January 24, 2019-
What may be discerned,
from a facial expression?
A smile may be loving,
condescending,
or masking anger.
Flashing eyes may
indicate contempt,
severe concern,
or exasperation.
A stare could
show boredom,
intense interest,
a desire to intimidate,
or confusion.
Only a focused conversation
can provide the clues
to deciphering a look.
January 23, 2019-
I have watched the aftermath of this past weekend’s dustup, involving White, Red and Black activists, talking at, and over, each other- with only a smidgen of understanding, and that coming solely from the Native American elders, who thought drumming and singing a prayer would defuse tension.
The whites started out marching on behalf of banning abortion. The blacks were mainly stating their beliefs about their being descended from the 12 Tribes of Israel. The Native Americans were in a sanctioned march for Peace on Earth. The whites and blacks began berating one another, and it is academic as to who started what. There have been all manner of comments, on all sides and from the sidelines, suggesting that, once again, no one was listening to the others- except the silent, grinning Nick Sandmann who, depending on who was watching, was either standing still out of respect to Nathan Phillips or was grinning in contempt of “an other”.
In reality, it IS disrespectful in Native American culture, to speak to someone who is chanting, praying or dancing in a spiritual manner. Nick would know this, as, likewise, no Catholic churchgoer engages a priest in conversation, when the prelate is saying Mass or giving a sermon.
It is also reality for some to stand, often with arms folded, grinning while their eyes flash hatred, as I have often seen when disparate groups of people confront one another.
I saw no hatred in the eyes of Nick Sandmann. I saw a boy who didn’t want to speak, for whatever reason. I saw his face momentarily turn serious, and what was going through his mind, at that moment, is known only to him.
Commentators have interpreted the behaviours of various people in the situation, according to what they, the commentators, have witnessed in the past. I could do the same thing, and note that when I was a teen, my schoolmates and I poked fun at one another, sometimes to the point of invoking anger and tears. We had one another’s backs when real adversaries attacked us. Thus, the solidarity, the other day, when the whites, the reds and the blacks felt threatened by one another.
Gradually, as will likely happen with the Covington kids, many of my contemporaries and I expanded our social circles, to include people of various groups. Primacy of one group over another does not hold water. Nick Sandmann, and those of his friends who join in, will start learning this WHEN they sit down with Nathan Phillips, and hear his story. I hope they listen with both ears-and I hope Mr. Phillips remembers what it was like to be male and sixteen. In answer to his question: “THIS is our future?”, I can only say: Yes, sir, and it is also our past. Intemperance and ignorance give way to open-mindedness and awareness, when the latter are brought to bear, in a loving way. We are, in the end, one human race.
January 21, 2019-
My act of service, on this national act of service day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, was to join a determined little family, on a Red Cross project. Sound The Alarm is a nationwide project to ensure that all homes in the United States have access to working smoke detectors, installed free of charge, by Red Cross volunteers or team members from partner agencies, such as a local Fire Department. I have been working with this family, for well over a year, to get this program off the ground in western Yavapai County.
Today, after manning a table for a few hours, outside a closed Boys and Girls Club, in Prescott Valley, we had generated a list of ten clients. One of them asked that his alarms be installed today, so after the tabling activity was finished, we went to his home and installed two alarms. This activity was a significant jump start, to a rather lengthy process.
I was born under the fire sign. Corrective action, the fulfillment of promises and facing even severe challenges, without backing down, have been constant, in my adult life. When I was challenged, last Fall, as to whether that was still the case, I had to recommit to it, though on my own terms, not those that were being dictated to me.
The fire is still here, and I will stand up and work through whatever challenges come, in the remaining future.
January 19, 2019-
Many people make resolutions, the first thing, when the calendar rolls over. I don’t indulge in that particular practice, knowing that making firm commitments to new practices takes time.
There are nine task areas, labours of love, that have defined my life, since the passing of Penny, nearly eight years ago. I will focus today on what these mean, relative to 2019.
1. Family- With Aram and Yoonhee based in Busan, for at least the rest of this year, my focuses are: To be in Korea for their sacred wedding ceremony, in March; to tend to such of their needs as can only be addressed on this side of the Pacific; to meet them in the U.S., should they visit here in the summer.
2. Work- I remain committed to working, during the regular academic year, through at least December, 2020 and no later than May. 2021, depending on the needs of the school, preferably in the High School Autism Program. Thus, work is a major daily focus through the fourth week of May and from August-December.
