Category Archives: Personal Values

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 92: Foreshadowing the Full Moon

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Posted by on in collaborating, distraction issues, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

August 31, 2020, Alexandria, LA-

The length of today, into tonight, saw one set of challenges after another. Fortunately, disease rumours turned out to be false and more conventional health challenges were handled quite well.

Much is made of the influence of the Moon on behaviour-and frequently, that seems to be true. There is an increase, certainly, in quirky activity. There is a jump in domestic violence, in several communities.

I have been fortunate, to have not felt such an influence on my own behaviour, likely because of physical equilibrium and spiritual centeredness, which have come over time. Both have paid dividends, during this past 1 1/2 weeks.

The actual full moon comes within the next few days. That will be on my next-to-last night here. It ought to be interesting.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 91: Clarion Call

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Service Activities, Spiritual, Striving

August 30, 2020, Alexandria, LA-

Loud, unsettled people are entering the shelter.

The task is to remain calm, and centered,

with little personal time.

I am holding my own right now,

and finding a good spot for each

unique group

who settle in, at “my” shelter.

Things will be okay here,

in the long run.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 90: Diurnal, Nocturnal

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Poetry, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

August 29, 2020, Alexandria, LA-

The good of the whole

sometimes

calls for the topsy turvy

to take hold.

So, a day of rest was prescribed

for yours truly,

both before and after

an overnight shift.

I sense the calm before the storm.

The day let me wash and dry clothes,

see a bit of the Red River’s banks,

and enjoy Mexican food, Louisiana-style.

It’s actually a pretty good fit, “LaMex”.

The night, as it happened,

was peaceful and went very, very slowly.

I was thus also prescribed whatever

sleep I needed.

The calm before the storm, indeed.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 89: Deferred

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

August 28, 2020, Alexandria, LA–

The Internet was down today, and will be, until the 31st. So, I have decided that deferral of this blog series will just be a fact of life. In the meantime, I jotted down some notes and can say that there is actually no place I’d rather be, right now, than among the displaced and downtrodden of western and central Louisiana.

We are put among people who need us, in this life, and maybe we need them, just as much. There had to have been a good reason why I dreamt of being deployed to Alexandria. Some, from other parts of the country, put down the South, and the Deep South in particular. I dissent from that view. So far, in fact, Blacks, Whites and Hispanics have been together, under the roof of Rapides Parish Coliseum-for the past five days, in COVID-protocol close quarters, getting along well, because their circumstances are the same and becuase our team treats them all the same.

So, in gratefully accepting the Red Cross Challenge Coin,the organization’s certificate of merit, this evening, I noted that I am accepting it on behalf of everyone who is on staff.

A week remains, as do further challenges that come with a community in recovery. It’s nice to hear, though, that I am always welcome in Alexandria.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 88: It’s Like Arm Wrestling

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, impediments, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

August 27, 2020, Alexandria, LA-

We heard the freight train coming through, around 2:30 A.M. There were lulls and uproars, from then on, continuously until 12 Noon. The subsiding of the winds was followed by occasional showers, for much of the afternoon. The power went out, and with it the Internet, thus the lateness of this and the preceding post.

We also found that water was shut down, as the city’s pumping station had lost its power, as well. I am expecting that the potability of the water will be non-existent, for several days after the flow is restored. Thankfully, we at the Coliseum shelter have an abundance of bottled water.

Facing the hurricane, along with keeping COVID-19 in mind, is a lot like arm wrestling, against a tag team. Both arms need to be in motion- and that’s a strange feeling. Our efforts continue and the team is, if anything, tighter as we go forward. Clients are also a strength, keeping one another in a heart embrace, and showing appreciation for our efforts as well.

It’s hot here, when the power and AC are off, as they were for most of today. As we were about ready to turn in for the night, the two comforts came back on. I am confident that we can get any other issues resolved, as they come up.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 87: Facing the Mother Bear

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

August 26, 2020, Alexandria, LA-

Hurricane Laura’s forewinds began to pound the coast of Louisiana, around 10 a.m. The long process of rain showers, followed by clear skies, then increasing winds, and more rain, pretty much summed up the pattern of the day’s events.

Amazingly, Laura did not throw a storm surge at the vulnerable coast, which is already waterlogged, given its low elevation. We, here, in the middle of the state, have vulnerability to flooding as well, owing to the many rivers that are tributaries of the Mississippi, as well as the Red River.

