Freedom – Change we can believe in.

47
463 days
by in Uncategorized

Freedom is what I was blessed to grow up with.  The freedom of a child able to explore the world in the way that only children know.  My grandchildren do not have the security and safety I knew and that feels painful to me.  Every day we learn of some atrocity or another.  And, too much fear of the unknown is blasted at us constantly.  Yet, when I look around my very micro cosmic world, I see people.  That’s it.  I see nothing to be afraid of.

I’m not Pollyanna.  I have a business in a small city.  I see lots of things that were not in my childhood environment.  Those things I witness now that are a threat to Freedom –  drugs, greed, selfish behavior and lack of respect for one another to name a few, are the result of something lost.  Here.  Where we are so blessed.  Our society is deteriorating at a rapid rate.  “There are no problems, only solutions” (J. Lennon I think).  That is where we need to focus.  To create our own “New Deal” what ever your politics. 

I want to take a page out of this historic event of yesterday, February 11, 2011, when the word Freedom was spoken by the Egyptian people loud and clear.  Their society, like ours, is diverse and educated, and unlike ours (not counting the Native  peoples of this land before us), is rich with history as far back as the imagination can hold.  The Egyptian revolution did not fracture into groups of us and them.  They united in a peaceful cause, without a central voice saying – follow me.  They just knew, collectively, it was time and they spoke without guns and ammunition. 

We forget how powerful we really are.  Remember “united we stand, divided we fall?”  A top does not exist without a bottom.  I am all for the Second Amendment rights as a safety measure against oppression.  But if we arm ourselves with assault rifles, we will find assault rifles to come up against.  A kind of “Law of Attraction.”  Those who are arming themselves in this way better go beyond that and start putting their own satellites in orbit because they will have to do a one-up and that is not probable any time soon.  That armed thinking is too small for this world today.  To listen to good commentary on the subject of arms go to Lawrence O’Donnel’s, The Last Word/msnbc, Friday, 2/11/11 in his segment:  Rewrite.  I’m conceptual – he offers fact.  In the recounting of the latest tragedy in Arizona which took the life of an intellectualy curious and innocent 9 year old, he presents the facts clearly and concisely.  Form your own opionion after that.

I for one, would rather follow in the Egyptian way.  I witnessed our own version of  ”Freedom to the People” during the 60′s.  For all it’s misguided fall-out from drug use and blaming soldiers for the politics of the Vietnam war when they too were victimized – I know the Peace, Love, and Brotherhood (Sisterhood also it was also a feminist revolution), was real and truly believed.  To quote John Lennon, ”The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.”  We are seeing it again in the Egyptian’s stand for Freedom.

We’ve lost something for a time here.  Wall Street, the banking system gone awry, war after war – time to re access our values again.  Time to hold our politicians accountable for their promises and their actions.  Time to expose the source of funding for those making decisions that affect our lives profoundly.  The cliche, “follow the money” is the criteria one should use when listening to what is said.  Who gains.  Who loses?  Mostly, it seems the American public speaks, and the politicians do what the lobbyist tell them to do.  If the system is not working on our behalf, then follow by example and make your voice heard. 

Too often, it is said that we aren’t suppose to talk religion or politics.  Well, if you don’t share ideas and feelings about issues, you are bound to follow the dictates or what ever propaganda you are fed.  You don’t have to agree.  Respect towards another opinion is all that is required.  You may find kernel of truth somewhere that helps you to expand your thinking and includes a richer life. 

It was a beautiful thing to witness during the Egyptian ”sit-in” when Christians protected Muslims in prayer and Muslims did the same for Christians during worship.  “Imagine all of us living in peace, it’s too beautiful to just be a dream,” another Lennon quote. 

President Obhama said it all when he commented on the days historical events.  We have witnessed the “Moral Force of Nonviolence.”  Yeah team!

Point of View

84
660 days
by in Uncategorized

These days I’m preoccupied with the enormity of the long term implications of the Gulf spill.  Our very real petroleum dependence is tied to our use of plastic, the pack-man  of all living things.  To draw back from that is imperative if we are to survive as a species as I see it. 

