to anyone.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to fight for what we believe, for what we can change, and for each other.
Have a meaningfully glorious day DU.
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
Happy Memorial Day Weekend.
I kind of wish there was a big protest march this weekend, forgive the snark, but I guess the holiday weekend is a bad time.
I will spend this weekend barbequeing like so many others, but I'll also take Cuddles to my favorite meditation place, the cemetery, to contemplate this weekends added importance in this scary time.
It will give me the opportunity to say thank you to soldiers I've never met, to remember what they fought and died for, and most of all, to renew my hope for the future.
Teenagers, 17, 18, and 19 years olds have fought for this amazing experiment in democracy for centuries now, most before they had a real deep understanding of what exactly that was.
They fought for an idea, for a promise, for a better future for all humanity. They carried THE torch, bravely, proudly and it was their sacrifice, their blood sweat and tears, and their suffering and tragedies that made 80 years of World Peace possible and we owe it to them, as well as our kids and grandkids to fight this battle with all the heart that they did.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to honor the deeds of others with our own inspired efforts.
Have a memorable day and weekend DU.
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
Padfun reminded me this morning how truly blessed we are to live in today's world of medicine.
We've both survived what used to be a literal death sentence for so many, young and old, clogged arteries.
I write this as a thank you to PadFun for giving us that dose of great news that's truly uplifting and hope inspiring, and of course the knowledge that our fellow humans can put us on cloud nine by sharing their unique and wonderful journey with all of us.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to share our journeys with the hope of bonding, inspiring, warning, and with the knowledge that connecting with one another is very much part of healing.
Have beautiful, shared day DU.
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett
I came upon this quote the other day and was really moved by the simple long term effect a single act can have.
I've always believed that today's customer is only here because someone took great care of them yesterday and this expands that mindset out into that of society in general.
Imagine what kind of world we'd be living in if people hadn't acted with foresight and real concern for those of us not even here yet.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to plant a proverbial tree for our future today, just as so many did for us yesterday.
Have a day filled with great expectations DU.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
As I sit restlessly at 4:52am, I want to complain lol. Cuddles was in most of the night because of the thunder storms in our area, so he's been telling me in no uncertain terms that he needs to be outside and he means right now.
I finally relent.
And then there's Shadow, who seems to be impersonating Speed Racer this morning, making tracks through the trailer like someone swore there was a mouse at the other end. Petunia also taught her the secret tunnel to China at the bottom of every litter box that Shadow can only find the time for at five am, coincidentally just like Petunia has done for years lol.
Truly makes me wonder how any cat owners can sleep a solid night through.
This is of course one of those breakfast nook conversations that occurs at every greasy spoon with the six am opening rush crowd like we're bragging like proud martyrs. Ya well my cat yada yada yada......
All that to say this, even on the most frustrating, difficult nights, when it's our babies that do it, it's a badge of honor, when it's the neighbors cat, it's the bad upbringing.
So as I sit here at 5:22am finishing this Good morning post, I'm smiling because my babies are everything to me, to a fault probably, and the treasures that I happen to be collecting at this hour will be just as welcome as their sweetest kindnesses when the days and years go by.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to remember that even in the midst of a rough day or moment, those closest to us are enriching us in ways we can only celebrate later.
Have a wonderfully unique day with your babies DU.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
I had the pleasure of meeting and helping to find a new home for a kitten that can't be more than eight weeks old yesterday. What makes it such a sad story is that someone dumped him and left him to die when surrendering him to an animal shelter would have been the kindest thing to do.
I'm really glad they called me, the crazy cat dude at church lol, to see if I could help. My purpose in sharing this story is only in the context of being reminded of just how wonderful doing something meaningful can be.
That most of us here would help in a situation like this when we could is without question. What I'm particularly grateful for is the opportunity. It just adds such deep joy to a day when gifted with the chance to do good.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to make a meaningful contribution to those around us, especially those in need.
Have a deeply satisfying day DU.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
I've had the misfortune along with the rest of DU to have read about losing Texas Towelie, and the difficulties that so many others are experiencing right now.
I want to thank so many of you for both sharing the news that is so difficult to hear, and so many of you for sharing your healing thoughts and prayers to those who are suffering so much.
I'm so often inspired by the grace, love, and humility I get to witness here day in and day out, such compassion, empathy and understanding that seems like an endless supply, when I know personally how lacking these traits are elsewhere in life.
Thank you DU for offering and sharing these amazing qualities so freely and so often with dear friends and perfect strangers.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to carry the torch that so many have used to light our way, so that we may light theirs.
Have a beautiful day together DU.
Love, John
Profile Information
Name: JohnGender: Do not display
Hometown: Heidelberg
Home country: Germany
Current location: Vandalia, Il
Member since: Wed Feb 24, 2021, 01:57 AM
Number of posts: 6,645