My Senses Put In Order

I go to nature to be soothed and healed

and have my senses put in order.

John Burroughs

>Of Note: If life seems overwhelming at times, nature has a way of reducing anxiety and can be better than a pill. It seems that a calming energy is emitted outdoors and is ours for the taking. And what's more, it's free. This quote was taken from the Rainforest Section of www.thehungersite.com where you can donate daily with one click. Check it out.

>Today's Weather Report: It is snowing hard, big flakes. These were only supposed to be snowshowers, but this has a look of something entirely different. One forgets from season to season what to expect exactly--but the routine returns quickly after a storm or two. This summer I organized the snow shovels so all six are in one place. Last winter we could find none of them when needed. There is nothing like the frustration of buying yet one more snow shovel when you know five more lurk somewhere.

>Watch For Change Snippit: I'm not the only one tired of buying unnecessary items. With the economic downturn, luxury items are not the hot ticket they used to be. Wall Street Journal quotes a lady as saying, "It's definitely all of a sudden very cool to be cheap." This newspaper has an article almost daily about this changing psychology and says that people aren't shopping anymore to feel better. Rather, folks are actually NOT shopping to feel better. Another newspaper went even further by suggesting the slowdown can be good for us. Kind of like the realizations that occur after waking from a binge.

Changing the World

No doubt that a small group of

thoughtful committed citizens

can change the world.

Indeed,

it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

>Of Note: Ever heard of William Wilberforce? Nay, didn't think so. Neither had I until I read about this mover and shaker who lived in late 18th century, early 19th century England. His claim to fame was leading the efforts to end slave trade across the British Empire, which at that point spanned the globe. Actually, few thought it was possible but this stalwart Parlimentarian thought otherwise. After 20 years of fomenting change through a persistant campaign to shift public opinion and success in ultimately building a political coalition, the deciding vote was cast in July 1833. Wilberforce died that same month. Author William Hague said that a religious conversion in 1785 brought this man to the foot of the cross. Wilberforce likened his conversion "to waking from a dream and recovering the use of my reason after a delirium." That is not an unusual description for awakening. What is more unusual is how the man went on to change the world. Had England not abolished slavery when it did, America might have taken even longer to do so. Consequently, we might not be in the place we are now with a black President-elect. To read more about this visionary forerunner, consider picking up Hague's book, William Wilberforce, from your library or local bookstore. Marie contributed this unique swirling cloud photo shot recently from her home in Texas. My, they make inspirational clouds in that state!

>Today's Weather Report: Cooler by far and in the forties. Tonight it will get down to freezing. Now, this is more like the November to which I'm accustomed. Even the cloud cover seems more familiar. There's a bird making a ruccus out the window, must be a crow because they seem to be around no matter what.

Watch For Change Snippit: Since we are on unusual movers and shakers, let's not forget Mr. Gene Sharp, an 80-year old hermit-like Boston scholar. Oh, never heard of him either? Well, many dictators around the world have and rale at the very mention of his name. Mr. Sharp's claim to fame is a life spent writing books and pamphlets on non-violent resistance, very powerful books and pamphlets that have led many freedom fighters to foment political change using brains rather than braun. He was recently the star featured in an Iranian documentary on foreign plots against the state. Hugo Chavez considers him a national threat. Opposition activists consider him a global hero and have found his tactics quite powerful in Burma, Georgia, Iran, Kyrgystan, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe, to name a few. To read more about this Server, you might check out the Albert Einstein Institute, his brainchild.

Pairs of Opposites

At levels of reality revelant to the human journey, duality often presents itself in the form of incompatible or conflicting pairs of opposites. It is easy to make a value judgment, identifying one as 'good' and one as 'evil.' However, from a different perspective, pairs of opposites provide opportunies for exploration, for experiencing consequences of each and learning the importance of balance. Until balance is attained, suffering and other 'evils' can be expected.

John Nash

>Of Note: The colorful inclusion in the rock above will one day be freed from its gray surroundings. Until that time many moons from now, the duality of light and dark will remain, always a reminder of imprisonment of one by the other. But liberation will come. That is the promise. Indeed, it is culmination of the law.

>Today's Weather Report: Very cloudy with thunderstorms forecast, though the sun keeps popping its head out to remind us its still above it all. Here at Mt. St. Mosback Monastery, we work for our heat, and each piece of wood is lovingly cut and stacked before being thrown into the maws of the hungry boiler. Every day of mild weather like this brings another day the guys can peck away at cutting the wood piles for later use. That's not a task to pursue mid-winter for sure.

>Watch For Change Snippit: After 27 years in prison, a convict in Texas, who never waivered in professing his innocence, was freed when DNA testing exonerated him from a murder he did not commit. He holds the distinction of being the longest held individual wrongfully held and subsequently liberated. The Innocence Project gets the credit for uncovering the grevious error. The state's District Judge said, "No words can express what a tragic story this is." All the ex-convict could say was thank god for the Innocence Project, who utilizes DNA testing and other methods to free wrongfully convicted prisoners.

