Meditiation in Blue & White

Cool, crisp paradise of blue and white. Miracle of nature standing serenely in the days pure light.
Perfect vision of another space in time. Specter of a secret place where we can join in songs and rhymes.
May you never dream alone in time, or cry in vain at anytime.

And when you sleep in the dark of night may guardians lovingly protect your flight. Till the morning comes again with might to bathe you in its gentle light.
All your dreams they can come true. And all they really need are you!

Transitions

Transitions are the universe's way of saying it is time to change. Whether it is a situation, a career or a life style, it is the a warning or suggestion that something more is about to come.   

Subtle, silent reminders of earthly mortality and more, the shifting sands of time concur that there is always shore.

A shore from which to start your journey to sail on and soar. On vessels made from loving dreams and christened by our yore.

When tides of time anoint the sails and blow us to and fro, then steer with oars we must begin, to chart our course, or no.

On the crest of waves we gain our thrust and fly across the sea. But constant care must be observed lest on the reef we'll be. Dashing hopes of long held dreams and swimming in the sea.

I have felt the strain of gravity pulling at my soul. I have felt the hand of mortality as it pushes me to the shoal. And I have felt the freedom of restraint when all is wrong. 

Perhaps it is infinity that holds the final key. A time, a place, a season that allows me to be free.   So let us trust in happenstance and learn from it indeed. That life is what we make of it. It's life itself we need.

The Art of Nesting

Sometime in the year 2011, in late July, my 5th reincarnation occurred. How does that saying go? When you're not looking that's when you find it.

To find a loving partner such as I did at any age is rare, but to find love at my time in the life line is miraculous indeed.

As with any reincarnation, life must transmute and energies must be reassigned. However, once the new life begins there are always flash backs of previous experiences, both good and bad, but mostly good.

My new life has a new song and it sounds like a very familiar tune but with a new arrangement and most definitely in its own key. After living for 18 years in the cloisters of Lincoln Park, and immersed in the culture of the north side, I decided that a physical move was the answer to aid in the process of recreation.

In order to attempt a successful move into a new life, it makes sense to change the soil before transplanting. So a world wind of searches for the next "nest" ensued.

From north to south, and west to east, we wandered daily much like the Israelites looking for the promised land. It is not easy to take up old roots and shake them off. But sometimes it is most necessary to revive. History will record I think that the operation was a total success, and the patient survived and more.

Along with my new life and new love has come a showering of affection from new family and friends. Not that I have abandoned the old and familiar but perhaps rearranged priorities along the way.

Don't you find it exciting when a new day awakens and the sounds and smells of the morning blow through your window and tantalize your senses? Our new life has come to us bearing unexpected gifts and feelings of exhilaration. A utopian existence that I cherish everyday.

It has been almost three months since we crossed the river, literally. Ensconced in the arms of the "Commons" we have taken to our new environs like two birds in flight. Winging our way along life's landscape and charting our course in time. Many memories have come with of course and in our new home they are gentle reminders of lives well lived.

Oh, and did I mention, our cardinals and robins have found us again? There is even a pair of squirrels that visit, as if to say welcome home.

And so it goes ...

And so it goes ... One life ends and another begins.

Have you ever thought of how many times we die every year, every day, every moment? Today I am older and more aware I think but yesterday I was more passionate perhaps. And tomorrow who knows?

Every day and every moment we are constantly evolving in one direction or another. We can only hope that it is the right direction, but it is almost impossible to actually know if we are headed to the right destination unless we have developed a very sophisticated GPS system.

I sometimes wonder what all the drama is about. Whether we fail or succeed, it is really only our problem after all. Ah, but there are other considerations I fear. Are we alone or with someone? Do we have others to take care of? And perhaps most important, are there others that depend on us for leadership or inspiration?

All of these concerns really only matter as long as we are alive, however the way in which we die also matters. Not just for others but most importantly for ourselves. Obviously no one wants to exit on a bad note, so the question is how long can we keep up appearances?

Not to be morbid, but I for one am at a juncture were lines begin to blur. Much as some need glasses I think I may need trifocals, since my bifocals seem to be challenged these days.

There does come a time I feel that it is more about the mental status than the physical. A time where priorities collide and the present becomes omnipresent.

So what am I saying? Only just that while there maybe a time and place for everything, maybe that time and place are negotiable. At least I think so, and isn't that what really matters?

Misty Memories of Maine

Uniquely Yours

There are times, when you least expect it, that life's reflections appear. So clearly do they mirror our most intimate thoughts and dreams that they become us if only for the moment. Crystal clear reflections so tragically beautiful, so uplifting and sad, yet so perfectly perfect in their intent.

