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Monday, September 28, 2009

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE CHANGING AUTUMN LEAVES

Tuesday's theme for the Blogdumps contest is "My favorite thing about Fall is . . . ."

My favorite thing about Autumn has always been the changing leaves. Having been raised in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, I was used to seeing the brilliant reds, yellows and oranges that paint the landscape each fall. Yet, no matter how often I saw the leaves turn color, I always found it amazing. Now that I live in Florida, I truly miss this artistic display by nature.

We all could learn a lot from leaves. When a leaf first sprouts out on a branch, it is barely noticeable. Just a little green bud--not much to speak of.

As spring goes on, the leaf starts to develop into its full shape, with all the leaves on the tree looking pretty much the same. They all blend together in a green blur to make a tree--as do the leaves on the tree next to it, and the tree next to that.

During summer, the unremarkable life of the leaf continues. The green leaves flap around in the sun and the wind and the rain, mostly going unnoticed. For it is not until the autumn of its life, that we start to notice the individual tree--the individual leaf. It is not until autumn that the leaf undergoes a miraculous change. Suddenly, the bright red maple leaf no longer looks like the stately yellowish oak leaf. Suddenly, the leaves on the same tree do not even have the same hues--some are deeper in color, some are mottled, some are curled. Autumn allows each leaf to come into its own--and some actually look like they've caught "on fire." Autumn is the most beautiful period in a leaf's life--the most colorful, the most brilliant, the most dazzling.

People in their 60's and 70's, I think, are a lot like Autumn leaves. This is their time to be the most colorful, the most dazzling, the most brilliant. It is their time to show off their colors, fly high in the wind, and display a change that can leave the world breathless. All stages of a life--whether it be a leaf's or a person's--are important; but, there is only one stage that provides an opportunity for brilliant change. Autumn.

8:52 pm | link

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

BOO-BOO'S NEED TO BE UNCOVERED IN ORDER TO BE HEALED

It's a simple lesson but one we often forget: in order for a wound to heal, it needs to be uncovered, exposed to the air, and given a little time.

I got a "boo-boo" on my right thumb this week trying to twist the hose off of the power-washer. It wasn't a big "boo-boo," but it was bleeding and in an awkard spot. I should have taken the band-aid off immediately when the bleeding stopped, but, as I said, it was in an awkward spot and I hated to keep thumping it. So, I left the band-aid on and kept putting new ones on after each band-aid got wet (which, being on my thumb, was quite often).

After a few days, when preparing to add yet another new band-aid, I noticed the thing wasn't really healing. The thing was still red and raw. Not only that, the skin around it was getting white and slimy. Where's the scab--where's the crusty stuff that closes up the "boo-boo" right before the new skin comes in and makes it all go away forever? Then it hit me: this thing is never going to really heal unless I uncover it and expose it to the air--until I quit babying it and let it dry up naturally--until I let time and God and nature do their thing and miraculously grow a whole new layer of skin over it. I was impeding the healing, not helping it. You can overuse band-aids, you know.

This, of course, is not simply the story of my "boo-boo" thumb. It is the story of every emotional and spiritual wound that any of us might be carrying. Emotional and spiritual wounds are just like physical wounds--in order to heal, you need to open up about them, uncover them, and then let God and time and nature heal them for you. You have to trust enough to take your emotional and spiritual band-aids off. You have to let God in, just like letting air in to heal a physical wound. God will dry up your emotional "boo-boo's" if you just let Him/Her do so.

I'm happy to report my "boo-boo" is gone. The best thing I did was to remove those band-aids. It's the best thing you can do, too--if you want to grow spiritually.

9:36 pm | link

Monday, September 21, 2009

I JUST COULDN'T FACE FACEBOOK!

Well, I lasted on Facebook for less than 2 weeks. I just got done removing myself permanently from the world's biggest "social community," and frankly, I'm breathing a whole lot easier.

I only joined Facebook a couple weeks back because my younger sister forced me to--she literally registered me on it when I was up north visiting with her. She apparently enjoys Facebook--finding old friends, sharing pictures of her family, hearing from obscure classmates, and being part of this massive global database.

I, however, have been stiff-arming Facebook ever since it came into vogue because I could see no reason in the world to dig up my past (and the older you get, the more past you have to dig up) or share pictures with people I couldn't simply hand them to or directly email them to. I'm a private person and I wanted to keep myself that way. However, my sister (who is 14 years younger than me) insisted on dragging me into the 21st century of intrusive technology. So, there I was--on Facebook!

