The Shift

Society is shifting back to favoring religion over science. This is why Turkey will no longer teach evolution in its schools. This is why the US is turning to private schools where religion of choice can be taught without having to include any science to back it up. Where the science of climate change is openly challenged and people turn their back on anything that makes their religious perspective something to think about.

Just as in the days of Galileo’s persecution where it was considered heresy to say anything against the church; people are once again creating a mindset of stubborn imbalance. They look upon our world and can’t handle the idea that perhaps science can truly explain the mysteries of life. In their minds that creates a conflict because ..how can there be a mystery if we have solved it …how can God still exist if we understand how the multiverse works? They fear the two cannot co-exist. This fear causes a rise in religious extremism. People turn violent trying to prove to others that their spiritual experiences are real. They try to convince themselves that if only everyone else would see God through their eyes the world would be a better place.

On the flip side, if we were to embrace just the scientific and forget the spiritual aspect of existence we would discover what we have already lived during the Industrial Revolution…mankind begins to turn its back on the planet altogether and simply looks for and takes anything we can find to make our lives easier and fatter. We suck up every resource until there is none left, until we have drained the mother dry. We watch as wars manifest over who has and who has not, we see cities crumble, we see species fall and become extinct, we watch the sea rise and the sky burn just so we can have more. Our thirst is never quenched because we have left our purpose, our meaning of life, behind. We have forgotten our duty to the earth and our spirit suffers because of the disconnect. We are left untethered to the tree of life, floating adrift in our armchairs.

The brief moment of the enlightenment era and a few other times…perhaps the industrial age…the dawn of the bronze age, the iron age…ect…these are moments when mankind embraced their intellectual gifts but they failed to fully incorporate spirit. We took our science and creative knowledge and waged war, made better weapons, created a life of leisure for ourselves, when we should have used this knowledge to tend to our responsibility of caring for the earth. With each failure to recognize our responsibility the human race is set back again, like being trapped in Newton’s Cradle, we bounce back and forth between religion and science; history repeats itself. After a period of intellectual boom we realize that we have cut ourselves off from spirit and then swing back to regain the connection. We long to get it right but as a collective society we tend to be led by extremists.

Picture Newton’s Cradle as a demonstration of society… the two outer balls represent the extremes of religion and science with most people somewhere in middle. The outer balls feed off the energy of the balls in the middle but what many forget, or don’t understand, is that the middle balls are also feeding and delivering energy to each other. This is why people in shamanistic cultures understand that they can give or receive energy, wanted or not, to other people they encounter. The effect of this energy can then be carried through society as with Newton’s Cradle and cause the pendulums to swing one way or the other. Western culture has forgotten this, or cares not to consider it, which may well be the reason for so much illness – spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. As the energy ripples through society the pendulums swing and the middle balls both give and receive the energetic flow.

What does this mean for us? Because we are stuck in this back and forth pattern between religion and technology, we suffer as a population and we take the earth and its inhabitants with us. We should be using our spiritual sense to guide us into what needs to be done to keep the planet safe and then use our science to accomplish this. We were given our intelligence so that as stewards of the earth we can create and manage what needs to be done. We have lost that sense of responsibility and that has resulted in a dis-spiriting of the collective, which in turn allows technology and intelligent thought to run a muck…this is why we have greed, war, and power struggles. Then, when it gets to be too much for the collective to handle anymore we are thrown back to the spiritual but most people look at the spiritual through the eyes of a specific religion…this creates the religious conflicts and persecution of those who are of different faiths or those who favor science. We must, as a collective find the balance between the spiritual and the scientific before we will be able to guide, and act as stewards, to the planet. If this cannot be achieved we will not be given the opportunity to proceed, grow, or develop as a race….we will remain trapped in the cradle until we have depleted our energy, destroying ourselves and our charge.

As we swing back and forth the results we see are science and technology being used to damage our charge; such as in the case of fracking, burning coal, and using pesticides, or becomes one of genocide, persecution, and religious war because each religious group believes it has the proper answer. However, the answer lies in the middle ground, in the compromise; we need to leave religion to the individual, allowing them to truly find their own spirit path. We need to use our intellect collectively to find a way to save our planet by managing our resources and distributing them in a manner that allows each living entity its proper place and respect. We’re a bunch of smart cookies but our fear of responsibility and our belief in manifest destiny is dooming us all.

If people would come to understand that the spirit world will always have its mysteries because the human mind will never just stop wondering if there’s more to life, while seeing that the natural world is full of the tangible promise of discovery and has been given to us to guard and care for; we would come to a proper balance and escape the cradle. I must believe that such a task would not be given to someone who is incapable of fulfilling it. We can do this by using science and logical thought which is guided by spirit. These are the gifts granted us by spirit. They have given us a way to tend to our responsibility but mankind has been afraid of taking that step, so they revert. Such is the case throughout history.

If we want to regain our life purpose, our feeling of accomplishment, and our meaning for life then we need to first recognize and embrace the knowledge that is within us…we are here as stewards of this planet. It is our life’s work, our purpose to care for her and all her inhabitants; to make her healthy and fruitful. When we see this, and embrace it we can be free to use all that is within our grasp to fulfill our task. We can combine our scientific knowledge and our spiritual experience to finally achieve true wisdom. And, after all what is wisdom but the ability to use our knowledge properly. Spirit and Science together… Spirituality for the individual – Science for the whole. In the end, we can save the planet and while we’re at it, we’ll save ourselves.

The Value of Life

Picture Courtesy Of - Anny Cecilia Walter

What determines the value of life? Are humans more important than animals? Is an unborn baby’s life more important than the mother’s? What about a terrorist, is their life equal to the victim of their attack?

I say they are all of equal standing, that life, no matter what or whose it is are all on equal ground. How can I claim this? How can I possibly think that the life of a terrorist is equal to that of an innocent child? I can claim this because I am speaking only of the life itself and not of the emotional value that I place upon it.

The separation of the two, life and the emotional values that one attaches to a particular life, are very different matters. The life of those closest to me, the people I have an emotional attachment to are going to be far more valued to me than someone of whom no emotional attachment has been made. I will certainly feel the life of my daughter is more important than the life of a stranger but this is not because my daughter’s life is truly more important. To the stranger’s family the stranger’s life will be the one taking precedent. The emotions connected to the lives we encounter determine their worth to us.

Can an animal be just as important as a human family member? Yes. The emotional value placed on the animal by a person can be just as deep and complicated as one’s connection to a member of the same species. If that person has developed complex emotional ties to another living being the value they place on that being’s life is every bit as real as the value they have placed on a human’s.

It can be difficult to separate our emotions from one living being to another. This is why some living beings will fight to the death to protect the ones they love. Their emotional investment is so deep they are not able to see beyond the love that they feel. They would rather suffer the pain of death than see or be aware of the suffering of the one they are invested in.