The other day I saw myself in a window in my new neighborhood. I thought to myself where was I when this picture was taken last? Who and where was I at that space in time? As I continued on I remembered so many intimate moments of that very occurrence but it was a younger me and so many other places ago.

There is a shopping center nearby that reminds me of Los Angeles and another that is most definitely New York. There is campus that could be in Seattle and a Canal that might be Miami. All these sounds and vistas trigger other moments in time when an aging ingenue strolled the streets of life in search of himself and finding, after all that he was always there, just behind, if only one were to stop and look.

Why is it that we so desperately run from what we know, eagerly leaping into the arms of distant strangers. Is it that we are impatient for the future or merely bored by the past. Or is it maybe that we need the new and exciting lest we become stagnant and fixed in the forever, a picture of who we are and no more.

Can time exist in a capsule? Can a life force become a moment? And in the end, after all is said and done, can there be anymore? I say yes. Tomorrow is the product of all the reflections of yesterday and today, and, like a digital recording can exist as past, present and future if we only let it be.

So frame your reflections and keep them in your heart because they are, after all the, special things that make you uniquely yours!

It's A Grand Old Flag

Cool right? When I first saw this ad for a black and white tee-shirt for the fourth of July, I thought how interesting that our flag is so iconic, even in black and white you can still feel the colors!

Then it occurred to me that the flag was being displayed incorrectly. The union jack should always be on the left when hung this way. In fact, displaying the flag in this matter means distress. Perhaps this was the thought when the designer made this tee- shirt? Maybe he or she was being facetious by calling attention to the fact that our nation is a bit confused these days, what with supreme court decisions all over the board and political parties that have no identity, unless you call indecision and bigotry good symbols to define their directions.

When wealth and religion become the driving factors in forming a national platform, something is seriously wrong. When the everyday "Joe & Jill" are more concerned with their iPads and Walmart prices than quality and honesty, this is what happens.

Too bad that we can't just have a "do over" and reset our priorities. Just imagine if we all could merely slow down long enough to see the disasters that we are side stepping everyday, and the deadly dumbing of a once great culture such as ours.

Today I saw a tee-shirt, probably made in China or India, or anyone of a hundred other sweat shops around the world, with union jack on the wrong side. To me this says "what the hell, it's cute, it's trendy and it's cheap". What else should matter since I will probably wear it once and throw it away.

I think not. What should matter on this fourth of July is the fact that our great nation is becoming sedentary and complacent. But there is a new wind stirring. I felt it in the air just the other day. I felt it in the striking down of DOMA, in the ruling on emigration and equal rights. There is definitely a stirring in the atmosphere and I can see it coming over the horizon like a distant vision of hope. The ghosts of greatness that once formed a perfect union are ready to march again. The question is ... Are we ready to follow?

Happy 4h of July ... and may our tomorrows be worn in pride rather than distress!

Aging Naturally



So, which looks good to you - younger, older, perhaps in between?

As we age life seems to imprint on us a series of seasons much like the rings of the giant redwood tree or perhaps the gentle willow. Whatever the species, we grow our rings to determine time and our bark becomes a sort of brittle. In times of plenty or times of drought our building blocks continue to stack and become, in the end, that thing we call ourselves.

When left to its own devices our growth and direction will by nature become a thing of beauty. Mellowed by the kiss of time we become a unique and wondrous work of art. However, if too much intention to the material world is paid we might instead become creatures of desire causing instead a bitter picture of all that is wrong indeed.

Today I woke up with the sun and looked out at my garden. The trees and flowers filled my heart with joy and promise. I thought to myself, what is it that provides this feeling of euphoria in nature? Then it occurred to me that perhaps it is the contentment found when nature takes the lead and the rhythm of the universe is let to its own. Once I had unleashed the symphony it became its own special song and the melody resonated in my ears.

There is a new pictures that I am painting here on 15th Street. It is the picture of mature contentment and placid existence. The street and it's environs have a special neighborhood feel mixed with city sleek and sprinkled with an international population. There is most definitely an overall academic undertone as well. The result is sort of urban utopia and it is resonating in me.

I think we shall like it here very much. It is a new garden and we seem to be thriving. Oh, and I seem to be getting younger again. There is magic here ...

Walk into the Light

And so it is written , so let it be done!

This week has been a roller coaster of emotion from Gay Marriage to Immigration Reform, to the Black Hawks victory ...

