LOVELIGHT
magazine
*******
Vol. 2, no. 9*** September 2005
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Managing Editors: Richard "Shining Thunder" Francis and Adamaria Francis
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Contributors to this issue: Ramona Abella, Jim Dwyer, Ann Fine, Chris Finer, Mick Gallagher, Pat Goodman, Alice Phillips (Alleybug), Diann Proffitt, Teresa Ramsey, Ty Scharrer, Karen Shaw, Barbara Siler, Susan Smith, Geoffrey Stoermer, Vera Westerman, and Heather Wiggins.
*******
*******
"LOVELETTERS"
FROM FRIENDS, PALS, AND BUDS
From Ramona Abella
My very dearest Friend of the Soul
and Teacher:
Thank you for your
faithfulness. Thank you for your determination and hard work. Thank
you for your tenacity in being a Gatekeeper for the Truth. Thank you for your
courage of so many types. Thank you for your caring heart. Thank you for
your presence on this most beautiful earth and wounded world. Thank
you for being in my life. It has been said but it needs repeating
here today: "When I count my blessings, I count you twice".
How is the radio program doing?
Track has been lost as to what stage the show has been developed. Please,
advise if there is a website for the radio station where the shows may be
archived to be replayed by the public.
To you and to Ada Maria,
Love and countless blessings,
Ramona
PS Cyndi Sheehan [is] a
soldier for justice; a part of me wants to join her in Texas. Will do
what is possible from this end to support her.
***
From Diann Proffitt:
Dear Richard,
...I have to say this was an
excellent response. The crystal clear writing and heart felt answers came
through loud and clear. I saved a copy on the desktop and printed a copy
to re-read. The words rang so true and resonated with some direct
experiences!! In fact, I recently had a misunderstanding with my sister,
and Love took over!! We were able to straighten things out the very next
morning. The reading of this material helped guide me through the chaos
of soul-karma. Placing Trust in Love lets Love win the test everytime!!
YIIIIIIPPPPEEE!! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer
these questions and writing the answers in a "capricorn" style so it
could be easily assimilated. We noticed that kind
"pisces-libra" consideration, and appreciated it so very much!! Have
a sweet day!
Love,
Diann
***
From Allybug:
Hello Brother
Richard,
As you know, I write
seldom but read often!:)
When you write a piece so powerful, I respond...
This [article in the uld]
was a wonderful reminder to all of us.
I have now learned it is
possible to remove negative
life zapping
energy from my surroundings. This does
not mean I no
longer care about the person or persons,
but that
I realize how we impact each others energy
field. When I choose to let them go, it
is with great peace
and Love [that]
I resume the path.
Blessings to
you and Maria,
Love,
Ally
***
From Barbara Siler:
Dearest Richard,
WOW! Of all the many "Heartmind"
programs Dale and I have listened to in the past, those last few minutes
of tonight's program brought us right up out of our chairs! What
a way to go out! You have taught us much, over
the years, dear friend, but nothing could have made us prouder than
hearing you speak truth to power, this evening. Thank you, thank you, for
being a voice for all who love peace.
You have been a blessing to so
many listeners, with your "love plus nothing" message, and we'll all
miss you and Ron, on Sunday evenings. Your positive comments, and upbeat
attitude, concerning change, were like a balm on a sore spot. Ever
the teacher/healer, aren't you? And you're right-- the sky's the limit
for your possibilities in the future. Wherever you are, whatever you'll
be doing, you can count on your friends' being there.
We couldn't find a blank tape
quickly enough to record this last program, but maybe Adamaria could save one
for us, until we can get down there. Things are still up in the air, but
it's gonna happen, beloveds. Until then,
Peace and joy to you,
Barbara and Dale
***
From Karen Shaw:
Dear Richard,
We met this past spring. In fact, I came to your
lovely home. Thank you for inviting me to your
Sunday
get-togethers. I hope that I will be able to attend
one soon.
I just wanted you to know how sick
I am about the
demise of WVXU as we know it. I wrote a heartfelt
letter to everyone at the station;
and I heard that it
was posted. I saw Ron E. when I was there and told
him about it. I would love for you to read it as
well. "Heartmind" has made a profound difference in my
life, and I am so thankful that I
came to know you
through the program. Do you have any plans to go to
another station? Please let me know, because I want
to stay connected with you as much
as possible.
