| Friday, 12 September 2008 |
|
|
I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that my avocation is as an artist. I also told you that I've never recieved any formal training in art or painting. None the less with each painting I do each gets a little better than the last. I've even enjoyed that feeling of pride and accomplishment when someone felt my work good enough to acctually pay for it. I know without a doubt that I'll be painting until I can no longer hold a brush in my hand. And I know that one day I will fulfill my life long dream of my art being my means of sustenance. I feel myself to be very fortunate to be constantly moving in that direction. Because of that consistant need that I have to be an artist, and the fact that I regularly get better at it, I know that anyone can do anything that they truly desire to do. There is no doubt in my mind - I Know It! There are so many examples that one can look to that even more dramaticly illustrate this fact. Pick up any book on some of the greatest leaders, inventors, and thinkers of the world through out time, and you'll find example after example. Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Ghandi. The list of these kinds of people, men and women, goes on and on. I'm not comparing myself with any of these great people by any means, but would say that they demonstrate an ability that exists in everyone of us, however great or small our individual accomplishments may be. That is, of course, the ability to do what ever it is that we believe we can do, or to be whom ever it is that we want to be! Many were ridiculed, villifed, scoffed at, or endured "failure" after "failure" on the road to achieving success, or achieving their goal. Some never lived to see the results of their success or efforts. Despite that, they never bowed to defeat, or denied their unbending faith in who and what they were. As I was preparing to write this I, as I do on occasion, picked up my bible and asked God to lead me as to what to write about. I randomly opened the bible with my eyes closed, and placed my finger on the page. Opening my eyes, I read this line from Matthew 27 verse 30. "And they spit on Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head." This was just after Jesus was scourged, and the soldiers were mocking Him and about to cast lots for His clothes. Well, I thought, "God, why did you choose this, what am I to write about this?" I was hoping, of course for something a little easier; something I "knew" about. I almost chose not to write about it, but changed my mind. I realized that this was the epitomy of the example of faith and knowing that I am writing about. Christ has just been beaten to the point of death, he has been mocked and humiliated, and he is about to be nailed to the cross and face His death. He doesn't Believe , that He's the Son of God - He Knows that He's the Son of God! He doesn't Think or Beleive that He'll sit at the right hand of God, He Knows It. It is this same knowing that has led many people to great hieghts, and given them the fortitude to persevere in spite of all obstacles. This is the same knowing that is inately in each one of us, we simply need to find it, beleive it and use it in our lives. That's why I titled this Persevere - Never Give Up. You may not feel that you have this ability, you may have tried and failed, you may in fact have given up. I would ask that you give it another try, and another, and another, and yet another. Keep trying; never give up. What ever you may be struggleing with, whether it's your faith, your carreer, any aspect of your life at all - Seek and you shall find. Ask and it will be answered. Knock and the door will be opened. Keep seeking, asking, and knocking, and all will be given to you. But above all Know that you will recieve it! |
posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 11:04  |
|
|
|
| Thursday, 11 September 2008 |
|
|
When was the last time you were alone, I mean really alone, with out distractions, noises, other people, or traffic to occupy your thoughts and senses. When did you last really get away from it all and withdraw to a place where you were "all alone" with only your thoughts to occupy your time? Most people find little time or inclination to seek out a place or time to be alone. We seem to have this need to be doing something, going somewhere, and to constantly seek the companionship of other people. It's as if we are truly afraid to be all by ourselves. Society seems to demand that we not be alone or to occupy ourselves too much in introspection. It's almost as if there's some stigma attached to the whole concept of solitude, that a person alone is somehow losing or missing something, or even dangerous. The fact of the matter is that we need moments and times of solitude. One of the annual pleasures I enjoyed in New York was a fall hunting trip a friend and I made every year to the Adirondak Mountains. (Lest I alarm anyone, we never shot anything, but it was our reason for this sojourn to the wilderness.) We drove the 200+ miles to a place called Long Lake, backpacked 3-4 miles into the woods and set up camp for a week. During the entire week we were there we never saw another human, heard any traffic, or anything else that would remind us that others existed. We didn't take a radio, cell phone, or any other means of contact with the rest of the