One would think that this would be a joyous time of celebration and merriment. One would think so, but of course there is always that noisy minority that seems hell bent on hatred and bigotry. I would think that this group of haters should have a leader, one that would personify the very nature of the group. So someone who is pompous and irrational. Someone who is totally immersed in ancient rhetoric and good old boy games. Who might this person be? Rick Perry of course. Now here is an election he could win!

It boggles my mind that in this time of total tech, with the world of knowledge at our finger tips, a lot of us cannot see the light. How long is this left over logic from the middle ages going to linger? I think perhaps this kind of misguided madness has always and will always be apart of our nature. It is the negative to the positive and the wrong to the wright. It exists in the soul when the heart has hardened and it lives in the shadows where truth and light do not shine.

But there is always hope, even for the most callous and bitter adversary. There will come a time when, if only by attrition, the lost will find their way home and the world will welcome them with love and forgiveness.

If only so much time were not wasted on matters which do not concern us. If we were but to look at our own situations I think that we have more than enough to contend with and leave the rest to their own.

Let the celebrations begin!

A Celebration of Equality

Today something happened that lifted my soul and made me feel proud to be apart of the human race again. It was a moment that should not have needed to be, but most certainly was welcomed by caring people across the nation and beyond.

It was a statement that merely said it is wrong to deny basic human rights to anyone. Equality exists in many forms in our universe. It is the means by which all life exists. It is the yin and the yang. To deny equality to any one person or group is to fly in the face nature itself. To practice this kind of bigotry hearkens to the wrongs of past attempts such as genocide, slavery and ethnic cleansing.

To live in a world of love and equality would be an awesome thing. One in which we all exist in a state of understanding and acceptance for all creatures great and small.

I remember the days of Stonewall very well indeed and the fear and hate that brought it to pass. I remember the riots of LA and Chicago, when the nation rose up against black repression and bigotry. But today was different in that it has stricken down a conscious attempt by a minority to mandate how we live and love, and there in lies the key. To discriminate because of race or life style is most definitely wrong but to discriminate on the grounds of religious beliefs is hanus indeed. It is the very dogma of the religious that rails against the very concept.

So while it is a time of joy and celebrations let us also be cautious and alert to the fact that our victories are only as good as the moment and must be guarded for future generations in order to stay safe and true.

Too many times in the past have we witnessed reversals of fortune. The tides can change in a heartbeat and galaxies can most certainly collide. But I believe that good resides in all of us and if we learn to channel our positive energies they will most definitely raise up and conquer the darker side within.

So let the celebrations begin!

Rainbow and Lightning

When rainbow meets lightning can the end be far away?

With all the epic weather conditions that seem to compounding this old planet can Armageddon be upon us? Or are these merely signs of a benign and divine intervention!

Whether it is the weather or perhaps a cranial disturbance, we seem to be headed for some major life corrections. The warning signs are out there and flashing. Should we choose to ignore them then we all know deep down inside what will happen. Much like the constant tornadoes that ravage the surface of Jupiter or the parched and burnt crust of Mercury, we will become a statistic of the universe.

But what if instead we learn from our lessons, god forbid, and make the changes that to seem to so totally dominate our species? Could we actually turn things around ... or are we to close the edge of that black hole called despair.

There is one thing that we have in common with the universe - we are in it and part of it. We should never forget that from the tiniest particles emerge colossal elements. We are the keepers of the trust and must in fact guard it with our lives.

There is an old saying that "as above so below". Perhaps the mega storms of today are really just an extension of the volatile storms in our minds ...

A Chardonnay at the end of the day

Every evening around about five o'clock I settle in with my glass of chilled nirvana. A ritual that has served me well for these 30 some odd years now. Whether it is a martini, shaken not stirred, or a glass of wine, it is the stuff that relaxation is made of.

I know that my doctor would disagree with me but then she doesn't understand the process I think. Being of Asian extraction there is obviously a genetic inhibitor there that prevents her from imbibing in the elixir of life.

What is it with medical professions and their disdain for natures own tranquilizer? Well she is gone and another more understanding doc is advising me now.

There is something about a chilled glass of the grape to help one settle in, it puts a finish on the rigors of the day. When all is said and done it is a ritual that most definitely should be made sacred.

So many times I think, we neglect to understand the importance of ritual in general. Whether it is a glass of wine or a well rolled joint, a martini or a mantra, we all need a way to say goodbye to the day and welcome in the nurturing night.

So tonight, as we marvel at the mega full moon, let us all raise our glasses or what ever substance we feel it is that aides us in our quest for contentment, and give a toast to mother moon and all her lunar liaisons. Ommmm ... And Cheers!