Please let Ron know that I have
written to you
personally; and I want to thank
you both for the
wonderful insights you brought to
light. I am so
grateful for all that I learned
from your broadcasts.
It was very nice to meet Maria at
your home that day,
she was so warm and friendly to
me. Let her know that
I wish you both, and Ron Esposito,
all the love and
goodness in the world. I know this isn't goodbye, but
it is still very hard. I look forward to experiencing
your friendship and wisdom in a
new way.
With love and Blessings,
Karen Shaw
***
From Ann Fine:
Mr. Francis / Mr. Esposito,
I wanted to write to say
goodbye, and thank you for your weekly radio show on VXU.
I didn't listen weekly, but I
listened when I could, and appreciated that a show such as yours existed on the
radio. I will miss it. The humor and the passion for a true
spiritual path were a joy to have on VXU.
I know that you will continue
doing all the many other great things that each of you does to create positive
ripples in the fabric of our world.
...I, too, will do my best to
create those ripples. I know that we don't need a majority-- just a
critical mass, to have spiritual evolution. At this point, I believe that
that is the only thing that will save this world.
Please pass along to Ron, that
years ago, I sat next to him at a pledge drive. It was the first time
that I had volunteered for one, and he was part of making it fun. He is a
very entertaining person...! Ron-- thank you for all that you contributed
to VXU over the years. It was a very special station (I never thought a
media outlet could mean so much to me!), and will be missed profoundly. I
wish you the best of fortune and joyful opportunities in the coming years.
Ann Fine
Hamilton, OH
*******
*******
SNORTS, LAUGHS, GUFFAWS, CHUCKLES, AND GIGGLES: HUMORTHERAPY
CATHOLIC DOG,
sent in by Vera Westerman
Muldoon lived alone in the Irish countryside with only a dog for company. One day the dog died, and Muldoon went
to the parish priest and asked, "Father, me dog is dead. Could ya' be sayin' a mass for the poor
creature?"
Father Patrick replied, "I'm afraid
we cannot have services for an animal in the church. But there are some Baptists down the lane. Maybe they'll do something."
Muldoon said, "Do ya think $5,000 is
enough to donate to them for the service?"
Father Patrick exclaimed, "Sweet
Mary, Mother of Jesus! Why didn't
ya tell me the dog was
Catholic?"
***
PEST CONTROL
A woman was having a passionate affair with an inspector from a pest-control
company. One afternoon, they were carrying on in
the bedroom together when
her husband arrived home
unexpectedly.
"Quick," said the woman to her
lover, "into the closet!" And she pushed him into the closet, stark naked.
Her husband, however, became suspicious;
and, after a search of the bedroom, discovered the man in the closet.
"Who are you?" he asked him.
"I'm an inspector from Bugs-B-Gone,"
said the exterminator.
"What are you doing in there?"
the husband asked.
"I'm investigating a complaint about
an infestation of moths," the man
replied.
"Where are your clothes?" peevishly
inquired the husband.
The man looked down at himself and said,
"Oh, my God! Those little
bastards!"
***
THE TWENTY-THIRD QUALM, sent in by Mick Gallagher
Bush is my shepherd; I dwell in want. Fear shall follow me all the days of my
life; and I shall dwell in the house of greed forever.
He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests.
He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness. He polluteth the still waters.
He restoreth my fears.
He leadeth me in the paths of international
disgrace for his ego's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of pollution
and war,
I will find no exit, for he art in office.
His tax cuts for the rich and his media control,
they discomfort me.
He preparest an agenda of deception in the
presence of his friends and citizens.
His religion bringeth me pain and misery.
He anointest my head with foreign oil. He maketh a mess of all things.
My health insurance runneth out. He stealeth all my gold for the
building of weapons. He destroyeth
the innocents, and filleth the valleys with their blood, which cryeth out unto
the Lord of justice. He
multiplieth hell.
Surely megalomania and false patriotism shall
follow me all the days of his term,
And my jobless child shall dwell in my basement
forever.
***
PROCRASTINATOR'S
CREED, sent in by Ty Scharrer.
[I would have sent this out a couple of years ago,
but I kept putting it off.]
