I hope your situation improves in 2024, Cara. I also hope we can achieve peace and justice for Palestinian, and to everyone in the world. I'm so tired of these horrible invasions and the lies used to justify them.
It was somewhat of a harrowing year, or at least the last 4 months of this year for you and your mate, as you left the abode in Mexico, for supposed green pastures in Baltimore, and surely miss listening to the birdsong and wholesome laughter from your/our feathered friends. And then "The Disappointment" upon arrival. At least in New England friends took you in and are out of the cold winter elements now. Something to be grateful for.
Ol' Frankie boy looked into his crystal ball and 2024 looks quite promising for you and Patrick. Two gifted THINKERS and writers of your and P.L.'s caliber will be rewarded for the intelligent, honest, and factual things you both write about are not in vain. I will do what I can, to assist you and P. this coming year.
Anyway, May 2024 bring you good health and much happiness and enough $$$ to live comfortably from now on.
Cara, so sorry to hear of the additional stresses following the harrowing drive back to the States. I too find birdsong a great reminder of the simple things for which we can be grateful. I share here an expert from a musing I wrote several years ago...
Cultivate the heart of gratitude, Ms. Ellen Davis
tells us. To cultivate anything of lasting worth,
we need the humus, the water, the sun, the dung,
the honest labor and honest accounting of lives well lived.
Eyes wide open to the free gifts of creation.
Hearts beating in compassion for the
common good of the
common humanity for the
common welfare
of fish and fowl, beast and reptile, forest and
desert, ocean and mountain.
Ears peeled to birdsong, winds, and the vast
silences of God. Hands unclenched in generosity
and friendship of all. Tongues tired of the lies,
tired of the excuses,
tired of the empty optimism of empire—
Ready instead to sing the indwelling Spirit’s
litany of gratitude.
A song too long repressed.
From "Planned to Death" from the collection "Looking Out onto Our World"
Well, at least now I know how all that mess came down. I'm so sorry it happened that way. I will write again soon but right now I have places to go, people to see, things to do. There is a change.org petition for Pope Francis to go to Gaza that I signed weeks and weeks ago.
Thank you for your kindness. May 2024 be a better one for all or us, and be the year in which our species learns to live together in love.
I firmly believe that trying to undo the sins of the nation state within the confines of the nation-state construct will lead to more death and destruction. Along with saving lives, part of what I want to do is to encourage more of us to think about new ways to think and act on this issue.
There must be a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, not with Palestinians suffering under oppressive conditions, but as a place where all live with peace and equality. It is time for Pope Francis to do more than talk. He must go to Gaza and make a stand for peace and freedom.
I hope your situation improves in 2024, Cara. I also hope we can achieve peace and justice for Palestinian, and to everyone in the world. I'm so tired of these horrible invasions and the lies used to justify them.
Happy New Year, Cara!
It was somewhat of a harrowing year, or at least the last 4 months of this year for you and your mate, as you left the abode in Mexico, for supposed green pastures in Baltimore, and surely miss listening to the birdsong and wholesome laughter from your/our feathered friends. And then "The Disappointment" upon arrival. At least in New England friends took you in and are out of the cold winter elements now. Something to be grateful for.
Ol' Frankie boy looked into his crystal ball and 2024 looks quite promising for you and Patrick. Two gifted THINKERS and writers of your and P.L.'s caliber will be rewarded for the intelligent, honest, and factual things you both write about are not in vain. I will do what I can, to assist you and P. this coming year.
Anyway, May 2024 bring you good health and much happiness and enough $$$ to live comfortably from now on.
Happy New Year!
Frank
Cara, so sorry to hear of the additional stresses following the harrowing drive back to the States. I too find birdsong a great reminder of the simple things for which we can be grateful. I share here an expert from a musing I wrote several years ago...
Cultivate the heart of gratitude, Ms. Ellen Davis
tells us. To cultivate anything of lasting worth,
we need the humus, the water, the sun, the dung,
the honest labor and honest accounting of lives well lived.
Eyes wide open to the free gifts of creation.
Hearts beating in compassion for the
common good of the
common humanity for the
common welfare
of fish and fowl, beast and reptile, forest and
desert, ocean and mountain.
Ears peeled to birdsong, winds, and the vast
silences of God. Hands unclenched in generosity
and friendship of all. Tongues tired of the lies,
tired of the excuses,
tired of the empty optimism of empire—
Ready instead to sing the indwelling Spirit’s
litany of gratitude.
A song too long repressed.
From "Planned to Death" from the collection "Looking Out onto Our World"
Well, at least now I know how all that mess came down. I'm so sorry it happened that way. I will write again soon but right now I have places to go, people to see, things to do. There is a change.org petition for Pope Francis to go to Gaza that I signed weeks and weeks ago.
Thank you for your kindness. May 2024 be a better one for all or us, and be the year in which our species learns to live together in love.
I firmly believe that trying to undo the sins of the nation state within the confines of the nation-state construct will lead to more death and destruction. Along with saving lives, part of what I want to do is to encourage more of us to think about new ways to think and act on this issue.
There must be a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, not with Palestinians suffering under oppressive conditions, but as a place where all live with peace and equality. It is time for Pope Francis to do more than talk. He must go to Gaza and make a stand for peace and freedom.
Please sign the petition and share widely.
https://chng.it/CRQ7qw4Gzn
Other petitions, including
Codepink:
https://www.codepink.org/cnngaza?utm_campaign=12_15_pali_update_alert_3&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink
Ceasefire Now:
https://www.change.org/p/sign-and-share-this-urgent-petition-calling-for-a-ceasefirenow-in-gaza-and-israel
Signing petitions is one small thing we can do. If we can do more, let us do more.