Author: Miles Alex (Page 5 of 14)

“On Religion And God”

August 24, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

Religion and belief in God should be liberating experiences which promote the most satisfying of all possible mental and emotional states. They should free one from the bondage of insecurity and despair, and be premised on the idea that even when all does not work well with the world, there is still hope beyond the finite possibilities of the human mind.

When it turns out that religion is used to spread hate and violence, the suppression and extermination of others, or the extinguishment of their dreams, then it becomes the antithesis of beauty. It morphs into just another manifestation of evil masquerading as good.

We must all be wary that we do not succumb to wolves in disguise pushing ideologies that are the opposite of what our individual and collective conscience tells us is beneficial to the human race.

Otherwise instead of religion freeing us from despair and uncertainty, it’ll end up sending us all hurling into a bottomless pit of gloom and doom.

“What Can I Buy Today For The Good Life?”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

One reason so many people go broke so fast is the avalanche of other people assailing them, all telling them they’ve got the formula to kick their lives up a notch.

I mean, every time you step out, somebody is touting some product or service that’ll make your life so much brighter, lift your spirits, and turn around your prospects for a cheerier future. You’ve got the hairdresser telling you that you need that special haircut to set you right, the butcher offering you a prime cut that will leave you speechless at dinner time, the tailor, fashion designer, and retailer who have just about the right fit to turn heads as you walk down the street custom-fit in new threads.

There’s the insurance agent or banker who’ll sell you a product that will make you rich even if you have to go broke getting there, the shrink who promises to make you whole again, and the psychic who will predict a rosy future or damn you to hell if you don’t let them read your palms.

Then there’s the preacher, pandit, imam, rabbi who will show you the Promised Land – just make sure you leave a donation first though.

Yeah, everybody and their brother and sister have got a plan for you to turn your life around and make you to heights beyond your wildest dreams.

The thing is we all entered this world naked and our first cry of life was not for flashy garments or fancy trappings. Somehow along the journey, we lost our innocence and fell victim to the notion that outer trappings, gadgets, delicacies, stimulants, and assorted physical and material extravagances would guarantee perfect happiness and full satisfaction. And we need to get these things before our neighbors do so that we are always one step ahead.

We end up broke trying to get to that special place in life.

Yeah, we do need the comforts of life – but there are some things that money just can’t buy. Inner peace and tranquility, good thoughts free of malice, envy, and hate, appreciation for nature and for life, happy family moments, respect for others, dancing beneath the stars on a moonlit night, catching a glimpse of a fresh day at break of dawn, caring and sharing time and emotion, sending out good karma and receiving the same….these are often the ingredients of a good life that really count in the long-run…and you might still end up with money in your pocket.

“I’m Not Taken!”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“Gorgeous women come up to me all the time whenever I step out, and ask me if I’m taken.

“When I say, ‘Yes, I am,’ they suck their teeth and walk away – mumbling how hard it is to find a cab in NYC.

“Guess when the summer is over, I’m gonna have to return this NYC Taxi & Limo T-shirt that my cheapo cousin gave me as a gift last Christmas.”….”The Life and Times of Johnny Amazon”

“Just a Pair Of Trousers”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“She grabbed my trousers and angrily told me that there was no way she would let me go, that I just could not walk out and never come back. She had seduced me the night before – sure I had some feelings for her, but I was unprepared to end up in her arms and in her bed overnight after just a casual visit to say hello and to let her know how much I valued her friendship.

“It was a bitterly cold NYC winter morning – but I decided it was better to leave, even without my trousers. As I walked down that Manhattan street clad only in my bikini briefs and a three-quarter jacket, my body trembled in the single-digit temps with the cold wind howling and whipping against it. But I had long ago decided that I would rather lose my trousers than my heart to a vixen.

“A pair of pants can always be replaced…a heart that is lost to the wrong woman can never be fully repaired.”

“Did Ya Just Whistle At Me, Hon?”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“I guess there are some things in life that some men will never attain.

“I mean, all my life, I’ve seen lovely women go gaga over all kinds of fellas – except me. I’ve witnessed women sigh then faint at the beach when a dude would flex a muscle. I’ve seen gorgeous women run after guys who step out on a hot summer day clad in their tank tops and jogging pants.

“Whenever I do that, all I end up with is the neighbor’s Doberman chasing me down the street, barking loudly and angrily, while old women shriek in horror and hastily slam windows shut.

