It's a Love In Thing

Dear America,

so here's vintage G, a notable quotable worthy of coming around again to start the day...

"Hope that, in future, 

all is well, 

everyone eats free, 

no one must work, 

all just sit around feeling love 

for one another."  

-- George Saunders

I love this quote.

I love this quote...because it couldn't be any more ridiculous, impossible, or unrealistic.

I love this quote...as it is plastered on the side of a brown bag, dished out by Chipotle -- easily the most expensive fast food restaurant in the neighborhood.  Why?  Because good quality is expensive, it's as simple as that; but ironically, it still can't prevent the quality of ingredients to become compromised somewhere in between the farm and table. 

 I love this quote...especially if you put it side by side with the lyrics of President Obama's favorite song of the year:  Kendrick Lamar's How Much a Dollar Cost.

How much a dollar really cost?
The question is detrimental, paralyzin' my thoughts
Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling, y'all
Gotta see how I'm chillin' once I park this luxury car
Hopping out feeling big as Mutombo
20 on pump six dirty Marcellus called me Dumbo
20 years ago, can't forget
Now I can lend 'em a ear or two how to stack these residuals
Tenfold, the liberal concept of what men'll do
20 on 6, he didn't hear me
Indigenous African only spoke Zulu
My American tongue was slurry
Walked out the gas station
A homeless man with a silly tan complexion
Asked me for ten grand
Stressin' about dry land
Deep water, powder blue skies that crack open
A piece of crack that he wanted, I knew he was smokin'
He begged and pleaded
Asked me to feed him twice, I didn't believe it
Told him, "Beat it"
Contributin' money just for his pipe, I couldn't see it
He said, "My son, temptation is one thing that I've defeated
Listen to me, I want a single bill from you
Nothin' less, nothin' more
I told him I ain't have it and closed my door
Tell me how much a dollar cost

It's more to feed your mind
Water, sun and love, the one you love
All you need, the air you breathe

He's starin' at me in disbelief
My temper is buildin', he's starin' at me, I grab my key
He's starin' at me, I started the car and tried to leave
And somethin' told me to keep it in park until I could see
A reason why he was mad at a stranger like I was supposed to save him
Like I'm the reason he's homeless and askin' me for a favor
He's starin' at me, his eyes followed me with no laser
He's starin' at me, I notice that his stare is contagious
Cause now I'm starin' back at him, feelin' some type of disrespect
If I could throw a bat at him, it'd be aimin' at his neck
I never understood someone beggin' for goods
Askin' for handouts, takin' it if they could
And this particular person just had it down pat
Starin' at me for the longest until he finally asked
Have you ever opened to Exodus 14?
A humble man is all that we ever need
Tell me how much a dollar cost

It's more to feed your mind
Water, sun and love, the one you love
All you need, the air you breathe

Guilt trippin' and feelin' resentment
I never met a transient that demanded attention
They got me frustrated, indecisive and power trippin'
Sour emotions got me lookin' at the universe different
I should distance myself, I should keep it relentless
My selfishness is what got me here, who the fuck I'm kiddin'?
So I'ma tell you like I told the last bum, crumbs and pennies
I need all of mines, and I recognize this type of panhandlin' all the time
I got better judgement, I know when nigga's hustlin'
Keep in mind, when I was strugglin', I did compromise
Now I comprehend, I smell grandpa's old medicine
Reekin' from your skin, moonshine and gin
Nigga your babblin', your words ain't flatterin', I'm imaginin'
Denzel be lookin' at O'Neal
Cause now I'm in sad thrills, your gimmick is mediocre, the jig is up
I seen you from a mile away losin' focus
And I'm insensitive, and I lack empathy
You looked at me and said, "Your potential is bittersweet"
I looked at him and said, "Every nickel is mines to keep"
He looked at me and said, "Know the truth, it'll set you free
You're lookin' at the Messiah, the son of Jehova, the higher power
The choir that spoke the word, the Holy Spirit, the nerve
Of Nazareth, and I'll tell you just how much a dollar cost
The price of having a spot in Heaven, embrace your loss, I am God"

I wash my hands, I said my grace, what more do you want from me?
Tears of a clown, guess I'm not all what is meant to be
Shades of grey will never change if I condone
Turn this page, help me change, so right my wrongs

Isn't that something. [yeah, that's a statement]

It's called how much a dollar costs, meeting up with moral authority, meeting up with the street.  I get it, Mr. President.   And yes, it may have been overkill, but I chose to give you all the words, so that you would have all the 'data' in front of you, and therby allow you to make up your own mind.  Shoot me.

I love this, the refrain:

It's more to feed your mind

Water, sun and love, the one you love

All you need, the air you breathe

Indeed.
And I, too, hope in the future, all is well, everyone eats free, no one must work, all just sit around feeling love for one another...and sounding like we are all on crack.

And now -- straight from Iowa -- here's Hillary!

"We've got to do everything we can to weed out hate and plant love and kindness," 

Isn't it rich; aren't they a pair; me here at last on the ground; you in mid-air...Send in the Clowns.

For the full tilt on the Hill, go to the AP, here.

