Blue Peace, llvl

We have to take the signs where we get them when the temp is hovering in the teens. The weather will turn. It’s March.

Everyone is stir-crazy. We’ve been inside too long. Spoke to my friend who owns a cafe the other day. Business is ‘way off. For a while she worried, is it me? One of her suppliers came by and said everyone’s business is off. It’s too cold to go out. We’re all spending a lot more than we’d planned on heat. And we’re huddled against the cold.

The river freezes and thaws. And so do we.

But yesterday the sky was so blue. It wasn’t a winter blue; it was the blue of spring. Deep, beautiful blue. A promise in the midst of very cold weather. We’ll take that, and we’ll remember… Spring is coming. And with spring, a different sort of Peace-making, a sweet growing Peace… Ah, beauty!

C’mon sun! (and hey, it’s Pi Day, Pie Day… how bad can it be?)

Chamber Quartet Peace, llvl

I always thought I was a city girl, and I thrived… But maybe what I am is a town girl. I like sidewalks (even on days like today, when shoveling is a repeat opportunity!).

What’s great about the village is that things that happen here are more accessible. People might complain that we don’t have the wide variety of activities, but mostly, those people aren’t reading the local paper. With so many colleges in the area and their subsidized offerings, a fabulous ensemble theatre, a great chorale, a local orchestra (or two or three!), musicians of every stripe, poets, dancers, you name it, there are many options for entertainment.

And when outside groups are here, especially for longer periods, like the Quartet’s two-week residency, you get to hanging out and talk and laugh with them. It’s grand. So make sure you’re exploring your village and plumbing its depths.

And then the quartet. What an interesting entity. This quartet in particular, is fabulous. Find them on YouTube and exalt. Lucy Russell, first violinist, says in one of her bios: “She is committed to enlivened music-making, fueled by knowledge, skill and passion but with the intentions of the composer always at the fore.” This quartet offers this in spade.

But the notion of a quartet. Of four highly trained people making music together, music that is precise in nature, as both the timing and notes must be exact or god-awful. The musicians must be both on top of their playing and the music as well as aware and present to their fellow players. Each person brings their gifts and adds it to the whole along with caring for the way each individual piece comes out and how music as a whole is understood.

We would all do well to find the people we work with in such a fashion so that life could be richer, deeper, and give so much more pleasure. So, if you’re local to my local, go see this quartet on Thursday at 7:30 at Rook Recital Hall. If you’re local somewhere else, find out what’s going on. But one way or the other, even if it’s not your “thing,” go listen to and watch a quartet play. And go take advantage of what your vida local has to offer.

I think the way quartets work have a lot to teach the Peacemakers…

Local Peace Possibilities, llvl

I’m beginning to believe that Peace Dreams become more possible as you immerse yourself in your community. Partially, that may be because you begin to attune your dreams to what’s needed in your neighborhood. Partially, it’s because as you deepen friendships, you develop allies and a better instinct for who might be interested in what.

You not only get better instincts about who might clap for Tinkerbelle, but also who might run out and get her a power drink and who might work on the long-term problems that tend to make her fade away.

Comrades not in arms but in Love, in Peace.

Which is a good thing, because the journey to Peace is long, but it’s so much more possible in the company of our friends. And the Possibilities are endless as people add their thoughts and dreams. And so the Dream gets bigger. People step up. The hard work gets shared. and we’re off. Watch out Peace, the village is coming to play. Ah la vida local. What a sweet thing to live!

Winter Beauty and Peace, llvl

It’s difficult not to talk about the weather. It’s very cold and there’s snow coming. Snow!

And yet, it’s so beautiful. The icy clarity of a day like today — well, there’s really nothing to compare it to. The focus is so sharp, there’s such precision to the world this morning. No sense wasting breath whining about the cold, might as well just admire!

Gotta drive across the river today, it’s as close as it’s going to come to iced over. Have to leave the pipes dripping because they are indeed iced over. It’s a good day to have lunch with some friends and listen to music tonight in a warm tavern and sweet community.

The weather is what it is, might as well enjoy it. Being dissatisfied with you life doesn’t help anyone — and mostly it doesn’t help you.

Now while the sky is bright and blue, give thanks — and allow yourself to be astounded by the beauty (what’s outside your door and the magic Deb Slade caught in this picture!)! And then consider how making Peace with what is helps us to make Peace in the direction of what should be.