I believe that if anything is
worth doing, it would have been done already.***I shall never move quickly,
except to avoid more work or find excuses.***I shall meet all of my deadlines
directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive
from missing them.***I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of
consideration.***I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new
technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.***I
truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable, regardless of the amount of
time given.***I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though
infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero.***If at first I don't succeed,
there is always next year.***I shall always decide not to decide, unless of
course I decide to change my mind.***I shall always begin, start, initiate,
take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.***I
obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be
done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the
greater task.***I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is
wait/plan/plan.***I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about
forever.***I will become a member of the ancient Order of Two-Headed Turtles
(the Procrastinator's Society) if they ever get it organized. (Note: I did
see a two-headed turtle in a Florida State Park.)
***
Laugh often, long and loud! Laugh until you gasp for
breath!—sent in by Chris Finer
***
WHY WE LOVE CHILDREN, sent in
by Pat Goodman
A kindergarten pupil told his
teacher he'd found
a cat, but it was dead.
"How do you know that the cat was dead?" she asked
her pupil. "Because I pissed in its ear and it didn't
move," answered the
child innocently.
"You did WHAT?" the
teacher exclaimed in surprise.
"You know, "explained the boy, "I leaned over
and went 'Pssst!' and it didn't
move."
***
TENACITY, sent in by Pat Goodman
A small boy was sent to bed by his
father. Five minutes
later: "Daddy."
"What?"
"I'm thirsty! Can you bring me a drink of water?"
"No. You had your chance. Lights out."
Five minutes later: "Daddy!"
"WHAT?"
"I'm thirsty. Can I have a drink of water??"
"I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!"
Five minutes later: "Daddy."
"What?!"
"When you come in to spank me, can
you bring a drink of water?"
***
GETTING INTO HEAVEN, THE KID'S WAY, sent in by Patty Goodman
An exasperated mother, whose son
was always getting into mischief,
finally asked him "How do you expect to get into
Heaven?"
The boy thought it over and said,
"Well, I'll run in and out and in and out and keep slamming the door until
St Peter says, 'For Heaven's sake, Dylan, come in or stay out!'"
***
THE WORLD THROUGH A KID'S EYES,
sent in by Patty Goodman
One summer evening, during a violent thunderstorm,
a mother was tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn
off the light
when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will
you sleep with me
tonight?"
The mother smiled and gave him a
reassuring hug. "I can't
dear," she said. "I have to sleep in Daddy's room."
A long silence was broken at
last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy."
***
THE
WAY KIDS SEE THINGS, sent in by Chris Finer
NUDITY
I was driving with my three young children one
warm summer evening when a Woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and
waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard
my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!
HONESTY
My son, four years old, came screaming out of the
bathroom to tell me that he had dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the
garbage. He stood there thinking
for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming
little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in
the toilet a few days ago."
MORE NUDITY
A little boy got lost at the ymca, and found
himself in the women's locker room.
When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing
towels and running for cover. The
little boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a little boy
before?"
DEATH
While walking along the sidewalk in front of
his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his
collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead
robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small
box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal
of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers
and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his Father
always said:
"Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the Son, and into the hole he
goes."
***
ZEN WISDOM, sent in by Ty
Scharrer
When I received this bit of humor,
my friend, Richard S.T. Francis, came into my thoughts. This one is for you, S.T.!
[A bit cynical for personal taste,
but funny!—R. Francis]
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not
follow. Do not walk beside me
either. Just pretty much leave me
the hell alone!***2. Sometimes it
seems that no one is listening until you screw up.***3. Always remember that you're
unique. Just like everyone
else.***4. Never test the depth of
the water with both feet.***5.
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in her shoes. That way, when you criticize her,
you're a mile away and you have her shoes.***6. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for
you.***7. If you tell the truth,
you don't have to remember anything.***8.
Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.***9. A closed mouth gathers no
foot.***10. Generally
speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.*** 11. Experience is something you don't
get until just after you need it.***12.
Never miss a good chance to shut up!