All of this though, is illusory. It doesn’t change the actual value of the life at stake. If a person were made to choose between the death of a loved one and the death of a stranger, it would be expected that they would choose to save the one they love. If, however, that same person was made to choose between two people they had never met and knew nothing about, it would render the person indifferent as to who should die. While they may feel abhorrent about having to make the choice, without an emotional value attached to either person the choice is strictly pragmatic.

If each life, then, is measured by the emotional value placed upon it, the causes we fight for; the rights of the unborn, those on death row, the starving children, those suffering from medical ailments, animals being senselessly slaughtered…all of it…becomes an illusion. The reality of it is that no one life is more important than any other, it is our emotional attachments that create the illusion in our minds that one life is more important than another.

Therefore, holding this to be true; if humans could set their emotions aside and detach from the causes they have become emotionally invested in, they should be able to place an equal standard onto all living beings. By doing so, they then should be able to step back and truly see life on even ground. Once this has been accomplished the emotional investment they had prior can then be reapplied creating a deeper appreciation of the love they had to begin with while continuing to hold an understanding and equal reverence for all life no matter how unassuming it may be.

It is essential for a human being to be able to remove oneself from emotional attachment in order to truly appreciate the emotional attachments they have. Any failure to do this leaves a person in the illusory state which causes them to mistakenly believe that one life is more precious than another and that death is acceptable for a being of lesser value. If we choose to rest in this illusion then it seems doubtful that we will ever be able to rise above our emotional selves making it impossible to discover a higher potential, a higher self within one’s self. As the human race has, for centuries, sought to become more civilized, more understanding and caring, more aware of the needs of those around us I would suggest that it has become even more important now to detach emotionally so as to re-sensitize, or reset, our emotional compass.

By no means am I saying that we should become emotionless. I would not advocate turning one’s self into a cold, empty vessel. It may seem an oxymoron but by detaching from our emotional investments we become more open to being emotionally invested on a larger scale. Creating an emotional detachment happens by consciously acknowledging our emotional attachments for what they are, an emotional investment we have made. We must understand our emotional investments so that we become capable of recognizing when our connection with someone is causing a prejudice response toward another, thereby devaluing the other’s life. By doing this, senseless loss of life will come to an end.

Every living being wants to continue to live. Ask yourself this, why does the zebra run from the lion? It does so because it understands that it will die if it is caught….and well, no one wants to be a meal. Prey wouldn’t run from predators if they didn’t want to live. It is the most basic instinct of the living…survival. From plant life to us everything that is alive will do all in its power to stay alive. With this ingrained so deeply throughout the cosmos how can one possibly believe that their right to exist outweighs the right of another?

The value of a life is simply this…it’s alive. Working to truly understand this on the most primal level can alter a perspective and create a deeper sense of compassion. With a deep compassion comes the ability to value all life equally which in turn allows a person to live in better harmony with other living beings. When more people are living in harmony the world becomes a better place. If you want the world to be better, release your emotional ties by accepting that the values you place on life are due to the emotional investments you have made throughout your lifetime. Once this has been accomplished your compassion for all living beings will increase and you will be a better person, creating a better world.

The Disrespecting of Donald Trump

I have always been taught that respect is earned. It is earned mutually through the process of building trust, offering compassion, and understanding the views of others – especially if those others are in a position of subordination.

That said, I believe a dangerous precedent is being established which is undermining the structure of the United States of America and, due to our ranking in the political realm, the world. In my opinion, Donald Trump has not met the criteria for earned mutual respect.

I have watched Donald Trump’s displays throughout his campaign and his Presidency thus far. I have yet to witness a sincere act of respect for any person or thing. I believe he completely lacks the ability to feel true respect for anyone, let alone those who offer a different opinion. However, he fully expects and demands that every living being on earth (possibly beyond) show him the respect he believes he is entitled to.

Americans believe that our forefathers were men of honor, respect, and dignity. We have been taught that the office of the president is one which shares those same qualities. Let me ask you this, have you ever been witness to a boss who yells at and belittles his employees in front of everyone? My guess is that you probably have, because people like that exist. Did you find yourself thinking, “Wow! What a jerk!” My guess, again, is that you did. So, this is why I don’t understand how the good people of this country, people I have come to respect, can be alright with Trump’s actions. The way I see it he is belittling anyone who feels or thinks differently and is doing it very publicly and well…”Wow! What a jerk!”

Do you see? I may have varied opinions on the policies of this administration. I may choose to speak my mind against some of them or I may even choose to support a particular stance, but that is irrelevant. My issue here is that I cannot, in good conscience, support any person that I do not respect. I wouldn’t respect the boss who is belittling his employees in public any more than I can respect the President who belittles the very people he is responsible for. Without that respect I cannot trust him. I cannot feel a great deal of compassion for him. I cannot believe that he has the ability to understand the issues of those dependent on him, or that he even truly cares about them.

I feel that Donald Trump’s disrespect for our system of government is obvious. He believes he is entitled to do what he wants when he wants. When he is questioned via the legitimate processes of balances and checks established by our forefathers, he offers public condemnation and mockery to those opposing him. It upsets me that there are people in this world who are alright with this behavior. Personally, I think it’s bad enough coming from any one person but coming from the President of the United States, well…it’s downright shameful. How can I be expected to give a man a “chance” when he clearly disrespects me? How can you?

The Defining Point

No Pictures Today - Just a Simple Message

In the long dark corridors of the mind it is easy to get turned around; to lose track of a thought and travel down a distant road of logic that seems to be going in the correct direction. What some don’t realize is how easy it is to find your way back onto the proper path. It’s a word, one word, that you need to consider, you all know the word but you may not think of it the way I do so here’s my definition…

LOVE: Opening to the calming and serene feeling of others. Accepting the peace from within all living things as your own.

When my thoughts take me anywhere that causes me to lose touch with this definition I know I need to find my way back to the correct path. I need to re-examine my thinking; understanding that as a human being my thoughts are driven by emotion no matter how logical I think I am. Every thought within my brain, my body, is directed by an emotional response. Love is an emotion; we all know this. Hate, fear, anger are emotions as well, and they can be tricky. They can disguise themselves as love but only on the surface. The true test of love is inner peace and a peace that connects us to one another.

You can test yourself anytime, it’s very simple. Whatever you are doing, thinking, living at the moment, stop, ask yourself honestly, does this thought or action create a feeling of true peace inside me? If the answer is no, then it is not driven by love. If what you feel is stress or anger, then it’s time to find your way back to the true path. I can’t tell you how to traverse the logic and emotions of your own mind but I can give you the compass. Love is North. When you rethink the situation that made you so angry or so stressed out, turn around, look back at the train of thought that brought you to that point. Often the mere act of stopping and asking yourself, how did I get so angry, will allow you to open up to the love that is there and you will find your way back.

