Having a final "appen-something" in the bar... me 'n "The Main Squeeze" got into a conversation with a Swiss woman. We talked for a long time. When we left, I hugged her. She didn't hug back, but remained stiff. I'd inadvertently violated her space. Oops! I learned that there are major differences in culture.
Also met folks who seem to transcend culture. They automatically hug back. What a great feeling.
Oy. :::fanning self::: I feel a hot flash coming on. Time to get out of the kitchen. Help yerselves to the cookies. And don't leave dishes in the sink.
auntie b
Despite the writing on the wall... at this point, flashing neon signs... that HRC's campaign is collapsing, I think the old gal... who happens to be my age... is right in plugging onward. She's sending a message to her supporters: "Never give up."
Hillary's tenacity serves as a model for many women in this country as well as for women around the world. Tenacity is a good thing. It's a lesson many women need to learn. Too many of us older females have learned to back down when the going gets tough. We're overly sensitive to public opinion, if not male dominance... which is not as big an issue here in the States as it is in other parts of the world.
Whatever her motives for staying in the race, I take comfort knowing that there's something positive going on.
IMHO, I believe that Hillary should keep on keeping on until June because every vote cast by STATES THAT ABIDED BY THE RULES needs to be counted. Here's why: it'll require national cooperation if we're to succeed in the objectives of our next administration. Therefore, every American needs to have the opportunity to take part in the nominating process. We want to provide valid, irrefutable evidence that Obama has won the nomination fair and square. We need to take a lesson from the Bush/Gore fiasco. (Lots of us are STILL grieving over that debacle.)
What about MI and FL? Well, MI broke the rules set by the DNC. In addition, we know that even the "beauty contest" held there wasn't a FAIR beauty contest because Barack's name wasn't on the ballot. 'Nuff said on that matter.
As for FL.. well... as a FL resident, I'm well aware that our state had plenty of notice that we were breaking the rules and that we would suffer consequences. Did "moi" get off her tuchas and take action? Nope. Neither did the rest of my fellow Floridians. We sat there and accepted the situation, remaining passive. Now, we're screaming, "IT'S NOT FAIR!". Well... we needed to scream earlier.
:::sigh::: Nu, so what do we do now? While waiting patiently for the process to come to an end, we take action in bringing peace to the party.
As for me, I'll be posting to HRC's blog with no expectation of being published. However, I know that at least ONE Hillary supporter will read the post... the one whose job it is to screen. That’s fine by me because I know deep down in my soul that "One voice can change a room..."
Another part of the plan is to post on news blogs, attempting to help the kids get their temper tantrums under control. (Oy! It takes me back to my days of teaching kindergarten where I learned that a rational, logical approach doesn’t work when folks are out of control.) Most of the posters… who resemble crying, screaming, head-banging children who DON'T respond to logic... DO respond to warmth, empathy, and positive regard.
I sure as hell can feel for them. I’ve been in their shoes and have learned a few things: 1) Everybody’s hopes and dreams get shattered at least once in this lifetime. 2) We’re a resilient species… we pick ourselves up from disappointment and loss and build NEW hopes and dreams. 3) In time, we look back on our experiences, integrate them into our lives, grow from them, and feel gratitude for what brought us to a new stage of development.
Right now, I want to devote myself to helping those who are suffering in their pain. My intention is to love them and reassure them that they’re not alone. That’s the beginning. The rest will follow.
Trust me.
Guess I’ll have to get a bigger oven so’s I can bake lots and LOTS of cookies, hunh?
C'mon in. The door's open.
:::DING:::
Oh, that was the oven timer. Cookies are ready.
Sit down, kick off the shoes, get comfy, have some cookies, and tell us how the campaign is affecting you.
There's lots more cookies...
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We’re afraid.”
“We can’t. We will fall.
“Come to the edge!”
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.
Guillaume Apollonaire
Our movement empowers individuality and liberates the self. It provides each person with the hope of reaching their fullest potential. Our movement begins at the grass roots level and builds to a majority who then selects a leader. Our Constitution demands checks and balances which limit the leader's power. It is the people and the leader, working together, who make the laws.
A cult... on the other hand... squashes individuality and demands conformity and obedience. It begins when a megalomaniac takes absolute power and weilds it over each individual by using fear, force, propaganda, and manipulation. The leader's voice is law.
Nu, so I ask you... are we a cult?