Meloncholy Moments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just recently moved. Changed my address and jump started my life again. The one thing that has complicated my endeavor has been the debris of my past existence. Kind of like clutter from another universe, it swirls and turns, and entices, but leaves without culmination.

As for me, I'm not sure that I believe in saving sentiment. I mean, after all once something has happened, if you cannot remember it, than it is probably not worth remembering. However, tangible items tend to trigger a response. Kind of like a physical reminder of a journey that has become cerebral. And therein lies the answer!

There is nothing like a move to unleash pent up emotions that have been cemented in time and weigh heavy on the soul. Much like bindings they can hold one suspended in time and imprison the soul in a frozen zone where life cannot respond.

It may sound queer but there is a thing that happens in a move, whether physical or mental, and that is the trigger to purge. Raw emotions can, if left to serve, create a kind of reset button.

Much like life itself, shedding the past skin can aid its revitalization and regrowth. So as I move on, as I must, I still remember every instance of past pleasures and pains. But, put in their place, they allow me to enjoy the future ahead and make it more perfect ...

A Clutter of Emotion

I just recently moved. Changed my address and jump started my life again. The one thing that has complicated my endeavor has been the debris of my past existence. Kind of like clutter from another universe, it swirls and turns, it entices but it leaves us without culmination.

As for me, I'm not sure that I believe in saving sentiment. I mean, after all once something has happened, if you cannot remember it, than it is probably not worth remembering. However, tangible items tend to trigger a response. They are a physical reminder of a journey that has become cerebral. Therein lies the answer!

There is nothing like a move to unleash pent up emotions that have been cemented in time and weigh heavy on the soul. Much like bindings they can hold one suspended in time and imprison the soul in a frozen zone where life cannot respond. It may sound queer but there is a thing that happens in a move, whether physical or mental, and that is the trigger to purge. Raw emotions can, if left to serve, create a kind of reset button.

Much like life itself, shedding the past skin can aid its revitalization and regrowth. So as I move on I will still remember every instance of past pleasures and pains. But, put in their place, they allow me to enjoy the future ahead and make it a more perfect place to be ...

A Walk Through the Forest

The forest was dark and misty as I waked silently through it's cathedral like arch of branches. A feeling of loneliness crept over me and took hold of my being. I felt lost, alone and began to despair. When was it that winter had come and how long would it be before new growth would bring color to this desolate place?

Many times I had ran and played below it's lofty canopy and many more times had watched as the dappled sunlight illuminated the fragrant flowers and new born leaves while woodland creatures scampered. But now it was stagnant and somber.

At once I heard the Robin's song. A song of promise and a sight to behold. He sang of times both new and old. He sang of life and love, and hope, of seasons still to unfold. Remember, said he, when the old growth dies and interrupts the flow, the dead wood must be cleared to allow the new to grow.

For if in angst we turn our head and do not see the joy, that lay within the dormant seed it will never be ours to enjoy. So walk with purpose, walk with pride and keep your vision strong, for negatives that can occur will fester if left long.

So listen to the positive and let your spirit flow, the seasons of, and in your mind will make the forest grow.

Lamb or Lion

Looking out my window this morning I was pleasantly surprised to see a dusting of snow on the ground. A little bonus from the winter's retreat before the warm and gentle breezes of spring appear.

I know that most people look forward to the return of warm weather and so do I. But as a long time Midwesterner I have to say that I enjoy the wilds of winter as well. "There is a Time and Season for everything" as the saying goes, and I for one enjoy them all.

When I was a young boy I remember my grandmother telling me things about the nature of Mother Nature.  Things like how to tell when it going to rain, how to listen to the wind when awaiting a storm, and when to plant the seeds of spring. Grandma, being a farmer  early on, had an intimate relationship with nature.

One of her favorite saying was about March - lamb or lion. As the saying goes should March enter as the lamb then beware the lion when it leaves, or if the lions enters first then the lamb will follow with an early spring.

I guess I find comfort most times in the mere fact that nature can be relied on to set our pace for the year to come. This years it seems that, for the moment at least, we are back on course and that this early paschal lamb may in fact bring us an early spring as well.

But whether lion or lamp it is nice to know that I have survived another winter. So I will take comfort in natures gift and use it to help me plant my seeds of spring renewal once again.

The Mountain and Me



Every time I come to this place I am always mesmerized by the many changing faces of my mountain.

Sometimes a brooding giant laid heavy with clouds of snow and rain, sometimes a lofty spectacle of sun and wind again, but always solid in it's stance and ever more a friend.

