My quest for Truth

My quest for truth these past 20 years has opened many doors and answered many questions. The constant prayer of my heart has been to find and understand the mysteries of life and the universe. I have opened doors sometimes to find horrific and monstrous answers that will be forever engrained in my memories. I have also opened doors that have humbled my soul and given me hope in a future that is far greater than I could have hoped or prayed for ...

To know things as they really are. 

To see and be seen as we truly are. 

To understand why I am here, where I have been, and now, what I am to do ... next. 

This is my quest.

I have been disillusioned with life to the point of asking myself, what is the use of it all? 

I have asked myself, is life over? 

Would I be satisfied with all that I have experienced? Have I discovered life's greatest mystery?

What lie’s ahead, after this life?

I spent the day hiking in Earth’s beauty and nature, exploring, recording, and breathing in the cool crisp air.

While above the canyon walls a tragedy awaited to unfold.

Satisfied with my day and tired from the long walk I headed back home to relax and ponder the days journey, only to discover the power was out.

It was out for several hours and somewhere in the back of my mind I noticed a feeling that was coming closer to the surface of my consciousness. 

A foreboding feeling.

The phone rang and on the other end was a friend who was calling for comfort, reaching out to find some kind of reason for the death of her friends.

A lone plane flying low over the Hogs back portion of Highway 12. 

The area of road that some refuse to drive because of the steep unprotected road with no shoulder or guard rails. Plunging down hundreds of feet on both sides. 

Somehow this plane with two occupants collided with power lines and both men were killed.

Unaware of the instant and unforgiving nature of life’s consequences we move forward in faith, hoping to find answers and knowledge, a purpose for life. 

Never knowing from one instant to the next whether our life will be ended. 

For every action there is an opposite reaction. 

Yin and Yang. 

What we sow, we reap. 

Karma. 

What ever you want to call it. 

Life can be sudden, unpredictable, and final at a moments notice.

Is the knowledge and awareness that I have accumulated in my years upon this earth worth the price I have paid?

Will I find that my quest has been worthwhile?

Each one of us will face countless challenges in our lifetime. We will see and experience life differently than any other person. 

Our perspective will be uniquely suited to those things that we have been exposed to.

Heaven and Hell? 

Good and Evil? 

What is ultimately at the end of our life here?

Am I prepared? 

Are you prepared?

Can I say that this life has been worth the effort and sacrifice? 

All the blood, sweat and tears?

Time will tell ...

I can say that I have discovered that there is far more to this life than we can find in a book, or a classroom, or an office.

I have activated subtle and unused parts of my consciousness that are connected to something outside of myself.

God? 

The universe? 

Nature? 

A connection to the stars?

I have uncovered and begun to develop a parts of myself that I never knew existed or even dreamed about.

There are those who would try to pull me back to old habits and familiar teachings, it is not always easy to let go of the old and move forward into the unknown.

For me? 

It has made all the difference. 

I want to look behind the curtain. 

I want to see for myself how deep the rabbit hole goes. 

This has made my life fuller, richer, and more meaningful.

My path is my path alone.

Each must discover and follow their own path, their own star to discover what lies ahead and what part we may play in each others life.

My words were comforting, distracting, questioning.

I know of myself, but did my friend find the answers to bring peace to her heart? 

I hope so.

Mother Hubbard's Cupboard

Mother Hubbard's cupboard

I decided that soup would be a good meal tonight. I went into the kitchen to find some inspiration. I opened the drawer where I keep the recipe books, there on the top was a recipe for some corn chowder. Yum, sounds good to me.

Lets see, 5 slices of bacon. I don’t have any bacon.

I have some wild caught Alaskan salmon patties. Check

2 medium onions, sliced thin. Check

3 cups of potatoes, diced. Check, my own organic potatoes from my own garden.

3 cups of water. Check

1 Tablespoon of Redmond sea salt. Check

1 Tablespoon of pepper. I don’t use pepper anymore but I have some Basil. Check

1 can of corn, creamed. Don’t have canned corn but I have some frozen corn out of my garden. I’ll have to make my own cream sauce out of 4 Tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup of flour. Check

1 cup of milk. I don’t use milk but I have some Organic chicken broth. Check

Using a large pot, cook crumbled patties in 1/4 cup olive oil till done.

