DAVID said (December 23, 2015):

Henry, John's healthy outlook for dealing with misfortune and setback could not have come at a better time of the year. It is all but impossible to feel the spirit of Christmas anymore with the corruption and wanton destruction of life and liberty that the Western "democracies" are waging. Just as evil is the absence of good, suicide is the absence of hope.

Warren said (December 23, 2015):

I understand what he's trying to say, I just found it a little contradictory that in the section on "Non-materialism" he finished off by saying his ego was boosted and he was making money.

I already figured out that money is a substitute for manhood, the superficial construct that the world judges you by and by which your legacy and value as a human being is judged after death.

There has never been a single thinker in the history of the world that has managed to constrain materialistic masculine power, not Jesus, not Muhammed, not even the Buddha. In fact (the author) John has fallen into the New Age trap of looking within to grow and change into a better person. Every bloody thing in my life has told me that, while it's true you can improve yourself on an individual level, the more important thing has been the environment. Just like in a courtroom, where each line of questioning has a distinct objective, so too does our society as a whole have distinct objectives. By standing by and turning within just to stay mentally sane, one contributes to a collectively insane culture.

Well, maybe I should speak for myself, but if I were John, I'd be suing the hospital for wrongful dismissal, not standing up for myself, but standing with what is right. It's not really justice as much as it is correcting a wrong. I always believe that there's a price to be paid for being wrong. But people take advantage of men like John because they look to money to express their manhood, instead of looking to what is right. That's where deceit reigns supreme in our world. It's a whole study to understand it, but once you have that understanding, you have to hold it accountable in any way that you can. The people who do work deserve wealth, not the people who simply put others to work and reap all the benefits.

So masculinity in the end cannot be characterized by the wealth, it has to be characterized by qualities like integrity, honesty, humility and a willingness to contain one's need for materialistic power.

Kurt B said (December 23, 2015):

I can relate.

I used to have a bad temper when I was in my 20’s. I never got mad at people but would throw the hammer because it bent the nail. Then one day I thought “Who are you mad at? The inanimate object in your hand or guy who controls the hammer?” I grew up a lot that day.

An older toolmaker I worked with told me about the shenie (SP?). He was a guy who when someone was mad at him and called him names would smile and say nothing in return. This would make his antagonist madder and the more he yelled, the more the shenie smiled. The object of the story was that instead of being hurt and angered, the shenie turned the tables on his antagonist and made him the one hurt and angered.

Dave said (December 23, 2015):

This article was beautiful. John has some very good biblical principles that he is living by. I think the only way to live like Jesus is to accept him and his words and live by them. I really agree the challenge is in your head/mind. Therefore, one MUST meditate on God's word so that his word can fill your mind with good positive loving thoughts. Each person is always thinking about something. The question is what are you thinking about?

Henry, thanks John for the Christmas gift (article).

Merry Christmas to you,

Agnes said (December 22, 2015):

Hi Henry, a thousand thanks for the article by John Bilyk, what a breath of fresh air! With a light touch he describes how simple it is, though it doesn't feel like that to me, and I guess many of us. Thank you for showing us how it's done! I'll try my very best to bear it in mind for the coming year. Merry Christmas to you Henry, to John and to all readers

Magda said (December 22, 2015):

What a neat article about our perspective determining how we live and feel. Mr. John Bilyk lives outside his day to day experiences and does not let life's blows engender negativity. That is what being a good person is, being kind, generous and polite despite the circumstances and pausing with our responses especially when they are swinging towards the negative. It is good to eschew toxic people and stop ourselves from being toxic as well. Mr. Bilyk the people in your life are blessed to know you.

Rollin said (December 22, 2015):

Henry,

Wonderful article by John Bilyk, and one I needed.

Thank you.