I wrote about gathering for the holidays and finding your pack.
But today, my mismatched pack will gather in Love outside a mosque to say no to the haters and to put them on notice. We are here. We are Love. We are together.
Peace isn’t something others get to take from us. They can’t have it. We are here. We are Love. We are together. (and Merry, Happy everything to you and your pack!)
There is so much ugliness in the world. Some of it is huge and stunning. Other pieces are simply small and petty. Today I’m tired of it. Today i long for something different, even while knowing we’re what needs to be different..
It’s time to say no to hate. We can’t do that by being hateful. We don’t need to allow hate, but we don’t need to join it.
So no. Peace, I say to you, Peace. Real Peace. Peace with Justice. Peace with Hope. Peace with Love.
I’m sorry, I’m not going to let any of us be lazy about it. Too many lives at stake. Peace be with you — and with me. That’s all I’ve got. Today’s a good day to Peace.
There are a lot of fears right now. Few of them feel unjustified, but all of them are unknown…
I will stand firm on my beliefs and proudly beside those who are targeted, but I’m not ready to aimlessly gather to mull around until I know what’s really in the works.
What I will do, every day, is work for Peace. I will focus on neighborliness; on being a good friend. I will step up.
Yesterday, the Mosque 60 miles down the road, received one of “those” letters. It was a hate-filled, ignorant threat. If they organize a rally, I will go. In the meantime, I will stand with my neighbors here — and sit and have coffee, giggle over the silly things in life, pray about the horrors, and educate myself. That’s what I can do. That’s what Peace asks of us. That’s what Love asks of us. I continue to think that we need to learn to be the people who walk each other home.
Peace. Love. Understanding. Let us be those people.
Some friends are helping me remember that there’s more generosity out there than we realize, and we need to not give into the fear.
All of us seem to clutch our fear to our chests. It’s what we know. It’s how we roll. And it’s completely counterproductive to Love. Too many times, it tells us untruths.
So, in a very conservative neighborhood, a gay wedding has sparked nothing but wishes to help and joy in the invitation.
We can keep bridging the gaps. And celebrating life. And it will all just get deeper and sweeter.
And maybe we can work together. Maybe we can Peace.
There are so many things I love about water. I love it in all its guises. Everyone, from rain to oceans brings something magical to the world.
Still water offers many gifts. One sweet one is its ability to mirror.
Right now the world seems full to the brim with mayhem. Violence cropping up all over and hate right here at home.
I’ve been saying for days that I feel flat-footed in front of what’s swirling around. While you have to take the time to reorient, you don’t get (or I refuse to give myself permission) to wander around in that daze too long.
Peace is needed. I worry about the shadow side of the world, which is what seems to be emerging, but I realize that I need to mirror Peace. You say hate, I say Peace… Peace will wear down the hate. I just need to stay connected to Love…
The Love we share, in friendship… The Love that’s out there in the world.
I am the Mirror. I am the Peace. Let me practice that a while…
The elements are powerful and work at returning life to its most, well, elemental.
We’re the ones who can bring care and understanding and Peace to life. It is perhaps not the most natural of states. It is however muchly to be desired.
We are the ones who can bring Peace to life. It is a labor. But it is a labor of Love. And love is the ingredient we have to offer Life!
Let us be about the business of Love and Peace, all the while admiring the power of the wind and the rain to change the shape of life. And let us remember the people of Oaklahoma whose lives have been changed by the strong hurricanes.
Wind and Water. Love and Peace. Let us honor them all.
You think life looks one way and it does, for a while. And then it changes. And so do you.
Waking on my 64th, somewhat bemused that this is where I am in life, I’m aware of two things:
So we need to make it count. We must be thankful and celebrate, that’s for certain. We must also be accountable. It falls to us to make it wonderful for others. We’re the ones to make Peace. We’re the only ones who can.
So thank you. Thank you so much!
There have been times in my life when I’ve felt that the losses in my life have left huge crevices that will never be filled — but the sweet friendship and kindness of so many are brilliant stones and shining pearls that have filled up those crevices with Beauty. The ache for those gone before is replaced by astonishment for those here. What’s not to celebrate?
Love! Peace! Blessings! oh, Hurrah!
We know that Spring happens, but it still feels miraculous to see those flowers burst forth — and to weather the early spring storms. The brilliant green of June, the blink of fireflies in July, I can name you something in every month of the year that we find miraculous either because they take our breath away or restore our hope.
Should we quibble that they’re not technically miracles? Because they really, really, really feel like miracles.
And what about things like friendship and romance. They develop across the most unlikely barriers and differences. Are there sweeter miracles than these?
All the impediments sometimes don’t seem to make a difference and love blossoms and flourishes, just as the narcissi flourish in the Spring.
So, isn’t it possible that something as ridiculous, as astonishing, and as unlikely as Peace could also bloom and flourish? Imagine the first perfect strawberry you eat in a season. Peace might taste like that. Strawberries are possible. Why not Peace?
And if miracles are possible, what would it take to keep them happening. The Earth does a pretty good job with Spring, although heaven knows, humans are doing their best to screw that up. And people keep falling in love and friendship, despite the barriers. So how do we keep Peace happening? How do we encourage it’s burgeoning?
Let’s Peace. Let’s find out. Let’s be the Miracles we need in this world.
Dear Bartender and Priestess,
I am a 22-year-old man and recently got dumped. Again. And this last one really hurt.
We were together for about a month, and I really liked this girl, “Sally”. One night, we got involved in a long conversation about family, and family history, and the kind of baggage we have. One of the things she told me about (along with her parents’ divorce and an estrangement with another sister) was she had a brother who was born with a congenital heart disease. I thought, FINALLY! Someone who might understand me. You see, I too was born with heart disease. I got all excited when I told her about my condition. I thought she would get it. Continue reading
Sigh. When it’s as beautiful as the chocolate in this photo, it’s hard not to hoard it…
But, no, really, I usually share. Usually!
Thinking about this made me laugh. I remember one time when there was a big break-up in my life. (oh, thank god such drama is behind us!) But it had been on the BF’s birthday.
There was champagne. There were truffles. I’m sure I was devastated. However, next thing you know, there were friends sitting around laughing their heads off drinking champagne and eating those truffles. It was in the long run, a much better use of those little bombs of deliciousness!
It’s silly. sometimes I won’t share even with myself. I’ll ration it out so long that I lose interest.
Although these look mighty tasty… Damn that Terri and her beau George make some good looking food!
Chocolate aside. The Love stuff? It’s better when we find new ways to Love. More love. More better! Or as my nephew used to say More Betterer! Peace is built on Love. It could probably be built on chocolate that looks like this, if only some of us (sigh, ahem) were willing to share! So we wonder. What does Peace Chocolate taste like…
