What the Heck is Passive Voice, Anyway???

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"life lessons", English, grammar, passive voice, style, writing

Once again, I clicked the “Publish” button only to discover more underlined phrases indicated as PASSIVE VOICE. What the heck! It’s VERY annoying!

What is PASSIVE VOICE? It’s a hard thing to define because there is no ALWAYS. Many times, the use of “have” or “be” indicates a passive voice, but not always. It comes down to who or what is going on in the sentence … and by whom or what!

Consider the following examples:

The ball was caught by the dog.

What, if anything, is the action? If there is action, what is at the beginning of the sentence? Is it the person or thing performing the action? In the sentence above, yes, there is action: a ball is being caught. At the beginning of the sentence, is the OBJECT of the action, rather than the performer of the action. The sentence also contains a form of the verb “to be” (was) and a past participle (caught). Therefore, this sentence is PASSIVE VOICE.

Try this one: The peony has been crushed by the rowdy dogs next to the tree.

Action: yes
Beginning, performer of action or recipient of action? Recipient (The dogs were not crushed, the peony was crushed.)
“To be” verb: has been
Past participle: crushed

One more: The rowdy dogs crushed the peony next to the tree.

Action: yes
Beginning, performer of action or recipient of action? Ah, performer of the action!
“To be” verb: none
Past participle: crushed
Because the action is performed by the subject, and there is no use of “to be” verb, this is ACTIVE VOICE sentence.

Get it?

Try this one:

When her room was ransacked, Samantha had to think of ways to avoid the subject with her boyfriend.

Action: yes
At the Beginning: recipient of action
“To be” verb: was
Past participle: ransacked

We can correct passive voice by simply re-ordering the words. This will change the voice from passive to active and clarify the meaning of the sentence.

When the thief violated her room, Samantha had to think of ways to avoid the subject with her boyfriend.

PASSIVE VOICE is a common issue. It does not necessarily constitute a grammatical error, but rather, a stylistic problem.

PASSIVE: The peony has been crushed by the rowdy dogs next to the tree.
ACTIVE: The rowdy dogs crushed the peony next to the tree.

Notice the active voice sentence has more clarity. The meaning is easier to determine. English professors and writing instructors often require the complete elimination of passive voice from academic writing. I just want the proofreader to pass me through without underline!

Have We Lost the Power to Rise Above?

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"life lessons", freedom, hopelessness, Human nature, light, people, poem, poetry

Thick and dark, intangible and seductive,
The streaming fingers of hopelessness
Seep around our ankles, oozing, grasping,
Like a rising tide of quicksand.

Groups and clubs of purposeless people,
Empty, they do not understand it’s goal:
To steal, to kill, and to destroy each one,
Systematically, methodically, in broad daylight.

Understanding, we lack the will
To stand against this thickening mass;
We think like victims, helpless against such a foe.
Who will stand, who will light the way?

Have we lost the power to rise above,
Are we helpless and doomed to drown,
Too weak and lazy to scream and shout,
Kick and stomp our way to freedom?

Evolution is Not a “Given” But a “Goal!”

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"life lessons", America, development, egocentrism, evolution, genetic advance, human, Human nature, Piaget

Humans are capable of both immeasurable compassion and unthinkable horrors. History records scores of examples for both. There are multitudes of examples of both good and evil in history books, novels, and today’s newspaper.

The Crusades 1096 - 1268 A.D.

The fact that history reads extraordinarily like today’s news tells a story. Many people believe human character is generally “good,” with only rare glimpses of “evil.” Jean Piaget (1896–1980) claims that young humans are egocentric. Simply, this means a child’s understanding of the “world” pictures himself at the center. Everything exists in relationship to self. Some time between ages 7 – 12, children are supposed to begin to demonstrate an increased ability to appreciate and relate to the world around them. They develop the capability of varying their perspective cognitively. In other words, they are able to put themselves in another’s shoes on occasion. Egocentrism is expected to diminish as development continues through adolescence to adulthood.

