The Knowledge

Knowledge is important.

It is something we can't live without. We need it for every aspect in our lives. We have to know something to get to the next level and when we know that something we find out something else.

We learn to study and we study to learn. In England, 'The Knowledge' is something totally different. It is what a taxi driver has to know to get a job driving a cab.

As intriguing as the knowledge is, it broaches a much deeper question, if you will. That knowledge is knowing God.

While I am a fervent fan of intelligence, I find the whole educational system needs an overhaul. It lacks in what it teaches us as spiritual beings, unlike in ancient times when education included spiritualization.

How do we learn to be better people today? How do we learn to know God? How do we know what to learn? How do we learn what to know? Who decides what books we read? Or which road leads us to ourselves?

Ultimately it is up to us. We have to take the bull by the horns and hang on for dear life; our spiritual lives are at stake. Will we fall off or endure the ride?

God gives us the knowledge we need to hold on to ourselves. By practicing our knowledge, testing our knowledge and knowing our knowledge, we are able to drive any course God lays out.

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The Bird's Eye

There is a fascinating tale about focusing. It is about a young boy's quest to be the best archer and how he discovered the best way to reach his goals.


When we have many irons in the fire, someone or something can get burned. We can only watch one at a time. If you can't concentrate on your goal, it doesn't do you any good. When you focus on the task at hand, you are more likely to hit your target.

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Two Minute Warning

My lovely friend Tristan is fast.

He does just about everything fast. If anyone could do it, he could build Rome in a day.

He works fast. He thinks fast. He talks fast. He reads fast. He writes fast. He walks fast. He eats fast. He even laughs fast. (Ha instead of Ha Ha.)

Tristan likes to read blogs, but even as a fast reader, he finds them too long sometimes. I said, "Are you referring to mine? He said, "Anything over two minutes is too long for me." I said, "Are you sure we're talking about the same thing?"

He said,"Of course we are. I said, "If I were a different kind of person, I could interpret that two minute thing differently."
He said, "Okay two paragraphs to keep it simple."

He went on to say, "If it can't be said in two minutes, I lose interest."
So in honor of Tristan, this post is especially for you. Take time to sloooooooooow down.

A flower takes time to blossom. Rome wasn't built in a day. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but it does nothing for your love life. Take your finger off of the fast forward button and press play. If you blink too fast, you may miss the scenery.

Whew, I made it!

I was so excited about this post that I called Tristan and told him about it. He said, "I didn't mean you had to write it in two minutes."

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Rainy Day Detour

Since it is raining today, I have shifted to a rainy day schedule. A rainy day schedule is when you do a different activity other than the one you usually do.

When it rains, kids can't play on the playground, and they are herded into a common area inside where they play various games.

So get ready to have fun with Cool Trivia and find answers to life's most pressing questions such as, 'Why is blood red and milk white? Why do cats purr and dogs bark? These and many other universal quandaries can be answered here?

Did you know that on this day in 1986, more than 6,000 radio stations played, "We Are The World", simultaneously, at 10:15 a.m. EST. The promotion was part of the biggest, participatory event in history, which linked a human chain of millions of people from ocean to ocean. Ken Kragen was the promoter behind the event, which raised millions of dollars and created an awareness of the African famine relief project.

Remember, we are all in this together.

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The Elevator People

I imagine the trailer would be like this.

An interior shot of a lobby in a high rise building. Several people in suits gather around an elevator patiently waiting.

CUT TO: Lightening breaking through the black sky.

SFX: Thunder.

Back to interior shot. Three zombies in three piece suits with chain saws walk to the elevator one by one and and push the button to the astonishment of the people already there.

VOICE OVER: (Man with a deep baritone voice.) They came from outside. They had business to take care of. They came to push YOUR buttons. They had...appointments. They are the Elevator People. Fighting life's ups and downs, one finger at a time. (PAUSE) The Elevator People coming to a theater near you.

This is what I see each time I am waiting for an elevator. Okay, it's a slight exaggeration, but the message is the same.

Note to Elevator People

• If I am standing in front of the elevator, don't you think it has already occurred to me to push the button?

• I'm not standing here for my health. I'm not here waiting for YOU to push the button.
• We are not getting inside faster just because YOU pushed the button.
• The reason the elevator opened after YOU pushed the button is because I pushed it five minute ago when YOU were still looking for a parking space.
• It's bad enough that YOU pushed the button after I and the other people who came BEFORE YOU pushed it, don't make it worse by pushing it continually.
• Thanks for adding more time to the wait for all of us. Because of YOU, the elevator doesn't know if it's coming or going?
• Impatience is not a virtue. If you are running late, leave earlier next time.
• YOU can always take the stairs.

God is like slow cooker. How many times do we tell God to hurry up and grant our wishes or else? Or what? We can't make God work on our time.

We can watch the clock, count the days and mark the years, or bring chain saws, that is not going to bring whatever it is faster. If we want something, we have to give up all attachment to it and surrender it.

We do the best we can with what we have and turn the solution over to God. If we feel that our hands are tied, God has a better solution than we do. We may not be able to see it at first, but we have to trust that it is there. And guess what? It's usually even better than we expect.

The moral of today's tale: Just because YOU have a chain saw doesn't mean YOU will get there any faster.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to call Roger Corman. Yes, the horror movie director. This could be big. Real big!

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A Purposeful Life

“The purpose of life
is not to be happy.
It is to be useful,
to be honorable,
to be compassionate,
to have it make
some difference
that you have lived
and lived well.
To know even one life
has breathed easier
because you have lived,
that is to have succeeded”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Chinese Whispers

When I was in a young genius in elementary school, we used to play a game during the rainy day schedule called, Chinese Whispers.