There are those of us, though, who have become so lost, so consumed by what they think is love that the truth of inner peace has been replaced by a morally driven combative purpose. An all-out war against their perceived evils and fears consume their minds. A forest of brambles, vines, and treacherous looking trees block them from finding their inner peace, their love…they are the truly lost…and they are helpless to find their own way back. This, my friend, is the reason why my love, your love, our love together is so vital to the survival of this world, so please…take this compass and use it. It falls to us to find our love because it is only in doing so that we can spread it. Our inner peace, when truly found, becomes outer peace. It becomes recognizable to other people, acting as a beacon to the lost. We all know that “beautiful” person, the one who evokes peace, harmony, and compassion just by looking at them. This is a person who is projecting that inward love outwards. This person could be you. This person NEEDS to be you. Without you this world suffers, you are the love that we need.

What Hyena and Elephant Have Taught Me

Picture Credits - Public Domain Pictures

Hyena - Petr Lehnert

Elephant - Piotr Wojtkowski

Many people who know me know that I practice a form of Shamanism. My spiritual instincts have led me to a place in my life where I believe that I am able to learn and grow spiritually through this practice. Even though consciously, I question the state of the multiverse and whether or not a creator, or creators, actually exist I have been taught from a young age that one does. Because of this my subconscious will always rationalize my experiences so that they fall in line, in some way, with what I was taught as a child. As I have grown spiritually over the years, however, I have left organized religion behind. I certainly do not oppose it; I think most people in this world today still need it. I would never intentionally mock it even though I feel that it has caused many troubles in the world today. I have also seen it do much good. That said, my path takes me on a different journey than most.

Shamanism is a form of spiritual practice which involves working with animal spirits. There are many layers, planes of existence, within the spiritual world. A Shaman will mentally and spiritually travel to the plane where the animal spirits exist. Once arrived on this plane, a mutual agreement is made and through this lessons, or wisdoms, are taught to the Shaman via the animal spirit guides. I make it a habit to frequent this realm and each week I perform a ritual to strengthen the bond with my animal guides. It is through this song and dance that Hyena and Elephant have shown me a lesson that I feel needs to be shared with the world. That is the reason I am sharing what normally would be a very private matter, with you today.

Animal spirits can be associated with the elements; fire, earth, water, and air, depending on the lesson the animal spirit chooses to relate. However, there are loose guidelines which can categorize the spirit guide. Each element represents a “type” of, or characteristic of, the animal. Fire represents the hunter, strong animals that prey on others such as, Tiger, Alligator, and Hyena. Earth represents the more docile animals such as Deer, Monkey, and Elephant. The water element contains animals of the water, Dolphin, Orca, and Otter. Lastly, the element of air holds within it spirit guides such as, Eagle, Owl, and Crow. During the dance ritual the Shaman embodies an animal spirit from each element. During this embodiment the Shaman talks to the spirit and learns from them, in return the animal spirit can experience the material plane for a short time. Usually, it is mutually satisfying but during one of my recent dances it was not and it was through this dissatisfaction that this lesson was learned.

My physical self suffers with an autoimmune arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis. The condition makes it difficult to move normally. This has never been an issue for me while embodying the Fire Spirits, but on this occasion that changed. Hyena presented itself to me and as I took on the embodiment Hyena rejected me saying it did not want a broken body. When I asked why, Hyena said it would not be able to enjoy the kill of its prey fully in a broken body. It wanted to feel the pleasure of tearing its prey apart. I was disturbed by this and gave Hyena its leave. At first I think I may have been a bit offended, but the more troubling issue was knowing that Hyena liked to kill. Hyena wasn’t killing its prey to survive as most of the prey animals do, it was killing for the fun of it. To me, that felt evil and I was upset.

I turned to Earth and Elephant came forward. Here was an animal so different from Hyena. Elephant was a loving mother who would stay with her dying calf, abandoning the safety of the herd, to ensure that the baby died peacefully. Elephant would defend her calf to its last breath and all the while, touching it with her trunk to comfort it. I asked Elephant how can it be that you and Hyena are so very different? Why does Hyena want to kill? Elephant’s reply was simple, “There will always be those who get their pleasure from killing and destruction. It is true throughout the natural world. Humans are a part of the natural order and as such there will always be those who thrive on the pain and destruction of others. While some people may find and except love not all can be saved. This is the truth of the world.”

And so it is. Hyena and Elephant reminded me that not every person can be taught to love. It is a sad fact that some people enjoy being evil. These people, as hard as it is to swallow, will never change. They are Hyena. The rest of us must remain on guard to our last breath with or without our herd. We must look after those whom we love, and share our love with those who will accept it. We must go on teaching our young that family is important and through our love of one another we will find protection and rest from the evils in this world. That is what I needed to share. My thanks to Elephant, and also to Hyena, for reminding me of this valuable lesson.

Is Religion Killing Us?

Image Credit - Paul Brennan - Public Domain Pictures

We see it everyday all around us. Religion with its icons and archetypes are never far from any one of us. Even to a person who claims Atheism, the barrage of religious traditions is perfectly recognizable. It’s easy to claim that the vast majority of people today can identify the symbols which represent the most common religions. The Christian Cross, the Star of David, the Star and Crescent of Islam, even the Pentagram of the Nature Religions has become known to most. Religion has become embedded in today’s society, and on into every individual’s life, whether or not you personally adhere to one. And yet, within the cry of “love your brother” we kill and maim in name of God.

Unless you've been living under a rock, no matter where in the world you are, the actions of ISIS set an example of how horribly twisted the “Word of God” can get. Any average Joe understands the danger and damage possible when fanatics/extremists from any religion are turned loose on society at large. But what about those who are practicing the love that is taught through these religions, surely that can’t be a bad thing can it?

The reason I ask is because I wonder if the world would be better off without religion of any kind. Are the religious using their faith as a crutch? Are human beings being held back from what may be the real truth because they are blinded by their faith? Perhaps there is no God. Maybe people are too afraid, down deep, to deal with issues like death, and extreme poverty and need, so they make up this Godhead to answer the questions they can’t.

I really don’t want to offend anyone, but these are honest questions that I ask myself. I understand that the faith a person holds in their deity can be an absolute. To a person who believes there are no lingering questions as to what happens after death, or why perfectly good people are plagued with the destruction and greed from, what can only be deemed, evil people, God’s will can be a satisfactory answer. Many times when presented with these questions a person of faith will simply reply that if everyone else would finally come to their senses and except their God, the world’s problems would go away. I guess to an extent that’s true. I mean if every human being on the planet shared the exact same dogma and saw God in the exact same way, perhaps the world would be a better place. I, however, am more pragmatic than that and I understand that even if every person shared the same dogma there would still be conflict because one person’s vision of God is never going to fully match another’s. In other words, I think that as long as religion exists people are going to fight about it, and it’s going to end bloody.

