Lean into uncertainty

WHAT’S THIS WORLD COMING TO?

 if it feels like you are in the battle for everything Because of so much uncertainty power up with curiosity 

Several years ago a group named. “Five For Fighting” had a hit album titled “The Battle for Everything”.”  The group was really just a really good vocalist with his piano and  the two biggest. Hits were  100 years which was on that CD and Superman which was a movie/tv show theme.  There’s some good music on the CD if you are into being curious and looking at things from  an alternative  point of view (hint perhaps the author of this blog is..LOL)

So here’s the thing.... around the world and  here in the US we are in  a whirlpool of  uncertain health matters that have the probable   Impact of an economic earthquake, and many people are  experiencing an emotional twister that makes the Grand Canyon  look like a  crack in the ground.    Okay you say...I’m going overboard—I say NO!!!!

If we’ve ever had a chance for becoming curious about about how we allocate public resources, private generosity, and most important  our collective and individual time— now is that chance.  We have a beautiful opportunity to  do some social experimentation. On how to  care for communities rather than individuals.  We have  a perspective on the interweaving of our workforce/government/ creative problem solving, and logistics efforts as a country and a planet.  No one  is likely to worry about their fellow citizen if that  citizen is asking what needs to change instead of  do you think it’s time for a change?  As things break, we are going to learn what we take for granted, which of our system are Most resilient  and which ones have outlived their utility.  As Yogi Berrra says you can learn a lot just by looking at something” —and this is our chance to  use our curious minds to look at may things.  We don’t need to be asking “are things going to change. After this?’  The question is  how are things going to change and who is going to  be at the table with courage and curiousity fueled ideas?  Who is going to struggle with fear and try to claim nothing  needs to change?  

So I was walking through the store today—-yesterday there was toilet paper!  However, no potatoes and no bread.... So what to do?  Seems to me tortillas can.be the bread element and so we bought some of those and  if you want buns?  Well frozen biscuits of course!   So you have to cut them in half...oh well.  Plenty of Cake mixes on the shelf and as a former. Leader in France once. Said after hearing the peasants  complain  about not have. Bread...”let them eat cake!”  The point is...it only takes a few minutes to release. Your mind and you can find all types a of “bread” at the store.  Pancakes—they are bread.... Waffles (another form of pancakes just designed to hold more syrup...they are bread... so if you have mix for these things you have bread!  

In summary we have sone great opportunities to learn a lot about ourselves (more so if we don’t have to take time  assigning  blame to  people for how things got to be this way) and We have a marvelous chance to experiment  in all areas including our kitchen.  

This whole situation reminds me of the old comedy lines...This is no time to panic?  No this is the perfect time to panic!—However... this is also the perfect time to become ultra curious... this is the time to unleash  your creativity and let curiousity blow holes in any walls of ear..... 

People are wondering if and when things will return  to “normaL?”   Perhaps it is time time to ask the. Question does peace and joy depend upon or bloom in the soil of “normal?  Can we step outside the lines and  see what may be possible?  

Now when some of us feel  the most vulnerable, it is time for the leaders inside us and amongst us to be strong with our  curiosity—provide  an abundance of  community caring to serve as an example of  getting connected while staying physically apart.  

You have spent  enough time on reading this today so it’s time for some action... 

Find three questions. In. The universe and seek the. Answers and share them with someone else. Today.... I’ll be doing the same.

My Questions—-

1. How many people know that St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish?  
2. How many people do you  smile at every day?
3. What’s the first sound you would like to hear in the morning?

You’ll have my answers. Tomorrow..

Be a soldier of curiosity  In the army of Change!

Who is to blame? – An alternative answer

THE CREATION QUESTION

Okay—if you are looking for the single authoritative proof for creation according to Genesis or the Big Bang Evolution model, what follows doesn’t even crack the shell on which came first—the chicken or the egg?  It is an interesting  question and human beings seem to need to know from whence (don’t you like that word whence?—we came.  However as I like to tell ancestry and 23 and me— I don’t need to spit in a tube to know who I am.  

