VENEZUELA 🇻🇪

 

STARTING OVER 🇻🇪 

Recently I dreamt something unusual happened in our southern hemisphere. The United States of America gave the South American country of Venezuela an opportunity for a fresh start. The mission shook the entire world. 

Eyes and ears opened. Mouths gasped. Arms raised high up to the sky and feet jumped high. We saw ensembles of pirouettes and long lines of salsa dances. The “us” and “them” became “we”; the “me me me” became “you and me”. Young and old, weak and strong, rich and poor stood side by side, holding hands, standing tall and confident, and ready to start again and determined to get it right.

Venezuela became a glass bowl of excitement, dismay, fear, and anxiety for a moment; then, suddenly, something else happened. The transformation of the economy started out in left field where everything grey turned green, everything black turned to gold and everything rock hard turned into sponges. 

A weird sense of calm sprang up everywhere and like confident trees in a healthy forest, beautifully coifed, sturdy and proud, humans clued in to a clear sense of how things can be done differently, cohesively and cooperatively, for a much better outcome. 

At some point I woke up, glanced out of the uncurtained bedroom window and saw a sheet of thin fog blanketing my backyard. Off in a distance I could see a dim light, a light of hope that my dream was indeed not a dream, but a sign of what was yet to come — it was the dawn of a new era, an awakening, a new starting point, a new chance to finally get Earthly civilianship, citizenship, stewardship and sustainability, on the same page, to work together in unison for the greater good of all forever more. In fact, it may well be a final opportunity to get it right.

I looked up with both eyes open and said: “Good Morning world. Let that light be a beacon leading to a paragon (an example of excellence) for all uncivil, unpeaceful, struggling nations to emulate.” 

As I stepped out of bed, I could hear a clear chorus of Larga vida a Venezuela! Pray let it be so.

🇻🇪 💡 ☮️ ❤️

🎆 🎇 🧨 FIREWORK WISDOM 🎆 🎇 🧨

🎆 🎇 🧨 

Thirty Minute 🎆 🎇 🧨 Fireworks!

A friend of mine posted something about fireworks the other day and added a photo of how she helps her dogs cope. A lot of pet owners can relate to her angst, and their angst, but although I don’t have pets, I was curious about the original intention of fireworks.

It actually goes back centuries. In many cultures, especially in Chinese tradition,  fireworks and firecrackers are specifically used to scare off evil spirits, ghosts, and demons. The explanation is rooted in ancient folklore, and is a short-term practice that symbolizes driving away negativity and welcoming good fortune for the new year. This tradition also appears in festivals like Diwali, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, and I am sure people from other walks of life can add examples — none of which lasts for more than thirty minutes and certainly not several nights in a row.

So, in other words, the noise of the fireworks scares away the bad things that define the year that was, clearing the air for a refresh for the year to come. Thirty minutes should be enough!

So an interesting question that comes out of all this is: how many onlookers who stand outside to watch fireworks or who stay indoors to “enjoy” the sights and sounds of fireworks, actually know that somewhere along the way, it’s become an expensive form of seemingly endless entertainment that negates the origins all together? Not only that — it’s a long night of ongoing noise that annoys a lot of people and pets, pollutes our atmosphere and, in some areas, leaves behind an enormous amount of debris that others have to clean up!

Fireworks have become one of those human examples of “redefinition with intention” or of turning something sacred into sacrilege ! If it must be, can we agree on thirty minutes?

 🎆 🎇 🧨 

HAPPY NEXT NEW YEAR

 

Happy New Year: 

Please Pass The Bread

Is there something you can help me with? No not really. Everything you need is inside of you. What works for me, may not work for you.

Check with your inner self, yourself, when you feel forlorn, alone, lost, wounded, overwhelmed. 

Check with your inner self, yourself, when you feel comfortable, at ease, liked, appreciated, loved.

Check in with your inner self, yourself, when you have erred and when you have succeeded.

If you follow my posts on Facebook, I put out a lot of “And the answer is …” followed by quotations that pop up on positivity posts. I call them simple nudges.  I feel my inner self say “oh that’s a good one.” 