Until the spill, I and most everyone I know, were not really aware of the numbers of oil rigs – day in and day out – sucking the core of the earth dry all over the world.   What  fills the empty space?    Although drilling has gone on for some time, the degree of this incredible rape of the earth and the products produced from this abuse has taken place in less than 50 years.  We have been complicit in this experience and we can change it.  We must do so asap.

In the last two or three years particularly, the politically correct focus on the non use of plastic bags, because of the awareness that they are not biodegradable, has had an impact.  In my little store, this year in particular and before the spill,  I observed the numbers of people who refuse bags in general.  We use mostly paper bags with one plastic bag option for those who request it so I was very aware of the change.  My guess is that 75% of my customers refuse bags – plastic or otherwise.

That being said, Heavenly Things from Art to Zen is a barely a drop in the ocean of life and if it is being done on this level, just think of the quiet revolution that could take place if we stopped using plastic whenever there is an alternative. 

Peace, Lynne

Point of View

56
677 days
by in Uncategorized

There is a saying, “if you want to know what you love, think about losing it.” 

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this lately with the threat to our beautiful Gulf of Mexico.  I moved to St. Pete while in high school.  For those of you who know me personally, that is quite some time ago.   Unlike those who are born here or choose to move here from elsewhere, I ended up here by default you might say because of family.   I took it all for granted.  All I could see for a long time was the heat and I prefer a cooler climate.  I’ve long since changed my limited point of view.  But until the spill threatened all we hold dear, I didn’t know how deeply I felt about how blessed we are to be living in this unique and special place in the world. 

In prior years the Gulf waters off St. Pete Beach was pristine and clear.  You could see jelly fish swimming while  crabs scurred across the bottom sand.   Although not as pristine perhaps as it once was, the Gulf with its beautiful sunsets are  still paradise to many.   I do remind myself often that those who are not so lucky to live here go through some expense to come here to vacation and soak in what is ours to enjoy daily.  Now, the beauty that is our special place in the world, is in very real danger that will impact our lives in great measure. 

To that end. as a reminder, every piece of plastic is made from petroleum, it is in our food and in our prescription drugs.  My opinion is that focusing on oil relative to global warming is real – but the actual dependance on oil is due to our over use of plastics and other petroleum products.  The extraordinary use of plastics did not occur until the 60′s and if we follow a time line in that direction, I think we will have our eyes opened some.

Peace, Lynne

Back to normal

9
677 days
by in Uncategorized

July 12, 2010

It’s been over a year since my one and only blog post.   It was hard to communicate for a time, there was so much uncertainty about the survival of my store, Heavenly Things.  By the end of summer there were so many lost businesses in our beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, and of course, specifically impacting me was the sad demise of Jannus Landing Productions.   

But, Grace has reigned, the store is standing and I am looking at a light at the end of the tunnel.   I’m happy to say, there are new businesses opening again in downtown.   Some in our Jannus Landing neighborhood.   Messineo’s Gourmet Mrkt just opened across the street next to Starbucks, the Bishop has expanded its nightclub and purchased the Oyster Bar across the alley from them on Central, there’s a new Moroccan food restaurant featuring belly dancing, and the Cuban Cigar store opened a Cuban coffee bar with Cuban pasteries on the menu. 

The best for us is that Jeff Knight took over Jannus Landing and turned it into  Jannus Live- the hottest thing going downtown – saving the oldest outdoor venue in the state.  Some die hard “Landing” devotees lamented that it wasn’t going to be the same funky place anymore.  Well, they were right.  It is now better than before!  No portalets – clean bathrooms for starters.  I could rant the praises of the venue  but you can go to www.Jannuslive.com to see for yourself.   You can’t hear the surround sound though unless you attend.   I am very psyched to see Flaming Lips October 13th.   Coming up are a couple of fund raisers – check out the Jannus Live site for what you might be interested in supporting.  All good rock and roll for sure.

Peace, Lynne

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