The Lighthouse
All around us the storm is raging….financial, natural, and unnatural. Many of us in one way or another have been touched by a storm these past couple of months. As we may know, the storm has yet to subside, but as long as we have faith that out there somewhere is a lighthouse swirling a beam to bring us home, there is a better than average chance we will make it back to shore safely.
The Lighthouse….maintained and run by the light keeper, fully aware that out across the sea ships search for a beacon of hope and guidance. These days more than ever we too look for the guidance from the lighthouse. Storms come in all shapes and sizes, affecting the few, and the many….still, the lighthouse never wavers, never goes out, and never gives up. Within each storm there is always the feeling that there has never been one like this before….perhaps, or perhaps not. One thing is for sure, there have been storms before and many have survived and come through stronger. Tonight and every night, always keep an eye out for the beam of the lighthouse….it shines for you, and for me.
Some ships around us may be taking on much water and are in a state of peril. If possible, reach out, make room on board your ship, and give them rest. The waves have a strange way of helping those who are lost, be found. The brave and the faithful always grow stronger with a storm. Sometimes when it is most dark, all of a sudden out the corner of our eyes we spot it….a beam of hope that swirls around to guide us into safety.
Sail on sailors….battle on through the storm….and keep an eye out, for as we are looking for it, the lighthouse is looking for us. Like all storms, the ones we face today too, shall pass. We will have time to look back and wonder why it happened…but that is for another day. For now, we search, we reach out, we scope the horizon, waiting for the lighthouse to deliver us to peaceful waters.
Sail on,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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The Grey Zone
Every time I think it’s different, I’m always reminded by something happening currently that the world is not black, nor white, but grey. There are those on one side, those on the other, and those in the middle…over and over again, it falls to the middle ground to determine the outcome.
Case in point…the upcoming American elections….on one side Senator Obama…on the other, Senator McCain. The polls show that most people have lined up in support on either side…all that is left are the Independents…those people that each election cycle can go one way or the other. In this case, the Independents are the Grey Zone…they, the experts say, will surely determine the outcome of the elections. The Independents, or Grey People, are never locked into a party or ideology…they walk the middle ground. They view the landscape, see what they think is needed, go into the voting booth and pull the lever. Obama and McCain are fully aware that unless they reach and convince the Independents, they have no chance of winning, no matter how many supporters they have accumulated. This year, with the polls showing that the candidates are in a dead heat, the Independents have never been more powerful.
Wars, conflicts, economics, competitions….the Grey Zone People always hold, in their hands, the ultimate outcome. Grey Zone People are always fluid….never locked in their opinions, constantly looking at both sides of an issue to render a decision. Many feel they are the ones that keep everything in balance.
What the other two sides find quite frustrating is that they can’t always rely on Grey Zone support…each time they have to go out and earn it, which sets both sides crazy. Just because they are on one side of an issue, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will always be on that side on every issue. They can vote Democrat one year, Republican the next…be a Yankee fan, and then all of a sudden, be a Met fan. The Greys, or Independents, cannot be easily defined….and they like it that way.
Black, White, or Grey….we all have to ask ourselves one time or another, which one are we? One thing’s for sure….you kind of have to admire the Greys a little….they are what they are. They may agree with you on one issue, and argue with you for hours on another. Whatever subject or topic you bring up, you never quite know for sure which side the Greys will be on.
This election cycle, like many before, Senator Obama and Senator McCain have fully entered the Grey Zone.
Vote,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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The Look
This time of the year in the northeast as Summer heads toward Fall, many of us know that Winter is not so far away. You can feel it as you walk the street, as you drive in your car, and shop in stores. Each year as Fall rolls around The Look never changes….neighbors begin talking more, phone calls increase, and outside of the local churches on Sundays the conversation eventually turns to the weather.
The Look, yes indeed….That Look….I’m sure people who face tornadoes and hurricanes are fully aware of The Look. The Look represents the acceptance that we share much more in common than we care to realize sometimes. Whenever there’s a blackout, or a storm surge, we all become One. We all face the elements together. The Look becomes entrenched on our faces. Human beings swaying between indestructible, and fragile.
So what does The Look say? “I need you, and you need me.” You can only go so far in this life alone. After God, who else do we have but each other? Perhaps that’s the way it’s supposed to be….the realization that no man or woman is an island. Illness, tragedy, trauma….you name it, out of the blue it can become written on our faces. As a community, storms and seasons are something that we all can experience as a collective body.