It wasn't so bad at first. I used the privacy settings to keep everyone except my 3 friends (pitiful number, isn't it?) from seeing anything on my page. Not that I had much to see. I cleaned off the pictures my sister so freely posted on my wall (I learned quickly that others can post on your wall, and everyone can read what's on your wall by default), and the only information on my profile was where I went to high school and college. That seemed benign enough. Or so I thought. Little did I know that Facebook takes it upon itself to "recommend" friends to you based on where you went to school and who is friends with your friends. Little did I know that there are actually people out there trolling for old high school classmates from 40 years ago!

When a friend I hadn't seen in over 30 years made contact, it was kind of nice. She and I use to "run together" when we were in our early twenties and I lost track of her years ago. But then on the same day, I got two "friend requests" from two guys that were in my high school class--40 years ago! These were two--how shall I say this?--"unpopular" blokes that I honestly don't recall ever having said two words to the entire time I was in high school. I don't say this judgmentally, because I wasn't exactly Ms. Popularity myself back in high school. The point is that we had no history. I was not friends with either of these guys back then--in fact, we were hardly even casual acquaintenances. Yet, here they were--40 years later--sending me a "friend request."

What to do? I didn't have the heart to "reject" them 40 years later when so many had rejected them back in high school. But what were they thinking? Why would I share the details of my current life with someone who didn't even know me 40 years ago, let alone now? It seemed so bizarre to me. So bizarre, in fact, that it made more sense just to remove myself from Facebook than put either them or me through this awkward situation. And it was apparent to me, the way Facebook works, that this situation would be repeated many times over with others.

People seem to accumulate friends on Facebook as if it means something--almost as if you are showing the world, "Look how many friends I have." I find this rather sad. Friendship should mean more than adding a face to your Facebook page and letting someone see all the intimate details and pictures of your life. Friendship used to mean a real one-on-one relationship with another human being that you shared life experiences with out in the real world. (Or, if you did meet virtual friends, you got to know them over time through in-depth emails and long-term sharing.) Because of this, a person tended to be SELECTIVE about their friends. Friendship grew over time; it was tested. It was a "give-and-take" between two people--it was daily support. Now, in the virtual world, folks seem to be going for QUANTITY, not quality or depth. Again, I find this rather sad. Have we, as a human species, become so isolated and so dependent on technology now that we can't or won't go through the efforts of making new friends in our real current life, our current time, and our current surroundings? Are we so unhappy with what is around us now, that we are seeking something from the past instead?

One of the "truths" of spiritual growth is an acceptance of the here and now. Spiritual growth requires that we focus on the present, with an eye to the future. We accept our "current good" and we "expect even better good ahead." The only way to spiritually grow is to deal with the experiences, people and dreams in your current real life. There used to be a saying, "Look to the future and not to the past, To find those things you want to make last."

The Universe (God, Karma) does indeed have a sense of humor, though. In talking with my younger sister about my exit from Facebook (she's the one who told me how to remove my account permanently), she confessed to her own recent bad experience with Facebook. Her 14-year-old son had told her that he had joined Facebook and wanted his mom to be "a friend." She was even helping him move some of his I-tunes over to his page. That's when she got a look at his profile.

Here, on Facebook. was her 14-year-old son listed as an 18-year-old who was interested in "Women"! On top of it, his actual address was in plain sight! She went ballistic, and after raking the kid over the coals, permanently deleted his account. A week later, when she calmed down, she quietly asked him why he lied on his profile. Why would you say you are an 18-year-old man interested in women? Billy looked at her sheepishly and said, "Mom, you can't join Facebook if you are under 18. You have to say you are 18 to get an account. Then, this box came up and said, "I am interested in. . ." and it gave you only two choices: men or women. So, I clicked on "women," because I didn't think I should click on "men." Then it asked for your address, and--" Well, you can see how Facebook tricked my nephew into answering things he shouldn't have. Facebook is like that. They make it easy to get on and difficult to get off. They trick you, encourage you, suggest to you, coerce you, and manipulate you into putting more and more and more information on their site. And sharing it with every Tom, Dick and Harry out there. George Orwell in his book "1984" warned us all about this sort of thing back in the 1940's. Apparently, it's time to dust off that book (you remember books, don't you?) and either re-read it or, for this new generation, read it for the first time. As for me, I shall remain "FACE-less."

12:21 pm | link

Monday, September 14, 2009

I WISH I WERE AS SPIRITUAL AS MY DOG!

Blogdumps' Tuesday theme contest is "Your Favorite Pet/Companion Animal of All Time."

