Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The id Post: Between the Sun and the Moon
The id Post: Between the Sun and the Moon: by Irene Daniel Between the sun and the moon I see the world from my mother's grave To the east the rising sun illuminates Apach...
Between the Sun and the Moon
by Irene Daniel
Between the sun and the moon
I see the world
from my mother's grave
To the east
the rising sun
illuminates Apache Leap
To the west
a waning lunar globe
full just hours ago
Long and lean
early morning shadows
shade the graves
of centuries past
And newer, fresher graves
that entomb my friends;
playmates and classmates
beckon remembrance
I walk among them
sometimes I weep
sometimes I talk
but mostly I just listen
They seem at peace
in the afterglow
of lives well-lived
and well-loved
They wonder why
I linger here
for life is to be lived
they tell me
Do not weep for us
they say
go out and live
and work
and play
I tell them that
I seek their peace
their prayers
and blessings
It's hard to leave
my little bench
beside my mother's grave
for here lies peace
and the memory
of love's sweet embrace
The sun climbs higher
as the moon slips away
beneath the western horizon
It's time for me to go
And live my life
for I'm still here
my mission incomplete
new dreams beckon
every day
a new Phoenix awaits
But I return here every day
Seeking peace and solice
Between the sun and the moon
I see the world
from my mother's grave
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Between the sun and the moon
I see the world
from my mother's grave
To the east
the rising sun
illuminates Apache Leap
To the west
a waning lunar globe
full just hours ago
Long and lean
early morning shadows
shade the graves
of centuries past
And newer, fresher graves
that entomb my friends;
playmates and classmates
beckon remembrance
I walk among them
sometimes I weep
sometimes I talk
but mostly I just listen
They seem at peace
in the afterglow
of lives well-lived
and well-loved
They wonder why
I linger here
for life is to be lived
they tell me
Do not weep for us
they say
go out and live
and work
and play
I tell them that
I seek their peace
their prayers
and blessings
It's hard to leave
my little bench
beside my mother's grave
for here lies peace
and the memory
of love's sweet embrace
The sun climbs higher
as the moon slips away
beneath the western horizon
It's time for me to go
And live my life
for I'm still here
my mission incomplete
new dreams beckon
every day
a new Phoenix awaits
But I return here every day
Seeking peace and solice
Between the sun and the moon
I see the world
from my mother's grave
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
The id Post: It's Cool to Be a Catholic Again Here in the Land ...
The id Post: It's Cool to Be a Catholic Again Here in the Land ...: by Irene Daniel Growing up in the 1960s, I remember how good it felt to be a Catholic, just like the president. I remember the familiarity...
It's Cool to Be a Catholic Again Here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!
by Irene Daniel
Growing up in the 1960s, I remember how good it felt to be a Catholic, just like the president. I remember the familiarity and feeling of inclusiveness during those all too many Kennedy funerals. How comforting it was to witness the extraordinary and historic ritual that is my church; that draws Catholics into a sense of solemnity and fealty to our universal Catholic and Apostolic faith. I felt not alone in the world, but connected to, and a part of, something truly sacred and shared by many.
As I grew older, I stopped going to mass, stopped praying and -- on and off -- stopped believing. As I write this, I cannot describe my God to you. It would be like a drop of water trying to describe the entire universe; way above my pay-grade. I don't know what I believe all the time, but I like Maya Angelou's response when asked to define God. She simply stated, "God is all."
And if God is all, then God is my confusion. God is my doubt. God is even in my darkest places; maybe even especially there. But I know that whatever God is or isn't, I cannot access Spiritual power by myself, isolated in my home and in my own head. And so it is necessary for me to participate in a community of faith. And that community exists in the Church of the Assumption of Mary in my hometown of Florence, AZ. It is the Alpha and Omega of my Spiritual walk.
Having just recently been reconciled with the faith of my childhood, it has been exhilarating to witness the Pope's visit to the United States. Let's face it, the Catholic church has taken some hits lately after enabling pedophiles for too long, as well as the continued discounting of women and other 4th century ideas, which often conflict with 21st century reality. And I have walked away from the Catholic church many times; experimenting with other belief systems before returning again to a parish in my neighborhood. This was my cycle of faith for decades.
The Taoist believes that there are many mules that can take you to the summit of God, for they all arrive at the same destination, the same zenith. Well, Catholicism is my mule and I have surrendered to it completely. And it has made a complete difference in my life. I don't think I'm holier than anyone, nor that only Catholics go to heaven. This is just what works for me.
