While we were in Zambia, we took every opportunity to talk with the people and ask them what their lives were like. We wanted to know how they celebrated their joys and how they comforted each other in their sorrows.

We also wanted to know what their dreams were. They weren’t so different than our dreams. The difference is ours have a greater chance of coming true.

Please click to watch and listen to their hopes and dreams. Sometimes hearing others helps us realize how possible ours really are.

After spraining my ankle this morning trying to get some exercise I ran across this. If there is one thing I wish I could do well it would be dancing. It just makes me happy to do it, to watch it, to imagine it. Hope you enjoy it. If you don’t….bah hum bug you poor soul.

Fast Tube by Casper

As the world seems to be spinning out of control…. As if we could ever control the earths spinning…. I have pondered a great deal about what is causing the chaos.

I decided to do some research. I began with the seven sins. All of which, at one point or another, I concluded was the straw that broke the proverbial back. I put them in alpha order.

Envy – to desire others traits, status, abilities or situation.
Gluttony – To have and consume more than you need.
Greed – the desire for material wealth or gain
Lust – inordinate craving of bodily pleasures.
Pride – Excessive belief in one’s own abilities.
Sloth – to avoid work.
Wrath – anger that spurns love and opt for fury.

Now it isn’t all bad. There is also a list of seven virtues too. That old ying yang thing ya know!

Kindness – Empathy and trust without prejudice or resentment
Temperance – moderation between self-interest versus public interest.
Charity – love
Chastity – Moral wholesomeness and purity of thought
Humility – Ability to confront fear and acknowledge personal weaknesses.
Diligence – Decisive work ethic
Patience – resolving conflicts and injustice peacefully

I like how Mahatma Gandhi listed the sins.

Worship without Sacrifice
Science without Humanity
Commerce without Morality
Knowledge without Character
Pleasure without Conscience
Politics without Principle
Wealth without Work

I believe we can find evidence within ourselves of each of those sins and each of those virtues. That might require humility. Ah, oh.

I read a book recently that suggested the following. “The health of the planet is affected by the health of every individual on it. As long as even two souls are locked in conflict, the whole of the world is contaminated by it” Elizabeth Gilbert

I thought about that and am still thinking about it.

Is it possible that the conflict that rages in each individual is contributing to the conflicts swirling around all of usl? And if that is possible, and I believe it is more than possible but real, how much more are the conflicts we have with others polluting our planet with more of those deadly sins.

Even those little moments, like when you realize someone has broken into your Tahoe and stolen your brand new iphone. If one were to harbor ill feelings for such a greedy, slothful, envious, gluttonous, lustful, proud and angry individual wouldn’t one be guilty of those same sins?

Now your thinking… but you can’t just let people take advantage of you! (please reread the virtue list)

I once had a teacher who asked if every time our babies cried for “attention” what would happen if we gave it to them? If every time we came home from work to hear the ramblings of teen-agers and we listened to them? If every time our spouse sought peaceful silence we were actually quiet what would be the result? Initially, the students said you would have a society of spoiled babies, indulgent teen-agers and non- communicative relationships. But after patient teaching and careful consideration this teacher opened our minds to the idea that love will never spoil, but only empower the individual.

So whatever your conflict, interior or exterior, let it go. Release it and discover the planet is spinning with or without you, but it would be so much nicer if we all were… nicer.

PS… I would still like my phone back.

I often ponder about the poisonous and insidious diatribe that is so prevalent in our society today. Every group has an agenda and assisted by statistics and data are able to influence and recruit the masses to jump on any bandwagon.

But not you, right? Certainly not me. We are the exception. We are the individual. That is what I would like to believe, but statistics and science unfortunately prove otherwise.

There exists at our fingertips a hoard of information that can determine the behavior of most any one. Given the dynamics, the variables, the components, your behavior and mine can be predicted pretty accurately and frankly is.

Our very nature is to be a member of a herd, a family, a group. Part of being with the herd is to protect the individual. The closer you are to the center the more likely you will not be lured away and devoured by predators. But there are costs as well as benefits for our societal connection. One of which is the risk of stampede. Being overrun with the groups core philosophy leaves few options for the individuality factor and ones own personal thoughts and opinions.

Add to our human herd nature an articulate and dynamic spokesperson and the powers that be will have the fringe herd members distracted by survival within the group while the inner circle remains protected. Before the dust settles the herd is blindly led to where a few may benefit at the expense of the rest.

We, as individuals, have access to the same information. We can use it to determine what “they” will do. Or maybe they have determined that is what is happening already. Careful, we may be led off a cliff.

Write.
Splatter the page with covert words.
Suffocating between the sheets.
Confused, contrived and denied
Expire in heartless stead.

Write.
Until what is alleged is understood.
What is sensed suffereth long.
The lines and pauses and pages persevere.
Suppressed lips liberate censored wrongs.

Write.
Others will own and mirror what they will.
Embracing the pain they fraught.
The words suspend in mid sentence still
The tacit sound of silence wants not.

I have many moments where I think, “what is the point”? It doesn’t matter what project I am working on, some days I wonder why I ever thought “it” was important or worth my time and energy.

Today I finished a book called THE HELP. As I came closer and closer to the end of the book I became more and more anxious because I knew it was going to end. The characters I had discovered and learned to love, or not love so much, would soon be a memory of my imagination.

However, the lessons those characters learned and by extension, I learned, are still rolling around in my head and in my heart. Ideas and thoughts and feelings have reminded me of values and ideals I value and cherish and want to embody.

How could reading or writing or painting or composing ever be a waste of time? How could I ever think creating does not have a point.

Creating IS the point.

	After breaking down in the heat of the Arizona sun… We arrived too late for an evening Newport swim, but the next day…. we managed to recuperate and get ready for….
	DISNEYLAND!!!!!! Was way too much fun! We closed the park down! Love Splash Mountain. And I am a survivor of Tower of Terror. Aren’t I cool? Yea, I am! More sleeping, more sun, more fun!
Love my peeps! Could use less of the peeps from the little peeps. Escaped in the wee morning hours and read to my hearts content. Love Jane Austin. Felt a little trepidation when the earthquake hit. But we managed to go with the flow. I must admit it was difficult to relax knowing I would be home for 48 hours before the festivities began to celebrate Ben and Breann’s wedding. But I managed.

Ben and Breann’s Wedding!

Could June get to be more fun and memorable?
Seeing friends and family this weekend just might make it so!

And those we don’t get to see… well, we’ll miss you.