freedom to serve

numbers, numbers. I am truly grateful for a prompt. even one. A belt. It has at least 5 parts, and because I own the belt, I possess them all. Hm. The belt is black leather, which is dyed black of course, which has a certain falseness to it, but I use it anyway, only to hold up my pants. Not a kinky thing. It has a metal buckle, simple, narrow, like the belt. What is not so obvious is the nearly invisible elastic near the buckle. This allows so much more hip movement which I need at my job where I work with children. To relate to them or assist them means I am often moving to their physical level. To be of service, without unnecessary restriction is wonderful, and not limited to pants with built in elastics. Mundane. Perhaps like a dog without a leash, not really, but it shall suffice. Of course, if my mind is distracted, or my emotions beckon my attention, if my ego is screaming, if I have not acknowledged a need for meditation after waking to the day, then I might as well be in a straight jacket, and the belt means nothing.

Does anyone know if I used 'connotation' correctly?

my search words were 'city bumpkin'.

downtown san francisco

I prefer the combination. A city discourages population growth (hard to believe, I know), and 'the country' can then be better stewarded (hard to believe, …). Not that you shouldn't have babies, propagate, cocreate, or breed (of course, the only breeding you do should be of other species (note that I said of and not with). Go ahead, make babies, just remember what good stewardship of the planet entails, and make sure your little ones remember. (It really isn't hard to learn, but don't assume that it's always common sense: that applies to raising babies, good stewardship, and living with dignity). (p.s. about good stewardship of the planet: don't assume you know what that is, or that it doesn't involve you, your kids will end up remembering you as an ass, and becoming mules for the burden of their ecological inheritance – and, yes, the ass/mule connotation refers to the earlier breeding remark, read into it what you like, but don't think less of the other species). After that little rant, I think I need a wee sojourn in the country.

Drop a fig on Jane (this refers to a chimp playfully testing gravity with Jane Goodall

it takes more muscles to frown, conserve energy! be silly, and do the right thing, or visit http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ (start the game!)

jump

The First Law of Play: Conservation of Energy: play can be transformative, but it cannot be created or destroyed. Huh? hmm, should be true. Play must be spirited (spirit cannot be created or destroyed, but is transformative). Play must be heart-centered (as in Heartmath), and always keep in perspective good stewardship (Right Stewardship for the buddhists) of the planet: no healthy, wholesome planet, no healthy, wholesome people, and fun needs to be healthy and wholesome, otherwise it's just fun for a few – and there's another word for that (what is it? betrayal? cheating?). Let's end on a happy note: the U.S. (I'm Canadian) is full of very playful people, si? At the end of the day, may we all be full of cheer.

Optimist or Pessimist?

A dense fog sits over Cowichan Bay around us. Is that an orca nudging the boat? large salmon? Is that brush of mist from the passing wings of a great eagle? Can I trust my heart – enough – to move out of this … or to be in this sacred moment, enveloped in trust? What gifts are here?

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."

- William Arthur Ward

from Heartmath.com

for me this says so much, and I keep in mind that sailing is more than adjusting the sails, and "sailing through life" can be – must be – a practice of self-mastery, and self-love (not self-adoration). Here's a song for all of our hearts …

Put a little love in your heart (Jackie DeShannon) sung by Al Green and Annie Lennox – among others.

Be Real. Dream, and then return to the here and now. Doubt, and you may disappear into the mists (pessimists and optimists

laughter is the music of the cosmos (when our focus moves from self to …)

it is hard to adjust the sails when stuck at a computer, so off I go … into the wild blue

how much water is needed to produce an egg?

Well … (that could be funny if we were talking about an infinite water well) … let’s think.

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sc1.html

the USGS site claims that more water is required for a 1/4 pound beef patty than for a glass of milk. I don’t think so.  Aren’t both animals about the same size and eating about the same amount? If the dairy cow lives longer – one would assume so – isn’t the animal consuming more water, not less? Or was that burger with cheese? (THINK) … And how can a watermelon require less water than an egg?! How big was that egg? how small the watermelon? and there were french fries on that list – how much water was involved in creating the frying oil: oilseeds or lard (from cow or pig)? Some facts just flaunt their absurdity…. “The truth is self evident” – who said that? Ghandi? But the absurd makes a  great cover!

A Children's Book Every Child Should Read

Whether you've always loved trees, or if you've wondered at the near lunacy of those who do, this is a book for you.

"The Tree should be on every child's bookshelf. The illustrations are hauntingly beautiful. The message is powerful – we must take peaceful action to save what we love." – Dr. Jane Goodall

If you've ever yearned to go camping or to a lake or to the mountains or simply to a park, chances are part of your yearning – even if hidden from you – was for the trees. (Imagine a lake or the mountains without trees!) So important to our planet, and the history of humankind (regardless of your outlook), and even to childhood for most people, trees are literally part of why we exist: especially if you've ever read a book!! because you are what you read! So many reasons to read this book, and there is a special surprise in the form of a significant personal anecdote from the author after the last page of the story.

What I Believe (or Don't)

What seeds am I planting in my life?

Farmland in the Taconic range, near the Hudson River Valley in New York state (LOC)

All of this. Any good answer will make sense to the audience, and respect the audience, but what to do with this question? Religion provides the guidance, tools, community to make honorable choices in life. A spiritual path/person/insight is like a particular painting or collage of verses or a living dynamic poem that 'comes out of' a religion (in the sense of offspring or exiting from the religion). Something else might be a lack-lustre label for those who cannot adequately describe the guidance, tools, community; or perhaps the choices in life are controversial or even vague (poorly defined). I think the secondary questions of the plink are valuable in that it is important to seek a global perspective of how we arrive at our beliefs, and how we have personalized communal, formative, or national beliefs. We can ask, "how am I not like the average Canadian, American, or European, Indian, Chinese …?" This can be a starting point. In religion, and spirituality, it can be valuable to avoid asking 'Why?', rather, focus on gratitude, the difference is interesting and rewarding