We lined up in the auditorium horizontally. The teacher would whisper a phrase to the first person in line and that person whispered it to the next person, until it was passed to the last person. It came out in some mumble jumble that was nothing like the phrase.

Frequently, situations aren't what they seem. We hear gossip, rumors, and the like and we think we know a situation when we don't. We have to weed our own backyards before we can complain about anyone else's lawn not being watered.

"Once upon a time a man was missing his ax. He suspected his neighbor's son. The boy walked like a thief, looked like a thief, and spoke like a thief.

The next day the man found his ax while digging in the valley. The next time he saw his neighbor's son, the boy walked, looked and spoke like any other child."

~Lao-tzu

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The Wisdom Of Malcolm

Malcolm In The Middle is one of my favorite shows, especially the early seasons when they were all really young. It's rich dark humor is sagacious, not to mention really over the top and funny.

It's a show about a dysfunctional family with five boys. It is comprised of Lois, an overbearing mother; Hal, a man-child father; Francis, a rebel in military school; Reese, a doltish bully; Malcolm, a certified genius; Dewey, a friendless wunderkind, and Jaime, a restless toddler looking for mischief.

One episode in particular involves Malcolm joining the school basketball team. When he tries to tell the coach how to do his job, Malcolm gets kicked off the team.

Determined to stop his horrible habit of talking before he thinks, he starts biting his tongue. This tactic solves all the problems with his coach, girlfriend, and parents, but it ends up causing him more stress than before.

When the pressure is too much, he finally speaks up and has a mouth full of blood.

In another episode, Dewey loses his back pack and asks his mother to replace it, she tells him no. He can either go without one or find something in her closet.

He finds an old purse and is good to go. When his brother Reese finds out that his brother is carrying a purse, he is outraged.

Reese tries to save Dewey from ridicule by giving him a new cool back pack, but Dewey refuses to accept it. He likes his purse. Sure enough Dewey is attacked by the other kids who try and take this purse.

Suddenly Dewey knocks his attackers out with his purse, one by one to Reese's amazement. Then we see Dewey dumping a brick out of his purse.

In both instances, Malcolm and Dewey cope with their stress levels differently. When we are under pressure, we don't have to resort to harming ourselves or others. We don't have to wait until we need something to call on Spirit.

When pressure builds up, we can't hear spiritual communication and we lose direction. Don't wait to have a mouth full of blood to speak. Ask for what you need. Your voice is important.

When you feel you need protection, you don't have to resort to violence. While it's true life can beat you up at times, you have to fight back with the armor of God.

You can conquer the battles together.

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Blessed

How simple words can make your day.

The words were simple, yet powerful. Have you ever had those days when you have too much to do? Running here and there between appointments? Today was that day for me.

I had a thousand and one errands to do before I had to get back to meet the gas man who was scheduled between 3 and 8 pm. I had to decide which errand was more important than the next.

I put them in geographical order, firmly applied the pedal to the medal and skillfully zoomed in and out of traffic, making one continual S along the way.

I did as many as I could, as fast as I could. At one point, I found myself stopped behind a vehicle with a license plate that read 'GOD FVR.' Was that God fever or God forever? I just took it as a good sign and sped along.

When I finished my last errand, I made a pit stop at a grocery store to get some water since I was now dehydrated. After I paid, the cashier smiled and said, "Have a blessed day." I wished her the same.

The sentiment was so simple, but it resounded like a thousand kettle drums.

It was nice for a complete stranger to wish that for me. There was nothing in it for her. It wasn't like she was on commission, unless you count's God's commission. She didn't go for the dreaded up-sell. "Would you like ice with that? How about a cup for 10 cents more? What about a straw?" None of it.

And you know what? I had a blessed day. Everything went smoothly. I crossed the finish line at 2:58 pm. Sweet. I was proud of my Nascar driving skills and my time wasn't bad either. Maybe I'll give Danica Patrick a run for her money.

So in the immortal words of my friendly cashier. Have a blessed day. In fact, make it everyday.

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Real Love

This weekend, I went to Blockbuster to rent a film. A major event in itself because I go through each aisle and each genre until I find something I like. Sometimes it takes hours just to find one film. I never know which one is going home with me. It's pure pot luck.

As I waltzed down various aisles, the latest film drivel performed tiresome tricks with its packaging, screaming to be picked like stray dogs in kennel cages.

After about ten minutes of this clash of the marketing titans, I retreated to a quiet corner to gather my thoughts. I stumbled upon the classic aisle and noticed a DVD cover winking at me.

I turned around to see if anyone was behind me. No one was there. I thought I was seeing things. I got a little closer and it winked again. How could this happen to me? I don't drink. I don't do drugs. I don't even take aspirin, but I seem to have been hallucinating.

Like Alice in Wonderland, I had fallen through a rabbit hole. Then it winked again. I got to the shelf and it stopped. Now, there was a reflection on my hand from the sun.

I looked around and saw the reflection of a car mirror outside shining on the shelf. I put the film back on the shelf and it started winking again. Yes, it was definitely from the mirror outside. Thank God I wasn't losing the plot after all.

Somehow Spirit got my attention. I picked up the DVD cover again. The film was Love Story, starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw. There written across the box was the tag line, 'Love Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry.' I hadn't seen it in a while, so I decided to give it a spin and I rented it.

In the process, I even broke a new record; in and out of Blockbuster in only thirty five minutes. Wow!

Love Story is not brilliant. It's a basic wrong-side-of-the-tracks love story. Ryan O'Neal's character, Oliver, is the son of a millionaire who works to pay his way through law school. Ali MacGraw's character, Jenny, is from a working class background and she's studying classical music at Radcliffe.

