It is nearly mid-July

It is two days shy of Bastille Day. Who remembers what was taught about Bastille Day in school? Is it still taught? Who remembers the title of Charles Dickens’ novel that pertains to the events surrounding Bastille Day?

Read this explanation from Wikipedia. Interesting contrast in the event(s) being celebrated year over year:

Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In French, it is formally called the Fête nationale française ; “French National Celebration”; legally it is known as le 14 juillet ; “the 14th of July”.

The French National Day is the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, a major event of the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération that celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790. 

France is in much heat right now, every meaning of that word. What will it be like in France on July 14th, 2023?

Theirs is not the only country in heat.

The world is in much heat, again, every meaning of that word. How can we each participate in cooling the heats?

How can we cool ourselves off without offsetting heat caused somewhere else to someone or something else? How can we be cool? In every meaning of that word.

Can we envision cool or not-hot? Can we exhibit it? Can we find within ourselves peace and care and wonder and bask in and share it?

I am thinking of how we opine. How I opine. What makes me so sure my view should prevail? How do I test it for validity? For value? For purpose? For accuracy? By what measure do I consider a differing opinion? Am I capable of learning outside of what I “know” to be? How do I “know” what I know? Can I get out of my own way to see what know is? Can I know what I know without my experience? Is knowing only experiential? If so, is it ever able to be all right? To the latter question I say I don’t think so.

So what to do?

Consider motive. Consider heart. Consider my motive every moment. Consider my reason for knowing and holding onto that knowing of a thing a thought a purpose a fact.

Consider getting out of my own way. Ask–ask who?–how to do that; if it can be done.

Joshua 24:15