Learning to Reawaken

We must learn to reawaken
and keep ourselves awake
by an infinite expectation
of the dawn.

~Henry David Thoreau

Of Note: We spend so much time thinking about the past that it's second nature. We even have wise quotes about learning from the past. However, the past only gets us so far. What is really required is a look to the future. Yes, we have no idea what it holds--but that's the point. Each and every one of us as a conscious creator is a participant in making the future what we envision. In many ways, the future is a blank slate to start anew. Therefore, the opportunities are boundless. Let us fill our future with Truth and Beauty, and then we will know we are on the right path.

Today's Weather Report: It is already 52 degrees Fahrenheit, and I'm loving it. It feels like the winter is behind, and the summer is ahead. A summer filled with flowers, vegetables, and heat. Heat, we like that. Even though she's in her last days, our doggy is even basking in the sun and enjoying the warm rays. I know it's spring when the litter box is no longer full, which relieves me of a chore for five or six months. With five cats, the litter box detail is a twice daily requirement during the months when the ground is frozen. In the spring and summer, the felines go outside. Frankly, they seem to like that better, too.

Watch For Change Snippet: After years of pressure from outside nations, the Chinese government has released its first ever human rights action plan. Although this outside push may have influenced the decision, the change has probably more to do with the growing connection China has to the outside world. This is a subtle but notable distinction because voluntarily coming along by pulling is more effective than by pushing. That's just psychology. The plan was drawn up as China prepared for its first examination before the UN Human Rights Council in early 2009 and included benchmarks for change for the first time. Past reports consisted of reports of progress but no future plans. A human rights group lauded the effort but noted that the goals were modest. Cynics might poo-poo the whole effort as a charade but I would counter it is a good start. As in so many of these snippets, only time will tell the tale, of course.