The predictable culture conflicts ensues. When Jenny tries to get pregnant, she finds out she has a terminal disease. In one scene, Oliver finds Jenny sitting alone on a stair crying. He comforts her, apologizing for their emotional upheaval. Jenny, utters the films signature line, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

When I first saw this film eleven years ago, I thought, how holier-than-thou? To hurt someone and not even have the decency to say, "I am sorry." Time has made me wiser because now when I hear that line, I hear the profound distinction.

That line didn't mean what I initially thought at all. It means not DOING anything to be sorry for. And that's a big distinction. We have to be aware of our actions at all times. (Sorry for the alliteration)

How does the human consciousness, NOT do anything to be sorry for? We are only mortals, not perfect beings. Do we have to execute preordained acts to cause our souls to be refined? Is it all a part of God's master plan?

Can we act in the highest way possible to avoid not doing anything to be sorry for? Yes. We can start by doing everything in the name of God. We can offer assistance where it is needed. A kind word, a helping hand. Anything. Just by doing everything in the name of God means that we are opening our hearts to pure love.

After Jenny's death, when Oliver is alone, and disappointed at what life has served him, he is unable to grasp Jenny's tragic fate. He wrestles with unanswered questions.

If he could only be with Jenny, to hold her again, express his love and devotion. If Jenny could spend an hour in his mind, a minute in his heart, a second in his soul? Why has God forsaken him? Real love is eternal.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them,
a day to love them,
and an entire life to forget them.

The experiences we have with each other are only precursors to the experience we have with God. We may feel that destiny has gone awry, obliterating our dreams and happiness with a resounding thud.

Though it is heart-wrenching to lose someone you love, God is still here. We must understand that we are blessed with life, and this is our great gift, our true treasure! We have won the lottery, how we spend it is up to us.

Making a commitment to be the best person you can be is surrendering yourself to God. God's love is not complicated. It is the ultimate state of ISNESS.

You are the greatest love story. You exist because God loves you.

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Yes You Can

When it comes to motivational speakers, I think they are usually self-inflated paper tigers with more roar than bite. Some of them are so full of themselves and hyperbole that anything they say sounds like an exaggeration. I call them the 'Yes-You-Can Men.'

They tell you that you can do it all. You can climb the highest mountains, swim the deepest oceans, soar the heavens and be bigger than life. You say to yourself, 'Can I do it?', and they chime in with, 'Yes you can!'

However, life is such that I think there is always room to motivate an unmotivated soul. Encouragement is just the boost some of us need to get to the next step. Sometimes you have to fan the flame to keep it burning and I am all for that.

I was recently sent a piece of writing from
My Daily Insights, and I thought it was good enough to pass on. Let it inspire you and enliven your spirit.

It was written by renowned motivational speaker and author,
Steve Maraboli. I like it's simplicity and strength and I hope you find something that you can relate to.

Why Not You?

Today, many will awaken
with a fresh sense of inspiration.

Why not you?

Today, many will open their eyes
to the beauty that surrounds them.

Why not you?

Today, many will choose to leave
the ghost of yesterday behind
and seize the immeasurable
power of today.

Why not you?

Today, many will break through the barriers
of the past by looking at
the blessings of the present.

Why not you?

Today, for many the burden of self doubt
and insecurity will be lifted by the
security and confidence
of empowerment.

Why not you?

Today, many will rise above their believed
limitations and make contact
with their powerful innate strength.

Why not you?

Today, many will choose to live
in such a manner that
they will be a positive role model
for their children.

Why not you?

Today, many will choose to free themselves
from the personal imprisonment
of their bad habits.

Why not you?

Today, many will choose to live free
of conditions and rules
governing their own happiness.

Why not you?

Today, many will find abundance
in simplicity.

Why not you?

Today, many will be confronted by difficult
moral choices and they
will choose to do what is right
instead of what is beneficial.

Why not you?

Today, many will decide to no longer
sit back with a victim mentality,
but to take charge of their lives
and make positive changes.

Why not you?

Today, many will take the action
necessary to make a difference.

Why not you?

Today, many will make the commitment
to be a better mother, father,
son, daughter, student, teacher,
worker, boss, brother, sister,
and so much more.

Why not you?

Today is a new day!
Many will seize this day.
Many will live it to the fullest.

Why Not You?

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Sunday Service

"All who call on God
in true faith,
earnestly from the heart,
will certainly be heard,
and will receive
what they have asked
and desired,
although not
in the hour
or in the measure,
or the very thing
which they ask.
Yet they will obtain
something greater
and more glorious
than they had
dared to ask.”

-Martin Luther

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Capitol Me (Part II)

I immediately drove to the Capitol Records building; my new possible home. I stood there staring at the iconic monolith with years of pop music history within its walls. Was I trying to rush my soul to its next experience?

Capitol was founded by the songwriter Johnny Mercer in 1942, with the film producer Buddy DeSylva and record store owner Glenn Wallichs. Serving a wide range of artists from big band, rock, punk, heavy metal and rap.

Artists included Bing Crosby, Les Paul, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Blondie, David Bowie, Natalie Cole, Heart, Queen, Diana Ross, R.E.M., Tina Turner, Billy Idol, Red Hot Chili Peppers; Megadeth, Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and others.

I surveyed the building from the outside. There was a lot of glass. Views from all around. From all directions. Mountains, valleys, cities, ocean. Perfect for a photographers, painters, graphic artists, astronomers, people with telescopes, bird watchers, people watchers, sky watchers and naturally writers.

I spotted the unit that I wanted, on the top floor of course. I took out my calculator and did my financial calculations. After ten minutes of pressing various numbers, it dawned on me that I didn't have a figure to calculate. Duh?

I saw the real estate agent's phone number on the building. If I could make a deal without my own agent, I would save money. I called the agent for the building and the line was busy. Was this a good sign or a bad sign? Was I was too late? Had someone else chose the one I wanted?

