The Marathon of Life

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These are tough times. Many are choosing to end their lives now, and some are taking family members with them. That is a hard choice, and even difficult to read about.

Why is life so hard right now? So much depression, hatred, stress.

Perhaps it is because we are so disconnected. We are expected to “do the right thing” all the time, even when we are hurting badly inside. How can we go to work when we hate the work? Or stay in a house, when we are being abused? Or go to school when the kids are so mean to us? We need more compassion, from our friends, our family, from strangers, and from society. We need a place to get help.

Is your door open to strangers? Are you willing to fund a public service that allows angry and hurting people to get help? Is there someone in your family who is suffering and not able to work through it in a positive way?

Let’s meditate on this…

Personal Growth

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Who isn’t going through a lot this year?

I am working on:

-My Marriage
-My Career
-My Character
-My Friendships
-My Health

Sometimes the daily grind (wake up, read the email,
see the bills, hear someone complain, get depressed!) can wear
us down.

Time away can be helpful, particularly if you can be mindful of important
things like diet, exercise, sleep and social interaction while
you are away. The sun still rises over the next horizon, and absence
makes the heart grow fonder.

You are loved by the Earth, your friends and family and ME. Now
go love yourself.

Spring In the Air

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This has been a long winter. Many love winter, and the snow, and for those people, it has been an especially good winter.

I got a bit tired of the snow and cold about Feb. 15, so I’m ready for Spring. Yesterday I found two books on my shelf which teach about trees and birds. I look forward to spending more time outdoors, without a coat or a care. I also look forward to the sights, smells and sounds of Spring, and taking long walks.

With the clock changing, and the Red Sox training, I think we are almost there!

The Recipe For Healing

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Here’s the fix for our economy, environment, health and happiness…

1. Eat out half as often
2. Eat half as much animal products and sugar, and buy less processed/artificial foods
3. Cook with brown rice, other grains, organic land/sea vegetables, beans, nuts & seeds
4. Stop putting makeup and nailpolish on kids; use fewer beauty products in general
5. Stop using chemical fertilizers, bug spray, Hi VOC paints, harsh cleaners
6. Take more walks outside instead of TV, surfing the web and playing video games
7. Make loans to family and friends instead of relying on banks
8. Spend more time with family and friends instead of working
9. Take up a hobby
10. Be thankful for everything you have, and see the best points in others

The Next Greatest Generation

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I had the privilege of being a substitute teacher for 11th grade Spanish and 6th grade Science this past week in Framingham, and I had a wonderful experience.

These kids are inheriting a world with big economic, social and environmental problems, but they are good kids who are trying to enjoy their youth, and that’s something they ought to be able to do. The bad news can wait.

I found these kids to be inquisitive (okay, sometimes bordering on obsessive), bright, and compassionate, especially the 6th graders. Perhaps more teaching is on the horizon…

More Life Experience

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Over the past couple of months I’ve had the privilege of supporting my friend who has lost both parents. Sometimes in difficult times and times of loss, we experience more, in a short period of time, than a bunch of years of “good times.”

In this case, I got to hear stories about my friend, and especially learn a lot about his parents, that helped me understand more about my friend, and appreciate his family. I know he also enjoyed hanging out with me, although he wished it were under other circumstances. But life has its ups and downs, and I know when I go through the same experiences, he’ll be there for me.

All in all, I appreciate that you get to see the real person sometimes, when times are more difficult, and you get to be together, which counters the separation that I know I feel in these times when we are so busy making ends meet, that we barely have time to email our loved ones.

Maybe this economic meltdown is not all bad…

Rebirth

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So many of my friend’s parents and parent’s friends have died and are dying, it’s like some strange parade of memories.

Seeing old friends and acquaintances at funerals and shiva is in many ways nice, like Facebook, only real. If not for the sadness.

On the other side, spring is coming, and with it lots of rebirth. The trees and plants, the animals, wild and domesticated, and new children, born with the traits and gifts of our dearly departed, will help us make peace with it all.

I find myself simply breathing through it. We still have to eat, and Lord knows it hasn’t gotten any easier. But to enjoy it, and to appreciate our lives while we still have them.

Check out the bird sanctuary in Norfolk if you get a chance. It’s lovely there.

May you find peace as you go through your changing seasons.

The Meltdown Continues

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I had a nice vacation in NC.

Good news on all fronts!

The stock market is at about half of what it was two years ago.

The banks won’t lend, and who knows if they will survive. Great economy.

GM now has half as many employees as a decade ago, and will probably shrink by half again or more.

Now Obama (a very nice, very smart man, I agree) and company want to take a trillion dollars and send it everywhere EXCEPT to you and me, who need it and deserve it.

Gosh, that’s a lot of problems! I wish it ended there.

On the health front, one of the founders of Netscape, and a very nice guy also, died of Mad Cow Disease in CA. What next?

Sometimes I want to leave and go to a desert island. Wanna come?

The Week From Hell

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Last time I told you this is my down period, now I will show you why.

I decided to go to Kripalu for some much needed rest and yoga and good (mostly) vegan food. The first day was great as always. But I should not have brought my cell phone.

Day 2 – My wife told me we were having leaks from three areas of our livingroom ceiling because of ice dams

Day 3 – My son was assaulted in school, for the third time by the same (bipolar) student, and they still refused to give him the boot. My son is fine, just a bit bruised.

I came home to find out my family owned a Wii. In one sense, COOL! In another, great, another reason to not go outside, nor practice your music.

Day 4 – My son was on a day trip with religious school, and the driver of the car had to pull over and call 911 because his daughter got violent in the back seat. She has a history of bipolar behavior also.

Day 5 – Ice dams continue, son gets a fever, headache, etc., stays home the next day.

Day 6 – Both kids sick, now I feel sick too. Wife is doing double duty keeping the family together. Instead of playing Wii, I get to put together a roof rake.

Day 7 – Boy was better, but got up too fast and fainted, prompting 911 call. Scary moment. From that point on, all our health has been restored quickly.

I know our lot in life is better than most. But this was a hard week.

Hoping and praying for better days, for us, the country and the world.

What Are Your Difficult Months?

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My whole life, January, February and March have been tough. I tend to get depressed, eat too much, stop exercising, get injuries, and I have left jobs more than once during this time. Why?

The objective bystander might suggest it is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which seems to be popular this time of year. It’s possible there is some of that, and my mom is much happier now that she lives in FL.

But for me, I recently found out something that is very interesting. According to Eastern philosophy, we feel out of sorts for the three months that we did not live in the womb. Think about it–we get kicked out of a warm, stress-free environment, and into a world we’ve never seen at a time of year we’ve never experienced.

For me, that just so happens to be January, February and March. What are your difficult months? Do they coincide with some past difficulties? Perhaps knowing that can be of some benefit to you. For my cure, I’m going to Kripalu for a couple of nights, for some yoga, meditation, walks in nature, shiatsu, and some good Vegan food that I don’t have to cook myself.

If you are more interested in learning about all things Eastern, visit http://www.9starki.com/index.htm