.gobbledygooks.

Samoset and Squanto

In March of 1621, spring had finally come to New England. The spirits of the people rose with the coming of warm sunshine. The people realized that they had survived their first winter. One day a stranger came to town. A tall Indian dressed in buckskins with only his bow and arrow marched down the street to the meeting house. Families fled into their wood cabins. “Welcome,” said the stranger in English. He was Samoset, a friend of Squanto and Chief Massasoit.

The Pilgrims were astonished. They were more astonished as Samoset told them that he had learned English from people who had fished along the coast and that his friend Squanto not only spoke better English but also had visited England three times!

Samoset returned the following day with Squanto. He brought beaver skins to trade. Thus began a long and lasting relationship. Squanto was the one who remained with the Pilgrims and guided them to good fishing spots, who interpreted for them in trading with Indian tribes, and who taught them about Indian corn-the plant that was to become a staple food for the colonists.

The Paradox of Our Time

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers,wider freeways, narrow viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but we enjoy less time. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have mire degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too welcome. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talked too much, love too welcome, and hate too often.

We have learn to make a living, but not a life. We have added years to life and not life to years. We have been all the way to the moon and back, but we have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We have done larger things, but not better things. We have cleaned up the air ,but polluted the soul. We have conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We have to learn to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever before, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are the days of quick trip, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or just hit delete.

Dr Bob Moorehead

@ On Higher Ground; Reggie Lee; pg 150-152

John Paul Jones have been cruising along the British coast with his vessel, the Bonhomme Richard , and three other ships. Coming upon a fleet of merchant ships guarded by two British warships, he attacked the larger enemy warship, called the Serapis.

During the three-hour battle, the Richard suffered great damage and was leaking badly. Jones ran his ship close to the Serapis that their cannons almost touched. The British commander called out, “Have you lowered your flag?” In words that have become famous, Jones replied, “I have not yet begun to fight,” and went on shooting. Soon the decks of the Bonhomme Richard were littered with dead and wounded men, but the Serapis was also badly damaged. When its mainmast fell, the British commander surrendered to Jones.