Let It Be

By my estimate, I am the 4,198,305,406th human to turn 60 years old. Nothing unique, but a milestone none the less. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes: "One thing about stones in your path, when you cross them they become my milestones."


I like lists and I am all about philosophy. The following is so akin to my "way" I was moved to post it here. 

Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, celebrated growing older by writing the 45 lessons life taught me. When her "odometer rolled over to 90 ....." she republished her list:

"1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22.. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

"I move forward with the knowledge I have gained and the hope that gives me wings." Uncle Xoq

Illegal Aliens

The only humans living in the USA that are NOT descendants of immigrants* are Native Americans. Millions of people who have escaped** to America, go through the process of becoming a citizen. The following is not my attempt to comment on this complicated topic. But when I read it I thought it dripped of irony and truth at the same time. This is at once humorous and sad.    

Actual letter from an Iowa resident and sent to his senator: 

The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Phone (202) 224 3254
Washington DC , 20510

Dear Senator Harkin,

As a native Iowan and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien*** and they referred me to you.

My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out. 

Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.

Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year.

Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications , as well as 'in-state' tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.

Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome car insurance premiums .. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.

 

If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. 

Thank you for your assistance.

Your Loyal Constituent, (hoping to reach 'illegal alien' status rather than just a bonafide citizen of the USA) 

Donald Ruppert
Burlington, IA 

* ** ***Definition of immigrant vs alien:

An alien is someone who is not a citizen of the country. Citizenship confers on the individual all rights such as the right to vote, as well as associated responsibilities, such as being subject to conscription. An alien may be an non-immigrant or immigrant(permanent resident), may or may not have the right to work in the country, and may be legally allowed to live in the country for varying durations. Regardless of these restrictions and rights, an alien is not a citizen of the country. All aliens living in the country can be considered immigrants, especially if they have temporarily resettled in the country.

An immigrant, on the other hand, may or may not be an alien. An immigrant in a country is someone who has relocated there from another country. If the immigrant has applied for and received citizenship, then they are no longer an alien. Since the definition of immigration relates to the country of origin and the country of resettlement, the person would be called an immigrant throughout their life because they relocated to a new country from their country of origin. However, as soon as the immigrant receives citizenship, they are not an alien any more.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Alien_vs_Immigrant

• Content is available under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States.

Innocence

Does the pendulum of life swing parallel to our path or does it swing across it? Does it slice across our journey and knock us off our feet, or does it come up behind you and scoop you forward toward your truth?


My second kids book has taken a giant step forward this week. I have found an artist and we are building characters and images. The tentative title is "Uncle Xoq." Our bond is built on the foundation that this book's message rises from our shared experience. We have walked different paths to this moment; but if we had a mentor at 17, who encouraged us to find our Q; our voice, our gift, who knows where we would be. We now know it was always inside us, waiting to be discovered, nurtured, and given the space it needed to breathe. Thank you Zoey for helping me realize this.


Events on TV are reminding me of my awkward teen years. In Port Washington, the 2 local Junior High Schools merged into one High School. After going through K-9 with the same kids, our world expanded to include the teens from the other side of town, with their cliques, bullies, athletes, and nerds. I retreated even further into my social shell, but still have fond memories of certain girls who sparked my curiosity from afar. And yes, even a few I had crushes on. Jan, DiDi, Pam, and Sue were cheerleaders, but in a completely different group were the musicians and singers inspired by Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Laura Niro. My sister played the guitar and sang and was responsible for opening my ear and my eyes to the girls walking to a different drummer. 


I admit I am a junky for any show that highlights singing and dancing, and particularly gives "nobodies" a chance to showcase their talent. I am invested in the need for humans to find their "Q".  As a Dad, it has been one of the few "directions" I have given my son. I can overlook the overt commercialism on these talent shows, and ignore the judges inflammatory comments, in order to enjoy watching everyday people express themselves through dance and song.


The XFactor is new on American TV this Fall and I know many people DO NOT watch it because of Simon Cowell. I understand; he is a pompous ass. But you are missing out on the talent, innocence, and purity of one particular 14 year old, Drew. Click here to listen to this adorable, talented, young lady who reminds me so much of days gone by; and particularly our hometown girl Heather.


P.S.  Leaving a Comment behind before you leave this page adds to the conversation. A few folks have mentioned to me they have tried, but couldn't finish because Blogger asks you to sign in. When you write a Comment, the simplest way to complete the process is to click on "Anonymous" from the drop down menu. If you use "Anonymous," but you still want us to recognize your voice, just type your name inside the Comment.     Thanks for visiting

7 Billion People

My focus has shifted. I choose to teach again; through writing. Spinning metaphors, analogies, prose, and accumulated wisdom to help kids learn the importance of finding and expressing their "true-selves."

Eventually young humans confront the ultimate question: "I am?" This is one of the significant ways that people-beings are different from the rest of Earth's living things. Our brains make it almost impossible to just BE. Humans expand and contract, rise and fall, lose and find, learn and forget; and always have the opportunity to transform. 