I devoted the better part of twelve hours today, to getting clients settled and helping with logistical matters, like trash and feeding. This comes with recognition, which has taken me many years to learn to accept. It sure does beat criticism, though.

By bedtime, we had a plan in place to beat back Mother Bear Laura. The beast would give us her best shot.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 85: Curbing the Projector

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Posted by on in collaborating, distraction issues, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving

August 24, 2020, Beaumont-

As several of the planets of our solar system are in retrograde, in relation to Earth it is said that we each go back over old ground. In my case, I have found, in meditation, that I want to pull back from groups of people- and the more insular I perceive the group to be, the less I want to do with them, of late.

Group leaders seem to pick up on that, and I end up excluded more from discussions and more specific conversations. I know, deep down, what my own task is, in reflecting a more positive self-image in their presence. It is a matter of shutting off the aspects of my own being that end up being projected onto those whom I perceive as more “prominent”, “eminent”, “powerful”.

This old ground will be raked over, a few more times, until I can at long last manage to cease viewing myself, internally, as less worthy of being part of a given group-especially as I have been included, at least to some level. That this goes back to high school, which, in reality, was essentially a happy time for me- with only my self-concept occasionally getting in the way, is a sign that it is long past time to realize, and accept, how far I’ve come.

‘

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 84: The Sodden Ground Trembles

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

August 23, 2020, Beaumont-

A tall, gracious young woman greeted us at the door to Cracker Barrel, which was the group’s dinner choice, this evening. Jarae then found herself to be our server. A delightful person brought delightful comfort food, and we continued to prepare, physically and mentally, for what could be a double whammy-or a bust.

What concerns me most about the Bayou Country-from Aransas Pass and Matagorda to the south, Spring and Katy to the west, Livingston and Lufkin to the north, and everything east, as far as Dothan, is that the ground is sodden, saturated. The bayoux, the creeks and the rivers can take some more water, but the ground around them is spongy and won’t absorb much more. Two storms in a row may or may not overwhelm the area, but they will deposit a goodly amount of water, and there will be twelve more weeks of Hurricane Season remaining, I see the potential for shades of 2005-and if you remember, we ran out of people names for storms that year, It even sent a hurricane into the South Atlantic-in January, 2006.

So, on that cheery note, I can only say, we are the A-Team, from Arizona, and LA/TX is in good hands.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 83: Readying for Converging Storms

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

August 22, 2020, Beaumont-

I was up at 1 a.m. and at the Shuttle Bus stop by 2:15. We got to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport at 4:30. Thereafter, I moved on autopilot through the check-in stand, on through security and found my way to the departure lounge-where I drifted in and out of sleep, whilst waiting for the 9 a.m. flight. Such is the process of catching a morning flight, by going from Prescott to Phoenix in an economical manner.

I slept for virtually the entire flight, waking long enough to help my seatmate find her seat belt buckle, lodged between our two seats. The flight itself was not unpleasant. Yes, we had to wear our masks the entire flight-as well as on the shuttle, in the terminal and in the departure lounge. In fact, I had the mask on all day, except for meals and whilst in the rental car.

After a fashion, the team ironed out bugs, regarding this evening’s lodging, when we will meet, via Microsoft Teams, tomorrow and who is going where, in the immediate few days ahead. I am on a team that will deploy to western Louisiana, if needed. Right now, I am resting in a motel room in this eastern Texas city, about an hour past Houston.

The whole reason for our being here is to face storms that will arrive in the area either Tuesday or Wednesday, as well as the flooding that may occur in their wake. I will keep you posted, as best I can.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 82: Call of Duty

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Striving

August 21, 2020-

I had a sense that this down time was getting too humdrum for the Universe’s liking. After a few minutes spent wrangling about the best way to counter sex trafficking, there came a phone call.

Two tropical storms are approaching the Gulf Coast states. Each is expected to hit that region on Tuesday, after wreaking havoc in diffferent parts of the Caribbean. The call was for me to go to Texas-specifically to Beaumont.

I’ve been in that area a few times, though not as a Disaster Response volunteer. I do know just how much water can fall in the bayou country-from Houston, south to Padre Island and east to Biloxi and Gulfport. Without going into detail, we volunteers need to be absolutely on game, ready to give any and all disaster victims our very best.

Someone pointed out, with regard to rescuing trafficking victims, that there is no room for hodgepodge or for guessing games. The level of professionalism needs to be at the very highest. The same is true, in a different theater of operations, with disaster relief.

I will keep in touch, from Beaumont and wherever else I may deploy, over the next several days.