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.

A Present, Local, Peace Blessing, LLVL

If you’re going to count your blessings, you have to be where you are. You have to live centered in your life, your life has to have a location. You have to live locally.

Blessing counting is about real things, or should be. Not just gushy things, but the little things like warm socks on a cold day and the friend who cared enough to give them to you. (Ms Live Locally somehow missed the fact that it was going to be below zero degrees last night.) It’s not just about being aware that you can afford or beg or borrow enough to pay your fuel oil and the realization that there are others who can’t and who might need your help — and you might be able to give it.

It’s about recognizing and appreciating the beauty of the land around you and understanding your responsibility to it. It’s about celebrating your relationships and doing what’s necessary to nurture them.

You can’t count blessings if you’re not engaged. That’s not a passive thing. I think you can’t count your blessings if you’re not willing to be a blessing to be counted. Maybe you start with counting little blessings when you’re young, like a child at prayer: Bless Mommy, bless Daddy, bless Sisty and Bro, bless the dog, the cat, the chickens. But then you grow up and so should your blessings. You still count them but you get active about your love, you bless the challenges that allow you to test your strengths and ingenuity.

Life is hard, it’s true. But it is filled with things that soften those blows, and we must rejoice in them, and we must be them. Preachy, this morning, I guess. But Peace depends on the blessings we’re willing to see and be. And we depend on Peace and our work toward it to give our lives meaning.

Sacred Acts of Peace, LLVL

I sometimes need reminders that Life is a sacred endeavor. I’ve chosen to use capitals to help me remember things I might pay attention to and in the paying of attention, cherish.

If I hold my Work as sacred, not just routine, I pay attention and I do it. People might say, well, sure, you’re a minister, when you stand by a deathbed, that’s sacred. And that’s so true. but sometimes you’re frightened or tired or… and you need to remember…

But ministry is not made up of only sublime moments. There are the things that need slogging through as in any job.

And ministers lead very mundane lives as well. Someone has got to go to the store, wash the dishes, order the fuel oil. And as long as I’ve been doing it, I’ve noticed that the wash never gets done on its own, darnit.

All of those things can be done with reverence. I’m lucky enough to be able to buy fuel, the dishes I use are family heirlooms and I love fabric and clothes, so doing the wash helps me remember all the wonderful clothes I get to choose from when I go to the closet. (I’d say colors, but you know me, I only wear red and black! but hey, some of my red is wine colored!)

Today, I’ll trudge carefully through my snowy neighborhood to meet my friend at our local coffee house and we’ll work together on our separate jobs. Communion on a Monday morning.

By noticing life’s sweetness and allowing it to be important, I pay attention. And you may wonder, indeed I do, who am I to natter on about Peace, but if we don’t talk about it, don’t hold it as sacred, we don’t do the little things that begin to pile up into a sizable mound of acts that move us down the Peace Road.

So Peace, my friends. Consider which words and actions are sacred in your life. Consider elevating them in importance. See if you pay attention differently. Honor Peace. make it central in your life and begin to examine what isn’t leading toward that exalted end. Celebrate the Awe. It makes life so much more exciting.

Moon Peace, LLVL

The Moon is so very constant. And She offers a soft light for us to look at our world. Her gentleness can hide some of the biggest blemishes and give us courage to go to work — before we know how daunting the task before us. She silvers those with whom we are in conflict and those whom we love. If she can love us both, can’t we, in her soft light?

Sometimes when I have a quiet moment, I think back to my pagan roots or the Farmers’ Almanac, whichever is closer or seems more appropriate, and wonder why I don’t pay more attention to the waxing and waning of this beauty. True, she’s outside and I often try not to be. (I know, what a lousy vida localist! maybe this year will change me!) But if the Earth has a rhythm and nature responds to it, it would seem to make sense to work with it rather than against it.

Can I live deliberately enough to know when to rise and when to fall? When the Earth and the Moon have my back? I have no idea. Can you? Can we find the Peace that living rhythmically offers? Can we offer that Peace. Can we envision the Moon rising on war-torn, natural catastrophe-wrecked land and push Peace into her gaze… Can we?

Can we even just appreciate how beautiful the Moon is on our river and hills, simply being present to her Beauty? It’s an ancient call. Can we hear it? Can we want the Peace enough? If Herman could hear it… yah — I don’t think I want to finish that sentence. Moon Peace, my dearlings, Moon Peace to you. Let me count my blessings by the light of the Moon and see them silvered and so beautiful.

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.

Old and Young Peace, LLVL

When I wrote this piece, I was thinking about me. About who I am and what I do and how I do it differently now than I did things before.

As I posted this to lists last night I realized that some might take this piece as disparaging of the younger folk on the list. I remember that I dealt with death and drama even then.

What’s different now is the eye I bring to it and the lack of drama that now accompanies even the most shocking things. I know a lot more about life’s continuum these days. I don’t always like it any better, oh, my sweet sister, my sweet friends… oh, the need for Peace. I’m a much more ardent fighter these days, but a somewhat more savvy one, and I take a lot more time to laugh along the way.

Sometimes I find it shocking that folk ask me questions about their lives. Me? They’re asking me? And then I realize… right, I’ve made a lot of revolutions around this sun. And I’ve packed a lot of stuff in my life. After all, I had those crazy 20s and 30s (for which Dear Lord, I am truly thankful.).