We are moving on now, redirecting to a member of the House Homeland Security, Rep. Loretta Sanchez  D-CA (who is currently campaigning to take over Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat, as she is retiring finally). Let's just say she isn't confusing love and compassion and naivete with love and reality and eyes wide open.   Sanchez telling Larry King:

...But certainly, we know that there is a small group–and we don’t know how big that is, it can be anywhere between five and 20 percent, from the people that I speak to–that Islam is their religion and who have a desire for a caliphate and to institute that in any way possible, and in particular go after what they consider Western norms, our way of life. They are not content enough to have their way of looking at the world. They want to put their way on everybody in the world. And, again, I don’t know how big that is, and depending on who you talk to, but they’re certainly, they are willing to go to extremes. They are willing to use, and they do use, terrorism. And it is in the name of a very wrong way of looking at Islam.
I don’t fault the president on his verbiage. I want him to understand it–to go after this ISIL, ISIS, Daesh state that people are trying to form. Because it’s going after us.

A small group.

Okay, that's a start. [And thank you, Breitbart -- for the full story, go here.]

Let's take a look at this universe sans the pink fluffy unicorns, shall we, Hillary?

In it's entirety, we are looking at a percentage of nearly 2 billion Muslims around the globe, who, for the most part, are all living in love, peace and harmony, of course.  Isn't that just fabulous!  Can you feel the love?  So what are we really talking about here?

Sanchez has the guts to throw out a number.  And just to be clear, it's the number of Muslims who just might get a tickle all up and down their leg about the possibility of reaching the goal of an Islamic caliphate.  And that number is at, or around, 5 to 20%, she says.

So, Loretta, what you are saying is that anywhere from 5 to 400 million Muslims might feel inclined to kill the infidels, and they agree with the moves of ISIS/ISIL tomayto/tomahto?  That's not a whole lot of love.  That's a whole lot of hate; but more important, maybe we should alert the media.

Notable:

The United States military 

only registers at, or around, 2 million troops,

 including the reserves...

What's debatable, it would seem, is that pesky thin line between love and hate.

And finally on this day,

let's bring in how love Trumps hate, right Hillary...now nearly giddy and clinging to the new campaign pot shot like the leftist queen on crack that she is...But to ensure we are all on the same page, let's begin with what Trump actually said.

All he said was this  (and it's totally notable and quotable for this blog-able) --

 "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," his campaign statement said.

He wasn't asking for the Muslims who are already here, and some even being American, to go back to their home country...

He wasn't calling on the "total and complete shutdown" to last forever -- but only until such time "our country's representatives can figure out what is going on"...

"Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life," 

If anywhere from 5 million to 400 million Muslims seek the caliphate and hate infidels so much, they would systematically choose not to live in harmony, but to kill -- then wouldn't Trumps proposal be notable, quotable, reasonable, responsible and more important, doable...just until our country's representatives can figure our what in tarnation is going on... and figure out how to secure our border... and figure out how to protect Americans from every entry into the country?

Look at history....here.

The San Bernardino shooter, Tashfeen Malik, committed fraud on the famed fiance visa program to enter the United States.   

And she is just one out of anywhere from 5 to 400 million.  One down, 399 million to go?  And may I have mine with a side of chips fried in pork fat, but I digress.

And all this happening while one of our current potential presidents of these United States is insisting on meeting up with this Muslim conundrum with simply more love?

Are you kidding me?

Love may not cost a thing, but freedom isn't free; while our Constitution was designed almost entirely to protect the people from it's leaders.   And this is amusing -- as history proves time and time again, that every UNconstitutional action was often justified by a "good cause."  

Thomas Jefferson:

It would be a dangerous delusion were a confidence in the men of our choice to silence our fears for the safety of our rights; that confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism; free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power; that our Constitution has accordingly fixed the limits to which, and no farther, our confidence may go...In questions of power, then, let no more be said of confidence in man, BUT BIND HIM DOWN FROM MISCHIEF BY THE CHAINS OF THE CONSTITUTION.  [The 5000 Year Leap, p.164]

And besides, since 1952, the Immigration and Nationality Act included this little number:

“Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate,” the 1952 law states.

Boom.  Tanks, Daily Caller.  It is a thin line between love and hate...but the great divide comes about when dealing with what to do about it.  But reality tells us -- somewhere between the farm and table we have issues within our immigration/refugee/visa system and it's exhibiting a total utter breakdown in common sense, and it's hitting us squarely in the gut.

But having said all this and that  -- 

ONE might think that the peaceful, fun-loving, compassionate, moderate Muslims living in America would all wholeheartedly agree with Trump's  kind of selective reasoning on immigration.  

Some do.  And then punished promptly.

Well, as much as I love this day and hate to have to bring it to a close...albeit abruptly, it is finished.

happy friday...

don't hate and be good...

just sit around feeling love for one another...

that's really all you need,

Make it a Good Day, G

It's a Day to Love Thing

Dear America,

I love you.

I love you all.

really, I do.

Will you be mine?

happy valentine's day everybody

and I wish, above all things seen and unseen, the world could revolve and evolve solely upon love.

Having said that,
I also wish narcissistic, elitist, political deception could cease and desist, like yesterday.

Now I do love what this woman stands for, don't get me wrong.


I have read some of her books, and can honestly claim to have been a righteous follower since the nineties.

And, given her message is driven by finding the authentic, spiritual being inside, illuminating "A Return to Love," and centered upon the laws of universal acceptance, forgiveness, love and peace as we go about living our human experience with one another -- my first expectation is a simple one, Marianne -- at least begin presenting one's self to the political arena from a position of honesty right from the start.  Okay? 

Now before taking this any further, allow me to commend Zack Munson, of The Weekly Standard, for his effort to go into the world of Marianne with such a magnificent spirit of acceptance and open mindedness; immersing himself into the unknown with a willingness to bring to light a new generation of political thought and capture the integrity of a campaign dripping with elements of absurdity, took courage and probably a lot of patience.

But boy, he did it; and did it well.

But I digress.

