Category Archives: Community

The Road to Diamond, Day 205: Ponderosas and Bluegrass

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Hiking and Nature, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 21, 2025- The Howard brothers have come a long way in a year. Their quest to mix Bluegrass with jazz is an unusual path, and started off roughly. Tonight, though, as the first day of Prescott’s 44th Annual Bluegrass Festival entered its evening segment, Cross-Eyed Possum ruled the stage. Their performances did not sound like jazz invading the realm of Bluegrass, or Blues with Bluegrass undertones, but a perfect melding of genres. It would likely have been well-received in even the smallest Appalachian hollow or Piedmont barn dance.

I sat in on their outdoor set, this evening. It had been a full day-taking the preliminary steps to form a Red Cross team that would respond to a wildfire on the Navajo Nation, should it threaten residential areas; helping the Farmers Market crew to break down and put equipment away (as is usual on a Saturday afternoon in Prescott); attending an appreciation dinner for Farmers Market staff, Board Members, and volunteers. I have been a market site volunteer for seven years now, yet it was a revelation that there are 453 people who assist the Market, in various ways-from staffing the compost yard to filling or delivering food boxes to the less fortunate of western Yavapai County. There is so much that goes into any given relief effort.

As we adults enjoyed delicious shredded chicken or vegan tacos, three small boys reveled in the nearby Ponderosa forest, where they gathered fallen branches and twigs, fashioning a fort-bringing back memories of the tree fort that was built in my childhood neighbourhood. It was a great joy to see that children have not lost the thrill of building and discovery. Of course, their parents and grandparents could see them, the entire time they were in the woods. Basically, though, the boys were free to do what they wanted, in that small section of forest, in between nibbles of dinner.

It is always special to mingle with crew mates and get to know their spouses, parents and children. Some of the kids I have known since they were infants and toddlers. They are now in middle childhood, with all the bravado that comes with being 7, 8 and 9. Our intrepid generation was of course there in force. It seems Boomers just intend to make the best use of time- I am but one of thousands, nationwide, and our many hands make much lighter work.

The Howards sing alternately of country joy, favourite animals and heartache, all the stuff of just about any folk or heartland music-as well as of Blues. Here they are, with ” Whipping Post”.

The Road to Diamond, Day 203: The Whip

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 19, 2025- There is no good outcome for oppression. This is the larger message of Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865, when the enslaved of Texas learned of their Emancipation, two years after it was granted.

In the second episode of Season 5, of the series “The Chosen”, the scene of Jesus the Christ upending the Passover Market, from outrage at the presence of commerce on the grounds of the Temple shows Him using a whip, along with knocking over tables and tearing apart animals’ cages.

This is well-known New Testament account, seemingly at variance with Christ’s message of love. He would go on, in what was left of His ministry, to explain to the people about His actions, in the context of His greater message. Some would understand; most would not-initially.

Historically, those who use violence, when punishing children or in enforcing the law, point to the actions of various Old Testament figures, or to Christ vs. the money changers, or to Mohammad’s defensive actions against those who were attacking Him, as justification for their own behaviour. None of us, however, are Messengers of God. We don’t have any business falling back on Scripture to justify our own actions-usually directed towards those who are more vulnerable-or malleable.

Children need to be directed, guided, and corrected, but never made to lose heart. More and more parents are living as nonviolent exemplars. As for enforcing the law, this can be and is done every day, in a firm but nonviolent manner, by the vast majority of peace officers in this country, and in many others. There is never an excuse for the beating of civilians, just as there is never an excuse for throwing chunks of concrete, fireworks or fistfuls of rocks down on police officers, or anyone else. There is, likewise, no excuse for acts of hate against those who differ from oneself.

There is no good outcome for oppression.