So whenever storms approach, or seasons change, take a look…you just might see and be surprised how many have The Look….especially when you gaze into the mirror in the morning.
Join hands,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Success Does Not = Money
How can one put a price on a happy home, or a warm family? How can you place a price on a job or occupation that you love to do each day? Does a peaceful mind have a price? Yet, why do we as a society assign top value based upon monetary value?
Each morning many rise and partake in different forms of exercise…it prepares them for the day ahead and helps a person keep their health, deal with stress and maintain a level of fitness. After these activities are performed does it ever cross our minds to say, “How much money did I make from this?” Probably not. I could go on and on with examples of how daily, weekly, and yearly successes add value to our lives, yet not to our overall income. Some may argue that good health does contribute to income…I guess in a roundabout way it does, but that depends upon what one considers truly valuable.
When we help others, through prayer and effort, do we ever stop to think how much we made from these endeavors? Or do we look at them as contributions and efforts that make us better human beings? Do all the latest toys have lasting value…if they do, then why is it many material items devalue with age? A friend recently told me, “Jennifer, do you know that once you drive a new car out of the dealership garage, it almost instantaneously loses half its value?” When a person gets sick, can we place a true value on those that help them get well, free of charge?
Love, Peace, Warmth, and Soul….if these can be placed in a bank account, would those who have them be considered wealthy? I guess it all depends on societies interpretation of value. Somewhere along the way some strange oddball decisions have to be decided…do we spend the better part of our day chasing the dollar bill? Or following the heart?
One thing that’s for certain, at the end of our lives physical and material success cannot be taken with us….yet the bounty of the Soul transcends with us into Paradise.
Treasure is in the eye of the beholder,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Deal Or No Deal
Many of us have seen the successful show hosted here in the United States with Howie Mandel called “Deal or No Deal.” I find the show quite fascinating…it’s interesting to watch how far people are willing to go to reach the case with the top financial prize. So many try to climb that ladder, and unfortunately few succeed.
“Deal Or No Deal” kind of reminds me of another show that operated along the same premise….that show was hosted by Monty Hall and was called “Let’s Make A Deal.” That show also tested the contestants to see how far they would go before they would take the money and walk away.
So how about you? How much does it take for us as individuals to keep climbing up the ladder, letting it ride or say, “That’s as far as I want to go.” Each year we hear of many employees taking early buyouts, putting them on the fast track to retirement. Those “sweetheart deals” seem to be coming less and less these days.
In a recent conversation with a friend of mine we had a chuckle or two about the show “Deal Or No Deal.” Surprisingly, both of us would quite easily walk away within the 250 to 300 thousand dollar range. Call us “chicken,” but with each roll of the dice after that, the chances of financial windfall greatly diminish. Here’s a crazy question I have for you all out there….if someone showed up at your door with a million dollar check, and said to you, “You can have this check, if you agree to not do any more substantial work in your life. That means, all other goals are null and void.” Would you do it….would you take the check? Sounds great in theory, but it’s surprising how fast a million dollars can go through some people’s hands. Not to mention, does life get strange and boring if there are no goals to strive for? Some I know would take the money and run, while others may hesitate.
I believe the reason these shows like “Deal Or No Deal” are successful is because it forces us to think and contemplate what we would do…how far we would go before we would be willing and content to cash out. It’s a great way to examine all our wants and needs. Those weekly contestants, deep down, represent all of us, while the spotlight shines on their blessings and flaws. The people who seem to do the best on those type of shows are the ones who know what they want and need before the game begins.
Roll the dice wisely,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Chickens Come Home To Roost
We all should not be so surprised regarding the energy crisis many of us around the world are now facing. It has been a long time coming. I am old enough to remember the gas lines of the 1970’s here in the United States, and the many who lined up during those times to wait for hours to fill up their gas tanks speaking among themselves that this has to change. Fast forward thirty plus years and guess what? Very little, if not anything, on a grand scale, has changed!
Oil and gas are now higher in demand than ever before. While the Middle East pushes supply more and more, the increased supplies can no longer keep up with demands. Added to the problem is the argument of whether speculators are pushing the prices even higher. This is not really addressing the problem….what we are faced with is an addiction to oil and a rejection or stubborness to try other forms of energy. In the short term, whether we like it or not, to get to where we need to be we are going to have to adapt some form of combination of solar, wind, electric and dare I say, nuclear power. One alone will not be enough…and will take too long to get us to energy independence.
