Spiritual Globalization

We are living in a period
of commercial globalization.
What we really need is
spiritual globalization.

~Sr. Joan Chittister

Of Note: In my mental world, commercial and spiritual are one and the same. One could argue that the underpinning values of globalization range from the very base such as moneymaking to the more lofty such as sharing and cooperation--but ALL values represent humanity's spiritual nature to some degree or other. It could no other way for the divine entity, man, who walks the path of globalization in his next steps up the ladder of evolution. There could be no better example of globalization than the Olympics, and the Winter Games start tomorrow in Vancouver, BC. Making their debut are teams from the Peru, Pakistan, Columbia, Ghana, Montenegro, and Serbia. While not large, these teams show resolve in putting forth athletes who hail from current or former countries of conflict. Given the inherent global representation at these games, it might behoove us to begin looking at the Olympics as a spiritual event for at some level that is indeed what it is.

Today's Weather Report: This is a double alleluia day! With the sun out and temps in the mid-30's, you would think it was spring already. Ah, in my imagination today, I can see the plants growing tall, and the flower buds facing the sun ready to burst open and show their stuff. Misty was mesmerized by the pools of water created in the snow by the drips off the roof. She had never seen such a sight and couldn't quite figure it out. Little Chewy could care less as he lounged on the top of a snow pile taking in the rays. Tonight is the last night, knock on wood, that it will dip below zero (as predicted by my personal weatherman, Jim.)

A Feather Duster

TODAY A PEACOCK, TOMORROW A FEATHER DUSTER.

~ Old Proverb

Of Note: This line is one of Secretary of State Robert Gates favorites. Having worked under the last 4 or 5 Presidents, he knows that change is inevitable, and it is how we roll with change that counts. That's how he has survived and flourished. A change worth noting was published recently in the prestigious journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Research has shown that abstinence only sex-education programs have proven more effective than those providing information on safe sex and contraceptive options. The Obama administration has taken note and is considering increasing funding for abstinence only sex-education. As it turned out, maybe the previous administration was on to something--even if old-fashioned.

Today's Weather Report: What a beautiful sunny day with fluffy clouds superimposed over blue sky. It's a perfect winter day in the 20's Fahrenheit. Yesterday a light sprinkling of snow fell--it was the edge of the storm slamming Chicago with 12 inches. I cannot imagine, however, how the east coast is coping with first 2 to 3 feet of snow and now another foot or two! We had a dump like that in the early 1990's, and it took a week for hearty northerners to come up for air. Jim saw a mosquito the other day while running. I cannot imagine that but he swears by his story. By the way, I know this duck is not a peacock but this photo was the best we could do in the bird line at the moment!

His Own Sacred Tears

On Pain

Your pain is the breaking of the shell
That encloses your understanding.

Even as the stone of the fruit must break,
That its heart may stand in the sun
So must you know pain.

And could you keep your heart in wonder
At the daily miracles of life
Your pain would not seem less
Wondrous than your joy.

And you would accept the seasons of the heart
Even as you have always accepted
The seasons that pass over your fields.

And you would watch with serenity
Through the winters of your grief.

Much of your pain is self-chosen.

It is the bitter potion by which the
Physician within you heals your sick self.

Therefore trust the physician
And drink his remedy
In silence and tranquility:

For his hand, though heavy and hard
Is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen,

And the cup He brings, though it burns your lips
Has been fashioned of clay
Which the Potter has moistened
With His own sacred tears.

~ Kahlil Gibran

Transparent and Clear

If the mind is not contrived,
it is spontaneously blissful,
just as water, when not agitated,
is by nature transparent and clear.

~Anonymous

Of Note: Water has always been the symbol of the emotions. Whenever the word water was noted in ancient writings, the reader was challenged to look deeper. The ancients ascribed seven layers of meaning to their esoteric writings. That is why, taken at face value, old texts were often misunderstood. Often, grossly misunderstood. The ancients knew, however, that at some future date the keys of knowledge would be found, and the layers of meaning peeled back to reveal the Truth. It has been foretold that we could enter this period in the near future. Based on a collective decision, Humanity will ultimately determine when that time will begin. There is much talk of 2012, but that date could come and go with no apparent changes if we simply sit back and wait for the universe to take action. WE are the ones who are predestined to take action, and so it shall be. Or not. It is up to us.

Today's Weather Report: Hallelujah, the sun was out gloriously today, and it was 30 degrees! Not enough for any melting but the promise was in the air. The newest puppy was recovering from his neutering operation yesterday and is supposed to be kept "calm" for 10 to 14 days. The best we could do with two rambunctious pups was to let only one out at a time. Other than that in the house, it was play, play, play. There was simply no getting away from it. This past week, Chewy has been climbing 4 staircases to get to Jim's turret office where the cats hang out. It has worked out amazingly well. The dog lies on the floor to sleep, and the cats are sometimes within a few feet with no hissing. This may be the real detente we were waiting for.

