2013?????

It took me awhile to even think in terms of calling the year...twenty whatever...as in, this is twenty- thirteen...more on that later.  I was pretty stuck in two thousand whatever...as in, two thousand eleven, etc. At some point in two thousand twelve, I realized I had not graduated to the correct terminology   and made a conscience effort to bring myself up to date. So, I am now current, and for some reason, that seems to matter...at least with this particular issue.

So, I'm just looking at my calendar today, trying to figure out what I have to do and what I can avoid and what new and exciting excuses I can come up with to avoid the things I really don't care about.  The good news is that I'm only 4 and 1/2 months away from becoming 70 and, to my way of thinking, once I reach that age I won't have to make any excuses. I can simply say...No Thank You!  But, I'm not quite there, so I'm still struggling for the believable excuse.  I regress in the point I'm trying to make, but I'm just practicing for my 70's.

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, it's not like I was unaware that it's 2013, I just didn't have a real grasp on the very fact that the first quarter of 2013 is almost over.  How, in the hell, did that happen?  And, you know, it's not really a 'bad thing', it simply is what it is.  Time waits for no man (or woman, presumably) but I'm beginning to totally understand how much more quickly the time seems to go for us older peeps.  My wonderful grandmother, Munna, used to tell us that time went by more quickly for older people.  I really thought that was a crock of you-know-what and just chalked it up to old age.  'Oh Mercy', as my Munna used to say, was I ever wrong on that one.

So, here I am, rambling about things that you have to be old to understand. But, that's ok because 'old' is ok. Mostly, I am just sharing my amazement that the year 2013 is well on it's way.  Whoa! What will we do with this year, y'all?  Better that we have so far, I hope.

Maybe, reaching 70, will allow me to just ramble on in my blogs and not feel like I have to make a point.  When you really get down to it, isn't the point just a celebration that we're sill alive?

Love, peace, and thank you for reading....

(Amanda Greene, from Wilmington FAVS, asked that we write something re our reaction to, and feelings about, the devastating tragedy in CT yesterday...this is my response)

My initial reaction to this tragedy was just pure grief and immediately my heart went out to the parents and families of these precious little children.  That it happened during the holiday season, on the 7th day of Hanukkah and so close to Christmas, just seems to make it all the sadder.  Once the grief was absorbed deeply into my bones, I felt a sense of anger at the unjustness of it all and my anger was directed squarely on the NRA and our congressional leaders for not doing something about the abuse and misuse of guns in our country.

When I told my husband the sad news, he said, "I just hope their deaths weren't in vain."  After thinking about his comment for some time, I came to believe that it's up to us, all of us, not to allow these deaths to be in vain.  Our nation needs to grieve together for a time and then we need to hold each of the victims in our hearts as we come together to figure out how we can do better in our country.  If we allow this tragedy to stir up all the political animosity and we make it an issue of the conservatives vs the progressives, no one gains and these deaths will become just another part of the gun statistics in America. And then, before we know, it will happen again and then again and each time the victims will have died in vain. As I made my way through this process of trying to sort it all out, I realized my anger was gone, it simply served no purpose.

Today, I am still feeling a deep sense of grief for everyone involved and a very real concern about the process it will take for these children who lived through the trauma to ever feel safe again.  I feel for the families and the pain they will endure for the rest of their lives.  I feel for the teachers who will need to go back into that school and overcome their own fears enough to help the children get past theirs.  I feel for the law enforcers who had the horrendous job of piecing it all together and identifying the tiny bodies and the counselors who had to tell the parents that their child had beed identified.  I feel for the clean up crew who will have to go into this gruesome mess and make it all go away so that it will look 'normal' again. I feel for the whole town and especially the children who, at the very least, have lost a bit of their innocence.  And, I feel for the grandmothers, not only because they lost a grandchild, but now they must live with the knowledge that there was nothing they could do to prevent the indescribable pain their own child is suffering.

 

When a tragedy of this magnitude occurs, I believe it's a wakeup call for all of us who are paying attention.  It's time to put aside the anger, the hatred, the mistrust and look at each other simply as fellow human beings who are sharing a tremendously overpowering grief. Our primary concern should be how we can best help heal our collective pain.  We can accomplish that only with kindness, love and peace. This is the least we can do and if nothing else, it could be a beginning. These 20 innocent children deserve that we honor their lives lovingly and peacefully.  I hope we can do that.