I tried again. Still busy. Did everyone have the same idea? I decided to drive to the realtor's office. There was a huge traffic jam on the freeway. L.A. freeways are the best bargain in the world. Where else can you get free parking? Rim shot!

Since I was stuck, I tried calling again. It was ringing. A woman answered the phone. She was very curt and really not friendly at all. She had been getting calls all morning since the story broke. She went on to say that the building wasn't for sale yet and she didn't know when it would be on the market.

Although agents usually like you to come unarmed (without an agent), to keep more commission, this agent didn't deal with people without agents. So there I was stuck in traffic.

Why did I even go to my proposed new home? Maybe I went there just to speak with that agent who needed a bit of love and compassion.

There's something Orwellian about living on top of the world overlooking this city of 'angels.'

I could look out and watch the world go by. My eyes could be the camera recording every nuance of the city. I could pose next to the plethora of gold records which I would insist stay in the building just for me.
I could play SCRABBLE as I gaze out of the window. Making the words of what I see? It wasn't the best neighborhood, but living that high, would it matter? What would I see from that high up? What could I see from that elevation?

First word, M-U-R-D-E-R. Double word score. As the night wears on, other words would include, CRACK, HEROIN, BLOOD, SYRINGE, KNIFE, HUSTLER, JUNKIE, VAGRANT, PIMP, HARLOT, GANGSTER, or GANGSTA (SCRABBLE slang version) What's that? A G-U-N-S-H-O-T? Hey, that's a bingo. (50 extra points for using all seven letters) Hey is that a DRIVE-BY? That would be another bingo if it wasn't hyphenated.

Why would I want to leave my peaceful surrounding for this chaos? Was I crazy? A view from all sides. It was too much to see. Like Oedipus, I wanted to tear my own eyes out.

I finally got off the freeway and drove back by the building again. Did I really want to live there? I saw the police searching a shirtless and disheveled man with scabs on his back.

They sat him on the curb and made him take his shoes off. They looked in between his toes because that's where a junkie likes to shoot to hide the fact that he shoots. I saw another woman huddled in a corner mumbling to herself.

I saw another man palm off something to a well dressed man in a Lamborghini as he speed into the murky horizon. This wasn't the environment I wanted to live in. It wasn't really important that I move. Not now anyway.

Spirit is just testing me again. It does that.

No matter how fast you drive, you can't get to your next experience before you are ready.

You can't hurry soul, no you just have to wait, so just chill and let God drive.

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Capitol Me (Part I)

Every three or four years I move residences. It's about that time again. You would think that I was running from the police or FBI, but I assure you it's nothing that exciting or notorious.

I just like continual motion, it keeps me from becoming mentally stagnant. Besides, a fresh surrounding is always good isn't it?

I actually live is a pleasant, quiet and spacious townhouse with high ceilings, windows that take up the entire wall, and a city view from the bedroom window.

It's a great location and good neighborhood and a really peaceful place. Except one thing -- it's too quiet. Don't get me wrong. I am grateful that I have such a wonderful place to live. It's so quiet that you can hear a pin drop on plush carpet.

Don't writers thrive on having a quiet place to create? Yes and no. A writer can't live with tension, but can't write without it.

I always fantasize about moving to another building just to expand my consciousness and give my writing another slant, if nothing else.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the paper this morning and saw that the Capitol Records building was possibly going to be converted into condominiums.

Although L.A. is spread out and mostly flat unlike New York and some European cities, there is still al lot of room for development. Even downtown, a refuge for the homeless and disposal for mental patients, criminals and other absentee souls, is being refurbished.

Some yuppies (yep, the still exist) are moving from houses in the suburbs downtown to pay $6,000 per month for a concrete shell with no parking and a view of an alley if they're lucky. Some people are buying parking 'spaces' and renting them out for a fortune.

Built in 1956, The Capitol Records Building is different. It is one of the most distinctive landmarks in Hollywood, California. The 13-story tower, designed by Welton Becket, was the world's first circular office building.

Similar in look to the Eiffel Tower, the wide curved awnings over windows on each story and the tall spike emerging from the top of the building combine to give it the appearance of a stack of vinyl 45's on a turntable.

The blinking light atop the tower spells out the word 'Hollywood' in Morse code. How cool is that? Remember when we had records? For everyone born after 1990, records are like big CD's or DVD's. Now imagine an entire building built like a stack of CD's? Got it? Again, how cool is that?

I had to investigate and I had to do it before it was too late.

(to be continued)

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The Last Laugh

And God said, let there be laughs.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. And the Earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And Satan said, "It doesn't get any better than this."

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God said, "Let us make Man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth."

And so God created Man in his own image; male and female created he them. And God looked upon Man and Woman and saw that they were lean and fit.

And Satan said, "I know how I can get back in this game."

And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

And Satan created McDonald's.

And McDonald's brought forth the 99-cent double cheeseburger.

And Satan said to Man, "You want fries with that?"

And Man said, "Supersize them." And Man gained 5 pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt, that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair.

And Satan brought forth chocolate.

And Woman gained 5 pounds. And God said, "Try my crispy fresh salad."

And Satan brought forth Ben and Jerry's.

And Woman gained 10 pounds. And God said, "I have sent thee heart-healthy vegetables and olive oil with which to cook them."

And Satan brought forth chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter.

And Man gained 10 pounds and his bad cholesterol went through the roof. And God brought forth running shoes and Man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

And Satan brought forth cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil to change channels between ESPN and ESPN2.

And Man gained another 20 pounds. And God said, "You're running up the score, Devil." And God brought forth the potato, a vegetable naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.

And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fat fried them. He then created sour cream dip.

And Man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips swaddled in cholesterol.

And Satan saw and said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

And God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

And Satan created HMO's.

-Anonymous

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."

