Spring Break Bliss

Spring Joy handmade card (www.etsy.com/shop/ElsiesWhimsies)

 

I’ve been busy with my job (part-time middle school librarian) and my small online businesses. I’m ready for a respite: one short-but-blissful week of Spring Break. First order of business: rest. Then, read and write. Finally, do a bit of spring cleaning (maybe).

I recently watched the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness about the men at the helm of Studio Ghibli. I was struck by Hayao Miyazaki’s poignant reflection on humanity’s dreams. He labels Horikochi’s dreams of building planes (Horicochi is the protagonist of Miyazaki’s last–and supposedly final– animated film The Wind Rises) as “cursed dreams” because they were corrupted by the circumstances of his time (WWII). Then Miyazaki adds: “Animation too. Today all of humanity’s dreams are cursed somehow. Beautiful yet cursed dreams.”

It is indeed true that society and circumstances often corrupt our noble and beautiful dreams and even use them to enslave us. When that happens, we must find the courage to stand against the onslaught and remain free and true to ourselves, no matter the cost. We must seek the higher path and stay on it. We must fight for our soul’s freedom and escape society’s bog of fear, pride, greed, hate, anger, and ignorance. Only then will we have the chance to become better human beings–capable and free to realize our noble and beautiful dreams for our own benefit and the benefit of others. And even if we are never given the opportunity to pursue our dreams, even if we die before we can begin to try, we’ll have had the satisfaction of having fought the good fight and of having remained free and true to ourselves and our calling.

One of the characters in the book A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Oseki, is a young pacifist poet who is conscripted against his will to serve in WWII as a kamikaze pilot. He chooses to remain true to himself and his principles and thus pays the ultimate price for his soul’s freedom.

Freedom is never free. By the same token, artistic freedom is never free. There’s always a small or big sacrifice to make. There’s always a short or long battle to fight. Sooner or later we end up asking ourselves–as Hayao Miyazaki does in the documentary–if our beautiful dreams are even worthwhile: “If you really think about it, is this not just some grand hobby? Maybe there was a time when you could make films that mattered, but now? Most of our world is rubbish. It’s difficult.”

I believe our beautiful dreams are worthwhile, even if they are “just some grand hobby.” They feed our souls and often the souls of others. In a world that’s mostly rubbish, they fill us with beauty and help us grow and become better human beings. They gift us with wings and allow us to experience imagination and transcendence. Our beautiful dreams matter because our souls and the souls of others matter.

I will now enjoy my short week of rest by continuing to live my God-given beautiful dream: to create beauty in small, simple ways and to share it with others.

“A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be.” from A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Oseki

A Melting Pot, Not a Salad

Phew! I’m so glad elections are over! Congratulations to all elected officials, especially the President!

One thing has bugged me about all the talks on the changing face of America. Politicians have commented on the percentages of African-American, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Caucasian American votes (let’s not forget Native American votes!), giving everyone the impression that the US is a kind of ethnic salad.

But we’re not a salad; we’re a MELTING POT.

In fact, so many of us belong to more than one ethnic group (including our President), that the whole concept of ethnicity is quickly becoming irrelevant (which is a wonderful thing, if you ask me). Ethnic groups have been and are merging; cultural groups have been and are merging; and even religious groups have been and are merging. Plus, in recent years, a large number of immigrants and refugees (African, Middle Eastern, Asian, etc.) have made the US their new home. America is one big wonderful melting pot of people from all kinds of racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds.

Let’s face that lovely reality and move forward with the important tasks at hand.

I’m Puerto Rican. My ethnic background is Spanish (which is in itself an ethnic mix), African, and Taíno. My hair is thick and wavy and brown (when I was young it was blond, and once — after I had my third baby — it turned black and spiky); my skin is pink, fragile, and dappled with a galaxy of freckles, moles, and the like; and my eyes are blue-green (the color of the Caribbean Sea).

I’m Puerto Rican. I’m American. I’m an American citizen. I’m a citizen of the world. And I’m a fairly liberal Christian (yes, there is such a thing).

All people are beautiful. All skin colors are beautiful. (And anyone who doesn’t think so should have their eyes (and hearts) examined.) But appearance is mere surface. What truly matters is invisible to the eyes: our character and our emotions. These most important traits are manifested through our choices and actions.

All cultures are important and valuable. All religions bring us closer to God. All moral belief systems make us better human beings.

American communities are made up of diverse social groups with diverse religious beliefs and cultural practices. These social groups are made up of individuals. Individuals possess inalienable rights. “Among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

We are free to be who we choose to be. I hope and pray that our choices include loving-kindness and a desire to be a positive, integrated part of “one nation under God [or the governing laws of the universe], [diverse but] indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” Let’s all say no to racism, segregation, and meanness; let’s all stop pointing fingers; and let’s all start being the positive, unifying change we want to see in the world.