Witnessing this historic visit from His Holiness Pope Frances has, I hope, inspired all of us whether Catholic or not, to replace our suspicion of one another with compassion, our closed-off exclusivity for acceptance and inclusion and our biased and blind hatred for love of one another. A tall order, yes I know; but what else is faith for if not to enable us to choose love above all else? This is the example of Pope Francis. He is teaching us all how to choose love; all the while acknowledging that it is often a difficult choice to make. It is so much easier to exclude, because that seems safer. But how can moving away from the love of God make anyone safer?
To open our hearts to love -- to truly love and be loved -- requires risk. We invite hurt, exploitation and confusion when we love unconditionally and we all instinctively avoid pain. Loving others and opening our hearts does not require that we abandon reason, nor that we should not set healthy physical and emotional boundaries for our own well-being. Love asks us to choose higher; to access "the better angels of our nature," to borrow the words of Abraham Lincoln.
We need Pope Francis right now. We need to see somebody make the kind of choices we would like to make, to open our hearts to love in the manner of His Holiness. We need leadership that challenges us to rise above our pettiness, our vitriol, our self-righteousness and our greed.
So when I say that it is cool to be Catholic again, I am not communicating a sense of superiority, but of great humility. Those who know me well know that humility is not my strong suit. I have to work hard to keep my mouth shut and stash my judgmental ego. It's a daily challenge, let me tell you. But I meet this challenge happily because now I know that I am not alone, that I am loved and that we all basically want the same things in life -- love, happiness and peace of mind.
What His Holiness reminds us today is that we already possess all of those things, for they have been bestowed upon us by Almighty God. They are gifts for us to use and enjoy. However, these gifts can only be opened and enjoyed when they are relevant to our relationships with other human beings. We are all children of the same God, no matter what you call Him or Her. And we are all connected to the same eternal source of love and all things that matter.
We are all connected, whether we like it or not. And we all have the power to choose whether we will invest our energy into lifting each other up, or in tearing each other down. This is the gift of His Holiness.
The only measure of a true Christian is to behave like Jesus Christ, to make the choices that He showed us how to make -- in all things. Pope Frances gives us this example, and for that, I am joyfully grateful.
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Growing up in the 1960s, I remember how good it felt to be a Catholic, just like the president. I remember the familiarity and feeling of inclusiveness during those all too many Kennedy funerals. How comforting it was to witness the extraordinary and historic ritual that is my church; that draws Catholics into a sense of solemnity and fealty to our universal Catholic and Apostolic faith. I felt not alone in the world, but connected to, and a part of, something truly sacred and shared by many.
As I grew older, I stopped going to mass, stopped praying and -- on and off -- stopped believing. As I write this, I cannot describe my God to you. It would be like a drop of water trying to describe the entire universe; way above my pay-grade. I don't know what I believe all the time, but I like Maya Angelou's response when asked to define God. She simply stated, "God is all."
And if God is all, then God is my confusion. God is my doubt. God is even in my darkest places; maybe even especially there. But I know that whatever God is or isn't, I cannot access Spiritual power by myself, isolated in my home and in my own head. And so it is necessary for me to participate in a community of faith. And that community exists in the Church of the Assumption of Mary in my hometown of Florence, AZ. It is the Alpha and Omega of my Spiritual walk.
Having just recently been reconciled with the faith of my childhood, it has been exhilarating to witness the Pope's visit to the United States. Let's face it, the Catholic church has taken some hits lately after enabling pedophiles for too long, as well as the continued discounting of women and other 4th century ideas, which often conflict with 21st century reality. And I have walked away from the Catholic church many times; experimenting with other belief systems before returning again to a parish in my neighborhood. This was my cycle of faith for decades.
The Taoist believes that there are many mules that can take you to the summit of God, for they all arrive at the same destination, the same zenith. Well, Catholicism is my mule and I have surrendered to it completely. And it has made a complete difference in my life. I don't think I'm holier than anyone, nor that only Catholics go to heaven. This is just what works for me.