Auntie B.
“Myneh zeesaleh...” (my little sweetheart) Zayda’s (Grandpa’s) spirit whispers in my ear... “This is why... this is why... we fled the pogroms and crossed the ocean, crammed together in steerage, to this “gildeneh” (golden) place called ‘America’. Because of Hope. This is why we worked hard... your Bubbeh (Grandma) and I... 18 hours a day in our little store. Because of Hope.”
My mother’s spirit embraces me. “This is why we struggled so hard... pulling together... during The Great Depression,” she smiles, eyes radiating love. “Because of Hope. We'd crowd around the radio listening for Gabriel Heater, the newcaster, who's catch-phrase was, 'Ah... there's good news tonght!'"
My soul whispters to me, “This is why you’re still standing... despite decades in depression's pit. Because of Hope.”
Hope is the tie that binds us to one another... the Hope of persecuted Native Peoples; the Hope of Africans brought in chains; the Hope of immigrants brought my choice. Hope courses through our veins. It’s carved into our DNA. We know this. We feel this. Now. In this moment.
The blessed dead smile down on us. The angels dance.
Rebecca
2/6/08
Fell this morning in front of the dermatologist's office.
I hurry because I want to get home to my Blogfamily. There's purpose in my step. I'm ANIMATED, I'm ALIVE. I'm a BARACKIAN!
Wound up in the emergency room because I tripped over a loose brick and hit my face against the sidewalk. Right in front of the doctor's office.
Next stop, The Twilight Zone...
Amazingly, from the very first moment, I felt completely calm and had no fear. NO FEAR! Kept thinking "YES I CAN!" What peace in my soul.
Felt a new vibration... felt connected to every person present: the helpful, elderly couple who witnessed the topple and ran to get help; the EMT's and everybody in the emergency room. It was GREAT! It was a pivotal event. My mind expanded, propelling me into a new space.
I feel connected to everyone. I feel "empathy" In my gut. I feel "compassion".
I AM the EMT from Brazil; the emergency room nurse from the Philippines; the aide from Antigua; the x-ray technician from Peru; the cabdriver from Haiti...
A dam burst. Higher Love roars through my being.
Fear? WHAT fear?
An Epiphany.
Ok, so I hit my head on the bricks.
But not THAT hard!
Oh say, can you see by the dawn's early light,The end of the darkness of a desperate nightWhere palpable fear pervaded the airAnd crushed every hope with relentless despair... Our Leaders, propelled by rancor and hate;Unyielding, Unwilling To engage in debate...Our Stars and our Stripes, Drenched in a flood Of death, grief, and mourning;Of tears and of blood...Now comes the sunrise. Old Glory will fly Renewed and restored,Raised in honor and pride...Faith from our FoundersWithin the grasp of a hand...Faith in Compassion andThe Dignity of Man.The horizon's ablaze in the fire of this day, Lighting the future...New America's way.
by Aunt Becky
This fable reminds me of our campaign...
After a terrible storm a man decided to go for a walk along the beach. He saw hundreds and hundreds of starfish stranded on the shore. He watched as a woman picked up a starfish and gently tossed it back into the water.
"What are you doing?" the man asked.
"You see," the woman replied as she stooped down to pick up a baby starfish, "if this little fellow doesn't get back into the water, he'll dry out and die."
"But there are so many starfish on the beach... why do you even bother? You can't change the world," the man said.
As she gently tossed the little starfish back into the water, the woman responded, "Oh, but I can change the world... for this little starfish."
When I started teaching public school in 1971 I was 23 years old and wanted to change the world. Taught high school French and English; middle school French, English, and drama; adult-ed French; an 8th-grade science class... in terribly fractured Spanish... to teen-aged Marielitos who’d recently rafted over from Cuba. Spent the last 15 years of my career teaching English as a Second Language (ESOL) K-6.
After almost 30 years I retired... burned out, bummed out, and wiped out.
And now... pushing 60... I’m on fire again. And it’s not hot flashes! I’m infused with energy, purpose, and passion.
I'm 23 again.
Aunt Becky
Designed a t-shirt on www.zazzle.com. Great site!front of shirt O.penB.rightA.stuteM.indfulA.udaciousback of shirtObama '08
Designed a t-shirt on www.zazzle.com. Great site!
front of shirt
O.pen
B.right
A.stute
M.indful
A.udacious
back of shirt
Obama '08