So if this post isn’t about that—what is the creation  question featured here?

The creation question related to seeking peace and joy is—

HOW DO WE MOVE FROM WHOSE TO BLAME TO PROBLEM SOLVED?

Here’s  the pattern our. Society has adopted as the default.  Problem A exists or emerges.  So the first step is  to find out who benefits from making it known or defining the problem in one particular way or another.  Then once that has been controlled things move forward to “who is to blame for things  being this way?”  Of course the next step is confirming that those at fault cannot be trusted to solve the problem.  So those “not to blame” then choose whether. Or not anything.needs to or will change because  they have the upper hand on those to blame.  Before. They lose that advantage they propose some solution expected  to be applied and if those who were blamed don’t. Get 100% behind this solution they can still be blamed at least for some period of time.  If the problem persists  there will come a time when the question of. Blame get reviewed and maybe the “not my  fault” side loses out and then the cycle starts over again.  

So that’s. How the pattern looks most the time now and creation occurs in the “defining the problem so someone else is to blame phase—of the defining phase and less so in the possible solution phase because the problem has been stated in a restricted  and binary way most of the time.  

For me, peace and joy really doesn’t exist  in that model of. Things and here is where I try to go instead.  

Starting. With. A challenge exists.  When the river is rising does it really matter where it snowed upstream?  Only if  we can change. How the water flows everywhere in the river.  If we aren’t willing to attempt that  then  don’t worry about  where the water is coming from switch immediately to who has a boat or a raft or a house on stilts?  It takes energy to create solutions and the more that is spent on polarizing  definition processes and maintaining  those constraints, the less  energy. There is for creating  different  solutions that can be tested or reconstructed.  So first say yes there is a challenge.  Next. Go to what are two or three possible  acceptable solutions and maybe more than that?  This is where the creativity really needs to flow.  What solutions can work for the most people regardless of where they stand now?  Can we work on two or three solutions at once?  Are there some that can be worked on by. Most people?  Then  we are not  looking at who is to blame anymore, we are looking at who can we work with to  explore solutions and create them?   Many people  find peace in doing something about an issue and find joy in building solutions and I am one of those.  

Well... the last few posts have  highlighted. Some ways to reframe very real questions in a way that I feel impacts seeking  peace and joy.  Moving  from why me to why not, moving from how do I spend time to. Where do I use passion, and moving from who is to blame to what can be done and who  can do it? Are  all parts of the seeking. Peace and joy equation for me.  Doing this is not always  simple or as elegant as. E=mc-squared  (Happy Birthday Albert E), however attempting this seems to explore a lot, learn a lot, and do a lot and not to fear so much or hold on to  the past—two  things that  have very little peace and joy for many including me.  

Next topic?  Music and Me (and you). For now let’s get out there and infect each other  with hope, creativity,  caring, and commitment to community.

More Soon

Does saving time save your soul?

Do You Have the Time?

Quick question—What time is it?  Next question—how many chances each day do you. Get to know to the minute what time it is?  Since earlier this week we turned the clock forward an hour to keep our calendar.in synch with the forces that  spin our planet around and around, the whole notion of how much attention  we give to time.  So I’ve got time on my microwave and time on my stove.  The TV and my phone have all sorts of time indicators.  On my smart phone I can find out what time it is anywhere on the planet, determine how. Long it took to walk a mile, set a timer to tell me how long to boil water (or do other  cooking tasks.  My washer and dryer both have ways of setting how long  I want them to wash, rinse, and spin.  Nearly everyone I know can tell me when their birthday is, what year it is, and how long it takes. To get to dozens of. Locations near and far, however if they don’t know that last one their GPS can tell them.  

On top of that most of us work a set number of hours based upon salaries per/hr.  When  work or school isn’t going well enough we get lectured on time “management.”  I could go on and on and on, but you don’t have that kind of time.   Now  let’s stop a minute—really a minute?  Why say that ?  How about let’s stop until some perceived  future. Now becomes now?  Or  put more straight  forward let’s use the next few  moments (however long that is) to examine this whole time question in two different ways.