Toddlers have instincts and genetic mapping, and they are heavily influenced by their environment, parents, and food intake. When you observe a group of kids, you notice some of them try new things, while others are hesitant. Some lead, others follow ..... some organize, others leave a mess and get distracted. 

"Trying on different hats" has been my metaphor for a willingness to change directions. I have often morphed to explore new choices; not afraid to be wrong. I am writing a new kids book about children finding themselves. Many kids are labeled early in life; wrong name, wrong body, wrong family ........ stuck in situations that are the wrong "skin."

What if you could go into a "changing room" in a Department store? This big box is filled with names, skins, clothes, and a travel machine that transports you to another place on Earth. A chance to try on new and different appearances and situations. A place to be free enough to express your voice, your Q, and suddenly be able to find your "true-self."


Being stuck as an adult is often referred to as the inability to shed your baggage. The good news is that now some grown-ups have finally started shouting "enough is enough."

segue .....  I know it isn't an obvious or smooth transition, but in my mind it works.


During most of 2011, I have been venting and calling attention to the need for humans to be fed up. Of course, talking heads are already spinning the Occupy Wall St. protests; declaring that they are irrational and irrelevant because there "seems to be no focus on one issue." HELLO! There are so many colliding realities that have been caused by dysfunctional politics and deregulated economics, people young and old have been affected in all kinds of ways. In these times, the harm done to our national treasure, our collective spirits, and the fabric of our society cannot be summed up with a slogan as simple as "Stop War!"

I am heartened that a protest movement has been launched on our streets. An American Spring has arrived. It reminds us that we were outraged 40 years ago, emboldened by images of napalm and dead bodies. There were grassroots leaders willing to speak out, and singer/songwriters filling our consciousness with truths about the lies we were being fed. It has been remarkably quiet in the USA for far too long.


The rest of the world has evolved and the awareness of corruption and deceit in other countries has exploded around the globe. Most of Earth's humans have had to overcome the strangling of free speech, while 35 years of "good times" has softened a generation in America. Consumption of fast food, outrageous entertainment, and cheap mortgages has us deep in crisis, but unable to respond. Too many are brain washed, uneducated, and unmotivated. Its' past time to call out the bullshitters.


Find your voice. Don't just sit there. At the very least, help a child understand what it means to be expressive.

Live Long and Prosper

As my friend's daughter left to catch her plane, the salutation that came to mind was a simple word, "Thrive." As her car pulled out of the driveway, I pondered the source of that expression and realized how genuine, heartfelt, and specific it was.

I've known her since she was small and although I have only seen her a handful of times over the years, I am aware of her journey through the eyes of her Dad, a dear friend. He has been sharing stories of her adventures all these years. He is now 65, and she must be about 32. The road to this moment of departure back to her bliss has been filled with change, exploration, tests, and her share of growing pains. 

As a symbol of my current re-awakening, her journey of self-discovery provides me a window into the collective experience I have been writing about in my yet to be published book for kids of all ages. I don't have writer's block, no resistance to completing it, simply waiting for my illustrator. I won't take this moment to talk anymore about the Book about ONE, but know that these past 4 days in the Northwest has re-vitalized my vision. Thank you to all I have spent quality time with this weekend; you know who you are.

thrive (verb)  =  to do well; prosper

Some humans blossom into interesting, profound, and productive participants in/on the global landscape. Others flourish in simple ways when their "Q" intersects with their work. If you don't want to take a moment to look back at my last Blog post, The Never Ending Story, I'll repeat my definition of "Q": it is your "voice;" your passion, your gift. My friend's daughter has found her voice as a teacher. Not all that surprising in light of her Father's unlimited capacity to mentor/teach. His grasp of what it takes for a young person to become a functioning adult has grown with his accumulated wisdom about his life and his "Q".

Spock was from another world; a planet where Vulcans evolved to "saluting" each other with this magnificent phrase; "Live Long and Prosper."* I practiced Spock's greeting in the late 60's and found it was easy for my fingers to move in his way. The fact that I wanted to perform this salute, does speak to my identity crisis and belief that I must be from another world. I might be a Vulcan; which would explain my stone cold logic in the face of all trauma.

But now my heart leads and my connections deepen. I am more fully engaged and my "Q" is ever present. It is a grand feeling to be so vulnerable. THRIVE!

*All credit to Gene Roddenbury and his visionary Star Trek Franchise

The Never Ending Story

How well do you know yourself? Have you uncovered the unique talent passed to you through your DNA? Did your parents encourage you to express yourself? Were you part of your family conversation? Do you struggle with your self-esteem?   


We're all "wired" differently. Unfortunately, most humans grow to become a person who fits into a square that defines them for life. Instead of a planet filled with 7 billion unique individuals, we have a planet filled with humans defined by their parents, their economics, their country, their religion, and government and corporate institutions. 