Getting back to my wish for world peace and honesty through and through...

this is what I am tired of seeing...

The notion that someone can pass themselves off as "independent" when, in fact, being knee deep in the law of deception, no less, are a freaking left-wing, elitist with money to burn and an agenda to sell who wholeheartedly embraces the progressive ideals and policy that reflect an independent spirit hell-bent on burying America with an income redistribution make-over, a stranglehold of climate-changing regulations take-over, all while making a mockery of our Rule of Law, Nature's Law, this beautiful country was founded.

Sure, this part sounds real good:

“Today’s average American is more apt to rebel against a tennis shoe not coming in the right color than against the slow erosion of our democratic freedoms,” she declares. “Today, most Americans are too cynical, or tired, or both, to even approximate our Founders’ courageous repudiation of injustice."

 Munson continues quoting the girl's vision, adding this:

"Don’t get me wrong,” she says with a smile, “capitalism has been good to me. But what is happening today is that too many people can’t get in the club, there has to be enough access. There has to be enough access to opportunity for America to be a stable democracy.” All in all, she exudes an aura of moderation, and her frequent references to America’s most popular political icons only add to it. “The Constitution doesn’t mention political parties; Washington warned us against them,” she declares. “JFK said, ‘Let us not seek a Republican answer or a Democratic answer. Let us seek an American answer.’ ”

oh okay.
so what's the catch?

I will copy for you Munson's immediate reply:

"What, then, is the American answer that Marianne Williamson seeks? Well, despite the promise of her campaign’s slogan to “Create Anew,” it is pretty much warmed-over, social-justice, progressive, liberal blah blah blah, with a little California crunchy-wackadooism thrown in. Prison reform, climate change, shutting down nuclear power plants, and ending the “corruption of the food supply” are high on her list of priorities. Above all else, she is intent on getting the money out of politics and views Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court decision easing restrictions on campaign contributions, as perhaps the greatest threat to democracy that America has ever faced. But even while condemning both political parties and the state of our democratic system in general, while complaining about incarceration rates and Monsanto and “moneyed interests,” she somehow still sounds quite reasonable, lacking the stridency of MSNBC and the outright incoherence of the now-defunct Occupy movement (RIP). After just a few minutes, I can’t deny that Williamson is a knockout of a candidate: smart, eloquent, passionate, and considerably more telegenic than her, um, rodentine predecessor.

She is good, isn't she? 

[BTW that "rodentine predecessor" being  Henry Waxman, who is not seeking re-election to California's 33rd District]

I love that part about "a little California crunchy-wackadooism;"  it's so true, isn't it?  I am not ashamed to admit some of that of myself.

But how ironic, the "moneyed interests" abound, don't they? 

Moreover,  given the claim of party "independence" -- aren't you committing some sort of universal campaign fraud?

In the meantime, can't we all get along, Marianne? 
If we are all spiritual beings having this human experience together, the embrace of those who differ from your world view must be heeded and respected, too, no?  Be it your belief in the ongoing fraud through climate change regulations, that being the evolution of the great equalizer afoot, or the condemnation of Citizens United, organizing and uniting for change of a different stroke -- don't kid yourself and tell it like it really is -- you, Marianne, are a card carrying progressive with only one ideological embrace in mind.  "Independent" my ass.

And yet -- from my spirit to yours, Marianne --  I love you, too.  I love how you are out there changing perceptions and making waves, even if it's simply a California ripple, ebbing and flowing off the Santa Monica pier.  Of course, there is plenty more to say about some of the things highlighted in Zack's piece.  And maybe I will one day soon.

But speaking of Zack -- I just might love you more, Zack Munson; mean it; you are brilliant and you made my day.

And I love YOU, too, whoever you are, out there, reading my daily dribble from time to time.

And for anyone who is passing by the old G Thing here today, please read the entire piece featured on The Weekly Standard to get a feel for this case of California wackadooism to it's fullest.   It will make your day, too... if open to that sort of thing, that is...

and upon this day, especially...

this day, the syrupy sweet essence that is Valentine's...

this day, a day embracing the sweeping, effervescence that celebrates love all around us...[for some, it's conditional...but don't get me started...]


this day is yours to make [or break...cuz free will makes it so].

Make it a Good Day, G

 

It's All About Love and Life Thing -- Applications from an American Icon

Dear America,

to lay it all out there today,
there are days when I'm not sure if I'm watching the love of my life die or spring back to life. it can fall either way depending upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed I awoke...while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.

I get to see him when he lets me -- which rounds out to about once or twice a month; that all depends upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed he awoke....while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.

What holds us together?  Anyone from the outside would have to wonder...

For a quick answer, I would have to surmise -- if only to myself -- the thing that binds is our ability to feel each other, even from afar.  The thing that unites is our ability to unconditionally love each other.  The thing that builds is our ability to reinforce and affirm the good above all else. It really doesn't matter if anybody else gets it -- we do -- and that's what counts.

while the circumstances are clearly not what we wish for ourselves, being an immediate threat to living a life fully engaged in every possible way -- considering the overbearing amount of fear, stress, and pain getting in the way -- still, it is our reality.   As unfair as it may be in our own little minds, that's life.

But it's funny how life works -- for it is only through our challenges and disappointments and failures that make us strong; go figure.  But think about it, if everything was just handed to us, being all hunky dory all the time and coming with great ease -- just what would push us, motivate us, encourage us to expand, grow, love, build, prosper, advance, to our highest good?  whatever that may be?

