Spring Parade Peace, llvl

Whether its from the attic to the bedroom, or from one bedroom to the next or even just front of the closet to back, the parade of clothes from Spring to Summer has a special place. (And i like it the other way, as well, but now is the time of Spring!)

Don’t know that there’s lots of important things to be said about it, but the change of mindset that’s needed… slowly moves us to a different place. Sorting out, seeing what you thought last year. Seeing what favorite thing really needs to be retired. Seeing what really never flattered… and releasing it so it can make someone really happy.

Even the flowers were being changed. I walked by this wonderful stand of tulips, who were going off to some other garden group in another town, making way for “gorgeous geraniums.” And oh, we hate to see them go, but the almost 3 inches of rain gave them a thrashing, so some other beauty is now coming to please. Nature! Having her way with us!

Don’t forget to cull, it’s always a good idea. And yard sales are waiting for your bounty. Our church yard sale is about 20% of our budget. (That’s some yard sale!) Let me know if you want to drop things off! We pay our rent, people get good deals… what’s not to like?

Enjoy Spring!

Rainy Day Peace

My corner (or perhaps my center) of PA has been a little dry. We’re three inches short for the year. Which is odd, since March and April are often very wet months (April showers and all that.) Between the dry spell here and some conversations about the California drought — and very scary fires — Water and its lack have been on my mind. All of which is balanced, in a horrible kind of way, with the heavy storms the MidWest has been having.

But I might have looked at the weather before I wrote the poem. Here we were with a front about to stall over us. It rained so hard last night that I kept being awakened by the pummeling rain… I’m so unused to the sound.

But water. We really would do well to remember that it’s a sacred resource and must be treated with respect and reverence. We don’t need long showers to wake up, we don’t have to use a hose when a broom would do. We don’t need to plant flowers that don’t grow easily in our climate. It’s hard; it’s not what we’re used to — and the reverence is what our planet needs.

We all need to learn to share. It seems like we’ve forgotten this kindergarten staple. But your neighbor has pretty much the same needs that you do, and having more money doesn’t make you more deserving. How does the saying go — the rain falls on the just and the unjust? The universe doesn’t care, we’re all deserving of the bath and the blessing!

So, let’s think about water and how we use it. In many many parts of the world just access to Water is Peace.

Landscaping for Peace, llvl

Don’t you just hate it when you grab a metaphor and find out, oopsie, it doesn’t work. I thought I had it all lined up with the beautification, planting appropriately, zero-scaping metaphor… and then realized, not so fast.

Zero-scaping is great. Plant according to your regions environment. Use no more water than arrives.

But when you’re making space for everyone, neat little rows of one kind of flower aren’t what do it. You grow a village according to who lives there. That’s the messy wonderful piece of Peace. Peace has to make room for different cultures and traditions — even in little villages, because today’s villages are global ones. And the hodgepodge is every bit as beautiful as stands of tall tulips, particularly when community is involved. And you know me, fun food from different parts of the world is a big piece of my Peace Incentive!

And that’s another weird, wacky beautiful piece about Peace… there’s room for both homogeneity and diversity.

So, consider your landscaping… and make Peace available to everyone. And go smile at the tulips, they’re sure to go in the rain later today.

Community Sabbath Peace, llvl

When I lived in a big city, on those rare occasions I had a weekend off, when I headed out to do something, I went far and rarely saw anyone I knew.

But here in my little town, when I go to walk the rail trail, I see my neighbors. I may know some of them well, with others, I may just be on nodding acquaintance. Same thing at the local ice cream stand. Every line is an option to catch up: “Hey, how are you. I haven’t seen you for a while (since the last time we stood in line for black raspberry ice cream.)

I confess, I like it. It’s not like I can’t get away. It’s just that rural living means the green encroaches on the town. And that’s a lovely thing.

So enjoy a slow day in your lovely community. That’s what sabbaths are for. What the heck, it’s on me! Make Peace by loving the land and getting to know your neighbors better.

Loud Dandelion Spring Peace, llvl

One day there’s nothing and then the next time you look there’s been an explosion. (What has a stealthy beginning to a loud and insistent life? Dandelions!) Last week the violets held court on the lawns. Nothing else to see but grass. This week, dandelions in full bloom, cheerfully giving the violets a run for their beauty.

I like sturdy, cheerful things that steadfastly refused to be moved from their purpose. I’d like to be that. Although I swoon for violets, I’ve probably got more in common with the dandelion. And truth to tell… don’t flower fritters sound delish? Yumhoo.

But what’s great? for this space in time we get ’em both. Delicate little violets. Sturdy little lions. (and in the gardens dragons! such fierceness!) Mother Earth’s a canny one, isn’t she?

Today it’s raining… good day to pull up your head and take a walk. The allergies can’t bother you, and truthfully, the flowers are just as beautiful in the rain and the walk as healthy. Peace on the lawn with raging flowers. Go figure.

Work, Play, Peace, llvl

When you’re living “local,” Mother Nature sucks you in! Pay attention, she says, we’re in relationship.

So, no matter how busy you are, no matter how important your work, you have to make time for a cup of tea with your friend the Earth — the Great Mother. You have to care how she feels. You have to notice when she’s looking great… (and yep, you have to be the nurse when she’s ailing!).

And you have to balance the other important things in your life with this relationship. Your health is dependent upon hers. And her cycles ground you and give you so much pleasure.

