The Road to 65, Mile 260: P.C.

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Posted by on in Historical, Social

August 15, 2015, Prescott- The Chaplain giving a benediction, at today’s “Spirit of 45” remembrance of World War II veterans, referenced political correctness as a threat to freedom, while noting how the GI Generation accomplished their goals without a systematic enforcement of unwritten social code.

That got me thinking about “P.C.” I was raised to look at people, strictly as individuals. Pejoratives were not allowed in our house, pure and simple. My parents were people of their time, and it took Mom years to accept the idea of “mixed marriages”. Yet, every person with whom we came in contact was to be respected.

Being unusual, in my own right, made it actually easier to accept and embrace differences. I have since had the bounty of having a wide variety of friends, from all backgrounds. Political correctness has had little or nothing to do with this.

I see how P.C.has had some great benefits, as it brought people out of their “business as usual” comfort zones. The Civil Rights movements, which have brought codified assurance of equality under the law, to women, people of colour and to the LGBT community, were a vital necessity in a society that was too immersed in a comfort level that thrived on separation.

I need to say this, though: The only thing that really will result in a truly inclusive society, which will not discriminate against ANY of its members, is a change of the human heart. We are reaching a saturation point, in terms of the amount of criticism being directed at those whose opinions or lifestyles might not mesh with those of the critics. The over-dependence on political correctness, as a guide to personal and community choices, will likely result in a confused generation, alienated from its legacy- as no historical figure could possibly clear the bar that overuse of political correctness is foisting upon our education system. Yes, it is good, and necessary, to know that several of the Founding Fathers owned slaves, hated Native Americans and were condescending towards women. It is good, and necessary, to know the truth about Abraham Lincoln’s view of people of colour, or Franklin D. Roosevelt’s anti-Semitism. That should not blind us to the good that those men did. It should only remind us that no one is perfect, save the Founders of the Great Faiths. It should show us where we were, as a people, at various points in time, and that we are making progress, steadily. WITHOUT EXCUSING the wrongheadedness of our forebears, let us remind ourselves that the march of history is forward, upward, towards enlightenment.

Consigning all historical figures to the dust bin is a mistake, for then we will, at some point, revert to the same practices we claim to abhor, albeit in a different form. Banning those of different, sometimes archaic, OPINIONS from speaking, will only lead to clandestine and terror-oriented groups, such as IS, the Rakhine Buddhists, the Ku Klux Klan and Opus Dei, to openly hostile congregations like Westboro Baptist Church, or, worst of all, to criminal cartels, which profit from the dregs of human suffering.

Only attention to one’s heart and soul can bring about the peace and inclusiveness that we all seek. How this is done, should be solely up to the individual, so long as it does not bring harm to another. Violence, intimidation, or codified pressure from without cannot work to our advantage, in the long run.

The only correctness that can bring lasting peace, is personal correctness. It is a huge responsibility, and it is given to each and every one of us. No government, or social medium, can tend to it in our stead.

The Road to 65, Mile 259: Grateful

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Social

August 14, 2015, Prescott- Today is slower than slow, and that’s okay, as it gives me a chance to focus on people in my life, for whom I’m grateful. In another post, I will focus on places that give me the same feeling. This post was inspired by a similar one, done a few weeks ago by one of the people mentioned here: My next-eldest brother. It, in turn, was originated by one Alex Lucado,in an inspirational book he wrote, entitled “Before Amen”. Suffice it to say, we can never feel, or express, enough gratitude for what those close to us have done, said, or been, in our lives.

This is an A to Z format:

A– Aram, my son, whose very existence has defined the greater part of my adulthood, and whose achievements make me proud, every single day. “Art Wolfen”, my fellow writer and free spirit, whose stories put me in touch with so many other dimensions. Al Sinquah, who taught me so much of Native American culture and etiquette. ‘Abdu’l-Baha, for being the Perfect Exemplar of all to which one ought strive.

B- My late brother, Brian, who first taught me compassion. Bob Duncomb, one of my many consciences and a Keeper of the Flame, always walking his talk. Barbara Boivin, my sister-in-law, for being the rock of the family. Most of all, Baha’u’llah, my Lord and Guide to all that is good.

C– Cheryl, my sister and first friend, for being there, and for never giving up on anything that matters. Chris Boivin, my eldest nephew, who cemented my love of children, before I had a child of my own. Curtis Salt, my youngest nephew, one of the most creative people I’ve ever known. Then, there are about five Christ(i)ys- Every one a friend and inspiration.