So now what? What are we to do in this world where, religion, our own beliefs are killing us? I’m afraid that due to my pragmatism, again, I have to be the bearer of bad news. The possibility of everyone abandoning their faith for the betterment of the world is really just as far fetched as hoping that one day people we will all believe in the same God. So now, for what it’s worth, here are my thoughts on how to come to grips with our religious differences.

I think that humans need an answer to life’s immortal questions. We want to know and understand what will happen to us when we die. Are we really going to be reunited with our loved ones or will we simply fade into the nothingness of dreamless sleep? I can’t answer that. I know I can’t answer that, so why bother my brain with it at all? My loved ones are either out there somewhere waiting for me or they’re not. I’ll find out when I’m dead, or, maybe I won’t.

Why is there so much evil in this world? Because sometimes people suck. There are people in this world who want to squeeze every last drop, of whatever they can get, out of it. If you want to make the world a better place, decide now that you are not going to be one of those people. Does the thought of that make you afraid that you’ll be left behind? Who cares!? Why would you want to be with that crowd anyway? Find your own way, find good people, and work with them to make the world good, and I don’t mean good as in everyone needs to think my way good, but in the way of, truly good. Love people, care about people, help them when you can and don’t take advantage of those who have opened their hearts and souls to you.

I think that there are many good people in the world and that most people really do want to do what’s right. Sometimes things get confusing, people get scared and they may make a bad choice but that’s not the same thing as being “evil”. To the people out there who are truly “evil”, you know who you are, I say; I don’t know what happened in your life to screw you up so bad and there’s nothing that I can do to change your circumstances, so...if you don’t like what you see in the mirror then change. It’s that simple, really. Take it from this recovering alcoholic; the only thing that is going to release your pain is your ability and your desire to let it go. The world is what it is and if we want it to be a better place then we need to make ourselves better. Love and Respect are two very important words to know and practice. It doesn't take religion to understand compassion, and it doesn't take religion to be a good person. If you find that having faith in a God helps you to deal with your deepest fears, then so be it. Just remember that you are unique. Even if you are surrounded by others who share the same dogma, when it comes down to picturing the big picture everyone sees their own artistic interpretation of it, so relax and don’t try shoving your vision down someone else’s throat. If you honestly want the world to be a better place then accept others for who they are and allow them the same respect you would want for yourself.

I know this has been a long post and that after all these words are written and read it really comes down to a simple statement. Live and let live. The world will be a better place because of it.

Hanging on to Hope

Photo Credit - Rostislav Kralik - Public Domain Pictures

Before I get started I would like to apologize for the long wait between this and my last post. I was having some computer issues which prevented me from being able to write. However, that said, it lends me the opportunity to share with you now my perspective on hope. Yes, it’s a strange segue but I think when I’m done you’ll see how it all fits together.

For the most part, in my little piece of the world, my life goes on undisturbed from day to day. I have, at times, had major life issues of course, but on a daily basis my biggest worries are usually things of a more mundane nature. Sometimes I worry about paying the bills, this past week I worried about getting my computer up and running again. What does this have to do with hope you may ask? I’m getting to that.

First, let me tell you what happened when my computer started giving me issues. You may find this hard to believe but it’s true. After the initial, “Well, this sucks!” I thought to myself, “I guess all in all I’m pretty lucky. I could be dealing with a much worse situation. There are people throughout the world fighting each day just to survive and my biggest worry today is if I can get my computer working again.” Do you see where I’m going here? Sure, my life could be worse but that’s not really it. There’s so much more than just, it could be worse. It’s about how the people who are having it worse continue on, how they find the strength to keep going, how they can grasp onto the tiny bits of hope and pull themselves up; and also, how I (we), who has (have) much less to worry about can learn and in turn share back the hope to those people who gave it to me (us) in the first place.

I’d like to share a bit with you about the days following my daughter’s death. I’m not ready, yet, to go into the depths of my feelings and thoughts on the subject but something happened when she died that you should know about.

As a recovering alcoholic I know all too well that the death of a loved one could easily lead to a relapse, even for a veteran of 21 years now. Because I know this and even though I didn’t feel like I wanted a drink, I knew I had to get myself to a meeting. Now, prior to this, I hadn’t been to a meeting in a good long time. I had moved to a new city and never bothered to check out where any meetings were even held. Needless to say, I was downtrodden enough and not really in a state of mind to go looking up local meetings. Here’s where the universe comes in....I know because this sort of thing happens to me often...if you strive to live your life in tune with the energies around you, life will find a way of giving you what you need. Getting back to the AA meetings...I’m trying to comprehend that my baby, my youngest daughter, has passed away but the rent still has to be paid...so, I walk over to the church, where I’m renting from, to pay the rent and on the front door of the place there’s a little ol’ sign, “Tonight’s  7:00 PM AA meeting has been moved to room XXX.” I kid you not. So at 7:00 I went to the meeting without knowing what type of meeting it would be. Some are quite large with one or two people sharing their experience, other’s are smaller and more intimate. This one, as it turns out, was the latter. I walked into a group of about 7 or 8 people who listened to me introduce myself and then put the entire itinerary on hold for the night so that they could listen to me and so they could assure me that they were there for me and they cared.

I don’t know if you see the connection here to hope, yet, but for me it’s like this. That little sign on the door gave me a spark of hope during the darkest days of my life. The people that were there for me gave me the confidence to go on and the hope that someday light would return to my life. It’s in these small things that I find the largest gifts and I can’t help but feel that I’m not the only one in this world who understands that.

When I hear about or read the news and see such awful things happening in the world, people in the Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East, and Africa living with the daily horrors of war. Others dealing with illness, famine, natural disasters, everywhere I look I see what could be seen as hopelessness, but I don’t. Instead I see hope. I see that despite the most horrendous difficulties and the highest obstacles people continue to move forward, they trudge on and I believe they do this because they have hope. Somewhere inside them they find that same little spark and believe it’s going to get better so they keep going and in the process they set an example, an example of hope for the next person who is struggling through what could be a hopeless situation. It’s hope that has allowed the human race to persevere. It’s hope that motivates each and every one of us to get up and get on with our day, our lives, and our dreams of a better life.

Human beings are a remarkable species and our ability to hold on to hope is one of the reasons why. I can survive the death of my daughter because I have hope that maybe, just maybe, one day joy will return to me, I hope that I can give her son a vivid, lasting image of her, and that even though we have to go on without her, life can still be good. Our species thrives on this type of hope. When we see it in others we are inspired to hang on to our hope and a beautiful circle of hope and light is created and carries onward throughout the existence of the human animal.

So there it is, one strange little incident that began with a computer malfunction that blossomed into an entire contemplative experience. If you’re reading this then my hope for you is that you find within yourself the hope you need at this moment in your life. Know that somewhere out in this large world you have an ally who is hoping to pass the spark along to you and hoping that you, in turn, will keep that spark alive by passing it on to someone else. In these troubled times be of good cheer and hope for a better tomorrow. And remember that even in the smallest incidents hope can live large.

