Vistas from My Voyage

GLOSSARY

1 – Pillars In the Temple

We recently viewed the Golden Gate Bridge, a regal suspension bridge and engineering feat spanning the Golden Gate strait between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The long span of road is suspended from extremely strong cables looped up to two massive pillars anchored in the Bay, giving the bridge its iconic design and presence.

Our Earth could be likened to a specialized Temple in our solar system, designed to be filled with the creativity of Man and Woman, who could be thought of as pillars in that Temple. Together they rightly hold intact a creative field, within which traffic of all kinds moves in vast creative processes.

As individual pillars in what is still this Temple Home, we can strengthen the creative fields we have with others. Who knows what is either held in place or allowed to sail over or under the bridges created with others?

Sometimes the alliances are specific people with whom we collaborate in combinations such as marriage or partnership, in friendships, with work colleagues or family members. Sometimes the alliances are seen in some distant land across the world via TV or online, and we feel resonance with them in Spirit.

The true web of connectedness is an arena to become more aware of. Our individual webs are creative fields that are part of the larger network of living pillars. They hold aloft a billowing canopy of encompassing Spirit for all that is needed now!

2 – Glad to Be of Service

Along with many other environmental changes happening exponentially throughout the world, Colorado has been in a drought. This extreme dryness recently caused a couple of wildfires that burned over 20,000 acres. One fire was south-west of Denver and the other one began just to the west of us on Storm Mountain, later called the Bobcat Gulch Fire, burning to within about a mile of our home.

Crucial timing weather-wise stemmed the tide just in time. Wind direction changed significantly as the temperature dropped, a light mist appeared, and the fire burned back on itself, saving the day. Being at home with this situation at the doorstep was an opportunity to handle the kind of intensity that genuine emergency creates, and find internal calmness in the midst of heat at various levels. The words of an elderly Colorado pioneer friend kept coming to mind. One day I asked him how things were going. He looked at me a little perplexed and said, I’m just puttin’ down one after the other. Doing exactly what is needed next is all that is required to handle any circumstance.

Firefighters and emergency personnel from throughout Colorado came to help. Hotshot teams from many other states arrived, and at one point there were about 1,000 men fighting the fire in the hills here. Along with local residents, we are so grateful to all of them. Our thoughts are also with those who did lose their homes and have other damage to their property, as they now face the process of rebuilding. So when this invitation arrived, it was natural to attend:

Grace Community Church cordially invites you to a service

of praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God and to honor

the brave firefighters and emergency personnel

who faithfully responded to the need

for help at the Bobcat Gulch Fire, June 2000.

Recognition, Prayers of Thanksgiving and

Songs of Praise will be offered at Bill Reed Auditorium,

Bill Reed Middle School in Loveland

on Sunday, July 9, at 6:00 p.m.

It was a very hot evening with no air conditioning in the auditorium. Noisy ceiling fans whirred, along with much fanning with programs as the informal service got under way, emceed by the Loveland Police Chief.

Interspersed with the songs of praise, various people spoke, including pastors from different churches. One woman described going outside with her prayer group and throwing glasses of water in the air, symbolically trying to help bring rain. The Larimer County Sheriff spoke, along with a representative from the United States Forest Service and the Captain of theLoveland Fire Department. In one way or another, everyone’s theme was: The Lord answered our prayers. He changed the winds, dropped the temperature and brought the rain. And during this heartfelt Christian-based evening, every speaker offered great thanks that there was no loss of human life.

Referring to areas heavily affected, the United States Forest Service representative asked, Is there anybody here from Cedar Creek? and a few people stood up. Then, Anybody here from Drake? and a few more stood up. Then, Did anybody here pray during this event? and the whole audience stood up. And when it came time in the program for Recognition of Emergency Personnel, it took two insistent calls to get those people on their feet to be recognized.

Special moments for me occurred in the lobby afterwards, where some of the firefighters were asked to stay so that people could greet them. When I went to thank one of them, he said, Just doin’ ma job, ma’am, with no shred of thanks being taken personally. It was said with a straight-in-the-eye look and an iron grip handshake that communicated great assurance. His transparency was a window into the quality of character of a true hero that needs no thanks or personal recognition.

All the personnel I spoke to were like that. Another fire-fighter just said, The Lord did it. The speaker from the United States Forest Service said, God was on that mountain. The Larimer County Sheriff, a towering man who had to bend down quite a way to shake my hand, said, Glad to be of service, ma’am. When I thanked the Loveland Police Chief for his part and the quality of his regular newspaper column, he said with a twinkle in his eye, Well, I’ll thank the guy that writes those.

What impact through the few words that these fine men spoke! Their stature showed their ability to connect with Spirit in emergency situations, never taking thanks personally for what they do to protect the public, structures and the environment.

While driving home, I thought about the segment on a Denver TV channel that honors everyday heroes. This valuable news spot sometimes showcases people who have risked their lives for strangers, demonstrating being their brother’s keeper. With so much of the news these days filled with stressful topics, such as the increase of AIDS in Africa, the latest bug that can come and get’cha, or the dangers of recreational drug use, this program is a welcome antidote!

