When the Music's Not Over

[H2O Man]

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists, who are dedicated to justice, peace, and brotherhood. The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific, and religious freedom have always been nonconformists. In any cause that concerns the progress of mankind, put your faith in the nonconformist!” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience.” – Thomas Merton


I would like to say that, despite the way things look, we are in a pretty good position. I generally say that as a Democrat. But two world “leaders” have created a crisis in the Middle East that has unsettled the global community. The felon announced a cease-fire, but one can and should never believe a word he says. It is evident that the good people in the United States must step up the non-violent refusal to allow his cult from destroying democracy.

There are good things happening. We should not allow them to be overshadowed by the by the cankerous growth of hatred and violence being unleashed by evil men around the globe. I use the word “evil” not in a religious sense – although I admittedly can go there in a spiritual context – but rather, in the forensic psychological sense as defined by Michael Stone and Gary Brucato. Evil in the sense of starving children in Gaza, or bringing the world closer to the brink of nuclear war in an attempt to control the oil supply in a foreign land. “Evil” in the manner of several world “leaders” today.

I take a break from working in the garden. It is in the mid-90's here, days after an unusual summer storm that devastated roads and power lines, and the tornado that killed people a bit to the north of me – including six year old twin girls. As I sit at the edge of the woods to cool off, I find myself wishing that Al Gore was able to claim the presidency he won in 2000.

It is increasingly tempting to spend far more time dealing with weeds in the garden, or sitting quietly in the woods, rather than focusing on society today. One of my favorite things to do since I was a little child has been to sit near either one of my two favorite water falls around here. The sight and sounds of a biblical garden. But on days like this , the creek's pools are magnets for others seeking relief from the heat. The last thing they need is for a hermit to pop out of the woods to rant. So long as they take any trash out with them, I'm good.

Inside the house, I get a call from my west coast brother. Though he has been politically aware and a Democratic Party voter for many decades, he has only recently started attending rallies this year. I think that he goes to rallies in Eugene, Oregon. He spoke about how there are people of all ages at these events. How good it is to be around other people who share the same values. Then he said something that I have been advocating for months: it is the duty of our generation to be on the front lines in non-violent protests in the spirit of King. He also makes me laugh as only he can do, at the sickness and horrors confronting our country.

Next, I get onto the internet. It is my sister's birthday, so I message her a warning that it appears some extremely old lady has hacked her life. Being an older sister, she responds by scolding me to drink lots of water, and to eat watermelon, due to the oppressive heat and humidity. Ignoring her, I decide to run to the store for another watermelon.

Two employees – a cashier and a guy bagging groceries – ask me if I found everything I was looking for? I said no, that I've been looking for my country, and for them to rise up and reclaim it, for it belongs to them. The young lady said, “Right on!” and the young man said, “That reminds me …. we have a meeting in Binghamton tomorrow night.”

I got home and called my cousin. At our group meetings, we always discuss the need for more young adults to join our rallies etc. I told him about these two, and we agreed that this is an opportunity for us to head to Binghamton next.

I get off the phone, and see that the young lady has sent me a “friend request” on facebook. Looking closer, I recognize that she is literally my cousin's neighbor. If any human being has read this far, I think that there is a lesson. It's a small world. Make use of your small world, and when it connects with other small worlds, it creates the ripples that Senator Robert F. Kennedy spoke of in South Africa.

[Easterncedar]

1. As ever, your words soothe my worried mind

Although at 100 degrees in Maine, it’s very hard to keep cool in any way.

Just finished HG Wells’ “Men as Gods.” He seems so prescient, but maybe I should say he was clear-eyed, as he wasn't predicting the future as much as he was discerning about the world around him. So much of the world’s troubles, especially the exploitation of men and nature by the grasping, greedy, wealthy few and the unending horror of humanity’s irrational drive to war, were certainly well entrenched 100 years ago. Always the same story. He tells it well, though, and in 1921 he still had hope we could evolve.

Anyway. I hope you have a good meeting in Binghamton.

That was a terrible storm. My family just had some flood damage. The tragedy in Clark Mills is heartbreaking.

[H2O Man]

3. I saw an

article long ago about some African tribesmen being surprised that Europeans couldn't hear the stars singing. I have no idea if it was apocryphal or real. But in my mind, I connected it with things that the Tadodaho and Chief Waterman told me about their ancestors' ancestors relationship with the stars. With Paul, it was in regards to a type of feauture that archaeologists have been debating the meaning of for the past three decades. I think about that while in the garden today.

There were things that Leon, Paul, and Oren would say that would make the young me think, "Holy shit! That makes perfect sense!" As Oren still says, "I can tell you right now, there are no secrets. There's no mystery. There's only common sense." And yet our culture has overlooked, ignored, and forgotten so much of that common sense. I'm an old, insignificant hermit, but I do recognize that it is my role -- at this age -- to share these things with the younger generations.

[senseandsensibility]

2. I enjoyed your whole post

but the line about ignoring your sister and then running out for another watermelon made me laugh out loud. Kand R!!

[H2O Man]

4. Thank you!

Both my sister's nine year old grandson and I like teasing her. She's the only nice one of my siblings and I, so much so that we got her one of those DNA kits to see if she is actually related to us.