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a quote by horace mann

Last night I passed a church on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia displaying a quote in large black and white letters in a glass-encasement attached to the building. Every so often the quote changes. Light shining on the words make them easy to read at night. Once in a while a quote seems to demand special attention from a passer-by whose imagination it manages to capture. Tonight Horace Mann’s words: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity” got me to stop, stare and reread those simple words strung together in a deeply moving way.

In recent years magazines and books tend to write about how caught up we are in surface things, and if we were to catorgize many of them we’d have to put them on our meaningless list. The writers of these magazines and books want us to consider a whole other way of living in the world. That sounds like a fair suggestion considering the way the world is at the present time. And so the quote by Horace Mann seems a good starting point to think about what exactly we could do for humanity before we die. There are many people already living this way. They don’t get write ups; they don’t want write ups.

The quote by Horace Mann gives those of us who have more on our meaningless list than our meaningful list a chance to consider how we’ll go about winning some victory for humanity before we die. Now’s as good a time as any because we’re in the midst of a season that tends to put joy in our hearts whether we strive for it or not.

And so, I say to myself that it’s time to shorten my meaningless list, and begin to figure out why that quote by Horace Mann grabbed my attention. Oh, Yes!

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a thank you for a “simple” meal

I HOPE THANKSGIVING DAY WAS EXACTLY AS YOU ALL WANTED IT TO BE.

While recovering from a recent hospital experience, I sat one morning with a simple breakfast of Knudsen’s Concord Grape juice diluted with water; scrumptious Wheat Sandwich bread from Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia, toasted to perfection and spread with butter and bionatura Organic Bilberry Fruit Spread; Burlap and Bean Espresso coffee from Newtown Square, Pa made in a French Press (although a few days ago Sumi read that for health reasons a French Press and percolator are not the best way to prepare coffee. And so, a little research will begin on that).

With that simple breakfast before me, I decided to say a thorough thank you to everyone responsible for the enjoyment of this meal, – farmer, baker, supplier, retailer, and all of the employees – from land the world over. I was surprised at how many people and how much work was involved. And as I thought about the simple breakfast, the list became a very long one. Then I was reminded that it wasn’t only about the food, there was also the matter of the coffee grinder, plates, pot for boiling water, stove, toaster, utensils, glassware, tap water, and refrigerator. I truly hadn’t stopped to think about the extent of our dependency on each other until that breakfast thank you. A simple breakfast doesn’t seem so simple anymore.

On Thanksgiving Day I think the food would have gotten very cold had we all said a special thank you to everyone involved in that entire meal.

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Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul. -Democritus

Simplicity should not be identified with bareness. – Felix Adler

The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity. – Ludwig Wittgenstein

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice. – Meister Eckhart

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. – Vincent Van Gogh

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where have all those hands been?

When clicking onto aol I sometimes read the gentle news, and the comments that come with it, because they’re often witty, informative, sensitive, on target, and have a lot of common sense attached to them – HA! -of course not all comments. On the whole, however, there seems to be some very wise people “out there” who ought to be heard.

On Friday, Aug. 7, there was a short news item about a group of people, including a 6-month old baby, entering a Burger King, and soon finding themselves unwelcomed because the baby wasn’t wearing shoes.

The following from Heidi might make you want to gag, but it’s still worth reading:

“. . . Sending away 20 customers as a result doesn’t really fit into the equation of following the rules. BTW, I’d rather deal with the “dirt” from baby feet than the e-coli & other bacteria in the ice they put in your soft drinks. Did you know that a high school student somewhere did a project in a fast food restaurant that proved there was more bacteria in the self-service ice dispenser than there was in the toilet? NO ICE PLEASE — I’LL TAKE THE BABY FEET!!”

Actually, the reason the baby was unwelcomed was due to liability concerns. However, along with this news we’re reminded that cleanliness in many fast food places leaves much to be desired. Unwashed hands do touch the condiments, unwrapped plastic utensils, levers on drink dispensers, napkins, and, yes, the ice. However, we can’t control the world. Much of our time is spent in public places regularly eating out, picnicking in parks in the summer, clasping hands at concerts, in introductions, at meetings, etc., better to wash our own hands, be aware and choose wisely where we eat, and not obsess about things we can’t control. The fact is that there’s a very long list of things we can’t control in public places, and, come to think of it, sometimes even in shared and more personal spaces.

