Doing The Right Thing

It seems that too many of us here in America don't purpose in our hearts to take action, we wait until something happens and then we react. When we used to hear the so-called conspiracy theorists talk about how just a few people controlled the majority of the wealth of the entire planet, we took it all in with a grain of salt. Now that the toppling of the housing industry, the deterioration of our educational system, and the apparent racism in the political arena is being talked about by mainstream media, we're looking a little closer at what's really going on. We're starting to question where all the money associated with housing, schools, and political campaigns is actually going. We're beginning to believe that the government, as we know it, is not responding to our needs as it should; and possibly adhering to the desires of a small group of people whose names we don't even know. But then we still recognize and fear the power and control the government has over us, and we want to wait until we're sure they'll be no repercussions before we start openly complaining. We then start to wonder how these  so-called conspiracy theorists are blatantly talking about how wars, environmental problems, and food modification, are all being perpetrated by the powerful few for personal monetary gain. The stuff they're saying is believable and the powerful few must know that we're starting to accept its validity, so why aren't they doing something to prove these theorists wrong? Well, why should they? We are a crisis-oriented people and unless something happens directly to us, we just allow things to unfold as they do. We are dangerously complacent, and have become perfectly willing to allow others to fight our seemingly hopeless battles for us. The problem however, is that all negativity is being done at our expense, and at the possible disintegration of a viable future for our children and our children's children.

We need to start being less reactive and more proactive. How can we do that? While visiting my mother in Chicago this past week, I decided to empty all her garbage bags as I usually do. This time however, she was really adamant about the separation of 'garbage' and 'recyclables'. Now I pride myself on being a non-conformist to ideals that are not being carried out by their protagonist, that being the City of Chicago in this case. I for one, find it hard to believe that my beloved hometown is participating in an effort to 'save the planet', unless there's some tangible gratuity involved. I am just a firm believer that most Chicago politicians are more concerned about personal gain than the welfare of their constituents, and am thereby hesitant in supporting any of their agendas. I didn't verbalize these thoughts at the time, but my mother, who would be one of the few honest politicians if she were one, went right for the jugular in her attempt to secure my vote. She said, "You're writing that blog and always talking about the 'we' , yet you don't think it's a we thing when people are trying to do something positive? You talk about people talking the talk and not walking the walk. Are you one of those people?" Well it was getting kind of painful for me, and she was just getting started; so I succumbed and transferred all the items to their respective (proper) bag(s), and placed them all outside in their corresponding receptacles. I initially just reacted to my mother's plea; but, as an afterthought, have decided to actively adhere to the recycling procedures here in California. This is just my one small example of proactive behavior, and yet there are so many other ways in which we can demonstrate this same mindset.

We can stop eating in at least one restaurant where the food tastes good, but we know that it is not good for us.  We can buy only the eggs produced by free-roaming chickens. We can try to stop smoking and/or drinking at least one day a week. We can park our car further from the entrance of the mall, and stop emitting so many fumes trying to find a space closer to the door. Even better we can take public transportation at least once a month. We can spend some of our money in the 'mom and pop stores', rather than giving all of it to the big corporations. We are all creative beings, so just think of  something you can do to address the issues that you are aware of. Something's going on in the world that's not in everybody's best interest, and you know you don't like it. So even if you feel you can't do anything about that particular thing, do something positive in another arena, while realizing that every little bit helps. The 'we' is a very powerful entity ya'll, and if each one of us does her or his part, no matter how small it might seem, in the words of my friend Kenny Bean,.. "Righteousness shall prevail."

To listen to words and music click here.


To respond or comment click on the word comments at the bottom of this page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

Beginning Of The Best

I once heard that if you're in a room of  people, one of them tells a lie and you don't say anything, then you're lying as well.  I also heard a relative of mine claim, "I say what I got to say and then I leave it alone." To put these statements in perspective, let me just say that too many people get away with saying and doing too many distasteful and sometimes despicable things, and too few people make an effort to hold them accountable. There are a lot of man-made laws that promote order and decency, but somehow we allow certain individuals to remain 'above these law'. There is one Universal Law and it proclaims that we are all one. What that means is that whatever you do to me you are also doing to yourself. So by us making others aware of their errant behavior, all of us will benefit.

