Category Archives: Service Activities

The Road to Diamond, Day 193: Power

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, distraction issues, Education, Historical, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 9, 2025- In the series,Marco Polo, Kublai Khan gives the air of an omnipotent ruler-acknowledging the legacy of his grandfather, Chingiz, while retaining for himself the aura of consummate masculinity. He notes that Marco’s father is rather derelict towards his son, while Kublai himself is actively involved in preparing his eldest son for an eventual seat on the throne. He therefore elects to take on Marco as a scion project, of sorts, assigning his corps of experts each a skill in which to train the young “Latin”. Even the concubines are given the task of challenging Marco’s sense of chastity, which Kublai expects him to retain.

Kublai has trained himself in the ways of power, and shows just how exhilarating, and exhausting, it can be. His power is both internal and external. Omnipotence, however, he has not. Gradually, Marco Polo comes to recognize the Great Khan’s limits and measures his own actions accordingly.

In historical reality, Kublai Khan had several rivals, and like virtually every other ruler of China, always had to be on his guard. There were occasions for brutal punishment of his nemeses, and times when it was best to placate them.

Each of us has moments when we feel in control of all we survey, and times when we feel impotent-in several areas of life. I have long accepted the challenges of maturity, including the realization that someday will find me in another realm. In the meantime, however, the tasks in front of me call for openness to new practices-dietary, social, technological and intellectual. Tasks which I am being asked to consider, this summer, will involve a measure of flexibility-particularly when two rather different tasks must be accomplished, on the same day.

Power is imbued from the Divine, yet almost always seems to emanate from within. Therein is what leads to a false sense of omnipotence, for so many people. I’m grateful, eternally, for the wisdom to know the difference.

The Road to Diamond, Day 181: Bright and Shiny Surprises

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

May 28, 2025- I had not been to Olde World Bakery, at the edge of downtown, in over a year. Seeing that there was a new sign, Gypsy’s Bakery, I decided to have a late lunch there. It looked like little had changed, in the food department, and my favourite spinach and cheese croissant was still there. The servers, though, particularly Ana, were effervescent and kindly attentive. There was less of the “serve yourself” format of the previous management, and more of a connection with the patrons. The Gen Z greeting “Welcome in” was in full swing. The new owner, who took over last year, greeted three of us who came in at the same time, then went back to her baking duties. Ana brought everything to each table, checking back with everyone to make sure we were satisfied with the fare. Another bright and shiny surprise was the menu of cold beverages, delicious fruit and tea blends that promise relief, on many a hot summer afternoon.

The energy of youth is always a delight, when put to either the betterment of society or the mirthful relief of tense or harshly oppressive situations. There is always an undertone of “Who am I, in the scheme of things?”, but that is just part of establishing emergence from the chrysalis of adolescence. Gen Alpha uses terms like “Rizz” (charisma) and “Aura Farming” to refer to one’s level of interpersonal skills. Previous generations have used “cool”, “groovy”, “tight” and “heavy” to indicate a person’s level of social acceptability. While the social dictionary of those who are aware keeps growing, the essential search for meaning in life remains the same.

After visiting a fellow Legionnaire in a rehab facility, I headed over to a friend’s house to pick up an order of sunscreen. As she guided me around the grounds of her forever home, I marveled at the sheer volume of work and organizing that she has done, virtually alone, over the past two years. There is much that remains, and I can help with some of this, yet her sense of purpose has undergone an immense boost, with the solo effort. There is relatively scant difference between what a man can accomplish and what a woman can do, using the same skills. Yes, we are “built differently”, in some respects; yet I see only finesse and strength in what any person who sets the mind to doing something actually achieves.

The year is a month shy of being half over. I am inclined to envision more bright and shiny surprises-not from those in power, but from those who are empowered, at the ground level.

The Road to Diamond, Day 177: The Thick and Thin of It

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

May 24, 2025- At Bellemont Baha’i School today:

In the midst of a pile of pine needles, my co-worker found a bright, shining earring. It seems to me that one of the campers last year did lose one, so that is probably the beginning of its reunion with its owner.

