February 13, 2017, Prescott-
Deluge replaces drought,
America’s Garden is getting sodden.
Our highest dam is not high enough, so
masses of people and animals seek greater heights.
Deluge replaces dust,
along Oroville’s ruffled Feather.
Monthly Archives: February 2017
Polarities
February 13, 2017, Prescott-
Snow besets the Northeast,
Rain fills the Southwest’s waterways,
Dust retreats, into mud.
The Alt-Right cries foul,
The Prog-Left yells foul words,
Civility retreats, into a cave.
Strength looks like force,
Humility is seen as weakness,
Sensibility retreats, into a whirlwind.
I am listening quietly,
You wince at my expression,
Perception retreats, into personal mythology.
And Then, There Are These
February 11, 2017, Prescott-
I did a routine workout at Planet Fitness, this evening, after having visited a tax prep office, finding out I was short a critical document, and getting that document printed off a website, which will serve me well- the NEXT time I go to that tax office.
On the way out of PF, I passed some young adults flirting/ connecting. This is as it should be, especially of a weekend evening. Life, even in hard times, should continue with certain features: Infants learn to walk and speak for themselves; toddlers should say “No”, and thus begin learning their limits; children should continue that process, while acquiring life skills-hopefully in a safe, nurturing environment; teens and young adults should be able to visit confirming situations, in which they might feel an ocean of hope and a wealth of encouragement; older adults, like me, should be in a fully affirming, supporting role, for those on their way up the ladder, supporting,.
I am concerned about what lies ahead, for our nation and for the human race. I know, in my heart of hearts, that our species has a grand future, long-term. I also know that, in the short run, there are forces of reaction that will play on the fears of some basically decent people, many of whom I know and love, perhaps leading them to do harm to others, who I also know and love, because of the divergent ways they express themselves and live their lives. I cannot, will not, choose to participate in any movement, group action, or, certainly, any pogrom directed at a people or groups, based on ethnicity, faith, gender, sexual orientation or political affiliation- in either direction. For having said this, I have already been excoriated by a bitter, diffusely angry man, in another online forum. So be it, as long as necessary.
My life, by year’s end, will feature: An end to a business affiliation of 36 years; the second of four school years, in which I work full-time as an educational paraprofessional, with the possibility of a fifth, and more attention to qualitative aspects of my service to others. I may take stands that will cost me friendships, but it will always be the dispossessed, the downtrodden, the kicked-around, who have my heart. There, will go my heart and head, in synchronicity.
Dystope
February 9, 2017, Santee- Last night, whilst my son was engaged in a “guild event’, related to a video gaming network to which he belongs, I took a short walk downstreet from the hotel.
Spotting a fenced-off area, which resembled a random back-to-nature scene, I crossed the street and walked around to a place where a few people had parked, and noticed them walking their dogs, on the lot.
It turns out to be an abandoned property, with boulders strewn about and a few remnants of buildings. The locals are using it as something of a dog park and exercise yard. If I were in Santee, for any appreciable length of time, I would certainly make regular use of it, as well.
The immediate impression I got, though, is that here is an example of what may become commonplace, if we lessen civic pride, even more than we already have. The city of Santee is, in general, a well-kept place, so this is no judgment on it. My larger point is that Nature is quick to move in on what Man leaves behind.
To wit:
The sunsets are certainly worth an evening spent here.
I have always been drawn to boulders and large rock formations
This is a natural barbecue pit.
Thus, I hope there is a grassroots effort to make the property a true park. It’s time to say goodbye to a dystopian mindset.
Sixty-six for Sixty Six, Part VI: California Turnstile
February 8, 2017, Santee- I had not spent much time in San Diego’s eastern ‘burbs, prior to last night. I was pleasantly surprised to find a homey little motel, Villa Embasadora, in El Cajon, a town I have previously associated with huge malls and Miles of Cars. It is a working man’s motel, so my neighbours were up, and off to work, between 4-5:so, this morning. After dawdling, online and with my prayer book, i headed off to find breakfast, around 8:15.
A further drive down East Main Street brought me to Pizza Stop, which, despite its name, is a highly popular gathering place for full American breakfasts. I went inside, expecting to be seated by myself, perhaps at a corner table, away from home-schooling families and small groups of older ladies. Surprise! I no sooner had made my way to a two-chair table, when I was summoned to join a large group of my male age-mates. Seems that eastern San Diego County, with a large population of retired military men, has three service clubs, which help provide security at San Diego’s football stadium, and other large public facilities, in the area. Most of the men in the room about 50, all told, were in their 60’s and 70’s. It was like being at an American legion or VFW breakfast, only writ large. The breakfasts are huge, keep-ya-full all day affairs. The group gathers, Morning Lions Club-style, every two Wednesday mornings. It was a great mid-week start to yet another transition in my life.