It’s Earth Day… the 44th. Why not take the next year and explore your relationship with this fascinating, complex, breathing entity? And today? start a new habit of noticing and appreciating. She’s worthy of your effort and respect. Peace to all on Earth. Peace with the Earth. Peace. Earth. Peace. Earth. Peace.

Forsythia Sabbath Peace, llvl

I love the promise of forsythia (can violets be far behind?). All that sunny, beautiful yellow. It simply hollers Spring.

Happy Easter (Western and Eastern Easter are on the same day this year!). Glad Pesach. Happy Spring (we’re actually a month after the Equinox, but the weather’s staying chilly, hence the late April forsythia in Central PA.). Much of the world will be celebrating sacred holidays today all of which have Hope in common. May that Hope spill out on the rest of the world.

The turning of the seasons brings back such memories and such opportunities to make more memories. Remember. Re-member. Piece Back together the times that came before.

So much to look forward to, so much to enjoy right here. I’m going to go sit beside this river and eat breakfast with my sweetie — it will be a fine start to a wonderful day!

What ever you celebrate may you be filled with Hope. And may you have a wonderful Peace-filled Sabbath, reveling in the Beauty and the Possibility. And what the heck. I’m up and on time on East Coast time!

Working on the Peace Web, llvl

Ecology is the scientific study of organisms and their interaction. Deep ecology looks at the inherent worth of living beings. As the human way of life continues to degrade the environment, we begin to realize that we must begin to weave together the fate of others with our own. It is, perhaps, the only way we can put the breaks on climate change.

But we must look at the human connections as well. Because we’re also allowing them to degrade. World views of the other as outside of me are what allow us to continue to wage war against each other. But we wage such wars against ourselves. We are connected. Families killed in wars are our families. Families killed in natural catastrophes are our families. Families killed in famine are our families. Famines that are caused by us? What sort of horror is that?

People are hungry all over the world. People are hungry in our country for so many economic reasons that are hugely complicated. Some of us are well suited to working at those deep reasons, and to you I say, bravo and go! Others of us can only gather up the money to make a difference right where we are. That is also hugely important. Hungry children are our children and we pay a huge societal price if we do not care for them. I would tell you that we pay a moral and personal price if we don’t, as well.

We need to start (keep on) noticing the connections. We need to start patching up the places they are fraying. Deep Ecology. Deep Societal Ecology. There’s a place for each of us, a connection we are best suited to reweave. Let us make Peace at the frayed edges of Life.

Feeding for Peace, llvl

It’s pretty bottom line. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, food and shelter come first. It’s astonishing and awful that we live in an abundant world where too many don’t care that so many go unfed.

If we move farther up the pyramid do we become incapable of imagining hunger? Is that why we’re so callous? It’s hard for me to comprehend that people are just mean. But certainly people find it hard to think beyond themselves…

Someone mentioned recently that happy used to mean that you had those basic needs met. Now we hear we can’t be happy until we have x or y or z.

But right here, in River City, people are hungry. $2 a weekend to feed a hungry child. $80 for a school year. $104 for a whole year if there were summer weekend feeding programs. It’s no money at all for a weekend. And a lot of money to feed the children who are hungry.

Other people will worry about how we got here. Or at least I hope so. I hope they’ll push and push and work to change it. It’s why we have a community, because I have another job to do. I’m going to walk around and ask for money. A little money and a lot of money. Because children are hungry. I’m going to ask you to become my ally in this and maybe a sponsor. Because children are hungry. And if you don’t live where I do, I’m going to ask you to look around. Same reason, hungry children.

There are so many reasons why hungry children are a terrible idea. Again, There are others working on that. But right here, right now… hungry children. No Justice no Peace. I hear you, Bob. Hungry children are injustice of the bitterest sort. You can go here, if you want to help locally. Pretty soon you can go there if you want to set up a weekend back pack program anywhere, because we’re going to have lots of good information about how to do that, working with the Food Banks. It’s a lot of work. But it’s important and fulfilling.

There is nothing more local than the people who live where you do. We’re aware that if we don’t tend to all of Nature, the World suffers. The same thing is true with society — we need, perhaps to become Deep Societal Ecologists. If the children aren’t fed, there are all sorts of implications down the line. Break in where you can. Feed local kids, become a local Peacemaker. Living la vida local. Living your Love locally. Peace.

Speaking Sabbath Peace, llvl

I continue to be astonished by the journey. Having declared that this year’s journey was all about living locally… my world continues to unfold. People drag me off to do local things because I’ve said they’re important. So I get to see a snowy owl. I’d have been happy before to know they were there, but I wouldn’t have gone out of my way… but someone made that happen.

All of a sudden I’m taking a course about geography (and geology), things about which I have a somewhat, shall we say, intellectual interest. Mother Earth & Nature are not so much about their actual dirt for me… (ok, i’m shallow, what can I say?)

In my word scramble that says what my important key words are, the word Sabbath keeps getting larger. As I click it every Sunday, after I’ve written about trying to be aware of it, I work to honor and enjoy the day — to infuse it with a joy that is slower and more aware than my usual dash-through-the-day enjoyment of life.

And living here, truly here, I begin to be aware not only what’s right and wonderful, but what’s broken and in need of our loving hands. This was a clear and painful conversation we had at class… painful because we were all poking at the rough spots in our love for where we live.

So, as you go through your day today, take some time, think about what makes your world wonderful… and where your duty lies… Duty, not a very 2014ish word, is it? But our duty is what moves us toward Peace. oh, this being conscious is hard.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

Tag Archives: nature