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• "Stay together, friends Don’t scatter and sleep. Our friendship is made of being awake." ~ Rumi
• “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson from "A Return To Love"

It is the VETERAN who salutes the flag.

It is the  VETERAN, 

not the preacher, 

who has given us freedom of religion. 

It is  the VETERAN, 

not the reporter, 

who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, 

 not the poet, 

who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, 

not the campus organizer, 

who has given us freedom to assemble. 

It is the VETERAN, 

 not the lawyer, 

who has given us the right to a fair trial. 

It is the VETERAN, 

 not the politician, 

Who has given us the right to vote. 

It is the VETERAN

who serves 

under the Flag.

Be proud, but be very grateful for our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve, past, present and future.

I was just talking to my brother, Dave, in Baltimore about the Solar Cookery invention  that I wrote about yesterday, and he told me about another invention to help haul clean water - the water roller! Another, “why didn’t I think of that!”

In rural Africa, it is often necessary to walk five miles (8km) or more every day to fetch water. In the dry season, it is not uncommon to walk twice this distance. Collecting water can be dangerous too. The traditional method of carrying water - carrying a 5 gallon (20 liter) water bucket on the head - can severely damage the spine, causing severe pain and even leading to complications during childbirth. In some countries, walking to find water exposes people to the dangers of land mines.

The Water Hippo’s innovative design allows water to be placed inside its “wheel,” transforming 200 pounds (90 kg) of water to an effective weight of just 22 pounds (10 kg). This means that almost anyone can easily manage a full roller over most types of terrain.

A single Hippo carries enough water to meet the basic needs of 5 people per day. Access to sufficient water enables people to practice better hygiene and stay healthy.

BRAVO inventors!– Hippo Water Roller Invented by Pettie Petzer and Johan Jonker, South Africa.

“Chop Wood, Carry Water” is a great book title, but not great when you’re being killed, raped and starved because you don’t have wood or water by the home you don’ t have anymore and are starving.

Millions are killed for no good reason (as if there’s a good reason to kill) every day around the world. In the name of God and god, in the name of history and “we were here first, it’s ours” and so many other reasons that make no sense.

How can these people, places, villages, cities and countries be helped?

There are lots of ways, but sometimes the simplestways come in simple  ideas and inventions making amazing strides and differences in the lives of so many.

EXAMPLE: The Solar Cooker. (Why didn’t I think of that?!) Pure ingenuity. Take two pieces of cardboard, add some tinfoil and sunlight and anything can be cooked. You can event get water to boil!

Now, how to get this little miracle tool to the people who need it? The Trans World Radio Solar Cooker Project in Kenya and the Jewish World Watch Solar Cooker Projects are doing it, and we can help.

For just a few dollars you can help support so many to literally eat a hot meal and cook each day in safety. Plus, help them sell thier products and make money. Astounding! Read more here.

You can also check out Solar Cooking International and get involved or share your ideas.

Lets be a part of peace –  cooked, heated, fried and boiled!

 There are some people who bring light to the planet, who report on, story-tell about and share “lameness” at it’s best, and overwhelming more of  the good things that people do.

Paul Harvey was one of the greats in humankind to be this for us.

I grew up listening to his “The Rest of the Story” broadcasts. He always made me feel grounded and “at home,” just listening to his low and booming, but reassuring and grounded voice.

He spread great and wide good wings of the best of humanity out for us to ride upon each week.

He also challenged the powers that be. “Perhaps Harvey’s most famous broadcast came in 1970, when he announced his opposition to President Nixon’s expansion of the war, urging him to get out completely. “Mr. President, I love you … but you’re wrong,” Harvey said, shocking his faithful listeners and drawing a barrage of letters and phone calls, including one from the White House.”

We need more people like Mr. Harvey.

He will be/is missed.

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark;

the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”

~ Plato

Times are very hard for a lot of people, why not “think outside the box” and figure out ways to help one another! It’s lame to think that we can only use cash (or plastic) to get what we need or want. Humans started bartering eons ago. We always have, but our new “economics” is offering us the opportunity to revisit ways to trade anew.

Drinkers in some pubs in England are being offered the chance to drink for no money down. But, it’s not free either. Instead of cash, they can barter their home-grown produce, fresh shot wild game and fish for free pints.

Anything that can be added to its traditional food menu (vegetables, herbs, eggs, etc, from the family farm) will be considered. It’s not an exact science, but with the amount of pints, meals or vouchers offered, in return linked to the size, quantity and quality of the items presented.

A sign on display inside the pub says: “If you grow, breed, shoot or steal anything that may look at home on our menu, then bring it in and let’s do a deal.” Some chalk boards give lists of examples of what they can use in their all day kitchens, serving these local grown goodies back to their customers for cash! Smart cookies, well “biscuits” in the UK!

HOW SAFE CAN IT BE?
A North Norfolk council environmental officer said: “We need to look carefully at how pubs can make sure what they’re doing is safe for customers and within the law. There is a difference between surplus game from a shoot and half a deer that may be a roadkill.”

ABC News just did a report on it tonight, click here and see the story.

And, you gotta love that the name of this pub is THE PIGS! I’ll have to visit on my next trip!

Hard times can slow things down and take us back to simpler times, and times when we actually depended on one another in good ways.