Witnessing this historic visit from His Holiness Pope Frances has, I hope, inspired all of us whether Catholic or not, to replace our suspicion of one another with compassion, our closed-off exclusivity for acceptance and inclusion and our biased and blind hatred for love of one another. A tall order, yes I know; but what else is faith for if not to enable us to choose love above all else? This is the example of Pope Francis. He is teaching us all how to choose love; all the while acknowledging that it is often a difficult choice to make. It is so much easier to exclude, because that seems safer. But how can moving away from the love of God make anyone safer?
To open our hearts to love -- to truly love and be loved -- requires risk. We invite hurt, exploitation and confusion when we love unconditionally and we all instinctively avoid pain. Loving others and opening our hearts does not require that we abandon reason, nor that we should not set healthy physical and emotional boundaries for our own well-being. Love asks us to choose higher; to access "the better angels of our nature," to borrow the words of Abraham Lincoln.
We need Pope Francis right now. We need to see somebody make the kind of choices we would like to make, to open our hearts to love in the manner of His Holiness. We need leadership that challenges us to rise above our pettiness, our vitriol, our self-righteousness and our greed.
So when I say that it is cool to be Catholic again, I am not communicating a sense of superiority, but of great humility. Those who know me well know that humility is not my strong suit. I have to work hard to keep my mouth shut and stash my judgmental ego. It's a daily challenge, let me tell you. But I meet this challenge happily because now I know that I am not alone, that I am loved and that we all basically want the same things in life -- love, happiness and peace of mind.
What His Holiness reminds us today is that we already possess all of those things, for they have been bestowed upon us by Almighty God. They are gifts for us to use and enjoy. However, these gifts can only be opened and enjoyed when they are relevant to our relationships with other human beings. We are all children of the same God, no matter what you call Him or Her. And we are all connected to the same eternal source of love and all things that matter.
We are all connected, whether we like it or not. And we all have the power to choose whether we will invest our energy into lifting each other up, or in tearing each other down. This is the gift of His Holiness.
The only measure of a true Christian is to behave like Jesus Christ, to make the choices that He showed us how to make -- in all things. Pope Frances gives us this example, and for that, I am joyfully grateful.
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
The id Post: Either/Or? Or Both/And?
The id Post: Either/Or? Or Both/And?: by Irene Daniel Bob Dylan's great ballad perennially warns us that "the times, they are a-changin'." And today in the la...
Either/Or? Or Both/And?
by Irene Daniel
Bob Dylan's great ballad perennially warns us that "the times, they are a-changin'." And today in the land of the free and the home of the brave, they are also a-polarizin'!
I have to admit, I'm one of the worst offenders when it comes to hyperbole and vitriol at times when I am frustrated and angry. So please don't think that I am calling out anyone more than I am calling myself to the truth about this fact; for the only real change I can ever make is in myself. That's why I write and read and keep on trying to discover the truth; and once discovered, not betray my truth with false dichotomies and overzealous representations or flat-out distortions of facts.
I much prefer to surrender to what Abe Lincoln described as "the better angles of our nature," than to the false sense of superiority that my ego (not my amigo, by the way) tells me I have earned. As most of you who regularly read my posts (thanks a lot) already know, I often fail in my attempts to do so, despite my best intentions. I will never stop trying, however, to improve this flaw in my own betrayal of a well-honed critical thinking acumen.
I am frustrated and angry too; just like everybody else. But more than I am frustrated with certain events, policies or laws, I am frustrated with the conversation our nation is having of late. It seems that many of us try to persuade our fellows by proclaiming that those who disagree are just plain dumb. In my experience, name-calling of any kind usually serves to stop-cold any meaningful or intelligent discussion, and may very well start a fight. Just check out the facebook page of anyone who has any opinion on anything to get a whiff of what I'm talking about here.
Another tactic often used is the false dichotomy; forcing a choice between two opposite extremes, neither of which may be true, or both of which may be partly true. This stark choice is offered as the only rational one, rather than allow other alternatives to even be explored or discussed. Forcing one another into extreme choices against those who would not entertain that choice for whatever reason they may have is the tactic of a bully. For example: You're either part of the solution or part of the problem. I have to admit that I've done this; and it really isn't fair. It doesn't look or sound any better on me than it does on anyone else.
I am reminded of the story of the Six Blind Men and the Elephant (or five or three in certain versions). So, I did some research on the story and found that there is a lot to know about this little fable of Indian origin. There is also a Chinese story in which there were three blind men, and another in which there were five. There is also an excellent and entertaining poem written by 19th century American poet John Godfrey Saxe, as well as many other writings. All of these versions and writings warn us about relying solely on our own human, thus limited, perspectives. We all have blind spots which can often only be revealed to us in our reflection in the eyes of another human being.