My son, Aram, heads to South Korea tomorrow, for a 1-2 year tour of duty, which may or may not be his Navy swansong. While 2019 seems far-off, I know, from the freshness of memories from 2011, on to last year, that it will be upon us, sooner than realized. So, as with any life event, we both have several contingency plans for that time. (I’ve had contingency plans since I babysat my younger siblings, when our parents were out for the evening. I was 11-13, and whenever they were late coming home, I had the phone numbers of my aunts and uncles at the ready.) In the meantime, I headed up the road, to Santee, in the foothills of the Laguna Mountains, where Aram had some last-minute business.
I will relax at this Best Western, in Santee, until we head out, early tomorrow morning, to San Diego International Airport. Once Aram is on his way to the TSA line, and other fun stuff, I will need to head straight back, towards Prescott, and my own present routine; thus, the “turnstile” aspect to this jaunt.
My next visit west, in June, will be to the north of here- from Orange County to Santa Barbara and Ojai. By then, my son will be acclimated, once again, to life in Korea, the land of his birth. Time will tell if I get back there, myself, during the next two years.
Sixty-Six for Sixty Six, Part V: Subsets of Love
February 6, 2017, Prescott- In Baha’i Scripture, as well as in the Teachings of Christ, four kinds of love are identified: The love of God for His Creation; the love of God for His children; the love of man for God and the love of man for man.
It is the fourth kind, on which I will reflect, in this post. There are several subsets of this type of love. Some are obvious- Parental love, and its mirror image: Filial love (which, in this context, applies to both sons and daughters). The love one has for extended family is an outgrowth of parental and filial love. Love of spouse, likewise, in most cases extends to the spouse’s family. Clan and tribe are the furthest biological love boundaries, traditionally.
Love for one’s neighbours and community takes this a step past the bounds of family. Over time, this has found extension in the form of loyalty to state, country, civic organization, interest group (including political parties and service organizations) and faith community. Love for all mankind is the furthest expression of inter-human love, and is regarded as the consummate goal of a Baha’i, in this physical plane.
Love can be expressed in various ways: Gentle, patient suasion; forbearance; standing alongside the beloved; “tough” holding the beloved’s feet to fire, so to speak. The goal of any human love, though, would seem to be helping the beloved to attain nearness to God and the development of his/her talents and abilities. This isn’t always a simple task, and may entail a combination of the four ways mentioned, at the head of this paragraph. A prime example of this is love of one’s opponents, or perceived enemies. Seeing their good qualities, and not depriving them of basic human rights, is certainly an illustration of such.
St. Matthew wrote that such inter-human love is “not snide” and “does not put on airs”. In the Baha’i Writings, it is stated that “Love is the secret”, to all that is good in the Universe, and “In the world of existence, there is no greater power, than the power of love.”
May there be a ten-fold, or hundred-fold increase in the subsets of inter-human love.
Archangels
February 4, 2017, Prescott- This afternoon, I finished reading “The Standing Stones Speak”. Set in Carnac, France, British spiritualists Natasha Hoffman and Hamilton Hill detail a series of messages they claim to have received from archangels, on topics ranging from the existence of Atlantis to the progress of souls.
There are numerous references to Jesus, Mohammed, the brief primacy, in the not-to-distant future, of a “charismatic figure”, whose rule will be primarily in Europe and North America, and will last 3 1/2 years, before he is removed. There are references to karma and reincarnation of souls, from one human body to the next, over the past several thousand years, and that both karma and reincarnation will cease, in the very near future. This will take place, the archangels say, because the “New Jerusalem”, mentioned in the Bible and, essentially, the true New World Order (the opposite of that which is, rightly, feared by devout Christians), will be built and will obviate the need for souls to constantly return in human form, in order to resolve their issues.
That is the gist of the archangels’ messages. To me, these would conveniently explain my wistfulness and longing for the forest, for certain places in Europe, Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains, being drawn to particular people and familiarity with certain situations, that I had not previously experienced. I would need a lot more confirmation of these messages, from more authoritative spiritual texts, especially from the Baha’i Writings, before I would be “all-in” with the overall content of the messages in this book.
Nevertheless, the tone of the book is positive, encouraging of people to develop the goodly character of their souls, and to work, mightily, to seek spiritual advancement, through a righteous life- not in isolation, but among the people with whom we find ourselves. Baha’u’llah teaches us to be of good character, in group settings, as well as individually, just as Jesus did.
I am continuing to read several Baha’i books, as well as “Apocalypse”, by Dr. Jim Richards and “Return to The Garden”, by Shakhti Gawain, in pondering this primal subject.
Soul Family
February 3, 2017, Prescott-
I just read a post, by a friend who wishes to remain at a certain distance, both physical and fraternal. She wrote of people with whom she feels exceptionally close, but who live far from her. This got me thinking, once more, about my soul’s family.
My biological family, and Penny’s, to a one, scattered from Massachusetts and Maine, through Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Florida to Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, California and Oregon, perhaps, in and of themselves, justify my peripatetic nature. Yet, they are also largely occasional in my life, and I, in theirs.