-Victor Hugo

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Just For Laughs

Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor? This master humorist often stabs fun at us. When we feel that the world is crashing down on us, levity is a good thing. It helps us to lighten our loads.

Laughter is indeed the best medicine to our ailments. There is a reason that comedies do well at the box office and humorous greeting cards sell through the roof -- because we need to laugh -- literally!

When we laugh, our diaphragm contracts, forcing stale air out of our lungs. Our voice box vibrates along with glands around our neck. Our abdominal muscles contract with most of our facial muscles, causing a beneficial physical workout.

It has been proven that laughter also heals the heart in many ways and it is a good way to exercise our mental and spiritual health. It reduces tension, and allows us to laugh at ourselves. More important, when we laugh, we smile and that's never bad.

There are various ways that laughter can be incorporated into our lives. According to the American School Of Laughter Yoga, there are currently over 5000 Laughter Clubs worldwide, counting 250,000+ members, and growing.

Laughter Yoga is a simple yet most profound technique based on the philosophy of “acting happiness”. It is physically oriented and does not rely on the mind at all.

Laughter doesn't stop there. If you think you don't have time to laugh on your own, then check out the World Laughter Tour

Still a little shy about laughing in public? Go to Laugh With Us and learn some more facts on laughing and a few laughing exercises to boot.

Like the old adage says, laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone -- and God doesn't want that. So laugh it up.

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Deus Ex Machina

Have you ever read a book or seen a film that doesn't end properly? Don't you feel cheated for investing your time into something that didn't pay off?

I'd like to introduce you to a little device known as Deus ex machina. In ancient Greek drama, an apparently insoluble crisis was solved by the intervention of a god, often brought on stage by an elaborate piece of equipment; literally a deus ex machina. In fact, Greek tragedian Euripides was notorious for using this plot device.

For example in in Shakespeare's Hamlet, the kidnapping of Hamlet by pirates allows him to escape his orchestrated death in England. In the The Wizard of Oz, a giant field of poppies that puts Dorothy, Toto and the Cowardly Lion to sleep.

The Scarecrow and the Tin Man cry for help, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, produces a snow shower that wakes everyone up. She tells Dorothy she had the power to return home the whole time, but she had to learn for herself.

Deus ex machina doesn't work well in stories or your spiritual life. The story of our lives should unfold naturally, which is not to say that we don't need a little divine intervention, but not in such a way that it blindsides us.

We should never be in a position where there is no way out. We can't call upon God only in emergencies. God is always with us to guide us through the morass; to help us avoid mishaps and sidestep any further complications.

God is not manufactured. It won't leave you cheated and unfulfilled.

It doesn't promise to be a barrel of laughs, or a load of heartache. God gives you a full commitment to your well-being. You don't need a marriage certificate or a ring. It is a life long partnership.

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Soul For $ale

What's a soul worth these days? Five, ten, twenty, perhaps fifty dollars? Is it worth anything? Or is it worth everything? It depends on whose soul it is?

Would you opt for the soul of a criminal or saint? Mother Teresa or Charles Manson? How do we put a price on our soul anyway?

20-year old college student, Adam Burtle didn't wrestle with any of these questions when he put his soul on eBay, the biggest corporate pimp in the world. With bidding starting at five cents, apparently Burtle didn't think much of his soul. Before it was over, he would receive a bid of $400. to be exact.

Let us go back for a minute. How did Burtle wind up selling his soul at all? Was it just a gesture of a bored college student looking for pocket change or was it a cry for help from a soul looking for change?

We know the devil is always looking for willing and unwilling souls, so how did Burtle manage to stay below the devil's radar? Burtle's former girlfriend bid a devilish sum of $6.66 before she was swamped by a flurry of later bids, including one from a woman from Iowa who bid $400 before eBay yanked the item from its listings.

Burtle describes himself as an atheist and a geek, and wrote this description: 'Please realize, I make no warranties as to the condition of the soul. As of now, it is near mint condition, with only minor scratches. Due to difficulties involved with removing my soul, the winning bidder will either have to settle for a night of yummy Thai food and cool indie flicks, or wait until my natural death.'

The fact remains that Burtle's auction attracted serious bidders. There's no telling how high the price of Burtle's soul would have gone if eBay had let the bidding continue.

That was about something that happened in 2002. And guess what? It just happened again last week. Another young man tried to sell his soul on eBay. This one fetched a whopping $504. The winning bid came from a minister. For every $10, the young man is going to attend church and write about the experience.

If anything, eBay certainly spotlights the Theatre of the Absurd. Other absurd auction items include, the Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich, Jesus on sheet metal, Jesus on a banana and many more bizarre items.

Maybe Wal-Mart should stock up on these misguided souls and sell them at a discount. What's next? Soul transplants? Soul implants? Who is the rightful owner of our soul? Is it us or is it God? We are the lease holder of our souls.

God is our landlord. Before we are returned back to God, we gather experiences that last several lifetimes.

When God first considers our applications, our soul's rental history is reviewed, references checked, and our spiritual bank accounts verified for funds.

Credit problems? Spiritual bankruptcy? Not a problem. God looks at everything before our application is approved. What's going to give our soul the experience it requires? Once we are approved, we are allowed to lease without a security deposit. Our souls are our only collateral.

So we can never cheapen our souls by putting them up for auction. They aren't ours to auction. When we get to the point of return, God reviews our history and selects another location for us. Our lease is renewed and we start all over again.

The next time you find yourself looking on eBay, be careful of what you bid for, it may come back to haunt you.

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The Light

GOD
DOES NOT DIE
on the day
when we cease
to believe
in a personal
deity,
but WE DIE
on the day
when our lives
cease to be
illumined
by the steady
radiance,
renewed
daily,
of a wonder,
the source
of which is
beyond all
REASON.