I've only had one real pet in my life: a small terrior mix named Bambi. I could blog here about how exceptional Bambi was as a dog. After all, he knew every one of his many toys by name. He would also beg at the thermostat in the dining room for me to turn it up when he wanted warm air to come out of the register in the bathroom where he liked to lie, and after I did he would go in front of it and just patiently wait till air came out. He figured out (when no one wanted to throw the ball for him anymore that day) that he could play himself by dropping it from the top of the stairs, then scampering down and bringing it back up to drop again, and again, and again. One time, Bambi went and woke my roommate up when he saw me being sick in the bathroom in the middle of the night, after looking at me with the saddest eyes I ever saw.

Once when I was packing to go to Hawaii, Bambi literally jumped into the open suitcase. He sat there on top of my clothes as if to say, "Hey, you're not going without me!" He knew that the suitcase meant I was going away and he'd be going to the kennel. So, there are many "Lassie-like" stories I could tell about "the Bamb," as I liked to call him. But, hey, smart dog stories are a dime a dozen. I'd rather blog about Bambi's spirituality. And for that matter, the spirituality of ALL DOGS.

We could all learn from dogs, starting with their well-known virtue of "unconditional love" and their ability "not to judge." Wouldn't it be great if people could love others and accept others the way a dog loves and accepts us? Bambi never cared how I looked or what mistakes I made that day. The rougher the day I had, the more he seemed to want to curl up in my lap. (Spouses: there's a lesson here!)

Then there is the ability of dogs to trust that God will provide. They never seem to worry about where their next meal is coming from or if they will have a roof over their heads. (Even stray dogs seem to trot around with an air of non-worry.) Bambi's dog dish was always full of dog food, but he never overate. He would stop eating when he was full. His water bowl was also always full, but he never overdrank. He knew that it would be there the next day. He wasn't materialistic--he didn't care if he had one toy or 60--just as long as you spent time playing with him. (Parents: there is a message here for you!) And Bambi always met me when I came home with a happy jump, a lick on my face, and a wagging tail. Wouldn't life be better for all of us if we ate, drank and played as well as Bambi did? And if we trusted in our provider as much as dogs trust in us?

I used to feel badly that dogs (little ones, at least) only live for about 15 years. (Bambi passed away a number of years ago.) They only get one year for about our 7 years, or so people tell us. But, I no longer feel badly, because I think I know why their lives are shorter. Dogs have a lot less to learn on this earth than we humans do. They are higher on the spiritual ladder than we are, so they don't need as much time down here to learn lessons. Dogs are made out of the same God-energy as we are, I think. Only theirs seems to be a purer, more potent recipe. I wish I were as spiritual as Bambi was!

4:19 pm | link

Friday, September 11, 2009

A BLOGLESS AUGUST or 10 REASONS TO TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER

I didn't post any blogs in August. I was away for 6 weeks, mostly in the Laurel Mountains of Pennsylvania staying at a place without computer access. At first, I felt "disconnected" and decried being without my computer, my website, and my blog. They have become such a big part of my life. But dare I say it? Maybe they have become too big a part.

Without my computer, I re-discovered some things that I have been missing. Things in the real world. Things that helped me reconnect with God or advanced me on my spiritual path.

So, here are 10 good reasons why anyone should turn off his/her computer for at least a month.

1. A doe walked up to the back deck where I was staying and simply stopped, looking in the window at me. This beautiful creature's eyes met mine and she seemed to say "hello." I said "hello" back. The closer we get to God's creatures, the closer we get to God.

2. I visited the Antioch Heritage Museum and I learned about orthodox christianity in the Middle East--places like Syria and Palestine. I never knew about this religion. I never knew that its heritage center was located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The more we learn about other religions and other peoples, the more we realize that all roads lead to the same truths and the same God.

3. I passed an Amish buggy in the county I was born in (Somerset County), and then minutes later saw a Mennonite woman in a long dress and bonnet cross the highway, carrying vegetables from her garden to a neighbor's house. These were not "re-enactments," but these were real 21st century human beings quietly living their lives in simple, technology-free ways. Some folks have no need for transportation that takes them far from their home and family. Some folks have no need for social networking sites or entertainment sites that take them emotionally far from their home and family. Some folks, instead, concentrate their energies and attention on the family, community, and neighbors in their immediate vicinity--in the real world and in real time. God can be found in the faces of the family, friends and neighbors that currently surround us.

4. I went to the base of a huge windmill and heard the "whirl" of new energy technology. We cannot continue to pollute the earth with coal-burning plants and vehicle emissions. There are ways to make electricity without destroying our planet in the process. We need to turn away from greedy consumption and materialism and get back to protecting our environment--the air we breathe, the earth we till, and the water we drink. Both our physical lives and our spiritual lives depend on it.