This past election brings the gist of this discourse into focus, because it demonstrated that we voters have let the politicians and backers know that their conduct is no longer void of  consequences. We have once again begun to, and will continue to hold them accountable for their behavior. You, Mr. Mourdock, say that pregnancy induced by rape is a gift from God? Okay, now you will have to consider if your loss in the Senate race is also a gift from God. Mr. Romney, you gave us  a general and very vague account of what you would do if elected president, and refused to give us any details in regard to how your actions would be carried out. Well, our votes have let you know that we are not going to sit idly by and allow you to continue insulting our intelligence. Politicians beware. We are tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. We have for too long, in the words of Brother Malcolm, been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray. There is too much at stake, and as Mary J. Blige implies in her music, 'we can do bad all by ourselves'. So if you're going to bring it..it better be correct, or be prepared to pay the price for it not being that way.

What we need to do now is to bring this same mindset into our every day lives. We can no longer allow our children to talk to us any kind of way, and not let them know that the tone and content of their conversation is unacceptable. No longer will we be complacent when our educators, from the teachers in the classroom to the United States Secretary of Education, tell us that there's nothing else they can do for our child. We're going to  find out, undertake, and implement whatever's necessary to insure that our children get a better education before our military gets more weapons. Continuing to allow gas prices to fluctuate as randomly as they do is a no no. So the next time the cost of gas increases exponentially, and we get a credible online plea to boycott a specific gas distributor, we will seriously consider doing just that. And if anyone, from a menial to managerial position, whether on the phone or face to face, talks to us in a less than respectful way, then that matter will be addressed immediately so that the outcome of that and subsequent discussions is favorable to all. Everything we've spoken of thus far will of course be done tactfully and with good intent, but it must and will be done because our collective well-being is at stake.

I want to personally thank each of you for getting out to vote, and I implore you to remember and understand that our struggle is ongoing. Let's keep it real ya'll by holding all those who claim to have our best interest at heart, acccountable for acting with honesty and integrity. The message has already been sent through this election, so let's keep it moving. More than that, let's be encouraged always by keeping in mind that as long as we treat ourselves and each other as one...The Best Is Yet To Come.

To hear the audio version with musical accompaniment just click here



To comment or respond just click on comments at the bottom of the page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com

Is The Rule Really Golden?

You can check out the audio version, with musical accompaniment, by clicking on the following link: audio version.

While in a crowded parking lot Saturday, I waited on three cars to pass before backing out. When I finally got a chance to do so, another driver stopped me, rolled down her window and yelled, "Wait your turn." Before she drove off (even though I wanted to do otherwise) I decided to treat her the way I would like to have been treated, with tolerance and patience, in the hope that she would pass that same spirit on to the next person. It was unfortunate that her concept of the 'Golden Rule" was 'Do unto me as I would do unto me..'  The 'we' was entirely left out of her equation, as it has been with all of us (including myself) at one time or another. This type of behavior sadly allows separation, rather than cooperation, to be the dominating factor in our interactions.

Divisiveness is a disturbing yet effective means of wresting power from the many and relinquishing it to the few. Divide and conquer is not an insignificant adage but a viable and oft used reality. It has been employed throughout the ages to control, and no group of people is immune from its debilitating effects. Yes even religion, the largest single entity of human consciousness on the planet,  has fallen prey to this perpetrator of hiearchal self-righteousness. The fact that a reported 3.5 billion people on the planet profess a belief in a Supreme Being, yet focus more on differences than on similarities, is a boon to those whose major objective is to be right rather than righteous. Right or wrong can only lead to separation and conflict, whereas true righteousness leads to unity (oneness) and peace.

The Golden Rule is one similarity that exists between at least five of the major religions of the world. However, divisiveness between them, whether purposed or not, contributes to the problems of our world today. Let's take a look at the parallel between religions in terms of numbers. These numbers are admittedly research figures that may be opinionated at best. However; they do serve to make a point, so let's focus on their qualitative rather than quantitative value.

Christianity: There are over 2 billion Christians in the world and the Golden Rule as expressed by Jesus in Matthew 7:12 reads, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Islam: We have1.6 billion Muslims on the planet and the same rule is found thusly in the Prophet Muhammad's Forty Hadiths "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."
Hinduism: 900 million Hindus live in our world and their version of the same rule is found in chapter CXIII Verse 8 of the Anusasana Parva, and it reads," One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one's self. This, in brief, is the rule of dharma {the universal law of being}. Other behavior is due to selfish desires." 
Buddhism: The Buddhists population is 376 million in number and in the Udana-Varga 5:18 we find,  "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." 
Judaism: Our world consists of 13.75 million Jews and we find the following words in the Talmud, Shabbat 31a, "What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary."