The point of the story is that each of them touched a different part of the elephant and described their experiences accordingly. None of them were factually wrong. To the one with the tail, it was just like a rope. For the one with the ear, it was like a fan. And so on, and so on. However, each of them was not entirely correct because, in their blindness, they were unable to appreciate the experiences of their fellows. Hence, they each thought the others were just plain wrong. Isn't that how we are?
We all experience this world and our lives in our own humanly unique fashion. We live in different places, choose different lifestyles and have different priorities. We may all even witness the same event and perceive it differently based upon our cultures, our faiths, locations and other circumstances that influence our world view. We are all different. Isn't it time we started celebrating that fact instead of trying to destroy one another over those differences?
I know why what makes sense to me makes sense to me. What I do not know is why what makes sense to you makes sense to you. And I cannot know why it makes sense to you unless and until I am willing to allow my imagination to travel outside of my comfort zone in order to better understand. And understanding cannot be had without the ability to listen with an intent to learn, rather than listening defensively in order to be able to immediately pounce upon perceived weaknesses in the logic of others.
I don't have the answers. I mostly have questions. I get on people's nerves a lot with my insatiable curiosity at times; but for me the answers are all in the asking. Asking questions is acknowledging my own ignorance about whatever it is that has captured my imagination. Asking invites information and, hopefully, delicious conversations that I love so much.
Perhaps if the blind men could have reached out to touch the hand of the other, and gently guide him through his own experience, and allow all the others to take his hand and do the same, there would have been no need for argument. Moreover, they each could have experienced the totality, the wholeness of the elephant before them. How magnificent a creature they could have discovered together.
We can all ague for a space in our lives where we deliberately exclude and/or dismiss "the other." But what does that really do? Does our clinging to our limited, albeit not necessarily incorrect, perspectives help us to move forward together? As one nation? A "more perfect" union? Not so far.
Is it really "either/or"? Isn't it really more like "both/and"?
What do you think?
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Bob Dylan's great ballad perennially warns us that "the times, they are a-changin'." And today in the land of the free and the home of the brave, they are also a-polarizin'!
I have to admit, I'm one of the worst offenders when it comes to hyperbole and vitriol at times when I am frustrated and angry. So please don't think that I am calling out anyone more than I am calling myself to the truth about this fact; for the only real change I can ever make is in myself. That's why I write and read and keep on trying to discover the truth; and once discovered, not betray my truth with false dichotomies and overzealous representations or flat-out distortions of facts.
I much prefer to surrender to what Abe Lincoln described as "the better angles of our nature," than to the false sense of superiority that my ego (not my amigo, by the way) tells me I have earned. As most of you who regularly read my posts (thanks a lot) already know, I often fail in my attempts to do so, despite my best intentions. I will never stop trying, however, to improve this flaw in my own betrayal of a well-honed critical thinking acumen.
I am frustrated and angry too; just like everybody else. But more than I am frustrated with certain events, policies or laws, I am frustrated with the conversation our nation is having of late. It seems that many of us try to persuade our fellows by proclaiming that those who disagree are just plain dumb. In my experience, name-calling of any kind usually serves to stop-cold any meaningful or intelligent discussion, and may very well start a fight. Just check out the facebook page of anyone who has any opinion on anything to get a whiff of what I'm talking about here.
Another tactic often used is the false dichotomy; forcing a choice between two opposite extremes, neither of which may be true, or both of which may be partly true. This stark choice is offered as the only rational one, rather than allow other alternatives to even be explored or discussed. Forcing one another into extreme choices against those who would not entertain that choice for whatever reason they may have is the tactic of a bully. For example: You're either part of the solution or part of the problem. I have to admit that I've done this; and it really isn't fair. It doesn't look or sound any better on me than it does on anyone else.
I am reminded of the story of the Six Blind Men and the Elephant (or five or three in certain versions). So, I did some research on the story and found that there is a lot to know about this little fable of Indian origin. There is also a Chinese story in which there were three blind men, and another in which there were five. There is also an excellent and entertaining poem written by 19th century American poet John Godfrey Saxe, as well as many other writings. All of these versions and writings warn us about relying solely on our own human, thus limited, perspectives. We all have blind spots which can often only be revealed to us in our reflection in the eyes of another human being.