At lunchtime, part of the conversation was relative to the thinness and thickness of various piles that were raked up and ready for bagging. By 3:30, virtually all the piles were bagged and ready for next week’s removal to a dump site. Fourteen of us produced 85 bags of needles. That is no “thin” effort!

The connection between our little group and the growing Bellemont forest community is also getting thicker. Our closest neighbour, an ordained minister, has taken it upon himself to provide security for the camp, when no one is around. He also did an extraordinary amount of clean-up work-and over the past thee days. He will finish up the rest tomorrow. A good part of this is because he feels the spiritual energy of the camp.

Commitments can be thick or thin. I have, in the least popular of my posts, addressed the matter of home bases. My commitments to places in general, however, matter less than those I have to people in my life. There ought be no one “thrown under the bus”, as it were. So, while the “thickest” of my commitments are to my Faith, little family, beloved (who is halfway around the world), and community of residence, appeals for help from someone elsewhere also matter. My only caveat is that I have enough time and energy to meet that appeal.

That brings me to a broader place, with regard to commitments: My own are based on helping meet the actual needs of my loved ones, and not in feathering my own nest. Those in government, and elsewhere in public life, be they Right, Left or in the Center, whose every-other decision is based on self-enrichment are going to be found out, if that hasn’t happened already. Those whose public service is genuinely focused on the common good, be they Right, Left or in the Center, deserve our gratitude and support.

Be discerning, with regard to commitments, whether your own or those others have made to you.

The Road to Diamond, Day 170: Security

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 17, 2025, Grapevine,TX- There are many ways to hack into someone’s computer. It is one reason why I personally have despised the very word “hack”, which just means “shortcut” and is thus a neutral term. Fortunately, no one has hacked my electronic devices, and with the upgrades in security that my CySec adult child implemented today, it is even less likely.

We are each responsible for our own security, once past a certain age. There will always be those loved ones around us who will help some, but essentially from the time one masters “Look both ways before crossing the street” and “Don’t take things from strangers”, personal safety gets a new owner. When I was a child, I never mastered riding a bicycle until I was around thirteen, so I walked-a lot. I never counted my money in public, and was wary of anyone I didn’t know. Besides, walking kept me in good health, especially since I was no one’s idea of a star athlete.

In adulthood, that penchant for walking has translated into a love of hiking. I have done a lot of solo hikes, even in areas that others cringe over. The key there is to get on and off the trail before dark, though I have done some walks by moonlight. Coyotes have warned me that I was going too far afield, and I have heeded their “advice”. Other animals, from cattle to Gila monsters, have communicated with me, on certain trails, and giving them their preferred berth has worked nicely for all concerned. My favourite was the bull elk who bugled at me from the top of a cliff, far above my trail-apparently letting me know to not mess with his cows, which were also on that cliff top.

Technology has, in general, made safety a lot easier. I can certainly find my way around more easily, with its help, while maintaining what I learned about orienteering, in Fifth Grade. Those skills and a genuinely useful intuition, have resulted in my remaining out of harm’s way.

Lastly, I read today about people who have Williams Syndrome, a genetic condition which results in their seeing everyone as an instant friend, without the normative bonding or evidence of the approaching person being worthy of friendship. To be clear, I have regarded many, but not all, of those whom I have encountered over the years as friends, to a certain extent. Acquaintance has seemed like a rather sour term and enemy a rarely deserved sobriquet. I am discerning enough to know that I am not of the Williams Syndrome category, and I do have my clear boundaries.

So, as the most recent road trip nears its last few days, and I return to Home Base I for three months of service, taking stock of security gives me solace. I am being kept safe, on many levels.

The Road to Diamond, Day 167: Staying on Track

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

May 14, 2025, Harrisonburg, VA- “Oley” the collie wanted my breakfast sausage links. She went without, though. Those are not puppy food, the tantalizing scent aside. My hosts in the town of Oley made sure that I was prepared for either game plan: Drive to Arlington National Cemetery, then down to the town of Deltaville, on Virginia’s Western Shore. The other plan was to stick to my tried and true drive, along I-81.

