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Posts from the Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend... Category
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on November 18th, 2008
Bill Clinton has had an interesting life since leaving the White House. Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World is his book about the charitable endeavors that are available to all of us if we want to find our own way to make the world a better place. There are some wonderful stories in here, and I loved hearing about how many people are involved in these organizations. It gives me hope that we have the ability and the drive to turn things around, and Clinton’s book made me want to be a part of the solution.
LightHearted Musings - Lasting Peace Can Come Only to Peaceful People
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on November 16th, 2008
Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul.
Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind.
Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people.
–Jawaharlal Nehru
I just finished the book, Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization by Nicholson Baker, about the events during the 1930’s and 1940’s that drove us to a Second World War. What a fascinating book! I found this quote by Jawaharlal Nehru specifically so that I could talk about this, as there were very few leaders during that time who had peace on their minds or in their hearts. I invite you to read this with one eye focused on the past and the other focused on our present circumstances, so that we can continue to learn and grow as a world community.
Before I start, I have a word of warning - this one may not feel so much like a lighthearted musing. However, sometimes the best way to get to the light of our lives is through taking a good look into the shadows of our humanity. As long as these stay in the dark, they have the power to influence our thoughts and behaviors in ways we would never consider acceptable in the light of day, and that is what this particular musing is all about.
For instance, I learned that there was a lot of violence and discounting of humanity during the 1920’s and 1930’s, even after enduring a first World War that should have taught them some lessons about peace and compassion, about the futility of brutality. Before WWII, England was particularly cruel in the Middle East, where they didn’t view Muslims as equal in their humanity and would kill farmers and peasants from planes. Churchill certainly thought of Mahatma Gandhi as less than human and wouldn’t even deign to meet with him when he traveled to England. It was assumed that those from the Middle East and India did not have equal rights under the law, and they were treated as unwelcome guests in their own land.
The peace treaty with Germany after the first World War was more of a punishment than a true peace treaty. It created great poverty, restrictions, and desperation in Germany, resulting in their following a madman that promised them a return of their dignity and sense of control.
I found out that only Costa Rica and Australia would accept, in any meaningful numbers, Jews who were fleeing the Nazis. Even Palestine was turning people away (Palestine was an English protectorate), to the point of shooting at their boats when they tried to land. The United States government, and FDR in particular, definitely ignored their plight. They blamed it on the necessity of honoring the U.S. quota system (only 1200 people from that part of the world a year), leaving the others to fend for themselves. Though Eleanor Roosevelt advocated for opening up the quota during this emergency, FDR was noticeably silent on the matter and his silence spoke volumes. In fact, there were a number of times in Roosevelt’s life when he talked about there being too many Jews around.
All the horror stories fell on deaf ears. England even arrested and incarcerated those who were able to escape Germany under the guise that there might be some terrorists in the bunch (sound familiar?). Did you know that Hitler wanted to send the Jews away but when no country would accept them, he came up with the Final Solution? Germany did not own the patent on anti-Semitism, not by a long shot.
Those who advocated for peace were considered naive at first, and then traitors and subversives, and in some cases arrested for treason. That sounds really familiar!
At the beginning of WWII, England fiercely bombed German cities for many months before Germany finally turned around and retaliated on England. The accuracy of these English bombing missions for hitting their military targets was only 1%. The way they decided to get around that was to bomb the middle of the populated areas so that at least they were killing more Germans. The concept of innocent civilians, women and children was a moot and undiscussed point. You might be surprised to find out that Hitler wanted to end the fighting on several occasions and England (particularly Churchill, the consummate warrior) repeatedly refused.
Roosevelt sent both pilots and planes to China so that they could fight the Japanese more effectively many months before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Now, I know that Japan was also being brutal in their fight with China, and so I’m not defending them. I’m just pointing out the lack of a clear good guy/bad guy scenario, as we were aggressive toward them before they were aggressive toward us.
I don’t think anyone would defend the actions of Hitler during that time, but I was very disappointed that I couldn’t defend the actions of Churchill or Roosevelt either. I don’t know how they could have dealt differently with such a madman as Hitler, and clearly, Hitler was the main aggressor in this conflagration. What I do know, though, is that all of them share some level of responsibility for both the build-up toward aggression and the carnage that ensued. Both prejudice and indifference were at least a part of all of their make-ups.
If we can see these people for whom they really were - good, bad and indifferent - then that will help all of us to understand ourselves better. I want to know the reality, not the myth of a person. I want to know their light and their shadow, because it is only in seeing the whole picture of a purported hero that we can find our way to the light of our own heroism. Even more, it will help us to more accurately define what we mean by the word hero and what we mean by peace.
After World War I, we had a World War II and then a Korean War, and then a Vietnam War…the list goes on and on up to and including the Iraqi War…precisely because we have not yet found the peaceful state of mind that Nehru talked about. We haven’t even made it a priority. Just one look at our recent fractious election process will highlight that statement. And what strange twists of self-harming consciousness have to be performed to make war seem patriotic and peace seem unpatriotic?
We seem to keep searching for the next great second-class citizen. In our history, Jews, gays, African-Americans and others of African heritage, Chinese, Japanese and others of Asian heritage, Muslims and those of Middle Eastern heritage, Irish, Italians, Germans, French, Russians, Polish, Catholics, Mexicans and those of Latin American heritage, Native Americans, heavy people, disabled people, old people, women, children, atheists, socialists, communists, immigrants, poor people, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, the Green Party, and those without education or a home have all held this perceived low spot for segments of our society who cling to the wish to be at the top of that hierarchy. I’m sure you can think of others to add to this list, and you are probably a member of at least one of these groups yourself. At the very least, we all remember the indignities of childhood and would like to avoid the similar indignities of old age! The moment we start seeing someone different from us as “less than,” as less worthy of the equal human rights we so dearly guard for ourselves, when we stop assuming others’ good intentions simply because of the color of their skin, their gender, their ancestry, their religion, their sexual preference, or their life circumstances, then we are adding to the violence in our world.