The Road to Diamond, Day 202: Antics and Responsibility

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 18, 2025- A man came into Theodore’s Fine Foods, his little son in tow-or maybe it was boy with Dad in tow. At any rate the child had the place captivated, as he relished a raised doughnut, covered in chocolate. His father went for napkins, several times, enjoying his own bagel and cream cheese, in between face wipes. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such enjoyment of a breakfast pastry by a small child. The boy did not run about, but sat joyfully until the treat was eaten. He then carefully walked his plate to the dish bin, and his napkins to the trash receptacle. This, apparently, was not his first go-round.

This is what I’ve observed as the most common behaviour of children in a restaurant. I’ve heard the horror stories-of parent engrossed in the phone screen, whilst brother and sister are pulling each other’s hair and tussling in the aisle. I have yet to see such things. I think the last time I experienced an obstreperous child carrying on in a public space was before Aram was born. Penny and I stopped at a small cafe, en route to Phoenix. A child, around the corner and out of sight, was yellling continuously, for about ten minutes. A deep voice called out, “SHUT UP!” Nothing further was heard from noisemaker. Son, himself, learned to behave nicely, after one trip back to the car, of an evening’s dinner stop.

Most parents just seem to be doing a good job, by their children. The key, Penny and I figured out fairly quickly, was consistency. It is natural for a child to try and push the boundaries, even playing one parent against the other-or comparing the parents to the neighbour families. We did not fall for that. Aram got the basic tools he has needed for success. As did yours truly, he had to decide himself to put those tools to use.

The tool kit will, at some point in the not-too-distant future, be passed along to our next generation. I hope to watch and support that effort.

The Road to Diamond, Day 200: Worn Velcro and Frayed Tempers

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 16,2025- The cuff on my trusty Blood Pressure Monitor has been giving way, nearly each time I use it, over the past two weeks. The velcro has lasted fifteen years, through countless travels across the continent and across the globe. I have used it in my Home Bases, first in Phoenix and then in Prescott; in Chula Vista, Northglenn (CO)), and Saugus; aboard a Navy Destroyer, on a Tiger Cruise and on a picnic bench in Pie Town (NM); in South Florida and southeast Alaska . It has been faithful in Canada, across western Europe, in South Korea and in the Philippines. Now, I have a back-up monitor, with a new cuff. Life goes on.

It is the hot part of the year, close to 100 F, here in Prescott and 115-6, in Phoenix. Thankfully, I need not go outside for extended periods of time, at least not after 10 a.m. or before 5 p.m. Soon, the rains will come, and the air will be a bit sweeter. Life goes on.

The nation made it through the weekend, with its varying rallies-either questioning authority or mildly validating it. Attempts at violence, by those at either end of the political spectrum, received their just condemnation-and where they resulted in death, arrest and arraignment. Heat and humidity are no excuse for killing one’s political opponents, throwing concrete or engaging in a fire fight, in the midst of innocent people. Life will go on.

The fruits of ignorance, oppression and intransigence are now coming ripe, both here and in western Asia. Those who have lived by the sword are now finding out what that brings. Those who dwell in a blinkered dreamland, based on a skewed interpretation of Scripture, are finding that others have a very different take on the same Scripture and that there is simply no room for basing an ever more heightened threat of nuclear holocaust on that Word of God. Life trembles, but goes on.

Tempers are far too frayed, and only the stern voices of the People-in every country so afflicted-can bring leaders to the table, and the cool waters of sensibility to bear on their insistent passions. Life must go on.

The Road to Diamond, Day 198: The Weight of Duty

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 14, 2025- Flag Day has come and gone-and over a million people flew our nation’s colours. The 250th Birthday of the United States Army has been observed-peacefully, with no strange command to turn on the American people. It was very unlikely to have happened, but there were those who expressed a worry about it. “No Kings Day” came and went-with a minor incident in Virginia, and one act of domestic terror,in Minnesota, which will be handled by law enforcement, including the U.S.Department of Justice. People across the political spectrum were able to express their opinions, with minimal confrontation. That is the spirit of our country, and it is alive and well.

Th president, in a moment of candor, told an interviewer that he doesn’t feel like a king, and that he is “going through hell to get anything done.” He should never feel like a king, nor should any future president. A president should feel respected, but not regal.

