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.

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.

Sabbath Peace for Phil, LLVL

It’s going to be a Peaceful Sunday for Phil the groundhog after being rudely awakened this morning at 7:28. He saw his shadow and is headed back for another six-week snooze. Living la vida local in Pennsylvania, you pay attention to Phil. They’re now attributing atrocious poetry to him as well. Although, goodness, he IS a groundhog, so I’m not sure how well developed his poetic functions are!

A Superbowl winner I will not predict,

But my weather forecast you cannot contradict

That’s not a football lying beside me, that’s my shadow that you see.

Six more weeks of winter, it shall be.

Sorry Phil, had to redact a little. We’re having a little break in the weather, which was good for the 200 who plunged into the 39˚ river yesterday. After they broke the ice on the shore, there wasn’t much ice in the river to worry about. But it’s a pretty bleak day. Cozy in with a good book! Do something that’s your version of down-time.

Beloved husband is playing music today, I’m off to work. As always anniversary celebrations will wait and get fitted in to some leisure time. We’re not postponing joy, we’re extending it!

This day has become the most significant in my life in many ways. I may need to think a bit about that. It’s the stirring awake metaphor and reality that catches me. And maybe the beginning again. I said that I liked Chinese New Year because it was a beginning again, but I think perhaps it’s the beginning of sap rising in the trees that catches me. I see this as the beginning of the cycle, the actual new year. The end of the year is about rest for me, and this is about waking up. For me this is a natural break in the year.

Let us recommit at the beginning of the cycle to creating the new possibilities for the year. Let us be the awakening light… after a bit of snoozing around!

And as for Phil, my sister must be sighing the big sigh of relief that she won’t be chasing his cousin from under the flagstones around her pool. I doubt we remembered to warn the new owners about the groundhog. Ah well, you live on land, you live in nature! So Happy many anniversaries to me (and to Steve) and burrow in, at least for today. Peace may lie in getting enough rest. But watch out when we wake up.

The Peace of Candlemas Light, LLVL

It’s fitting that the new Moon starts building on Candlemas, a season dedicating our Light to its Purpose. Let there be more LIght and may I be one who bears it, one who is it.

It is at Candlemas, historically, or Imbolc, that people took their vows of service.

Here’s an opportunity, my dears, everyday a new chance to say what do I want to BE, what do I want to DO, not when I grow up, but next. Not like do I want to go to the movies, but like do i want to change the world, even my small corner of it. I hope so.

People here in my little town are doing a polar bear plunge (what are they crazy?) for charity… that’ll change their lives. But it’s a dedication. and hopefully no one will slip on the ice going into the river. People may not be thinking about the symbolism, but it’s hard to ignore…

I’m skipping the icy bath, but will spend some time thinking about my light and what it’s dedicated toward…

That focus was deepened last night as I sat in a tavern laughing with friends, stepped in on a little harmony, and just reveled in a little town enjoying itself. It gives me hope that we can make a huge difference by building on that camaraderie, building Peace on Love and Laughter.

This little light of yours… what are you going to do with it? Let it shine? Let it shine for Peace? oh, i hope so. Altogether now…

New New Year New Moon Peace, LLVL

I’ll take it. I’ll take the restart. Rebooting 2014.

Am I the only person for whom things seem to linger like this? Where the new year begins with the old year spilling over. In my case there was still letting go to finish. And for aching hearts there’s a journey between doing what needs to be doing, standing firm and present, and beginning to heal. First you sleep and then you can face what’s ahead.

So, it’s a wonderful gift of a month for sorrowing hearts, and slow ones, and even sloppy ones.

An auspicious new Moon… and the second in a month, a phenomenon called the Black Moon. I love the Dark of the Moon… a time of reflection, time to consider what seed will take root in your heart for the month, and in this case, the year, ahead.

And tomorrow? Candlemas and more dawning. Hooray! May Peace take root in your heart and grow in your neighborhood. And Love. and what the heck, why not, and Understanding!

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.

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.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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