The Fast: Day 2- A Guest Post, ”You Should Stop Expecting from Others”

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This post says, better than I can, how to practice unconditional love. Consider these thoughts, on this second day of the Nineteen-Day Fast.

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“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations
and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
―Bruce Lee

The biggest disappointments in our lives are often the result of misplaced expectations.  This is especially true when it comes to our relationships and interactions with others.

Tempering your expectations of other people will greatly reduce unnecessary frustration and suffering, in both your life and theirs, and help you refocus on the things that truly matter.

Which means it’s time to…

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* Stop expecting them to agree with you:-

You deserve to be happy.  You deserve to live a life you are excited about.  Don’t let the opinions of others make you forget that.  You are not in this world to live up to the expectations of others, nor should you feel that others are here to live up to yours.  In fact, the more you…

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The Fast: Day 1

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Posted by on in impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

March 2, 2018, Prescott-

Every year, from March 2-20, until I reach the age of 70, my practice is to refrain from food and drink, between sunrise and sunset.  The purpose is both physical and mental cleansing, which is something that could benefit anyone.  Of course, if I am traveling long distances, engaged in strenuous work or become ill, the Fast gets modified somewhat.

Each of these nineteen days will feature a post that deals with spiritual matters- attributes and such, that help us meet challenges.

The first of these is trustworthiness.  I haven’t always been deserving of trust.  Last night, I dreamed of someone whose trust I broke, a few years back.  In the dream, my charge was to deliver some mail to this person’s office, whilst she was, ostensibly, not there.  I had a key to the office, which was to be returned to a third party, after the delivery.  When I made the delivery, I saw the top of the person’s head, over a divider.  I silently handed her one of the parcels, and left the others on a table in the front of the office.  No words or gestures were exchanged, and I went on my way, delivering the keys to the third party, as planned.

Quirks and perceived needs can, and do, impinge on trustworthiness; so do skewed perceptions.  Divided loyalties can enter into the matter, as well.  The fact is, however, that once trust is broken, it can seldom, if ever, be wholly restored.  There are those who have broken my trust, and those, like the aforementioned, whose trust i have broken.  With one forgiving exception, of them are in my life anymore.

Going forward, my choice is to pursue every single encounter with a person, or group, very carefully.  Trust is like glass.

It Goes Without Saying

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Family, Inner Struggles, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

February 26, 2018, Prescott-

I’ll say it, anyway-

Today was the first day of Ayyam-i-Ha, the Baha’i period of gift giving and gratitude for what we have.

I gifted an intentional community, north of here, with a stoneware baking dish, because they have been jerry-rigging their baking efforts.  Plus, I love those kids.

Actually, I love all kids, and have for years.  Even the ones that others call misfits and brats deserve love and encouragement, though not coddling.  Nonviolent discipline is a vital part of love.

This generation, which some call The Founders, will have its work cut out for it.  How much work, will depend on how much their parents’ and grandparents’ generations put up a fight against their efforts (see #CameraHogg and other noisome garbage that various “Old Guards” are spewing forth).

It will also depend on how seriously the children come to take their own pronouncements about inclusion.  Splitting into cliques and putting up walls will just be more of the same.

“Hallelujah” and “The Sound of Silence” are among the most beautiful songs in the English language.  They’ve been on my evening’s playlist. Then, there is this:

The Baha’i Nineteen-Day fast is coming up, starting Friday, and lasting until sundown on Tuesday, the twentieth of March.  I will refrain, to the best of my ability, from eating or drinking, between sunrise and sunset, for those nineteen days.

Guns don’t kill; hate kills.  Guns make killing easier, as do bombs and flammable liquids.  The bottom line is, though, it’s a hate thing.

I could not live, easily, in a world without women.  It started with Mom, and Grandma, in the early mists that I knew as Saugus, in the 1950’s.  That brings up this:

The harbour lights and the campground lights have meant the same thing to me, over all these years:  There is love and safety ahead.

Know this, my friends and family:  There is not as fine a world, if not for you.  Self-battery should never be an option.

 

 

Consequences

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Posted by on in distraction issues, Personal goals, Social, Striving

February 25, 2018, Prescott-

I have spent two days, trying to catch up on my Reader.  Sad to say, I will not get to everyone’s posts, every day.  No harm, no foul.  Life has to go on, so don’t take it personally.