***
BUSHIE LIGHTBULB JOKE, sent in
by Geoffrey Stoermer
How many bushies does it take to
change a lightbulb? The answer is ten: 1. One to deny that a lightbulb needs to
be changed;***2. One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the lightbulb
needs to be changed;***3. One to blame Clinton for having burned out the
lightbulb;***4. One to tell the nations of the world that they either favor
changing the
lightbulb or support darkness;***5. One to give a billion dollar no-bid
contract to Halliburton for the new lightbulb;***6. One to arrange a photograph
of Bush, dressed as a janitor, standing on a step ladder under the banner
"LIGHTBULB CHANGE ACCOMPLISHED!";***7. One administration insider to
resign and write a book documenting in detail how Bush was literally "in
the dark";***8. One viciously to smear #7;***9. One surrogate to campaign
on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has had
a strong lightbulb-changing policy all along;***10. And finally, one to confuse
Americans about the difference between screwing a lightbulb and screwing the
country.
*******
*******
DRAWING THE LINE: A Miniparable
sent in by Mick Gallagher
Bill and his wife Martha went to the state fair every year; and
every year, Bill would say, "Martha, I'd like to ride in that
airplane."
Martha always replied, "I
know Bill, but that airplane ride costs 50 dollars, and 50 dollars
is 50 dollars."
One year, they went, and Bill said, Martha, I'm 81years old. If I don't ride that airplane now, I
might never get another chance."
Martha replied, "Bill, that airplane
ride costs 50 dollars, and 50 dollars is 50 dollars."
The pilot overheard them and said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take you both up for a
ride. If you can stay quiet for
the entire ride and not say one word, I won't charge you; but if you
say one word its 50 dollars." Bill and Martha agreed and up
they went.
The pilot did all kinds of twists and turns, rolls and dives, but not
a word was heard. He
did all his tricks over again, but still not a word. When they
landed, the pilot turned to Bill and said, "By golly, I
did everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you
didn't."
Bill replied, "Well, I
was gonna say something when Martha fell out. But 50 dollars is 50 dollars."
***
OUTSOURCING THE PRESIDENT'S JOB TO INDIA
Washington D.C.
Congress
today announced that the office of President of the United States of America
will be outsourced to overseas interests as of June 30th. The move is being
made to save not only a significant portion of the President's$400K yearly
salary, but also a record $521 billion in deficit expenditures and related
overhead.
"We believe this
is a wise move financially. The cost savings should be significant,"
stated Congressman Thomas Reynolds (R-Wash.).
Reynolds, with the aid of the Government Accountability Office, has studied
outsourcing of American jobs extensively. "We cannot expect to
remain competitive on the world stage with the current level of cash
outlay," Reynolds noted.
Mr. bush was informed
by email this morning of his termination. Preparations for the job move have
been underway for some time.
Sanji Gurvinder Singh of Indus Teleservices, Mumbai, India will be
assuming the office of President as of July 1. Mr. Singh was born in the
United States while his Indian parents were vacationing at Niagara Falls, thus
making him eligible for the position. He will receive a salary of $320
(USD) a month but with no health coverage or other benefits. It is believed that Mr. Singh will be
able to handle his job responsibilities without support staff. Due to the time difference between the
US and India, he will be working primarily at night, when few offices of the US
Government will be open. "Working nights will allow me to keep my
day job at the American Express call center," stated Mr. Singh in an
exclusive interview. "I am excited about this position. I
always hoped I would be President someday."
A Congressional
Spokesperson noted that while Mr. Singh may not be fully aware of all the issues involved in the office
of President, this should not be a problem. Mr. Singh will
rely upon a script tree that will enable him to
respond effectively to most topics of concern.
Using this tree, he
can address common concerns without having to understand the underlying issues at all.
"We know these scripting tools work," stated
the Spokesperson. "Mr. bush
has used them successfully for years."
Mr. bush will receive
health coverage, expenses, and salary until his final day of employment.
Following a two week waiting period, he will be eligible for 240 dollars a week
unemployment for 13 weeks. Unfortunately he will not be eligible for
Medicaid as his unemployment benefits will exceed the allowed limit.
Mr. bush has been
provided the outplacement services of Manpower, Inc. to help him write a resume and prepare for his
upcoming job transition. According
to Manpower, Mr. bush might have difficulties in securing a new position due to
limited practical work experience. One possibility is re-enlistment in
the Air National Guard. Should he choose this option, he would likely be
stationed in Iraq, a country he has visited. "I've been there, I
know all about Iraq," stated Mr. bush, who gained invaluable knowledge of
the country in a visit to the Baghdad Airport's terminal and gift shop.