D- I know many Davids, but my brother rises above the rest. Few have taken it upon themselves to tell me what I needed to hear, when I least wanted to listen, and time has borne him out. No one I know has worked harder. His rock, Deb, has been at his right-hand side through all of it.

E– Emily Atticus, another of my steadfast friends and consciences, who will also tell me what I need to hear, and pull my fingers away from my ears. My late uncle, John “Ellie” Reilly, always good with a story, and moral support.

F– My father, Fred, who never gave up on me, though he had a devil of a time understanding what made me tick. He’s still guiding me from the other side of the curtain.

G– Glenn, my youngest living brother, and ten shades of amazing. If I accomplish a tenth of what he has achieved, I will consider myself fortunate.

H– Helen Hamilton, my surrogate mother, never letting an untucked shirt go unnoticed. “Happy Oasis”, my primary teacher in all that is natural and sustainable. Most of all, my late aunt, Hazel Reilly, the best surrogate mother one could ever have.

I- Irene Mullins, without whom the American Legion Post would be a far emptier place.

J– Here is where I run the table: John E. Glaze, Johnny Light, my nephew, Jeff Boivin, Jerry Bathke, Janet Waters, Jenn Winters,Jack Ray- I could write a tome on how much each has given to my life and sense of well-being.

K– My niece, Kim, one of the most loving souls in this plane of existence. Kyrsten Sinema, keeping fighting the good fight and marching to your own drummer.

L– Mom’s the word. The most meaningful, and hardest-earned, words of approval I ever hear come from my mother, Lila. She has been about love and devotion, for over six decades. When the time comes to give back to her, I am ready.

M– Another gold mine of inspiring people: My nieces, Marcy and Melanie, tirelessly raising solid families; my friend and collaborator, Melissa Monahan; Mark Bradley, another conscience; my spiritual guide, Marcia Brehmer; my soul sister, Michele Smith; my nephew, Matt Boivin, building the good life, almost from scratch.

N- My late father-in-law, Norm Fellman, by far the most influential man in my adult life, and a national hero for the ages. My nephew, Nick Boivin, a master of wise choices and solid goals.

O- The O’Neil family, who had our backs, when we were kids.

P– There is only one, my late wife, and best friend ever, Penny. Every morning and night, hers is the first and last face I see. Her thoughts constantly guide me, even through an occasional bout of darkness.

Q– The late John Quinlan, the first person ever to get me to make sense of mathematics.

R– My youngest niece, Rebecca, following us into teaching and making a difference in another rising generation.

S– Sheryl Colstock, a true angel; Steve Salt, my brother-in-law and quiet well-wisher; Sara Davis, my niece, who matters far more than she may think.

T- Tom Belmonte, my best friend in high school and early adulthood. Terry McWade, another inspiration and personal hero.

U– Uncle George Boivin, still thriving, at close to 90 years of age, and so creative in a wide range of artisanship.

V- Van Gilmer, one of the most talented singers and choirmasters I’ve ever known.

W- My late Uncle Walter Boivin, who gave me the courage to stand up for myself. Wes Hardin, always ready with a tale of the Texas Panhandle.

X– Anyone not mentioned here, who has had an impact on my life. You are in my mind and heart- never ignored.

Z- Zakiah Sayeed, physican, artiste and author. She is a model of what I might achieve, when I grow up.

The Road to 65, Mile 258: Eight Questions and Answers

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Posted by on in Entertainment, Social

August 13, 2015, Prescott- I have been asked by a friend, on another site, to offer my answers to eight questions she posed and answered on her own site. So, here goes:

1. Which of the following will mostly resemble the next show you watch (on tv, online, or even dvd)? a nature show, a historical documentary, a cooking show, a sitcom, or sports? Given these choices, I would most likely watch an historical documentary. Nature is something I prefer to see up close.

2. Which natural disaster is your state more likely to encounter? Arizona is most likely to encounter wildfire. Occasionally, a torrential rain or blizzard passes through.

3. Would you rather vacation in a log cabin, a modern condo, or a Motorhome? Log cabin, by far. A motorhome is not something I would buy, and those of my friends who own them are barely able to fit themselves inside.

4. What type of roadkill do you see most where you live? Skunks and coyotes.

5. If you were on that old MTV show “Fear Factor”, would you most fear walking a rickety catwalk over a canyon, eating worms, or sitting in a tub and having cockroaches poured on your lap? The catwalk, if it has no rope or cable guards on the sides. The cockroaches could bite and lead to typhus, though, so they would be more dangerous.