Neighbors in Peace, LLVL

When I lived in New York, right after college, I had interesting glimpses of my neighbors’ lives through their windows. I would see people cooking, or getting ready for bed. There was the naked lady, the man with his little boy, the woman with the three barking dogs. But I didn’t know anyone except the people in my building. We were an exception to the rule because we were all small town girls and boys in a small walk up building.

I later found out that my Swedish sister and I lived on the same block for two or three years and we never ran into each other. (and there was no email and fb!)

Oakland was a little different. Aileen Street was a real neighborhood. As renters Jenn and I were part and not part of what went on. But Jenn had Legos, so she was pretty much Aunt Central. And we wormed our way in since we were willing to sit on the stoop and nod and chat as neighbors walked by. All these years later, she’s still there.

And then back home to little Pennsylvania towns where you wake up and the guy down the street is snow blowing the 8 inches of heavy snow off the entire block and walking the machine around our cars that had just been plowed in. That left me to dig out what he didn’t get. Participating in one another’s lives. Being kind. I’d gone out that morning expecting to spend several hours digging through to the street. I was back in within 1 1/2 hours. It was a lovely gesture. Most mornings I love the shoveling — snow as prayer. But so far this year the snow has been light and easy to push around. This was not. This was not meditative snow. Gratitude abounds.

When you live where you are, live in the moment and in your village, you live next door to your neighbors. Being a good neighbor is part of the job. It’s part of the Joy. It’s part of the Peace. and beside that? Snow! Happy Winter, my friends.

And we can’t forget that while I’m reveling in the sweet white stuff, 800,000 people are without power in the cold (and dark). Prayers for them and for the folks working on the downed lines and non-functional equipment.

Silent, Sacred Footsteps for Peace, LLVL

Quick this morning, shoveling awaits… want to get at it while the snow’s still dry.

Nothing like a lazy morning waking up to silence. And white, unbroken expanses of snow.

My neighborhood is old, much of it built around the time of the just post civil war era. On days like this up a few steps from the street, you can believe that there have never been cars here.

Peace be with you my friends. Let go the frustration, nothing to do but live with the weather. Might as well enjoy it. Soon enough the cycle will turn and winter’s beauty will disappear. Consider living each day where you are. Too much? Consider living this morning where you are and finding it just right. And make a few footsteps for Peace.

Winter Morning Peace, LLVL

My internal alarm clock isn’t working very well these days. It’s regular, seems to awaken me at the same general time, but that time has nothing to do with sunrise. A shame because I like it.

I’m not sure why I’m so nocturnal these days, but I seem to be. There’s no real need to fix that, at the moment, so… i’m exploring the night hours and sleeping in until 8 whole oclock some days. Ah well, the ground hog is coming, and he’ll be shaken awake by the same light that will begin to pull at my body clock. Sunrise I’ll be happy to see you. (remind me to go the heck to bed!)

But some of my friends, Deb among them, have dogs… Dogs get up. And if your life says you need to be somewhere at a certain time as opposed to needing to spend a certain number of hours in front of your computer, pecking away, then you get up with the dogs.

And looks what’s outside waiting for you. Deb caught this beautiful waning crescent pulling her recalcitrant brother out of bed. Follow me, she hollers!

There are Natives in the Northwest who start their stories with: I don’t know if this story is true, but I know that it happened this way… I’ve always loved the notion, pushing at true and Truth and how both matter. I’m hoping it’s ok, that I’ve used this phrase, you may read their stories, but you may not tell them. You may only tell the stories of your own clan.

Isn’t that what la vida local is trying to do? to determine what our own clan is and then to tell the stories. Now tomorrow’s moon will get up later. Soon enough it will be full Moon time and that lazy jade will be rising with the sunset to flirt with us and call us into the full lunacy of Peace right along with her. Tomorrow is the black moon (a second dark moon in a month, oh, so rare!). And as much as I love her, if the temps stay as cold, I may enjoy her rising from my back porch. Wussy Witch that I am. But observing the sweet Moon’s coming and going, the way she silvers the landscapes I love, that is living la vida local and making Peace with where I live.

Maybe tonight I’ll go to bed early, and try and catch the Sun on the rise tomorrow. Unlike his sister he rises a few minutes earlier every day. Winter dawns don’t happen all year long… and there’s such beauty to behold. Nature’s outrageous Peace. The blessings of Mother Earth.

