Dystopia

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 17, 2014 in Personal goals, Social

I have a propensity for watching TV shows and films which have a dystopian theme: Revolution, The Black List, Person of Interest, Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, Divergent, Ender’s Game. I mainly like to see how the protagonists solve their dilemmas, though in too many cases, the choice is “Blam, Blam”. Revolution got old, and formulaic, so it’ll be consigned to Hulu after one last episode.

Dystopia, the collapse of all we know and either love or hate, the primal turn to either a Lord of the Flies mentality, a Glengarry, Glenross or 1984 mindset, or both, seems to be much on everyone’s mind. Despite my fascination with these shows, however, I don’t see an actual, full-blown dystopia as the long-term wave of the future. Yes, we may very well endure a stretch of trials and tribulations, which won’t lend themselves to a quick return to “Business as Usual”, but I believe there will emerge something far better.

People are bound to notice that there are those who are building a better, more organized and less officious civilization from whatever ashes to which the old systems lead. Some won’t want anything to do with it, but most will, over a period of decades. I have had several iterations of my own life, in which, as Baha’u’llah, Founder of the Baha’i Faith wrote “Poverty is followed by riches, and riches are followed by poverty…” His meaning is that material possessions come and go, but He is emphatic in saying that we will always have what we need.

With Paul Simon, in “Peace Like a River”, I see a glorious Day.

Connectedness

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 13, 2014 in Personal goals, Social

In the various stretches of downtime which I was given these past several days, I read the book, “Proof of Heaven”, by Eben Alexander, a psychiatrist who experienced a particularly acute Near Death Experience, a few years ago. It is notable that he saw the intense interconnectedness of subatomic particles during his time in coma. This very phenomenon has been documented, in the past few years, by Quantum Physicists. It underscores the absolute relatedness of all things, both moving and inert.

I had lots of time to think about this aspect of our life. Indeed, it is the most basic feature of all life in the Universe, at all levels. This brings me to a confirmation: All life seeks connection to all other life. Let’s stick to how this might apply to human beings, for the present.

I drew a few conclusions about our relations with one another. First, when people seek connection with others, we are persistent in various ways. It is the longing for connection that spurs criticism, clinginess, flirting, awkward approach, the furtive glance, officiousness and lack of boundaries. These behaviours represent our sense that we are connected, while remaining uncertain as to just how this is so. Thus, we engage in trial and error.

Second, although each of us may indulge in one or another of these behaviours, we are put off by those who exhibit them towards us. This is perhaps because, as one child once said, “We GET it!” Each of us has the basic spiritual sense that we are one with all else. We don’t need, or want, someone to overwhelm us with more than the natural flow of contact. We don’t like to have insecurity, either our own, or another’s, interrupt the flow.

Third, perhaps the overriding purpose of this life, which is to know and love God (or the Creative Force, Om, or whatever you wish to call the One Who generated all things), is indeed a series of trials and errors- from which each of us needs to draw lessons which will serve us well, throughout the course of our own eternities.

Finally, as to why some people seek separation- perhaps this is a natural, if counterproductive, reaction to being repeatedly hurt by those with whom we have interacted, and who, for reasons of their own, have failed to understand what we need.

I came away from this read and meditation far more at peace with those around me, and far less inclined to feel put off by, or exhibit, behaviours such as those I mentioned in the first paragraph. Life remains a glorious set of challenges and growth spurts.

Boys and Men

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 10, 2014 in Personal goals, Social

“Grama died”, the little girl said to her older brother. Even though the bacon and scrambled eggs their father had whipped up was scrumptiously inviting, the ten-year-old boy knew what he had to do. He went back upstairs, into his parents’ bedroom and wrapped his arms around his sobbing mother. The human spirit is ever-prescient.

Some twenty years earlier, in another town, far to the south, a 16-year-old boy had just received his driver’s license. His father’s brand-new car had the detached bumper that was in fashion back then. He proudly headed “around the block”, to run an errand for his Dad, while showing his friends his good fortune. One of his buddies talked him into going for a short spin, so he took the kid along to the store. When the friend was dropped off, the new driver got too close to the curb, and managed to snag the bumper, ripping it from the frame. Six months and dozens of chores later, his father gave him back the license. The human spirit can be very easily clouded.

I’ve always been glad to be male. My boyhood was somewhat coloured by having been alternately blessed and cursed with an independent worldview, a forgiving soul and an autistic brain- which was tempered by my thirst for learning and by being part of a large, loving family. My affliction is mild enough that I have never needed a special program or altered scheduling. It has brought perceptual problems, every so often, but life, overall has been just fine.