Experiencing Time

Have you ever  been in a car accident or witnessed one where  things seemed to move in slow motion?  Have you ever sat in a medical. Facility waiting room anywhere in the universe?  Is the time before your first child comes into the world the same as the time after that has happened?  Have you ever expressed a risky emotion and waited for the reaction of someone else?  How well does your microwave or smart phone account for that “time?”  If these time trackers don’t  seem relevant at those moments....wellmaybe we aren’t managing time so much as letting  an outside source dictate our values and actions.  In short does time manage/control us?  How often are we in a hurry because  we saw a clock not because  we wanted to rush through something. Or know exactly how long something seemed to take according to somebody including us?  

What  Are We Really Spending?  

What would happen if instead of keeping a calendar we started to track our experiences on an energy/passion grid instead of 24 hour. Blocks lined up in 28, 29, 30, 31, and 365 or 366 days?  Instead of asking. “How much time will this take?”, what if we asked how much energy  do I choose to give this thing I’m doing?  What’s my level of. Passion and focus need to be to  fully. Experience things  or help others do so?  What if we asked, “do I need to alter the amount of energy given to something rather than set aside  a certain amount of time.   What if we asked a child what are you learning today instead of the “how old are you?” Standard inquiry?  What if we did that with  each other?  What if instead of asking people to tell us about their  job or tell us where they work, we asked what two or three activities in life really. Increased their energy level?  In short,what if we were more concerned with energy enhancement and engagement  rather than categorizing  how people “spent” their time?  

To sum it all up seeking peace and joy for me is not a reflection of  controlled time spent in some linear fashion.  I choose to ask myself a couple times a day, “what really gave me energy instead of taking it. Away?”, or what was I doing when I lost track of time today?”  In keeping with changing the question as the other posts this week have. Focused on this is changing the question...how did I spend my time?” To “What  do I do to grow, use, and produce—-and then repeat?

Speaking of repeating... I have one more of these transforming questions posts and then my energy is going to be used  pondering about  my relationship with music for a few days and how that moves  my world toward peace and joy.... 

Until then...let time do what it does, but feel your energy move you toward peace and/or joy

  

Do we really need to worry about this?

What  Do We. Really Need to Worry about?

Let’s start with  this question.  If  there was something or anything you could do to stop or  slow down this nasty  virus would you do it?  

Second, do you know the serenity prayer?  If not, I’ll. Paraphrase — 

God/ultimate being/great spirit/(insert whatever wise and positive force. You wish here) give me the strength to change what I can.   Give me the courage to surrender what. I cannot.  Give me the wisdom to know the difference.”  

Well... can it really be that simple...yep.  

In  reality it comes down to  some simple ideas.  

If you  will do what you can then  don’t worry about doing it wrong or at the right time.  You will change what you do when you know for sure and only. You can know for sure when you know for sure...you have complete control over that.  —So no need to worry.

Now the things you cannot control you cannot control.  You can work toward accepting them however do you worry about  how tall you are?  Do you worry about. The fact. You like pizza?  Do you worry  about  the fact that when you drink a lot of liquids you often  need. To use th3 bathroom? In short if you don’t really have much control over something does  it really worry you? 

Now if you can have  enough faith in yourself to  change when things move from  what you can control to what you can’t, how much does knowing the difference at all times really matter?  

So a question most people are asking today is “should I be really worried about.....?”   Well my friends you are already worried because you are worried about. What you should or shouldn’t be worried about.  Well that  question is stepping right into the vicious  cycle and so today’s post is about encouraging you. To think and feel differently if possible.  

You see the challenge is not in the worrying or being right it is in the  changing as what becomes evident changes.  

So then the question to ask is what support do I need to  change?  This is a question that only you need to answer and there is no wrong answer.  The task becomes  who can help you think about these things and if the answer is   No one you are probably  underestimating. The abilities of others to help you in your thinking and then in your action. Processes.  

