The world has now entered into uncharted territory. Never before have we had to deal with the possibility of bio-terrorism on the scale that it presents itself now. Each morning the experts try to answer questions that, after awhile, leave them baffled. The health agencies of the world, especially those of the United States, are coming to grips with attacks on its people that are taken right out of a science fiction novel. We used to believe that the nuclear bomb was the ultimate force that we had to protect ourselves from….lo and behold, over the course of the past two months, we also have to include airlines being used as weapons, and anthrax in the mail system. I know how you feel…I too have a sense of saying, “Am I dreaming….will someone wake me up?” Unfortunately, this is not a dream.

So what can we do? We prepare ourselves the best we can, while trying to maintain as much of a normal life as possible. We are writing the rulebook as we go along. Fifty years from now, these times will be looked back upon and studied on how we dealt with this crisis. Recently I had a conversation with a friend, where we compared life before September 11th, and after. My friend mentioned, “Jennifer, doesn’t it seem like life before all this felt like a cartoon…where now, we’re living in reality?” I replied, “Perhaps, but one thing’s for sure…..life cannot be taken for granted now.”

This all seems strange to us….I too feel that I’m living a part in a movie….wondering, how come I didn’t learn any of this at school? The answer could possibly be this was never supposed to happen…while in a strange way deep down inside all this doesn’t seem so surprising. Strange, isn’t it? Our children ask questions, where the answers are changed day by day. The grandparents remind us of what it was like during World War 2…while the baby boomers and the generation X’ers wonder, what comes next? We’re all kind of “learning on the job.” We may make mistakes, but we will get it right.

It’s kind of spooky, whoever is doing all this seems to be about two steps ahead of us. They seem to know where to hit us, and how we’re going to react. This is some kind of intellectual warfare….how much time and thinking process does it take to examine the American landscape and look for its weaknesses? Whoever the culprits are, they have done this. They have done their homework. I’m sure this has not escaped the US Government, and they are working on it as diligently as possible, to protect us.

We will prevail….hopefully, we can examine some of the reasons on why all this has happened….in the meantime, protect yourself, and those you love. America has come together, in a way that was once considered impossible.

We are one,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

The most important aspect to remember this holiday season, is that we are mere mortals. We cannot control everything and everyone…..but we do have a say over our own lives. It has been easy to take each year’s festivities for granted…looking at them as just one more turn of the wheel. Unfortunately this year, with all that is going on, that can no longer be so.

The simple things have now become the most important. The gifts that we give are no longer determined by the price we have paid. I myself find it very comforting when the evening comes, to dim the lights, put on some relaxing music, and light a fire in my fireplace. What this gives me I cannot buy. Simple, but fulfilling. Inviting friends or family over to share stories and spread good cheer is always uplifting. When one looks at life this way, each day becomes a treasure. Hot drinks, warm fires, smiling faces and good food….now we’re talking! 🙂

Shopping is still a wonderful experience….yet this year, home, for the holidays, has become more profound. Perhaps Frank Sinatra said it best in one of his songs, “It’s so nice to go traveling, but it’s oh so nice to come home.” This holiday season, hopefully, we embrace what matters the most….the love within us, and the love around us. Even if one is alone, watching a good movie on a soft couch can do wonders. For many, priorities have changed.

Love, warmth, comfort, and peace…..these are the elements that must surround our lives. The more of these we have, the more content and happy we will be. Experiencing and sharing life is what it’s all about. The world has changed, and it’s time for all of us to count our blessings.

Blessings to all,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

Each week I write a newsletter that goes out to 65 countries, to Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, etc. The past month the e-mails I have received are unbelievable. We may feel we are so different, yet when we peel back the layers, we are all the same. The world wants peace. The world wants love. The world is hurting. If we continue on the road that we are on, peace, love, and tranquility are at stake.

The life that we live these days is a chess game. One opponent makes a move, while the other answers. The world watches, while the game unfolds, each side believing that they are superior. The game goes on…..move by move…..while the clock ticks. Finance, fear, blood, and war mingle within our game, while all the while the foundation of why the game has commenced is never discussed. “Mum” is the word….all that seems important is that the game is taking place, and it continues. But the foundation and the creation of the game is vital. At this point in time the word “Why?” has become silent. Unfortunately, eventually, the sound of why will become deafening.

On we go with our game of chess….where intellect is supposed to prevail. The warrior locks hands with the mind. One chooses war, while the other chooses arbitration. I submit both. If arbitration is exhausted, and fails, then by all means choose war. If at that point intellect and compassion disintegrates, then fire all weapons, because, we as a society have no answers.

Many people have lost lives on both sides. Hate multiplies with time. Misunderstanding + hate = war. The game goes on….when it ends, nobody knows. I am not a “peacenik”…I am a realist. One + one equals two. Always has….always will.