My mother once said no male is a real man until he hits 40. Boys tend to lay their difficulties on someone else’s doorstep. Men, like my late father and father-in-law, are not thrilled by life’s difficulties, but take the burden of their resolution onto their considerably broad shoulders. By that standard, I have flipped back and forth between manhood and boyhood at least twenty-dozen times, since I turned 18. To my great relief, though, boyhood has been a thing of the past, for at least five years. In my case, my Mom was about 18 years off. Life has a way of burning the rough edges off anyone, or anything.

The great men in my life, though, have always shown a puckish spirit. Norm Fellman, my father-in-law, who left us on Wednesday, had a sense of fun that was second to none. It probably kept his father from clobbering him when the car got mangled, and certainly kept him alive when the Nazis captured him, in the fog of the Battle of the Bulge, in 1944. By all accounts, he ended up largely getting the better of them, in the end- despite the harrowing, horrific circumstances of his 100 days of Hell, in Berga, Germany.

I learned a lot from Norm, from my Dad, and from so many in the GI Generation. The boy who comforted his mother, on the death of his beloved Grama, is now in the grandparent range himself. So, no matter what pleasures present themselves, and what difficulties appear, to be resolved, it’s on this man to take the bull by the horns.

God bless you, Norm, and we’ll keep the faith for ya.

The Others

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 5, 2014 in Personal goals, Social

Later this evening, I will post about the Prescott Historic House Tour, part of our city’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, and Chalk It Up, an annual chalk-art festival. Both took place this past weekend, as did a Cinco de Mayo Block Party, in Courthouse Square.

First, though, a bit of seriousness. Let me go further with what I wrote yesterday about the journeys on which each of us is embarked.

Human beings, alone among species, sort those they see as strangers into categories of “race”, skin tone, ethnicity, Faith, gender and sexual orientation( of course, we are the only species which experiences the latter as a life condition). To be sure, other animals, from ants to prairie dogs to wolves and dolphins, sort by family group and/or territory. This is all part of territoriality and population control.

Our extra selection processes, really, don’t make much sense. There is no qualitative difference between me and any of my friends who happen to be Black, but in the 1960’s, there was no way any of them would have been able to live in a family home in the town where I came of age, outside of a small designated area on the south side of town. That’s changed now, of course, and it was with great personal satisfaction that I learned, in 1996, that my maternal grandmother’s house was purchased by an accomplished attorney of African-American descent.

I thought of all this, while taking in the various events of Cinco de Mayo weekend, in downtown Prescott. People of all backgrounds are welcome here. Although Prescott has a tendency towards political conservatism, there seems little bigotry. Those of us who indulge in politics at all, tend to be of Libertarian bent.

I’ve always had a hard time understanding prejudice, and while working to rid myself of my own pre-conceived notions, which I found confusing, the whole concept of “Other” had to be allowed to surface, and float away. Young Black men, when I was in my twenties, did me the honour of challenging me to show that I was recognizing, and casting aside, the subtleties which I had picked up in childhood. I was hurt and angered by my white peers’ callous reaction to the killing of Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968. He hurt no one, and helped as many of us as would listen to what he had to say.

Still and all, I have had to recognize my own sense of “Other”. This separation is a worldwide thing, though. Many East Asians have trouble with Whites and Blacks being in their midst. Africans separate by tribe; West Asians, by Faith; Russians, by language. Some of this “otherness” is rooted in hurt; some of it stems from fear.

The fact remains, however, that we are all connected. I see this sense of connectedness increasing, incrementally, among Millennials and the current generation of children. It’s definitely a process, not an event. Racist teens and twenty-somethings, though, are regarded by the majority of their peers as having mental problems. This cuts across all racial and ethnic groups, and political affiliations.

The kids are onto something. “Otherness” is a learned paradigm. Then again, so is helplessness.

Inward, Outward and Onward

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 4, 2014 in Personal goals, Social

We are each on a journey of some sort.

I’ve had a lot of thoughts and a few conversations, over the past month or so, as to what sort of person always seems to be on the move, and what exactly is it that such a person is seeking. I can only speak for myself. I have been peripatetic from Day 1, it seems, and not just in the sense of exploring new physical locations or different scenes. My nose has been in a book, far more often than my feet have been moving forward. Ironically, though I love to be walking here and there, when the occasion requires, I can sit still for hours on end, patiently reading, watching the most inane TV shows or just letting my mind wander. This last characteristic served me well during my Penny’s final year- much of which I spent at her bedside- because there was no place I wanted to be more.