3. Faith- No day has gone by, since February 23, 1981, that I have not begun my morning in devotions and a fairly long recitation of prayer. Service to Baha’u’llah remains a prime expression of my inner joy and love for humanity. This year marks the Bicentenary of the Birth of al-Bab (The Gate), Who we revere as both Baha’u’llah’s Herald and His Twin Messenger of God, as al-Bab’s spiritual Dispensation took place from 1844-1853, immediately before the beginning of Baha’u’llah’s. Their birthdays also fall on two consecutive days, on the lunar calendar. This year, these are October 29-30, with al-Bab’s anniversary occurring first. (Historically, Baha’u’llah was born in 1817 and al-Bab, in 1819). There are also regular Spiritual Feasts and other Holy Days, throughout the year and I am participating in regular study groups and other activities.
4. Community Life- I take part in volunteering on community projects, with the American Red Cross and Slow Food Prescott. The focuses are on disaster response, home safety, school gardens and, new this year, food recovery. These activities largely define my giving back to Prescott and Yavapai County, for having been a large part of my solace, in the Fall of 2011. The American Legion’s Post 6 celebrates its 100th anniversary, in May, and I will have a part to play in that celebration.
5. Writing- Blogging and journaling have also been critical to my inner healing, even in the midst of my caretaking, in 2008-11. They remain an integral part of who I am, and so Word Press, with its being extended to Facebook and Linked In, remains my primary means of self-expression, through this year and beyond. I also maintain a pen and ink private journal.
6, Hiking- This has been a huge lifelong pastime, pretty much since I was old enough to walk. Since I’ve been old enough to take off on my own, without getting into trouble, many trails and paths, from my native Massachusetts to the desert Southwest, Colorado, southeast Alaska, Korea and northwestern Europe have seen my bootprints. This year, my focuses will be on further segments of the Maricopa Trail, at least two visits to the Grand Canyon, more beach walks in southern California, Fall hikes in Utah and the Navajo Nation, and several walks with Aram and Yoonhee, whilst in Korea.
7. Travel- This has also long been one of my passions, often dovetailing with hiking. The Korea trip will take me to Gwangju and Jeju, as well as Busan. Prior to that, will be a Presidents’ Day weekend visit to southern California, hopefully connecting with friends in Orange County and the San Diego area-with La Jolla, Dana Point, San Clemente and possibly Crystal Cove being on the itinerary.
June and July largely hinge on my little family’s schedule. Carson City, in late May, is a given, with a new extended family member having been born, this past week. A 1-2 week visit to the Northwest, Vancouver Island/Sunshine Coast and southeast Alaska is likely-as is the now customary jaunt through the Midwest to New England and back through the mid-South.
October (Fall Break) will find me in Monument Valley and southeast Utah- returning to Capitol Reef and Natural Bridges, as well as the Goosenecks of the San Juan River. Christmas, God-willing, will see a return to Massachusetts.
8. Diet and Exercise- Planet Fitness and our daily Adaptive Physical Education regimen have largely provided my continuity as a healthy physical specimen. Stretches at home have also proven critical, as I recovered from a posterior knee strain, over the past ten weeks. Things are 99% back to normal and I want to keep it that way- up to, and maintaining, 100%. I am cutting back on coffee consumption, not out of any pressure, but because my body tells me that’s what it wants. Less red meat is also finding its way onto my plate-and what there is, is certified grass-fed and organic. A greater percentage of my diet being of vegetables, fruits and whole grains is on tap for this year, as well. Yes, I will drink more water-that’s not an empty statement. Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, including Lifelong Vitality Supplements, are a continual source of sustenance.
9. Study- My mind is always looking to keep current with advances in health, trends in positive thought and expanding my awareness of subjects in which I have scant knowledge- as well as continual study of Baha’i texts and new correspondence. This will continue, as 2019 progresses.
This is a longer post than usual, but there you have my year’s plan.
January 16, 2019-
I am looking at a photo of a well-known person, who is pregnant for the third time. It’s said that there are many who are “urgently concerned” about her health, given ” a state of morbid obesity”. That is good of these people, as it could very well be a health risk-for mother and child. I regard her very dearly, and pray for the successful births of her child and for those of two other women I know.
A skilled and intelligent woman, of whom I have long had a high opinion, is running for President, in next year’s election. At this stage of the game, it is hard to see how things will turn out. Yet, already, those who are fearful that she might meet with success are questioning her intelligence, because “no one that pretty could possibly be smart enough to be leader of the Free World.” Of course! Such individuals give away their game, without so much as a shred of evidence in their favour. Suffice it say, this woman has more leadership ability in her right thumb than a dozen pundits have, in their twelve collective bodies.