world. We pitched our tent, and after the first day we were sufficiently innured from the "outside world" that we could truly relax. Once you are 4 miles removed from all the trappings of society you hear sounds that you never paid attention to before - you don't need the clamor of society to realize and appreciate that you're alive. We would have breakfast in the morning and my buddy, who loved to hike, would strike off for the day. I more prefered to find a clearing, pick a comfortable place to sit, and stay in one spot for a couple of hours. For the larger part of each day we were each of us as alone as you can get. I spent my time reflecting on various things, and enjoying the sounds and sights of nature around me, inevitably being truly thankful for this respite from the rest of life. One of the things that I grew to appreciate was the fact that even in my solitude, I came to know that I was never all alone - God was with me in every step I took. It was a palpable presence, and I could hear His whispers in the wind, the rustle of leaves, or a chipmunk scampering by, unbothered by my presence. Even in the dark, once the campfire had died down, I knew He was there speaking to me if I had the ears to listen. It brought to me a blissful sence of peace and gratitude. We haven't taken that annual trip for a good number of years now, and while I miss it, I have found other ways and means to find and enjoy moments of solitude. I've also learned that you needn't travel 300 miles and hike into the wilderness to do so, although I would highly reccomend it. I can now enjoy solitude by meditating for even 20 minutes during the day. I have learned to shut out the distractions for this little bit of time in order to be truly alone and to contemplate the universe in all it's wonder. We always returned from these trips refreshed, rejuvinated, and somehow a little different for having had the luxury of getting away. My outlook was always more optimistic, hopeful and appreciative. I also, more importantly, felt a closer kinship with God and the world. If you feel stressed, unsatisfied, or just exhausted from your day to day life, consider finding a place and time to enjoy even a few little moments of solitude. Doing so could bring to to you that same sence of quietude that promises peace in all you do. |
| posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 08:01 |
|
|
|
| Monday, 8 September 2008 |
|
|
Have you ever had an experience where something just "clicked", and you thought, "I knew that!", or it just makes sense with other things you know? I had one yesterday, as I was watching the PBS fundraiser on our local station. Their featured "premium" supplier was Dr. Daniel G. Aman, who authored the book "Change Your Brain, Change Yor Life". He essentially writes regarding the functioning of the brain as measured by a "Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography" image, or SPECT image. This picture of the brain shows the functioning of the brain as a result of blood flow and other measures, as opposed to a picture of the brain that shows it's structure as in a CAT scan. Dr. Aman is a neuroscientist, a psychiatrist, and a nationally recognized expert on the relationship of the brain and behavior. Certain qualities of the SPECT images can be indicative of certain disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Alzhiemers Disease, substance addiction, etc. In other words, if a person suffers from ADD their brain will display certain characteristics in the SPECT image, while a cocaine addicts will look differently. Again, this is all a measure of the functioning of the different areas of the brain and is strictly a measurement tool. What Dr. Amans claims, is that if you treat your brain differently, physically, it will function differently, and more healthfuly. As with my recent post regarding physics, and the science that that field presents, this argument also makes perfect sense. So, to the "I knew that!", moment. One of the things that he discussed was what he calls "Automatic Negative Thoughts", or ANTS. What he said was that you don't have to accept these thoughts, you can question them. "Do you believe this is true?"; "Is this a fact?", "How do you know this?", and so on. This clicked because I recently read a book by Don Miguel Ruiz titled "The Voice of Knowledge", a Toltec wisdom book. In his book Mr. Ruiz discusses how we are all the writers, directors, and stars, of our own stories. From birth we have been taught, by others, what is right, wrong, good, bad, etc. He says, essentially, that at some point we have to question this knowledge that we have accumulated, and decide what is truth, what our story is, and then take responsibility for our own authorship. Both men are saying the same thing, we need to ask ourselves questions about who, and what, we are. We need to, and can be, the creators of our existance. And it all has to do with the "mind". Which brings us back to, what is our mind; who is the who that is asking these questions? Dr. Aman can certainly point to the "functioning" of the brain and certain identifiable traits based on how it looks. But that doesn't get to the deeper question of where our thoughts, emotions, and beings are, or where they come from. Medical technology, as we know it today, simply can't point to where that is, where it exists physically. I beleive that is because we can't pinpoint the spiritual side of our existance, the "who" that we are. Our senses are not developed, nor is our technology, to the point of being able to do so. The best we can do at this point is "sense" our spiritual nature and being. We can glimpse it "through a veil." We can experience it through our faith. With that in mind it is my hope that you go through lifes journey as a seeker, always asking, never tiring, and finding joy along the way. Let me know your thoughts at wmallet1@gmail.com |
| posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 13:27 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As I sit down to write this post we are preparing for Tropical Storm Hanna, which should arrive sometime this evening. (9/5/08) It has already started to rain, and it is anticipated that the rains will be quite heavy at times, combined with heavy winds, etc. We have already shopped for all of the essentials, including extra batteries and canned foods in case we lose power. We are perhaps a little over cautious, but having survived Hurricane Isabel in 2003 we feel it's better to err on the side of caution. Having come from New York to North Carolina, it was our first experience with a hurricane, and we were suitibly humbled by the experience. Isabel made landfall a little south and west of Edenton and was a category 3 storm when it hit. By the time it reached our home it had subsided to a category 2. I can't imagine the strength of a more powerful storm. We were lucky, in part, because it hit during the day. We had been told that they usually hit at night. As we huddled at our kitchen table and listened to the winds, we were at least able to look out the windows on ocassion, and see that the world was still around us. I was convinced of the awesome power of those winds when I looked out one time and saw a pine tree in our front yard snapped in two about 6' off the ground. This was a massive tree. with a trunk about 5' in diameter, and it had stood about 30' - 40' in the air. And there it was like a twig, broken in two, and we hadn't even heard it because of the deafening winds. Well, we spent just about the entire day like that, listening to our battery powered radio - we lost power very early on in the day - and hearing what sounded like rocks hitting our roof (pine cones), and then the sound of shingles popping off the roof, literaly sucked off by the winds. By the time it all calmed down it was too late to venture out, as the entire town was without power. The following morning broke clear and sunny and we were able to survey the damage. We had lost a couple of trees, and later had to take a couple more down. We had lost quite a few shingles from the roof, but it was intact with no stuctural damage. Our home is high enough in elevation that we had no flooding, but we lost our water to the house during the course of the day. The tempertures rose, we had no power, couldn't take a shower, and couldn't cook on our electric stove. Completely uncomfortable, and with the task of cleaning all of the debris in the yard the next day, we called it quit's for the day. (As the General Manager of the cable company at the time, I of course worked a 12-14 hour day there to begin the process of restoring the cable system.) In the midst of all of this we had, and found, plenty to be grateful for. We cooked a can of Chef Boyardee Ravioli on the patio grill for supper, and I have to tell you that it tasted better than a steak that night. We stepped outside later to a clear cloudless night, and with no street or house lights, we had the clearest view of the stars I've ever seen; you could actually see the bands of the Milky Way. This view was much better than any television show we might have been tempted to watch had we had electricity. Our son came down from New York to spend some time and to give us a hand with the clean up around the house. We enjoyed, and were grateful, for his help and his company. With no power we sat around, talked, played cards, and just generally enjoyed each others company at the end of the day. Even with trees coming down, leaning, losing branches, etc. we sustaind no serious damage to the house except for the shingleing. Our water service was restored after about a week and a half, and everyone enjoyed their first shower in that same time. We had sponge bathed of course, but a shower now seemed a luxury, and we were grateful. Our electricity was restored shortly before that and we could now cook a complete meal. While several homes in the area sustained major damage, the community was amazed that there hadn't been more, and with the exception of one storm related death, there were no serious injuries sustained by antone. This included the massive numbers of electrical contractors, tree crews, and roofers who responded to the needs of the area and it's homeowners. So, even in the face of all of this tumult, destruction and cayous, there were plenty of reasons to be grateful. Of all of those I think I was most grateful for that first simple meal of ravioli and the quiet, and peacefulness of that first evening after the storm. It reminded me that even after a profound demonstration of natures power, there was a purpose and a sense of the marvelous in all of our lives, and above all, a reason to be grateful. I hope you discover, and enjoy an ability to be grateful for all that you are given. |
| posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 11:44 |
|
|
|
| Wednesday, 3 September 2008 |
|
|
I was blessed with a visit from my daughter Karen, her husband Dave, and my wonderful grandchildren Michael and Sydney over the Labor Day weekend. It is always a joy because the grand children bring back to mind the wonderful innocence of childhood, and offer a refreshing perspective that is all too easy to forget as one gets older. We got to get caught up with Karen and Dave, and their busy lives, and I had the opportunity to be the doting grand father. Sydney and I got to play a "game" I have been playing with both children since they were both about 4 or 5. I reach behind thier ear, or knee. or some other likely spot such as thier ankle. Then I wriggle and tug a little bit, pull with all my might, and wrest out a quarter, nickle, or dime, that's been growing there since we were last together. It still always evokes a sense of wonder and glee from Sydney. Michael has stopped playing for about a year or so now. He doesn't beleive in the "magic" of it anymore. He has stopped suspending his disbelief. It started with the suspision that grandpa was pulling a fast one on him and couldn't really pull a quarter from behind his ear, but he was able, for a little while, to suspend that disbelief and enjoy the game for a while longer. Sydney has not yet "learned" to question or disbeleive in the possibilty for magic to occur. She is just as gleeful and happy as when I first did it. The amazing thing is that it's not about the money. She left it sitting on the kitchen counter when they left. I hope it lasts. We all, at one time or another, have suspended our disbelief, if only for a little while. We go to a movie, see the "impossible", and don't question it. That's a part of the "magic" of movies. We discover, in that time, something we lost somewhere along the way. A little bit of pure innocence, the ability to beleive the impossible, and with it the potential for so much happiness. Each of us needs to habitually seek to suspend our disbelief, dare to dream, and recapture that part of ourself that may have been lost on our journey. The second event of this past weekend was a follow up visit with my neuro surgeon. Having suffered with neck pain for a number of years I followed a reccomendation from my family doctor to visit a surgeon. He advised the removal of two ruptured discs and the fusion of three vertabrae. I accepted his advise and underwent the surgery on July 11th. I was to have quit smoking 30 days prior to having the surgery, but didn't quite make that goal. Apparently the nicotene impedes the growth of bone and could lead the graft to fail and not fuse properly. Upon release from the hospital the doctor reiterated the potential dire consequences should I continue to smoke. I gave it a valient effort but haven't yet reached the point of quitting entirely. I did however, curtail my usage quite a bit, and do have the goal of being completely nicotine free. Well, my follow up visit went great!!! I no longer need to wear a neck brace to stableize my neck; I can drive again, and go back to work. The doctor even told me that I was much further along than most patients at this point of recovery. I was, to say the least, ecstatic! I had been, for the most part, confined to the house since July 11th, and now I'm free. I credit this recovery to several factors, one of which is attitude. When I first asked the doctor about recovery duration he told me a lot of that had to do with me. How I managed my expectations, or my attitude. All through this I have been optimistic, even in the face of not having quit smoking. I visualized the bones growing in my body, "seeing" the two different bones merging into one. The other factor was my belief that I would heal well. I envisioned myself going to the doctor and him telling me that he was amazed at how well I was healing. Not far removed from what he acctually said! This experience has served to reinforce my already strong belief that anyone can do anything that he or she believes they can, if they allow that belief to form and grow into reality. I would not suggest that one should ignore their doctors advise, and go willy nilly about life. But I would tell you that what you beleive has, or can have, a profound effect on the outcome you are seeking. So, on occasion, suspend your disbelief to rediscover the wonderful simplicity of innocence, and on the other hand, beleive in all of the potential that you have and the ability that you have, today, to choose the outcomes you desire!!! |
| posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 10:13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I apologize for the delay in posting here over the last couple of days, but I had a couple of events that precluded my dedicating the proper time to do so. One was a visit from my daughter and family, and the other was a visit to the doctor, both of which I will tell you about separately. Now to the remainder of Limitless Potential. I closed with the question as to where our thoughts, emotions, and imaginations reside. A scientist might well tell you that they are contained in the depths of our brains, and they may be right to a certain degree. Our brains are a mass of neurons firing electrical impulses throughout our brains. These comprise, at least the conscious functioning of our bodies, our memories, and the control of our automatic bodily functions like heartbeat etc. I think that's completely comprehensible and makes perfect sense. But what of the idea that you didn't possess or process mentally until now? Where did it come from? Is it simply information that resided in those neurons until just this moment? Or is there another possibility? This brings us back to a discussion of physics and the behavior of quantum materials. In "The Fabric of the Cosmos", Brian Greene tells about several experiments that demonstrate some remarkable properties of some of these particles. One such property is the ability of two particles to communicate, instantaneously, across the vast reaches of space, as well as the ability to traverse those spaces in the same manner. In "The Elegant Universe", he discusses the work of physicist Richard Feynman who theorizes that a photon traveling toward a phosphorescent screen, and passing through a slit in a screen that is in the path toward the phosphorescent screen, actually travels on all of the infinite possible paths, simultaneously, before hitting, and lighting a spot on the phosphorescent screen. In "The Elegant Universe" he discusses String Theory and some of the properties of the quantum world. One of these is that there may not be just the three dimensions that we commonly think of when viewing the physical world. What has been theorized is that there may be as many as 10, 11, or 12 dimensions in our universe. These, again, exist at the quantum level. So, what's in these other dimensions? What if I were to suggest that one of these dimensions could be the "spiritual" dimension I have alluded to? Does it seem possible or probable? What if those things we imagine, dream, hope for, actually reside at this level, and what again about potential? What I'm suggesting is that everything we can imagine or dream of exists already, in a limitless sea of potential. They can be brought to mind from wherever they are instantaneously, and manifested physically in our lives, by allowing the potential to grow and become reality. You may not become wealthy in a heartbeat, but you can set yourself on the path. I dare you to hope, dream, and be bold in seeking those things that you desire! |
| posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 09:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I apologize for the delay in posting here over the last couple of days, but I had a couple of events that precluded my dedicating the proper time to do so. One was a visit from my daughter and family, and the other was a visit to the doctor, both of which I will tell you about separately. Now to the remainder of Limitless Potential. I closed with the question as to where our thoughts, emotions, and imaginations reside. A scientist might well tell you that they are contained in the depths of our brains, and they may be right to a certain degree. Our brains are a mass of neurons firing electrical impulses throughout our brains. These comprise, at least the conscious functioning of our bodies, our memories, and the control of our automatic bodily functions like heartbeat etc. I think that's completely comprehensible and makes perfect sense. But what of the idea that you didn't possess or process mentally until now? Where did it come from? Is it simply information that resided in those neurons until just this moment? Or is there another possibility? This brings us back to a discussion of physics and the behavior of quantum materials. In "The Fabric of the Cosmos", Brian Greene tells about several experiments that demonstrate some remarkable properties of some of these particles. One such property is the ability of two particles to communicate, instantaneously, across the vast reaches of space, as well as the ability to traverse those spaces in the same manner. In "The Elegant Universe", he discusses the work of physicist Richard Feynman who theorizes that a photon traveling toward a phosphorescent screen, and passing through a slit in a screen that is in the path toward the phosphorescent screen, actually travels on all of the infinite possible paths, simultaneously, before hitting, and lighting a spot on the phosphorescent screen. In "The Elegant Universe" he discusses String Theory and some of the properties of the quantum world. One of these is that there may not be just the three dimensions that we commonly think of when viewing the physical world. What has been theorized is that there may be as many as 10, 11, or 12 dimensions in our universe. These, again, exist at the quantum level. So, what's in these other dimensions? What if I were to suggest that one of these dimensions could be the "spiritual" dimension I have alluded to? Does it seem possible or probable? What if those things we imagine, dream, hope for, actually reside at this level, and what again about potential? What I'm suggesting is that everything we can imagine or dream of exists already, in a limitless sea of potential. They can be brought to mind from wherever they are instantaneously, and manifested physically in our lives, by allowing the potential to grow and become reality. You may not become wealthy in a heartbeat, but you can set yourself on the path. I dare you to hope, dream, and be bold in seeking those things that you desire! |
| posted by The White Dove Partnership @ 08:51 |
|
|
|
|
|