Keep on keeping us laughing and informed, all you wise and witty ones “out there.”

Enjoy the day; it’s a beautiful one.

www.parentdish.com was listed next to Heidi’s name.

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whole foods

The news is that those at the helm at Whole Foods have decided to follow its original plan and sell more whole foods and a lot less junk foods. Aug 5, 2009 www.dailyfinance.com/bloggers/sarah-gilbert

In Philadelphia the supermarkets are on the outskirts of the city, and the two Whole Foods in Phila have cornered the market. Many people shopping at a Whole Foods for the first time, and expecting the offerings to be healthy, are getting mixed signals because, after passing the organic and conventional fruit and vegetable section, the junk foods are waiting for them. It begins with the onslaught (I say onslaught because it’s always a mental wrestle when passing all this stuff) of potato chips, tortilla chips, packaged cookies and crackers, and chocolates. Soon after that is the special-looking, sugar-ladened cakes, cookies, cupcakes, croissants, coffee cakes, and quick breads. As we meander along that aisle, surprise, there’s the long counter of sometimes overcooked, sometimes overly-salted prepared foods, including fried chicken and farm-raised salmon. And the sushi? Well, what’s with the long list of ingredients on the label, even with the simplest of sushi combinations?

It’s not that Whole Foods is doing anything other markets aren’t, but that their original claim was about health, as in whole foods, and then the scales began tipping with junk foods now vying for top billing.

On the other hand, the cosmetic department is very good. Whoever is doing the buying seems in the know, and is bringing in products seemingly devoid of toxic substances, i.e., for the most part. That said, there’s the matter of the bars of soap. . . . Jeepers creepers that game could be called: how expensive can we get before customers say no.

Well, so be it, mental note: when shopping at Whole Foods by-pass the junk food aisles (almost impossible), or rev up the discipline.

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asbury park, nj

I remember the fun so many of us had at Asbury Park, NJ when it was in its prime. On many weekends a lot of people would gather in cars, – in those days there were no seat belts, no real crowding on the roads, and no one to stop the driver of a car for having too many people in it. So, off we went from Manhattan, eager to taste the ocean air, dance, walk on the sand, enjoy the merriment of the environment, visit the fun house, and feast our eyes on the sturdy and well-designed whimsical buildings beckoning to us to enjoy what was inside. Once for $3 a woman read my palm, and years later when she suddenly came to mind, I had to salute her accuracy.

Then life got very busy, and for many years I temporarily forgot about Asbury Park, NJ. And so, one day on my way to somewhere else, I passed this once delightful place that had brought so much innocent entertainment and enjoyment to so many, and thought, “What happened to you dear friend? What a haggard look you’re wearing. Doesn’t anyone love you anymore? How undignified and unnecessary for you to be left this way.”

Now recently on a visit to somewhere else, I had a chance to glimpse an Asbury Park, NJ edging toward new life. And I whispered to it, “Hooray for you, Asbury Park!” And so, once again people care, and it shows. Its boardwalk is seeing a wonderful selection of speciality restaurants, a few stands that smack of organic and nutrition, a bakery that has its customers coming back again and again, and a small seafood place next door that does the same, there are hat shops, courses in pottery and glass making, galleries, entertainment, a most creative water playground for children, – yes, all that and more. There are condos being built and people moving in, and the town is in the process of becoming what the people moving in and those opening businesses want it to be. Lots of creativity happening.

Hooray for you, Asbury Park!

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bill moyers and huston smith

In 2004, Bill Moyers and Huston Smith sat together for a PBS Special to talk about “. . . the world’s enduring religions” – Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Five DVDs titled The Wisdom of Faith with Huston Smith comprise their dialogue. Huston Smith is a scholar who has devoted his life to studying, and participating in the religions he speaks about, and which he has traveled extensively to study. He is ninety years old; his eyes suggest he is much younger. He’s taught at MIT, Syracuse University and UC Berkeley. Bill Moyers was once a seminarian; his interest in religions was obvious as he carefully listened to Huston Smith, and asked questions of him that often produced exquisite answers. And I listened just as carefully to the dialogue between these two men, rewinding at times to catch a missed word. For me, some long-unanswered questions were answered – not only answered as in, “I understand, that was interesting.” but in, “I’ve never understood that until now, and those words have reached a deep level somewhere in my being.”