In today’s news, story after story exposes numerous adult individuals with an inability to see other people’s viewpoints. From politicians to businessmen, religious to atheist, wealthy to poverty stricken, Americans (all human?) suffer from the excesses of self-indulgence, or egocentricity. Obesity, diabetes, alcoholism and drug abuse, promiscuity, and even gender confusion have their roots in egocentrism directly or indirectly. Development is stunted, and the human capacity for perspective, for compassion and empathy are not achieved. Friends murder friends over a “love triangle.” Children beat parents with baseball bats just to see what it feels like. Parents, passed out on heroin neglect their toddlers and live in squalor. Mothers kill their babies; husbands kill their wives. Wars are fought over land, religion, and lofty ideals. This is survival of the fittest?

Humans are NOT basically good, unless an inability (or unwillingness?) to see other people’s viewpoints is good. Humans have the ability to rise above their “base nature” (so-called because it is the base, the lowest), but it must be a choice, a determination. “Other-mindedness” must be taught and learned, but our culture calls thoughtfulness passé, or passes it off as religious, and therefore, undesirable. Selfcontrol and selfrestraint can be attained with minimal effort if desired, but no one broadcasts the benefits, so they are not sought after by many. From our leadership down to the smallest child, egocentrism is hailed as the American way. Self-fulfillment is our goal and purpose. How shallow!

Try a little kindness

After centuries of evolutionary growth and development, it seems reasonable to expect humans might have achieved some measurable genetic advance. Certainly, advancements in technology and medicine are evident, but have these improved the fundamental human? I think not. Knowledge has increased, but where is the increase in wisdom to rightly apply this knowledge? Human nature has not changed, neither his psyche, in all of recorded history. It is only when society deems a selfless character as something to be desired that humans will again rise above their (our) base nature and move toward the amazingly creative and compassionate beings we’re designed to be. Evolution is not a “given” but a “goal!”

Why Is It So Hard For Some Christian Leaders To Face Genuine Pain??

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"life lessons", accidents, christian, condemnation, empathy, fire, friends, leaders, loss, mourning, pain, pastors, sin

One of the reasons there are more believers outside the organized church than within it these days was evident today. A dear friend of mine lost her home to fire and nearly lost her life and those of two of her adult children. Nearly! One of the children, a 20 yr old, fell asleep smoking. He woke up and saw the flames, poured water on them and thought the fire was extinguished. It was not. He went upstairs to bed. Meanwhile the flame smoldered producing a gas which at some point spontaneously ignited. The power of the flame blew out the front window and flames spread quickly in the older frame home. My friend and her 18 yr old daughter were upstairs. They became trapped, but pushed out the window ac unit and climbed out onto their roof. Coaxed by helpful neighbors, the two jumped at least 5 ft to the neighbor’s roof. They survived with some burns, but they will recover. The house and its contents are a total loss.

The response by one of their leaders to questions from those wanting to help, was typical to my experience. “Yes, it’s terrible, but God is doing a GREAT thing in the midst of it.” I have no doubt God is in fact God – therefore He will redeem the situation. That, however, does not negate the fact that this family lost EVERY-THING, and they deserve a time to mourn their loss!!!!

Why is it so hard for some Christian leaders to admit and face genuine pain without condemnation? Bad things happen to wonderful people, sometimes. Sometimes sick people die. Sometimes marriages fall apart. Sometimes accidents happen. Some times there is not a platitude answer for the situations that arise in life. And That is OK!!!! Yes, for the believer, good will alway, always, always come from the every situation … eventually, but there is real pain that needs to be addressed. There is real mourning that needs to be experienced. Why is that so hard for many to deal with without pronouncing it as sin?

Pain is a part of life. It cannot be avoided. Accidents happen. When the church accepts this and learns how to love the victims through their pain, Jesus will become more real and more visible to those inside and outside.

Help us, Lord!

Welcome to My World!

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"life lessons", blog-sense, dreamer, idealist, philosophy, poetry, political tirade, romantic, teaching, thoughts

It’s curious to me how this particular blog is evolving. Am I writing for the reader or for myself? Clearly, some of each, I fear. But isn’t that true of just about everyone? For me, this blog is a release. It’s a place where I can speak my mind, for better or worse. It’s a place where my ideas can be freely expressed without hindrance. I welcome healthy debate, and the sharing of different ideas as long as it is done respectfully.