Little Local Peace Stories, LLVL

It’s silly, really. They’re only earrings. My mom’s earrings. She never got her ears pierced so she had a cache of earrings, all “better costume jewelry.” I’m sure I contributed to her stash.

Obviously neither Deb nor I could get rid of them. I had some. She had some. They were mom’s. Neither of us wore them. But couldn’t quite let them go. But when Deb died, there I was, with more screw earrings than I was ever going to wear. Time to let go. It’s not hard to figure that my mantra is only open hands open heart because I have such a hard time letting go… but Abundance is meant to be shared and marveled at.

So, I found my friend Ann, realized that she had unpierced ears. Asked her if she wanted more earrings. (and who doesn’t?) Ann took them asking lots of questions about Betty, she wanted to know the woman who’s earrings she was wearing. I liked knowing a stylish musician was wearing a stylish artist’s earrings. Ann decided to share her new treasure trove: “Warren’s sister Janice (and her only daughter Marie) also lack pierced ears. Janice lives in Reynoldsville, but she and her husband Art are building a retirement home near Newville. In the meantime, they bought a Newville house that is across the street from eldest son Brian and his wife and 4 children. (The house they are building is within sight, but probably a mile’s drive from their “camp” house.) Janice and Art get to Newville when they can to meet with contractors about house construction choices and progress. They typically stay for the weekend so they can see all 8 grandchildren; the grandchildren’s parents all go to the same church. After church, Janice and Art go home to Reynoldsville ville so Art can visit his mother in a Titusville nursing home. Janice saves time and packing by having Betty’s earrings at their Newville camp house, wearing them to church and then to their Reynoldsville house. I suspect Betty would chuckle.” I suspect she would as well.

I love the stories of stuff. Did I say this yesterday? If only history hadn’t always been wars. I’d have immersed myself in the history of daily lives and been willing to hear how government, weather and wars changed lives. I might even have learned more about wars and why they happened if you’d have given me an earring story now and again…

Stories connect us. It may not be earrings for you, but something has traveled from hand to hand and heart to heart. It’s surprising how deeply those gifts and those stories can touch and pleasure us. Now I’m connected by a screw back earring to women across the country that I’ll never meet. But they know stories of Betty and her daughters through a sweet friend and some earrings. Building small communities of Peace happens in the weirdest and simplest of ways. Peace. Pass it on.

Quiet Sabbath Peace, LLVL

The living la vida local part of sabbath for me is being present to where I am, being right here. It’s also about being deliberate and making space for sabbath, the calm, the quiet observation of it, in my life right here.

I’m trying to balance the quiet calm and moments of reflection with the digging out from under, steadily whittling away at what nags at me. I did some of that yesterday. I’ll do some more today.

I’m not always good at making space to really see the Beauty in where I am. I’m so lucky. My house is filled with beauty some of it inherited from my friends and family. Some of it chosen by the keen eye for line and color I inherited from my parents.

And often I let the clutter of my life and my mind obscure the Peace and the Beauty. Perhaps the sabbath is about re-membering, putting back together the Beauty of my life. That means allowing the dead to dance and the future to sparkle. It means being present, sinking into its peace and quiet. Peace and Quiet. Blessed Sabbath. Love. Peace. Beauty. and maybe popcorn. You decide. As for me, I always like popcorn and a good cup of tea… and Quiet. I like the quiet of the sabbath as well.

Talking about Peace, LLVL

One of the biggest barriers to Peace is isolation. How can we make Peace if we don’t know one another? or even acknowledge one another?

Locally, for me, that’s a fairly easy problem to address. I need to start saying hello to people on the street. I can own it. Become the mayor in the spiritual sense of it. (hmmm, maybe we should all be mayors of where we live, noticing what’s going on, doing what we can to address it.)

Maybe it’s more difficult in a large city, where people are forced to make their living on their wits and some folks take advantage of openness. But if there’s nothing they can take, because it’s being given away, maybe we won’t be so vulnerable. I knew a woman when i lived in NY, who always had a smile. She made Peace at the doors to shops, holding the doors for everyone, smiling at them, exchanging a kind word, even with the grumps of the universe.

But acknowledging someone’s humanity to their face predisposes them to less crankiness and who knows what…

maybe Peace. or the start of Peace. Maybe hellos are just the first light caress, blessing, of Love which leads to Peace. My little town is quaint with lovely architecture. It’s often recognized as one of the most beautiful towns… but what if it were beautiful because it was friendly, because people said hello and talked about what mattered, and what didn’t?

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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