Who remembers Pennywise?
I do - We performed this song at our 8th grade ribbon ceremony.
-b
Why has there never been a holiday where peace is celebrated throughout the world? ~Stevie Wonder
Today is 4/20, another holiday where people come together and enjoy life with the help of nature of course. Always a good time. Coincidentally, it is also the Kony 2012 awareness day. Not sure how people feel about that whole movement; since the guy who made that film apparently went mental (whether it’s true or not), and since the Uganda government legally allows children to fight in the military. Regardless of all the speculation, which usually tends to be negative, I prefer to focus on the meaning behind the movement. I think everyone can agree it is for a good cause, though the course of action it calls for may be misguided. So why not at least feel good about it? Awareness of the good that still need be fully established in the world is of course the first step in the process. So here’s to 4/20. Another day to celebrate the good that exists in life. Have a safe flight. I find this interesting, so I leave you with this…
“World peace starts with inner peace. “
- Dalai Lama
Cheers,
-b
I just sat there and tried to measure voltage changes across my head when I thought of and imagined and felt different things. All while figuring out how to fix this phaser pedal. And listening to this…
Nice.
Now, back to work. I mean — back to fun.
Peace.
-B
Randumb Questions
Do you ever look out at the world as if it were your creation? A complete reflection of everything that you are and everything that you do? What you see is what you are? What you think is what you become? What you’ve done is what you’ve learned? What you resist is what you want? What you fear is what you’re challenged by? Are we really just light, and the world a mirror?
-B
Life as Cancer
12/26/2011 – 12:14 AM
First night in Durango. Got in about an hour ago: ate some tamales, brushed a couple of teeth, and threw on something a little more comfortable. It was a long day full of constant travel with an intermediate, close to four hour layover in Houston, TX. Kept myself busy by reading some of the Arcturians book; interesting (and supposedly true) experience with fifth dimensional beings who’ve come to Earth to spread their benevolent messages of wisdom and knowledge to the people of Earth. Yeah, it’s awesome. I noticed something interesting (or at least I found it interesting) about myself through the long day of travel: It is really difficult for me to get rest while traveling. I’m sure many have experienced uncomfortable positions while trying to get a quick nap in on a plane or on a train. Sometimes I feel affected by the fact that my body is physically moving through space as I attempt to rest. Seems paradoxical, huh? But according to the Relativity principle, we are always at rest according to our own inertial frame. So what does that mean!? I don’t know either. Anyways – the very first thing I noticed when we arrived to our destination (Pueblo Morelos,Durango) – the stars. I don’t remember ever seeing so many stars at once. Life definitely feels more peaceful away from constant technological and modern societal distractions. You get the feeling of truly being a part of nature.
One thing I’ve wanted to talk about is something that (unfortunately) many people are all too familiar with: cancer. It’s not every day that you hear that the father of a family member you’re really close to has been diagnosed with Leukemia. It’s such a difficult thing for me to understand. I marvel at the strength his children show when speaking about their father’s health. My father may not the healthiest of men, but I am unfazed since I know that his physical condition is a product of the use of “goods” well known to be detrimental to one’s health (more like “bads”). But in the case of Leukemia, the disease is not as easily explainable. His ex-wife explained it as a happening of chance. That didn’t quite make sense to me. I am a strong believer in our god-given ability to choose our fate/destiny. I remember watching a video of a cancer survivor whom anointed her miraculous recovery to her change in lifestyle, attitude, and an invariant gratitude for life - no treatments. That shi- cray, right? Well, maybe not. I feel as though the impact our mental and emotional health has on our easily discernible physical health is taken for granted. In this case, the culprit could very well be side effects of being separated from his children. He is such a great guy; that’s what led me to believe something else had to be the real reason for this specific health condition.
Sometimes I feel we all fight with cancer every day. Almost everything you can think of can have an ill-effect on our health. And it is very possible that many every day products contain material known to be carcinogenic. Even the sun, the source of most if not all energy on our planet, can apparently harm us in much the same way. This past summer I had a sunburn throughout my entire back (except for one circular spot, looked hilarious and painful). So, how am I supposed to feel when I hear about the increased radiation from the sun? What should I think when the news talks of the ease with which skin cancer can be the result of a single day with too much tan and not enough gym and laundry? Why does my back feel itchy? Did my back always look like that? Should I be concerned? For a little while there I was quite unsure what to think. Then, I began to laugh at it and shrug it off. I thought to myself - that’s not how people get cancer. I just don’t believe it. Sure, I could let the thought plague my mind - but how would that be healthy? Instead I choose to be thankful for the health that I’m blessed with and the life that I continue to experience and learn from.
A few months ago I stumbled upon some startling new research done on cancer. The discovery explained that cancer begins when a cell in the body essentially “starts over”. That means that a cancer cell is in fact going through a very familiar process– the cell splits to form 2 cells, those split to form 4, and so on. This is in fact identical to the evolutionary process of cell division and cell specialization, which is what created complex life forms on this planet in the first place! We are accustomed to viewing this “growth” (of life) as a tumor. Hmmm - do you see a picture forming here? Does this mean we should be thankful for cancer, since its process essentially created us? The way I think about it – cancer represents giving up. Life, however, is so persistent that it will continue to grow regardless. Life requires growth – it is growth. So maybe life is cancer. Of course if we cease to grow (give up), there’s not much else to do but to wait and start over. So maybe being thankful (and continuing to grow) is the cure? I’m sure this sounds far-fetched, but if it weren’t this wouldn’t be interesting now would it? Every case (and every person for that matter) is unique, so this is obviously just ramblings of the mind.
Going back to the family member with Leukemia: I can only hope for the best and help in any way I possibly can. I’m sure his son (my cousin) will read this post eventually and think that I am absolutely insane, and then laugh, and then tell me I may be on to something – mission accomplished, I suppose. Cancer is a tough battle, but a very winnable one. We all may be going through it – it’s life. Like Jimmy V said at the end of his famous ESPY speech on the subject– Don’t give up, don’t ever give up. That is the key to victory. My prayers go out to their family.
Much Love,
- B