Whether one is engaged in a building project, sitting at dockside with a fishing pole in hand, coaching a soccer team, designing jewelry, doing one’s taxes or climbing Sagarmatha, a journey is a journey. There may be miscalculations and setbacks along the way, and re-dos are the task of the lucky. The rest end up in one abyss or another.

This brings me to relationships. I was more fortunate than I can ever express outwardly, that I had the companionship of a blithe spirit and keen intellect for thirty years. I will have a spiritual bond with Penny for all eternity, and there will never be a time when I don’t feel her presence. I am fortunate to be surrounded by family, in an ever-distant outward ring, which is nevertheless always pulsating. I am fortunate, too, to have friends both near and far- those who understand me, and still refrain from judging.

Some ask, why do you not want another companion? The quick answer is, I am a self-contained unit, and always have been. Penny drew me out and aided me to build on what my parents instilled in each of us- to be urgently aware of our surroundings, and BE HELPFUL. I’m far from dead, emotionally, and see women I consider attractive, in one way or another, every day. The most important thing, though, is that I have finally learned that it is the friendship, not the attraction, that sets us free. I would rather have a hundred good friends, or a thousand, than be in any relationship where one of us is feeling like “Damn it, I can do better.”

So, I am happy to have the friends in my life, female and male, young and old, on whom I can count and who can count on me, with no ulterior motives. We are each on a journey, every minute of every day, and it is a fine thing to see a traveler smile along the way.

Trailheads and Paths, Issue 16: Sculpture Garden and An Old Fort

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on April 28, 2014 in Hiking and Nature, Social

Last Thursday was an exquisitely beautiful day, and I sensed it would be not good for my spirit to just sit inside and ruminate. There was one walking path I had not established as yet- a pedestrian route to Yavapai College and the VA Hospital. So, there was my Thursday afternoon plan!

The “single-step” in this jaunt was a walk along North Arizona Avenue, past the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame, and the Smoki Museum, which has, as its mission, the preservation of Native American culture. As such, the buildings are constructed of native stone, with extended beams, in the Pueblo style of construction.

The first photo is of the Smoki; the second, of the Hall of Fame.

I crossed Sheldon Street a few minutes later, and entered the Yavapai College Sculpture Garden. The community college has grown mightily over the past several years, but the Garden remains a focal point for meditation and serenity.

Here is “Community Gothic”, by Richard Marcusen.

Water is a key element in the garden’s central piece, “The Gathering”, by Gary Slater.

Alternative energy gets a pitch here, with these avant-garde windmills.

The north side of the college Library has been tapped for this interesting panel.

Across the dry creek bed, the roof tops of old Fort Whipple peek out.

Having reached the northern edge of the College grounds, I continued on into Rough Rider Park, where there is a short bike and hike trail, leading to the grounds of Prescott Veterans Administration Hospital. This is a good trail for me, as I visit the patients of the Community Living Center there, once a month. Now, I won’t need to drive there every time.

On the way, an old rail bridge caught my eye, at the edge of Prescott-Yavapai Indian Reservation.

An extra feature of the Hospital is the preservation of Fort Whipple, an old Army post of Prescott’s formative years. I first went in the Museum, which is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 10-4.

Below, is the chair used by General George Crook, one of the more successful commanders at maintaining a semblance of peace in the Southwest, during the period of unrest among the Apache.

After looking about the museum for about an hour, I walked past the preserved old barracks. The row of old houses, some still occupied by VA workers, cries out for restoration.

Having come full circle, I walked back to Yavapai College, which along with some parts of the Yavapai Reservation, and Rough Rider Park, was taken from land occupied by Fort Whipple. The trailhead to Rough Rider greeted me, as I walked through the gate.

So, knowing three or four more spots to walk and meditate on a slow day- or a rough one, I am that much more settled into my near-downtown neighbourhood.

The Mists of Jindo

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on April 23, 2014 in Personal goals, Social

Park Jee-yung dropped out of college, and went to work on a Korean domestic ferry, when her father passed on, two years ago. It’s what Korean children do for their families, in the Confucian tradition of filial piety. Two weeks ago, Miss Park found herself, along with nearly 400 other young people and 75 elders, on an ill-fated journey to Jeju, Korea’s holiday mecca, some 60 miles off the southwest tip of the Korean Peninsula. This journey entailed sailing from a port in the Seoul area, and thus a potentially treacherous voyage through countless areas of rock and reef. The story of how the journey ended is gradually unfolding: Essentially, an inexperienced and unconfident helmsman, scarcely more than a child herself, lost her way and the ship foundered into a mess of rocks. It’s not certain where the ship’s captain was during this time, but it is notable that he left the ship while most of his passengers remained aboard, and the ship was going inexorably down.