Certainly -- if you happen to be someone facing death through dis-ease, the acceptance and ability to live within that dichotomy of life and death itself becomes of that much greater importance, doesn't it.  In such an instance, nearly everything we do becomes bigger than life.  We either learn to let go and truly live! -- or we choose to go down hard, fighting it all the way.

my baby is expected to successfully come out the other side 'of this' in time...  all the while, I will wait -- feeling him, loving him, letting him manage it the way he wants.  for what choice do I really have, right?

so sure, in this day in the life of America -- even as I am selfishly pre-occupied with my own lament -- all together WE are collectively reflective of how we lost a good one just yesterday -- Steve Jobs.

And in this moment, let us stop and remember the life-force of his own words:



Steve's remarks -- in front of an audience of Standford graduates -- give us just a snapshot of what went into the making and evolution of the technological, inventive, courageous, gentle genius behind the face who became a cultural icon, defining innovation with hi-tech gadgetry, making them fun, accessible, and user friendly.  His company grew to become a one-man-app, of sorts, symbolizing creativity, excellence, industry while bringing really cool things to market. Just the sight of it alone -- an apple with a bite out of it -- gave people chills.

but more than all that --  he belonged to someone -- he was a husband and father of four.

In an interview for WIRED, February 1996, he said:

“The problem is I’m older now, I’m 40 years old, and this stuff doesn’t change the world. It really doesn’t.

I’m sorry, it’s true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We’re born, we live for a brief instant, and we die. It’s been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much — if at all.

These technologies can make life easier, can let us touch people we might not otherwise. You may have a child with a birth defect and be able to get in touch with other parents and support groups, get medical information, the latest experimental drugs. These things can profoundly influence life. I’m not downplaying that.

But it’s a disservice to constantly put things in this radical new light — that it’s going to change everything. Things don’t have to change the world to be important."

what unguarded humility and life-affirming perspective... go Steve..."having children really changes your view on these things..."     and how.

having children, bearing an illness, losing a loved one...among other things...changes everything in a heart beat.

In the video, Steve lends his best advice on life and death, saying:

"No one wants to die; even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there...death is very likely the single best invention of life...it clears out the old to make room for the new...

Sorry to be so dramatic, but it's quite true.  Your time is limited; so don't waste it living someone else' life.  Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  Don't let the noise of others opinions drown out your own voice..."

Steve was a big believer in the philosophy of doing that which feeds the fire in the belly.... "[to] do what you believe is great work."  When fired from the very company he started, he considered for a moment of whether or not to pack it up and run away from Silicone Valley for good -- giving into the warped reality that he was a total failure.  Can you just imagine that?  Steve Jobs doubting himself?

But then -- things changed.   He stopped to ask himself -- just why should you do that, Steve? -- you love what you do.

Unconditional love in the creative process made him persevere, in spite of how things looked.

"again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.  So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future...you have to trust in something -- your gut, your destiny, karma, whatever...that which gives you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads off the well worn path --  and that will make all the difference."

sometimes we have no idea the who, what, when, where, or why in life; and sadly, "sometimes life is gonna hit you on the head with a brick, but don't lose faith," Steve tells the crowd of students, parents, professors, and subsequently, the millions, at large, who have downloaded the youtube video.

Now we all know.

All we can do is LIVE like it may be our last, from the heart.

and indeed he did.

Bless you, Steve --  who is sure to be kickin' back on a cloud as we speak, day-dreaming of what's next.

Make it a Good Day, G

and what a dichotomy of realities -- one aspect of the day is feeling the emotional loss of the leader of a corporate dynasty, while the other is witnessing the utter disconnect creeping into society, sometimes not so quietly, as in the Occupy Wall Street protests.   Poor kids, they know not what they do.

unfortunately, we haven't come to the conclusion of that discussion yet.... but we will....just not today.

Dear America,

"God our Father, 

we thank you for our families; 

for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage. 

In the busyness of each day 

keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life 

and help us to be generous 

with our time and love and energy. 

Strengthened by our union 

help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. 

We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

Amen."

Forces of nature at work today, that is the thing.


The Prince and Princess were unable to personalize their vows, however they quickly devised a way to do just that.  How?  None other than pledging their love through a direct path, creating a prayer to God, to each other, for all the world to hear.

And so it is.  That was easy.

Notice the connection between the love for each other with a greater purpose under heaven.  Here are two people who on this day seem larger than life itself, utterly clinging to the simplicity of the moment, reinforcing their clear underlying values of faith, family and marriage, and asking the Heavenly Father for His hand and His guidance in keeping their eyes fixed on what is real and important. strengthened by this day, this vow above all other vows, marches on to pledge their service and ability to help comfort the wider community around them -- beyond the chapel, after the ceremony is done, when life resumes to normal. (Whatever that is, for a prince & princess, right?)


In Kate's hands, she holds a simple bouquet:

Lily-of-the-Valley represents the return of happiness,
Sweet William stands for gallantry,
Hyacinth is for the constancy of love,
Myrtle symbolizes marriage and love,
and Ivy is for fidelity, marriage, wedded love, friendship, and affection.

While right out of an English garden fairy tale, even the Myrtle holds a special place in royal wedding history; the Myrtle sprigs  were clipped from the very same plants going back generations  --  the long line of Myrtle dates back to the wedding bouquets of both Queen Victoria, in 1845, and held by Queen Elizabeth, in 1947.

To pay more homage to all things royal wedding, go here.

But oh the contrast between London and Tuscaloosa on this day.