At some point, peace has got to become our firm and stated commitment, not the semblance of peace but a true peace in heart, mind and soul, and yes, in our actions and behaviors as well. We look to the heroes of our past to find some of our answers, and then we simply have to step past them, to dream the world anew. As Nathaniel Hawthorne put it, “Let us thank God for having given us such ancestors. And let each successive generation thank Him not less fervently for being one step further from them in the march of ages.”
Dr.Molly
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on November 11th, 2008
Dr. Bruce and I love to read books to each other when we are traveling, with one of us driving and the other of us reading out loud. We’re also hooked on audiobooks, so these will just as often substitute for one of us reading. There is something very romantic about sharing a book page by page with each other, wondering what will happen next, getting caught up in the emotions of the book at the same time.
This is why I decided to talk about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert for this particular post. Today is Bruce’s and my 19th wedding anniversary (thank you for your happy wishes!). One year ago today, this is the book that we were reading together, and what a perfect choice it was!
This is a romance story with oneself, and finding that love for yourself, your life, and your place in the world is a prerequisite to finding love with another. After you have had a chance to get caught up in Elizabeth’s life for a while, see what you can pull out of this book to apply to your own life. Oh, and by the way, Happy Today!
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - Seven Minutes to Natural Pain Release
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on November 5th, 2008
Bruce and I highly recommend this book, 7 Minutes to Natural Pain Release, which has been written by our dear friend, Daniel Benor, MD. The book highlights his pioneering work in using energy medicine, and his WHEE technique is a simple yet effective way to relieve pain and ease stress. We hope you will be interested in this book for your own pain relief or for someone you love.
If you click on the link below and buy the book, you’ll get hundreds of dollars of free gifts as bonuses! We have added a couple of bonus gifts in there as well, and we think you’ll like them!
You can get 7 Minutes to Natural Pain Release directly from Dr. Benor, and the bonuses will be available right after your purchase.
Enjoy and may you be pain-free!
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on November 5th, 2008
I so want to be able to have hope again in the power of our government to make our society a better place to live. Because of that, I love even just the title of Barack Obama’s book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. The rest of the book is pretty darn good as well. I read this when it first came out, but I dusted it off again recently in light of recent events.
If President Obama can pull off what he writes about in this book..my, I want to come along for the ride, and I want us all to be on this particular bus together! This is the current generation’s version of the Freedom Ride, and the big question is whether we will rise to the challenge of creating more fellowship with each other or if we will live up to our lowest expectations of ourselves as a country.
As Abraham Lincoln said, “The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.”
It is time to set aside our differences, even our preferred candidates, and come together as a nation of well-intentioned and honorable souls.
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on October 28th, 2008
The Supreme Court is such a mystery. It is comprised of nine people who hold our lives and our government in their hands, and yet we know so little about who they are as people. This book, The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court, gave me a new appreciation for the fact that the Supreme Court justices are simply human beings, using their individual life perspectives to make the world their own version of a better place. What a difference a life perspective makes, though, as these justices bring both their intelligence and their frailties to their job.
Each President has a significant influence on the future direction of this third branch of the government whenever they choose one of the Nine. Choosing the next President, therefore, is our only way to yield any kind of control over the decisions of the Supreme Court. Please…choose well!
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - That’s Not in My American History Book: A Compilation of Little Known Events and Forgotten Heroes
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on October 21st, 2008
Here’s a fun read! That’s Not in My American History Book: A Compilation of Little Known Events and Forgotten Heroes by Thomas Ayres is filled with all sorts of tidbits about the inaccuracies in the history books, and the “true facts” behind many of the stories we supposedly know so well. The author does a great job of keeping it interesting and fun, just the way history ought to be taught in the schools. Makes me miss my phenomenal high school Social Studies teacher, Mr. Lowenguth!
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - Jane Eyre
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on October 14th, 2008
Have you ever read a classic once when you were a child and then again as an adult? I recently did just this with Jane Eyre. I remember loving this book as a child, but oh, what a distinct pleasure to read it again! The poetry of Charlotte Brontë’s language is as heavenly as petting a purring cat on your lap.
This whole thing got started because our daughter, Rebecca, was assigned this book for school. Dr. Bruce hadn’t read it before and I remembered loving it, so we decided to read it together. We listened to the book on tape version during a couple of long drives, and Bruce fell in love with her skill in painting pictures with words just as I found a new appreciation for it. We found ourselves not wanting to get out of the car when we got to our destination, just so that we could hear a bit more of Jane’s Eyre’s thoughts! If you haven’t read this in a while, give it another try - there is a reason this is considered a classic!
Drs. Bruce and Molly Recommend - Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why it Matters
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on October 6th, 2008
I just finished reading an interesting book about how our internet usage can be used to predict how we really feel about various issues of our day. The book is called Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why it Matters. The author, Bill Tancer, has access to a vast internet search engine database, where he can predict trends and see if what we say is what we do when nobody is watching. A big Big Brother-ish, but fascinating nonetheless!
Drs. Bruce and Molly Roberts Recommend…
Posted by Dr. Molly Roberts on April 23rd, 2008
We are happy to announce a new section here on our LightHearted Medicine blog, called Drs. Bruce and Molly Roberts Recommend…
As time goes on, we will make suggestions about books, videos, CDs, events and products that we feel are especially worth your attention. Many will be related to Holistic Medicine topics, and others will simply be ones that we thought you would like. Enjoy!