When I was a building principal, there were those students and parents who revered me and what I was doing. There were also those who despised me and opposed just about anything I was proposing. Both were heard, and some of what my opponents said made sense and was incorporated into our programs. That is the weight of duty-knowing that one will never please the masses, but that there are hard decisions that must be made, within the bounds of one’s authority. A good leader never tries to exceed those bounds, but knows how to accomplish things towards the public weal, as one understands it.

The enormity of the United States government, indeed the size of most governments in large and complex countries, implies that mistakes will be made, but also that the nation will survive, so long as there is not over-centralization. “No Kings” is more than likely going to remain a state of affairs. Even the most rigid of politicians could not hope to contain our rowdy, outspoken populace for much more than an off-year election cycle, if even that long. Thank God for small favours.

The Road to Diamond, Day 197: Facing The Lions

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, impediments, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 13, 2025- The simple matter seemed larger than it actually was. I needed to access an e-mail account that is not my personal account. Getting mixed up between Outlook and Edge, I toggled back and forth, until a co-worker advised sticking to Outlook. After a bit of playing with the site, I was in, and a mole hill that had been made into Sagarmatha was reduced to its actual size. Technology is sometimes a lion that, like any other large feline, needs to be faced.

For me, there are two basic lions: The number of different platforms, which as mentioned above, I get confused; the tendency of some sites to loop around and around, usually due to a glitch. I ran into one of those tonight, as well, on the site of a charity I have supported. A live person will no doubt respond to me, next week. It is just part of the period of adjustment, yet serves neither human nor AI. Glitches are the reminder that Artificial Intelligence, as a creation of mortal humans, will always have a certain level of flaw.

I have, essentially, come a long way in having the confidence to face challenges, even those that seem to be way beyond my level. I am not going to climb the actual Sagarmatha, or anything close to it in height-for both financial and familial reasons. There are other challenges ahead, which are most definitely within my bounds. These will be enough for this lifetime. You, the reader, will have a front row seat for as many as you choose to read; Stay tuned!

The Road to Diamond, Day 196: Clarity

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 12, 2025- Angela sang a mix of love songs and reflective ballads, in the corner of Gypsy’s Bakery, where I stopped for a while to enjoy a light lunch. Gypsy’s is just one of several delightful spots that are within walking distance of Home Base I, making it as easy to take a meal out as it is to prepare my own. Angela’s music was an unexpected and soothing bonus.

I had a modest mission besides: Getting a back-up medical monitoring device, as my old one may be just wearing out, after fifteen years. I feel perfectly well, and want to keep it that way. With a potential addition to our family to consider, I need to be “in fighting trim”.

There are tempests swirling around, in other parts of the country and across the globe. These could be mitigated by clear communication, but the trend, for many years, has been to play close to the vest, and to talk in riddles. Another trend has been for people to approach one another like bulls in a china shop, or cannons aimed at mosquitos. Clarity, ahead of action, is the only way to avoid the miscommunication that has led us to our two current impasses, one domestic, the other international.

Some will say that the world is too complex for clarity. Well, we see what obfuscation has brought us: 249 dead in a plane crash in India; mass destruction in Iran; increasing tendency to pre-empt dissent, by merely arresting the possible dissenter(s) ahead of time. Obfuscation comes from ambition gone sideways; as does repression; as does vengeance.

I pray for all those in Israel, Iran, India and across our country, that there is safety and that there is a return to sanity-as well as clarity.

The Road to Diamond, Day 195: Many Moving Parts

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 11, 2025- My A/C unit was not installed today. It was scheduled, but stuff happened. It may be installed this summer, or may not. No matter- I have lived, quite nicely, with ceiling fans and a window box cooler in my bedroom, for fourteen years now. There are many moving parts to getting things done.

A team of twenty-five people got together, this afternoon, and made 1,000 packets of information for home-bound residents of our “metro” area. These include flyers on fire safety, establishing links to EMS, Life Alert and protection from scams. There are about 25 folders in each packet. Many moving parts put many moving parts into a useful compendium.

