Second Chance Dance: 541: An Epistle from Some Distant Tomorrow

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

541: An Epistle from Some Distant Tomorrow

"I urge you to please notice when you are happy,

and exclaim or murmur or think at some point,

"If this isn't nice I don't know what is."

- ManWithout a Country , K. Vonnegut

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541: An Epistle from Some Distant Tomorrow

( It wasn't too long ago that the following letter suddenly appeared in an odd shaped tattered

envelope on the coffee table next to a new mysterious coffee cup ring stain.)

My Dear Friend,

It is hard to explain how unexpected time jumping for me has become as normal as clearing

post nasal drip in the throat before speaking. It is uncontrollable and what , where ,

when and why the jump happens, to a deep past or some unforeseen distant future,

cannot be anticipated. Lately the present never seems to be here and now. One breath

this body and mind is in one place and time and a breath or two later everything is changed.

You see some aliens from a planet 446,120,000,000,000,000 miles from earth said this tired

traveller was one who had won the lottery where they would conduct some experiments

while gifting me with the ability to time jump.So, here are a few questions and

observations that might bring some clarity to someone somewhere sometime,

if there is an interest..

The aliens made a sincere hint that "There is love enough in this world

for everyone, if people would just look"? Also, there is more enough food , shelter ,

medicine and health care for every living creature. They remain concerned

about why didn't anyone ever figure out how and why so called Homo Sapiens

created borders and hoard resources ? What benefit is there in that? They continually ask

why this traveller would seriously consider returning to planet earth permanently.

It wouldn't be appropriate to mention in detail what the near and distant future holds for those

on planet earth. Some hearing what I have to say may be too overjoyed and forget the

point of their existence and what needs to be done while others might become so depressed

that getting out of bed would become a painful chore. Does everyone really believe in your

time that the world can continue to behave without experiencing extreme consequences

for the greed, the ignorance, arrogance, hate, violence and the obvious carelessness as to

how others and Mother Nature are treated? Do most forget about living with

compassion, mercy, selflessness, caring and service to others? No one , no thing is perfect,

yet , one can continue to try to be authentic and be complete .

How is it that so many seem to just give up?

Everything changes right? Well, this pilgrim has little confidence that things may not improve

if certain changes do not take place soon . Somedays this concern explodes this feeble mind

worrying about the world and what's up next for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.

I haven't seen the planet's finale but the trend is dubious at best and yet there just may be

that ever so-slight flicker of optimism that remains.

These aliens have hinted that the notion of a mystical magical divine light

or energy is the essence of everything in the universe

is in fact one real truth of the universe.This most holy of holy DNA resides in all aspects

of creation and if we are present enough we can listen to and sense the great sanctification.

They are concerned though how certain "homo sapiens" seem to portray

themselves and their interpretations of the cosmos as the "only right" answer or method

and how their picture of the divine is the perfect picture of their "right God."

Actually they think it sad and simultaneously humorous that humans would

conjure such perspectives, dogmas and rigid practices about a supreme entity.

They say "all one has to do is listen and be present. Wherever you are there you are"

They added,"It's simple, follow your bliss and be happy since you are beloved.

So then... love yourself, others, be humble and be grateful ."

And so it goes.

Until next time then. Whenever that is.

Your Friend,

Billy

PS Here are Some videos that might help in your potential contemplation about the above note.

Shape of Stories - K. Vonnegut

https://youtu.be/GOGru_4z1Vc

Follow Your Bliss - J. Campbell

https://youtu.be/3v_TB3Ii8Qc

B. Murray - Mark Twain Prize(watch to end)

https://youtu.be/tw0IRVMU7I4

Who am I?- G. Harrison

https://youtu.be/FxL69A5d7kk

Live Forever - D Holcombe

https://youtu.be/ntbNQk2Tk7Q

Across the Universe - The Beatles

https://youtu.be/iotagMCkJRE

Who Will Speak - M Haugen

https://youtu.be/OuQbegq5N0A

What is true happiness?

https://youtu.be/8KkKuTCFvzI

and one for the road

just clap along!

Happy - Pharrell
https://youtu.be/ZbZSe6N_BXs

(Thank you to David , Lou P , Kurt Vonnegut, Madeleine L'Engle,

Joseph Campbell and Jon Kabat-Zinn for the inspirations)

amdg

Happy Birthday GG!

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New Blog - Rain and Rivers Revisited: A Journey of a Lost Weekend

Well you may recall I have been working on a piece of fiction for a while now. It is still a work in progress. However, I decided

to release drafts of the first few episodes ( chapters.) Much of the work is completed but I am always cutting and editing.

http://rainandriversrevisited.blogspot.com/

It is difficult to release just pieces at a time as they are created as independent episodes they are also all parts of a larger piece (and picture .) I could share more but I am curious to read or hear your feedback.

I want to thank those friends and supporters who have already provided feedback ...and of course all the folks who have been following my Second Chance Dance Blog ( by the way that will continue.)

The material in the Blog is all copyrighted and cannot be reproduced in any form. Though, I welcome you to share the link and this blog with others .So please when you have a few minutes take a read and let me know what you think. I expect to be posting a series of subsequent episodes shortly.

Thanks....

News of Death

(This is for Coach)

Last night they came with news of death
not knowing what I would say.
I wanted to say,"The green wind is running through the fields making the grass lie flat."
I wanted to say,"The apple blossom flakes like ash covering the orchard wall."
I wanted to say,"the fish float belly up in the slow stream,stepping stones to the dead."

They asked if I would sleep that night,
I said I did not know.
For this loss I could not speak,the tongue lay idle in a great darkness,the heart was strangely open,the moon had gone,and it was then when I said, "He is no longer here"
that the night put its arms around me
and all the white stars turned bitter with grief.
- David Whyte

What Work is

We stand in the rain in a long line

waiting at Ford Highland Park. For work.

You know what work is--if you're

old enough to read this you know what

work is, although you may not do it.

Forget you. This is about waiting,

shifting from one foot to another.

Feeling the light rain falling like mist

into your hair, blurring your vision

until you think you see your own brother

ahead of you, maybe ten places.

You rub your glasses with your fingers,

and of course it's someone else's brother,

narrower across the shoulders than

yours but with the same sad slouch, the grin

that does not hide the stubbornness,

the sad refusal to give in to

rain, to the hours wasted waiting,

to the knowledge that somewhere ahead

a man is waiting who will say, "No,

we're not hiring today," for any

reason he wants. You love your brother,

now suddenly you can hardly stand

the love flooding you for your brother,

who's not beside you or behind or

ahead because he's home trying to

sleep off a miserable night shift

at Cadillac so he can get up

before noon to study his German.

Works eight hours a night so he can sing

Wagner, the opera you hate most,

the worst music ever invented.

How long has it been since you told him

you loved him, held his wide shoulders,

opened your eyes wide and said those words,

and maybe kissed his cheek? You've never

done something so simple, so obvious,

not because you're too young or too dumb,

not because you're jealous or even mean

or incapable of crying in

the presence of another man, no,

just because you don't know what work is.

Philip Levine

On Marriage - Kahil Gibran

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love:Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loafSing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.And stand together yet not too near together:For the pillars of the temple stand apart,And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

A favorite "Journey" poem from a favorite poet

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.
-- Mary Oliver

Send or post one of your favorites! They can be lyrics to a song!

Playing For Change

Please see the current music video from "Playing for Change" at the bottom of this page. It is a movement. Enjoy!

"Playing for Change" is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world

Fall in Love

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.” --- Pedro Arrupe SJ

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

541: An Epistle from Some Distant Tomorrow

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