The point of the story is that each of them touched a different part of the elephant and described their experiences accordingly. None of them were factually wrong. To the one with the tail, it was just like a rope. For the one with the ear, it was like a fan. And so on, and so on. However, each of them was not entirely correct because, in their blindness, they were unable to appreciate the experiences of their fellows. Hence, they each thought the others were just plain wrong. Isn't that how we are?
We all experience this world and our lives in our own humanly unique fashion. We live in different places, choose different lifestyles and have different priorities. We may all even witness the same event and perceive it differently based upon our cultures, our faiths, locations and other circumstances that influence our world view. We are all different. Isn't it time we started celebrating that fact instead of trying to destroy one another over those differences?
I know why what makes sense to me makes sense to me. What I do not know is why what makes sense to you makes sense to you. And I cannot know why it makes sense to you unless and until I am willing to allow my imagination to travel outside of my comfort zone in order to better understand. And understanding cannot be had without the ability to listen with an intent to learn, rather than listening defensively in order to be able to immediately pounce upon perceived weaknesses in the logic of others.
I don't have the answers. I mostly have questions. I get on people's nerves a lot with my insatiable curiosity at times; but for me the answers are all in the asking. Asking questions is acknowledging my own ignorance about whatever it is that has captured my imagination. Asking invites information and, hopefully, delicious conversations that I love so much.
Perhaps if the blind men could have reached out to touch the hand of the other, and gently guide him through his own experience, and allow all the others to take his hand and do the same, there would have been no need for argument. Moreover, they each could have experienced the totality, the wholeness of the elephant before them. How magnificent a creature they could have discovered together.
We can all ague for a space in our lives where we deliberately exclude and/or dismiss "the other." But what does that really do? Does our clinging to our limited, albeit not necessarily incorrect, perspectives help us to move forward together? As one nation? A "more perfect" union? Not so far.
Is it really "either/or"? Isn't it really more like "both/and"?
What do you think?
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
The id Post: Good Neighbors
The id Post: Good Neighbors: by Irene Daniel Good fences make good neighbors so they say I have a fence and so do they Our fences are mostly ...
Good Neighbors
by Irene Daniel
Good fences make good neighbors
so they say
I have a fence
and so do they
Our fences are mostly
porous
not walls or forts
not for us
No motes to keep
each other out
gated communities?
Not what we're about
Here in south Flo town
in my space
my neighbors know me
they remember my face
It is the people
that I know
their faces, hearts
and sentiments that flow
With some, sweet memories to share;
others? not so much
with all I share an intimacy
of our embrace, our touch
I thrived in the City of Angels
once upon a time
living behind fences
of every shape and kind
I didn't know my neighbors,
not really, not that well
although we shared a neighborhood
and anecdotes to tell
We learned each other's patterns
the coming and the going
of raising kids and working
but not a true knowing
As I gaze out my window now
I see them and they see me
From this small town intimacy
I no longer want to flee
To the east, west and south
are families I have known
and across the street, a new mentee
raw talent yet to hone
Enveloped in familiar love
I no longer fear
For I am home and I am safe
I like it better here
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Good fences make good neighbors
so they say
I have a fence
and so do they
Our fences are mostly
porous
not walls or forts
not for us
No motes to keep
each other out
gated communities?
Not what we're about
Here in south Flo town
in my space
my neighbors know me
they remember my face
It is the people
that I know
their faces, hearts
and sentiments that flow
With some, sweet memories to share;
others? not so much
with all I share an intimacy
of our embrace, our touch
I thrived in the City of Angels
once upon a time
living behind fences
of every shape and kind
I didn't know my neighbors,
not really, not that well
although we shared a neighborhood
and anecdotes to tell
We learned each other's patterns
the coming and the going
of raising kids and working
but not a true knowing
As I gaze out my window now
I see them and they see me
From this small town intimacy
I no longer want to flee
To the east, west and south
are families I have known
and across the street, a new mentee
raw talent yet to hone
Enveloped in familiar love
I no longer fear
For I am home and I am safe
I like it better here
Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
The id Post: The Afternoon in Autumn
The id Post: The Afternoon in Autumn: THE AFTERNOON IN AUTUMN The afternoon in autumn Is often still and deep Even children’s laughter With wisdom, seems to speak...
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