Happy New Year!
2008 is already great--can't you feel it?
Was it only me, or were you really ready for this new year? It was so easy to make the transition into 2008 from last year. I think because 2007 was the complex and loaded (both with joy and grief) I was required to do my 'work' as it appeared and therefore, I was really clear and ready for the new. I released plenty in 2007.
By November, 2007 I was already there, so to speak, stepping into and embracing the new life. Beginning with the trip to D.C. for the Proclamation on Animal Compassion; and then home to my D.C. for our wedding. November 23rd, 2007 was our New Year's Day and we had quite the celebration to match.
If you hadn't felt the excitement as yet, the Iowa caucuses certainly gave us something to talk about early on. It was historical and provocative. 65% of the Republicans who participated are born-again Christians or fundamentalists and it is deeply coloring their support; and their key concern for this election year is illegal immigration. 50% of the attendees on the Democratic side were newcomers to the caucus and primarily, women. People there reported a record turnout in both camps. Yes!
This bodes well for all of us to do our political homework to be ready by November. One of the commentators on CNN (sorry I didn't look up soon enough to get his name) said that he was so impressed by the efforts of all the people who presented and participated in these caucuses (some were even held in people's homes!) that he would just as soon trust them to decide the election. After all, these participants spent hours, days, weeks and their own money to do the research and well, show up. I understand and agree with the tenor of that idea but I would be disappointed to not cast my own vote. So maybe what is called for is to use the Iowa caucus model as inspiration for each of us to do more than our own investigation into candidates but open to community opportunities to work together. Sound familiar? Kinda grassrootsy if ya know what I mean.
Yesterday, Don and I drove up to Ventura a couple of days early before my gig at the Ventura Center for Spiritual Living. We made a few shopping stops for supplies (I needed to get a new day planner) and lunch. We had already stopped for an early breakfast at my favorite Starbucks in San Juan Capistrano on the trip North. And of course, we passed several others along the way. While in Ventura, Don called my attention to a nice looking Starbucks in a mini-mall and as I looked over, the next thing I knew I was turning into the parking lot. On my quest to visit every Starbucks I can, I often joke about stopping at each store just to get a whiff and visit--but I usually don't. It was a large store but not as nicely laid out as some. The young blonde barrista was very friendly and we engaged in conversation about her dialect even though she was a California native. I bought the new organic Espresso and was having it ground so we could take it to the house for the weekend. I walked over to the other barrista while she was grinding it and I asked her if she had a sticker for this coffee that I could add to my Starbucks Passport. She asked if I worked for Starbucks and I told her I did for three weeks. She chuckled and asked what happened and I said that my mom passed away and that threw me a curve. She had a knowing smile and said,"Yeah, Mom's are pretty important. I recently lost my mother." Simultaneously, as I was about to ask how long ago, she said, " Four months ago. She died August 7th." A tingling shudder coursed through my entire body. My mother died on August 7th. I knew immediately why I had been drawn to this particular Starbucks. Don had already stepped aside as she and I shared an intimate conversation. Time had stopped for us and no one else was around. We exchanged names and hugs before the next batch of customers arrived and I knew she had to return to working. Of all the gin joints in this cosmos...
Don and I have noted over the past two weeks an increase in this very kind of synchronicity. I have written about this type of thing before--where you might be having a conversation and in less than a second the exact sentence you just said is repeated on the radio on television. Or something on your mind that you haven't said out loud suddenly appears a few times in outward manifestation. It goes beyond just knowing who is on the other line when the phone rings. For example, on New Year's Day, I took Don with me to Apple Computer to share in the One on One training session. The trainer randomly (?) assigned to me this session was Anna. As it happened, one of the things I wanted to ask her about was about updating my sadly neglected website and teaching me some pointers on iWeb. We navigated to my website (www.breathingenterprises.com) and lo and behold, the front page blurb was about me sitting with my new Apple Creative/Trainer, Anna learning how to build my website. This blurb was dated January 5, 2007. It was one year ago that I started the website and it was with Anna whom I had not worked with again for the entire year. Wacky, weird and wonderful. For me, when this type of thing happens--especially when it happens repeatedly in a block of time-- it is confirmation of being in the Oneness of which we speak and seek.
I am thankful for the opportunity to share all this on Sunday at church. My sermon topic is "Everything Old Is New Again". And although there is just the slightest homage to a song reference from "All That Jazz" I really hope to impart that in the cycle and circle of Life, it really is all one; that means old and new are the same, what is different is how we approach it and perceive it. Let's use the thrust of the new year along with the spirited energy towards the election (and it doesn't matter who is your favorite candidate) and the comforting reminder, that ... "Behold, I make all things new" to create this to be truly new year that it is, replete with all the nuggets of joy you can contain.
Oh, for the record, I did eat the traditional black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. This time I didn't eat them because I hadda, I ate them in honor and loving memory of my Mom.
Wait a minim.....
Tonight, we rented the new film, "The Fabelmans" and loved it. Incredible performances, screenwriting and story-telling. I espec...
3 comments:
It's really unfortunate (from my view) that the Republican party is pandering to religiosity. Religion should be a private matter.
I am, however, quite concerned about illegal immigration, not because I lack compassion for the individuals in question, or even because I think that borders should be tightly controlled (I have huge compassion and promote open borders under the right circumstances). I'm concerned because it's a huge financial issue, especially for border states. It's also a real boon for big business (not that I have a problem with business, but they should not be getting tax payer handouts) - illegal workers don't have to be paid well, given appropriate benefits such as workers comp, or even be kept safe in dangerous settings such as meat packing! It's not right, for instance, that the agricultural industry in Carlsbad buses in illegal workers and the city/state picks up the tab to house them and deal with the problems that a large group of migrant young men can cause (e.g. fires in the canyons).
Pshew, that was a mouthful /fingerful. I enjoyed reading about your meeting with the Starbucks barista. What an amazing thing.
I love to read a passionate reply!
How did you learn about Carlsbad bussing in illegal workers? Why aren't people up in arms about that?
Government officials have been busted and lost appointments for having illegal nannies or housekeepers; so why do smaller companies get away it?
There has to be a more positive, creative and efficient way to deal with the needs and desires of illegal immigration.
And yes, religion should be a personal matter.
Big money = big lobbies and big campaign contributions. That's true for both parties, they just tend to select different groups to pander to for income.
Businesses do sometimes get caught (Wal-mart had a big bust awhile back, of Eastern European janitors), but the fines aren't all that large in terms of their overall budgets.
In terms of creative solutions, I advocate larger fines for corporate violators that increase with repeat violations. But see my first sentence. I also advocate a guest worker program.
People -are- up in arms about things like what happens in Carlsbad (and that's just one small example). But mostly it's the "right" that is up in arms - the "left" seems to believe that any concern with illegal immigration is driven by racism or a wacko law enforcement mentality. (Of course that's a generalization.)
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