For example, the people act the gym probably  help you  stay motivated to work out.  The people at the AA meeting help each other not to surrender to alcohol etc... Before you  go to either. Of the same for the first time, do you know any of those people?  Just a  thought.    Now. Keep thinking forward...who  might. Benefit from your experiences or presence in their efforts to prepare for and execute  changes in their. Thoughts,  actions, beliefs etc... ?

So ...the previous post asks. Us to move from  “why me?” To “why not?”.   Today the experiment is can we move from “should I worry?”  To “how do I support change (mine or. Someone else’s)?”  

Should we worry—-no...should we think and feel—yes Then should we act—of course.  If we are wrong should we change?  Yes Can we help others. Not to worry by helping. Them to. Change  with us or  with our  support?  I  find peace and joy in  looking  at worry that way.  

This may have seemed like a circular route, but I’ll count on  the words in a graduation speech that gained much notoriety a few. Years ago.  In so many words it shared the following  bit of philosophy . 

“Don’t worry too much—or worry, but know that worrying  is about. As effective as chewing bubble gum to solve an algebra problem.”

From why me to why not?

FINDING THE QUESTIONS TO THE ANSWERS YOU  MIGHT HAVE

It’s been  said that  if you do the same things in the same way expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. On the  other hand, I sometimes wonder if we do the same things in the same ways to build a positive habit are we putting the building blocks for  al little insanity in place?  Maybe that’s why experimenting  with change is not a bad idea.   

So here’s  where this sort of leads.... We all have ways of thinking about problems/challenges and solving problems.  We often.develop patterns. Of behaviors when we are. In the company of certain. Groups of people and that works—-until it doesn’t and then what?   

Let’s  use an example that  could happen.   You are  two days away from pay day and  you are getting.ready for work.  Because you. Are in a hurry, you have decided that getting dressed quickly is your best  course of action.  You find your clothes and put them on.  You know your favorite socks to wear with this outfit are  in the dryer.  You open the dryer and find  one of the socks fairly easily, but as you all know there are  sock eating trolls built into all major  washer and dryer brands and the other sock is not  anywhere to be found.  You run to your dresser grab the second best pair and  put them on.  You are now a minute further behind.  You grab your shoes, jam them on your feet and start tying .  You’ve tied your shoes a bazillion  times so you start thinking about  heading out for work—until—-pulling the last rabbit ear and you hear a small  pop that signals the breaking of that shoe string.  Now you have to  either tie this string together somehow or find a different  footwear option.  You are getting a little frustrated.  You head out the door and head your  Volvo to work, when that little man carrying a gas can comes on dashboard fuel meter.  Luckily you make it to the Speedy Mart and  get enough gas to get through  the week, however, as you pull the nozzle  from your. Gas tank, a little left over fuel spills out right onto your freshly repaired shoes.  By the time you are climbing into the car you are asking yourself “why me?

Now maybe this exact sequence hasn’t happened to you, so substitute finding a small stain on your favorite shirt, spilling your “drive-through” coffee, getting a flat tire, or a toothache etc and bingo we’ve all had that day happen to us right?  

Now  of course Mr. Spoc would  tell you it was just a matter of chance that these things happened to you and that there was no conspiracy.  After all, we all lose socks in the dryer.  Reebok did not schedule that string to break at 7:42 AM on March 5th.  The gas pump wasn’t designed to spit out  an extra pint of gas on every 4th person who used pump 3 that day.  How2ever, this certainly seemed like bad karma.  

In seeking peace and joy “why me? Is not  a quesation you  want to focus on.  So here’s a little chant  I use to help move from that question to some other questions that  are more productive and uplifting to answer.  

Moving From Why Me to Why Not....

Here’s the  chant..

Why me. Why me 

I  never thought’d  this be

These things are not all possible

I don’t deserve. This don’t you see

But if unfortunate  things to me this day just has  brought

I need to  look real hard at what can happen —what cannot

For maybe  what’s. Now possible is changing quite a lot

So can I change my question from why me into why not?