Dance in the Sunlight

DANCE IN THE SUNLIGHT
AND
CELEBRATE THE WONDERS OF LIFE.

~Gail Marie

Of Note: As I look out, humor seems to have disappeared from the landscape. Sometimes the emotional energy seems heavy indeed, especially on the political front. It hangs on us like lead and permeates our whole anatomy. It's not enough to simply push this dissonant energy away for it only promises to come back with vengeance. Better to substitute it with something lighter and more finely tuned. Might I suggest starting the transformation with hearty laughter. Then a walk in the sunlight. Even a day off from TV might be therapeutic. Or making toasted cheese sandwiches with a friend on a cold afternoon. I'm sure if we thought about it, we could come up with a long list. Whatever it takes. I feel certain that if we concentrated on celebrating the wonders of life, our humor would re-appear.

Today's Weather Report: Gosh, it got up to almost 30 degrees Fahrenheit! It was almost balmy even though the sun refused to shine. Washington DC is getting slammed with two feet or more of snow today through tomorrow. The news anchor said that even a half-inch of snow in the Capital makes going rough. Can you imagine two feet of the fluffy stuff? That would paralyze even northern Wisconsin for a time. It will be quite interesting to see how everyone out there handles the situation.

Shaking the World Gently

IN A GENTLE WAY WE CAN SHAKE THE WORLD.

~Mahatma Gandhi

Of Note: Well, it's official. Corporal punishment--called spanking in my day--is not good for children. The task force appointed by the American Psychological Association has concluded that "parents and caregivers should reduce and potentially eliminate their use of physical punishment as a disciplinary measure." I'm wondering why we ever thought it was good in the first place. Most of us would not think of disciplining animals by physical force so why we would conclude it would be good for children? Maybe because it seems to work so well short-term. However, the evidence examined by the group showed a long-term correlation between corporal punishment and increased childhood anxiety and depression, increased behavioral problems and impaired cognitive development. Not everyone agreed, of course. One detractor said that spanking along with others forms of non-contact punishment resulted in similar negative outcomes. Another thought that it should be held as a backup when other forms of punishment did not work. The APA will sort all of this out and issue its official recommendations at a later date. In the meantime, parents might take note of the preliminary findings.

Today's Weather Report: We are back to the 20's Fahrenheit. And cloudy--though yesterday was a bright sunshiny day. Seems we are having a day of clouds and then a day of sunshine. That's better than November which is historically cloudy 90% of the time. I noticed when in Hayward yesterday that the town is having a difficult time with piling the snow next to roads. In one case, the snow took up half a lane. Thankfully, this particular road has three lanes--one in each direction and a turning lane. I think I might have spotted Brett Favre at the Hayward Wal-Mart last Friday. If it wasn't him, it was his identical twin wearing an expensive Green Bay Packer Superbowl jacket.

Once Social Change Begins

Once social change begins,
it cannot be reversed.

You cannot un-educate the
person who has learned to read.

You cannot humiliate
the person who feels pride.

You cannot oppress the people
who are not afraid anymore.

~Cesar Chavez, 1984

Of Note: Mr. Chavez has a point. Actually, his point is so simple that it seems like plain, old commonsense. However, fear always trumps commonsense until it is surmounted, and that takes many lifetimes. What we are seeing at this time is all of humanity facing its fears and then moving onward and upward. The outer appearance is one of chaos and turmoil, but do not be deceived. Humanity has a lighted destiny that is within reach and ultimately cannot be reversed.

Today's Weather Report: The full moon of Aquarius over the weekend brought all those nights of below zero Fahrenheit. We are past that now, and temps will be getting back to normal. A little snow fell this morning, but it did not last long. Last Saturday in anticipation of spring, I picked out treasures for my garden at the local thrift store. During the growing season, I "hide" these inexpensive items in my garden and see if people notice the strange array of figurines, pots, dangles, and bobbles scattered here and there. Hayward actually has four thrift stores and a new one for building materials. Each is run by a local charity so any money spent supports a good cause.

Watch For Change Snippet: TIME magazine along with CNN and Fortune Magazine are hosting a global forum in South Africa during the World Cup. The three-day event in June will bring together Fortune 500 CEO's, world leaders, and members of the TIME 100, who are the top 100 world leaders chosen by the magazine every year. The participants will discuss the shifting of economic power to developing countries. The head of TIME magazine's steering committee noted: "We've given the conference the title The New Global Opportunity because there's a realization that we can't go back to the old ways. Growth has to be inclusive and sustainable. And the role and potential of those who have been marginalized in the past--the poor, especially women and girls--will only grow."