5. I visited the site of the Miners' Miracle Rescue in Somerset County. It happened back in 2002, not long after 9-11. Nine coal miners were trapped underground for several days and the whole world watched and prayed. Miraculously, a hole was drilled and all 9 were pulled safely from the earth. The world rejoiced together. How wonderful to visit a site memorialized because of a miracle. A site that had a good outcome. A site that showed people can work together, pray together and rejoice together. Too many memorials in this world are built to remember horrible events--wars, violence, destruction, inhumanity. If we are to change the way we think, if we are to change the world, perhaps we need to change the things we glorify in memorials. Let's build more shrines for GOOD EVENTS, and less for horrific ones. We get what we focus on.

6. I learned a new card game called SKIP-BO. At least it was new to me. It was fun. It was taught to me by an old friend I hadn't seen in awhile, as we shared a few drinks, a few munchies and a lot of smiles. I confess that I love computer games and my Wii. But let me tell you something--nothing compares to sitting down with a good friend, some drinks, some memories, and a deck of cards. You can't get companionship, love, or a sense of belonging from a video game.

7. I went antiquing and "treasure-hunting" with my sister. I thumbed through hundreds of old postcards, with messages scribbled from people long dead to loved ones also long dead. I saw hundreds of old photos of people--gathering at reunions, standing in front of churches, dressed in military garb--all now long dead. I touched scores of old personal items--toys, books, magazines, hats--that were once cherished by people long dead. You could still feel the energy off these items and their once importance to their owners. You could feel the history and marvel at earlier times and earlier people. You could immediately connect to the past, with honor and reverence. And I wondered: just what will the current generation leave behind for future folks to hold, to feel, to revere, to marvel at? You can't touch an e-mail, a Twitter, or a text message--you can't cherish them in a wooden box and pass them on to your grandchildren. Photos and videos now viewed and stored on-line will drift into the boundless Internet or get wiped out with newer and newer technology. Books and magazines are now passe'. Everything is now electronic. What will take the place of seeing an old Flexible Flyer Sled hanging from an antique store or the little red wagon that you remember from your childhood? Video game boxes? An old Wii system? Perhaps. But something is being lost, folks. Something very dear is being lost. Memories. Hands-on items bring a sense of history, of memories, of our ancestors that cannot be replaced electronically. The sense of "touch" is integral to the spiritual nature.

8. I sat on a porch swing and watched the trees sway in the wind. It wasn't "American Idol" with exciting singers. It wasn't "America's Got Talent" with lights flashing and people bouncing off trampolines. It wasn't a funny video of someone falling down on Youtube. It wasn't a football game with a player making a game-winning catch in the end zone. It was so much better than all of those. It was me, God and nature. It brought peace and a knowing.

9. I shared an ice cream cake with my niece and nephews, and I smiled that aloofness, acne, and odd hairdo's are still a teenage norm. All of us will at some time be children, teenagers, middle-aged people, and senior citizens if we are lucky to live that long. If we would just remember that. If we would all simply remember that each stage in life brings its own set of trials and its own set of joys--that each stage in life we learn a little more about ourselves, our world and God--that we should respect people of all ages, since we will inevitably reach that age someday if we are lucky--the world would be more harmonious. Older adults need to remember what it was like to be young and not expect children and teens to be "old" before their time. A great goodness exists in our young people. You can see it in their eyes and feel it in their hugs. See that and focus on that. They are our future. And the common link between the generations? Ice cream cake, of course! Nothing is more harmonious that sharing an ice cream cake!

10. I went to Woodstock--albeit, 40 years too late! Woodstock was a 1969 spontaneous music festival in upstate New York, where a half-million young people gathered to celebrate peace, love and music. It was historic in that it was a harmonious gathering with no violence, despite the overcrowding, rain, and sparse creature comforts. Some attribute these good attitudes to the open drug use, but if you visit the Bethel Woods Museum (Woodstock really took place in Bethel, NY), you get an understanding of the real wave of change these young people were trying to start. It was a time of war (Viet Nam), discrimination (the beginnings of the civil rights movement), and unrest. These young people, however, chose to focus on peace and love, instead. It was to be the start of a new age--the dawning of Aquarius. We could learn a lot from this spontaneous gathering of young people interested in love, peace and music. We need to resurrect what was good about Woodstock and start our own "new age." We need to end war (Iraq and Afghanistan), discrimination (civil rights for minorities, women, and gays are still lacking), and unrest (the divisiveness between the right and the left and between Republicans and Democrats, which is being flamed by cable channels, blogs and the Internet). We need to act harmoniously, realizing that we all are one. We need to act with civility, humility, and politeness. We need to re-connect with God.

12:43 pm | link

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