Meandering into hope and miracles...

Meandering........

My  best friend in high school just sent an e-mail updating us on the latest health crisis her husband is experiencing  in his ongoing battle with cancer. They are away from home and although the medical facilities are excellent, they are far away from their regular medical team, family and support system.  This crisis was cruel enough to occur while they were in the NC mountains, thinking they could have just a tiny little respite, a bit of a break from the chemo and radiation and all the other horrific abuses this sweet man’s body has endured.

My friend is a true Christian in the sense that she and her husband walk the walk as they talk the talk.  Politically, they are conservative, but not obnoxiously so.  They were both teachers up until retirement just a few years ago...she, in a 3rd grade classroom, and he as a football coach.

These past few years, since his cancer diagnosis,  I read her posts and my mind goes back to the days of high school when my friend lived right next door.  Her mother was a nutcase, but had a sweet heart, and her dad worked for  Coca Cola and brought us cokes by the case, which, even though I was primarily a Pepsi kinda’ girl, my allegiance was easily swayed by free cokes.  Her dad coached me in plane geometry and was the first person to recognize my dyslexia...unfortunately,  this diagnosis came after he recommended I take the class.  But, that’s a whole different meandering story.

My thinking is,  and I guess this is why I felt the need to meander here....life, itself, speaks so much more loudly, and profoundly, than politics or religion.  If we were put in the position of my friend, what would we do?  Would we reach out to only those who believe the same?  Would we cull through all our friends and  delete those who were of a different religion or political party?  Do we,  Democrats,  automatically disengage from the Republicans we know?  Do you Republicans, leave the Democrats out of your prayer requests?

My  guess is.. no.  If someone we love is in need, we  reach out to anyone who we think might send a prayer, chant, healing light or whatever form of support they can offer. 

So, I guess what I’m doing here is asking you to go deep and find your compassion.  Hold my friend, Kay, and her husband Kirk, in the light.  Maybe too, I am hoping that we can come together, as mere human beings occupying Planet Earth, and somehow, find a way to coexist in a peaceful, caring manner.  I’m not so naive to think this will be easy  or even acceptable to everyone.  I have a cousin who is as nasty as anyone I know in terms of sheer hatred and avoidance of facts, but that’s his journey, not mine, and I choose to believe that most of us are more than ready to find the light  and go about creating peace wherever we can.  I even have hopes that he will, someday,  move beyond the constraints of his ideology.  Stranger things have happened, right?  But, he represents what I don't want to be and that's another good reason to reach out and simply try.....meandering into hope, miracles and, always...peace.

Yogi Teapartiers

Did you ever wonder what might happen if the Teapartiers put Yogi tea bags on their hats?  Don't you think it might lighten them up a little? Here are a few Yogi quotes I really think might be appropriate:

"Strength does not lie in what you have. It lies in what you can give". One would think this would require some deep introspection, wouldn't one?

 "Uplift everybody and uplift yourself" and "Live for each other".  Those might stir up a little soul nagging, right?  I mean, correct???  We don't want to use the "right" word here, it gets way too confusing.

Lastly, "Old age needs wisdom and grace."  Now, surely they don't consider their shenanigans either graceful or wise…ugly, irrational anger is never accompanied by grace or wisdom.  Actually, quite the opposite, don't you think?

Maybe we should take up a collection of Yogi tea bags and send them to the Teapartier's head bagger. We can add a sweet, little note offering our best wishes for true enlightenment along their chosen path. And, on the front of the envelop, we could add one more quote…."peace begins with me." 

Deciding where to go with this is a major struggle.  I like the concept, but am fearful of offending because I am trying so hard to eliminate anger and understand it all in a peaceful and meditave mode.  My soul belief is that if we don’t find a way to interact with each other, we’re, essentially, doomed as the human species occupying Planet Earth.  We can blame Republicans all day long, and they, in turn can blame us.  The reality is, we’re both at fault.  There is a middle ground, and as painful as it may be, it is imperative that the majority of us find a way to meet.  There is no hope for the leftest of the left or the rightest of the right, these people have lost touch with reality.  But, for the rest of us...can we not find a way?  I so hope we can.