Now I don't know about you, but I see the very same message in all the above quotations. If  you treat me the way you want to be treated then we will undeniably be of one accord. Each  and every quote expresses a reciprocating principle that advocates, defends, and supports the concept of 'Oneness' to the nth degree.

It's obvious that the world is not reflecting this sense of unity, so what is causing our divisiveness. Could it be that we are saying what we believe and who we are, and  but are not fully being (living) what we say? Are we, from time to time, speaking ill of someone who doesn't act like we think they should, and then, in the course of doing so, opening the door for someone to speak ill of us?  Do we occasionally forget that it took us a minute to get where we are, and then expect someone else to be where we think they should be (right now)? We have been given countless opportunities to become better people, yet are we possibly not allowing another a chance to improve? How about us looking at someone else in terms of where they are and not where we think they should be? I believe that once we start seeing ourselves as a body of one, each sharing the same hopes and dreams of living in harmony and peace, we can be more true to ourselves and to each other. 

Life's purpose is more about action than conversation, and I don't believe that we can put anything out there and not get it back. If each of us makes a concerted effort to be who we say we are, and works harder on perfecting ourselves and less on being concerned with what we consider someone else's imperfections, then separation and chaos can be mitigated. Once that happens, we can graciously accept and manifest the universal One that we have always been.


Click on the word comments at the bottom of the page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com to respond.

Words and Music By Grace

According to Corinthians 12:9, God's Response to the Apostle Paul's request to remove the tormenting  'thorn in his flesh' was, "My Grace is sufficient for you, for my Power is made perfect in weakness". By Grace we have been given access to varied venues of relief for whatever bothers us. I was inadvertently reintroduced to two of these venues just this past weekend. Albeit not knowingly involved in any tormenting situation at the time, I was certainly not feeling my best and thereby became willingly lifted to a higher dimension via the composition (music) of six women and the literature (words) of one man. Whether it be the humdrum of daily life or the anxiety and sometimes frightening doldrums of fighting our personal battles, there is a way out. Words and music can be that way because as they did for me this past week end, they can take you to places where no woman/man has ever gone and bring you back with a renewed and strengthened sense of where to go from here.

I'd like to pontificate a bit on these two occurrences, if I may, and point out how the seven people involved in them both transformed and enriched my life.

The first was a two day event called 'Off The Page': Women Jazz Composers Festival. It was a collaboration of six ladies: Maia, Nicole Mitchell, Dawn Norfleet, Leah Paul, Tomeka Reid,  and Manisha Shahane, all accomplished composers in their own right, who at the behest of a Tomeka Reid brainchild got together to both showcase and share their creations with two totally encapsulated and enthralled  audiences at the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica on October 12 and at the World Stage in Los Angeles on October 13. I was both privileged and honored to MC both these outstanding occurrences and grateful for the opportunity to both experience and be a witness to the  strenuous work, unflinching dedication, time consuming days and restless nights that accompanied these ladies as they arduously extrapolated indelible compositions and delivered unheralded performances allowing every member of the audience to leave with much more than they had imagined was available to them.

Jazz Composing Divas

L-R Manisha Shahane, Dawn Norfleet, Tomeka Reid, Nicole Mitchell, Leah Paul, and Maia

It was amazing to behold how each composer had to not only write a musical score for each instrument (voice included), but had to also ensure that each instrumentalist understood and was comfortable with the overall message that was to be conveyed. Needless to say, the musicians were handpicked because of their innate abilities to meet these criteria and were incredibly and undeniably adept at meeting the high standards to which they had been called. The result was a cornucopia of composition that included fusions of classical, folk, world, experimental, and jazz music that was irrefutably, as inferred by Maia's creative festival moniker..."OFF THE PAGE'. Their willingness to give of themselves to others at an unheard of $10 donation/cost for an event of this magnitude, the unselfishness of each composer to highlight  and display the awe inspiring skill and dedication of each instrumentalist to her/his craft, and the overall love for both music, audience and participant was indicative of how this event was an ideal microcosm of how we all can and should interact as One.

The ardent display, by all present, of appreciation for the collaboration; and participation in the celebration of our Oneness, transformed and enriched my life. It renewed my understanding that by the Grace of the Creator we are able and obligated to participate as co-creators in giving of ourselves to others,  by means of the gracious gifts that have so freely been given to us. As an added bonus a remarkable enlightenment arose from all of  this sharing and caring, that being the revelation that our co-creativity can easily be witnessed by the joyful exuberance displayed by our simply being present in the moment. It was all good ya'll.