Remove cooked salmon.

Sauté onions in oil until soft.

Add potatoes with water, broth, salt and Basil.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Add corn.

Cream butter and flour together and add, stirring until blended. 

Add salmon crumbles and enjoy.

I often cook this way. Some people need a set recipe  to follow, I can take what I have and make a great meal.

When someone asks me for the recipe, I can’t often repeat the same dish in the same way because next time I may have different ingredients in the cupboard.

I thank my mother for teaching me how to cook. She cooked simple meals from basic ingredients. She is a master chef.

Life is much the same for me. I look in my cupboard and decide what I want each day. I check my inventory, see what looks good and make my choices. It is never the same and seldom boring. I can cook up whatever I want. If I want spicy, I add the right ingredients. If I want mellow I add a dash of music with some picture albums and voila’.  

If I want cold cereal, it is there for me to enjoy.

By the way, the Salmon and corn chowder is to die for.

Maybe I should open my own restaurant and call it, Old Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard.

If you hurry over to my house, I still have some left but it is disappearing fast.

Chicken Little

Chicken Little

I remember the story of Chicken Little, Chicken Licken, or Henny Penny. It is a folk tale with a moral. It is about a chicken who believes the world is coming to an end. Versions of this story go back more than 25 hundred years. Walt Disney made an animated version of the tale during world war two.

One of the first accounts is from the Buddhist scriptures known as Daddabha. In this story a disturbed hare is disturbed by a falling fruit who believes that the earth is coming to an end. The hare stirs up the other animals causing a stampede, when the lion investigates he finds the cause of the panic and restores calm.

The version that I remember is about a chick that believes the sky is falling because an acorn falls on his head. He decides to tell the King and on his journey meets other animals which join in the quest. The fox invites them to his lair and there eats them all. The last one, Cocky Lockey survives long enough to warn others about the fox.

Most people take this fable as a warning not to believe everything you hear.

Every day without fail there are cyber discussions about dogs and cats, religion and science, good and evil, and right verses left. 

It is interesting to watch how intense people can get when they talk about things that they favor or oppose.

I have found myself drawn to express my opinions and sometimes I am met with strong opposition.

It is these kinds of differences that make up the world in which we live.

When I see some of the articles that are posted to the net I usually do a little research before passing them along to others. I have found that not everything that you read is true and factual. If it comes with a cute picture or saying it is automatic for many to pass it on. 

I have had to retract some things that I later found were false rumors.

Whenever you bring any subject before a group of people you are going to have a difference of opinion. It is healthy to see different view points, it can lead to discussions that bring the truth into the light.

I often see two kinds of people, the sky is falling people and those who stick their head in the sand people.

I ask myself, what kind of person am I?

I have been on both sides of the debate and seldom are there positive changes for either side.

We have taken for granted that the news we watch is factual and fair. A constant barrage of bad news makes us defensive and suspicious towards others. It is always refreshing when a happy story is aired and people are helped. 

I spent a number of years looking into the historic abuses that have occurred throughout history. There are countless stories of death and destruction, power and corruption, and wars in the name of God. It is the story of the bully who wants to take something that does not belong to him.

There have been many who have been harmed by these bullies and it is time for this to stop.

Before that can happen we need to be educated on the facts.

To take advice simply because a famous or beautiful person said it is foolish. 

To reject something because of a persons background or culture is likewise foolish.

Ultimately after I have gathered all the information, I have to make a judgement that will affect my life.

A balance is what I am striving to achieve. I want to look at all sides of an issue and weigh the evidence, then I make my decision. It is not a forever, set decision, it is one based on the available information at the time. 

I reserve the right to make changes at any time, and I am not afraid to admit that I am wrong.

Having coffee this morning with the chickens, I heard the warning squawk of the rooster. The shadow of a hawk passed over the lawn and the warning sent them running as fast as they could run for safety under the porch. 

We would do well to keep our own watch over the barnyard bullies of this world and send out a warning whenever danger occurs.

Being aware and prepared we can enjoy the goodness of life, giving thanks for the blessings that we have and paying them forward whenever we can.