The truth is I really did not need the nudge because the content is so simple and straightforward. My inner self was sitting on the answer all along.

In this very busy, fast paced changing world where so much is possible, so much is leaving our inner self behind. 

It’s really only been in the past ten years that I have kind of jumped off the bandwagon of keeping up with looking outward, times of amassing more and more possessions, following trends, constantly seeking artificial stimulation, to actually spending quality time with ME, sitting back and looking inward. 

I attribute the transformation to the power of warm, clean ocean water and warm, clean ocean air. I lay back, with my head resting on my little red air-filled pillow, hands clasped behind my neck, legs stretched out as far as I can push them, and I meditate as the warm sun reflects its rays on the water and my body feels at peace. It truly is the most peace I give myself because it’s only me, myself and I going through an experience that is rich in inner energy, rich in calm and rich in personal satisfaction.  It has become my gateway to positivity in living.

Something else has supplemented the experience of shutting out noise, confusion, hot heads, greed, avarice, power, abuse, jealousy, envy, pressures and negativity. Thanks to the power of my personal shifu who invited me into the effectiveness of QiGong and TaiChi, and my Aquafit instructors who apply those same exercises in water, I no longer just hear — I listen.  I no longer just eat — I taste. I no longer just smell — I breathe. I no longer just look — I see.  I no longer just touch — I feel. Listen, taste, breathe, see, feel.

Five senses — we all have them, the key to happiness and inner health is to find them, exercise them and live with all of them as our life force, our energy, our way forward.

So when you ask me if there is something I can help you with, there’s my answer. Walk away from noise, then listen, taste, breathe, see and really feel all of the pluses, embrace all of them, love all of them, live all of them going forward. Your life is in your hands and it is yours to live in peace, or not.

Happy New Year … please pass the bread!🥖 

FRANK IN SENSE

 

What’s Up With Myrrh?

A couple of days ago the mystery Wordle word was something unique and seasonal. It wasn’t an every day word. It was a five letter word that didn’t hold many vowels. Some would say it had no whole vowels, just a half one. Regardless, the word challenge was tough, very tough. I think it was the toughest Wordle word all year. I also think it was more than just a word and definitely not a random word.

“Myrrh” is a aromatic sap-like product from Arabian trees; it attracts attention, draws you in,  and the only time we ever hear the word is in December.

This has caused me to wonder why that word popped up in December? Turns out it is a subliminal nudge sort of like the “earlier than ever” (midNovember) playing of Christmas carols on the radio and in stores. The latter is all about building business and the former is something subtly nonsecular in an effort to draw us in and bring back the story of Christmas. 

Over the past few decades I have noticed that many people in my life get all excited about Christmas, but fewer and fewer acknowledge the story of Christmas — the actual story of Christmas. It’s no longer mentioned, depicted or even partially or fully believed. It doesn’t even dawn on more and more younger generation people that something once so rich, has fallen on deaf ears. 

The end of the month of December has become a target date for an extra special meal, gift exchanges and unique visits. Some celebrations are full of joy and others full of stress and strain. All of it makes me wonder, in December, what Jesus, Joseph and Mary are thinking?

This brings me back to myrrh. Does anyone even know what myrrh is? Is anyone curious? Has anyone used it in a sentence or given it any thought as to why it pops up in December, or why it got a spot in Wordle ?

I think it was a form of subliminal advertising. A nudge.  The word was meant to give our heads a shake. 

Myrrh is a precious scented resin used for perfume, incense, anointing oil for priests and kings, and for embalming the dead, symbolizing Jesus's future death and burial. It’s revered in the birth of Jesus part of the Bible and maybe in other holy books too. It’s even in a carol at this time of year, the time of year set aside for believers in the original story of Christmas.

Does anyone else wonder about myrrh or frankincense or even what Mary, Joseph or Jesus are thinking right now as they look down from SkyWorld? I do wonder — whether we myrrh-a-lee ponder about this frank-in-sense parody, or not.

Thank you Wordle people for the challenge, and the nudge.