The entire town of 900 is nearly leveled, having lost the lives of thirty six residents thus far, having barreled down main street, hitting the local Piggly Wiggly grocery store -- the tornado that could very well have been an E5, with winds up to 200 mph -- everything in her wake was destroyed and left in total chaos.  Every family was thrown into a state of emergency; every single family devastated by the immediate and merciless loss of loved ones, a business, a livelihood, a church, a school, a home -- any level of security and peace of mind that preexisted was gone, in an instant.

The numbers keep rising, as far as the entire region is concerned; at 306 people, the sense of finding loved ones who are still missing still alive wears hearts thin as time continues to pick apart all possibility.

While even in the midst of so much sorrow, stories of amazing grace have shown through in small ways, like the family cat found huddled under the kitchen sink, a kitchen still standing as the only room left in the house.  Or how about the parents of an eight year old, who watched their son get swept into a cloud of dust and darkness -- all they could do was pray.  and they did. which leads me to wondering, just what is the proper etiquette in response to the Grace of God, upon hearing the voice of little R.J. miraculously coming home and saying, "I was pulled up into the air!" what do you say?  how can a simple thank you be nearly enough?  Here's more survival stories for you.


Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, wild fires, thunder and lighting -- mother nature is coming unglued in every way; perhaps God is getting a wee bit disappointed in a little thing called mankind?  there is that.  

what     are        we     good for?

"In the busyness of each day 

keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life 

and help us to be generous 

with our time and love and energy."

as this line keeps calling me back. 

Nestled deep into the roots of this country -- like Myrtle planted over generations -- like Sequoias and Red Woods towering over the land in Yosemite, like the gushing geysers rising out of the earth in Yellowstone, like the Lily-of-the-Valley, mountain Columbine, and California Poppy each running wild in the valleys and prairies and countryside, like the rushing waves upon the beach, the ebb and flow of tide and the constant flow of rivers and streams and waterfalls --  we are reminded of the things that are essential to us.

Living and creating a good life, takes constant care.  In the "busyness of each day" -- after destruction takes over our every thought, word, and deed -- after many in America have simply awakened to any other Friday that comes along, just a day in the life, who just so happen to have the luxury of flipping their attention from a Royal Wedding to the heartbreak in Tuscaloosa, ALABAMA, and MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, KENTUCKY, OKLAHOMA, TENNESSEE, and VIRGINIA -- hopefully, at some point, we are each reminded of what Life is all about.  For it could be taken away from us in a heartbeat.

And more than that, this day should bring America pause.

What do we want America to stand for, live for, and truly give our every life and breath for?  It makes me crazy to see the divisiveness within our communities; it makes me so sad to see our body politic deteriorated and reduced to fits of one-ups-man-ship and sideshows, oblivious to the wake of destruction of true statesmanship, and leaving a nation's ethics, honor, and virtue nowhere to be found.

In the beginning, our founders designed our country clearly, if not rather emphatically, under a code of honor and ethics and liberty equally distributed and revered by all, respective of Universal Truths, Universal Rights; it was as if we each stood at the altar and declared our pledge for the safekeeping of our very future --  America vowed to hold dear certain truths -- principles relevant to our inherent duty and delight to be of good character, not just for ourselves but for "the other" as well -- not from a place of blind obedience and force, but from a place of blessed servitude, grace and unconditional love, as a thing to honor for the rest of our lives.

We wanted the joys and responsibility and civility of living within a community based on sound self-government in order to create a more perfect union -- one built upon the freedom to live and think and grow rich in every possible way.  For we are a match made in heaven, by divine providence, indeed .

Just as a marriage, we can't expect our partner, our other half of the union, the other side of ourselves, bring everything to that union or be expected to do all the work.  It takes two.  And yet, for some reason, we are living in a time when the task of living in communion with our duty comes lacking, to say the least.  It is as if we are born with a silver spoon of entitlement and expectation before we have even uttered our first word.

Gone is the sense of responsibility, the duty to do the work.  Gone is the need to remind ourselves, and each other, that the seedlings of yesterday need constant care, a leading perhaps by a trellis, a watering from time to time. We need both the light of day and the quiet slumber of the night; we need to nurture ourselves with reminders of what makes us good, growing a character worth repeating, holding to values worth elevating, on behalf of the budding society for tomorrow.

For to live in a healthy and loving relationship with one another doesn't come by accident, without effort; it doesn't come without making our first intention made known; it doesn't happen without a constant recommitting to the process -- especially following years and years down the road.

In the microcosm, Kate and William know this to be true for themselves on this day; while in the macro, our commitment seems waning by impropriety, lost under the years of values greatly corrupted, left totally indistinguishable from lack of effort, taking for granted any attention to detail, and anything else that falls under the various forms of neglect, apathy and ambivalence.  And as expected, once commitment goes, it all falls down.

Today, I just might look into planting myself some Myrtle under my feet; with all things considered, between hearts singing and hearts breaking on this day, the twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven, it may just do all that I can hope for in this moment.

The thing is, thoughts are things; we can grow the good just as easily as we can grow the opposite effect. Planting a seed for tomorrow exemplifies God's grace; it is a gift from Life to Life itself.  And you never know -- it might just be the last thing that we do that is real and important.

Here's to the celebration of love and marriage on this day, and always.

And may we lend a hand and a heart to the people of Tuscaloosa, and each of the surrounding areas, following the greatest destruction in nearly forty years.

This is a day that the forces of nature have had their way with us -- whipping us into a frenzy of joy one minute, while moments later, we are punched in the gut, taking the air right out of us; the question as to what are we good for is answered with every response.

"Strengthened by our union 

help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. 

We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

Amen."

make it a good day, g

Dear America,

Just an everyday commoner. Yes indeed.