6. Do you think you could survive alone 24 hours in the wilderness, with only a jack knife and 3 feet of rope? Yes, because I know how to forage.

7. Have you ever owned any leather clothing? I have had one leather jacket, when I was in my thirties.

8. Have you ever eaten jackfruit chips? No, but I would be glad to try them. Jackfruit is very tasty.

The Road to 65, Mile 257: Desert Wildfire, Day Three

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Posted by on in Assistance, Service Activities, Social

August 12, 2015, Mohave Valley- Wherever there are unicorns, there are also dragons. Where there is joy, sorrow and rage are not far away. Light is accompanied by shadow. I prefer, I insist, that the former will outlast the latter, because that’s how life goes on.

The fire has been reduced to hot spots, which are being monitored, 24/7, by a very capable local fire department. As always happens in a community that prides itself on independence, there is gratitude towards the local first responders, and grumbling towards the Federal presence, in this case, the Bureau of Land Management. A government that seems distant, both physically and ideologically, is an easy target, and so it has been here. The perception, among many who have come by for food, clothing and comfort is that the Feds didn’t seem to care about them, or about their property. The Gold King mine mishap is thrown in, for good measure, as “eventually, that stuff will find its way down here, en route to the Gulf of California.”

It’s hard for people who are themselves overwhelmed, to see the situations of others- no matter which rung of the ladder we occupy. I was fortunate to have been raised by parents who instilled the viewing of the situation of the other, in me. Being the oldest of five made it more urgent.

Having to deal with the local bete noire, yesterday, put this whole concept to the test. I went through six months, last winter and spring, of being patient and forbearing with someone whom nobody else seemed to want. These folks are sent to us by a Creator Who desires only to see our full potentials realized. This, I understand; it was just that, at the end of a long day in the heat, I had trouble waiting for a well-rested, fastidious case worker to complete the process with a needy, isolated and very edgy outcast. I went back to the truck, turned on the A/C, and saved myself, while keeping the window cracked open enough to hear what was going on. She completed the matter, thirty minutes later, and the four of us left the man, who felt more accepted, and headed home. I guess this is one of the lessons that Christ meant to impart, when He worked on Lazarus, and on Mary Magdalene.

There are issues in any community, on any given street, and within any household which has more than one occupant. In the Fire This Time, we, as a team, did well by the town of Mohave Valley. After a day largely spent cleaning the gym floor of the temporarily closed Mohave Valley Elementary School, three of us volunteers headed home.   As we left town, a swirl of burned-out desert dust rose high in the air, causing our Team Lead to call in a “possible re-sparked fire”. It turned out to be just a dust devil, with burned material, almost giving us a farewell, of sorts.

We stopped up the road apiece, at Westside Lilo’s, a homey, relaxed German restaurant, in Seligman, and decompressed with some fine sandwiches, served by an engaging and spirited young woman. I always enjoy a good bratwurst, and a pretty smile. The rain, which our driver had feared, seems to have preceded us, and it was an easy drive back to Prescott.

Goodnight, and it looks like tomorrow will be a bit of a respite, before the next big thing.

The Road to 65, Mile 256: Desert Wildfire, Day Two

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Posted by on in Assistance, Social

August 11, 2015, Mohave Valley- When a crisis overtakes a community, many people come together and work to address the challenges that have arisen. There are a few outliers and conspiracy theorists who show up, and stage drama. Then, there are the grifters, who show up and just want, and take.

We had all three types of humans at the shelter, yesterday. Several people, who had lost everything, including pets, came, stayed until the evacuation order was lifted, and left at that time. Others stayed until morning. Two who felt the world was against them, stayed the night and left at least with the feeling that our corner of it was not so out to get them. Two others came in, filled their duffel bag with food and toiletries, and left around 10 PM.  They were technically eligible to stay with us, but chose to go back to their powerless, water-less house, for the night).

Today, I was part of a three-person tam that went out to the neighbourhoods of Mohave Valley and took stock of the damage. I was the spotter, assessing the current state of the properties. Another man had computer images of the properties, as they were before the fire. By comparing the two, we were able to make a realistic assessment of actual damages. These will be useful, when claims are filed. It may sound like we’re insurance adjusters, but Red Cross uses these assessments to determine how much in emergency aid should be given. Most people are just grateful that somebody cares and is there for them, at a very bad time in their lives.

It’s hot here, very hot, though the cloud cover from a northern low pressure system mitigated the temperature a bit. We were glad to let the few who remained this afternoon, stay and rest. A couple of people were comforted by the staff and made to feel more human than they had in quite a while. Some ladies helped a badly-shaken young woman, who was disabled, to have a mini-makeover, which probably made her year, not to mention her day.