I know many of us are worried about the fiscal cliff, etc., but let’s try to enjoy the coming holidays. Count your blessings — there’s much to be thankful for!

Peace and Love everyone!

A Wanderer and a Wonderer

Today’s post is a reflection on my beliefs:

I see myself as a gypsy Christian: a wanderer and a “wonderer”. I borrow truths from here and there, and with them I continually build my own paradigm of the universe. I seek transcendence through revelation, through beauty, and through creativity.  I keep my mind open to the freedom God has given me, and, in that same freedom, I explore and question the universe.

This one thing I know: I am a beloved child of God. This knowledge is my strength, comfort, and refuge. And because I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, I can trust that He will provide and care for me in this life and the next.

My personal religious experience: The Lord Jesus is my savior, my shepherd, my teacher, my brother, and my friend. Apart from Him I am nothing and can do nothing. He rescued me from the pit of destruction many years ago. Without Him I would be dead, gone, and forgotten. He gave me back my self, my soul, and my dreams. Through the Holy Spirit, He gives me the strength and the purpose to carry on day after day.

This I believe:

Love is the most important and powerful force in the universe. Our main goal should be to love God. Loving and taking care of others, ourselves, and our planet are ways of expressing our love for God.

Wisdom should be one of our principal goals, but – like love – wisdom cannot be taught. Charity and knowledge can be learned from teachers, models, books, etc., but love and wisdom are chosen paths in the continuous experience of everyday choices and spiritual growth. We must choose to love and seek wisdom and to live our lives accordingly.

Joy and peace grow out of humility, gratefulness, and communion with God.  But all graces (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and the like) are part of the fruit or evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and are ours because of God’s unfailing love.

God has given us gifts and placed beautiful dreams in our hearts. Gifts and dreams He knows will make us experience fulfillment and happiness. But it’s up to us to develop and use those gifts and to respect and pursue those dreams. We will be blessed if we do, for we will be walking in God’s will and living the abundant life Jesus spoke about: A life of value and significance. A life that is a blessing to others. A life full of love, joy, and peace.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

 

Down by the Riverside

Living a simple life is not simple or easy. It requires planning, diligence, and hard work. Laziness and procrastination always complicate life, never simplify it. Which is why I believe that in the quest for simplicity, organization is key.  (I do realize we each have our own interpretation of what an organized life looks like.) Being organized helps me stay tranquil and motivated and enables me to be more efficient in all I do. So I must organize, re-organize, and continue to re-organize. And as I organize, I must reduce. If I want simplicity, I must purge myself of the clutter in my life: all the stuff I don’t really want or need. My plan is this: I will recycle, donate, or pass on anything and everything 1) I don’t like or want, 2) I will never use (who am I kidding?),  3) and I don’t really need. I will keep all those things 1) that are meaningful and beautiful, 2) that I am certain I will use in the near future, 3) and that I truly need. And as I reduce (so help me God), I will remind myself that often too much of a good thing grows into an overwhelming, smothering giant that then we are forced to battle with, so it’s better to keep the good things pruned and in small quantities.

Getting rid of the physical clutter is, of course, only a small component of the quest for a simple life. Eliminating the emotional clutter is far more  important. For me that means continually discarding all useless burdens (fear, anxiety, sadness, and the like) and continually rejecting all weapons of destruction (hate, anger, resentment, and such). No recycling, donating, or passing on of any of these. Instead, I cast them off and drop them by the riverside. Then I wade in and bathe in God’s healing waters. And not just once, but over and over, day after day after day. I pray that my life may bear the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22), and that I may be forgiven and free of all useless and destructive emotions.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew that the struggle for freedom begins in a person’s heart and mind. It is only through forgiveness and love that we can experience complete freedom. No one can be truly free if their souls are enslaved by hate, wrath, and resentment.  Proverbs 25: 21 reads, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat: and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” And Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” What a tall order! Only through God’s power in us can we achieve this. Thank you, Dr. King, for being a beacon in the darkness. And may the light of love and peace continue to expose and defeat prejudice and oppression in all its forms.

Gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.

Chorus:
I ain’t go study war no more,
study war no more,
ain’t go study war no more.
I ain’t go study war no more,
study war no more,
ain’t go study oh war no more.

Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside…

Chorus

Gonna try on my long white robe
Down by the riverside…

Chorus

Gonna try on my starry crown
Down by the riverside…

Chorus

Gonna put on my golden shoes
Down by the riverside…

Chorus

Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace
Down by the riverside…

Chorus

Gonna shake hands around the world
Down by the riverside…

Chorus

(The riverside symbolizes death, but it can also symbolize the waters of baptism and the act of dying to our earthly nature and being reborn to our spiritual nature [John 3:3]. )