What caught me later about this list, even as I was laughing at it (and at some of the choices, many of which I had never heard before), was that I now work like a 62 year old. The number of revolutions matter if you’ve made good use of them.

Peace, sweet Peace, it likes a steady hand as well as the young undiffused passion. Grief winters quietly in my soul this day, it still storms, but with no sense of the injustice I earlier felt.

And local? When I was in my 20s, I wanted local to be the whole world. It was. I traveled, traveled, traveled. I stuffed everything I could into my mind, heart. (Both the soul and body had exciting times as well! hey I was 20!) I haven’t relinquished my love of travel, but I have discovered my love of local. These hills, this river, these neighbors, these seasons. And when I go away I often go to places where I know those landscapes and friends well enough for them to be these friends, these hills. And that’s precious… And in today’s world the these and the those don’t have to be all that distant from one another…

So, I think I’ll take my age, thank you… strange realities and all. I’ll wish you deep enjoyment of where you are. And go back to dealing with life and searching for Peace and making space for Peace in ways that owe a lot to paying attention to the things that remain constant and the things that change as the season and cycles continue.

And maybe I’ll give up listicles — although I’ll probably always giggle like a girl! Old Warrior Women fight smarter… and partner with young energy!

Guest Speaker Peace, LLVL

When you’re living where you are, it’s important to embrace those who come to visit bring wisdom and a different point of view.

It’s easy to love everything here and it’s important. We have fetishized the other side of the fence and its great superiority. There’s much that’s here that’s wonderful. But there’s much that isn’t and outsiders can sometimes shed not only a little light but give a couple clues about how to address the problems.

They can also remind us that there’s life outside our bubble and that problems outside need our attention, or that we’re contributing to the problems outside by our inattention.

The good thing is, pretty much wherever your vida local is, there’s a place for added insight. (and when all else fails, there are books, magazines, blogs and videos.) It’s sometimes hard to balance where you direct your attention, but this isn’t about getting it right, it’s about getting it.

Went to hear Tim Wise talk about White Privilege. I’ve been reading so much and in so many places, i guess it’s time to preach it. I’ve got a couple weeks, so it’ll have to stew.

Whether it’s wisdom or beauty, it’s not a bad idea to see what’s on offer and indulge! Peace comes from within and from without. Let’s open up and be present to the Possibilities.

Fields & Streets of Peace, LLVL

Right here, right now, outside your door (and inside too!) life is astonishing.

Too often in the cold and grey we fail to notice nature’s Beauty. Winter has its own Beauty, it’s different from any other season. And we wish it away.

I lived in the Bay Area long enough to appreciate the subtlety of its seasons. and they’re gorgeous. Except for the riot of Spring green, they’re softer. Spring comes one by one and not in a blaze of glory. Fall has muted but beautiful color. I always had to work for the sweetness of the summer browns.

But back here I love the slowly marching progression of seasons. Moving toward the deep of winter and slowly backing away. The patchwork fields are glorious. The river is alternately icy and misty. The pavement shines. Is it dangerous. Yes the weather has dangers in it. And here they’re obvious. Walk carefully. Wear enough clothes. Be part of weather. And take a drive out into the country where the winter wheat is starting.

And if you can’t do that, take a walk around the block or simply stand still and be present to the moment. Weather. it is what it is, and it’s glorious, right here where you live la vida local.

Waiting in Peace, LLVL

I’m sitting in another waiting room, grabbing another hospital’s wi-fi, since there’s none at home. Brought a friend in to the doc. Turns out this is the waiting room where I waited with my sister so many times. So weird, used to sitting here waiting for her, find myself turning to look…

One more place where people wait separately together. “What’s your story?” is the question on everyone’s lips. Everyone wondering if someone has a story of hope to share or a tip on curing nausea.

It’s easy to shut down here. You want so much for the answers to be the ones you wanted. Sometimes they are. Sometimes they’re not. But here you all are. And you’re really not alone.

Nothing more immediate and real then this place, that’s for damn sure. Even though my friend’s here for something else, this is Cancerland for me. That’s a locale where I lived a lot of life last year. This is a place where I bore witness and tried to keep my hands and heart open. I have tears to offer. I hope I have smiles as well. for the hardworking staff, for the hopeful waiters. I can be present, to my own sadness and to others’ hopes. I can pray for the wellbeing of the sojourners and the companions.

We’re all just looking for Peace (big and small p) in waiting rooms like this…

Knowing, Being Known, Peace & LLVL

Well, it certainly hadn’t occurred to me that poking my head out my door and getting to know the neighborhood made me part of the neighborhood to be known.

Huh.

So, it is in my own best interest to have a good idea who I am even as I seek to know who you are and where I live. It’s an opportunity not just to deal with my gifts, flaws and foibles, but also to determine who I’m going to be. I believe that living your life deliberately helps you to become that person. Making a difference in the world makes a difference in who you are and how you think about things.

If I’m going to be Peace, I have to know it, really be on speaking terms with it. I have to embody it. I have to admit that it’s possible. I have to do that for me, because I want it to be true for you. You have to be careful when you start your writing; you don’t know what you’re stirring up. I guess if I’m going to live locally, I have to be part of the scene. I maybe even (oh, heaven forfend) get out now and again (despite the winter chill). To be comfortable being known, I’m going to want to know myself — and well. Because I’m just as happy knowing things about myself before you do. Time to use that mirror beside the door! Living la vida local. Living in the present!

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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