This is the true depth of what we do- to let people know that, at their core, they are important, and valued. The fire is mostly out, and the first responders are on hot-spot duty for 48 hours. Tomorrow noon, we will head back to Prescott, and the local team will continue helping the fire victims, in their recovery process.

The Road to 65, Mile 255: Desert Wildfire, Day One

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Posted by on in Social

August 10, 2015, Mohave Valley, AZ- I got up at 4:17 A.M., so as to be ready for a 6 A.M. departure from Prescott, for this collection of desert villages, hugging the Colorado River, just east of Needles. We got here with 30 minutes to spare, and at 10, had a briefing with the Red Cross team lead.

The task for our team of four was mostly to serve as listening ears and moral supporters for the nearly thirty people sheltering at the vacant Mohave Elementary School, which has been replaced by another school, a few miles away. It is still a solid facility, and the gym, where people were feeling safe, is a very comfortable spot.

I spent some time sweeping up dust and dirt, keeping the water and electrolyte-replacing drinks iced, and listening to the interesting life stories of several older “desert rats”, as the long-term residents sometimes call themselves. The fire has wound down enough, so that many residents might return home tomorrow. Still others, as in any such disaster, have little or nothing to which they might return. I will find out who has what, tomorrow morning, when our team goes on a “Street Survey” of the affected neighbourhoods.

There is only one silver lining to all this- that the sense of community here is reinforced.

The Road to 65, Mile 254: Sharlot Hall

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Posted by on in Historical, Social

August 9, 2015, Prescott- I spent about ninety minutes, this afternoon, visiting Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott’s historical gallery. This was the final day of the 2015 Mountain Arts and Crafts Festival, which coincides with the Cowboy Poets Gathering, at Yavapai College.

This was my fourth visit to the Museum, and was mainly to check out the refurbished Arizona Time Line exhibit, in the main hall. I noticed there was a panel about the proto-planet, Theia, which collided with Earth, back in the days when our planet more resembled the sunny side of Mercury. It did not end well for poor Theia. A very well-crafted pair of Pleistocene wall panels loom above the depictions of North American mammals from that Era.

Otherwise, Sharlot Hall preserves several buildings as they were during the period 1870-1910. My favourite remains the log Governor’s Mansion. As there were few other visitors here, this afternoon, I was able to enjoy the presence of about five monarch butterflies, one of which had a six-inch wingspan. To see the exteriors of the buildings, please check out my 2012 post: https://peacefulwarrior9.com/2012/01/20/the-exterior-of-sharlot-hall-museum-prescott-az/.

Next up: I will be in Mohave Valley, in northwest Arizona, for the next three days or so, helping with Red Cross sheltering and damage assessment, owing to a nasty desert wildfire, near the Colorado River. I will continue to post as time allows, during this time period.

The Road to 65, Mile 253: Auspicious Days

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Social

August 8, 2015, Granite Dells- I spent the greater part of this afternoon at Heaven on Earth B & B, in this lushest area of greater Prescott.  Friends Happy and John had their first event since the Illumine Film Festival, in May (which I missed, having been in Reno at the time.) It was the first of three Launch Parties, by Green Living Magazine, a monthly eco-friendly living publication, out of Phoenix. I went over, after two different friends mentioned it to me, independently; the second having followed me through Prescott Public Library, specifically to let me know of the event.

So, always glad to head out to the Dells, I drove over, after first checking out the Mountain Arts and Crafts Fair and a performance by a quintet of young ladies, playing violins and fiddles. The afternoon was then spent with presentations by various advocates of healthy living, from GMO-Free Prescott and Slow Food, to which I belong, to an essential oils distributor. John sang, gently and sincerely, of “The Golden Age” and the powerful local artist, Celia, lent her rousing voice to the mood of the day- with three amazing songs.

One of the points which Happy made, during her emcee moments, was that today is a triple treat: 8 8 8. This is how it has worked, since 2010: March 3, of that year, was 3 3 3, because if one adds 2+1, one gets 3, so 2+0++1+0 = 3. April 4, 2011, thus sums up as 4 4 4, and so on, through December 12, 2019, which will be 12 12 12.