Modern Day Living and the Human Brain - Part II - A New Species?

Photo Credit - Charles Rondeau - Public Domain Pictures

Have you ever watched “Through the Wormhole” with Morgan Freeman? Personally, I love the show but I only get a chance to watch it every now and then. A little while back I was able to catch an episode. They were discussing the internet and the various effects it had on society today. I found the topic to be so intriguing I just had to share.

The first thing which hit me was the idea of being addicted to the internet. Actually, this just isn’t as strange as it may sound. When a person becomes an addict they become dependent on whatever substance is their drug of choice. When they are deprived of that drug they will suffer physical withdrawal. This means that their bodies go through measurable changes which can be noticed by others, as well as, the person experiencing the withdrawal. In the case of Internet addiction, scientists examined people who spent an average of 10 hours a day online. Then, they took them offline. The test subjects displayed all the symptoms of drug withdrawal; they had higher rates of aggression, impatience, jitters, and all the other nasty symptoms of withdrawal. Internet addiction is a real thing. Interestingly, addiction to the internet has an additional symptom that no drug or alcohol addiction can claim. It’s true, I’m not making this up - the Internet will shrink your brain. We are talking actual, measurable size differences when a person becomes an Internet junkie. MRIs and CAT Scans were done on these junkies and scientists found changes to both sides of the prefrontal cortex and to the sides of each brain. Their brains shrunk, this is a physical change that does not take place with drug and/or alcohol addiction. We’re into a whole new game here, and that’s just the beginning.

What else could this Internet be doing to the human race? Well, how about absorbing us into it, just as a single cell organism is absorbed into a larger life form? Do you think this is Sci-Fi? It really isn’t. There are, in fact, reputable scientists who believe that the Internet could easily become a sentient life form. The premise works like this....we, human beings, are the mitochondrial DNA which is absorbed into the larger life form, the living Internet. They base this idea on the fact that the internet has enough information and enough processing power that it would be able to develop an understanding of humanity well beyond any understanding we ourselves would be capable of. If, or when, that happens the human race will no longer be the dominant species on earth. It is at this point, when we may witness the merging of technology and human beings, as it could be beneficial to both. This wouldn’t be the first time Sci-Fi ideas came into actual existence you know. Perhaps we truly are in the dawn of a new era, a new evolutionary step for the human animal. Maybe, just maybe, our need to be connected and the sentient Internet’s need to feel and experience life will lead us into a merger of unimaginable evolutionary growth. So, now I wonder, how much Internet do you need?

Modern Day Living and the Human Brain - Part I: Your Child May be at Risk

Photo Credit - Karen Arnold - Public Domain Pictures

Modern day living has given our society some marvelous benefits, but some of those benefits may be costing us dearly. Living in the world today is tough, there’s no question. Every adult has seen the changes from technology, to global warming, to the health and welfare of ourselves and our children. But, some of the things that we take for granted today may be causing us a lot of harm. Yes, technology is having a giant effect on our brains and I will get to that, but first, I want to talk about our children. This article isn’t just about the technology that everyone, including our children, is affected by. I’m also talking about the effects of society on our kids. Listen up parents! Their future may be permanently altered because of your financial status.

Oh sure, everyone knows about the disparity of social classes and that the rich will always benefit more than the poor, but now we know why. Recent studies have discovered that children who live in poverty will grow up with substandard brains. In an article presented by NPR we learn that a child’s environment has a physical effect on the development of their brain. This isn’t due to a poorer diet, or a lack of housing in and of itself, but rather the stress which is caused from those situations. Along with worrying about violence, the daily stress that is present in a poor child’s life is changing their brains. It is being called “Toxic Stress” and a child who has suffered three or more traumatic events within a year may very well be dealing with this. A school in LA did a survey and found that eight in ten students fell into this category. A traumatic event may include such life issues as losing a home, or a family member, neighborhood shootings, divorce, having to deal with the stress of an unemployed parent, or not having enough food. These stressors in a child’s brain become cumulative and physically change the brain.

The changes that take place are primarily in the prefrontal cortex. This is the area of the brain responsible for problem solving and learning. It also carries the brunt of the weight when it comes to learning how to control emotions. We often hear adults making remarks such as, “What’s wrong with these kids today?” or “Kids today are more violent.” I say, what do you expect? Poverty levels continue to rise, the income gap grows larger and larger with each passing year, and now we have proof that these circumstances are creating a generation of children who, not only don’t care, but are physically unable to. The mental health of tomorrow’s adults is being dealt physical blows that they may never be able to recover from because their brains have been permanently altered. If the parts of the brain needed to process emotions are not there how can we expect a person to properly deal with emotions? If the problem solving area of the brain is stunted why are we shocked to find children who can’t figure out something we would consider to be a simple task? This is plainly showing us that we need to take the mental health of our children much more serious!

Okay, so I have your attention, I hope. Now let’s talk about how we can fix this. One of the most efficient ways to reach children is through the schools. The kids are there which basically creates captive participants, so to speak. The schools which participated in the studies found that having more counselors in the school was a good start. Where the child felt like they had the support of an adult, they improved. The schools also equipped themselves with more after school programs and tutoring. They set up programs for the adults, too. Parents were given help in the areas they needed, as well as, being taught how to better handle these same stressors. Most parents want to help their children, the problem, I think, is that mental health over the years has received such a bad wrap no one wants to deal with it. However, if parents can see that there is physical damage being done to their child, just as if an arm or a leg were being lost, they would want to help.

There is, of course, one big problem with getting our children the help they desperately need. Money. Where will it come from? Across the board school systems have had to deal with cuts to their budget. We’re not talking small cuts either. These cuts are so large that schools have had to let go of counselors, administrators, and even teachers. Why have the schools seen such dramatic cuts to their funding? The simple answer, politics. Our representatives see our children’s education as a non-priority. Let’s face it, most of our representatives are millionaires, this is not going to be an issue which directly impacts them. Their children are sent to the finest schools and chances are pretty good that they will never have to worry about a neighborhood drive by. So what can we, in the trenches, do about it? We can vote! Duh! This is the only way things are going to change. We need to demand that the educational system gets the funding it so desperately needs to combat this problem. Without the support of the house and the senate our children will never be able to grow a healthy brain. We need these support programs and we need them now. Oh look! It’s an election year for our representatives and senators. How convenient is that people? Let’s make some noise and tell the people who are supposed to represent us that we want to see the educational system get the necessary funds to run these programs. If we wait until our children are grown and out of school we will have lost the fight, recovery for them will most likely never happen. Is that what you want for your son or daughter?

Next post will look at the brains of adults and we will see how that well loved internet is working to change our brains. Yes, there is more physical evidence. And speaking of the internet is it possible that it could become self aware, a living entity which in its all knowing self may one day reign as earth’s new dominant life form? Tune in and see.

Why so Serious?