ANOTHER YEAR OVER

2025 ENDS AND there it goes! WHOOOOSH!

Every year I sit back around this time and reflect on the year that was;  this year is somewhat different as I am ending my 6th decade on this Earth and realizing a lot of time has passed — a real lot of time has passed!

Although the year has truly ‘whoooshed’ by, it really has been a great one — another great one — but, 2025 has been especially great. I think I have said that over the past many years probably because I seem to have branched out a lot, tried new things, made new things, met new people, gone to new places, and journeyed on or further into intriguing experiences, and enjoyed continuing the journey into curiosities. I guess the biggest lesson for me has been learning how to let go and how to hang on. It has become as easy as breathing in deeply through the nose and letting the air out slowly and emphatically through the mouth both literally and symbolically .

Here are some examples:

1. For a long time people in my world have asked me why I don’t get my stories and poems professionally published.  No statement could be more hurtful to my ego nor to my inner being, because I have self-published dozens of collections, shared them freely in hard copy and on line, and felt very good about all of it. Recently I  sucked up ‘public opinion’  and went the professional publishing route with vim and vigour, fully optimistic, only to realize it was not what it was cracked up to be. I am not saying it was a waste of time. I am saying my gut told me or reminded me I don’t like waving my flag; I don’t like self-promotion; I don’t like ceremony. I do more than like (love) writing; I do more than like (love) sharing my writing. I do honour Canadian author Margaret Atwood, I admire her, but I don’t aim to follow her same route. Just watching her book launches and promotions tires me, and I bet she is tired, overwhelmed and always happy to retreat to her Toronto island garden home and watch the birds. I, too, love to write and love to self-publish; but, then my next step is to retreat to my abode or to Aruba to just veg, relax and breathe. Pomp and ceremony is just not for me.       Let self-love rule. Lesson learned.

2. This year I attended a Peace Festival in Amsterdam. It was dubbed ‘Let Love Rule Peace” — it was hosted by my newest intriguing friend Sofie, and some of her co-horts. I went by invitation and because of curiosity. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive and a tad worried that I was entering something like a cult, and that perhaps I would come out of it consumed with radical or ‘off the grid’ transformation.  It was my very first ‘out of the box’ or ‘ outside of the mainstream’ life experience. Why did my head start off worried? Well I know the answer — anything ‘new’ seems to worry me.  I am too often convinced that I am living a very good life — so why eat ginger if I really don’t have to? Turns out this Tree planting Peace festival was truly enriching and enlightening. It was not a mini-Woodstock; it was not an attempt to lure me into something bizarre. It was a gathering of passionate and curious people concerned about our unpeaceful world. They are believers in doing something small, getting others to do something small, and together we might have an impact on the way in which human decisions can be made in a non-destructive, non-harmful, non-hurtful, or endlessly painful way. Every small effort to highlight the lack of peace in our world is like planting a fresh new seed, and anointing it with energy, support and guidance to grow, spread and do well. My mind extended that peace message to apply to not only a drive for world peace, but as a symbol of bringing internal peace to the lives of individuals suffering from abuse, injury, health issues, loss, financial woes or anything else that causes them stress, sadness or strife. Planting a healthy ‘seed’ is key to feeling peace and feeling at peace. Examples: a phone call; a message; a card or letter; a visit; a wave, hug, compliment, invitation. Feel the power of selflessness. Lesson  learned.
3. I think the one common denominator of each and every year of life and living, each and every experience, each and every upper or downer, is there is a lesson in all things. Be true to your inner self always; speak your truth; reach out when needed; accept help when needed, respect differences in opinions, be humble, patient, kind, understanding, oh patient, did I say patient? Yes I know — that is still a work in progress!

What’s most important is that we keep living and keep learning; know when to stay and when to walk away;  look up instead of down; push away negativity and pull in positivity; inspire ourselves and each other; be a good keynote speaker but also a good audience; and, be just like a seed that starts alone, but depends on others to help it grow proudly and confidently for the greater good of ourselves, each other and the bigger world — and for whomever comes next. 