Looking daily at this now-charred hillside is a constant reminder that the whole Earth is moving increasingly into emergency mode on various fronts. In the midst of it all, how important to stay identified with the true Spirit. It is not helpful to be fatalistic about how aspects of our world seem to be going and decide to let the chips fall where they may. It’s a matter of supporting the integrative cycles that are at work, focused by Spirit. Just as these firefighters and other emergency personnel were transparent, so can we be, and let whatever comes be handled through our consistent connection with Spirit.

With that connection, it is possible to live in our intense world with purpose and thankfulness. If ever the spirit of the true hero was needed, it’s now! We can live just doing our job, glad to be of service.

3 – Freedom—Allegiance to the Light!

As the ship left New York City’s harbor, many passengers arrived on deck to view the spectacular skyline gradually lighting up in the dusk. The bon voyage celebratory spirit was alive and well as the Big Apple was viewed from our course on the Hudson River as we traveled south before heading out to sea. Stunning were the sights! Someone said, Now I know why they had us embark in the evening.

As the newest and now tallest skyscraper in Manhattan was spotted in the distance near Wall Street, the party atmosphere began to shift. The clink of cocktail glasses subsided as people became quieter, and some reminisced about 9/11 in subdued voices:

Just think, those planes f lew in right where we’re looking now.

Thank God they didn’t get the Capitol Building.

I lost my brother that day.

I’m glad they built it. I want to go to the top some day.

The new One World Trade Center stands at 1,776 feet—a deliberate reference to the year the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. Colloquially named Freedom Tower during initial construction, what a symbol of reaf-firmed freedom for this country it is, with presence in several ways. By the time the ship was parallel with the Center, the party atmosphere was all but gone. As we sailed on and the sight of the gleaming sentinel receded, never to be forgotten, even strangers quietly linked arms and there was an atmosphere of peace on the deck.

With the announcement that the Statue of Liberty could be seen in a few minutes on the other side of the ship, our grouping moved over and, sure enough, there she was in the distance. The atmosphere became celebratory again, but in a different way. I heard:

My family came through there…they were those tired and poor…thank God they came.

Imagine France giving us that.

Oh, I love her! I always get teary seeing her.

Those immigrants must have been glad to see her.

I would go to war again for democracy.

I hope America will always be here.

God Bless.

As the ship passed the lighted, stately icon, people were emotionally moved, respectful and thankful for what this original symbol of freedom represents in the United States. Heading out to sea, our grouping quietly stood until the beautiful and strong woman depicted with a broken chain at her feet and holding a tablet inscribed with July 4, 1776 disappeared in the night, never to be forgotten.

Human history is endlessly marked with events that concern freedom. Recent ones would include the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, the official end of apartheid in South Africa, the Tiananmen Square protests, and overt wars, many of which continue to rage as I type. Other kinds of localized events concern freedom, such as divorce, death, or sending animals back into the wild after rehabilitation.

All such events can be seen as part of the creative process at some level, but what is true freedom? Not being victimized by climate change, health, a circumstance, someone—or anything! The recent obituary for my remarkable sister stated: She never let her illness define her. Freedom!

Freedom

The gentleman entered the almost-empty hospital cafeteria, with a little boy in hand. He tipped his cap towards me while sitting down with a tired sigh at the next table. Noticing Veteran and ribbons of military decorations on his cap" I said:

Thank you for your service.

Oh…well…thanks, ma’am. (Quiet) This food isn’t too bad.

Yes, for hospital food, it’s really quite good.

(By now the little boy was testing how high the water in the drinking fountain could go, just missing the wall.)

He’s having fun…

My great-grandson… He’s got lots of energy! (Quiet)

Where did you serve?

Nam. Korea. (Quiet) I’ve seen some stuff… (A long silence…) Some friends…they’ve got that PTS…what is it?

PTSD.

Yup. Not good. I could have had it too, but decided not to…too much to live for…had to leave the stuff behind… (Quiet)

You must be glad you found the way to do that.

Yup.

He’s free! I thought.

Well, better go see how she’s doing…came in pretty sick…

Thank you again for your service, and I wish you, your family, veteran friends, and whoever you’re visiting the very best.

Thanks a lot, ma’am.

He tipped his hat again, smiled, and rescued the water fountain from his great-grandson, who waved back as they headed to the elevator.

My Home Sweet Home

In the inspired anthem God Bless America, Irving Berlin captured personal feeling for the United States that the nation has sung for decades:

God Bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her,

Through the night with the light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

to the oceans, white with foam,

God Bless America,

My home sweet home.

God Bless America,

My home sweet home.

On this upcoming July 4th, 2015, this heartfelt prayer will be sung by thousands of people at all kinds of venues. In these often troubled times, the night could be seen as the almost overwhelming horrors that mankind has thrust upon itself, from which there seems no way out. It can also be seen as a precursor to dawn that can bring a New Day when allegiance is given to Spirit, the light from above.

In Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, he spoke of the fierce urgency of now relative to issues he was addressing then, and emphasized Let freedom ring. There continues to be fierce urgency relative to what needs to happen in the consciousness of mankind and in every field of endeavor throughout the world now.

We each have a part to play in intensifying the Light.

America has