Sources in Baghdad
and Falluja say Mr. bush would receive a warm reception from local
Iraqis. They have asked to be provided with details of his arrival so
that they might arrange an appropriate welcome.
*******
*******
TWO
VIEWS OF LIFE, sent in by Jim Dwyer
A boat docked in a tiny Greek village. An American tourist
complimented
the Greek fisherman on the quality of his fish, and asked how long it
took him to catch them. "Not
very long," answered the Greek.
"But then, why didn't you stay out
longer and catch more?" asked the
American. The Greek explained that
his small catch was sufficient to
meet his and his family's needs. The
American asked, "But what do you do with
the rest of your time?"
"I
sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my
wife.
In the evenings I go into the village
to see my friends, dance a little, play the
bouzouki, and sing a few
songs. I have a full life."
The American interrupted, "I have an
mba from Harvard, and I can help
you. You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell
the
extra fish you catch. With the revenue, you can buy a bigger
boat. With the
extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a
third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.
Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can negotiate directly
with the processing plants, and maybe even open your own plant.
You can then leave this little village and move to Athens, Los Angeles
or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge
enterprise."
"How long would that take?"
asked the Greek.
"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five
years," replied the American.
"And after that? Afterwards?"
"That's when it gets really interesting,"
answered the American,
laughing. "When your business
gets really big, you can start selling stocks and
make millions!"
"Millions? Really? And
after that?"
"After that, you'll be able to
retire, live in a tiny village near the
coast, sleep late, play with your grandchildren, catch a few fish, take
a siesta with your wife, and spend your evenings singing, dancing and
playing the bouzouki with your friends."
*******
*******
From the book, The Gift: Poems by
Hafiz The Great Sufi Master, (1320-1389) translated
by Daniel Ladinsky, sent in by Teresa Ramsey
Page 166:
Sit down, my dear,
Take a few deep breaths,
Think about a loyal friend.
Where is your music,
Your pet, a brush?
Surely one who has lasted as long
as you
Knows some avenue or place inside
That can give a sweet respite.
If you cannot slay your panic,
Then say within
As convincingly as you can,
"It is all God's will!"
Now pick up your life again.
Let whatever is out there
come charging in,
Laugh,...
Throw those ladders like tiny
match sticks
With "just" phantoms
upon them
who might be trying to scale your
heart.
Your Love has an eloquent tone.
The sky and I want to hear it!...
"It is all,
It is all the Beloved's
will!"
What is that luminous rain I see
All around you in the future
Sweeping in from the east plain?
It looks like, O it looks
like
Holy fallout
Filling your mouth and palms
With Joy!
***
The Great
Religions, by Hafiz, page 177, sent in by Teresa Ramsey:
The Great religions are the
Ships,
Poets the life-boats.
Every sane person I know has
jumped
Overboard.
That is good for business,
Isn't it?
***
Tired of Speaking Sweetly, by
Hafiz,
Page 187, sent in by Teresa
Ramsey:
Love wants to reach out and
manhandle us,
Break all our teacup talk of God.
If you had the courage and
Could give the Beloved His choice,
some nights,
He would just drag you around the
room
By your hair,
Ripping from your grip all those
toys in the world
That bring you no joy.
Love sometimes gets tired of
speaking sweetly
And wants to rip to shreds
All your erroneous notions of truth
That make you fight within
yourself, dear one,
And with others,
Causing the world to weep
On too many fine days.
God wants to manhandle us,
Lock us inside of a tiny room with
Himself
And practice His dropkick.
The Beloved sometimes wants
To do us a great favor:
Hold us upside down
And shake all the nonsense out.
But when we hear
He is in such a "playful
drunken mood,"
Most everyone I know
Quickly packs their bags and
hightails it
Out of town.
*******
*******
TEN THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME FIFTY YEARS TO LEARN, sent in by Susan Smith ("Mooncat")
1. If you had to identify, in one
word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve,
its full potential, that word would be "meetings."***2. People who want to share their religious
views with you almost never want to hear yours.***3. And when God decides to
deliver a message to humanity, He WILL NOT use, as His messenger, a person on
TV with a bad hairstyle.***4. You should not confuse your career with your
life.***5. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.***6.
Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance!*** 7. The most destructive force in
the universe is gossip.***8. There comes a time when you should stop expecting
other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.***9. A person who is nice to you,
but rude to the waiter, is not a nice
person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)***10. Your
friends love you anyway.
*******
*******
Deep Peace and Many Blessings
**********************
Peace On Earth
**********************
Mooncat Creations
http://www.geocities.com/mooncat48/
*******
*******
POPULAR OXYMORONS: CONTRADICTIONS IN TERMS, sent in by Chris Finer, with R. Francis
1. Act
naturally.***2. Found missing***3. Resident alien***4. Advanced Basic***5.
Genuine imitation***6. Airline food***7. Good grief***8. Same difference***9.
Almost exactly***10. Government organization***11. Sanitary
landfill***12. Alone together***13. Legally drunk***14. Silent scream***15. Business
ethics***16. Military
Intelligence***17. Passive aggression***18. Taped live***19. Clearly
misunderstood***20. Peace force***21. Temporary tax increase***22. Political
science***23. Exact estimate***24. smart fundamentalist***25. compassionate
conservative***26. government accounting***27. fundamentalist wisdom
*******
*******
If you think you are too
small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.—sent
in by Chris Finer
*******
*******
THE TRUEST
"HEROES" ARE DEAD! sent in by Jim
Dwyer
John is the father of Christopher
Dyer, one of the Marines killed last week. He works at P&G.
John sent this out today:
This described a request I have for those who "would like to do something"
and don't know what.
Well, here is something you can do for Chris. Just one thing. You
can do it twice if you want.
I wanted to thank everyone, on behalf of our family, the many outpourings of
solace and support.
This has been very comforting to us in these difficult days. Earlier this morning, I went through an
indescribable breakdown sitting on my patio. It came to me that I was
feeling sorry for myself, how badly I was missing my son, and will miss him
forever. There are no words or imaginings to describe this. As I type this, I have come to a Peace
that is a blessing, at least for this moment. I know more tears are just around the corner.
I know, for many of you, the condolences seem hollow and inadequate; and you
want to do more. This came to me
this morning. As we confront the forces
of hate, we must remember that the Power of Love will triumph.
I'd like to leave you with this remembering and one simple request. The last words I spoke to Chris were: "I
love you, son."
Our loved ones can be taken from us, for any reason, at any time. I am
fortunate indeed to have those as my last words. Please hug your kids and loved
ones today for me, and be extra patient with them.... We jointly have a vision forming
about how we can live up to the standards set by our sons, or at least strive
to, as I doubt I can match my son in that respect. My family, friends, and neighbors have come together as we
seldom do in times of "normalcy". Please change that, if only a
little. Hug someone, help someone,
give someone something, any act of kindness to a stranger. You might not have another chance. Let your last words be "I love
you." and mean it.... If you take some part of my words above to heart,
that will carry the memory of my son, and the other Marines, into good works--
something good that would not have happened except for this tragedy. Do one thing for him, and them, that you
would not have done, and be blessed for it.
God bless you all,...
John C. Dyer
Evendale,
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Sweet
Photos "Real Peace," sent in by Geoffrey
Stoermer
Funny Cartoons sent in by Mick. Gallagher
Quotes
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."-- Abraham Lincoln
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THE NORMAL DAY, by Heather Wiggins
Recently I read a quote wherein the
female author was singing praises to the "normal day" in which she
was living. She thanked the day
for existing. She stated wisely
that the day will come when things will be more difficult. Then, she will wish, with all of her
might, for that "normal" day again. How often people take "normal" days for granted!
A "normal" day is a genuine
blessing in this crazy world in which we live! As we grow spiritually, we might find that emotional lows
and highs tend to "level out."
They begin to flow into a state that does not feel as "exciting."
Many of our days become quite "normal."
After some time, it can seem like
something is wrong, or that we have strayed from our path in some way.
In the beginning of our spiritual journey,
it is common to have days and nights filled with many emotional pitfalls and
cloud-soaring highs. These are
accented with the most amazing discoveries and revelations! These are about ourselves, the universe
in which we live, and the tender relationship that each of us has with the
interior Beloved. Dreams become
shiningly vivid; and the "normal" world takes on a glowing,
sparkling, luminous quality. We walk about as if in a dream. And we literally feel like babes waking
up to the new world around us for the first time. After this subsides, we find
serenity and a calm tranquility.