As you should know, I'm taking this as a sign.  Maybe even a sign from God, but that would be getting ahead of myself, now wouldn't it.

Go Kate; as in Kate Middleton, engaged to be the next princess of Great Britain.  Middleton, it just sounds British, no? The d's roll into the t's and it becomes this fluttering alliteration of sound and substance that permeates from the back of the throat through hundreds of years of history. I could listen to a Brit all day.

And they were so cute, the two of them, just gushing over their announcement of eight years and coming.  Diana must be smiling and crying all at the same time.

But let's get back to the commoner.
Isn't it brilliant that we are receiving her into our hearts when all points of light seem to rally around the common man.  And not just here in the states, but everywhere; the common man is either rising up against the travesties of an overzealous government, demonstrably and orderly, as in the Tea Party movement, or they are rioting in protest across the world's stage.  Either way, the commoner is king, demanding attention, forcing the government elite to change their wicked ways, somehow, some way.

However, a frightening reality is beginning to take shape; are we, as a world order, already too tied up together to make a break?

The common man questioned the timing and ability for America to make a break from the tyranny of jolly old England over two hundred years ago -- they agonized over making the decision -- and to think, things were all so simple then.

But now look at the world, one country goes over the nation-to-nation call allowance and we all know about it...as we begin screaming, those were my minutes!...how can you talk so long!....who are you talking to and what are you up to?  Get your head out of the I-phone and can't we talk about this first?  Can't we just talk, like two reasonable, mature nations all wanting the same thing for everybody else, but you know, privately, on our own, without peeking on the text messages back and forth?  While, with all that being said, you know how the game of telephone ends, what began as "look forward to seeing  you in Germany on Sunday, and France on Tuesday" turns into "took Ireland to the cleaners on Monday -- and can we dance in Greece Wednesday?"...you know how it goes.

The thing is, the way this world is being re-engineered, once one line gets dropped, we all go. Game of Dominoes anyone?

Whatever ever happened to the cry of locals rule?  What ever happened to the hippies of yesteryear, who preached the gospel of buying local, making our own goods, community gardens and teaching our own children in the communal school of life and partnership and profit sharing?  Where are these people decreeing a sense of urgency, returning to, quite possibly, our agricultural roots?  Where are the anarchists who just want to be left alone, to live off the land and love one another, peacefully?

Realizing we manifested from Divine Providence, out from the inherent birthright endowed by our Creator, firmly grounded in the principles of freedom and liberty for all, rising out of necessity to liberate the common man from over taxation without representation, and surely a life of serfdom, according to the ties that bind dictated from the top down from Kings, Elitists, and Parliamentary rule -- domineered from the Church of England, no less -- I just have to wonder, HOW DID WE GET HERE?

I am just so mad.

I am just so mad... bullocks, piss-off, oh bloody hell, and away with you and this madness. 

this is simply not the way it was supposed to turn out...

there are things going on now in this world that do not make sense.

How can we logically and reasonably control what goes on in the backyard of China, when we don't even have a handle on our own?

How can we dictate a total world order, when in fact our local neighborhood elementary school is upside down and ass backwards, being told how to teach from the top down from  the principles office or 3500 miles away -- with some kids not even being able to hang a flag on the back of their bike?

How can we solve local traffic issues, building permits, city redevelopment, pension problems, bank loans from a bureaucracy that lives in a whole 'nother world, and in airy-fairy land where sky's the limit, money's no object?

How can we teach our children to be connected to something bigger than Facebook -- to Something greater than themselves -- a faith that inspires loving, honorable, gracious, joyous, continuous creation in every day life, connected to the Source of all things?

I believe (and again, what do I know...) the world needs to just get a hold of themselves right quick -- and it's not by linking arms, bank accounts, currency, and family share plans.

It's called having all the world get on their hands and knees in prayer -- I mean, look at it this way, Muslims are doing it right now, right?  They are all doing the Hajd thing right now, in Mecca, or the promised land, bowing in prayer...right now, as we speak.  What do you think they are praying for?  Do you think 'world peace' is up there? Do you wonder if they hope and pray Iran isn't really going to make a bomb, and make matters worse, use it?  Are they praying for a good poppy harvest? or the war in Afghanistan to come to an end, or if maybe the Cowboys have a chance in hell to bring their winning streak to two?  Do they pray for just Muslim children, or all kids?  In any event...

We all pray; some of us do it with a Christian God, others, not so much; some follow Mohammed, others follow Jesus, some don't believe in anyone but themselves -- and that is their prerogative -- to each their own, right.   But we are surrounded by belief systems, whether in place for centuries, or only in the last thirty days.

Some even turn over their faith to a bottle; in any case, we must bow our heads in prayer to whatever that is for you and call upon the Almighty One to save us, guide us, bring us back to the time when we were One with It, to the extent that every action we made, we aligned ourselves with It before ever making a single move...for our fallen human condition these days is, after all, of our own making.

But to think we can fix ourselves by simply trusting in each other, to ban together, holding onto each other for dear life, pulling everyone down in the process, gasping for air, impetuously turning one country's chance for a life raft into a global catastrophe of Titanic proportions...we will sadly be mistaken.

There is a way to have world cooperation; there is a path holding each other to a higher consciousness, in relationship to satisfying our needs on a global scale; there is a logical, orderly way of living with accountability, with just the right amount of impetus to do the right thing for all parties involved; there is way.

The bottom line, is that the golden rule is still golden.

We have done it before; and we can do it again.

"Mere morality is dwarfish

compared to the results of true faith.  

