Amazing what a trauma unchecked and unprocessed with lead to over time.

Tiger Woods knows. His wife, his fans, the world knows.

What made Tiger fall so far so fast recently?

Trauma.

When we have trauma’s in our lives that we don’t or can’t process fully- the kind that take the wind out of our sails in ways we can’t imagine - when we freeze up, move into emotional fight or flight and stare “deer in the headlights” into the eyes and souls of the people we love and trust the most, and still walk directly into that oncoming car, into what is unthinkable for our character, history and trusted persona, we need only look at what tipped us, when exactly we fell down the rabbit hole.

In Tiger’s case, I believe it was his father Earl’s death, May of 2006 (who had been ill with prostate cancer since 1998) that started his spool to unravel. Such a ripping up and away of the mighty father, friend, teacher, trainer, confidant and business partner, his anchor, that held his lifelong boat in sold waters and turbulent seas of his amazing, structured, practiced and disciplined life from childhood.

“My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply. I’m overwhelmed when I think of all of the great things he accomplished in his life,” Tiger, 30, says. “He was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend.” 

This kind of rupture to a person’s heart, psyche and soul fragments the best of us.

He didn’t turn to drugs or booze, gambling or food, hot cars or a fast life, he moved towards women and affairs of the heart, mind and time. Any of the others would have been the same, it’s just this road he walked on instead of the others.

Who can know the pressures and temptations of the lives of athletes and celebs as Woods? Only those in the same boat. Would you do better? There’s no way to truly know.

No matter what road away from pain or confusion he traveled, is it our business? I say, no.

We are all doing the best we can with what we know and how we can handle this thing called life.

My good thoughts go to Tiger and his wife, his family.

AMERICA, GET A LIFE

I hope America finds something good to talk about sooner than later and leave him alone. He bumped Michael Jackson from the headlines, someone else’s story of confusion and “human-ness” will be next. Is this really what we’re about? Really? Look in the mirror, since you won’t be on the cover of the tabloids. We all have stuff. Some just bigger than others.

Hey mom, dad - can I be this guy when I grow up?

Sad. Did this guy live to tell about it? Or, will he after the next time?

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.

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 live in an amazing, amazing world,
and it’s wasted on the crappiest generation of spoiled idiots.”
~ Louis CK

- 2008: Olympic Athlete Extraordinaire.

- 2009: Phelps caught using bong/marijuana.

Role model Michael Phelps has so far emerged unscathed from the controversy created by the photo showing him smoking from a bong, with his sponsors still standing behind him. However, he still could face criminal charges if it’s determined that he was smoking marijuana, which shouldn’t be too difficult considering there’s a photo and Phelps has already confessed.

Right or wrong, Phelps is in the public eye and made a really bad choice.

This is an issue for plenty people of course, but moreover, for “celebrities”  - young, inexperienced in ‘real life’ celebrities - who have the money and connections, time and influence, and mostly no common sense.

Should have talked to his mom first.

And, she’s single.

And, she already has 6 kids.

And, somehow doctors supported this months ago with medications to create another birth.

I can’t even say anything more about this.

I just read this wonderfully thought out quote in a book on Gandhi by Thomas Merton, “Gandhi on Non-Violence.” Written in 1964.

The question remains the same. It is a crisis of ’sanity’ first of all. The problems of the nations are the problems of mentally deranged people, but magnified a thousand times because they have the full, straight-faced approbation of a schizoid society, schizoid national structure, schizoid military, and business complexes, and, need one add, schizoid religious sects.

We are at war with ourselves” said Amanda Coomaraswamy,” and therefore at war with one another. Western man is unbalanced, and the question, Can he recover himself? is a very real one.”  The question is all the more urgent now that it concerns not only Western man but everybody.

Can we recover ourselves? Can be become “sane” again, or for the first time?