enlarged heart (xposted from pets)

enlarged heart

there are some people whose exposure to "natural foods" etc. has been primarily via woo operations

and we all know there are many scammers and crazy claims
out there.

So while Person A speaks of organic food, thinking
of the bountiful local produce at the co-op, whole
grains, free range chickens; Person B thinks of
expensive "natural" highly processed foodstuffs
from health food stores, or the late night TV
ad shows about alternative medicines, etc.

The two sides are talking about two different things
most of the time, but calling it by the same name,
and never understanding each other.

you're correct that there's a lot of woo out there

but if you let go of that, see past that, use your own
common sense, read some different sources with an open
mind, seek with humility to learn something that can
benefit humankind instead of defending things that are
poisonous to small living creatures.. just try it. It is
much more gratifying to learn something new than to
win a debate.

"restorative justice" -- thank you

I didn't have the words to describe what I was thinking of,
when it comes to compassionate justice.. but it is that which,
in nature, restores balance to the whole.

Whatever is good for the whole, to restore equilibrium.
This in human society requires compassion.

"What can we do to lessen the grip of fear from terrorism?"

+++! Thank you. Just say No.

We are all gonna die.
There are so many zillions of things that can go wrong
at any moment. Most of them don't.

When they happen, we deal with them in the immediate
moment. From somewhere comes the strength and
courage and presence of mind, and the adrenaline.

Till then.. don't worry, be happy, each moment is
one of a kind.

Maybe just taking a new hobby, some simple pleasure, in his declining years

Imagine the smells in the baskets, the enclosed smelly space,
each bin a little different than the last, and never the same
from one day to the next..

Imagine the pleasant soft feeling of a tissue on the nose,
especially a little stinky one, or the crispy feeling of a wrapper
that once had something tasty in it.

Imagine all the basket smells, those fragrant molecules.. right
here, all over his safe home.. a humble hobby for retirement,
one that doesn't require much youthful energy.

It's probably good for him if he enjoys it. Maybe it's his
way of warding off dementia.. keeping track of all the
trash bins around his house, and their contents.

when we have been sexually abused, especially if it was ongoing in childhood,

There is usually a sense that down deep in us
there is nothing but darkness, badness, ugliness,
dirtiness. Even if we strive to live like a saint,
the darkness is who we are. But it's a wrong belief.

Our original self is good, beautiful, and does not
change and remains innocent.
As long as there is breath, it is indestructible.
Can not be stolen or defiled. Can not be murdered.

It's a very simple self and we all have it.
We may deny it, reject it, over-analyze,
minimize and/or dismiss it, but we all have it.
There is much to explore there...
and it's the key to healing.

Do not ever despair, there is always a hopeful
place in you, but you have to look for it.
Try for it, care about it, wonder about it,
don't negate its existence. Look around inside
of you, it's there, it's a feeling.

It's like looking for the sun when it's raining
outside. WTF there's no goddam sun. But
it's there. And it's powerful. In you, in me.

Better next time. Keep going, keep learning.

I'm not going to hate myself any more, ever again.

I'm here for the child I was, to be the support
and the teacher. The comforter and the guide,
for the broken child in me still wanting and
trying to get well.

We can only go forward from this present
moment. Leave it, rest. Find the beautiful
innocence within you.