My son, as well as my Baha’i family-here in Arizona, in Nevada, in Alaska, in South Korea and across the Atlantic, in Europe, are on their own paths, also, and will figure in mine, only to the extent that my path dovetails with theirs.
The same is true of each person in the web that my life has woven, across every state in the United States, much of Canada,the northeast tip of South America, a bit of eastern Asia, the State of Israel,the West Bank, and a slice of western Europe. The network of people whom I’ve met has been my greatest blessing, since the physical loss of my wife. It has been a rich series of life experiences. I am hardly the world traveler that some see, especially compared with the many correspondents, whose work I read on Word Press, on a daily basis. Yet, in every state, province and nation, there is at least one place, and often several, where I am well at home.
There are no strangers, anywhere, only friends I have not met. This is not a cliche, at least not to me, and much more, I’ve been assured, is to come.
Inklings
February 2, 2017, Prescott-
Many people gathered today, in Punxsutawney, PA, and learned from Phil, the Groundhog, that there will be six more weeks of winter. I’ve heard it’s been a mild one, back east, so six weeks of rain would be a tad dreary, but not insurmountable- unless the rain comes in torrents.
Here, we seem to have had our winter. SoCal is due for more rain, tomorrow, but not so our neck of the woods. Of course, Mother Nature has this month and March, during which to send surprises our way. I remember the year that St. Patrick’s Day saw snow, atop the White Tanks, west of Phoenix.
A few years ago, I read a book called “Awakening Intuition”, by Mona Lisa Schulz. I learned that the “inklings” that I had, regarding what I was to do, during the years 2011-2015, were fairly clear. Most of those were accomplished, with considerable help from unseen forces.
I am reading “The Standing Stones Speak”, by Jessica Hoffman and Hamilton Hill, which has what some regard as a “New Age” tone to it. Since childhood, though, I have felt, strongly, that I am guided by both angels and my own ancestors, including my maternal grandfather, whom I never met, in this life. What I have received from him, holds me to a high standard, both socially and spiritually. Penny, in the last year of her life, told me that she saw my Native American ancestors, gathered around me, while I was napping.
I don’t doubt any of this, though some of my hard-headed friends would call it “Woo-woo stuff”, as there seems no practical or tangible value to it. I have a different view, and we’ll leave it at that, for now. Nonetheless, the spirit world is flexible, and some of the inklings I’ve had, have been changed. In 2013, instead of going to Newfoundland, I stayed in the Boston area, and spent more time with my family, especially with my second brother, who was involved in Sail Blind, at the time. Considering that I went through tortuous emotional issues, earlier that summer, it was probably best. Last year, instead of going to Chile and Peru, I opted to go, domestically, East and South. Considering that I got a message, in the middle of the trip, saying that my Nissan was making its last ride, the choice was apt. As you all know, the Nissan did expire.
I’ve now been advised to work, full time, until either December, 2020 or May,2021. There are other messages I’ve received, but those are best left for a later date.
Hearts, Black History and Chief Executives
February 1, 2017, Prescott-
The Mini-Month is now upon us, with groundhogs galore waiting to be yanked out of the ground, tomorrow. I know there will be many enlightening programs and articles about African-Americans, this month, but I think people should be fully honoured for their place in America’s story, and the stories of the world, EVERY month, and regardless of ethnicity. Still, I’m glad the stories are getting out there. Too many people still think Blacks, Native Americans, Latinos, Irish-Americans, and even women, collectively, are making up, or exaggerating, the past, because “things aren’t so bad for ________________ NOW!” We have to know our history, and know it well, for the very reason that too many people see things on the surface, and have short memories.
The Italian martyr, Valentino, has become a symbol of unconditional love and thus a day devoted to love- and romance- has taken the English form of his name. St. Valentine’s Day falls on a work day, Tuesday, this year. I will be giving the same unconditional love to my students that I offer, every day.
The following weekend will be Presidents’ Day, ostensibly to honour two of our greatest Chief Executives: Washington and Lincoln, and, by extension, those of our presidents who have not harmed our nation. Who they are, remains a matter of intense debate. I have my opinion, but will not get into that, here.
Aram will leave for South Korea, in about a week. I will be at San Diego International Airport, to see him off. Then, each of us will get on with our respective duties, and other aspects of our lives. For him, there will be some familiar aspects, as he was born, and spent his first three years of life, in Jeju, and shore duty will be more of a routine, than sea duty. For me, the regimen will continue at school, the American Legion honours World War II’s Four Chaplains, my work for the Baha’i Faith goes on, and new outdoor adventures will present themselves- Scottsdale’s McDowell Mountains, the Verde Valley’s Limekiln Trail and, a slightly-delayed visit to Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park, in Yarnell.
It looks to be a fascinating 28 days.
A Sagittarian Seeker 