“Even on my honeymoon when I thought that at last I’d at least elicit a whistle from my lovely young bride, it was not to be. I entered the bedroom with the bouquet of flowers I’d just brought into the apartment. I did hear a whistle – but she grabbed the roses and asked me if I could turn off the kettle.”….”The Life and Times of Johnny Amazon”

“In The Holy Name Of God?”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

I cannot lie to myself or to anyone about this disturbing feeling I get when I hear story after story of the gruesome acts committed by evil people in the Mid-East and elsewhere who use a certain religion as a front for their vile actions. There’s a natural tendency to wanna chastise that specific religion – but I’m a fair and just human being – at least, I’d like to think so.

See, upon proper reflection on events in history, I often find horrific examples of barbarism committed against other human beings by adherents of one religion or the other – and Christianity (my own religion) too was used by evil people as a rationale for their savagery against others.

Yes, I am indignant at the acts of terrorists using religion to justify their horror. But I cannot rush out and condemn all adherents of that religion – or even the religion itself.

What I can conclude is that anyone can hold a sacred document in their hands, jump on a rooftop, and cry out to God by any name. God, by any name, is not dishonored by hypocrites, murderers, or deviants using His Holy name. Only the perpetrators are dishonored.

The lesson to be learned from all the chaos in history committed in the name of God is that extremism can occur in any religion, and evil can wear many masks.

The reality of a God of justice, love, compassion, caring, and equity, by definition contradicts all the pseudo images perpetrated by sinister, tormented fanatics – no matter how much they utter his word on their stained and vile lips.

“A Miser”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“A miser is a man who, if given a choice between making love to a gorgeous sexy woman or saving a penny, will always go for the latter because all his life the only thing he ever learned to pinch was a penny”…..”Reflections Along The Way”…Miles Alex.

“The Storm”

August 23, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“The storm raged violently outside my window. Trees were swaying at 100 miles per hour, and car windows were being smashed in by sheer force of nature. The rain fell vehemently and angrily as I had never seen before. It was a nightmare. Schools and offices were closed. Bridges, tunnels, public transportation all came to a halt, and thousands were fleeing, reluctantly but hurriedly, finally heeding the mayor’s and governor’s edict to evacuate.

“Yes this was the storm of the century that they had talked about for a week in advance, and I knew that the worse was yet to come after she had done her dirty work and left town. There would be a big cleanup indeed…but eventually the city, the state, the region would get back to normal and it would be business as usual once more. But there would be no healing of the wounds I felt inside.

“My own turmoil could not be so easily healed. She had not only walked out on me when I needed her most. She had, like the hurricane that blew through, left devastation and debris. Unlike the city, though, there would be no cleanup effort. There would be no better tomorrows to look forward to. A heart that is broken does not repair in a day or week or even a year.

“Perhaps it would have been better for me if the monster storm had taken me away too. How could I go on living without the one who had left a tempest in my being after ditching me for another and just walking away as though she and I had never existed as a couple?”

“Lovestruck?!”

August 22, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“I thought for sure Cupid had finally struck and that there would be no escape for me. After all, for days and weeks and then months, I tossed and turned in my sleep each night; I could hardly eat or concentrate on work, writing, or studies; I lost my appetite even for all the mouth-watering dishes I’d normally devour in a minute. My face broke out in pimples and my eyes turned yellow.

“Surely, I reflected, these must be signs of falling madly in love – accompanied by love boils and all! Someone must have fallen for me, at last, and I too must have stumbled head over heels for that sexy lady at work or perhaps that curvaceous beauty in class.

“I sought confirmation from my shrink, lest my giddiness should get out of control. Alas, he advised that I take a laxative and set my bodily rhythm back in proper balance – for I was not in love but in need of a good cleaning out of the system.”…”The Life and Times of Johnny Amazon”

“I’m The Better Man!”

August 22, 2016 / Miles Alex / 0 Comments

“I’ve noticed two new changes in my life recently.

“Firstly, many of my friends keep boasting about what hot, steamy sex lives they’re having. To that I always reply that I’m the better man because I go home and spend my time cultivating my artistic and cultural interests.

“I watch a nice movie or read a good Charles Dickens classic or enjoy a beautiful painting or watch a nice ballet on public TV. Yeah, I’m the better person, for while they are wasting their time having tantric sex, I’m enjoying the finer things in life.

“The second thing I’ve noticed is that the grapes I buy at my supermarket are not as tasty as before. In fact, they are downright sour.”…”The Life and Times of Johnny Amazon”