In Search of Balance ~
~ I wrote this exactly one year ago. My feelings exactly ~
. I am finding the people on FB are separated and ranting at each other, spiking, jabbing, screaming-angry over political issues. I know how easy and funny it is to simply ‘share’ a post, but here I would like to address a few things in my own words.
. What stuns me about the current state of the American state is a number of policies that have been put forth;
. #1) The idea of abolishing the EPA. How can that even be considered? In these times of polluted rivers, oil spills, dwindling fish populations, smog cities, bizarre weather patterns, with a bloom of radioactive water just off the west coast, this is NOT the time to shut down our senses. This angers me to no end.
. When these jackals have passed from the government, I fear the damage they have done in only a few short years will continue to be devastating to our land and culture. Log our national parks? I liken these actions as the same of raping an 11-year-old girl. She is changed for the rest of her existence.
. #2) I detest the inclusion in our government of incompetent inexperienced appointees, with a pre-existing personal agenda, whether religious, or hateful. Buying your way in, or being a best buddy is not an appropriate resume’.
. #3) I oppose and reject the current arrogance, as like the immature posturing of an 8th grade boy. I see the evident bad attitudes of not working together in compromise, to accomplish a better world for our grandchildren.
. #4) I further deplore the low level of empathetic care, the promulgation of hate in this land and the world. As a representative of our country, that attitude is disgusting.
. From evidence I see that Republicans continually vote Yes for these negative things. In what way are they serving the people of this land? How do they justify their actions? Do they not see that they are damaging the very Republic they cherish?
. How can they even consider deactivating a plan to keep people healthy? In what way is this beneficial?
. Making fun of these people is very easy… calling each other names...that is a cheap shot. That is not the issue. I honestly don’t expect things to drastically change, as evidence indicates the majority of humanity is rather dull. But for those of us who are aware, those on the cusp of change, it sure would be nice if we could all get in the kitchen and get something done.
. I vote we not wallow in the past, but work together to get out of this existential mud hole. Thought into action.
. Thank you for your time ~ Gordy
And so... Here's my little story about Pete Seeger.
By way of introduction, I confess that the Seeger family looms large in my collection of momentous moments.
I've had the incomparable joy of sitting with Mike and Peggy, swapping songs and laying out a sweet third harmony. A sparkling happy time. I also met Pete a number of times and can say without reservation that the man changed my life immeasurably.
I was just starting out as banjo boy of 12 when my parents loaded me up in the station wagon and we drove over to Berkeley for this concert in a big building. It was something about banjos.
Well, I had never been in such a gathering before...it was like seeing the mother ocean for the first time.
Here was this thin unpretentious man that walked out on a bare stage, dropped his coat on the floor, and stood there in a plaid shirt talking and singing. Somehow I was impressed that he didn't have an instrument stand or a table, he'd just lay his banjo on the floor when he'd switch to guitar. My body pulsed large and small as the whole room sang. I didn't know what I was doing or what was happening, but we were all singing in intricate harmonies , dynamics, and counterpoint. It was SO beautiful, my heart almost burst. I looked around enveloped in the color of joy...
He was just the friendliest fellow I had ever met. My folks encouraged me to speak with the promoters on the way out, and they gave me his address! So I scrawled him a little letter of "Thanks, and I really liked that one song you did." Pete wrote me back! and included the words of the song.
I can't articulate how powerful that was for me. I want to be a nice-guy banjo-guy when I grow up.
"As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."
The last thing he said to me years later was; "Gordy, keep on keepin' on."
I have.
Open Door ~
. Well, that wasn't difficult. I found out how to delete contact with some of those annoying FB people. I actually feel lighter.
. I anguished over it...as I want to be open with all. Who am I to judge?.. yet here they are EVERY SINGLE DAY saying something negative and argumentative. Pouring hate and bile into my life.
. Then at once I recalled years ago when I had literally no lock on my door. Yes all were welcome, I fed a lot of folks. ...and some came back to steal my tools, my generator, my bike, and my clothes. (My clothes, fer gawd sake!) So there are some I need not feed.
. Slow learner, eh?
I am of the age, the times when Ram Dass spoke directly to me. I was starry-eyed from Colusa and met him in L.A. when in college. This is to the point.
“When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.”
~ Ram Dass