Anyway I have some other  self-qquestions to address in the next  few days, however for now remember the  dark side usually has a light side...so when the world asks. Why me.. feel free to ask back why not.

More  Soon

Make like a tree and leave or grow toward peace and joy

GROWING TOWARD PEACE AND JOY

On the very edge of a small branch on a very  young tree I saw a little  greenish bud.  Yes it’s a sign of Spring, and if it was only a sign of  Spring that would be a symbol of the annual seasonal cycles we experience reminding us that we have a chance to  live through constant change and do so without  too much trauma.  Yet there is a bonus in the observation and that is what this post is all about.

What is a tree?

Is the seed that falls. To the ground or goes spinning through the  air inside one of those “helicopter droppings a tree?  Well maybe—because that is where the tree begins or is it where the tree ends?  Let’s just say it’s  the end of one tree and the beginning of another.   So is the seed the  most important  part of a tree...well sometimes it is.

Then  from the seed the roots spring forth and take hold and  start to connect with. The soil to gather  the building blocks the tree will need to grow.  The soil has those  goodies for. The tree because other trees have created shade so that. Water falling in the form of  rain or snow did not  evaporate too quickly to make the soil rich.  These roots will be the source  of food for the  tree until the leaves can convert sunlight into food for the. Tree maybe years from. Now.  The  roots  will be the foundation  for the tree, so are the roots the most important  part of a tree?

From the roots grow the trunk and the main branches.  These  become the structure that will  hold the leaves and eventually the fruit.  These parts of the tree carry  food from the soil into the tree and collect the food made by the. Leaves.  The trunk and the branches are the circulatory system that carry the liquids. Of life for the entire life of the tree and at some point in the. Life cycle of the tree these parts may be  cut down and used to. Build shelters and furniture, and provide heat for homes,, so are they the most important  part of the. Tree?

From the  branches emerge the leaves and the fruit.  The leaves provide  shade, turn the sun’s energy into  living matter and  help create oxygen that animals need to stay healthy.  Fruit contains the seeds that are needed for new trees and a load of things that animals of all. Sorts can use to stay alive.  Surely these are the most important parts of the tree?  

Okay...most of you probably know s what I’m going for here?....Right?  Well maybe—maybe not—read on and let’s find out.  Here are. Some things  this little green bud  brought into my awareness with regard to trees.  

It doesn’t make any sense to think about trees in terms of which of these parts  are the most important.  Comparing importance in terms of the tree doesn’t make much sense.  The important part is that  these parts all find their roles and do. Them for the entire tree and for the good of the Forrest and the environment.  It’s not important that the seed is not a branch or that the trunk.does not sprout fruit.   Maybe  wee can look at life experiences and learning in that same way.  Maybe the the things wee learn through good or bad experiences are the seeds from which our wisdom grows and these sprout to form the roots of new experiences (trees of meaning).  Maybe  from this foundation we form a trunk of values and have the courage to “branch out” to see how  we  might live those values in many ways not knowing which may  give us  fruit or exactly  when.  Maybe we can become the leaves of a tree and be a symbol of growth and a provider of  energy. For the members of our. Networks and community that form the  trunk and branches of the tree.  Finally maybe we are the fruits that feed things, fall off and start new things.  Maybe in different parts of our lives we. Are different parts of the tree and  maybe even different parts in different trees.  Part of being human (or a tree) is knowing the timing of when to play the needed part without having to be the most important part forever.  

