Jul
05
On the road, deep in the heart of Texas!
I was awarded a 2 night stay at the Gaylord Texan resort from Steinbrecher and Associates for a story I wrote about the ‘aha moment’ in my life from being the Napkin Dad. Linda, Caitlin and I are here now over Independence Day and enjoying ourselves immensely.
The drawing was done after breakfast. I stayed down at the restaurant while Linda went upstairs to shower. The waitress was kind and thoughtful and I liked that her tag said she was from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
I will post something longer when I get home but had to get at least one ‘Travelin’ Napkin’ in while I was here!
Here is the drawing after I got home and was able to work on it a bit.
Here is the story of our time at the Gaylord, in four parts.
Part Zero (the napkin)
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Jul
04
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Today we celebrate the birth of the United States of America 234 years ago.
Who likes the idea of being mediocre? Not me. But I do like the idea that the millions and millions of average people are the deciding factor in whether a nation is great. Yes, it’s wonderful to have fantastic leaders and great managers and genius artists and fabulous engineers who lead the way. But most of us don’t live in a world surrounded by fame and greatness every day. We live in our neighborhoods with average folk. Who they are, who you are, that is what defines America.
You can read my post from yesterday on how I test myself to see if I am living up to what I consider to be American standards.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1883-1955, Spanish author and philosopher
Jul
03
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I love my country. In most cases I probably love your country too. But I love my country because the ideals it was founded on. Those ideals are not well protected and maintained if you only rise up and believe them once a year on the 4th of July. They are nourished when you do it every day.
Here is my self-test of patriotism. These statements are how I know I am living up to the ideals of our founders.
- When I understand that America is not only for people like me.
- When I understand that I am free to judge on the content of character, but not the color of skin or the gender of the body or the inclinations of love and attraction or the ability to do what others can do, or one’s upbringing or station in life.
- When I understand that each individual has the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, whether I like their versions of those things or not.
- When I understand we have a right to be free and pursue our dreams but NOT at the expense and destruction of our towns, coastlines, rivers, oceans, land or people.
- When I understand we have an absolute right to protect ourselves from those who wish or do us harm, both from outside our country and our corporations, and from inside.
- When I understand with gratefulness and humility that many people, now and in the past, have found it necessary to do something they hate doing, namely killing other people, and in turn sometimes getting killed and wounded themselves, to protect these rights and to protect me.
- When I understand that hating another country or another people will not now, or ever, create a safe environment for me and mine.
- When I understand that civil discourse and transitions among people and governing authorities who disagree is essential and positive, leading to good governance and progress.
- When I understand and stand up for true religious freedom, knowing that my religion (or lack of) is not the religion of the country, no matter how large and powerful it is, and no matter how many believe as I do.
- When I understand that America is me and what I do with my life.
That is my test.
What would you add to it?
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Adlai Stevenson, 1900-1965, Governor of Illinois, Ambassador to the UN, Presidential candidate 1952 & 1956.