Park Jee-yung stayed with the teenagers, going as many places on board as time allowed, finding life vests for her younger charges and trying to get as many on board life rafts as she could. Survivors reported that Miss Park repeatedly refused to leave the ship, saying it was the crew’s duty, and thus hers, to be the last to leave. So it went- for her, and possibly other crewmates, though not for the senior ship officials. This has become de rigeur, in recent years, for the crews of troubled vessels, but I digress.

I lived in Korea, on Jeju, for 5 1/2 years. The vast majority of the people I met were like Park Jee-yung- bright, organized, and self-effacing. I can only imagine the horror that has engulfed this blessed nation, whose traditions dictate that a people move forward together, that the needs of the whole trump the whims of the parts, that children mind their elders, without question.

So it went, that horrific day. The aging ship’s captain issued an order to the students on board to stay in their cabins. A few rowdy boys chose to challenge that order and went on deck, saw what was happening and, rallying some of their schoolmates, managed to get on board the life vessels and to safety. One of them was the first to issue a distress call to the mainland. These were among the people helped by Park Jee-yun.

There is much to admire about Korean society. Few nations could have risen out of the ashes of war, largely on their own, as South Korea has. Shoulder to shoulder, Koreans have seen what was needed, and brought it about. Now it is time to take stock of the price of fragmentation- nearly 160 dead, as I write this, and hundreds more still missing. I sit here, in the comfort of an American home, and feel only grief and sorrow. So many beautiful souls, who could have only elevated life in their city of Ansan, and beyond, now sit at the Throne of the God of us all, and wait to see just how they might comfort those who miss them so grievously.

Let Korea continue to move forward as an entity, with the caveat that sometimes, many times, the voices of the rambunctious need to be heard. The gadflies among us frequently see things the masses overlook, and their warnings, however irritating at the get-go, turn out to be what save the day. Cassandra was not altogether insane.

Rest in peace, beautiful friends, and may the nation you left too soon regroup, restore its sense of balance and move forward, in unison.

Prescott’s Sesquicentennial

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on April 20, 2014 in Social

Prescott will observe the 150th anniversary of its founding, at the end of May. This afternoon, about 1,000 people gathered on the east side of the Courthouse, to take part in a group photo. Since I won’t be in town during the actual celebrations, I decided to be in the group photo. It’ll be ready for distribution, on a poster, in a few weeks. I will keep checking Prescott’s Facebook page for group photos, in the meantime. While contemplating the arrival of this anniversary, I realized that my photo shoots have been achieved far and wide, across the country, yet I had not recorded some of my adopted home town’s most salient features. Downtown is therefore presented here. First, at City Hall, citizen and visitor alike are greeted by this imposing figure.

Two other statues occupy the edges of Courthouse Square. The warp and weft of this fabulous little town is the ranching West, followed closely by a fierce defense of individual freedom. There is, in this day’s economy, not that much left of the Cowboy Culture, but we have the Fourth of July Rodeo, the Cowboy Poets gathering, these statues, and what follows- Whiskey Row, Prescott’s legendary answer to Tombstone.

The northern cornerstone of Whiskey Row is the oldest of Prescott’s three iconic hotels: The St. Michaels.

At this point, I rounded the corner of Courthouse Square, past the Gazebo, where Penny, Aram and I used to sit and listen to the Friday evening concerts, in the early 2000’s,

and found the Centennial Tree, offered by the people of Prescott to the State of Arizona, on February 14, 2012, our state’s Centenary.

Prescott was founded for the sake of the cattle industry, as well as for mining. Yet, when the horse became a secondary means of transportation, Prescottonians took easily to the automobile. Antique car shows are held here, once or twice each year.

In front of this fine vintage vehicle, I found a palatable and filling lunch at one of Prescott’s many dining establishments,

On the way home, I passed Prescott’s newer downtown Grand Hotel: The Hassayampa. born of the Edwardian Era.

I can’t leave mention of hotels, though, without a glance at our lovely boutique establishment: The Vendome.

Prescott still has plenty of serene, natural settings, including some not far from downtown. Here is Miller Creek.

We are, after all,

Here is an example of why Prescott has survived three downtown fires, a few floods and the devastation of last year’s loss of one of our primary Fire Crews. A real community is never totally rent asunder, and this town, like Tombstone, is too tough to die.

Long after the scrawler of the red graffiti has come to his senses, there will be love and life, and God will love us.

Happy Birthday, Prescott!

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