The second occurrence was the receipt of an autographed copy of my twenty-five year friend, Paul Madyun's, first novel entitled 'The Candidate'. This compilation of literary expression depicts the life of a man besought by the need to understand his personal experiences and their relation to two universal and oft repeated queries: Why am I here? and What am I supposed to be doing?

I read half the book in one sitting and was so enamored with Paul's style of writing, his exceptional  assimilation and utilization of the English language, and the way in which the aural essence of each character jumped off the page that I decided to take my time and savor both the somatic and spiritual unfolding that emanated from each and every page. You see the book is not merely a fictional account of one man's life, it's an unobtrusive view of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual experiences that permeate the lives of every man woman and child. In addition to displaying the experiences we encounter in the course of attempting to live life on life's terms, Paul also offers insight into the choices available to us during those experiences that we might of heretofore been unaware of. Reading his book is like learning how to live life while being captivated and enthralled by the life of another who, like ourselves, is attempting to remain on that common yet elusive road of happy destiny.

In addition to all the subtle pleasures and substantive wisdom incurred while reading this wonderful novel, I am perpetually inundated with determining which character is closest to the author in terms of things like temperament, intellect, and spirituality, and in possibly discovering a little bit of him in every character. Then there is always the question of who and where I am regarding my own similarities to the make-up and behavior of each and every individual in this psuedo-fictional depiction of the life of all mankind. I'm loving this book Paul and ya'll.

No think about this. When was the  last time you read an enthralling book or attended a captivating concert? When were you last able to separate yourself from life's tormenting madness and celebrate the glorious gladness that a brilliant book or some mindful music can bring. Well, I'm inviting you to become one with the opportunity to combine creativity, to reciprocate love, and to promote positive consciousness and peace of mind. No matter where you are in your journey, take a little time to google either or all of these seven people; Paul Madyun, Maia, Nicole Mitchell, Dawn Norfleet, Leah Paul, Tomeka Reid, and/or Manisha Shahane. Familiarize yourself with their work (gifts) and do what you can to share your findings and insight with yourself and others. Let's all participate in a collaborative effort  to support, celebrate, and share with one another as we become one with the universe which, by Grace, is available to us all as we make our way to heaven right here on earth.


Check out the spoken version of this posting by clicking on the following link.Audio Version

To respond or comment, click on the word comments at the bottom of the page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com

Our Connection Is Not an Option...It's A Necessity

The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

The foregoing is an excerpt from the song Dem Dry Bones, with melody composed by James Weldon Johnson and lyrics written by an unknown author. While in a Yoga class this week, the instructor commented on how each yoga posture has an effect on the entire body, including the internal organs, and how our awareness of this connection can enhance the benefits derived from the posture itself. I thought about this in terms of how President Obama had inadvertently referenced the importance of a 'national connectedness' in an interview with the television program 60 Minutes. He implied that as a result of his experience while in office, he would spend less time trying to garner the support of the Republican congress and more time on assessing and meeting the needs of the American people. My contention is that the president has realized or remembered that until all our needs are met, until we all collaborate and agree on 'what we gon do', there will be no real peace and freedom for any of us. We're connected, we're one, and until we initiate and sustain our actions from that premise, division, dissatisfaction, and the subsequent dismantling  of life as we know it will continue to plague us.

It's no mystery that there are only a few people on the entire planet who have collectively amassed almost all the material wealth. Along with that wealth is a semblance of power that seeks to strengthen and maintain their status by keeping the rest of us competitive and at each other's throats. A sense of I got to make sure that mine is bigger, better, and 'righter' than yours has become our mindset, and we spend a lot of our time concerned and bickering about things like: the Republicans or  Democrats being the best party, the Chicago Bears being a better team than the Oakland Raiders, Christians or Mormons being the only ones going to heaven, whether or not Haile Berry looks better than Angelina Jolie, if Hip Hop has a good or bad influence on the black community, or if a "Big Mac" is better than a "Whopper". These and many other issues keep us at odds  among ourselves while the supposed 'powers that be' are dedicated to collectively insuring that their stronghold remains intact. Their semblance of power is fueled by our elusive desire to be like them, and we thereby lose sight of who we are...one people whose existence is made manifest by One Creator for the sole purpose of helping one another experience heaven right here on earth. Once we realize that it ain't about what me or she has, but about learning how to depend on and treat one another, we'll be able to experience a sense of wealth and power beyond our deepest imaginings and our wildest dreams. We can then transition from the mindset of limitations to a consciousness of more than enough.