~Dag Hammarskjöld

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An Apple A Day

"Your time is limited,
so don't waste it living
someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma
which is living with the results
of other people's thinking.
Don't let the noise of
other's opinions drown
out your own inner voice.
And most important,
have the courage to follow your heart
and intuition.
They somehow already
know what you truly
want to become.
All external expectations,
all pride, all fear of embarrassment
or failure just fall away
in the face of death.
Remembering that you
are going to die
is the best way to avoid
thinking you have
something to lose.
You are already naked.
There is no reason
not to follow your heart.”

~Steve Jobs

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Word For The Day: Weltschmerz

Words are very important for our state of mind. If we breed negative thoughts, we will breed negative words; words that will be in constant rotation in our head.

I mentioned before that I am a member of A.Word.A.Day. The word I received today is, weltschmerz (VELT-shmerts); noun; World weariness; pessimism, apathy, or sadness felt at the difference between physical reality and the ideal state. [From German Weltschmerz, from Welt (world) + Schmerz (pain).]

I think this word is very intriguing; it's harsh sound and it's stringent implication. Look at the first part of it; 'welts.' That already sounds painful doesn't it? When we feel disassociated from our spirit or our true kismet to feel joy, we have a tendency to feel weltschmerz and that can be very painful.

A common cause of it is when we have a romantic breakup, lose a job, lose a loved one or a profusion of other emotional blows that can set us back in our spiritual course.

Why are worldly matters so hard on us? So hard to shake? They attach themselves to every fiber of our innermost being to keep us laden in despondency and disillusionment.

Let's reprogram our brains. Since certain aspects of our lives are already programmed through DNA, (some people are more inclined to feel despondent), what if we hot-wired our brains to feel the reverse of weltschermz.

In other words, every time a situation arises that would usually bring on weltschermz, we would feel elation, delight, blissfulness, etc.; albeit this could be a problem at funerals? I guess I still have to work out the bugs.

How about if we just use weltschermz as a stepping stone? We know it exists, we acknowledge it and move on.

We don't stay longer than necessary. Think of it as an obstacle course where we jump through hoops, run through tires, climb over walls and up ropes, wade through mud and stumble breathlessly to the finish line.

Yes Weltschermz is the gateway to rhapsody. Bring it on!

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Man's Inhumanity

A 30 year old homeless man sleeping in a Boston park was attacked by two men kicking him in the stomach. Later the men returned, drenched him with a flammable liquid and set his legs on fire. Firefighters found the man wrapped in a blanket after he had ripped off some of his burning clothes.

Why do we kick a man when he is down? Why do we kick him at all? Some folks may say because he deserves to be kicked, but who are we to make that decision? Does a homeless man have less human rights because he is homeless?

Fellow blogger, Ariel of BitterSweetLife thinks that I see the good in people, but he doesn't. His visceral observations are indeed engaging and makes for vigorous dissertation while he defends the bittersweet. His premise: "Life in Christ is pure joy. Life on earth is pain. Therefore, life is bittersweet." He questions whether life's implications are good?

Is it too unrealistic to think that inside every bad person is a good person trying to get out? They may have been misguided along the way and their purpose derailed, but isn't it possible that goodness is there -- somewhere?

So as not to contradict myself, I will at least compromise by saying that I think 'most' people are good. If everyone were good, our jails would be empty.

The only problem is that a truly bad person knows their propensity for wickedness supersedes any inkling to be good. While that perception is a karmic labyrinth that underpins our morality and the way we view reality, it can also work in a convoluted way.

For instance in the case of the homeless man's attackers. I don't see the good in what the suspects did, but I see the good that came out of it. So a devil's advocate would say that the suspects were actually good, by accelerating that homeless man's fate.

However repugnant the act was, it still got the homeless man to a hospital where he was probably checked out for other maladies. The suspects will now pay society for what they have done by serving jail time, being fined, including being spiritually fined and being next in line of adverse karma as stated by the universal law; the law of cause and effect.

Does disaster or a spiritual crisis bring out the good (God) in people? Since then, the homeless man may have gotten offers of food, clothes, shelter and a job to give him a new lease on life.

It's not always bad news, but that seems to be the news that is reported more often. Here's a bit of good news in a nutshell. A waitress saved a choking baby by doing the Heimlich Maneuver; a truck driver thwarted a burglar suspect's escape by blocking the suspect's car with his big rig; a man tackled another man shooting an attorney (I know what you're thinking?); numerous organ donors; anonymous cash donors to disaster victims; all of these are truly magnanimous gestures.

So is Ariel right? Is life bittersweet? Can we split the difference? How about joint custody? He can keep the bitter and I can keep the sweet. We both get to keep God to balance our wills and enhance our diverse visions, maybe even upgrade it to wide screen.

"Man is a god clothed in rags, he is a master of
the universe going about begging a crust of bread.
He is a king prostrated before his own servants,
a prisoner walled in by his own ignorance.
He could be free. He has only to walk out of his
self-constructed prison, for none holds him there
but himself."

Sri Paul Twitchell

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Romeo And Juliet Redux

In Shakespeare's, Romeo And Juliet, the two star-crossed lovers kill themselves because they can't be together on earth, but are ultimately together in eternity.

In Fairfield's (that's me), Romeo And Juliet, the two lovers have a similar fate. Yes, this too is a story of Romeo And Juliet; the feathered kind.

Outside my kitchen window, are two handsome golden brown pigeons that I have nicknamed, Romeo And Juliet. I often see these two love birds gathering on the neighbor's ledge, chatting about the political climate, the economy, juicy water cooler gossip, and Shakespeare.

I see Romeo approaching Juliet with a rose. Let's listen in. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night!" See I told you they did Shakespeare. Now do you believe me?