Think outside the box in your life, community or business life. How could you trade, barter or creatively move good energy around with others?

There is a saying that if you put a frog into a boiling pot of water, the frog will immediately jump out; it’s hot, it hurts!

However, if you put a frog into a pot of cool water and slowly raise the temperature, the frog will get boiled.

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
~ Mark Twain

Non-stop distractions steal your time slowly over a long period of time, including ”political spin”, TV, advertising, bling, materialism/consumerism, gossip/tabloids, fear, communication overload/cell phones/computers and more. It is like slowly raising the temperature on the frog. You don’t do anything about it because you don’t realize how much time and mental energy you are really giving and loosing to it, just like the frog doesn’t realize it’s getting boiled.

“It is easier to stay out than get out.”
~ Mark Twain

Are you free? Are we really free? Or is the water boiling?

“None are so hopelessly enslaved
as those who falsely believe they are free.”
~ Goethe

You are as free as your level of consciousness; as awake as you truly are at any given moment.

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
~ Thomas Jefferson

How awake are you?

“Stay together, friends
Don’t scatter and sleep
Our friendship is made
of being awake.”
~ Rumi

The fairy tale that should have been read to us when we were little.

Once upon a time

in a land far away, 

a beautiful, independent,
self-assured princess
happened upon a frog as she sat
contemplating ecological issues
on the shores of an unpolluted pond 
in a verdant meadow near her castle.

The frog hopped into the princess’ lap
and said,“Elegant Lady,
I was once a handsome prince,
until an evil witch cast a spell upon me.

One kiss from you, however,
and I will turn back
into the dapper, young prince that I am 

and then, my sweet, we can marry 
and set up housekeeping in your castle 
with my mother, 

where you can prepare my meals, 

clean my clothes, bear my children, 

and forever feel
grateful and happy doing so.”

That night, 

as the princess dined sumptuously

on lightly sauteed frog legs 

seasoned in a white wine 

and onion cream sauce,

on her veranda under the evening sun,

dhe chuckled and thought to herself, 

“I don’t think so.”

The moral of the story:

Even enchanted princes can become

lame frogs.

Are you tired of loud talkers, frustrated with stupid people, slow drivers, crazy customer service, idiots in line . . . (name your own!) Ahhhh, Lame. Lame. Lame!

In 1993 I had several surgeries in 9 months which caused me to slow down in my ability to walk due to physical pain from surgery and left over etherland!

I clearly remember taking my time getting across an intersection while cars waited for me. I also remember thinking how many times I’d waiting for people who were elderly, or with small kids, who caused me to wait and sometimes miss a green light. I’ve never had issues with that, but at the same time, having to slow down myself, I was “in that body” of a person who couldn’t go any faster and really “got it”.

So, if you’re healthy and strong and flexible and can pretty much run around being, doing and having what you want today; when one of “those people” come across your path (which they will), don’t be lame! Just think of the following open-minded, higher conscious thoughts or prayers. And breathe.

Help me remember that the jerk who cut me off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help me to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind me, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that I can only imagine in my worst nightmares.

Help me to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Remind me each day that, of all the gifts I have, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those I hold dear. Open my heart not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let me be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

What fears are stopping you from your best life?

What fears are keeping our countries and peoples from working together for peace?

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” ~ Marie Curie

I looooove quotations. There’s so much packed into just a few words.

This series is on fear. Fear is our greatest enemy, always has been, always will be.

There are 2 places we can be, two ends of a spectrum of feelings.

FEAR ____________or_____________PEACE

Some say, “fear or love, not peace” but what I know is that there are only a handful of humans that have ever known, or now know what pure unconditional love is.  But, we each have experienced peace from time to time. We know what that feels like.

Check yourself daily to “feel” which way you are leaning. If towards fear, about anything, get back to peace ASAP. This act alone helps shift the collective consciousness towards peace. This act alone makes all the difference in the world in your mind and body, for the world around you and everyone else.

Bertrand Russell:
Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.

Bob Dylan:
I accept chaos. I am not sure whether it accepts me. I know some people are terrified of the bomb. But then some people are terrified to be seen carrying a modern screen magazine. Experience teaches us that silence terrifies people the most.

Bonaro W. Overstreet:
Perhaps the most important thing we can undertake toward the reduction of fear is to make it easier for people to accept themselves, to like themselves.

Chet Atkins:
Everything I’ve ever done was out of fear of being mediocre.

Don Miguel Ruiz:
Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive — the risk to be alive and express what we really are.

Dorothy Thompson:
- Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.
- The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness.
- Fear grows in darkness; if you think there’s a bogeyman around, turn on the light.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

Eleanor Roosevelt:
You must do the things you think you cannot do.

Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

Marilyn Ferguson:
Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom. 

To find more quotes on fear from this list, click here.

Choose peace. No matter what.

“There is nothing to fear except the persistent refusal
to find out the truth, the persistent refusal to analyze
the causes of happenings.”
~ Dorothy Thompson

• Question everything.

  "The important thing is not to stop questioning." ~ Albert Einstein

• Kim Wolinski, MSW . . . . . . . . . . . "Dr. DeClutter"

  

• Raising our collective consciousness is our only hope.

  “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” ~ Albert Einstein
• "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew." ~ Abraham Lincoln