In the end, there was no visit to Arlington, or a stop at a Western Shore marina. There wasn’t any stop at Broad Porch Coffee-the old Artful Dodger, but that will be tomorrow morning. What did happen was a fair amount of rain, between Woodstock and New Market, along Virginia’s spine (I-81). There was also Gallery Diner, a Red Cross Microsoft Teams meeting and a few moments of relaxation, before two long travel days ahead.

I am watching Deltaville online, because of a dam there, which may breech. I am watching Greer and Eagar, AZ, two mountain communities that are under threat from an active wildfire. I am learning the process of sending a gift online, via a U.S. company, to someone across the Pacific. Ahead, lie a friend who is deathly ill, and who I hope to see tomorrow, and my little family, who are both hard at work, but will be off for the weekend, and my two-day visit.

There is a lot to track, but there always is, whether on the road or at Home Base. I am grateful for being able to stay…on track.

The Road to Diamond, Day 148: Silken Affirmations

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

April 25, 2025- The wind was a bit brisk this morning, as a group of us prepared a fund-raising pavilion, on behalf of Prescott’s school district. Zip ties and clips became the saving graces, keeping the necessary signage in place. A few road barriers blew down and were promptly put back up. Keeping vehicles out of the area is important, both for the many pavilions and for the safety of those whose annual event is the impetus for this fund-raiser. Hundreds of mountain bike riders have converged on Prescott, for the annual Whiskey Off-Road bicycle marathon.

I had several small tasks to do, before going to the pavilion site, to help set up the tables and secure the tents. I learned, a few years back, to just go and do errands, rather than overthink and end up making a mess of things. Self-confidence came hard in my life, but it’s here now, and is not going away. The reward to self was another delicious French omelet at Bear and Dragon.

I got confirmations on two service posts, this week: Again serving as Corresponding Secretary for the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Prescott. After a meeting this morning, I was also asked to serve as Sheltering Coordinator for the Northern Arizona Chapter of the Red Cross. Much of my hands on work, for both positions, will be done during the summer months. Many other aspects of the duties may be done remotely. The Red Cross Disaster Response Coordinator for the Chapter further said that there is no reason to cancel any travels, next month or later in the year. I will continue to be faithful in making an effort to connect with people here, via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, or by phone, when the need arises.

There have been little hiccups, the past few days, but taking things slowly and carefully correcting matters have kept the missteps from having much effect. Life this week has been full of silken affirmations.

The Road to Diamond, Day 139: Continuity, and Shifting

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

April 16, 2025- Unsurprisingly, but happily, I got a clean bill of dental health again today. There are a couple of things I can and will do to improve the situation-yet, all in all, it’s one less cause for concern. Red meat, which I have loved over the years, also has to be cut back. It’s just my own conclusion, and truth be known, I am naturally more given to eating healthier, over the past four years.

Honouring friends across the political spectrum entails pointing out simple facts, rather than editorializing. So I have come across a few “inconvenient truths” that challenge both orthodoxies and have gently approached a few of the adherents to those positions. I won’t dwell on those here, except to say that things are seldom exactly as they seem, in a world where deception is far easier than it used to be.

With respect to the next few weeks, I have had a request to go back down to Desert Rose next weekend. There are, however, things going on here, for which I am locked in. So, after some back and forth online, I will be staying put and fulfilling promises to this community. It all reminds me of the old Donovan song, “There is a Mountain”.

Those are just some ruminations, on this topsy-turvy, but ultimately reassuring day.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&channel=entpr&q=first+there+is+a+mountain+donovan#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f5d2e100,vid:XcMM5-zBCEc,st:0

The Road to Diamond, Day 126: Reset

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

April 3, 2025- The bandage that was placed on my left facial cheek, to stay there for 48 hours, is still there. It will come off tomorrow and a short period of going about with a sutured face will continue until next Wednesday. Then the true healing, the reset of sorts, will begin.

On Monday, I will pick up my two guests from the Philippines, at their home-stay in Las Vegas, and bring them to Arizona for 6-7 days. We will enjoy a variety of experiences, many of them in natural beauty and several that will involve gatherings with friends of mine around the state. It will also be a reset of sorts.