Status changes, often on a daily basis, in both real time and on social media. The key to making that change go in a positive direction is consistency, in both fairness of judgment and steadiness in values. Open-mindedness gets in there, somewhere. Being wishy-washy, does not.
Thus, the two women mentioned above could easily return to society’s good graces, and leave pariah status in the dust, just by remaining who they are, in their innermost hearts. I find it sad that, in this day and age, social fickleness still seems to reign, if not supreme, then at a rather meagerly-challenged level.
January 13, 2019, Happy Jack, AZ-
I woke this morning, to find six inches of freshly-fallen snow covering the area outside my room at Delta Motel, Winslow. It is a high desert community, and the residents were as surprised as I was, that the serenity brought by snow had descended upon their environs. I’ve liked the Delta, for several years, because of its unpretentious yet immaculate rooms, a few of which had rockabilly themes, under a former owner. The rooms now have a distinctly Southwestern flavour to them.
The snow did leave me to ponder the rest of my day. Having said that I wanted to visit friends on the Hopi Nation, ninety minutes northeast of Winslow, I had to consider the weather and road conditions, plus the fact that I have to be in Phoenix, for an appointment, tomorrow morning.
I opted to head for home, primarily because between Winslow and Prescott there lies high country, regardless of route. There was poor reception for both phone and wifi, so discerning road conditions, later in the day, was problematic. After breakfast, and wishing the caring and efficient motel staff a fine day, I filled my car’s tank at a station across the street. Winslow is famous for the late Glenn Frey’s reminiscence of a girl “slowing down to take a look” at him, whilst he was standing on a corner there. It was rather ironic, that a sweet-faced young lady sat in her car and smilingly watched as I filled up the tank. We never spoke, but her smile was a comfort.
I headed south, as she headed north, and found the road, to this little village on AZ Route 87, very well-plowed and free of ice. This high country town has a small cafe- Tall Pines Cafe, named for the largest contiguous Ponderosa pine forest in North America. Fresh chicken noodle soup and delectable quesadillas were my filling lunch. The snow was as fresh here as it was in Winslow, and would cover the ground as far as 2/3 of the way down the rim to Camp Verde.
P.S.-The rest of the drive was uneventful, with bare ground from Camp Verde until I was just about back in Prescott. I take comfort in that farmers will have a leg up, come spring, if the precipitation continues at the level it has fallen, thus far this winter. I will make time to go up to Hopi, later in the Spring, and certainly at some points during Summer.
Nonetheless, surprises from the Universe are part of what keeps me going strong.
January 12, 2019, Flagstaff-
I set out for this mountain community, which was my home in 1980-81, with a view towards determining the level of untended littering in one National Monument: Sunset Crater, during the ever-longer government shutdown. As we’ll see, the amount was rather light.
The day started with my feeling weighted down, by what, I still have no idea. My mood was lifted, though, by meeting a delightful little family from Dharma Farm, a place of which I’ve written in the past, whilst making my usual rounds at Prescott Farmers Market. I will re-visit Dharma more often, during the remainder of winter and into spring. Their commitment to permaculture is something of which I want to learn more, prior to any post-retirement move I might make. Permaculture will be described further, in subsequent posts, as well.
Back to Flagstaff, and Sunset Crater. I found few other people visiting the park. Three tourists did drive past the semi-porous barricades and further into the park. As it happens, a Federal park ranger is on site and drove into the area, quickly sending the visitors back the way they came. Only a Dineh man, with grandfathered visiting rights to any area of Sunset Crater and nearby Wupatki (some park lands were purchased, by eminent domain, from a handful of Dineh (Navajo) families), in the 1930’s), was allowed to drive his truck behind the barricades.
I went on foot, for about a mile, into the park and found little trash along the road-and none on the trail I took. There were some lovely views, though.
After it was apparent that my mission did not warrant further exploration of the park, especially with the ranger working without pay, I headed back into town, and parked in a formerly free lot. Flagstaff has taken a page from other tourist-dependent communities, and charges $1 per hour to park along downtown streets or in its off-street lots. I find this reasonable, though some visitors grumbled that there are not “freshly-paved” streets that would “warrant” such a charge. Go figure.
I found the usually congenial folks at Pizzicleta, an artisan thin-crust eatery, to be a bit grumpy and unusually reserved. One of the servers mentioned how tired they were, though the place had barely been open for twenty minutes. Maybe it is the preparation that is enervating. The food was still great, though, which is what matters most.
