PROCESS OR ACT

THE WORD ‘PROCESS’ USED CONSISTENTLY BY PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS, MERELY DENOTES LAPSES OF TIME. AS TRUE BUREAUCRATS, THEY INVOKE THE CONCEPT OF BUCKPASSING TO JUSTIFY THE INERTIA IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. FOR THEIR STUDENTS, HOWEVER, EDUCATION SHOULD BE AN ONGOING PROCESS OF ACCUMULATING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. AS WE KNOW, LITTLE READING OR STUDYING ACTUALLY OCCURS AS STUDENTS ARE PROCESSED THROUGH THE RANKS OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS PRACTICE THEIR FORM OF A POLITICAL PROCESS WHICH INVOLVES OBFUSCATION OF AND ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THEIR REPUBLICAN AND CONSERVATIVE OPPONENTS. THEIR AGENDA IS TO PERPETUATE INERTIA UNTIL THEY CAN RETURN TO POWER.

IN CONTRAST TO PROCESS, THERE IS ACTION. A NAVY SERVICEMAN AT THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, IN WORLD WAR II, OBSERVED THAT "IF WE'VE EVER HAD A FIGHTING ORGANIZATION, IT'S BEEN THE MARINE CORPS." IF NOT READY ( IN AN EMERGENCY), THEY GET READY FAST." THIS SAILOR OBSERVED PURE ACTION, THE RESULT OF A RIGOROUS, MARINE, TRAINING PROCESS.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A PROCESS WAS THE TIME I SPENT TRYING TO RE-START AN OLD MANTLE CLOCK THAT HAD STOPPED TICKING. AFTER CONTINUOUS FIDDLING TO LEVEL IT AND ADJUST THE PENDULUM OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS, I CONCLUDED IT WAS OVER-WOUND OR DEAD. I PUT THE BLACK METAL 'THING' AWAY ON A DRESSER. YEARS PASSED. RECENTLY, ON A WHIM I CARRIED THE HEAVY 'THING', JOSTLING IT, DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS AND PLACED IT ON A TABLE. ACTION! THE PENDULUM TICKED AWAY.

I AM REMINDED TOO OF THE GRADUAL PROCESS OF THE OPENING OF THE FLOWERS OF A LILY PLANT. IT REQUIRES A LONG, LAPSE OF TIME. ONLY IN ACTION, AS NINE GIANT, DEEP PINK, VARIEGATED, KNOBBY, PERFUMED, SIX-PEDALED FLOWERS, WITH OOZING STIGMA AND STAMENS DRIPPING BRONZE POLLEN, DOES THE STAR-GAZER LILY EARN ITS FITTING ADJECTIVE, SPECTACULAR.

PROCESS IS FINE FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO LIVE FOREVER IN ANTICIPATION OR DENIAL. ACTION HANDS OUT THE REWARDS.