I do write a lot of poetry, and the topics range from the wild to the ridiculous and over the rainbow.

I am a thinker, a philosopher, a teacher … but I’m also an idealist, a dreamer, and a Romantic. You will find rambling prose, political tirades, and sweet poetry hidden amongst the misty trees here all expressed with a bit of everyday blog-sense.

Welcome to my World!

Sometimes I Wonder

Tags

"life lessons", confusion, God, grace, life, poem, poetry, purpose, shame, uncertainty

Perseid Meteor ShowerPhoto by Joe Westerberg

Sometimes I wonder why I try,
Why I always seek to find
The high road that seems untried,
Why I yearn for more,
To learn, to grow, to soar.

Sometimes I wonder what You want from me,
I give You my best,
I struggle, but I rest
In Your amazing love
That I know covers me from above.

I’m at a loss for words, it seems,
And I don’t know what is next,
Where do I put my foot,
Where do I place my hands.
I feel completely vexed.

You are my Father, my Lord, and my Friend,
Did I hear You wrong,
Did I miss your song
That floated on the tender breeze
Tell me what’s next … please.

I will wait for You and try not to panic,
I will trust in Your sovereignty,
I rely on your constancy;
You are always the same,
And in You, there’s no shame.

Sometimes I wonder why I doubt You,
Why I panic and question Your ways,
Why I long to see Your face,
Then I realize it’s Your grace,
Walking me through this worldly maze.

Where Do We Get the Notion that Jesus was Religious?

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"life lessons", "son of god", behavior, conviction, devout, God, humanize, Jesus, Jesus-ism, man, religion

This has been a crazy day. With the budget on hold and the possibility of the government shutdown looming in the evening hours haze, and the “grown-up” bickering all over the media. A body can only handle so much recess behavior. So, I’m jumping topics!

There is a huge ambiguous lake around the meaning of the word “religion,” but this is not so to everyone. For clarity, the link to dictionary.com’s list of definitions for the word is posted below. There are many Americans (and others) who are very, very religious. That is to say they devoutly, routinely follow a set of rules and/or beliefs. They go through the motions, kneeling, folding hands, bowing heads, fingering beads, and repeating common phrases or prayers. These things have meaning but they are not necessarily Jesus-ism.

Very simply said, Jesus was anything BUT religious. In fact, he put down, “cursed,” argued with, and ignored the religious leaders of his time. Those of us who wish to be His followers are compelled to FOLLOW in his footsteps. For centuries since He walked the earth, men have attempted to organize, pasteurize, and homogenize the words and actions of Jesus. In short, we have tried to “humanize” him.

If he is who he claimed to be – the Son of God – it is an unattainable feat to squeeze all of God into human comprehension.

If he is NOT who he claimed to be – the Son of God – he is by far the singly most evil, conniving, deceptive human being ever born. The only other possible option is severe mental illness.

In this case, it’s one or the other. It cannot be some ambiguous third “polite” option. He claimed to be the very Son of God. He’s either nuts, a great liar, or … Logic dictates!

Walking on Water by Ric Berry

religion:

All Your Waves and Breakers Have Swept Over Me

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"life lessons", "sea gulls", beach, lighthouse, poem, poetry, refresh-ment, renew, Sea. ocean, waves

Morris Island Beach and Lighthouse, SC

Waves splash on the soggy sand,
But I gaze from dry land,
Drinking in the salty breeze,
And tuning in to the voice of the seas.

Rocky crags face the wet onslaught,
Of persistent waves and tireless thought,
Yet there’s a music in the rhythm
That soothes this weary pilgrim.

Solitary gulls soar overhead,
Dancing to the music in my head,
All the while the waves speak
Of the ancient and glorious mystique.

“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;”
Rumbling, tumbling within my walls,
Broken, mended by the voice of the sea:
“All your waves and breakers have swept over me.”

Ps 42:7

© 2012 All Rights Reserved.