Now, it’s time to head to Winslow, an hour to the east, and find a spot at my favourite motel there. Tomorrow, I hope to head up to the Hopi Nation, to visit long-time friends. The Bean Dance is coming.
January 9, 2019-
The young boy reacted to a task that was beyond his scope of understanding, in the only way he knew: He threw a fit of self-harm and flailing rage. Two women were able to guide him through the anger and calm him down, without any appreciable damage to himself or anyone else. He spent the rest of the day in peace, and participated in afternoon activities.
The past forty-eight hours have seen a fair amount of negativity, in situations far and near:
A dear friend has seen the person closest to her have to be brought to hospital, in a life-threatening emergency. My prayers, and those of dozens of others, have gone up, that he may survive the night and recover. The spouse, or significant other, of a friend is as dear to my heart as the friend.
There was, yesterday, what turned out to be a minor hiccup, in my son’s and daughter-in-law’s planned ceremony to sanctify their civil wedding vows. We maintained patience and the right thing happened-hiccup cured. Ceremony will proceed as planned, in two months’ time.
I had planned, with a group of co-workers and their friends/family, to conduct a clean-up of one of the National Park properties that is not far from here. This morning, an alert, banning the public from said property during the current shutdown, was hastily posted on the park’s website. While I can see any number of concerns that would bring such a response to the offers of a clean-up, (Ours was not the only such offer.), the shutdown as a whole is extremely negative and counterproductive. Our group could clean up any of the National Forest sites in this area, though the U.S. Forest Service is fully operational. We could, as one person elsewhere told me, focus on local neighbourhoods and not worry about Federal land. These two scenarios can, and should, be a regular part of civic life-above and beyond the present impasse. (More on “local vs. global”, in another post.) Our point, though, in THIS situation, is that the National Park System is suffering, mightily, from ongoing neglect during the present shutdown. It needs its citizens to step up, more than ever.
Negative energy is always around, and as darkness is dispelled by light, it can be countered and neutralized by a stronger positive energy. Fighting fire with fire, or mud with more mud, is a short-term strategy, which usually results in the perpetuation of the very iniquity that one seeks to remove. I have found that either maintaining a stronger stance of love, in the face of hate, or cutting off the flow of negativity altogether, has brought the darkness to naught.
January 8, 2019-
The local Sears may well be closing soon, along with most others of that company’s sites. That fact has nothing to do with the title of this post, though.
Prescott has taught me how to be fully part of a community-actually a lesson that Saugus, and later, the Hopi Nation, tried to teach me, years ago, with varying degrees of success. I guess that now, in my advanced middle age, and with a few knockabouts under my belt, people are more easily understood by me, and vice versa.
There is a move afoot for several of us to go to a National Park Service property (to be determined), and engage in a clean-up, this weekend. This is just the latest of examples of why this community has a commitment from my heart to stay and work for the next 2-2.5 years, before family, and the curiosity about the wider world, take primacy in my life, once again. My Faith community, the Red Cross, a local school gardens group, various individual friends-and my co-workers at Prescott High School have kept me well-occupied and quite happily so, especially these past two academic years.
This evening, I went to a fundraiser for our school’s Future Business Leaders of America. Wildflower Bakery, a regional chain, has a new restaurant, within the shopping mall where it has been a fixture for several years. It is visible from the road, and draws a fair crowd. FBLA thus decided to hold its event here. I support as many of these “club dinners” as I can, just out of love. Teens, in my view, deserve all the support they can get, in finding their way to a solid and sustainable future.
I guess this is the impetus to having all these other elements of community take root in my heart.
January 3, 2019, Prescott-
A friend and I had planned on taking some local children to an ice skating rink today. The kids got sick last night, so the two of us went on a hike in our local wonderland, Granite Dells, instead. We chose Constellation Trail, on the west side of the Dells, and so named for a plane which crashed in the area, in 1959.
I have been on the Constellation Trail several times, but never in snow and ice. As the snow was not deep, it was fairly easy to navigate-save for one small detail. The snow and ice cover obscured the trail, in places, thus making it easy for us to be diverted to one side ravine after another. I’ve done this before, elsewhere, when the trail has become smudged or eroded.
It was not a hard hike, otherwise, and though we did not get to the top of the ridge, 2.8 miles were walked, in a most serene setting.
![20190103_114539[1]](https://peacefulwarrior9.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20190103_1145391.jpg?w=640)
Afterwards, we went back to friend’s house, had lunch and I met her husband. It pays to go with the flow, even that of ice and snow. No, neither of us fell, thanks to the fiberglass poles and our own surefootedness.
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