So, with this newsletter I would like to throw coins into the fountain, and make a wish that all of the most powerful countries in the world sit around a dinner table with those who have grievances. As each one agrees to sit at the table, they forfeit the right to walk out. Those that do walk out are shunned by the rest of the world…..period. Then, the light has been shone on the darkness…..no more secrets. Solutions should not result in extermination. Blood has never brought about lasting peace. What we have to bring about is the spotlight on those who do not want a peaceful world.

If the three main religions of the world truly believe in God, then God is not prejudiced. He nurtures Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, etc. All are His children. If this is not acceptable to any group, then they have to be held in the light, and seen for all the world to observe. This is our planet…..and our goal is to come together. It is not lame…it is realistic.
We love…..we live,
we hate…..we die,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

Over the past few years many of us had begun to push the envelope on how we spent our time to find enjoyment. We got all the latest gadgets, traveled to exotic places, purchased the “must-have” luxury items. As some of these may still be what we desire, much of that has changed in America since September 11th. Mortality has now become a reminder to us on a day to day basis. The little things that once seemed mundane and simple now feel safe and comforting.
This past week I have read numerous articles in magazines and newspapers, where Americans mentioned that they now find, believe it or not, sewing and knitting worthy pastimes. A daughter told her mom that she just wanted to be close to family. As of today, major retailers reported that sales were down for the month of September…..while discount chains reported increased business. Where once a two hundred dollar pair of shoes were a must for some, now they settle for a forty dollar pair of boat shoes. Our priorities have come back in line. Games like monopoly and book reading and renting a DVD movie have become a routine event. Why is all this happening? Perhaps because now that the future may not look so clear, what truly matters in our lives is rising to the surface, and we are finding ways to experience them all.

When we were children lying in bed at night, if an approaching thunderstorm lit up our rooms with lightening, we were afraid. We thought that terrible things were going to happen, that we would be hurt. The wind would blow, the rain would pour….thunder echoed the room. Slowly a sense of calm would start to take hold, as the rain decreased, and the lightening went away. Storms eventually pass. It never quite seems that way when we are going through them … it is very easy to have a sense that they will never end…..but, they do. The skies clear, and the stars come out. A wise person once said, “It’s the little things that matter the most.” The simple things hold the most value.
Maybe because when all is said and done, life is simple. Can a child find more enjoyment from an expensive, complicated toy, or more pleasure from the simple toy that’s always there? Plain and simple……maybe that’s the way it’s meant to be. It’s interesting in times of crisis we search for ways to get back to the basics. With smelling salts, we realize that maybe what we need most is already there.

Keep it simple,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

I’ve received quite a few e-mails over the past few weeks, since the attacks on New York and Washington, DC, each one with it’s own unique perspective. They range from shock, fear, anger, depression, peace, hope, and love. This week I would like to send you a personal note.

We are all dealing with these events in our own way. One thing’s for sure, it has been a wake-up call. We can no longer take those that we love in any way for granted. For me, my friends and family have become more dear than ever. The value of the relationships I have formed and continued through my life are now priceless. I’m sure you can see it too….when you enter a room where there are familiar faces, the looks are no longer quite the same. We all exchange glances that say so much more to each other these days. Life can no longer be taken for granted, and we all know it.

We are entering the last quarter of the year….usually a time for celebration. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. A holiday season that usually flies by at the speed of sound. I don’t think it will be the case this year. Each celebration this time will be amplified. This year we can truly give thanks and praise for what we have, and the people we love.

Two months ago my father passed away from cancer. He was diagnosed in February, and left us in August. He lived the last six months of his life as if everything was new to him….he appreciated everything anyone did for him, and the look in his eyes was of love and awakening. I learned from this that when a person faces his or her mortality, they sometimes get rid of any superficialities and who they really are comes out…..almost as if the child within reawakens. I see this now happening in people around me….the mind of the world is facing its vulnerability….but like children, besides facing our limitations, we are also facing our incredible abilities. The pearl is only made from the friction of sand within the shell……there will be many pearls coming forth from these times.

I send my best wishes and love to you and yours. And may we all hold dear to us the treasure that makes us human…….our hearts.

love,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

As children, many of us played “war games.” If we had brothers, we knelt in the sandbox with our plastic “army guys,” and fought little wars that felt like huge battles at the time. For me, I would listen to my brother make gun noises as he pointed his plastic army guys at mine. Part of me would think the game was silly, me being a girl, and I really would have preferred to be playing “house” with my dolls….but, my little brother needed an opposing force to make up the battlefield…so there I was, his sister, playing along. There was great passion in these games….and many a plastic army guy got knocked over into the sand. It was fun….. it wasn’t real….it was a game.