Photo Credit - Dawn Hudson - Public Domain Pictures

Lately I’ve been spending some time thinking about the difference in the world today compared with what the world was like when I was growing up. I’m not talking about the technological achievements or any other modern day conveniences. I’m referring to the changes in people themselves, their attitudes and the way they see and think about the world around them. That, in turn, got me thinking about the generation before me and so on and on. As I continued with this train of thought I asked the question, “Why is everyone so serious these days?”

Here’s the thing, there has always been war, racism, hatred, genocides, famine, disease, and suffering in general but these days it feels like this is all we focus on. The current state of the world feels tragic and it appears that this feeling of tragedy is shared by a great many people. We hear all sorts of reports about young people today and how they have to deal with this, that, and the other thing and how much of a toll it takes on them, but everyone seems to forget that we all grew up with many of the same things we just handled it a bit different. Our solutions consisted mostly of either never speaking about it or just dealing with it because that’s the way life is. This isn’t going to be a post, however, about the tragedies of a generation, no; this is going to be a post of remembrance, one that will hopefully invoke that world consciousness and strike a chord within humanity that allows people to finally, once again, lighten up!

Let’s take a look. In fairly recent U.S. history we had the “roaring” twenties and even in the middle of a depression and prohibition the party spirit carried on with the speak easies and  some good ol’ fashioned, sometimes blinding, moonshine. The forties were fab and the war boys and the girls of the U.S.O. made even the horrific event of a world war seem classy and the country rallied to everyone’s aid. People donated their tires; they saved up their green stamps and harvested their victory gardens. By the fifties everyone was living the “American Dream” even if you had nothing at all you knew you didn’t have to remain that way, with some hard work and some frugal spending anyone could own their own little piece of America. The sixties may have seen a huge revolution and a change in how humanity looked at each other, but it also ushered in the decade of brotherly love where, “If you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with” was the rule of the road, and the road was open to anyone who had a thumb, a bike, or a car. By the time the eighties and nineties were over something had happened, the world began communicating like never before and suddenly it was in everyone’s face.

Is this what happened? Did people “wake up” and realize that there was suffering and discontent all around them? Is this why everyone became so damn serious about life? No. No, it’s not! I’m here to tell you why so listen up. In today’s world we have seen and heard about some awful things, things that would make your hair curl, make you ashamed to be human. How can we do these things to another human being, to an animal, to mother earth? Well, the fact is we’ve been doing it all along. There was never a time in human history where we were without atrocities so terrible that it disgusted the average human being to the point of wanting to vomit the foulness from the guts of humanity itself. The difference? People also knew that compared to the horrific things that were taking place around them, their life in comparison, wasn’t too bad.

That’s it people. There was a time in human existence when we understood that yesterday was gone and there was nothing you could do about it now, that tomorrow would take care of itself if it decided to be there for you, and that all you really had was right here and now; and if you’re not dying then things could always be worse so be happy with what you have, right here and now because if you want more from life all you have to do is make it happen. Buck up, take some responsibility for yourself and if you want things to be different in your life, change those things. And most importantly, while you’re changing those things live a little, because that’s really all you have when it comes down to it. It is my humble opinion that people were happier “back then” because they understood that all you really have is today, here and now, so enjoy it. The real waste of a life is spending seventy plus years, or however many you might be given, and never really enjoying it. So people, my words to you...Lighten up! Don’t be so damn serious all the time. Have some fun and enjoy being with whomever you’re with right now because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Be glad that you have this moment and make the best of it. Enjoy your life for whatever its worth. Peace and love man, peace and love :-)

And here’s a little note to get you started....

ItDon't Mean a Thing_Louis A

Enter the Substitute

Photo Credit - George Hoden - Public Domain Pictures

I’ve added a new hat to my wardrobe of life experience, I became a substitute teacher this week. I think that this will be a workable solution to help me make ends meet and still allow me to moderate my energy levels so that I don’t end up with a flare up or an illness. Being on disability makes it very difficult to survive. Some people think that we just sit back and let the money roll in while we do nothing to earn it, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that living on disability alone a person, most likely, will not be able to support their self. In addition, some people forget that the amount of disability a person receives is dependent on what they paid into the system in the first place. It’s not a handout, it’s an insurance policy.

Anyway, I digress. Substitute teaching, it’s a good thing. I can choose which days to work so if I’m not up to it I don’t need to accept a job. I can also do half days which is necessary since it takes me so long to become mobile in the mornings. I’m certainly not going to become rich doing this but it should fill the gap enough that I won’t have to worry about the normal day to day bills. But, there’s more to this substituting than meets the eye because it’s really not about me, it’s about the kids.

It’s been about 35 years since I was in high school and, yes, things have changed. I’m quite sure that as time goes on and I continue to spend more time in the schools I’ll see even more changes, or maybe even similarities. My first day allowed me to see just how different things are now. It was hard to fathom as I experienced a world that I once lived in which has now become almost alien. This first experience was in a high school, today I was at a middle school. I would strongly suggest that any parent, if given the opportunity, take a day out and spend it at your child’s school. I’m certain that it will be an eye opener for you. The days of the quite, focused learning environment are gone, probably for good. Your children are not being given the gift of education that you were handed. No, the kids today who want to learn have to fight every second of their day to get that education which I, honestly, took for granted. Between the over stuffed classes and the disruptions caused by the students who don’t want to be there, it’s honestly a miracle that anyone can learn anything. I’m here to tell you, things have changed more than any person, of my era, could possibly imagine.

That said, when you get down to it, the kids I met and worked with are super. I had a lot of fun with them and could tell that down deep they are all just kids. I don’t know if their lives will be impacted by my presence and I don’t know what this school/war zone will do for, or to, them, but I hope that they will leave my class feeling better about themselves and others. To the parents I’d just like to remind you how important it is for you to be a part of their lives and the biggest part of their lives, right now, is school. They need you to be there for them, seriously. You can’t expect to understand and share their lives if you fail to be involved in the largest area of it.

What Do You Believe In?

Photo Credit - Public Domain Pictures, Anonymous 

Faith, it’s a source of pride to some. Others see it as a necessity for survival, and some claim to have none at all while they blindly move forward in their day to day lives without ever acknowledging the most basic belief which keeps the human animal moving on. It’s been my experience that every person has faith in something. This doesn’t mean that everyone believes in the same thing or that all people have a vision of God in their mind when the word “faith” is used. But, in and of itself, faith is something that is there in each of us.

Faith is there for us when hope fails, it never goes away, and it’s as integral to our minds as a heart is to our bodies. Most of us probably don’t even think about it, again, much like the heart, it works on its own pushing us into one direction or the other, playing us like cards. I’m talking about our most natural instincts here. Our minute, meaningless actions transpire because of faith. We place one foot in front of the other believing we will walk, and we do. We don’t start out this way, of course, we are taught to have faith. As our parents encourage our first steps we begin to develop a deep sense of faith by trusting them to not let us fall. As our faith in ourselves grows stronger we become surer of ourselves and we build our lives equivalently to our faith. Those of us who have little faith seem to achieve little, and those with an enormous amount of faith achieve fantastic things. The faith we have can be used for our benefit or our demise, but no one is without it.

