Oh, it’s so lovely and silly. And I know, I know, not everything’s a metaphor for Peacemaking… but still… what is Peace if not treasure…
And how delightful that we have our own Guy Noir living around the corner from us.
There is so much that goes on right in our little lives that we don’t take the time to notice.
Detective Agencies and Treasure Hunters? Pure fun!
And yes… Let’s keep exploring where we can help Peace surface in our lives, in the world.
Every day. We have to find the Peace of every day. What is wonderful, beautiful and worth celebrating about today?
And then how do we take that Beauty and use it to give us energy for the road.
It bothers me that we spend such time wishing away the moment. People are complaining about winter when it’s 90 degrees and about as humid as a day could get.
And right now, the food is so good you can barely stand it! We’re so lucky. But food will be good but different as each season changes. There’s always something to rejoice about and without the difference in the seasons, this part wouldn’t be so incredible.
So, here’s to every thing wonderful. yum, yum, yum. And here’s to today. Hope you enjoy it. Hope you make Peace.
This is the time of year when it’s easy to comprehend Abundance. Look at any garden. Count your blessings in numbers and varieties. Although, you may also, if you’re the gardener, be a little overwhelmed by the chaos, which is the flip side of abundance. We need, I believe, good glasses to find the abundance in chaos — and a lot of deep breathing.
But yes. it is our responsibility to eat tomatoes and tomatoes and tomatoes. They’re here. They’re wonderful. Sure. Put them up as well… but taste them! yummmmmmmm.
And Peaches. And Peppers. And whatever else is tickling your fancy.
Although, it must be said, i don’t feel any responsibility to eat the 45 foot long zucchini!
But enjoy. Give thanks. Don’t take this bounty for granted for one moment. And share.
There’s enough for everyone. Let’s share. Let’s Peace, for goodness’ sake.
It’s simply amazing. What a silly, wonderful idea.
You pick up your plastic chair and march into the water and plop. There you are.
You and a couple friends. Your friends, their friends, it doesn’t matter. When you’re in the water, it’s magical.
People float by. Hellos are exchanged. Goodwill and enjoyment are acknowledged.
You talk. or you just sit and take it in. Life goes on around the bend but here, there’s nothing but presence.
Beauty before me. Beauty behind me. Beauty around me. Beauty within.
Peace.
I know I’ve had these words in my mouth before: institutionalized racism, misogeny, able-bodiedness… i’ve used them all.
But I don’t know that I’ve really looked at how those particular hatreds, or any kind of hatred, became codified and part of the structure.
One of the first things the First Congress took up was who was human and therefore who could vote.
We’ve been fighting against those definitions ever since. They’ve been taken out of law but not out of practice.
Until those of us who have do something to ensure that those who don’t have access nothing will happen.
What is that something? Well, we’re going to have to figure it out. It’s hard work. It will demand unpleasant self-reflections. We must acknowledge that there is abundance and that it must be shared… We must find the balance. We must, we must, we must. yeah i know. You’re not to do that. Nonetheless…
People are depending on us. Peace is depending on us.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist the alliteration!
But it’s been beautiful at twilight recently. I love driving as dusk is falling, particularly when there are clouds that change colors.
I love how still it often is.
I love how outrageous the colors can be everything from palest pink/peach to deepest purple.
I love the moment when the color drains from the sky and for a short bit the whole world is black and white.
And I’m lucky enough that at least part of my job includes a lot of driving home from summer weddings about dusk…
I hope you have a lovely and restful Sabbath. Enjoy the summer that’s left!
Astonishingly it was Mao ZeDong who first said “Women hold up half the sky.” I found that out when I went googling to find the exact title of Nick Kristoff and Cheryl WuDunn’s book Half the Sky.
But you wouldn’t know it from their treatment in the world. We all like to point fingers at other parts of the world, and forget about the unfairness here. Forget about the lost wages, the underpaid jobs and the sex slavery. Forget about the mistreatment of undocumented workers. Forget about the lost opportunities.
And then there is so much of the world where they are chattel.
I’m grateful for the Elders who are working on this. Grateful that Jimmy Carter in his cancer diagnosis has said this is the work that he will devote the rest of his life to.
And I don’t yet know where to pull the first thread… but dammit. It’s awful.
I said last night I don’t believe in a condemning God nor a hell to which people should be consigned. I know that it is my feeling powerless that makes me long for it in this case.
Just the words “Theology of Rape and Sexual Slavery” combined with “enshrined.” I must get past the rage to work effectively. But right now? I’m sitting with the rage.
And that’s no way to Peace. And Peace is damned hard work. I’ll get there. But maybe not today. And still it is a goal. Peace.
I totally missed one of my favorite holidays this year because I was traveling. Lammas, the first of August, is always my eat a ripe, juicy peach holiday.
I think there’s nothing more delicious. Nothing more sensual. Nothing more joyful and celebratory of life.
And here we are, with a whole month devoted to such deliciousness! Viva the Fruit Moon!
I think when the fruit is ripe and full, it’s almost a rite of holy obligation to enjoy it if we have the means. And thinking about it, the other part of that obligation is to find a way for others to enjoy as well. Fruit. We should eat it!
Being in our bodies, completely absorbed in appreciating the beauty and abundance of our Mother Earth is a prayer of Peace. Peacing! Praying! Giving thanks!
Ta Nehisi Coates’ new book, Between the World and Me, is absolutely luscious — which is an odd thing to say about a challenging, painful, hopeful memoir.
In writing his letter to his 15 year old son about the fragility, the endangeredness of the black male body.
You couldn’t look away from the honesty — and didn’t want to because you might miss something.
You couldn’t look away from the sense of responsibility, the need to make this different, the push to become engaged.
It was a privilege to be invited into his world — and that privilege carries weight.
There are huge chasm’s between us and Peace and if we do not recognize them, if we do not make a difference to those who are so endangered, then Peace is just a wistful little fantasy. We must Peace. There are no prayers but our involvement, our willingness to change and to make a difference. There is work to be done.
I love living where I do. But I also loved living where I lived.
I love my friends from other pieces of my life as much as I adore the ones from this life.
I feel lucky and privileged and loved.
So today, as I stand one foot still in the land I visited and the other stretching toward home, I have to remember that the place in between is also lovely and can be filled with the Peace of both Gratitude and Anticipation. Remembering, Reflecting, Making new memories… all of it. Peace!
Gratitude too for the Ripe Garden Moon. The last day comes not today, but tomorrow!