In war, one needs an enemy. My brother and I set up the terms of our warfare right from the beginning….who were the “bad guys,” who were the “good guys,” and, essentially, somewhere in our hearts, we knew who would win….always the “good guys,” of course…..how we determined who were the “good guys,” I don’t recall…it was just a general agreement, before doing battle.

Each of us knows that we all have elements of being “good guys,” and “bad guys,” within. Just like children, we determine which side we are on everyday of our lives. Where we get our measuring stick of what is good and bad comes from our backgrounds….our historys. The truth is, because we are human beings, we have a limited overall view of this earth….and it is very difficult for us to sometimes see the overall consequences of our actions. If we did have a “birds-eye” view of the world, I’m sure this would be a very different place. We would be able to see that every action creates a reaction….that none of us is perfect…..that the greatest war of all is the one within ourselves. The entire human race does have a common enemy….and it is the hatred, the prejudice, and the ego within each and every one of us, that we must do battle with in order to learn to love. This is our common enemy….this is our common battlefield. I believe it is possible for Christian, Jew, Muslim and all peoples to live together side by side, but only after we recognize that if we don’t, all of us are doomed. The common enemy is ourselves…..

I believe the day of the World Trade Center attack, God was crying. I believe God cries every time mankind kills one another….every time He sees His children hurting one another. What do we truly accomplish with hatred? More hatred. And the one who hates usually ends up becoming just like the very object of his or her hatred. That is the logical course of events, unless Love intervenes.

Our common enemy is the hatred within ourselves….our common salvation is the Love each of us carries in our hearts. Until we learn this lesson, we will all hurt.

Fight the battle within……
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

This past week has been extraordinary. Many of us feel like we are living headline to headline, and the stockmarket….what can I say?….has been in a nosedive, but, it will rise again. So what can be said for terrorism, hatred, lack of communication, and fear? Over the next few months I think we are all going to get a crash course on these terms.

The dilemma that we face is, do we want peace, or do we want war? Both cannot coexist together. It is understandable the amount of anger that is raging through the homes of the United States these past two weeks. Still, we are faced with a problem. If it is war that we choose, we must understand where we are going, and how to end it, otherwise, it’s Vietnam War Part Two. I’m sure we don’t want that. I am a believer that violence begets violence…..but I also believe that justice must prevail. Each side has a story to tell…..hate does not grow overnight, and it may not end in one day…..but, if we are intelligent, we can listen to all sides.

People have lost loved ones. The destruction I have witnessed firsthand at the World Trade Center….it is nothing short of a scene from a horror movie. Reflection will set in over the next few weeks……and perhaps we will be able to see a wider scope of why this happened.

The most powerful position on a battlefield is the place where a table and chairs sit. That is the position where arms are laid down, and minds, opinions, and most of all, logic, prevails. The key to peace is logic. Opinions can be argued…..but eventually one and one equals two. If at that point, one side throws logic out the window, hope diminishes. The side that fears logic, refuses to hear. Evil is Evil…..but many wars are fought over different points of view, and lack of communication. Is it in this case? We’ll only know at the table and chairs. If the nations of the world, especially those involved in the conflict, sit down, share their thoughts, and allow logic to flow through the air, the truth eventually will show its face. No one will not be seen……

Throughout history, the wise men who have graced this planet have left us pearls of wisdom, to help us through the darkest nights. Here are a few of their thoughts:

“An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind.”
— Ghandi
“If I don’t share dialogue with Chairman Kruschev, the whole world will end.”
— President John F. Kennedy
“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” President Franklin D. Roosevelt
‘”I will travel to Israel to listen to its people…enough blood has been shed.”
— Anwar Sadat
“He who is without sin, cast the first stone.”
— Jesus Christ

At the table and chairs, all can be heard. The world can witness everything right before its eyes. The peacemakers, the destroyers, those on the fence, and those who don’t care, will be revealed. Without dialogue, we have nowhere to go but to violence.

Break bread,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

This week’s attack on the United States was centered in two areas….the financial center of New York, and the military headquarters of the Pentagon, Washington, DC. These attacks were meant to cripple us financially, and damage our defenses. The question now looms….did they succeed, or fail?

Many Americans may feel powerless at this given moment, but it is not so. If it was the economy they meant to crush, then we, each and every one of us, have a say if this is to materialize. I offer a suggestion….that each and every American go out and purchase and support American products. It doesn’t matter if it’s the grocery store down the street, the shopping center at the mall, or the stockmarket come Monday morning. We buy….they lose! Nothing has really changed….America is still the greatest economy in the world, and in the words of President Roosevelt, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Yes, indeed, America is wounded, but by the hour those wounds are healing. The display of patriotism that is sweeping this country is breathtaking. We forgot to remember that we are Americans….unfortunately, it has taken these acts to wake us up. America will never be the same again…we can never take for granted the blessings we have here.