So, tell me, where does your faith lie? Do you place your faith in the unseen, assured that somewhere out there an entity of some form is watching out for you, planning your life in a manner which will, in the end, grant you the rewards you seek? Is your faith within yourself the driving force? Are you pressing onward in this world because no one else is going to do it for you? Or, do you have a little of both? Perhaps your faith is something you’ve never really considered; maybe you’re totally unfamiliar with your faith. If so, then maybe it’s time to think about it. Know and understand your faith and you will know and understand yourself.

I’m not saying acknowledge your faith and move on. I’m suggesting a thorough inventory of your core beliefs. Take some time to evaluate your life, honestly. I don’t mean for you to drag yourself down by looking only at your shortcomings, or to give yourself a false sense of pride by ignoring them. Be honest with yourself about yourself. Search inward to discover the driving force of your animal. Don’t expect anyone else to understand it, this is uniquely you. The faith you live by is a result of all your life experiences. Some may find that their faith is dark and well hidden. Some might, instead, see their faith as so strong and vibrant that it actually blinds them, and so, hides their true self in plain site. Whatever you find, where ever you find it, once you really have it, it’ll be yours to do with as you wish. You can be your own captain if you truly understand where your faith has led you thus far. So, I’ll ask you once again, what do you believe in?

Scientists Have Discovered Non-Human Intelligent Life!

Picture Credit Piotr Siedlecki

What’s the what? Yes, non-human intelligent life has been found. The catch? It’s not alien life. In fact, it’s been in front of our eyes the whole time, right here on good ol’ planet earth. Sorry if I’ve broken your alien dreams but this news isn’t any less fantastic just because it’s on our home planet instead of out there in space somewhere. If you think about it, it actually gives credence to intelligent life off planet since we now understand that intelligent life might not be what we expect it to be.

Here’s the low down. Mammals; some of them have very large brains, enter the dolphins, the whales, the elephants, and the apes. Take into consideration that dolphins and whales, as we know them today, have inhabited this planet, for millions of years prior to homo sapien sapien. In fact, they were the dominant species on the planet long before we were even a spec on the evolutionary scale. We’ve known for some time now that these animals are intelligent but, after watching Nova on PBS last night, I know that there’s a lot more to this intelligence than most people may think.

What are some of the characteristics that scientists look for when determining if life is intelligent? Here’s a few of the biggies; is the animal (and yes, humans are animals) self aware? In other words, do they understand that they are an individual with their own thoughts and can they recognize themselves in a reflection? As a comparison a human toddler is around two years old before they understand that their reflection is not just another child. They are around four to five before beginning to understand that their thoughts are their own. When dolphins were shown their reflections all of them displayed actions which are considered to be signs of self awareness. They examine their teeth, their fins, their eyes just as a human does when we look into a mirror. We and they, tend to look at the parts of our bodies which are otherwise difficult to see.

What about language? We often feel that our ability to develop and use language sets us above the other animals. Well, what if you were to learn that many animals do have a language which they share with others of their kind? We have just been too dumb to learn it. We assumed that because they do not speak in a manner familiar to us, they were unable to form true language. We failed to take into account that the physical attributes that allow us to speak as we do are different in these different animals. Once again enter the dolphins. We now know that the series of clicks, ticks, and other noises dolphins use are quite literally used as language. It is known that every dolphin has their own name and uses it exactly as we do. Yup, they use their name to identify themselves to other dolphins.

Photo Credit Anna Langova

What else? Can an animal think about what another animal is thinking? Experiments with chimps show that they do. Scientists looked for the ability to manipulate another being because it demonstrates that the target animal understands the actions and desires of another animal. In another experiment an ape was placed in a cage without any food. A second ape was placed in a conjoining cage and given fruits and vegetables. The apes did not know each other; they were not related or previously acquainted. The ape with the food, unlocked the conjoining cage allowing the first ape to come through and share the food. Both apes sat together and ate their meal. The compassion from the second ape exhibits a high level of intelligence and ability to empathize with others.

Speaking of empathy, we turn to the elephants. I think most people have heard about the elephant graveyards where family members of passed elephants come to mourn their dead. Did you know that when presented with the bones of other large species the elephants will recognize other elephant bones every time, even if the bones are from unrelated elephants? Another amazing fact is that elephants understand when other animals are in pain and they try to do something about it. They have been seen gently stroking a distressed animal with their trunks in an attempt to comfort them.

Photo Credit Piotr Wojtkowski

All in all animals are, of course, awesome! I think it’s great that scientists are finally beginning to appreciate their intelligence as well as their magnificent nature. And, when you think about it, it makes perfect sense that some of these animals are very intelligent. After all, they’ve been around a lot longer than us. Maybe, just maybe, we’re the ones who need to catch up. Perhaps our animal cousins are sitting back and waiting for us to finally understand we do not own the market on intelligence, and that life and intelligence may not have to be exactly like us to be legitimate. For more information and tons of fascinating facts tune into Nova on PBS. You can catch the whole episode here:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/inside-animal-minds.html#animal-minds-smartest

Craftastic Crochet!

Photo Credit - K. Whiteford

Yes! I know there has to be people out there who get just as excited as I do when it comes to crafting. For me, the bug hits hardest when the craft is crochet. Don’t get me wrong, I love to sew and I get bitten by that bug almost as hard. But, I think my heart lies truly with crochet. It’s a very forgiving craft and I love that about it. If something isn’t turning out the way you planned you unravel it and start over, or ditch the project completely and use the yarn for something else. You can’t necessarily do that with sewing. I mean, if you make a mistake cutting the fabric, ouch! It’s all over but the crying, you know? Sure, you can repurpose items but it just doesn’t feel the same to me. I learned how to crochet when I was a young teen and I didn’t sew until I was in my early thirties, maybe that has something to do with it as well.

Anyway...I digress...Crochet is awesome because you are virtually unlimited as to the types of projects you can do and even the mediums that you can use. I’ve seen projects done with everything from trash bags to rubber bands. Each new project idea I see amazes me. Some people who crochet are truly talented and create masterful pieces of art equal to none. If you’ve never taken the time out to look at some of these gorgeous works then you are missing out. In fact, I think I’ll include some links at the end of today’s blog that will demonstrate exactly what I mean. Personally, even though I have crocheted for many, many years, I think some people’s work makes me look like an amateur.