Some countries are already there….France for instance has fully adapted nuclear power. Yet a lot of us look like a bunch of bumbling fools arguing over every detail, while nothing gets done and Winter is fastly approaching. Have the chickens come home to roost? You betchya! Many are running around the hen house looking at each other saying, “What do we do? What do we do?” At the current rate of oil increases, it just may be possible that there will be some coal under the Christmas tree, with a little Spam on the dinner table. Santa Claus this year may just have to settle for half the milk and cookies!
Hey, you’ve got to laugh….I look at my car and I can slowly hear a voice saying, “Feed me!” And when I open my wallet, I hear an eerie sound croaking, “Is that all you’ve got?” No joking….many are feeling the pinch! Here in the United States the state of Utah is going to a four day work week, for the workers and the state to save on energy. I’m sure more states will follow. It is a crisis and I do believe some incredible innovation and good will come out of this, in the end. We’ve been lazy too long…there are solutions…we just have to think and be realistic. The world is growing, and so must we. The day of having one dominant force for energy is coming to an end.
Hybrid cars, electric cars, who knows what’s next? But we will look back and question why we settled for so few miles to the gallon….future generations will shake their heads and wonder why it took us so long. I still look at rooftops and say to myself, why don’t they all have solar panels? I know it’s expensive, but like everything else, as more people use them, the cost will go down. Look at the plasma television screens…remember how expensive they were at the beginning? We will innovate and we’ll obtain a more personal understanding of what powers our lives and heats our homes.
Conservation and a little innovation can do wonders. We all just have to learn in government, work, and life, to compromise.
Be energized,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Death
Imagine a place where the Light is incredibly bright but soft at the same time…where the Air you breathe in is made completely out of Love, where the Universe is laid out before you like an endless sphere of stars….where your body is there but made completely painless….where God is the Guiding Voice that gently puts the smelling salts under your nose….the place where you are finally Awake. That is Death….and that is Love.
The very thing most of us fear above all is the very thing that gives us Ultimate Peace of Mind….it is Home Base, where we return to review our Life’s Lessons….did we overcome our personal obstacles, and did we leave the world below us a bit better than before we went there? And, as we sit under the Tree of Life near the flowing waters, can we look at ourselves and say we tried our best? This is Death….and this is Judgement.
Death is the land where we can see the Heart Light in everyone….the potential of each Soul, including our own. It is the place where all fear, anger, jealousy, and hurt is evaporated….where we get back much of what many of us lost on earth, because of those feelings. Real Love is Peace. This is Death….and this is the Gift.
So why must we go through Life? Because it is the only way back to Death…the journey on the path chosen that shapes what our Souls become. The body will dissolve, but the Soul will always live on….it is this we are Loved for, Judged for, and given the Gift of Death for. Never be afraid of Death….if there is anything to fear, it is a life lived not understanding the consequences of our actions, because we will face them eventually…better to face them here, then to have to try later, from such a distance…..
Carpe Diem,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Can’t Do It All
Many people are quite good at more than one thing, yet they consistently force the issue trying to accomplish multiple tasks, when their specialty and their passion may be one. Well folks, like it or not, we can’t do it all. We may want to believe that there are more than 24 hours in a day, but unfortunately, there are not.
Pessimistic, you say? No….realistic! I myself have been told that I am a pretty good oil painter….but I know if I spent a decent amount of time at it, my music would suffer. I had to make a choice….what will come first? This is before one starts factoring in family, friends, and Life. At some stage we all have to sit down and ask ourselves not only what we want to do with our lives, but what we can reasonably accomplish.
So here’s a suggestion…when you get a chance, jot down on a few index cards, or a sheet of paper, what talents and skills you know you have. Then ask yourself, what one thing do I want to do over all the rest? Then let that one thing become your focus. It’s sad….I wish we all could be more than one person….split ourselves into multiple people and send those persons off during the day to accomplish many missions…unfortunately, it cannot be! Focusing allows us to get better at the given talent or skill we choose.
The landscape is littered with businesses and corporations that started off focusing on their niche in the marketplace. Over time, in order to expand their businesses they drifted so far from their center that their identities became blurred to the public. The latest victim of this scenario is a very famous boutique coffee chain. They tried to expand beyond their store atmosphere and coffee base to include music and multiple items and their core business began to suffer. They also tried to expand too fast, and are now setting about to correct their mistakes, which they probably will. Yet, the lesson to learn is that you can’t be everything to everyone….you can’t do it all.
