Finding Us
Now Playing: Finding Us

 (hulitoons)

Sleep
Now Playing: Sleep

When sleep eludes me I fight back
with fists I pound my pillows slack

My brain grows weary too much sight
please close my eyes to dreams at night.

Escape I need as all us do
shut the noise of worldly goo.

Let me glide an ocean's deep
and give relief to weary sleep..............!

 

hulitoons

The spider and the fire fly
Now Playing: The Spider and the Fire Fly ... Philosophy
The only philosophy I will trust ever, is not written by men but by what I see in nature, what I've observed over time, what I know as truth inside myself. Anything of an organized philosophy is to me, religious, has borders, fences, defined lines. As long as there are labels and definitions, no philosophy can be trusted, can never be free.

Last night I could not sleep so I came downstairs, had some milk and listened to the quiet. When I went back upstairs I saw a blinking light by the edge of a window. It did not fit with the blinking light of the AC or the steady lights of the cams I have up there to watch FuzzyButt when he moves over his ramps and plays. This one was blinking and blinking so I went to gather a flashlight, came back and saw it was a lightening bug (fire fly) that had somehow come into the house. It was struggling having been lassoed by one of my many spiders who was trying to curl it up in a web shroud.

I love my spiders and will not permit a single soul to kill any they see because spiders do take the insects that run amok, fruit flies, stink bugs, mosquitoes etc. But this time that screaming blinking light begged rescue so I moved the spider away and broke the lasso. I had to work hard and fast to remove the fetters to the fire fly's back feet which took some tedious time. Finally I was able to pick him up and release him to the outside again.

But I continued to be concerned about the loud screaming of his steadily blinking light....it will haunt me. I know my spider will find something else to hunt, catch and eat. And my spider is welcome here. But I also love the fire flies.

THIS is the philosophy I live by. Its borders are only defined by the moment.

Bee harvest
Now Playing: Bee Harvest
Topic: bees

Teenagers, social media, and terrorism - the Globe does not recognize 'age'
Now Playing: Teenagers today
Topic: Teenagers then and Now

Pope and Religion
Now Playing: Pope and Religion
I think most of us need to really back up when judging the Pope and any religion.  The disillusionment is a bit like asking the moon to sprout trees and oxygen, to ask a child to think like an adult, or an adult to grow young again.  The Catholic Church, Mayans, Muslims, Judaism, and many other religious or cultural groups hold solid to their beliefs and will for as long as possible.  Once they give up their basic rules, their religion is lost, the concept becomes something else entirely.  So getting angry with platforms is really sort of a useless waste of time and anger. 

In truth, most of us would not be welcomed into most of these groups anyway, even to be 'married' under their roof, particularly not the Catholic Church.  I surely would not be welcome since I'm a Pantheist/pagan.  I recognize that my beliefs would be seen as evil and repugnant just as I see some of their doings just as evil, repugnant and inhumane.  But as long as their beliefs do not interfere with my own life or others, do not break laws, then I do not care what they say or do, AND we all have a choice to either get involved with their rules and ideas, or just enjoy their pageantry.  In addition, while my own spiritual beliefs have no place in the making of choices or decisions for others OR being a tool in the policies of government....neither do any any religions, including the Catholic Church, that's probably the ONLY area that really needs to be modified or removed entirely.

Tree Teachers
Now Playing: Tree Teachers
I love trees.  Not only are they beautiful but they also teach us a lot about our own situations:

Trees can grow tall and strong BUT it does depend on their location and the soil.  Pretty much like us too.  We all have the capacity to grow strong physically, in mind and in spirit BUT it depends on where we live and the social ground we live in.  If the 'soil' that nurtures us is rich and not fettered by limited climate, we have a really good chance of being strong and fruitful.  The soil needs to hold opportunity, access to education and the freedom to spread out and imagine.  That's the food.

But the ground also needs to be stable in order for a tree to spread deep and sturdy roots.  Like us too, we need the security of a sound government that let's us not just dig deep roots but to actually be a part of that governing system that keeps us secure while we grow. 

Large and strong limbs permit trees to not just shelter themselves and reach out to the sun, but permits them to provide shelter for others too, like birds and  squirrels, even shade for those who sit upon the ground under those great arms.  Just like us too.  When we're able to grow strong, we're also able to share and provide for not just ourselves, but for others......and it usually doesn't interfere with our own lives at all, but rather, enhances it.

Trees survive too by being able to bend, some a lot and others just enough under the onslaught of wind and rain.  Sometimes a tree just lets whatever is coming that cannot be stopped, like a speeding car, simply smash into their massive girth.  Just like us too.  If we can bend we can survive or accept some changes that we cannot otherwise control.  We just need to know when to bend, OR when to stand firm and let the speeding decisions die against our own refusing and unrelenting principals.

Sometimes a tree grows in a difficult place, but without feet or even a mouth to ask, it needs to be moved.  It takes help from outside to transplant it to a better ground.  Just like us.  Sometimes we're in a place that cannot nurture or protect us, a place that if we have to remain there will surely destroy us.  But sometimes we cannot do this on our own, it takes someone else to lift us out. 

Sometimes a tree is safer within a group of other trees than it is alone where lightening sees only a single target.  BUT, sometimes it's better to be free of the other trees if a fire starts too.  Just like us there is often safety in a larger community, but if that community becomes sick, or is under attack, we probably will suffer too. 

Sometimes the larger forest provides not just sanctuary, but also food from one generation to the other from decomposing debris from older trees.  Just like us, we learn a lot from the history that gave us birth.  But we also are given access to shared resources. 

Sometimes trees are cut down and turned into logs or paper.  No one heard them scream and they couldn't run away.  Just like us, sometimes others use us for their own agenda without any remorse to the damage they do because they don't 'see' the damage, they only see the profit. 

Trees, like everything in nature can teach us a lot about ourselves but sometimes that means you have to not just 'look' you need to 'see' and you need to 'listen' because even a tree has a voice and is an astonishing teacher.

We are the Weapons
Now Playing: We are the Weapons
Topic: Weapons
1/3 of the people are paranoid that 1/3 are going to shoot them

1/3 of the people are paranoid that 1/3 are going to take their weapons

1/3 of the people are paranoid that the other 2/3 of the people are so focused on their personal paranoia that other issues will not be addressed.

3/3 of the people need to take control of those elected to legislate: Congress and the House...these are the weapons we need to fear. But always remember, we're each a fearful weapon too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia

The colors of pain
Now Playing: The Colors of Pain
Topic: Pain

Pain is Legion with many faces;
Pain can hide in many places.

Pain wears suits in many colors;
Pain is felt in many corridors.

Pain can be known in physical force;
Pain can fetter and take away choice.

One who howls in physical pain
is often blind to emotional train.

There is no mirror to truly define
the pain all suffer either yours or mine.

(hulitoons)

Stones
Now Playing: Stones
Topic: Stones

If I could read locked histories
in each and every stone,

If I could see the feet and hands
and lives that o'er them roamed,

If I could pick up each and hear
lost voices deep inside,

would I finally understand
the magic of mankind?

(hulitoons)

 

Counterpoint -----

I have stood where few if any have trod
Some little piece of sand or sod,

And breathed new air untouched by man,
Got a taste only the explorers can,

I've felt the icy touch of mountain streams
Cut down from glaciers cold and lean,

I've read the secrets of the stones
And heard the voice of nature's crones,

And yet have never been cursed to learn
Why its to *cities* humans yearn.

(Dave Willoughby)