So, I’m just gonna put this out there and hope that it may create just one or two ripples...and who knows where the ripples may lead?  Hopefully, somewhere peaceful....

Just Not White Enough

I am just sickened to read the background of the man who walked into a holy place yesterday and killed 6 innocent people.  He killed them because they weren't white enough, Christian enough, and they miserably failed the gun-toting good ol' boy test. 

These people were in their temple preparing for the Sunday service and in comes Mr. America and destroys their very existence. Mind you, these people were not radical, babbling, hate-the-world kind of religious fanatics.  They were of a kinder and gentler origin. The Sikh believe that there is one God and that all beings are equal.  People of all religions and races are welcome and women have equal status in their religious services and ceremonies.  They also believe that human life is precious above other life and that living by God's commands they can attain oneness with his mercy. They are peace loving people and stand for truth and justice.  All these beautiful beliefs they try to practice, all character traits we claim to strive for ourselves, but they weren't white Christians.

You may question my reference to "Mr. America", well, it seems to me that this sick human being represents more and more of Americans.  We've become less and less tolerant of each other.  More and more of us want our country to go back to the 50's when it was all about whites, and though blacks weren't slaves, well, at least they knew their place, didn't they?   They want a white, Christian America and they'll destroy our country before they open their minds and hearts to anything different.

When we ever learn?  Prejudice, hatred and violence have been the result of white America's refusal to stand up for what we could and should be.  I think we need to mandate all schools, public and private, who get tax breaks, to teach our children about other religions and cultures. Despite the tough economic times, we have an obligation to teach our children about the beautiful, diverse world that we live in. 

  White America needs to wake up to what’s happening and join hands with every human being in this country,  no matter their color, religion, politics....whatever.   Until we can do that....until we can learn from the Sikh’s that indeed, We Are One, this tragedy will continue to repeat itself time and time again.  How can that not break your heart?

Yes, Mr. and Mz. America, I’m talking to you.  Ignorance is not bliss.  Ignorance kills.

Surrender...

OK.....I surrender.  What are you surrendering to, you might, understandably, ask. And, probably, you would expect a fairly simple reply, right? Ah, sorry to say, it ain't that easy.

My brother shared a wonderful quote, and I'm not even sure where it came from, but does it really matter?  "The creative process is a process of surrender...not control."

Now, isn't that just so powerful?  As a bit of a control freak, and I need to take a quick minute to explain that it's not like I want to control anyone...I just refuse to let anyone control me.  Now, can it, occasionally, become more overtly controlling? Yeah,probably so, but the intent never waivers.  OK?  : )

So, I'm totally good with surrendering to the arteest in me, but in the past 2 days, I'm realizing that I must also surrender to the sheer angst I feel about our country.  I woke up Friday morning and saw the horrific slaughter in Aurora, CO. My first reaction was to feel the pain of the parents and other loved ones who lost their special somebody.  My second reaction was to strike out at the fucked up gun laws in this country. And, thirdly, I just felt an intense sadness for all of us who are caught up in this horror.

I haven't spent a whole lot of time watching TV because they go way beyond the pale in their competition to come up with the most eye witnesses or who can best invade the privacy of the families and friends...or just plain speculate. I do so despise their constant, irrelevant speculations. But, I have also been reading posts and comments to the postings and this is what brings me to just surrender to it all.

Yes, I believe we need to pull together and rewrite our gun laws.  I'm pretty sure our forefathers didn't consider the possibility of automatic weapons and I'm pretty sure no one needs them to protect their home, children, livestock, whatever. As much as I dislike guns, I get that some people like to hunt and some feel the need of having a gun to protect whatever they feel needs protecting.  I don't like it, but I surrender to it. 

One may argue the point that had this been a Muslim or a black man, there would have been a totally different reaction, this is true...no point in arguing it. Others say that we, as a nation, wouldn't have reacted as strongly if those killed or injured were of a different color.  Personally, I think that's race baiting.  The victims were black, white and all shades in between.  There are those who attack the film and the violence it contains and yes, there is that, but how many violent films have been out there for a very long time?  At least, Batman, is about good winning over bad.