LESSON LEARNED in 2025: For the greater good of ourselves, and all things, all people and all places: plant your most coveted “seed” where one is needed, any one of your best seeds, use your personal magic to help it grow well, then let it grow, watch it grow, and grow and grow!  Everything new starts with one seed.

☮︎🇨🇦♥️🎶. ☮️ 

CHRISTMAS KRINGLE SURPRIZE

 

KRIS KRINGLE ONCE AGAIN

I did a “Kris Kringle” thing yesterday.

A couple of days ago I had to endure the reality of no electricity and therefore no WiFi for SEVERAL hours due to our vigorous wind storm. Trees were down, a power line was dangling on my main road, and many roads around here were blocked off. I was, however, able to walk. In fact I went on three walks that day.

During the last walk I was exiting the school parking lot and a lady of the nearby house was standing outside watching the hydro crews in action. We greeted each other and talked for about an hour. She is originally from Newfoundland. It was a delight to hear her speak with that not so subtle accent; but, it was also great to speak to her about my recent trip to the western side of “her” Island province. I learned that she loves to read. As we parted, we exchanged names.

While meandering my way home, I decided she would be the one to receive my annual Kris Kringle gift — an (s)elf-published collection of short stories. I quietly delivered it yesterday, and placed it in a corner on her front porch. And so this festive week begins …

FROM PLANES TO PENNIES

 

            

Never Quite There

The Premier’s Correspondance Branch is no longer in the Armoury Building! Well I guess I should not be surprised since the building was not earthquake sound. Then again the contents arriving at the Branch were not always earthquake sound either — metaphorically speaking of course, as most of it was scribed anger, except the two times we suffered anthrax scares. 

I went on a bit of a nostalgic vacay last week as part of my birthday celebration. Much of my adult life was spent in the world of politics based in British Columbia’s capital city, Victoria. The Legislature is well over 150 years and the Armoury was an actual Armoury during World War One, so it might be slightly younger. It is still standing.

I am getting older too and I, too, am still standing, feeling fine and well, and ready for another turn around the sun. I am noticing, however, that I often wonder how the now deceased cave people would react to our world today. How would my grandparents and parents feel? So much has happened. So much is happening and so much more is about to happen. “They say” it is all in the name of progress. I say change and process are happening too quickly to the point where it seems humans will soon no longer need brains. Is that how we define progress?  All we will need to do is breathe. It’s just so sad…

We tried to go to the Legislative Dining room for lunch. The security detail would not allow us entry. We needed reservations. They handed us a card with a QR code and phone number and told us to arrange reservations. We dialed the number and the number had a recorded message: “we are not accepting calls at this time. Try again later!” We walked away in dismay and ate elsewhere.

The driveway entrances to the parking areas around the legislature now have gigantic heavy metal computer operated red-lighted arms blocking entry from undocumented drivers. We watched the system in play. Once a driver gets clearance the arm rises to enable a driver to enter. It stays open quite long enabling other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists  to enter without registration. We waited in anticipation of an elite squad of agents arriving to amass the guilty and lay charges. It didn’t happen. Nothing happened. We guess that glitch will be dealt with in phase B. This brings to mind the excuses that have been given since time in memorial whenever something doesn’t work: “we will learn from our mistakes” to which I always reply: “when do we get to the LEARNED part?”

As life unfolds, I do feel I have learned a lot. I have definitely experienced a lot, and a lot of those experiences have been “changes” to policies, systems, strategies, procedures, processing etc. A lot of ways of doing things used to fall short of logic; some continue to perplex me. I think everyone can come up with an example. 

My recent example is the ticketing for Harbour Air. When ordering a ticket, you need to identify your gender. Apparently a female body and a male body has some impact on something related to the flight. I used to try to find out the logic and I’d get a response like “I don’t really know. It’s been a requirement for a while.” It’s still a requirement today! 

Another peculiar Harbour Air story is this : When selecting your fare, the amount varies from Light fare of $49 to Comfort, to Value and  then Flex at $280. Yet when it comes time to entering the plane, there are no assigned seats. It’s a free for all. This fare categorization has existed for over twenty-five years. However, anyone can sit anywhere regardless of gender or fare. Where’s the logic? No wonder artificial intelligence is gaining ground so quickly. Human brains are failing in basic decision making. Are we breathing too fast and not paying attention maybe? It’s quite sad.