In Harmony With You

First thing in the morning,
before you meet or greet anyone,
remember to greet all of nature,
all visible and invisible creatures.

Say to them: "I am grateful for your work,
I love you and want to be in harmony with you!"
At this very moment, in response to your greeting,
all of nature will open to you and send you
energy the entire day.

Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov

Of Note: Nothing could be finer than to open the day with meditation and/or prayer. The greeting suggested by Mr. Aivanhov would be a novel way to begin these lofty endeavors. Substituting the word "we" for "I" would expand the declaration's meaning and send the potent energy generated to all humanity. It's a simple act of service, would only take a minute. But that one minute could potentially change the world.

Today's Weather Report: Well, I have to find a hat and decide on an appropriate recipe, because yesterday did indeed get above 70. Amazing. It was the all-time high and the tank top was pulled out for a second run in a week. Today heavy clouds are moving in for thundershowers, though it will be warm in the mid-60's. The lake is still way low--so, bring on the rain.

Watch For Change Snippit: With the election of Barack Obama for President, we don't have to look far for change that could rock the planet. His acceptance speech was moving and promised hope not only to his constituency but to his wider constituency, all peoples worldwide. He is the first President, it seems, that may have this wider view of reality. A measure of any government according to Hubert Humphrey was "how it treated those who were in the dawn of life, the children; those who were in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who were in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped." The time may have come when these words will be put to the test globally.

What We Give

We make a living by what we get.

We make a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill

Of Note: Today is election day and the campaign for the highest office of the land will mercifully come to a close. May the best man win and may love and light shine down upon him. He's going to need everyone's support. Winston Churchill understood about campaigning. After the great war, this venerable statesman was turned out of office. The electorate is sometimes fickle and often does not reward Servers, especially if they have some perceived personality flaw. That's OK. They get their rewards by giving to the best of their ability and that's all that matters in the end.

Today's Weather Report: Great sunshiny day. Supposed to get into the 60's--though if we see 70's again this fall like yesterday, I'll eat my hat. Remind me of that if we do, OK? The forecast also includes a 50% chance of showers. Must be somewhere, but not on the horizon out my window.

Watch For Change Snippit: Exxon has worked for years, of course, producing gasoline for our cars. The incident many moons ago with the Exxon Valdez certainly tarnished its image as has its record quarterly profits of late. Given all of that, it might surprise you as it did me that this behemoth is moving into battery R & D to power hybrid cars. The company is specifically working on the plastic separator film used inside batteries which connects the dots since plastic is a derivative of petroleum. Exxon executives see this as a good, diversified business opportunity. Doesn't matter a bit that the motive is money. It's good news that one of the largest corporations in the world is working on the alternative energy front.

Wanting What You Have

PROSPERITY DEPENDS MORE ON WANTING WHAT

YOU HAVE THAN HAVING WHAT YOU WANT.

Geoffrey Abert

Of Note: In this time of "economic uncertainty" as the newspapers like to call the current situation, Mr. Abert is on to the right idea. Looking around all that we have accumulated, we are more affluent than our minds lead us to believe. But luckily we can change our minds regarding prosperity. One immediate advantage would be an improvement in mental health toward an attitude of gratitude. Another would be a more intimate feeling of connection with the rest of humanity. Not a bad deal at all for letting in a little light. This quote is from the June 2nd "Word For The Day" at http://www.gratefulness.org/. Prescient I would say.

Today's Weather Report: Can you believe it, it's now in the 70's!! Just last week as you know, I was preparing for winter. Now, I've had to pull my tank tops out again for another run--even if it's only today.

Watch for Change Snippit: How in the world are we going to supply 1.6 billion people--a quarter of the world's population--with light and power? This is the question that three MIT students pondered in an 2003 school assignment. These guys went on to create the Mightylight, a waterproof, portable LED lamp that runs on solar powered energy. 10,000 have been distributed to date. Their next project is a solar powered mobile-phone charger, which would allow mobile phone use in much of the developing world. Onward and upward.

The Beneficent Universe

We ever live within the embrace of a beneficent universe,

wherein our natural birthright to experience the soul

qualities of love, joy, true happiness and serenity

is always ours to lose and cast aside, as opposed to

the popular view that it's something "taken away.

R. Andrew Griffiths

"Regarding the Soul's Purpose"

Of Note: The sky the other night was the most vivid shades of purple and red. I think meteorologically that particular sky means rain or something. But rain or not, it made me want to drink the vibrant colors in as a healing elixir. One of those gifts from the beneficent universe to be sure.

Today's Weather Report: Today on the way back from Chicagoland, we came through rain--a few sprinkles in Tomah or thereabouts. It looked cloudy in the distance for most of the trip. Funny thing though, when we'd get to the place "in the distance," the clouds were further still. South of Hayward, the sun popped out and road with us all the way home.