I'd Hammer Out Danger

 the usa is living in the aftermath of the trump presidency.  the republican party has become the trump party.  those republicans who dare to condemn the former president and his anti-democratic actions are ostracized and threatened by trump's allies.  the republican members of the house of representatives who voted in favor of the infrastructure bill negotiated by a bipartisan team of senators are in danger of losing their committee assignments at the hands of the "ever-trumpers" in the house who believe that keeping in trump's good graces is more important that the well-being of the nation.

president biden is dealing with the mess he inherited from trump and is taking the blame for situations, like the afghanistan withdrawal and inflation, that were not of his making.  the democratic majority in the house and senate has squandered his electoral victory by arguing amongst themselves rather than working together to support the president's agenda.  now it appears that their control of both houses of congress is in jeopardy unless they can take speedy action and then convince the american people that the can govern effectively.

the conservative majority on the supreme court threatens to undo years of progress in the areas of women's rights and access to the ballot.  the only remedy may be to increase the number of justices to thwart the direction the originalists on the court seem intent on taking the country.  the court is allowing republican majorities in statehouses across the country to engineer electoral districts to perpetuate their power despite the decline in the number of republican voters.  at the same time, these republican-controlled legislatures are restricting the ability of poor and minority voters to have access to the ballot box, making it more difficult for democrat-leaning voters to participate in elections.

the shadow of trump continues to threaten the nation.  one can only hope that most americans see his failed policies for what they are: an attempt to subvert the democratic process and the constitution in order to enrich himself and satisfy his narcissistic megalomania.  the only way around the electoral engineering designed to keep republicans in power at the state level and to return republicans to power at the national level is for those opposed to trump and his minions to turn out in huge numbers, despite the changes that have been put in place to make it harder for them to vote.  democrats must pass national voting rights legislation and the "build back better" act, and they must convince the american people that these bills are what the nation needs if its promise is to be realized by all its citizens.  we must stop trump and those who support him for gaining control of the country.

may we see trump for what he is: a greedy, selfish man who will use power to advance himself no matter the cost to others.  may we support those who have a vision that makes life better for all americans.  may we turn from a path that will destroy our democracy and embrace pluralism, tolerance, and the desire to help one another.  may we be controlled by love rather than hate.  shalom.

Peace Like A River

this morning i'm thinking of several related words and phrases and how to apply their qualities to my life.  they have similar meanings, and we often use them interchangeably, though there are subtle differences in them.  i'm thinking of words like patience, long-suffering, even-minded calm, constancy, and equanimity.   i used to pray for patience, until i realized the negative implications of the word.  when we are patient, it is usually because something is going on that we must endure though we'd rather not have the need to be patient--something like having to wait in a line for our turn or sit through a boring lecture or conversation.  certainly, patience is a virtue that we need, but i came to realize that there is something better than having patience.

the same is true for being long-suffering, which i think of as a somewhat biblical word.  when we are long-suffering, we are being forced to put up with something unpleasant that may go on for quite some time.  to be long-suffering is to be patient for weeks or months or years, as we wait for unpleasantness or pain to come to an end.  what is needed is a mental attitude that recognizes that suffering, whether short-term or long-term, is a part of life, just as happiness is.  as i turned from a desire to be patient or long-suffering, i sought to find a way to recognize both pleasant and unpleasant situations and the emotions that arise from them in such a way that i accepted those emotions without giving them control of me.

that is where the ideas of constancy, even-minded calm, and equanimity came into play.  i think it was a teaching of jack kornfield that first suggested to me that being constant was a better way of thinking about how to be that being patient.  if i could develop a way to be constant in the face of difficulties and to see them as part of the fabric of life that we all share, then i could replace the concept of enduring these problems with a recognition that it is better to accept them and realize that they are passing.  to be constant is to develop an even-minded calm or equanimity that allows the mind to turn from its turmoil during times of trouble and from its highs in good times, realizing that these emotions are natural but not who we are.  we can accept the emotions that come with suffering and happiness without believing that the emotions are us--they are simply something that we feel on a temporary basis, and they soon pass.

i had a chance to practice constancy a few days ago.  i was trying to purchase a rather expensive needed item in a chain store.  their online store showed that it was on sale.  in the physical store, it was not on sale, though i could purchase at the sale price online and pick up the item in the local branch of the store.  the procedure for doing so was complicated and confusing, and i became quite frustrated as i tried to negotiate the online procedure while in the store.  i could feel my bad temper rising and almost lashed out at the store employees.  i caught myself, thinking that none of this is their fault nor mine.  neither they nor i had control over the design of the website.  as they tried to help me figure out how to get my purchase for the best price, i realized that my anger was passing and that what was needed was constancy, even-minded calm, equanimity, and most of all gratitude to the workers in the store for their willingness to assist me as best they could.  i left the store with my purchase at the sale price and with some pride in myself that i had not allowed my fleeting anger to boil over but had replaced it with heart-felt thanks to those who were willing to help me.

may we recognize and accept our emotions, neither wallowing in them or condemning ourselves for feeling them.  may we live our lives with an underlying sense of constant calm as emotions come and go.  may we see ourselves for who we are, not as the pawn of negative or positive emotions.  may we truly be peaceful and at ease.  shalom.