In summary maybe we can look at the tree and see that change is going to happen and that every part. Played in that growth and change is important.   Maybe that will lead to a sense of peace when we understand we cannot or do not want to play every part all the time.  Maybe  we can understand that in parts of our lives we are  planting seeds so that other  people can. Grow from the roots we share and that they extend.  Maybe we can understand that the tree grows at its right pace when we do our part and therefore we can trust that we have value in our growth process and especially in the growth , learning, and bearing of fruit. In the experiences a of others.  finally maybe we  will stop  worrying about. Our importance or if we have the potential to be important.  Maybe when you see  a tree near you it will remind you that you are a valuable part of many environments and your obligation is to contribute not to compete.  When some of these things become evident maybe you can find some  peace and joy being who you are right now and  knowing that you too will grow how and when needed if you are aware of  your “tree ness.”  Well it’s time for me to “leave” for now

The importance of achieving balance Dash maybe

HOW TO ACHIEVE. BALANCE—OR NOT

This  morning I was semi-staggering  around in my front yard.  No I wasn’t  drunk or high or tired or any of that fun stuff.  I was having a little difficulty with  my back spasms and that was causing me to walk on eggshells...I don’t really understand  that phrase.  If the eggs are already broken what  difference does it make how you w2alk on them?  Now walking on eggs that’s a different story.  Anyway so I’m in the yard and I hear a small bird chirping.  I have no experience at bird calls, unless ordering a chicken. McNugget  happy meal counts or an occasional experiment with a duck call, so I don’t know what type of bird this was.  So there was this  little blackbird sitting  up on the electrical wire chirping away and I thought—‘hurray, Spring is really coming.”  Then I considered that this bird was a. Little chick standing on a wire singing and here I am stumbling on the flat ground having walked for a really, really, long time.  What type of natural balance does that bird have?  Then of course I asked myself what kind of balance was I shooting fgor today and would I have to have a diet of worms to get there?  

Eventually I made. My way inside and let the whole  concept of balance wander around in my mind a bit—and the folllowing words started chirping.

First, I’ll never be Charles Blondin.  Who is that?  Check out Niagara Falls history, nor will I be a Fabulous Wallenda  from the finest circus tradition.  therefore, balance or the lack thereof will probably not kill me.  Then I thought is “living a balanced life” one of those sneaky peace and joy traps?  Does the idea of what it means to be successful and happy include being balanced in so many parts of life that it  has become a prime target for self-help lore because after all if you can’t achieve this miracle of balance you have some personal problems to fix. <sarcasm>.  How often do waste the experience. In front of you because you are focused on achieving  something  for some other part of your life.  When we are with our kids do we want them to be happy because  that’s cool for them or because “I’m a good parent if all my kids are  wealthy, healthy, and secure?  Do we think about that when we are sitting talking with our friends who are telling us about  a new book they really like, or when we are swimming in a refreshing  pool?  Does the idea that  we can have it all (even if we don’t know where to put it)  keep us from enjoying the extraordinary albeit limited set of gifts we have been given and developed?  For me, it seems easier to understand peace and. Joy when I’m in the zone focused not on everything, but living through the resent moment of what I’m doing right now.  Now I’m writing about the horrible expectation that our best self is balanced nearly all the time.  What if  Michael Jordon would not have honed his basketball skills because  he was practicing the trombone?  I don’t know if he played or plays the trombone because.his gift to the universe was being one of the finest competitive  basketball players ever.  

In short, every now. And then you might get a little out of balance.  You may feel like certain parts of your life are being ignored or cheated.  You can use your time  feeling  inadequate because you aren’t all things to all. People, at all times or maybe you can decide that  balance. Is not  your dream.  Maybe  you need to get really. Lopsided to expose your. Talents.  Maybe just let. Those little birds chirp and balance their life away while you seize the moment, race hard toward something, crash and burn...knowing that “burning” implies a fire and that  fire can light many fires for many others.  Gray is a balance between black and white... Do you want to live.a gray life or a cool blue or a red hot one?  Come  down off the tight rope that you  have chosen and run toward  peace and joy

The beauty of time warps – thank you Thursday

THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS WRONG

Spring is just around the corner—so they say.  Does that mean  Summer is down the  next street over parked back a bit back  from the street with a radar gun waiting to see. If it can catch you speeding through time?  It truly seems to me that  some time periods  are experienced quickly and some not so much as my younger daughter  left the ranks  of teen-aged on this week...How quick did that time go?  Some times not that quickly if I’m being  honest.  It does have me thinking about the passage of time a bit today, however, not in that philosophical way I often do, more in the what things seem to  go fast and slow in everyday life and what that means in terms of peace and joy.