Morality as an answer to the pitiful state 

of the human condition

reveals a total misunderstanding 

of the enormous problem of the fallen human condition."

yes, my favorite Brit these days, William Wilberforce

We need to bring the conversation and our attention down a notch, or two.  

This is simply not our world to play with -- we are on loan; and if I may be so bold (say it like a Brit, it sounds better) we struggle with our every day totally, and absolutely, coming from the wrong perspective; primarily, we come up from the earth, from a lower vantage point, which over time, manifested into a rather feeble attempt to run the world according to man; at this juncture, I do believe there is no need to push the envelope any further... we should all get it by now; we have failed as human beings, thoroughly, and miserably.

Between our phony faith, that narrowly gets us by, over the last several decades... to the continuous days of reckoning from forces beyond our control through radical "jihad" against the heathens of the world...  to the return of tyranny, taking away our liberties, in epic proportion... to all the world grappling with the reality that we have done it to ourselves, all at the same time, for a myriad of reasons under a host of liabilities in each our own season -- we are linked in ways we never conceivably thought possible.

In light of what is happening the world over, a namby-pamby faith is simply not going to cut it, people.

Prince William was ready to take his faith, in Kate rather, to the next level; in front of the world he made his intentions known.  So sweet.

And just what, pray tell, do we do for God?   What have we done for Him come lately?

As a people of faith, WHAT DO WE DO in our every day, to show our thanksgiving, to sing His praise, to bow to our knees in humble prayer; it is not enough to simply say, I'm a believer (even if in song, and yes, of course it's playing on Dear America, duh!) -- we must take a leap of faith and show it, prove it, give it our highest honor and our deepest reverence.  We must live by it, walking in the image of God, whether a follower of Christ, Mohammed, the Buddha, Whatever you wanna call It, if only It be little old you.  If that's the best that you got, then as long as you bring no harm, honor that, I'm not here to convince you of anything, not that I really could, right...

The thing is, in this day, this I know -- our world will fall to pieces without the proper foundation for goodness and charity and liberty and freedom to grow and prosper.  It's as simple as that. 

A spiritual re-birthing is what needs to happen; we need to be more fully engaged with that which really makes us tick; our marriage made in heaven begins with a commitment to principles and values worthy of a lifetime -- till death do us part -- and then not really, as for many of us, we believe in everlasting life...which is kind of a nice thought given where we are today, isn't it.  isn't it?

Cheerio and 

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

"Do not accept anything by mere tradition ...

Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures ...

Do not accept anything merely because

 it agrees with your preconceived notions ...

But when you know for yourselves—

these things are moral,

these things are blameless,

these things are praised by the wise,

these things,

when performed and undertaken,

conduce to well-being and happiness—

then do you live acting accordingly" 

Buddha

I'm just thinking aloud this morning, wondering if the teachings of Buddha would find a more widely acceptable path of higher education within our widely held liberal education system of today?

Would the left brain thinkers allow for that?

Wondering if the airy fairy nature of it, the free spirited transcendence to higher thought, and the universal teachings of karma and suffering and connection to all of life as one everlasting soul which never really dies be found more palatable, by the liberals hellbent on indoctrinating our children their way or the highway?

As I go there, my mind also wanders off another direction, amused by the polarizing efforts of the main stream media, and the like, in an attempt to marginalize the tea party movement with the typical extremism fodder.  Amused completely, as apparently they entirely miss the purity of it's essence -- true Americana at play -- nothing more and everything less, in it's simplest of forms.

For the Tea Party movement is, at it's purest state, the re-birthing of freedom and liberty -- America Reincarnate, if you will.

Last I checked within the scope of my chakras, this isn't extremism whatsoever -- as a matter of fact, it transcends all party lines.  The make up of this brave, effervescent, honorable crowd -- the colors of red white and blue unite into violet -- encompassing all political ideology known to man; while at it's very core, is the opalescence of commonalities in which we all share, as Americans.

Please, someone, point me in the direction where I may find an Independent who shudders at the thought of real independence... living in a land where true liberty reigns in every aspect of their world, where less government regulation and more freedom to work and play and follow whatever religious practice of their choosing (or not) dictates without a tyrannical force telling you do this and not that, let me take this and you get that. 

Show me that American Independent.

Please, someone, point me in the direction where I may find a Democrat who shudders at the thought of living in a real American democracy...where everyone is equal under the law, where we unilaterally unite with one another under this law, and worship the ground we walk on as it is the only place like it in the world!

Show me that American Democrat.


I beg of you, all of you, tell me it is not just white bread, middle-class American, republicans who rally around this level of liberty and free thought.

Taking another twist this morning, I am awe struck with the actions of one person in Hollywood -- who happens to also be one of my favorites to watch, too, come to think of it.  Goldie Hawn.

The Hawn Foundation is responsible for creating a mind over matter program to elevate children across America through bringing attention to a higher school of thought -- the use of meditation in our schools!  She, herself, a self-described Jewish-Buddhist, leads the charity.  Her foundation developed a program called MindUp.

Hawn was in Washington last year promoting her cause and meeting with lawmakers, but more currently has met with Michael Gove, "Britains's shadow secretary of state for children, schools, and families', according to a brief article found in Newsmax magazine, May edition.  The article makes note that "Gove's education reform allows for charities, churches and parents' groups the freedom to set up schools in the state sector" and quotes him saying, "we need more schools outside local-authority control to challenge the bureaucratic monopoly."