I can come up with many earthly conundrums if I really set time aside but let me end with the penny! We don’t have pennies anymore. Autocorrecting doesn’t even recognize the word penny in its plural form. Nothing costs a penny so why are things still priced as though they have a penny value! 

Our way of living and laughing has changed a lot over the decades, but there’s an expression in French that sums it up: the more things change, the more things stay the same! (Plus les choses changent, plus elles restent les mêmes)

And from planes to pennies, life goes on as we all wonder what’s next?

GIVING PEACE A CHANCE

 

THE ROOT OF IT ALL

I went to the Maple Ridge Public Library the other day to find a very basic book that speaks to the mystery of trees. I did this because recently I attended a Peace Tree Planting Festival in Amsterdam. I had no idea what I was getting into nor did I realise we can all learn a lot about the existence of trees and their importance on this Earth.

A theory has arisen that since humans have been largely failures in their longstanding efforts to establish peace in our world, maybe looking at the example of trees we can move the process of establishing peace on earth along with success. After all, if you look carefully at a cluster of trees in a yard, a park or mountain range, you can see they all seem to get along quite nicely.  They breathe and drink; they are awake by day and asleep by night; they live and they die and between those beginnings and those ends, they reproduce;  they sweat and shiver; droop and reach out; they wave and exercise; grow tall and grow old. They are parents; they are children. They are fostered and they are adopted. They have friends and enemies. They have good health days and sick days. They hang out in clusters or as solos. Their roots are deeply embedded as they grow and grow and intertwine with other roots, cuddle and caress, comfort and communicate. When we look at them we see, feel and hear peace.

In today’s terminology, one could say trees have created their own form a peaceful and effective cohesive living; their own way of survival; their own worldwide web and yes: their own internal internet of effective communication into which we can tap. 

Their literacy is not typed, written or spoken words as we know it as humans; their literacy comes through scents, senses, vibrations and movements. Learning about that unique form of communication is key to the power of using the strength and determination of trees as a viable pathway or root highway to better spread the message of peace around the world.

The success of this theory really does depend on humans to be on board to help feed the mission telepathically through meditation, contemplation, expressions of hope and conviction, in addition to breathing and the sense of touch, and the collective human will to try to make a difference.  If one needs a correlation to shed light onto this theory, it is much the same as non-secular people believing praying, chanting and penance works.

Based on centuries of examples, conventional methods to establish peace have clearly been ineffective; trying something completely new like openly and outwardly honouring trees, understanding and respecting trees, and working with trees, could possibly be the better pathway to accomplishment. The exercise is harmless. 

When you look at Nature whether it’s the flora or fauna, it does look like a peaceful existence. When you stand alone in a forest, you can feel the peace. It’s a profound and mysterious experience, but very real and effective. There’s something to that.

Sure flora and fauna have their challenges, but somehow they manage to work things out, adapt and survive. They know how to solve problems and move on.  The bottom line is humans learn by example — maybe the time is right to spread our wings and embrace Nature, or partner with Nature, as our newest example of a sincere effort to help our troubled world? This concept is really no more bizarre than any other bandwagon out there.

It is in that light that I went to the Peace Tree planting events in Amsterdam and on Aruba. It is in that light that I planted and continue to nurture a Peace Tree in a tiny forest in my neighbourhood. It is in that light that I continue to highlight the mission to get more people interested, on board, and willing to create an effective partnership with Nature as a plausible secular-supported means to an end. It is a huge undertaking, a major challenge, but sitting back while the status quo continues to fail, is not in my nature. 

Our whole world is in our hands. Partnering with Nature may well be the shake up indoctrinated and unsettled minds need to get our world and ourselves to peace. This “out of the box” notion may well be the “root canal” for the salvation of the Earth as well as the salvation of global and individual humanity for generations to come. It is a theory; it is an approach; it is harmless; the image of finding success rooted in partnership with Nature is priceless.