The fact that humans don't act on their free will and realize their destiny is a big reason why history repeats itself. This has become Earth's never ending story. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie by the same name, "The NeverEnding Story," take the time to at least read a synopsis. This timeless tale is about the potential disaster caused when "The Nothing" wipes out imagination and creativity. 


I call self-discovery finding your "Q." I have been thinking and writing about "Q" since a day 4 years ago when I met Zoey at work. This Blog is my way of expressing my "Q." 


In the early days of this website, my spirit got ambushed and distracted when Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson. Recently, during a remarkable visit with friends, a revelation appeared in my brain. I know I have found my "Q" and that no matter what triggers the topics I write about, I am expressing my true SELF. 


As a parent, I have always encouraged my son to be confident and to find his passion/mission. Even when he was a toddler, we offered him ideas about an uncovering his individual path. We emphasized that he needed to learn to express himself in whatever ways felt fun, safe, and interesting. *  


In 1990, we recorded "The Never Ending Story" on a VHS tape and for about a year and a half Casey watched a particular scene every morning before school. It is the moment when "Bastian" must learn to "be confident" in order to pass through the gates of "Fantastica," as "The Nothing" has almost completely overwhelmed and destroyed everything. 


We played lots of kids games, too, including Tic-Tac-Toe. Back in those days, I didn't realize that Tic-Tac-Toe can be a negative game in a child's development. After losing a few times, kids learn to focus on blocking the success of their opponent and give up your desire for success. Two years ago, this realization about Tic-Tac-Toe became an integral component of the metamorphosis of my repressed creative spirit.

Out of nowhere, the word X O Q jumped into my brain, and my understanding of life expanded. It dawned on me that if everyone was able to find their "Q," their voice, it would change their vision and open new horizons in their life. I always research words and ideas. When I "Googled" "xoq" I found it is a word in the native Aruban language Papiamento. Xoq means "crossing over." What a revelation and how very synchronistic. As I have mentioned in the past, I love when that happens.


Today I am reminding you to let go of your old stories and don't play games that yield no result. Find your true SELF, be your true SELF, and find inspiration in this wisdom from Steve Jobs:


"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. Everything else is secondary."


*In 1985, we discovered Ragananda (pictured above.) Through her inspiring creator, Gabrielle, Ragananda and her friends guide and entertain children and their parents with  musical stories and meditations for kids of all ages. 


Check out Ragananda's YouTube Channel - Click Here

Inception

Is it time for Another Beginning? That's where I started to go on December 30, 2010. But I got lost; right at the start of a new maze. I have gone so far off of the intended path that some friends have suggested I take a breath, meditate, and/or get back into yoga. These same friends believe that the self-destructive path of humans is inevitable and cyclical; maybe even written. 


But other friends and family encourage me to be passionate, intense, and yes, even angry about the human condition. This week, two events have crossed into my field of vision that make me proud I have been speaking out. 


#1 - An article at Salon.com calling for an American Spring.

#2 - The protests at Wall St.

I don't pretend my voice has added to the public debate, but I do know that I had to speak. At one moment in January of this year, my agitation about politics and economics began. I went back and read all of my Blog posts and it is clear that when Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson in January my thoughts and focus turned outside of personal journey. And although I began this week thinking about reversing the content of my writing, an American Spring and a good old fashioned democratic protest sprung out of nowhere.

In the not too distant past, MLK and Nelson Mandela were catalysts for change. They accomplished their goals in different ways, but both sacrificed so much. This is done with deep commitment, unwavering determination, and by not listening to the advise of loved ones who are concerned about the well being of the person willing to express their anger through writing, speeches, marching; basically shouting "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore."

A new inception, Another Beginning (AB), has been my fantasy for 35 years. AB has it's origin as a slogan on my first canvas tote bag. Long before bringing your own bag to the supermarket was the in thing, Berkeley's Richard Register produced this inspiration circa 1976 ....... Alan might still have his? But that's now become another story for next week.

[But that's another story] ..... a cool, fancy way of saying, 

"I could tell you about this, but I won't because it's not really 

that related to what I'm telling you about now." 

Used quite often in the book, "The Neverending Story" ...... 

It's basically one of those phrases that everyone yearns 

to find a good opportunity to say .... 

Urban Dictionary

NOTE FOR ANOTHER POST:  
The mention of "The Never Ending Story" in this definition is incredibly synchronistic. That happens to me a lot. I will be researching one thing and land on a reference that contains elements of what is already percolating in my mind. If you have never read the book or seen the original movie "The Never Ending Story," take the time to at least read a synopsis.  For inspiration, my young son watched part of "The Never Ending Story" every morning before school. We played kids games like Tic-Tac-Toe, but that doesn't build confidence; even a child realizes that with 9 squares and X's and O's, you end up focusing on blocking the success of your opponent. Sounds like Congress doesn't it?