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330 days ago
KNOW THYSELF The following is a meditation that anyone can use because every person has these qualities. You have these qualities. Whether you think of these as “fruits of the Holy Spirit,” innate Buddha qualities, or something else, it is worthwhile to get acquainted with yourself, and ponder your purpose. Read the following list as a meditation about yourself. Ask yourself what you would add to this list. I have a song so I can be singing. I have serenity so I can be peace-filled. I have detachment so I can be centered and calm. I have lightheartedness so I can be relaxed. I have inner joy so I can be joyous. I have a sense of humor so I can be laughing. I have playfulness so I can be amused. I have mindfulness so I can be aware. I have perception so I can be discerning. I have wisdom so I can be wise. ...402 days ago
SIGNS OF THE TIMES “Is there anyone at your house over 65 who could get a senior discount?” she asked slyly looking at my gray hair. Over 65! I thought the senior discount was for anyone 55 and older. That was at the medical supplies store where I was buying a hot water bottle to keep my toes warm this winter, when I plan to have the heat turned down to save energy. Is this store pinching pennies? Well, most of their customers would be seniors and they can’t be expected to give a discount to all of them. (By the way, if you use a hot water bottle, you learn very soon to wrap it securely in a plastic bag in case it leaks, and to not let the water be too hot.) Then at the grocery store I noticed that the produce department had shrunk. Well, harvest time is over isn’t it? Taking the place of produce was a huge display of carbonated beverages. But I noticed that the baked goods section had also shrunk. (This ...
416 days ago
THE BIRD FEEDER TEST In fairy tales, the young man trying to win the hand of the king’s daughter must perform some difficult feat, like killing a fire-breathing dragon, before he can marry the princess and become the heir to the throne. Shouldn’t we ask our political candidates to show us what they can do; shouldn’t they have to pass some test before they are allowed to run for office? After all, being able to spend campaign money handed over by corporate donors hardly demonstrates one’s proficiency at governing, nor does being part of the government a specified number of years. Well, of course I know that no test would give us the answers we need and besides, testing wouldn’t be democratic, but what if >>> What if each candidate was required to perform some simple task, like putting up a bird feeder, keeping it filled with seed, and doing it all so the squirrels did not get the seed? We’d watch them at their tasks ...430 days ago
IT’S ALL HAPPENING IN MY GARDEN My garden is starting to look like a September garden. Many of the marigolds have started going to seed. I’ve started collecting the seed. I’ll likely get enough to fill a bucket. Did you know you’re not supposed to plant small marigold plants (several inches high with small crimson and orangey-yellow flowers) in the same yard with large marigold plants (much taller with large lemon-yellow flowers). You’ll get a hybrid that is a large woody plant with small crimson and orangey-yellow flowers. Well, I did that. I didn’t suspect anything would happen. Now I have almost none of the regular large marigold plants left. What I have are maybe fifty or a hundred of the hybrids, some of which are very tall. Mostly more than knee high. A few chest high!!! The tallest are growing where I have compost. The hybrids tend to be very bushy in shape. I do think that the hybrid ...