Every once in a while, their beaks will intertwine in a passionate kiss. They are inseparable and very affectionate. Today, I noticed Juliet's wing was slightly injured. There are always crows hovering and perhaps one of them attacked her when Romeo went for food.

As she restlessly fiddled about, looking into the sky beckoning for Romeo. "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?," she slipped off the ledge and fell about 50 feet to the concrete.

Seconds later she was brutally attacked by a group of vicious crows, who eventually killed her. It was heartbreaking to say the least. When Romeo returned to find his lover gone, he set out to search for her.

Were these two young souls the victims of a predictable fate? Are our destinies predetermined? If they are, does that mean we shouldn't try to fulfill our dreams to the best of our abilities and let God add the scenery?

It is the duty of soul to work side by side with God. Our fate is predetermined, but that doesn't mean it is a bad fate? I went downstairs to find Juliet almost completely ravaged. "Death lies on her like an untimely frost, upon the sweetest flower of all the field."

Romeo stood over Juliet, not threatened by any human. He was visibly shaken. He shrieked. His pain was heard like a cacophony of car alarms, or like Brando's version of Stanley Kowalski yelling, "Stella," in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Romeo was saying goodbye in his own way. "Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow." Then Romeo lay down besides his Juliet and died with her. I think he died of a broken heart.

The animal control guy came a few minutes later and scooped Juliet up. I asked about Romeo and he confirmed that Romeo too was now gone with his Juliet. "Never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

It was one of the most unusual acts I have ever seen in the animal kingdom. We die daily as our souls push us to expand. Just like we mourn a loved one in death, we mourn our old selves. "The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head." Pain is a rigid teacher. It helps us to remember the past, then it helps us forget the past and we are renewed.

An old soul is like an old love; it never really dies, it just moves to a quieter place. Embrace the growth of your soul.

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The Apprentice: Mean With Envy

There seems to be a mean spiritedness as evidenced in last night's, 'The Apprentice,' that is rampant in society. Why is this need to put other people down so high on our priority list? Is it because we feel so inadequate that we have to put others down to elevate our own self-esteem?

For those of you who don't know, The Apprentice is one of the most overblown "reality" shows you could ever watch. Contestants (mice) fight to get a piece of the corporate cheese; working for self-aggrandizing, real estate mogul, Donald Trump.

Like any "scripted" reality show, it supposedly has all the elements of good and evil, except I find it almost impossible to decipher the good in seeing people perform like circus sea lions tossing beach balls for herring. A sure sign of them becoming boot-licking toadies.

My unbridled idealism tells me that there must be good somewhere right? Maybe it's buried deep in Trump's heart, right under the stacks of million dollar bills. It's takes every ounce of the contestants training, or lack thereof to figure out how to get the attention of the king (that would be Trump).

What seems to elude them the most is trust, common sense and team spirit. Every contestant has to pretend to like his teammate to find his teammate's Achilles heel and then kick like Hell until that contestant is fired.

After watching last night's episode, I was appalled at the egregious behavior of contestant, Stacy; an aggressive mini skirted blonde criminal public defender from New York. Ugliness rears its head more on T.V. than anywhere else. What makes good T.V. doesn't make a good soul.

I know the show has been edited to seep in sensationalism, but nevertheless, it's still loathsome any way you slice it. Why do I watch it? For the character studies. I like to see what makes people tick even if it is sickening. I actually watch very little T.V., not the screen size, but the amount.

Anyway, The Apprentice hasn't been the same since Omorosa was voted one of the most hated Apprentices. (Google it)

Last night as the contestants began to dive into the task, Brent, a slightly overweight, bespectacled real estate and insurance attorney from Florida and social leper by the contestants standards, tried unsuccessfully to throw his ideas into the ring.

Each time, he tried, Stacy would cut him off and shut him down. Peppi, the project manager didn't really intervene until pushed by Stacy to "do something," because she couldn't work with Brent, who did nothing more than try to have his voice heard. (What kind of name is Peppi for a grown man anyway?)

Gathering all of his strength, Brent confronted Stacy in the hallway. He simply asked her why she cut him off and wouldn't let him speak? She didn't know what to say to Brent's face, but suddenly she reported to Peppi that Brent "threatened her." What? Threatened? Who? When? Where? How? Wait a minute. What?

Stacy lied about Brent because he stood up for himself. And just like the sheep consciousness that would be any apprentice, they agreed with Stacy although none of them were present. Why didn't anyone think to ask Brent what happened instead of jumping to conclusions? I guess that wasn't in The Apprentice manual.

Brent's teammates secretly colluded to set Brent up for the proverbial ax where his head would roll down fifth avenue while everyone else kicked it too. Finally reason stepped in.

When Stacy was confronted in the boardroom about the "threat," she back pedaled through the murky water in whence she spoke. She called Brent a clown and admitted that he didn't threaten her, but she felt her safety was at stake. Again. What?

What did she think Brent was going to do, tickle her to death? Perhaps pull a multicolored scarf out of his mouth? Juggle? In the end Stacy and project manger Peppi properly got the ax.

What does reality T.V. really teach us? That we shouldn't speak up? That we should bite our tongues until we have a mouth full of blood? That everyone has to sacrifice dignity for the spotlight while ignobleness eagerly waits in the wings? The ego slowly expands under the heat of hot lights whereas our foibles are magnified to the point of blindness; our own blindness.

Are we so superficial that the notion of fame nibbles our moral decay? Yes. Why do we judge people who look different than we do? Do we feel threatened by them, like Stacy?

She lied about Brent because he was an outsider who looked different than she. He was, as she described, "a clown" who brought the team down. To some observers, Stacy was the devil in Prada and Brent just didn't fit into her beautiful world; the world of rapists, murderers, molesters, and other reprobates. Remember she is a criminal public defender for New York.

We don't have to like everyone we meet, but at least we can be civil to them. I think there should be a name switch. The Apprentice should be called The Lemmings.