To be apart of its silent synergy is a lasting love and to breath its lithe air combed clean by the pines is a delight indeed. Of granite made yet gathering within its embrace the many and varied desert flora and fauna it stands ready for the day.

How many times have it felt its strength in the morning hours when, awaking to the desert sun, it's beacon ignites and sets the valley on fire with its reflection.

How many more moments have I looked in aw at it's staggering peaks and rocky valleys punctuated by bristles of cactus and yucca, bringing a prickly softness to its otherwise austere face.

This time I know it intimately, and this time I feel it more profoundly. In a few days I must leave its domain but I will feel it all the same. Whether in the desert or back in the plains, my mountain will be with me all the same.

You see, what I have discovered, and it was a surprise to see - I am the mountain because the mountain is in me.

High Flying Adored

Ah, to be in the air again! Winging my way to the sunshine of the desert and clearing my mind of all the mundane challenges of the past weeks is a wonderful feeling indeed.

This time however is very different. This time I feel as though I am traveling with my entire life in my pocket. I have often talked of change before but this time there is an urgency to it. As if time has whispered in my ear "it is your moment to shine again - cast off your earthly mantle and fly with me"!

Time can be either a formidable predator or a close and loving friend. Over the years I have experienced both. Now, in what I have come to call "my Fifth Act", I feel a certain freedom in the knowledge of just what I have accomplished. After all it is not every one who can say that they have survived over six decades, managed a successful business for over 35 years, survived three long time relationships, and written four books.

Now in my fifth Act, I have actually entered into a new a wonderful relationship and am fully expecting to begin life again, one more time, and with all the gusto I can manage. Armed with a loving partner and overflowing with the promise of tomorrow, I feel as light as the air around me.

So hello desert, here I come. Hello desert my long time mentor, make your magic one more time for me and cast your spell again. I am such a lucky person to have been privy to the best, and wors,t in life. So fortunate to be apart of it all. Pardon me but I really do feel "high flying and adored"!

Winter Doldrums

Now that the holidays have settled in and the slush of the winter's doldrums is upon us. The season of sparkle lies frozen under a drift of snow, liberally seasoned with a handful of road salt, and those dull sunless days have descended upon us once more. The only remedy is to escape!

Book that ticket to a tropical paradise or fly off to a grand ski soirée in Aspen or Biarritz. Where ever your magical, therapeutic destination might be, you can always count on it to stimulate and revive.

That is unless you are unfortunate enough to land in one of those new and random, climate change, "got ya" spots ...

That's right, the new year is full of new surprises! 60 degrees in Chicago in February, or 100 plus in Australia. Roll the dice and take your pick, cause where ever you go Mother Nature has a surprise in store for you. Unless of course, you go where I always go this time of the year - that's right. The desert! Where the weather is always unstable as the temperature can vary from 30 and frosty to 90 and sunny, but the pool is heated and the jacuzzi is always ready for a whirl ...

The perils of climate change are with us for sure, but we are adaptors aren't we? We helped make it, so why not try to enjoy it while we can?

See you there!

The Stealthy Beast Approahes

February is approaching like a stealthy beast. The hour is upon me that society has designated the official end to all things juvenile and anything involving fun or abandonment.

It is the dawn of my Medicare Birthday! A day to both dread and celebrate at the same time ... a time to reflect and regret, or maybe rejoice and enjoy?

The one thing that I have come to terms with over these past decades is that there no time or season that really defines us. In fact the mere fact that we have survived (and hopefully prospered) these many years is a major accomplishment, if not a miracle indeed!

It seems that I have always been here, where I am am right now, but not with all the conviction that I now posses. You see, there is a most definite thread in our lives that if kept strong and intact will lead us though life's happiest and most difficult moments as well. The essence of pure light that demands us to feel and be real - to live and love, and transcend all.

Before you think "how pompous he is" or " what does he know", let me just say this. I have spent my life as a student and then as a teacher. I have listened and learned many times over. I have loved and lost, have rejoiced and grieved. But the one thing that has sustained me, I think, is that rather ethereal and illusive moment when all becomes clear for an instant and the universe makes sense.

Now having said that, let me caution you to beware! Because if that moment is not captured immediately at the time of exposure it may be lost much as a photo and the next illumination may never occur.

So once again let me say - life is everything, it is joy and happiness, it is sorrow and pain, it is all that we desire and all that we disdain. It is the culmination of our soul searching for light and it is the beginning of our infinite plight.

Live life in the moment - but make that moment profound!