Growing pains happen to everybody…still, we must try not to take our eye off the ball on what it is that we do well, and love the most.
Choose wisely,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Peace, if Possible
In the perfect world, there would be harmony and ultimate peace. It is a premise that mankind must strive for in the long term….if not, we truly will become extinct. We are put here to solve our disagreements, develop solutions to our problems, and compromise our positions. It is in the best interest for all of humanity to share all of the land, water, and resources, because in the end, the planet belongs to God. Seeing that we are all God’s children, what better way to give thanks then to live together in peace?
That being said, I am not foolish….I also believe that there are those out there who will do everything in their power to not allow community and peace to take hold. History is littered with individuals who see nothing short of themselves as God-like….dictators, ego-maniacs who have sneered, spit, and laughed at the idea of compromise. Negotiate? By all means, in good faith….but when one sits across from the table from another whose only objective is destruction and control, we are left with only one action…to walk away and prepare for battle. It baffles my mind every time why the dictators of the past see no other solution than total domination of the planet. To a monster, life is totally meaningless….the only objective is surrender and obey. Freedom? To a monstrosity, freedom does not exist. For me, I am a believer in peace, if possible, but not at any price.
Freedom too has its army….many who have sacrificed their limbs and their lives so that others can dream and breathe the free air. So many nameless souls who are buried in the ground, each one with their own story to tell. I salute you, Souls of Freedom….your memory and sacrifice will never be in vain. As long as one can dream, there will always be a need for that dream to be defended. I wish intellect and common sense could prevail in solving the world’s conflicts….yet as long as there are those who feed on conquest, freedom and democracy will have to be protected.
I will never give up hope, and I do believe that one day, all God’s children will be able to live together….and on that day we will all look back and ask why it took us so long.
Let freedom ring,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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Agree to Disagree
All over the media, in many coffee shops, across various main streets, the mood and the conversation has gone full blown into politics. The three no no’s of any conversation are money, politics, and religion….a little vino added to the mix, and a get-together or fun evening can turn quite volatile. The possibility of all of us agreeing on everything is rare…so when we get together with our friends or family, how about agreeing to disagree?
The 2008 cycle on the political calendar this time seems to be more tumultuous than usual. I recently overheard a conversation where one friend said to another, “If you don’t vote for Barack Obama, I will not be able to continue being your friend.” What’s unfortunate is that they have been friends for over 40 years! The lines seem to have been drawn…there is the Hillary Camp, the Obama Camp, and the McCain Camp…each Camp digging in their heels and basically saying “It’s my way, or the highway.” It’s astonishing the level of disdain and anger that has entered the Presidential Campaign. Agree to disagree? Come the Fall, we will see how much these warring factions are willing to come together. What’s unfortunate is how much these candidates have taken over the relationships between family and friends.
Faith and religion play a large part in the direction of many people….here too the lines seem to have been drawn. A few days ago a friend of mine said to me, “Jennifer, through your website do you reach any Buddhists, Muslims or Jews?” When I replied that of course I do, I talk to people of all faiths, she gave me a strange look and said, “You know, I’m only really comfortable being around people like myself…I don’t like to venture too far off the reservation.” It’s interesting, I wish I had a dollar for every person who I saw on television telling me that if I don’t believe the way they do, I will go to hell. I would be quite a wealthy woman! Which brings us to our next topic…
Money….are you rich? Perhaps, perhaps not. I have an interesting saying to myself, after I pay all my bills and have a little to put away, that anything after that is just more “stuff.” The difference between 2 million dollars and 10 million dollars, is more STUFF. Not that I have 2 million dollars…yet! (tee hee) But quite a few out there are either invested in the stock market, or playing the lottery, or football pools. Being rich may not be such a bad idea after all….yet all I hear on the television with the pundits is “Let’s get the rich!” Keeping up with the Joneses, as the old saying goes, has become one of the ultimate art forms, among some.
Let’s see…how about the next time we have a conversation with someone who disagrees with us, before the dialogue gets too heated, change the subject, pay a compliment, or, commission the old standby….”would you like another cup of coffee?”
Be of Good Cheer,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2008 Jennifer Avalon
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