A Hopi Prayer

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on the ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

When you awaken in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry:
I am not there, I did not die.
My spirit is still alive…
—Author Unknown

So, TRex, thank you for unknowingly understanding where I’ve been at and I am sorry for your loss. Sometimes it sucks out there.

Had to work over the weekend so I just got to read this now.

What a great article (and, 2 wonderful photos to balance the sadness and the rage). Thank you.

Feeling your grief that many of us know too and knowing that the Iraqi people face that same feeling and worse in their lives every single day focuses our task for November to do everything we can to remove from power every person responsible for this death and destruction, and the sadness and despair too.

eg. “I don’t think anyone could have anticipated a terrorist attack….”

From the photo alone, I like your mom, TRex.

And as to your grief for your dear friend, my son had some wise words “Sometimes you have to let sadness be in your body, and work its way through.”

How people in Iraq and Lebanon are coping with all the grief and rage they must feel, I can’t imagine. If I didn’t have this place to give me hope, I’d despair, I think.

…can you honestly say that we don’t deserve it?

Ahem. I believe I understand, and I certainly respect the meaning behind your plea.

Nevertheless. Yes, I can. I think most of us in this community, like you, are here because we’ve been working to change the world in our separate ways. Many, maybe most of us, working alone, or at least feeling like it, for a long long time. But we’ve kept on because we simply CAN’T give up and still live with ourselves.

We are here because it helps to have company. It helps so very much. And it gives us a sense of peace through strength, to share ideas and feel the community spirit.

Most of us have felt a deep sense of purpose for a long time.

Thanks to Jane, Christy, Pach, yourself, and so many others, I think we all feel a growing sense of empowerment, working together to help this poor, torn-up world of ours survive perhaps the greatest threat it’s faced since any of us were born.

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HAD ENOUGH??! YOU BETCHA!!!!
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Grab yer favorite party hat, & pull on those size 86 stompin’-tennies.

I’ll get the mop & trashbags.

It’s GAME ON BROTHER!