I propose that once President Obama is re-elected he can start incorporating the thoughts of the people in his decision making, from a foundation of inclusiveness rather than 'elitism'. He  can involve the recently unemployed in balancing the budget, because they have learned how to eliminate debt from experience and can assist the 'experts' who rely primarily on analyzing statistics, conjecturing solutions, and lining their pockets. He can call in retired insurance execs who are willing to tell the truth about insurance fraud on the corporate side, and have the knowledge and desire to formulate a means for allocating medical benefits in an honest and equitable manner. As for foreign affairs he can bring both allies and potential foes to the table, and they can all come to terms with the fact that their quest for nuclear power stems from a desire to keep up with the "Jones's. As my buddy Buzzy used to say, "White folks got it, you know I want it." From these and similar meetings an international forum can be established where the major focus is making sure that everybody has what they need, so that they don't try to get somebody else's.  You inferred the concept of 'connectedness' in your interview Mr. President, and I don't know how and if you intend to incorporate it, I'm just sayin. We can solve the problems together, as one, by  being inclusive and collaborative in our approach. 

"The neck bone connected to the head bone...". I remember singing that song as a child without realizing that it was a Negro Spiritual, because we never included the words 'Oh, hear the word of the Lord!  Well the 'Word' is and always will be 'One'. We all can do our part by recognizing, legitimizing, and utilizing a sense of oneness in our homes, on our jobs, and wherever and whenever we find ourselves in the company of others. All we need do is see ourselves in others and do our best to promote and solidify our connection to one another. We can sit at the table and eat dinner together. We can take a walk with a loved one. We can say Hi to the person walking by. We can give a dollar and/or a smile to the one with the cup in her hand. Neither the president nor anyone else can make anybody do anything, but our example can and will lead to beneficial results. Our every action affects another, and in turn affects all of us. We're one ya'll...we're connected. Let's do everything we do with that in mind.


To respond or comment, click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

Is Age Really a Factor?

Your number of years on the planet might be very significant when you're five or six and you first start school. In the words of the kindergartner when asked how he liked his first day of school he said..."It was OK mom, but how much longer do I have to do this?" As a teenager there's the joy of having reached a milestone but then a sense of awkwardness crops up, and with it a preoccupation with personal appearance. Then you're twenty-one and legally grown but now responsibility is definitely an issue. At thirty the desire to succeed increases, and upon reaching forty you begin wondering if you ever will succeed. Fifty brings with it an attitude of "Oh Well, it's now or never",  and the common axiom at sixty is 'whatever' because the concern for what you or others have expected of you has significantly diminished. Now I can't speak from experience as to what happens at seventy, so I won't even try. However, in celebrating my wife Nicole's Godmother Jean Ann's eighty-first birthday last week, I learned that it really doesn't matter how long you're here. What truly matters is what you do while you're here, and how you feel about doing it.

Now I would be remiss if I didn't remind some of you and inform the rest that my momma is also eighty-one and that she got her Bachelors Degree at forty-nine. She, started teaching aerobics at fifty-one and taught at least four classes a week until she was eighty years of age. She started working with adolescents and teens at seventy-two, while still teaching aerobics, and worked with me at the Lighthouse Youth Center until May of 2011. She's been and still is my inspiration in everything I endeavor to do, because her uncompromising work ethic and unrelenting desire to help others are the characteristics with which I attempt to fashion my life. I knew that there were others beyond the age of seventy that shared my mother's zest for life and her 'never too late' consciousness; but it wasn't until experiencing Jean Ann's life, up close and personal, that I was able to witness another version of that same mindset.

  Momma modeling      

After booking our flight to visit Jean Ann, Nicole and I had offered to take a cab because of our late arrival time. However, Jean Ann insisted on picking us up and, true to her word, she pulled up to the curb 'round midnight' and whisked us away in her purple automobile. We arrived at her home where we talked for a while as she introduced and acclimated us to our new surroundings. She then excused herself in order to get back to a project that had to be completed by the next day. Having worked until three in the morning, Jean Ann went to bed and got up around six a.m. to finish her project and to prepare for an eleven a.m. meeting at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts Collection in Focus, where she has been a guide since 1999.  The project was a lecture and tour that Jean Ann coalesced with her birthday celebration and it addressed the presence of the works of over forty (40) African American Artists in the permanent collection of the Institute. The program started at one p.m. and Nicole and I had front row seats.

