One Strong Belief

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

Hmm so many things really. I'll say that everything is connected. We do not exist in a universe of our own. The decisions we make and our action/inaction effects the whole, from the microscopic to the cosmic.
If we intend to survive then we need to stop thinking in terms of dollars and start thinking in terms of community, sustainability, healing.

We need to stop thinking in terms of us and them. We need to stop worrying about what others believe and trying to convert them to our way of thinking and just get down to the work that needs to be done.

I could go on...

What inspires these beliefs? I've always had a reverence for nature but never really had a name for it. I thought I was the odd ball. Then I discovered wicca/paganism. I took a science course in environmental science and could see the web of life in everything, and how we were adversely effecting it with our greed. I decided that I didn't feel right about what was happening. That I wanted to do my part to help heal the earth.

We've done organic gardening, as well as some other artisan projects. The idea being that if we can learn these skills, we can cut our reliance on the systems that are exploiting resources.
Perhaps we can make a sustainable amount to continue expanding so we can support a CSA or at least provide for those who are in need.

I've been deeply seclusive for the past decade or so. Trusting very few people and cynically believing that everyone is unconcerned about anything but themselves and money, with a bent toward being crooks.

I am trying to overcome this feeling. I've started to meet other pagans and like minded individuals and see that not everyone is out to get me. Most people are good at heart, doing the best they can with what they've got.

Though a lot of our beliefs may differ, we have the human condition in common and often that is enough.

I also have to thank the people that make up our week long community at Vermont Witch camp. This community was really the first exposure I had to community, and earth based spirituality. It has renewed my hope for humanity and changed my outlook on everything. It is with much excitement that I look forward to reuniting this August!!

Time's up

“We are afraid of truth, afraid of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other. Our age yields no great and perfect persons. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

You just discovered you have fifteen minutes to live. Write the story that has to be written..

Life is too short!!

In our society we worry ourselves about money (or lack there of), what we own, what we wear. We feel we need the latest gadget, the new fad diet, etc. Just to be "in" and thin. Life is to short!!

We fret over black and white, gay or straight, Christian or Pagan. Life is to Short!!

We're concern ourselves with our self-centered desires, to the detriment of our brothers and sisters, our home planet. Never once considering future generations. Life is too short!!

if we have any hope of saving humanity, we've got to get past our fears and prejudice and work together. In the end all that makes a difference is we are all human, we are all in this together, and only together can we get the job done.

Stop listening to the propaganda that big business is disseminating through the media. Get involved in humanitarian work, activism, or whatever you feel most strongly about.

Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like no one is watching. Life is too short!!

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I know I know

Haven't posted in a Looong time. Sorry to disappoint but nothing today. I'll try and get something going in the next few days.

In the mean time Enjoy the Summer Solstice!!

Blessed Be

Joplin Tornado Cleanup

Joplin, MO got hit with an EF-5 tornado about 2-3 weeks ago. That's too close to home to ignore.
We went there yesterday to see what we could do to help out.
I'd never been anywhere in the aftermath of a tornado. The area we were working in was where the least damage had occurred. Yet I couldn't imagine how scary it would have been. There were trees the size of a torso that had been tossed about like twigs. Stuff in the tops of trees.. Insulation covering the outside of buidings.
Astounding, and very humbling. It certainly makes one reevaluate their own complaints. Makes trivial what seemed so important just an hour ago. Hell it makes you feel lucky to be alive and still have a roof over your head. When you think, at the end of the day, how hot it was out there and how little it seems you got done, the view reminds you that it takes a community. That just because you can go home and take a cool shower and go to bed, the people you're helping out don't have that option.
It's going to take a long time to cleanup and recover, but if the people of Joplin and the volunteers that were there yesterday are any indication it will get done.
I guess I'm use to the stuffy/conservative/individual attitude of the midwest but, there was none of that out at the site. No bickering about religion, race, etc. No complaints about what had to be done. Just determination to get in there and do what one could. To me that's what community is about.

I have to hand it to Service International. I'm not sure what all they do there but they provided transport from the church to the worksites, food, water, and tools. The support system of the efforts if you will.
There were people there from all over. From St. Louis (nearly 300 miles) to Kansas and Arkansas.

It's nice to see so many people from all over, from all walks of life, helping out. It does sadden me though, that it takes a catastrophe to bring community together.

Food for though