People matter; black guns do not.  Children and teens matter, greatly, because they will carry on, and these particular ones will have much to clean up.  They have already started.  Of course, some of the mess-makers will stick out their legs and try to trip everyone up.  “Must keep things as they are, you know!”  There are consequences, to anything one does.  The consequences of a conspiracy theory are that no one believes you, and then, when the wolf does bite……

I have four places to be today.  Sometime, in the middle of it all, I will go get a tire pressure gauge and find out the source of the Pressure Warning Light being on!!!!  Well, it’s time to go to breakfast.  The consequences of not eating are not pleasant.

Billy Graham

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Posted by on in Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

February 21, 2018, Prescott-

He was a staple of my Catholic father’s television fare,

whenever he aired a Crusade, in the evening.

He was a subtle influence on me, as well,

bringing Jesus the Christ to my heart,

in a personal way.

Years later, he went on a crusade of a different sort,

trying to win back souls for Christ,

from the ranks of Baha’is.

Still more years later,

when I had found Baha’u’llah for myself,

he realized that there were many

paths to the Realm of the Father.

He only wanted to see Heaven.

Now, he is on his way.

Bless you always,

Reverend Mr. Billy.

Fleeting

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Posted by on in Community, distraction issues, impediments, Striving

February 20, 2018, Prescott-

The snow came down, fitfully,

more than our precipitation shadow

usually sees,

and somehow, the creek,

near a natural foods cafe

that I frequent,

was rushing,

just enough to generate excitement.

I’ve been in situations

like this, many times.

A handful of raindrops

wet the pavement

in a dust bowl town,

and the community

celebrates.

A fishing town,

in the Northwest,

has five straight

days of sunshine,

and the tanning booths

empty out.

Most clearly,

I remember January thaws,

when several of us were out

in t-shirts and shorts,

at the first 50-degree moment.

This is central Arizona,though,

and the sun had burned off

the clouds, by 3 P.M.

Business as usual

cannot be put off,

more than a few hours.

 

The Baha’i Faith: A Synopsis

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(THIS ARTICLE IS COURTESY OF THE WEBSITE ‘BAHAITEACHINGS.ORG’) What is the Baha’i Faith? The Baha’i Faith, the world’s newest independent global belief system, teaches the oneness of God, the unity of humanity and the essential harmony of religion. Baha’is believe in peace, justice, love, altruism and unity. The Baha’i teachings promote the agreement of science and religion, the equality of the sexes and […]

via What is the Baha’i Faith? — Truth Troubles

The Ocean

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Posted by on in Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

February 16, 2017, Carlsbad, CA-

I have traveled, from one healing place

to another,

and then to another, yet.

Prescott has been my refuge,

for six years,

and six months.

Blythe is a wide spot

in the Colorado Desert,

of California’s underscored East.

I stayed there,

because it has the river.

A desert was once an ocean.

Dig deep enough,

past the scorpions’ nests,

and the caliche,

and there will be shell fossils.

La Jolla,

bustling,

overcrowded,

expensive as a place to live,

but sublimely peaceful,

if you look past the mobs.

It reminds me of a time,

long ago,

when I was in the Bronx.

on a Sunday morning,

in April.

No one else was about,

just me,

and Yankee Stadium,

and the animals of Bronx Zoo,

and the murals,

painted by those of good heart.

Today,

it was all the parents and kids,

beautiful people of tomorrow,

and a small colony of sea lions.

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There are few murals in La Jolla,

but  there is a Museum of Contemporary Art

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I left La Jolla,

and negotiated the hordes of people

trying, desperately, to get past

one another,

only to meet again,

at the next light.

We did this dance,

on I-5

and again

on the PCH,

from Encinitas,

to Carlsbad.

Here, I bought

yet another box

of Girl Scout cookies,

because mother and child

were alone,

ignored by those

passing in and out of Von’s.

I bought a box,

because this girl

is our future,

and the future needs

the water of encouragement.

I was followed

by a grandmother,

who bought four boxes,

which Mom proclaimed

the biggest sale of the day.

Encouragement

draws more encouragement.

I settled in,

at my Econolodge,

one of my refuges,

near the ocean.