The list could go on and on, so I’m choosing. My top four time warping events and  making a few  brief comments about them.

Experiences that seem. Longer than they. Actually. Last

Having the Flu—-

We can be healthy for months and months and years and years hundreds of days and yet if we get the flu for three or four days, those days go by like a snail walking through wet cement with a broken leg.   

Prostate  Exams—

At a certain age this becomes a part of a routine annual physical.  In  all the years since these started for me the appointment goes okay except for that moment both the doctor and I know is coming.  Depending upon the  doctor’s preference, the height of the exam table and your  size the position  required varies slightly—-and the conversation can be  humorous if you want it to be.  I mean—sometime ask if there were people in the doctor’s medical class who  failed  this the first time or. If there were any practice techniques students were asked to  engage in prior to their first live patient?  No matter what  transpires the actual  moments of the exam border on the strange no matter how quickly. The exam actually passes.  Next year I think I’m going to mention. That I swallowed  a half dollar a few days back and ask the doctor if he wouldn’t mind looking a little harder this time.  

Things that seem Shorter than they actually are—-

Vacation—

I don’t care if you are  cleaning out your garage or  visiting the  “happiest place on earth,” vacation days always pass more quickly than  other types of days...The only long part of vacation days is any part of a vacation day spent in the airport—what airport?— ANY import!

And Finally...

Shaving  Time No not daylight savings time—that is a whole  other topic.,  What I’m talking about is the time  it takes for  my beard hair to need shaved.    Okay I know that there about  10,000 hairs on the average human head that require shaving.  It’s also true that. A beard and any  group of hair has a grain and feeling  your skin in a particular direction matters in terms of how rough it feels etc...Nonetheless, this hair grows too fast and requires a lot of motions to  take care of.  A razor company that rhymes with  trick estimates that  I takes the average shaver. 100 to 150  strokes with a razor. Per shave.  I don’t know if that’s true and I’m not going to count, however it seems like it takes  more so not only am I shaving more often  because the time between  shaves go by  quickly, I’m doing it wrong.

Well now I’m sure you have a list of your. Own when it comes to things that don’t quite fit a linear pattern of time—-so what’s that have to do with peace and joy?

For me it has to do with the “flow” of things.  I don’t like to think about shaving and I don’t let it enter my Thought process until it needs to happensIn short, I give. Beard growing no attention and thus experience peace about this  until that peace is interrupted.  the point I’m making is that I don’t appreciate  the time in between or pay attention enough.  The same goes with the flu...so much of our lives are spent in a healthier than not state and we don’t pay attention to that either. Over the past few years, I’ve been noticing health and time between the things I find that punctuate  or puncture. “Normal” time.  This awareness allows  appreciation and gratitude for such Moore. Of what  happens in life.  I notice more about the mundane  and don’t discount the experiences that used to float right by.  Sometimes  this raises my anxiety, however, more often than not. It sharpens my  joy of little cool experiences such as in the past.couple days when the sun in the sky really felt like it was producing  heat on my skin.  What that means is it will soon be time to  play guitar outside again and the thought of that brings both peace and joy.   

In the end I’m suggesting  we all search for the little. Things that change time and value the fact that they. Prompt. Us to pay attention to the opportunities to reflect and creat meaning or dismiss the old meanings we have given to  things in exchange for. Meanings that work better for. Our growth.  

Anyway...it’s time for me to go. For a walk and then when I return home I’ll need to shave.  I’m predicting  187 strokes of that razor—I’ll keep. You posted.   In the meantime since it’s thank you Thursday I want to express my gratitude. To the. Universe. For slapping mearound a little so that I pay some attention to life as it flows through and past me.   

another set of building blocks

BUILDING PEACE AND JOY—YOUR TURN?

