A mate of mine would say, “it would bring tears to a glass eye.”
That came to mind as I was reflecting on the music posted.  I also read on the site about a mum who’s bedroom was engulfed in flames and the lady became disoriented.  Four kids across the road, ages 14 to 17, saw the smoke and carried out the lady.  Thus saving her life.
I am so glad to hear of such things and to see a blind performer singing what I think is beautiful (as is the person’s voice who sings with him.)
That gets to me.  What I see so much of is what I call creeping ugliness.  I once read that what is happening is like reading a book at dusk.  I get so absorbed in the book, I do not realize how dark it has gotten until I look up.
I see beautiful locations advertised accessible now only to the rich.  Yet when I look at the places, they were what I grew up in and accessed all the time.  In Sydney a place was set aside for a people’s place, and a casino was allowed to go there.
It seems to me that this world is getting uglier and beautiful places inaccessible.  That to me is not right.  I do not deny the rights of the rich and powerful, but I also do not deny the rights of the poor and powerless.  To me beauty is not the right of the rich only.  Beauty is for all.
Yet having said that I do believe that although locations are becoming more inaccessible to many, everyday people cannot be locked out of beauty.  Beauty is to be found not only in places - but in people.  The stories I started with, (amongst others), reflect beauty in people.
While much is a road to exclusion, it seems to me there are those who refuse to accept the limitations of the increasingly limited amount on offer.  Although marred, I, like many, recognise and respond to beauty.
Character and good will are not dead – but they are becoming less obvious.  I will promote beauty, character and good will.  When enough do something, it assumes a life bigger than its parts.

Friday is James Clear email day.  I look at what it says and write about things I have experienced and learned along the way.
Today I am reminded of looking like an idiot along the way.  There are times I just blurt out the question on my mind.  I see others nod like they understand.  Perhaps they do.  I don’t.  This is particularly the case with using Acronyms.
James Clear said "In many cases, you'll find the only thing preventing you from learning is your ego. No one enjoys feeling foolish, but attempting something new requires that you climb down from your perch and struggle as a beginner. You must ask questions that reveal your ignorance or attempt skills that make you look uncoordinated.  Learning demands the willingness to live in a brief state of discomfort. You must believe that looking like a fool for an hour will not ruin your reputation for life."
They say (whoever they are) that in learning if I get 60% there is 40% I do not know.  Chances are in future learning a portion of the 40% will be drawn on.  That is one of the reasons why in learning I like to come at it like I know nothing.  I may know a little or a lot, yet I find it is by assuming ignorance I pick up things I did not know.
It is counter-productive to me to pretend to be a “know it all.”  So often even if I know stuff I learn stuff I did not know, because I want to hear from others what they know.
The evidence of what I know is in doing not just knowing.
I will never forget a session I had with a specialist and I said, “I suppose you do this all the time.”  His response “Oh no, I just googled it.”  We both laughed because he did it all the time.  He had not just learned something but regularly did what he had learned.  That gave me confidence.
Having said that someone needs to start somewhere and for everything I do there is a first time.
I want that first time to be built on a solid foundation.  Looking foolish in learning is a price I am willing to pay, as it always reaps dividends for me and others. 

Merril rang in tears and my reaction contained a surprising element.
 Merril was driving a country road when she hit and believes killed, a bird.
I knew she was driving and received the unexpected phone call from her.  It could have been anything.  I must admit I was relieved when she told me the reasons for her tears.
That is not to say I do not care for the bird.  But the fact she was teary, reinforced to me what I knew.  She has a soft heart.  She cares.  She cares about life.  It is one of the things I think we are similar on, on the compatibility scale.  Although it can be a little embarrassing when I see her tear up, and do the same.
But I did not tear up over the bird.  I love human and animal life.  But I do love her life more than a bird’s.  I would have definitely preferred it did not happen.  But it did.  I tried to encourage her on the phone.  I suggested perhaps that bird was a particularly good bird and had come back as a human.  She had done it a favour.
The point I got out of it though was that Merril’s reaction was one of someone who care.  That makes me happy.  I way prefer that to someone who exhibits a callous disregard for life.
At our place we have a shared policy.  Whatever is within our home, and is dangerous, has to be dealt with.  Whatever looks bad but we know not to be dangerous, we encourage outside.  Sometimes that works and sometimes it does not.  But if it is non-threatening, we prefer not to kill it.
But even if it is non-threatening but within our space with a potential to surprise us, we will deal with it.  We value our peace of mind over its right to run about and cause us angst in our home. 
I had that situation two nights ago.  A non-threatening spider was running about in the room.  It was up high and particularly active.  I should say it started up high and made its way to ground level very quickly.  I had a choice to make.  Kill it and go back to bed or risk us both having a disturbed night’s sleep, knowing the spider could emerge anywhere at any time.  I did not like doing it, but I killed it.  We both enjoyed a good night’s sleep.
It is said some American Indians apologise to their prey before killing it.  I feel I understand that.  I derive no pleasure in killing an animal.  Yet sometimes necessity means I need to.  I will do all I can to avoid it if it is non-threatening.  But I will do what I feel I must.
So Merril in tears over a bird’s demise tells me she cares.  I care for the bird too, but I do admit I care for her more.