Figuratively Speaking: Seasons Come and Seasons Go

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"figuratively speaking", "life lessons", autumn, changes, chaos, order, personal, season, seasons, spirituality, spring, summer, winter

Anyone else seem to move along with the seasons … having seasons in your personal life? Not like child, teen, adult … not those kinds of seasons, but … annual seasons …

SPRING: a time of growth, upheaval, passion, zest, energy, dreams, planting

SUMMER: a time of testing, endurance, faith, struggle

AUTUMN: changes, fruitfulness, reaping, , up-rooting, preparation, vision

WINTER: “death”- figurative, i.e deep struggle leading to resolution, surrender, rest, glimpses of new visions, thus anticipation!

It seems my life follows this pattern pretty regularly … It is both a comfort AND it is also sobering. I generally life patterns. I find them, yes, comforting. It is reassuring to know that winter does come to an end. The frosty edge on the day does soften as the temperatures slowly, and sometimes begrudgingly warm. And just when I think I cannot possibly endure another chill, the bright spring sun warms me through and through and all is well. The earth blossoms again, and color returns in the form of green trees and shrubs, pastel flowers and the azure sky. Spring.

Then, almost before I know it, I’m sweating. The heat of the same sun beats down, quietly pounding me until I must bow like the cracked earth baked under the summer sun. For days the sun pounds me, breaking everything the previous seasons have shaken loose, all in a healthy “pruning” sort of way. Summer.

The heat seems unbearable and unending. Then, right on time, a leaf changes color. More leaves change color and soon there is a shower of leaves swirling around tossed by a gentle breeze. Aromatic fragrances waft through the trees bringing with it the scent of apples, pumpkins, and spices. A hint of smoke hangs in the air, and it dawns on me the air is cooler. Autumn.

The leaves are piled in the slumbering flowerbeds. The chilled edge has made a silent approach. The trees tremble in their nakedness at the bleak outlook. Color has fled. Black and white with shades of grey paint the panorama. Life itself hides at the sternness of the cold. In sheltering caves life tucks itself away to wait for the passing of the season. Winter.

Seasons are NOT coincidence! They are a means of order in an otherwise chaotic sequence of days, weeks, and months.

This is me. Anyone else recognize patterns, or seasons in their life?

The Seasons Within

Stop Teaching Kids to Bully! Lead by Example!

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"Buffalo Springfield", "life lessons", American Moral Character, behavior, bullies, bully, bullying, children, compassion, differences, empathy, teach, values

Bullying is not a new thing. Kids have always sought the solitary differences among them to ridicule. We dealt with it and eventually learned to fight back … nicely, of course. Problem is, the culture in the 50’s, and early 60’s was a bit gentler than today, even with the unwanted war actions.

Kids learn to bully … somewhere?

Let me ask you this: What do our children learn from TV/movies/video games … the NEWS? (Not, what do they watch) What is shown to them? Do we teach them to appreciate the differences of others? Or do we teach “If you don’t believe like me, you’re WRONG!” ?

Left v Right

Republican v Democrat,

Union, v Non-Union,

North v South,

Christian v Islam,

Male v Female

… and on and on we go in our dichotomic world. Why are there only two choices? When there are but two choices, if you don’t agree completely with me, you must be wrong. I mean, who believes the wrong thing by choice???

Grown ups must start acting like adults, and stop teaching our children to bully!

“Battle lines being drawn. Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong!

Buffalo Springfield – For What It’s Worth 1967

Our children learn what we teach them. More specifically, children learn what they SEE and HEAR routinely. WE teach our children to either embrace the differences of others or question them. We teach our children to judge others even as we tell them not to because we teach with our behavior. When we scoff at the fat man across the street, or the short person struggling to get onto the bus, or the person who doesn’t appear as “handsome” as we might wish, we are teaching our children the ideology the produces bullying. When we sneer at the “sinner” across the parking lot of the church, synagogue or mosque we just left, are we displaying the compassion ALL major religions preach or the judgment condemned in all holy writings? It doesn’t have to be a sexuality issue! Kids have always been just plain mean! They find ANY difference reason enough to bully! Sounds kinda like our politicians, doesn’t it? Uh, behavior has to be learned some place!

Someday, just for fun, we should try to APPRECIATE our differences … just for fun, mind you! 😉 It might be too productive, I understand. We might learn to value other perspectives and maybe, just maybe, learn a thing or two. Maybe!