Better yet, The Apprentice should trade names with The Biggest Loser. That way everyone wins. This one is for the underdogs. Keep your head up. Every dog has his day.

I can't believe I did a whole post on The Apprentice but someone had to do it. Blogging is so darn unpredictable.

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Drop It Like It's Hot

This wonderful post (minus the photo) was lovingly borrowed from the blog,
Spiritual Struggle.

It is so enlightening that I thought it would start the week off with a bang. You deserve it. (Thanks Alexander)

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!"

And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

• Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
• Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
• Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
• Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
• The second mouse gets the cheese.
• When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
• You may be only one person in the world to some people, but to one person, you may be the world.
• We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

I know you are smiling now. Keep smiling. Don't burden yourself with the weight of your own thoughts. These simple truths go a long way. Tack them on your refrigerator. Get to know them well. Make them a part of your life. Have a great week!

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Food For Thought

“Do not spoil what you have

By desiring what you have not.

Remember that what you now have
Was once among the things
You only hoped for.”

-Epicurus


“To dream anything that
You want to dream.
That's the beauty
Of the human mind.
To do anything
That you want to do.
That is the strength
Of the human will.
To trust yourself
To test your limits.
That is the courage
To
Succeed.”

-Bernard Edmonds

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A Change Of Pace

This was inspired by Rambling Muse's blog.

It is called a Johari Window.

It is fun and a nice change of pace for the weekend. Indulge me and choose which adjectives you think best describe me.

Do you know me or do you think you know me? Am I a mad genius with God at the ready? A tormented soul? A loving soul with a heart of gold? A cheerful free spirit with a positive disposition?

Do you know now? Does God even know? Does only God know?

Give it a try and have fun.

(Click the Johari Window link above.)

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Hurry Up And Wait

Why is it that every time I am in the Express Line with one item, someone behind me with more than the allotted amount is complaining that the line is moving too slowly? Isn't that just like the human consciousness? We have become what I call, the microwave generation.

We want it all now. We can't wait for our consciousness to cook slowly and we end up getting it raw in the middle and slightly cooked on the sides; hence like it is in a microwave.

Could the Express Line be just another lie? An illusion? Is it really faster than a normal line? Most of the time, it really is not faster than another line because everyone gets in it, thus leaving the other lines open and making them the Express Lines.

Like a rat going for the marketing cheese, we gobble up the notion of moving faster, and wind up going slower than we could have gone initially. It expedites our thinking to slow us down.

Everyone wants to get to Heaven, but no one wants to die to get there.

A friend of mine walked home for lunch one day. Before he knew it, it was almost time to be back at work. In order not to be late, he took a new bus called, The Dash. The name alone would make you think that it was fast right?

He wound up being on that bus for an hour because it went up every street for ten blocks, stopping at every corner. The time he spent on the bus, he could have walked and been five minutes late, not miss half the day.

At the time, he did not think to get off because he was almost there. It wasn't until later that he realized, The Dash was a bus mainly for seniors and other people who had trouble walking long distances.

Although we may be in a dash to go through life, Soul is in no hurry.

Ironically I think Express Lines are magnets for people who need to slow down. So the next time you go shopping, remember if you want to leave quickly, avoid The Express Line.

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Survival Of The Fittest

What would you do if your life changed as you know it? Would you laugh? Cry? Would you lay down and die? A bad experience can flatten us like road kill, but our soul sings "I WIll Survive."

If Herbert Spencer were alive today, he may be amazed that the phrase he coined, "Survival Of The Fittest," has become a mantra for many of the downtrodden.

It doesn't mean an eye for an eye, or dog eat dog, or kill or be killed, it's simply an empowering statement that gives us the fortitude and valor we need to stand up again.

How we live is an example of how our lives are and of how our souls have survived for many years. Our purification begins when we are in pain. As we traverse through the experience, we grow and continue to our next experience.

This scene will repeat throughout life, however we don't have to be in pain to be purified. It happens constantly, but it is heightened during painful moments. Pain is not permanent, but the memory is always with us.

In God's eyes, we are all fit and we all survive.

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Time For A Spiritual Tune-up?

Have you ever stopped to think about how you can improve your life? I don't mean in monetary assets, material possessions or having a certain mate. I mean really improving your life?

Would you say that you are in need of a spiritual tune-up? Most of us don't realize when we are in need of this kind of repair.

When we are sick, we go to doctors. When our cars are broken, we go to mechanics, but where do we go when our spirits are broken? The answer may surprise you. We are our own spiritual mechanics. We have the ability to repair ourselves with simple techniques and easy maintenance.

As spiritual beings we can be in mint condition at any given time if we know how to tune ourselves.

In order to tune up ourselves we have to tune out our old selves. Imagine an old car that needs an engine overhaul. The old engine is removed and a new one replaces it.

You can overhaul your spiritual engine by examining your life and all the areas that need improvement. Whether its financial, emotional, physical, or spiritual. Some areas in your life have caused a breakdown in your spirit.

To rebuild your spirit, you have to identify the problem.

It doesn't take much to get back to your spiritual best once you have identified the problem. A spiritual being is committed to inner peace and balance.

A spiritual being finds an inner voice and establishes a dialogue with Spirit -- the master mechanic.

To overhaul yourself you must be open to what you may find. Check your speedometer. Are you doing too much for everyone else and not enough for yourself? It is time to slow down. Do something for you. A massage, manicure, movie, book, something just for you.

Is your transmission slowing you down? As we get older, our physical and spiritual bodies change. We may become sensitive to various foods that may cause a reaction.

You may love coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol but they do nothing for your body except tear it down. You have to feed your body as carefully as you feed your soul.

Keep your spiritual vechicle in top shape and it will take you far on the road of life.

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