For my latest project I’m using jewelry wire, yes you read that correctly. It’s flexible and twists easily. I’m using a 3.25 mm metal hook and I’m creating a beaded bracelet. Beading any medium can be achieved simply by pre-stringing the beads onto the medium you are using for your project. I chose various sized blue and silver round beads with a few square copper ones for highlight. As you work through the project you just slide the bead up to the hook and crochet it right into the stitch. That’s all there is to it. You do need to be sure to include enough beads for the entire project. I’d rather have too many than not enough, when your project is finished just slide any remaining beads right off. Here’s a picture of the bracelet so far. When it’s complete I intend to add some joining rings and a clasp to fit it to a wrist. I’ll include a picture of it completed in a future post.

As for now, one of the reasons I chose to write about this today is because of a contest that I became aware of. It runs only until April 25th, 2014 so I needed to share it now. Selfishly, I get an extra entry for including the link in my post :-)  But, seriously, if you enjoy crafting you’ll want to enter. The prize package includes many items for various uses, not just yarn for crocheting. Any crafter, I think, would be thrilled to get this prize. I know I would be. The number of products in the prize package are way too numerous to list here, but to give you an idea of what you could win here’s the list of companies providing items for the grand prize:

Coats and Clark, Darice, Design Master, Elmer’s, Fiskars, I Love to Create, Krylon, Leisure Arts, Lion Brand, Plaid Enterprises, Polyform, RIT Dye, Shur Tech Bonds, Simplicity, and Sizzix.

For a complete list of items included in the prize package and to enter go here and enter daily:

The-Super-Spectacular-Grand-Prize-Giveaway   

Now, go and create something beautiful. Get out of the box, let your imagination take over and try something new, even if it sounds a bit nuts. Your results may very well thank you. And as promised, here are some links to some of my most admired crochet work.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/maquissima/103768170/in/faves-katrinkles

https://www.etsy.com/listing/22580286/mothers-day-sale-crocheted-lampshade-in?ref=fp_treasury_3

http://www.crochetconcupiscence.com/2012/07/summer-days-gorgeous-crochet-hammocks-for-relaxation-and-rejuvenation

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/b7/7d/81/b77d81b694d0a6b52df2ccd33af59579.jpg

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/a6/ea/da/a6eadaef80279615adbbd34904f25d1b.jpg

A Disturbing Disturbance in the House

Photo Credit: DeeganMarie

Here’s a follow up on Rep. Ryan’s budget proposal. You know the one that is going to almost eliminate Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Americorp and every other safety net the USA has in place to protect the country’s poorest, sickest, and most vulnerable?  If not, refer to my previous article on the topic - http://iseethegreengrass.blogspot.com/2014/04/rep-ryan-is-trying-to-kill-me-and-my-4.html

In a vote today in the House of Representatives his budget was passed. All but 12 members of the GOP and the Democrats voted for the budget, passing it 219 to 205 with 8 members of congress not voting.

While it most likely will not pass through the Democratic Senate, it does set up an example of which side of the budget our congressional representatives are on. Seeming as we have a mid-term election coming our way this year it would behoove an American voter to know where his/her representative stands. If you are one of the many millions who rely on any of these programs, as well as, some that I haven’t mentioned, it may be in your best interest to visit the voting record site to see how your representative voted. Keep in mind that just because it may not pass the Senate does not mean that the representatives who stand behind this budget will stop pursuing major cuts to these programs.

Another situation that could arise would be if the mid-terms end up seeing an end to the Democratic Senate. If this were to happen you can bet that the budget would most likely be met with a grand reception. So here it is, it’s up to you, once again, America. Take the time to see where your representative lies. The following link will take you to the budget vote where you can see just how your congressional representative voted. If you don’t like the vote, don’t put him/her back in office. It’s that’s simple.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h177

Rep. Ryan is Trying to Kill Me and My 4 Year Old Grandson

Picture Credit _ Frits Ahlefeldt

Someone help please! The title of this article is quite literal in my eyes. Yes, it is of a political nature but nonetheless a slow, torturous, means of death for me, my young grandson, and every other American in a similar situation. I’m going to give all of you an insight into my personal life. This is not something that I would normally do; I tend to keep these things very private as I have become pressured into shame over the years because I “Live off of the government.” But, it’s time the TRUE story be told!

I am disabled, I cannot work a regular full time, or even part time job anymore because I have a disease which is slowly turning my ribs, back, and pelvis into one solid bone. I also care for my 4 year old grandson because his mother (my daughter) died. Now, here comes the personal financial stuff. My disability, which I EARNED when I was able to work - *side note here* - Disability is NOT a government handout. It is a payment made to the person calculated according to THEIR earnings, just as Social Security Retirement is a calculated portion of a person’s EARNINGS where we pay into the system from every paycheck we receive, that said...I receive a mere $800.00 a MONTH, along with a $200.00 a MONTH death benefit paid to my grandson (Calculated, again, as a portion of taxes which my daughter paid into before she passed at the young age of 21). So, my grand total of cash that I must live on is about $1000.00 a MONTH - that’s a MONTH people. Let me ask you if you could pay your mortgage, pay for your gas, electric, water, and phone, as well as, put gas in your vehicle and pay its insurance, put clothes on your back, and buy the necessities for your home such as toilet paper, oh and don’t forget paying for a portion of your prescriptions (which in my case are a lot of prescriptions) all on $1000.00 a MONTH? I intentionally did not include food in there because we do get a government “Handout” of $198.00 a MONTH in food stamps and WIC. This is the ONLY food that we get since I only have a $1000.00 a MONTH to live on. My very serious point here is that I am living off an amount of money that, compared to most people, is only about 1/4 to 1/2 of what is considered an average monthly income. Get the picture?

Enter Mr. Ryan whose federal budget proposal will take that measly amount of income I receive and basically slash it in half. His plan will all but eliminate the only life lines I have - The Food Stamp program, Medicare, and Medicaid. He would be willing to plunge me and my grandson into such a sever state of poverty that we would, most seriously, end up dying slowly from a lack of food and medical care. Perhaps the government should just ship us off to Africa because we will be seeing the same type of scenario here in the US as they have in impoverished Africa. I am not exaggerating. Taking away the ONLY lifelines that the very poor and disabled have will create an impoverished and dying population right here in the good ‘ol US of A.

I’m not proud of having to be on assistance and I certainly did not work for a BA in order to “sit on my ass and collect money I didn’t earn” But I think that if Mr. Ryan were in my position he would see things very differently. I’d like to see him squeak out an existence on my income and then tell me that I get too much money from the government so it needs to be cut. America! I’m begging you, please, please help me and my grandson! Tell Mr. Ryan and others of like mind that I’m all ready living on an income incapable of sustaining us and that, in good conscious, he should not be willing to cut the only line of help I have. And then, remind him, that you, and he, are only one illness or accident away from suffering the same fate yourself.

Thank you

You can contact Rep. Paul Ryan at this web address

https://paulryan.house.gov/

Article Information

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/us/politics/paul-ryan-budget.html

PS - I would just like to add that I am painfully aware of the massive number of people in this world that are living in conditions which make my situation look like a dream life. I am sorry if I have offended any of you but I have related this article to people within the US as that is where I reside.