My schedule for the next six months also has many moving parts. I have described these in some detail, in earlier posts, and so will not elicit more yawns today. It’s just how life is panning out.

At this evening’s dinner, the matter of courtesy towards servers in public spaces came up. I was raised to treat people who wait on tables, clean buildings, cut hair, tend bar, act as park rangers or steward planes and trains with the utmost courtesy. My server, Seneca, mentioned that there are way too many people who forget their manners, especially on weekends. She will never have to worry about that with me. Servers, especially the young, mean a great deal to me and their self-confidence, alone, is worthy of encouragement. I know there are many moving parts to any sustained social situation, and that is precisely why courtesy, taking a step back, is so important.

The Road to Diamond, Day 194: On Silent Wings

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Posted by on in animal and plant life, children, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

June 10, 2025- At the close of an online meeting of friends, marking the Strawberry Moon, one sister lauded a young man who had traveled to the border of Tibet and had laid a vase in the ground. This practice of interring ceramic vases in significant places has gone on for nearly a decade, inspired by the words of a Nepalese monk. The vases are found all over the globe.

The sister spoke of an owl, which graces the skies of her home in Alberta, “flying on silent wings”, and likened the young man’s journey to that of the great raptor-quiet, graceful and with mission.

There are many purposeful journeys being undertaken now. Across the globe, children looking to be born make their way towards the light, in their mother’s safe and loving wombs. The women themselves walk the hard road towards delivery, in most cases supported by loving companions. Those of us who are past the child bearing or child rearing age walk the path of self-reliance, of self-healing, for as long as our minds and hearts allow. Youths who are not yet ready to assume the mantle of adulthood make their way through the morass of discovery.

No matter how we walk, ride or fly; whether we are silent, or noisome, the journey continues. Sometime, it is in fits and starts. Other days, it is smooth and steady. There are those who press on, ever forward. Others, longing for a past that was seldom as idyllic as they imagine, push backwards. To me, those who, like myself, recall a rather happy and fulfilling childhood and adolescence, are not fearful of change. Those whose memories are dark and terrifying want a reset, if for no other reason than to experience some light in their life, which they can associate with childhood innocence, even as their bodies are aging. Then, too, there are those who seek stasis, a period of entropy. Both in physical and metaphysical terms, these are bound to face disappointment. In both the visible and invisible realms of the Universe, nothing stands still.

So it continues, the flight on silent wings.

The Road to Diamond, Day 192: Own Inner Voice Speaks

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

June 8, 2025- The message was crystal clear, this morning: “You need no coffee right now. Water is more urgent.” It was certainly a no-brainer; it’s hot, for the next several days. This, however, is a long-term notion. I can, and will, drastically cut back on coffee consumption (no more 3-4 cups a day), and when visiting lovely cafes, can order items such as “Golden Milk”, fruity coolers or chai, especially during our lengthy heat cycle. (It’s not just here in Arizona. Both places that are potentially alternate residences-North Texas and the Philippines, lend themselves well to consumption of cool beverages. Europe (September) will also have a plethora of healthy beverages, besides great coffee-and tea.

I have often relied on spirit guides, and the loving advice of friends and family, in both health-related matters and planning activities or travel. In planning changes to my diet, the past day or so, my own inner voice took charge. So, cool water or shakes will be at my side, while I read the morning paper.

Meals are always smaller in the summer. Breakfast, except for the Post on Sunday, is fairly small. Lunch is a plateful of nuts and crunchy (the traditional meaning of the word) mini-pretzels. Dinner is a modest portion of something healthful, though not often vegetarian or vegan. There is no going back to heavy.

I owe it to my little family, to someone else who I love very much and to so many, both here and across the globe, who have been so kind and devoted to my well-being, to cultivate and listen to the inner voice that wants me to stay the course, for another 25 years at least.

Raise a glass of cucumber or melon water, or a cup of coolness, to the faithful inner voice!