What happened is so simple that it's really difficult for us to comprehend.  A very sick young man decided that his life sucked, so he dreamed up this scheme to make it count for something.  And, he did just that.

This is why I surrender.  There will always be sick men, and women, in our world and we are totally at their mercy.  Could we change it?  Yes, we can make stricter gun laws, but always, where there's a will, there's a way. It can happen at anytime and any place.  I surrender to the uncertainties of life.  I surrender to the vast differences of who we are as a nation, world citizens and, more basically, human beings. I surrender my belief that I, or my peeps, are always right...and I hate to say "right", maybe correct is a better work, but WTF...I surrender to that.  There is right and there is wrong, and I even surrender to that.

We are ONE country and we can choose to pull together or we can allow ourselves to be torn apart.  You may hate what I believe and I may hate what you believe, but given the latest tragedy in our country, can we not ignore the media and just surrender to the concept that we are Americans?  Can we not surrender our hatred and our bias and just work it out? If we can find a way to do this, maybe it would bring something good from this tragedy.  It's worth a try.

Surrender

OK.....I surrender. What are you surrendering to, you might, understandably, ask. And, probably, you would expect a fairly simple reply, right? Ah, sorry to say, it ain't that easy. My brother shared a wonderful quote, and I'm not even sure where it came from, but does it really matter? "The creative process is a process of surrender...not control." Now, isn't that just so powerful? As a bit of a control freak, and I need to take a quick minute to explain that it's not like I want to control anyone...I just refuse to let anyone control me. Now, can it, occasionally, become more overtly controlling? Yeah,probably so, but the intent never waivers. OK? : ) So, I'm totally good with surrendering to the arteest in me, but in the past 2 days, I'm realizing that I must also surrender to the sheer angst I feel about our country. I woke up Friday morning and saw the horrific slaughter in Aurora, CO. My first reaction was to feel the pain of the parents and other loved ones who lost their special somebody. My second reaction was to strike out at the fucked up gun laws in this country. And, thirdly, I just felt an intense sadness for all of us who are caught up in this horror. I haven't spent a whole lot of time watching TV because they go way beyond the pale in their competition to come up with the most eye witnesses or who can best invade the privacy of the families and friends...or just plain speculate. I do so despise their constant, irrelevant speculations. But, I have also been reading posts and comments to the postings and this is what brings me to just surrender to it all. Yes, I believe we need to pull together and rewrite our gun laws. I'm pretty sure our forefathers didn't consider the possibility of automatic weapons and I'm pretty sure no one needs them to protect their home, children, livestock, whatever. As much as I dislike guns, I get that some people like to hunt and some feel the need of having a gun to protect whatever they feel needs protecting. I don't like it, but I surrender to it. One may argue the point that had this been a Muslim or a black man, there would have been a totally different reaction, this is true...no point in arguing it. Others say that we, as a nation, wouldn't have reacted as strongly if those killed or injured were of a different color. Personally, I think that's race baiting. The victims were black, white and all shades in between. There are those who attack the film and the violence it contains and yes, there is that, but how many violent films have been out there for a very long time? At least, Batman, is about good winning over bad. What happened is so simple that it's really difficult for us to comprehend. A very sick young man decided that his life sucked, so he dreamed up this scheme to make it count for something. And, he did just that. This is why I surrender. There will always be sick men, and women, in our world and we are totally at their mercy. Could we change it? Yes, we can make stricter gun laws, but always, where there's a will, there's a way. It can happen at anytime and any place. I surrender to the uncertainties of life. I surrender to the vast differences of who we are as a nation, world citizens and, more basically, human beings. I surrender my belief that I, or my peeps, are always right...and I hate to say "right", maybe correct is a better work, but WTF...I surrender to that. There is right and there is wrong, and I even surrender to that. We are ONE country and we can choose to pull together or we can allow ourselves to be torn apart. You may hate what I believe and I may hate what you believe, but given the latest tragedy in our country, can we not ignore the media and just surrender to the concept that we are Americans? Can we not surrender our hatred and our bias and just work it out? If we can find a way to do this, maybe it would bring something good from this tragedy. It's worth a try. Don't you think?