Jean Ann in Her Purple

The venue was filled to capacity with over sixty (60) people present. The majority were African Americans who had never stepped foot in the Institute. All the people present, were friends of Jean Ann who were there primarily to celebrate her birthday. The program was extremely enlightening and thought provoking as the highly knowledgeable art historian, who Jean Ann brought on board, shared her expertise. Jean Ann was both captivating and entertaining as she gave a formidable explanation of what art appreciation is all about, and challenged us to share our personal interpretations of what each artist was trying to convey through their painting(s). The number of people and the ease with which she facilitated the program succinctly conveyed how Jean Ann loves what she does, it aptly illustrated how she does what she does in the hope that others can share in her joy, and it deftly demonstrated how people are receptive to truth and beauty especially when it is administered by someone who lives it. 

Two years ago Jean Ann became an advocate and volunteer for the Restorative Justice Alternative Court System which seeks to exonerate first time offenders. As she shared this with me I was reminded of how my mother recently let me know that she was eager to start a new career, and that it would undoubtedly be in the field of Public Service. These two women allow no grass to grow under their feet, and both purposefully and inadvertently inspire and encourage others to do the same. For those of us under eighty-one, we have a wonderful opportunity to learn from those who have 'been there and done that'.

Let's take advantage of every opportunity we can to walk, talk, share ideas, and listen to the wisdom of our esteemed elders so that we too can give to others what has so freely been given to us. Time is not linear ya'll it's right now; and it's not about how long you live, it's about how you live. So let's apply the  paraphrased words of Jean Ann's cell phone message to our own lives,"If I don't answer your call, it's because I'm out somewhere living life to the fullest..." 

Thanks Mom for being all that you are, and thank you Jean Ann for choosing to share your life with me and for allowing me to share mine with you.




To comment or respond, click on the word comments: at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

Breathing is a Blessing...Gratitude an Attitude

Sometimes we take things for granted and are unaware of how thankful we should be for what we have received. I had no idea how much my deceased wife Elaine loved me until after she had made her transition. What she has done has committed me to loving my present wife Nicole as much and even more than I am loved. Thank you Elaine for what you've given me. I once reminded my nephew that I was providing him with food, clothing and shelter and that his grades did not reflect his appreciation. He told me that I had to take care of him. I know that his attitude has changed by now and I am grateful that he inadvertently pointed out how hurtful it can be when our efforts are taken for granted.

Nicole and I went backpacking with her cousin Kappe last week when I realized that my ability to breathe was hampered by a cold I'd contracted the day before. Mind you the trek, with packs on our backs, was a 3 mile hike up a mountain. It's one thing to walk 3 miles down the road, but because of inexperience I had no idea how strenuous it is to walk 3 miles up a mountainside. I had already claimed that I was not going to be made to look like the 'weaker sex', and so it was an unrelenting ego that would not allow me to be outdone by two women. This egotistic mindset, alongside the unmitigated Grace of God was the only way I was able to get to the top of that mountain. It was only when we came down the other side however, had settled at the campsite and had an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of creation that I actually realized that every breath I had taken was a gift from God and believe you me, I took quite a few coming up that mountain. Thinking about how we take something as important as breathing, a beating heart, or functioning organs for granted I began to truly appreciate how life itself is a gift, and that every thing and every body that contributes to our well being is a blessing.

After having rested the entire second day, and having savored the indescribable magnificence of what had been created for all the world to experience and enjoy, I felt ready to make the return trip up and down what I considered a magnanimous mountain. Although my cold had abated somewhat, it had not yet passed and I had several opportunities to experience how much a blessing it was just to be able to breathe. There was something else however that unequivocably illustrated how God can adjust our attitude through others. Nicole and I were climbing the mountain, still short of having reached the top, when Kappe appeared without her backpack and asked if I wanted her to carry my pack the rest of the way. It wasn't my ego this time that caused me to say no, but an undeniable understanding and a platitude of gratitude for Kappe and all the people that God allows to be a part of my life. It is because of other people, and the things they do, regardless of how significant or insignificant these things may seem, that make the days of our lives remarkably worthwhile.

Recognizing how blessed we are can be a humbling experience, but maintaining an attitude of gratitude for the blessings we receive, no matter in what form they may appear, makes every experience an opportunity to better ourselves and to give to others what has been given so freely to us. Thank you God for the breath of life and thanks to all of you for helping me to appreciate this gift and all that goes along with it.



To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.