It soothes our weary souls, perhaps for the first time in our countless
lives.
We should rejoice if this continues for
days and nights on end! But, as
humans, we are also conditioned to always want more than we have. Eventually, we might feel like not
enough is happening, or that our growth is being stalled. The sweet calm of "normal"
days is all we have ever hoped for. But after weeks or months of little or no change, one may
find herself craving a bit of excitement!
This she used to feel when the ego was behind the wheel, or when she first
began her spiritual Journey.
But with a little reflection, it is easy
to see that the "normal" day is filled with the most astonishing,
amazing miracles and evidences of God. Some examples are: a magnificent starpeppered velvet sky, a brightly colored
bird’s song, patches of sunlight breaking through the trees in gorgeous
golden shafts, shining, multi-colored glows of the rainbow, and sunrises
splashing Chinese red and lemon-yellow across the heavens. Other blessings, as rare and
remarkable, include the less-dramatic: looking into the eyes of a soul mate, enjoying a home cooked
meal, the comfort of a familiar chair after a long day, the feel of clean
cotton sheets on bare skin, and exchanging smiles with a stranger. These "insignificant" aspects
of the "normal" day add up to much more cumulatively than the rare "bolt-of-lightning"
experiences!
So, let's pray that most of our days are
blessedly and beautifully "normal"!
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THE ROCK WITHIN, by
Heather Wiggins
Do you ever notice your "human-ness" more than
usual? Some days, when things are not flowing easily, being human can seem like
an enduring nuisance. It can create a melancholy within us that, after an
extended period of time, makes it harder to feel love. This state stirs up all
kinds of negativity-- guilt, attachment, doubt, fear, emptiness, boredom, or
the dreaded vague sadness that seems to have no exact cause.
You might find yourself
more opinionated or irritated than usual. Or, you might say things in a judgmental manner that ends up
hurting a fellow person. Worst of all, you can find yourself sinking into a
mire of hazy discontent. Thankfully, there is a "rock" inside each of
us to which we are firmly, constantly tethered.
Mystics are highly sensitive to the insanity of the world around
us. But they are all but
invincible to chronic depression.
Before our spiritual Journey began, it was common for many of us simply
to drift off into the sea of despair.
This could last for days or weeks. We had no idea to exactly "where" we were drifting
off, no clue how to get back, and sometimes didn’t even care.
In developing and deepening a Union with God, you will find that, in the
midst of drifting off yet again, you cannot drift away too far from your
Mindcenter. It is all the Love
within your mind. An invisible "chain" between yourself and the
infinite Love within has been formed. This line is as thin and supple as the finest silk thread,
yet has the tensile strength of the strongest steel. Attached to this thread is a marker of faith. This is belief that this Mind of Love
is more real than anything else in the cosmos. In fact, It is the only Reality ("truth"). For one who has touched It, It keeps
her afloat on waters that are tranquil some days, choppy on others.
The mystic, being sensitive, can feel difficult emotions with
debilitating intensity. These
emotions can tear at her heart, attempting to push her away from the state of Love
in which she has worked so hard to subsist. One day, as she begins to drift, she will notice that this
subtle Loveline will not allow her to become lost at sea. Though sadness or pain lulls her away
from time to time, she knows that there is a line to pull herself back in when
the dark clouds have passed and waters are calmer.
Even after much spiritual improvement,
it is natural and expected that the varied waves of life will intermittently
toss her about like a rag doll on a merciless ocean. But like a doll made from cloth, she is flexible, pliable,
and is able to bounce back from her time adrift at sea. Her rags might have become frayed or
tattered, but they have absorbed some of the vast ocean. This is the immense ocean of knowledge
and wisdom that will later transform her further.
Sometimes she will
find herself seemingly "separated" from her rock. But this is not possible, since It is
her very deepest Self. It is not
far. A line, gently and lovingly tugging at her heart, is a constant reminder
that a safe place to rest and reflect is only a heartbeat away.
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Questions? Ideas? A message that you would like to share? Please write us, at rmfrancis@juno.com
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