Our Heart's True Home

last week, my wife and i both had surgeries.  mine was relatively minor and required little recovery time.  it was performed at the doctor's office and involved removing a small skin cancer that had returned.  one layer of skin was surgically removed and biopsied.  once it was determined that there were no more cancer cells below that level, the wound was stitched up, and i was sent home.  there was some soreness and pain for a couple of days that required medication to ease.  beyond that, all i had to do was care for the wound site and endure the appearance of the small scar as it heals.

my wife's surgery was more involved.  she had to go to the hospital's outpatient center, where she was sedated and taken to an operating theater.  incisions were made that allowed for laparoscopic surgery on her heart to treat atrial fibrillation.  her recovery time lasted most of the day, so we were there from 5:30 in the morning until 6:30 that evening.  we were delighted that she was able to return home rather than spending a night in the hospital, even though we had a two-hour drive in pouring rain over a difficult highway at night.

fortunately, our daughter was able to come stay with us for several days to help both of us as we recovered at home.  our son came and spent the weekend, helping us after his sister left to return home.  without their help, life would have been difficult for us.  my wife was very weak and tired from her ordeal, and i didn't feel nearly as well as i usually do.  my surgery along with the long wait and worry over my wife's surgery had taken a toll on me.

when we were left at home by ourselves, i felt completely exhausted.  i told my wife that i had never felt so old.  for the first time, my age was a factor in my well being, and i understood at last how my father must have felt during my mother's extended illness and after her death.  i wish now i had been more understanding and patient with him but we aren't able to put ourselves in another's shoes until we have a similar experience.  i went to bed after that first day after the children were gone somewhat depressed and very weary.  my wife felt bad because she thought that she was the cause of my ill feeling.  i assured her that the way i felt wasn't her fault; it was the natural result of a very tiring week finally catching up with me, once i realized that her care was now entirely in my hands.

after a good night's sleep, i awakened much more like my usual self.  i was ready to face the day, and the weariness of the previous day was gone.  we don't have any pressing responsibilities this week unless some emergency arises, so i should be able to take it easy and recover my strength.  my wife's recuperation seems to be going well.  though she can't do much other than rest, she will slowly regain her former vigor, i feel certain.  within a couple of weeks we will be able to return to our normal routine, and she will feel much more energetic as a result of her operation.  i am optimistic about the coming days and excited that we should have many more years ahead of us to enjoy our lives together.

may each of us see that negative emotions don't have to be permanent.  may we take the time we need to allow our bodies to recharge.  may we relish each good moment we have and learn from each bad one, giving thanks for the benefits of both.  may we understand that there is an arc to our lives and accept the passing years as common to all of us.  shalom.

Bless the Light That Reason Lends

 we have returned from our travels and are grateful for the natural beauty we enjoyed on our journey, as well as for our safe arrival back home.  one of the last stops we made was at the "ark encounter," which bills itself as an authentic replica of noah's ark that is described in the book of genesis.  this ark is a gigantic wooden structure, claiming to be the largest timber frame building in the world.  if an ancient israelite, such as noah, had built such a boat, it would never have been seaworthy, resulting in the end of all creatures on the earth, if the genesis story is to be believed as literal truth.

the kentucky ark is a boondoggle in many ways:

• it is obviously a money-making scheme for its creator, ken ham.  everywhere one turns, there is an opportunity to spend more money.  there are zip-line and virtual reality adventures, along with multiple gift shops and concession stands.  it costs ten dollars to park your car, on top of the fee for entering the ark.  as seniors we paid a discounted rate of about forty dollars per person for admission; a regular adult ticket costs fifty dollars.
• the ark displays teach that the bible is literally true in every detail.
• there are displays that insist that dinosaurs and humans lived on the earth at the same time.  "baby" dinosaurs, including tyrannosaurus rex, are portrayed as some of the inhabitants of noah's ark.
• one of the presentations tells us that all humankind is descended from noah's three sons and their wives.  one pair parented all inhabitants of africa, another all europeans and asians, and the third all people of middle-eastern descent.
• the ark's creator insists that the earth is only six thousand or so years old and that the universe was created in six days, as the book of genesis tells us.  he presents a timeline that purports to explain how all of earth's history fits a literal interpretation of the biblical account.
• though the pairs of animals in the ark encounter are limited to only a few species, (between 60 and 70, if i remember correctly), ham insists that all animals that exist today are descended from this limited animal population.  using his reasoning, every type of bovine on earth now descended from the one pair of this "type," as ham describes each pair, so that we are to believe that bison and oxen, as well as every other bovine, are descendants of the single pair of cattle on the ark.