In keeping  with my commitment to toss out  these building blocks here comes the final couple for this  song/poem.  Yes , I feel a little sheepish just after celebrating the champ Dr. Seuss—however if you  compare yourself to others on a constant basis, peace and joy will almost always run slightly ahead of you and only now and then spit into the wind catching you  on your brand new T-shirt.  As it has always been, I write the new stuff fresh while  popping out the existing lines from memory or with changes that hit me in the moment.  So if I had some ado to spare I’d use it here but I think it’s upstairs in the drawer where I have 21 ties I’ll never wear, a sock I’ll never find the match to, and a couple of electronic adapters that I’ve used three times in the past quarter century.  So with no further ado here goes 

Working Title —Junkyard Wings

Galileo winks right at the pope

“We’re at the center?”  I’d say nope.”

If you weon’t hang me from a rope

I’ll show you with my telescope

Comes the warrior. Susan. B.

Till we  all can vot none can be free

Finally got the men to  nod and agree

One more stride toward liberty   (Chorus—sort f )

When will we learn to grasp new things

Hear what soulful wisdom sings 

Act like  servants even if we’re kings

Dawn  our fragile halo and junkyard wings?

**New and Final Block for now*

Bobby says. Be thankful for the stuff you’ve got

If they ask you “why?”  Ask back “Why Not?”

Add al little  stew to another’s pot

Do not forget  it means a lot

And

Chorus

I’ll try to record a tune with this  today...—If  not... Dare to breathe in  your values and share your feelings and ask Why Not?

Peace

BUILDING PEACE AND JOY—YOUR TURN?

In keeping  with my commitment to toss out  these building blocks here comes the final couple for this  song/poem.  Yes , I feel a little sheepish just after celebrating the champ Dr. Seuss—however if you  compare yourself to others on a constant basis, peace and joy will almost always run slightly ahead of you and only now and then spit into the wind catching you  on your brand new T-shirt.  As it has always been, I write the new stuff fresh while  popping out the existing lines from memory or with changes that hit me in the moment.  So if I had some ado to spare I’d use it here but I think it’s upstairs in the drawer where I have 21 ties I’ll never wear, a sock I’ll never find the match to, and a couple of electronic adapters that I’ve used three times in the past quarter century.  So with no further ado here goes 

Working Title —Junkyard Wings

Galileo winks right at the pope

“We’re at the center?”  I’d say nope.”

If you won’t  hang me from a rope

I’ll show you with my telescope

Comes the warrior. Susan. B.

Till we  all can vote none can be free

Finally got the men to  nod and agree

One more stride toward liberty   (Chorus—sort f )

When will we learn to grasp new things

Hear what soulful wisdom sings 

Act like  servants even if we’re kings

Dawn  our fragile halo and junkyard wings?

**New and Final Block for now*

Bobby says. Be thankful for the stuff you’ve got

If they ask you “why?”  Ask back “Why Not?”

Add a little  stew to another’s pot

Do not forget  it means a lot

And

Chorus

I’ll try to record a tune with this  today...—If  not... Dare to breathe in  your values and share your feelings and ask Why Not?

Peace 

To the cat behind the hat

BE YOU A CAT OR BE A MOUSE SALUTE THE DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE

I had  no thoughts but wait oh then

My thinker blinked and worked again

This I must type— I have no pen

I pray you’ll read it and say amen

At times my thoughts stray like a dog

Jump here and fro just like a frog

Some  notions clear some more like fog

Let’s all relax it’s just a blog

Another  verse this is the third

I softly curse—can’t find  a word

I prod myself—come on you nerd

Think quick of all those songs you’ve heard

Then off my tongue  rhymes pour and pour

But does the reader want much  more?

Is this poem already quite a snore?

If  so I’m sorry Theodor

I feel it’s time to let you loose

I hope I. Haven’t been. Obtuse

Eat Green Eggs and  Ham and have some juice

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Let Peace and Joy run through. Your day like thing.one and thing two...

More  when tomorrow. Becomes today