Can you just imagine it?  Much of Hawn's program is simply based on teaching children, K-7, the qualities of meditation in order to alleviate stress, learn how to center oneself using breathing techniques, and tapping into this higher realm of being -- essentially increasing a child's ability to concentrate better, focus on learning, and even make them calmer, at peace with the world, with an added benefit of becoming less aggressive overall.

Looking beyond the entire scope of the MindUp program, however, one would have to be further enlightened by the occurrence of any of these children continuing the practice after they graduate.  For with a deeper look into the teachings of Buddha, we could probably stop at the first five precepts to find a path of creating a better life:

1.To refrain from taking life

(non-violence towards sentient life forms), or ahimsā

2.To refrain from taking that which is not given

(not committing theft)

3.To refrain from sensual misconduct

 (including sexual)

4.To refrain from lying

 (speaking truth always)

5.To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness

(specifically, drugs and alcohol)

"The precepts are not formulated as imperatives, but as training rules that laypeople undertake voluntarily to facilitate practice.[87] In Buddhist thought, the cultivation of dana and ethical conduct will themselves refine consciousness to such a level that rebirth in one of the lower heavens is likely, even if there is no further Buddhist practice. There is nothing improper or un-Buddhist about limiting one's aims to this level of attainment.[88]"   One caveat, this quote, and the five precepts, were discovered from the teachings of wikipedia school of thought.

I'm just wondering if the left wing liberal educators who have done such a bang up job orchestrating a hostile takeover of our schools would have any sincere gripe about this?  Isn't this stuff right up their alley -- the path marching to the belief system that we are one with the world, of redistribution of the earth's resources in every which way and backwards,  the kumbaya lovers, the save the whales -- save the children -- save the planet (taking advantage of plugging Earth Day as we speak) philosophy?
 
I would love to see our education system embrace every possible avenue for raising self actualized, self-reliant, spiritually gifted,Americans -- ultimately raising free enterprising industrialist in every which way, including green, children into responsible adults.  Oh my God, can you just imagine it?! 
 
Pure love... surrounded in the silence of pure love first thing in the morning until we close our eyes at night -- embodying every aspect of the Divine into our daily life, into our work, school and play.  Now, that would be a kind of bi-partisan re-birthing of America that I could sink my thoughts into.
 
We can be so much more than this -- this foreboding and underlying sense that all the world is failing us, the sky is falling, the end is near and to whom can we point fingers to blame line of thinking.  We are so busy pointing outward -- we have dismissed the only thing that will ever save us -- the inward search for meaning, the hidden path to understanding, the center of our own bad self as the cause and creator of our own world -- which collectively appears rather dismal at this point in time.
 
The secret to finding the peace that passes all understanding, through whatever path of your choosing, has been right here and inside of us the whole time.  The keys to a higher level of learning -- and living -- are equally shared amongst us under natural law (as carefully and lovingly prescribed by our founders) and hold all the answers to this nation's suffrage and despair. 
 
Natural Law knows no one in particular and everyone in unison equally and in proportion to each one's belief and ability to connect to the law.
 

"The first principle fundamental to the understanding of the operation of thought is, that we are surrounded by an Infinite Intelligence.  The possibility of healing physical disease, changing environment, attracting friends and demonstrating supply through the power of right thinking, rests entirely on the theory that we are surrounded an Infinite Mind, which reacts to our thought according to Law."
 
"At the level of our self-comprehension, we know and understand the nature of God.  This self-knowing, which is God-knowing, has the possibility of an eternal expansion."

Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind

I would love to know how Goldie can get away with advocating and preaching about a spiritual world which awaits us at the morning bell each day, while any other tradition masked in Christian mad science is continually down graded and dismissed, dissed to the highest extent, and made a mockery of it's teachings.  For in reality, all religions gather at the same communal wellspring of character and values, a moral compass to uphold.
 
Whether the golden child or the golden rules, can't we all be rest assured by that which defines right action, tapping into all that is Golden in and of itself -- isn't that really what it's all about?
 
The tea party movement speaks on behalf of all children everywhere -- red or yellow, black or white -- we are the same in His sight; we are all the same when we allow ourselves to tap into the universal teachings, a higher power, a spirit divinely available to us all, and connect to that one substance in which all children are made.  We are one with that. 
 
The tea party movement is like an angry crowd of parents, facing a Principle without principals, and making their protest heard before God and everyone, especially, the Superintendent, that being America herself.  The movement only wishes to create more peace of mind, as none other than the parents and caretakers of all the children who will be left behind, with the burden heavy on their heart and shoulders to repay for all kinds of transgressions under the sun.
 
G speaking into the tea leaves now, we, the perpetual students and current protesters that we are, have been there and done that;  we have seen the light and are, in a word, not-happy.
 
We are all together a school of patriots -- encompassing not just one party, but the party of ONE.
 
 
The American party --
one that we entrust to like-minded individuals respectful of our duty to one and all -- all are welcome -- no one is dissed into a corner or ridiculed of dress or code, all are invited to the table -- while everyone brings something of value to share -- we know exactly where we are and where we wish to go -- the world is our oyster and awaits our right action, our right thought, our sweet surrender to that which was made manifest by our forefathers  -- firmly grounded in principals, we will not falter this time, nor will we be lulled or teased into intoxication, forgetting of our  new found mindfulness reincarnate -- we will remain cool, calm and stewards of our Constitution and rest peacefully in it's protection -- the only thing we may harm, may be a fly, but that of course, would be purely transcendental accidental... 
 
and there is nothing more I can say about that, except that y'all just better hope we keep our clothes on.
 
Namaste'
 
Make it a Good Day, G

Daily Affirmation from Science of Mind, for today April 22, 2010