A recent visit to a fellow blogger’s site which featured the statement above prompted me to express my response to it, and to address the role of destiny and fate. They aren’t interchangeable terms in my view, and while I understand why it may be comforting to suppose that there is an underlying order to … Continue reading My Reply to the Expression, “Everything Happens for a Reason.”
By coincidence, all day today, I was working at my part-time job, which places me in a position of interacting with a large number of random people, and as I am naturally inclined to be social, as the opportunity presents itself, I try to engage each one in a brief conversation, mostly as a polite … Continue reading Celebrating Life and Love
"When someone enters your life unexpectedly, look for the gift that person has come to receive from you. I have sent you nothing but angels. Others see their possibility in the reality of you.” --Neale Donald Walsch from his book series, "Conversations With God." Have you ever been momentarily captured by the strains of a … Continue reading What I have Come To Understand
This week, I was finally able to view a film I’ve been wanting to see for some time called, “Samsara,” directed by Ron Fricke and produced by Mark Magidson, and was stunned at the richness of the diversity of locations filmed, and was both inspired and disturbed by the powerful effect of the contrasts presented … Continue reading Samsara
This is a beautiful rendering of what began as an ordinary walk in the woods, but which became an extraordinary and almost otherworldly experience. This talented writer clearly evokes the essence of the mystical, which is possible to recognize to the discerning soul who participates in just this way, and it demonstrates the profound idea … Continue reading The world between two pines
The moment our eyes aligned I instinctively held my breath; Ordinary time collapsed and condensed While I read your face. Our smiles blossomed simultaneously Like silly twins looking in a funhouse mirror; The sweetness of your spontaneous response was met With an avalanche of reciprocal harmony. Days passed with no encounter; Hours dragged and pulled … Continue reading Your Web of Joy
Time has never been my friend especially. Like many of us, what we call “time” frequently feels like there’s never enough of it—not enough for what needs to be done nor for what we want to do. Just as often, it feels as though we are racing against it, trying to squeeze as much out … Continue reading The Realm of Possibility
Chateau de Beloiel Library in Hainaut, Belgium, founded in the 17th century has over 20,000 volumes Visiting the library was one of the most anticipated activities in my young life as a boy, beginning with many memorable trips to the local library in my hometown. My parents were eager to encourage our love of reading … Continue reading Library Love and Publication Passion
A few years ago, I wrote a book review of David Gelernter’s book, “The Tides of Mind,” which opened new avenues of thought, and in particular, I appreciated his use of the imagery of a “spectrum of consciousness,” with descending and ascending layers from being wide awake and alert to dreams and unconsciousness. Although interesting … Continue reading Consciousness and Dreaming
The beginning of this story goes very far back into the past, but the significance of it is as clear now as it was when it began. Many generations ago, immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Scotland, and England were streaming into America--the land of promise and hope--and in the mid to late 19th century, our distant … Continue reading Pickwick Papers
John's Consciousness 