this list could go on and on.  ham has built a "creation museum" about an hour away from the ark encounter that reinforces and expands on the presentations in the ark encounter.  fortunately, we did not have an opportunity to invest more money in his denials of science.  we went to the ark encounter because some close relatives who met us in kentucky as we were returning home sincerely believe in what ham teaches.  we didn't want to cause pain to these relatives or engage in a debate with them about their beliefs, so we went through the ark with them and refrained from discussing what we saw while we were with them.

we think that a great deal of harm flows from ham and others like him who insist that credible scientists in many fields are wrong about the history of the universe.  this denial of scientific evidence is the source of a mindset that leads people to refuse vaccines that are safe and effective, to believe in racist points of view based on misunderstanding about the contents of the bible, and a refusal to associate with diverse groups of people who are different from them in many ways.  the "young earth creationist" philosophy distorts the teachings of the bible and turns the bible into something that it is not: a collection of valid historical writings.  when one insists on a literal reading of the contents of the bible, the more profound truths that underlie many of the stories in the bible are lost.  for instance, what are we to make of the two visions of God presented in the noah story?  are we to believe in a vengeful god that would destroy all living beings because of the sins of many, in a god that would select the members of one family for survival while all others are destroyed, or in a God that values life and vows never to cause such destruction again?  it seems to me that the latter vision of God is the understanding that ought to be valid for followers of jesus, rather than the legalistic god that is so often portrayed in the writings of the old testament and continues to be seen in versions of christianity that focus on humans as corrupt and depraved.

may we use our brains to ferret out the truth, rather than succumbing to superstition.  may we not confuse religion and science, making of each something it was never intended to be.  if we believe in a god, may that god be a God of love and mercy.  shalom.

Homeward Bound

 tomorrow we will start our journey towards home.  i know that as we travel westward over the next four days i will have little time to write, so today i'm writing a brief meditation about what's on my mind.  i jotting this down quickly and won't even take time to proofread.  please forgive any mistakes.  

last week i wrote about attachment to possessions.  we can be attached to so many things, and as i contemplate the upcoming trip, i think about my attachment to home.  after being away, i long for home.  i wonder how those who have no fixed home deal with their wandering.  i wonder if they long for home or if home has a different meaning for them.  i wonder if i can let go of my attachment to the idea of home.

we are attached to so much, not just home or possessions.  we are attached to our spouse, our children, our extended family, our friends, our concept of who we are, our thought, the foods we love.  the list could go on.  so as i think about attachment, i wonder if i could ever let go of all my attachments, or if i should release myself from attachment.  this is what i will think of in the moments i have for solitary thought during our trip back to where we started our adventure.

in the meantime, may we all be peaceful and at ease.  shalom.

Live, Love, Laugh, and Be Happy

 as we've been on our travels, one of the things we've enjoyed doing is going through "antique malls" where collectors rent small spaces within a large warehouse sort of building where they display things they want to sell .  much of what we see are small knickknacks and household goods, such as dishes and stemware, that were once treasures in someone's home.  i often think about the former owners of these things.  what were their lives like?  how would they feel if they could see the things they loved displayed for sell in such a place?

during our lives, we collect so many things.  in our own home, we have many sets of dishes that we love to use.  we have crystal stemware for special occasions.  we have beautiful objects that we delight in.  we have furniture that has special meaning for us and that we have enjoyed using through our years together.  when we are gone, little of it will find a place in our children's homes.  most of the things we have delighted in will either be sold in an estate sale or wind up in an antique mall somewhere.  no one who sees what we have collected during our lives will know our history or the special meaning these objects held for us.  the detritus of our existence will be dispersed for someone else's enjoyment or profit, and our lives will be but memories to those who knew us.

this is the common experience of all of us.  our worldly possessions will pass from us at some point, perhaps when we are forced to move into smaller living quarters or into a care facility because of the infirmities of old age, perhaps when we pass from this existence.  the joys and cares of our lives will disappear with these objects, and it will be as if we had not existed, except in others' memories and in the good and bad we have done during our lifetimes.  we hope that our lives will be cherished by those we have touched during our time on this earth, but our bodies will disintegrate and return to the earth from which we came.  the saying, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" is so true, and it is the ultimate end that all of us have in common.  the objects we loved will take on different meanings than what they meant to us.  our association with them will be forgotten.

may we remember that what is important is the good that we do, not how much we possess.  in the end, those possessions become meaningless, except to those who knew us most intimately.  may we cherish the memories that are associated with the things that we love, while releasing ourselves from attachment to them.  may we distinguish between what is essential and what is not.  may we not cling to or crave that which is not essential.  may we know that in the end, only lovingkindness and compassion are truly important.  shalom.

On the Road Again 2

 my wife and i are traveling.  right now we are in the shenandoah valley of virginia.  today we are going into west virginia to see one of the most famous bridges in the usa--the bridge over the new river gorge.  we have seen so much beautiful natural scenery on this trip: mountains, forests, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and streams of various sizes.  my time for writing is limited, so i will close with this:

may you be filled with lovingkindness and compassion;

may you be well;

may you be peaceful and at ease;

may you be joyful.