A red tail hawk soaring above my house. For one brief moment my heart soared with him and as I retrurned to earth, I gave thanks.

 

If I lost everything I owned I would cry for maybe  2 to 3 hours. Then I would began to look around for ways to survive a night, a day, a week. I believe I would turn to the practices that help me. I would be depressed for days at a time but I would still continue to practice meditation, quite reflection, laughter and positive affirmations.

Generally when it feels like I can no longer maintain a reasonable life for myself I write a list of pros and cons.  I write all the things that are possible in one column and all the challenges in another. Some where in this process solutions began to appear. My spirit may be daunted but I am never out. My mother use to say to me
"The good Lord never gives us more than we can bare, but sometimes we feel overwhelmed and we forget we still have ourselves. So as long as you can think there is a way out of any problem."

Pain is not being able to stand for more than 15 minutes, not able to do what you once could. Pain is waking up in the middle of the night or early morning unable to sleep. Pain is catch in your breathe when you stand wrong on your knee. Pain is 24/7 without relief if you are unable to take medications. Pain is grateful to be alive and able to feel pain.

When I was in elementary and high school numbers were my best friends. Numbers were consistent, always the same, never changing, always adding up to same number, easy to understand. It didn't matter if you changed the base it only meant a new way of viewing the same thing. During my school years I was known as the walking encyclopedia, but for the life of me I could not figure out people. Attitudes and caring changed from person to person, situation to situation, unlike numbers. I took many years of diligent studying to find the rules of living, how words did not mean the same when applied to those outside your social group. If you were to love others as you loved yourself, others only referred to those in your social group, not to everyone but the majority. If some social group was in a different base than your social group most did not see the translation as being a different way of saying the same thing.

Dear Food,

I want to thank you for the meditation, entertainment, and nourishment you provide to me. You reinforce for me the power of spirituality in the giving of your life for mine. As I prepare your fruits, and herbs for cooking, I meditate on the life experiences of your growth. I am amazed by the texture, color, and smell of you. I image were you were grown and how you were cared for and loved. I have come to know your distinctive flavors and the delicate flavors you impart to a dish. I meditate as I stir, combine, baste, and check you along the way.

Let me thank you for the entertainment you provide me. I find entertainment in the combining of the ingredients and watching the chemical transformation take place on my stove, wok, or oven.  The chemistry of cooking has always fascinated and entertained me. Why to much of one or the other can spoil the meal; or what combines with what to make the flavors just a little off. The final entertainment of the meal is the actual eating and enjoying the fresh flavors and smells. To sit with family and friends and partake of food you have prepared with love is the ultimate of pleasures.

And lastly, let me thank you for the nourishment of my body. For without you I could not carry on. I thank you all that you do for me. I pledge to continue to select food mindfully and with gratitude for those who continue to grow you with love, organic farmers and ranchers.

Thank you,

With love and gratitude,

Gram

I would like to come back as a cat. Preferably a big cat, panther, cougar, or leopard.

This was in my email this morning, it reminds me of how we view the world. Take time to hear.

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.
He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After 3 mins: a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 mins: the violinist received his first dollar - a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes: a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 mins: a 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated in a similar way by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.
45 minutes: the musician still played.
Overall, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.
He collected $32 total.
1 hour: he finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by "The Washington Post" as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised were:
In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ... how many other things in life are we missing?

Regards,

Zvonko Kurkic

There are many volunteer organizations with need of volunteers. I have worked one to two a year most of my life. Not counting the years I worked daily for the LA Free Clinic. The one thing I recommend for those who have limited time to give is to go feed the people. There you will find the true victims of our economic crisis. The holiday season gives rise to more than the usual amount of dinners for people in need.   I have worked as cooks help, server, cleanup person, setup person, Santa's helper and any other position available. I have always come away feeling blessed, grateful for what I have, and lessons I have learned.

Each and every time I have volunteered I have learned something about the resilient spirit of mankind. Even when they think they have given up, a kind word from someone brings smiles and tears. I have seen people so intoxicated the smell penetrated the room. I have sat in a quiet corner and eaten my meal beside them because no one else could. I have been blessed with strong stomach and a strong need to heal. I have learned from these people, I have taken their life experience to heart as if it was my own and learned. And these are the hardest lessons for we do not wish to see ourselves in those society shuns.

Living, loving, learning.

http://www.ashleighbrilliant.com/

I bought his postcards and books in the 70's and 80's.  One quote I use a lot as to my conservative friends is

          "Yes, but every time I try to see things your way, I get a headache."
Ashleigh Brilliant.   1977

I still have that postcard, taped in more than one place, and now sits on my computer. Think I'll check the old card file and see if I have any more.