I have felt the “double dates” to be auspicious enough, from January 1 to December 12. New Year’s Day is special for many people, just because of the sense of a new beginning. We will dispense with 2/2, as some sort of prognosticatory event and note that some thawing starts, in some places, around that time. 10/10 is a National Day for Taiwan, commemorating the day when the revolt of the Chinese people against the corrupt Regent of the Realm, and his underlings, first got traction, resulting in the abdication, four months later, of the pre-teenaged Emperor, Pu Yi, in favour of Gen. Yuan Shi Kai. Yuan’s Nationalist Party eventually established what is now the Republic of China, on Taiwan. (Yes, Dr. Sun Yat-sen was the first elected President of China, but politics is complicated, and the Army stood in Dr. Sun’s way.)

The double dates most special to me are 6/6, the day that Penny and I were married (eighteen months, to the day, after we first met), and 7/7, the day that Aram was born. I’ve often speculated as to whether some other double date will be special in my life, but now I think that might be rather gluttonous on my part. I will always treasure the two days, in mid-year, which have defined my adulthood.

Now I look to the task of viewing every day as auspicious.

The Road to 65,Mile 252: Frugal

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Posted by on in Personal goals

August 7, 2915, Prescott- Having been generous towards myself and others, I am going through August with a bit more caution. If you don’t see me out and about, sisters and brothers, Don’t assume I’m sitting around, noshin’. My main goal right now is to not be a bother, So I’m hanging around home, not here and there,rushin’.

The Road to 65, Mile 251: Dimensions

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Social

August 6, 2015, Prescott- In the course of seeking permission from Four Worlds International Institute, to a) become a member and b) offer comment on its 16 Principles, I came upon a blog offering some discussion of a reported international effort to fend off an electromagnetic force, which some believe is approaching Earth. Those who believe in the possible event point to various happenings, over the past several years, from the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, to the Japanese earthquake of 2011, to the increase in seemingly random acts of inane behaviour, such as movie theater shootings, or deliberately driving the wrong way, on a superhighway, then loudly shouting that this is a constitutional right.

There are many ways to deal with the outlandish. One way is summon fear and devise various means of fending off catastrophe. Supposedly, this is the intention behind the Cern Supercollider, housed somewhere in the Alps. It also explains the various Doomsday cults and sects that make themselves known, from time to time.

There is also a “business-as-usual” approach, of denial. Those who adhere to this point to the historical ability of human beings to rise from wreckage, and to restore what is, essentially, a society built on commerce, relationships and routine. Catastrophic weather or geological events are followed by recovery and rebuilding, with varying degrees of success. After all, no one has rebuilt Pompeii, as it was, nor, definitively, found Noah’s Ark, nor has the country of Haiti fully recovered from its earthquake of 2010.

Others, including myself, take more of a zen approach to the whole affair. Suppose there is an electromagnetic force, and it hits Earth in, say, 2020. I have no idea where I would be then, no notion of who among my widening circle of family and friends will be with me at that point, and no idea how the various geophysical consequences of such a magnificent and terrifying envelopment of our planet would be. I know that I have survived several challenging events, some tragic, up to now. I know that my business is not anywhere near “as usual” as it was in 1994, or even in 2002. I know that some quite astonishing things have happened to, and around, me- so that taking a mundane approach to life does not work, for me. Nor, however, does an apocalyptic mindset. Both presume that change is something to be dreaded.

All the Divine Messengers, and a good many humanistic philosophers, point to both the eternal nature of the Universe, and to the existence of several dimensions. We tend to think of four such measures: Length, width, height and time. These, we can experience on a daily basis. I know something of the fifth dimension, which is most commonly experienced through mental communication with others, “body language”, and even communication with departed souls- though the last one is something I choose to approach with caution. I have felt Penny’s presence, many times, since her passing. Others, including my father, her father, my grandparents and my late youngest brother, have also communicated with me, on several occasions. They know what I am experiencing, and have helped, when needed. I, however, cannot know what they are experiencing, anymore than a fetus can know what a person outside his/her mother’s womb is enduring.

There are other dimensions, which some call parallel worlds, past lives, future choice paths and even “Other Universes.” Such speculation, I chalk up more to the finite minds of those using such terms. I believe that, in restricting the number of possible dimensions to ten, we are simply reflecting the limits of our intellect- as it is now. Those of our descendants who look back on all this, a millennium or two from now, may well chuckle at String Theory, as we now view it,having built on it and transcended the false parts, much as we look back on the theories of the Classical Greeks, or Sir Isaac Newton.

I only know that I have today with which to work, to appreciate and enjoy and from which to learn. Planning for tomorrow, next week, Christmas-time, and the year 2020 will help make those times fruitful; yet, whatever transpires, I adjust and move on.