This evening, I attended a crowded dinner meeting of Prescott Indivisible. I had more conversation with my table mates than I have had there in the past. There were also two calls for a show of hands, as to who will attend a protest march in a few days’ time. I will be working at Farmers Market, at the time of the march, so my hand did not go up. Though the door monitor glared and loudly cleared his throat, when I left early to attend another meeting, I owed neither him nor anyone else an explanation. The speaker at the gathering said it best: “None of us has a monopoly on the truth”. There is a nascent reset of attitude, among those on both sides, who have viewed others with disdain. The pain that the nation is beginning to experience will humble a good many people.

After attending an online discussion of Baha’i Teachings, I went to return to my other online sites. The browser was undergoing a reset, and so I had to re-enter a few accounts. Rebooting seems to be a part of life everywhere today.

The Road to Diamond, Day 112: New Day

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

March 20, 2025- Naw-Ruz, in Persian, means “New Day”. In Iran, traditionally, the Naw-Ruz holiday lasts 12 days. For us Baha’is, it is one day; essentially, it is the beginning of a new spiritual year. So, today is the beginning of 182 Baha’i Era.

We marked the day with a festive gathering, at which 51 people showed up, enjoying copious amounts of food, spirited and delightful music and vibrant conversations. Had the room been a bit larger, we may have even seen some, including me, dancing about. No matter, the musicians worked well together and our various discourses ran the gamut from Rubik’s Cube (a child completed it in less than four minutes) to the proper preparation of Persian rice.

I was glad to be able to work the breakdown shift (seems that I can take things apart better than put them together, and that’s okay-the lady who brought much of the decorations, signage and two main dishes deserved any help she could get.). Muscle memory took over, when it came time to shorten curtain rods- I hadn’t done that particular task since helping my mother,as an early teenager. Other tasks were quite routine.

With Naw-Ruz in the books, I thought of the things I used to do with two left feet, that are now de rigueur. Almost anything mechanical used to end upside down, or inside out. Much of that, though, came from a combination of overthinking, an inner voice that told me I was stupid and rushing through the task. Now, I let muscle memory take hold, go ahead and do the task with attention and patience and act with self-confidence. Bob Powers’ Law has finally become part of my inner dialogue. Bob was probably the finest boss I ever had. He told me that some day I would realize that there was nothing wrong with my mental functioning, but that I would have to realize that on my own-and it might come hard. I was 16, impulsive and whimsical. He was in his late forties and had been around the horn several times. I could have listened better.

This new day saw me send greetings to my dear friend in Manila, to others on the Navajo Nation and to my friend and mentor in Phoenix. All around the world, north and south, east and west, may our souls be guided to do what is best for all humanity.

Happy Spring, to all in the north and Joyous Autumn to all in the south!

The Road to Diamond, Day 110: Clarity

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Personal goals, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

March 18, 2025- My time with the AARP accounting team brought the news that this is the Year of the Pittance. At least I owe nothing and am not depending on a hefty refund. The year really takes flight, once the tax returns are filed. There is a clarity, as to one’s financial situation, which in turn helps define the path ahead-in tandem with family milestones, friends’ plans to visit and the overall prognosis for community needs.

I met with our local Red Cross Director, yesterday, and agreed to hold down the fort during the next six months, at least, in terms of arranging coverage for any shelters we may need,during Spring and Summer. Even when I am on the road, in the first three weeks of May, I can monitor and contact our team members, who are exceptional in times of crisis.

A call came from Filipino friends, who will visit Arizona, from April 7-14. I will meet them in Las Vegas on the 7th, and will gladly show them our state’s highlights, visit other friends, and just be a good host. Anything that can cement a bridge across the Pacific is worth whatever is needed.

Meanwhile, here at Home Base, the rest of March is a quieter time, though Naw-Ruz, the Persian and Baha’i New Year, is two days away-and will be celebrated with feasting, music and dancing. Spring will arrive, the next day, and somewhere in the area there is a trail that will feel my footsteps in honour of Vernal Equinox.

So much is clear tonight, and despite the horrors that unfolded in the nation’s midsection, over the past few days, I sense a sowing of seeds is coming, in more ways than one. We the People will get past all the nonsense and obfuscation, because we can.