Spending a few evenings listening to Bill Moyers and Huston Smith speak about the ever-fascinating subject of religion is a superb treat.

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www.hustonsmith.net
www.pbs.org/now

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four websites, a movie, and a book

Four websites:
www.gratidudes.com

www.share-international.org

www.naturalnews.com

www.swamikriyananda.org

A movie:
THE KITE RUNNER –
“Surely one of THE GREATEST FILMS you are ever going to see!” -Jeffrey Lyons
“This is a MAGNIFICENT film!” -Roger Ebert

And a book:
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda –
“I keep stacks of Autobiography of a Yogi around the house, and I give it out constantly to people. When people need ‘regrooving,’ I say read this, because it cuts to the heart of every religion.” -George Harrison

“This book. . . .inspired me to change my diet, meditate, and pay attention to my spiritual well-being. Autobiography of a Yogi is a modern classic that also happens to be a terrific read-one of my very favorite books.” -Andrew Weil, M.D., author and pioneer in holistic medicine

“This book is a must-read for the budding yogi, the spiritual veteran looking for a deeper understanding, and everyone in between.” -Yogi Times

“A profound introduction to yoga and meditation.” -Odyssey, South Africa

“If we had a man like Paramahansa Yogananda in the United Nations today, probably the world would be a better place than it is.” -Ambasador of India B.R. Sen, in a eulogy at Yogananda’s funeral

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just pondering

If you could, what would you change in the world on a large scale? If you were up to the challenge, what would your heart tell you?

I think about the people whose focus is to uplift society, and the meager money and attention they get. And I think about those who manage to dumb down society by attempting to pull its people into being unquestioning, and untiring and devoted spectators, completely engrossed in nonsensical things while they with their dumb-down ideas accumulate big bucks. This seems to happen in just about any serious problem facing society – poverty, disease, crime, pollution. etc. Nature, however, suggests that the alternative could be wildly and magnificently different.

During lazy moments, or after reading an article that revs up the intellect, I ponder the many different turns available to a society at any given time in its history. There are the people having an idea for change, and there are “the leaders,” and then those having a say in the matter either wanting or not wanting change (sometimes to the detriment of society, and the betterment of themselves). And lastly, there are those having the energy required to execute the change, or to stop it. And little by little, a society flourishes by those who uplift it, or is tainted by those seeking money and/or power. And what could be simple becomes overwhelming complicated.

That said, I smell change in the air – ready and waiting.

www.takepart.com

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on death

Last month I watched the movie “How to Know God” by Deepak Chopra. Actually, I watched it twice, or perhaps it was three times. And I picked up another movie “Experiencing the Soul” Before Life, During Life, and After Death, in which those who are devoting their lives to understanding other aspects of life are interviewed.

At Border’s I found a book titled “The Open Road THE GLOBAL JOURNEY OF THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA” by Pico Iyer. On its cover is written: “An intimate portrait. . . . Without ever losing compassion or respect for his subject, Iyer peels away layer after layer of illusion, revealing critical truths about this man at every possible level.” -Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. The Dalai Lama was a friend of the writer’s father. I think I’ll read it more than once, not because it’s complicated, but because I want to experience reading the words again. The Dalai Lama wakes at 3am every morning to meditate for four hours. I’ve read a few times that he’s preparing himself for death. He’s also living a very full life.

Every so often I read the words “preparing for death” and it seems a very good way to live life. We prepare for many things, and since death goes hand-in-hand with us while we’re alive, it makes sense for us to get into the habit of preparing for it. Should we die tomorrow, or not for many decades, we’ll be comfortable with the thought of death. I’ve been at the bedside of people who’ve died peacefully, and with one who fought it tooth and nail. Peaceful looked right.

Michael Jackson’s death was a surprise to his family and his fans. I hope it wasn’t a surprise to him, and that his spirit is now peacefully of its journey. It’s quite obvious that his talent touched many lives in an extraordinary way.

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“When I die I will soar with the angels, and, when I die to the angels, what I shall become you cannot imagine.” – Rumi