You have power and purpose in your world
From the monthly archives:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:27 — 12.4MB)
When we look at each other what captures us? What do we catch in a glimpse making us want to look back, look away or look again? And do we trust ourselves enough to do what we feel driven to do? What do you think?
Music: Open Your Eyes by mykleanthony with Scomber
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:35 — 9.4MB)
Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod
All systems are go! Everything has been arranged. But I will tell you now, you only have 6 hours to do the job and do it right. This mission is yours, it has been chosen especially for you. I can get you back to the right time and place and then return you home again, but only you can do what must be done. Good luck, my friend, I know you will succeed. For at this task you are the only master.
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From our series of reader submitted stories comes this beautiful account from Elizabeth Wescott …
Visit Elizabeth Wescott on Facebook
What I do is little. I do it at home, each day. I do it in an hour’s time, more or less. The results aren’t easy to measure or define.
That what I do is all of these things, is part of what makes it important to tell about. What I do is use some of my moments to extend love, peace and healing thoughts to people. In those moments I love people I know, and don’t know, and sometimes people I have trouble getting along with. In those moments I remember what is important and I get as close to it as I can. It can be called healing work. It doesn’t matter what it’s called.
Each day those moments change me. Each day those moments refresh for me and my purpose. And, so, I live more peacefully, more gracefully, more generously than I otherwise would. I live my life closer to what’s important to me than I otherwise would.
Part of the reason I do this is because I experience a lot of physical limitation in my life that makes participating in ways that are more recognizable an unrealistic option. But I refuse to believe that I cannot participate fully, and that I cannot offer peace and love and life altering things to the world, because I can’t do it in ways that we recognize culturally as significant.
Sometimes people feel better when they are amongst those included in those moments I spend sending goodwill. Sometimes I don’t know what people experience. But I do know that moments count. And in little things we can see peace present.
What each of us has to offer is enough. Each of us has moments. And that counts.
Visit Elizabeth Wescott on Facebook
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"New Orleans at Dawn" is an 8x10 oil canvas that captures energies collected on my first visit to the historic city on the banks of the Mississippi River.The year was 1972; the beginning of my Sam Cooke’s, “I Know a Change is Gonna Come,” moments. I arrived with my five month old daughter strapped to my back two weeks before Mahalia Jackson’s body arrived for burial. Although it was bitterly cold, it didn’t stop the round the clock celebration of life for the greatest gospel singer of all time. The death of Miss Jackson allowed me to take shelter with the masses from the grief of learning of my own grandmother’s death.... read more...
New Orleans at Dawn by Gale Madyn
Dear James,
There is a place, a space outside of this dark abyss that is speaking to you and offering you a hand. Neither one of us is religious so you know I am not speaking of some dogma based savior. I am speaking of hope, what can be, where this strength you get from your now greets your future and bends it to the possibilities that await you. You cannot see this now, I know. And I am asking you to trust this, this truth. ...read more...
I was talking to a piano student yesterday about practice. Although this is a typical subject frequently and repetitively discussed in piano lessons, this conversation with an adult student was different. She diligently practices. Everyday she goes through her lesson assignments at a certain time, spending at least the suggested amount of time on each component. In spite of her practice regimen, she was not improving; in fact, some techniques and difficult passages in her music were regressing.
How could this be? The answer lies in the idea of practice. In music, as well as other behaviors, habits, interests in life, we are continually practicing. I use and explain this concept when I teach. ...read more
Months ago I stumbled across an organization on Facebook whose mission statement intrigued me. Common Ground News Service wrote it 'works to resolve conflicts by publishing articles that promote mutual understanding, opportunities for dialogue, and constructive criticism.' This enlightened approach made my heart skip beats! I immediately immersed myself in the articles on its wall....(more)
Everywhere you look, all over this country, we are implementing “Zero tolerance” polices for bullying and/or intolerance. Yet the policies are being implemented and ignored. People advocate them and criticize them, demand them and reject them. But “Zero tolerance” can work and does work. Why, then, are there so many examples of it not working?
The other day I was telling my teenage daughter how odd it is (if you think about it -- which I do) that if you are having trouble with some object -- let's say a cell phone that loses it's signal -- it's considered completely normal, perfectly reasonable behavior to curse that object and treat it roughly. You might say something like "You @%&** piece of junk! Why are you doing this to me?!" You might slam it down and push it away from you in disgust. On the other hand, if you were to do the opposite -- thank the object, cradle it lovingly, and appreciate it every time it worked -- well, then people would think you were a complete lunatic. If you overheard a co-worker at their desk saying, "Good morning, dear pen. Thank you for flowing with ink every time I need to write something. I really appreciate you. I can always rely on you," you would think that person had gone completely round the bend. But if you heard that same person muttering obscenities at their slow computer, you would feel that they were just acting as any normal, sane person would if their computer were failing them at a critical moment.click to read more
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Within The Mind’s Eye: An Adventure in Seizing the Moment, an interview with Dr. David Grand
Volunteering for Disaster: Moments Count Interviews American Red Cross Volunteer Ann Smith
On a clear, blue-sky, blue-sea day in Florida, my father and I sat in matching deck chairs overlooking an inland waterway. The early morning calm, the sea taste in the air and the sun’s gentle touch seemed to create an alchemical magic that primed us for an intriguing exchange. 'Hey, Dad,' I said unceremoniously, 'what do you think I’m going to do with my life? I mean, what could I really be good at?' Even as the words escaped my mouth, my mind became entangled with doubt and insecurity.
'The thing you will do better than everyone else,' Dad began, 'is the thing that will come to you so naturally, so easily,' he continued, with a casual flip of his hand, 'that you will write it off as valueless.'
I swiveled to look at him. My brain cued to full attention.....(more)
Studies show that when something is learned by someone once, it is easier for somebody else to learn it again later!
For example, in experiments, untrained rats must learn how to run or swim a maze to get to their food. And that takes them time and experience before they get it right.
But… if the maze has already been learned by many earlier generations of rats from the same strain, the rats learn the maze almost immediately. In fact, in some cases, they’re BORN knowing it and can run it perfectly from birth. Just because a previous generation(s) learned it before them.
If you’ve got no previous ancestors who already did it, you’ve got NO SHORT-CUTS TO FOOD.
This would definitely make me wish for better ancestors.(more)
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