Exploring Ways To Make Peace Within
Ourselves & the World

Women In Black Denver, Colorado

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Why Do I Write This Blog???

The easiest (and probably the most honest) answer to that question is: I don't know. It all started in the summer of 2005, when I went to Crawford, Texas ( a.k.a. the home of the prez's ranch, a.k.a. the home of Camp Casey) to support Cindy Sheehan. I wanted the world to know that, contrary to what one could read in the mainstream media, the peace movement was alive and well and large numbers of Americans did not support the war in Iraq. I wanted people to know that thousands of Americans were willing to travel to Texas and tolerate the heat, humidity, and bugs in order to support a grieving mother whose new purpose was to shine a light on the lies that led to the war and to bring home our troops so that no other mother would have to know the pain that she felt.

Over time, this blog has become more of an exploration of who I am, my spirituality, and how life works. I love life's complexities, exploring the shades of gray. I want to, as Rainier Maria Rilke said,

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer."

Maybe my blog is just one big question about what is needed in order for people to take the time to love and cherish each other and our earth. Maybe someday, I will "live along some distant day into the answer."

In the meantime, thank you for joining me on my journey. I welcome you to share yours with me

 

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Death or Just Changes?

How many years did it take to grow this 60 foot tree? Knocked over in one moment.



During our big rainstorm this week, the mountains and foothills got snow. In the foothills, everything came together - wet snow, wind, and water-logged earth - to create a situation where trees broke and/or pulled up out of the ground. My friend lives on 15 acres, and he figures that 150 trees are broken or toppled over on his land. I HAD to see this.

Like my experience last fall in the desert, I saw once again that everything changes. The way we think things are... well they are only that way in this moment.

Does anything die? Or does it just change?

"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer." ~Shunryu Suzuki

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posted by Carol at 10:17 AM

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

No Carol, I don't believe in 'death' --there's only eternal change. We do not die when we leave the mortal frame, we merely 'transform' -- into a lighter, brighter state of being.

I see it as when we drive somewhere in a car: we get out at the shopping mall and leave the car behind, -- so ditto with our bodies.

Having said all of that, it is still essential that we protect and respect all of life, -all living things. Humanity has no 'god-given' right to slaughter and wreck that which the Great Spirit has made.

Regarding 'death and changes', ~ certainly the eventual 'change and death' of rampant egotism (in our race) would be a recommended course of action! ;)

With love to the great Soul that you are,

Yan (UK)

6:15 AM  
Blogger Carol said...

I agree. Ram Dass quotes someone as saying death "is like taking off a tight shoe." I think if we could accept change in the mundane every day world, we would be better at accepting the change that appears to end our existence.

8:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Carol: "...we would be better at accepting the change that appears to end our existence."

~ I like the use of your word 'appears' in that phrase!
~Agree!


Yan

6:26 PM  

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