So over the next few months, let’s contribute to those in need, and support the great economic institution that some sought to tear down.

Buy America,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

This week a horrible attack was launched against the cities of New York and Washington DC, in the United States. We have now learned firsthand that airplanes can be used as guided missiles against buildings. I could not believe my eyes as I watched in horror on live television a commercial airliner heading towards the towers of the World Trade Center, and slamming full force into them. Both towers collapsed within two hours of the initial attack. The following are some observations I have witnessed since the disaster…..

We live life daily here in America within our own neighborhoods and our own little groups, feeling that we are different than the rest, while there are those out there who profit in ways to keep the American people apart and distressful of each other. All of this came to a grinding halt this week. We were not Black, White, Asian, Irish, Italian, Indian , Arab, etc……we were Americans. We didn’t think it….we knew it. All of our differences evaporated. Workmen digging through the rubble of Wall Street with American flags in their hardhats. As one commented to a newsman, “We are one…..we are together.” We have learned this week that in reality, when it gets down to it, we are not so different after all. We love, we breathe, we bleed, and we hurt.

Our nation, the United States, can be a strange place indeed. We wrap ourselves in our diversity, and we forget that we all live under the same roof, until we are shocked into reality. Why does it take a disaster for us to open our eyes? With this diversity we can easily be underestimated, “Those Americans…they really hate each other…they’ll never get it together,” or, “They’re lazy, complacent, and spoiled.” Though it may be sometimes true, to Americans differences go out the window when we are threatened.

During World War 2, Adolph Hitler said that “America is only good for making razor blades……” Once mobilized, America was able to put to sea one ship per day. The manufacturing and economic power of the United States, when focused and directed, is astounding. Whoever launched these attacks this week made a major mistake. If they truly wanted to hurt the United States, they should have left us alone to wallow in our self-pity, laziness, popping of prozac, and fascination of sex. Unfortunately, what they have done, is woken the Sleeping Giant, who, as we speak, is pumping iron and running on a treadmill to seek out its next meal. The attackers should have left America to its own demise…..but what have they done? They have put smelling salts under our noses, and helped us realize who we are and what matters.

A strange thing happened today…..I went to my local video store and upon entering the manager mentioned to me “The bulk of my action movies have been rented out. Rambo was the movie of choice, but once I said that was gone, they took anything that had the term “Lock and Load” on the box.” (I myself rented “Chocolat,” which is, from what I hear, a spiritual love story)
So attackers be forewarned…..our differences have evaporated….the prozac has been flushed down the toilet….and Rambo is being hauled out of mothballs. America, this week, became one. It’s no longer us and them….it is now We.

Let Freedom Ring,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon

There is a wonderful place to visit when you have the time. A place where the Soul can be refreshed and wounds can be healed. Down a little alleyway is a small wooden door that when opened, can deliver the fuel for dreams….I call it “The Bistro.”

Once inside The Bistro one can walk slowly to a table where a relaxing armchair awaits. All around the walls are shelves of books, each one covering whatever topic you desire. The decor has just the right light and colors to make you feel relaxed and at home. As you look around the tables, each person is engulfed in their own journey to find inner enlightenment. Slowly, the waiter walks towards us and says, “Good day….would you like to see a menu?” Gladly we answer, “Yes thank you.” This menu is like no other. Once opened, the tools of Life are revealed. The entrees here in The Bistro bypass the body and go straight to the Soul. The food, the drinks, and the desserts all have one hidden ingredient that is vital for growth…..Love. A famous song plays throughout The Bistro…..the song is called, “Without Love, There Is Nothing.” Strange, but true.

We decide to order the special of the day, which is called “The Bouillabaisse of Life.” We ask the waiter, “Is it good?” He answers, “Superb.” After a few minutes the bowl is laid on the table….we take our spoon, have a few sips, and after a few seconds we find ourselves getting up from the table and heading towards one of the bookshelves. Along the way a man at another table smiles and says, “May you find what you are searching for.” While thanking him, we feel our hands reaching out and pulling a book from one of the stacks. The book is called, “Let Them Laugh,” a curious book that is about all the people throughout history who have decided to try something new. Who’s in the book? Let’s see….the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, etc. People who were laughed at when they first presented their ideas. The Bistro, we are told, has many unique books….all of them answer questions. So, we bring our book back to the table, read a few chapters, and finish our meal.
As we are getting ready to leave, we ask for the check. The waiter gives us a grin and says, “The meal is on the house…on one condition…..that you come and visit us again.” Happily we reply, “The food here would make anyone want to return.” The waiter replies, “Here there is more to food than what you eat. The books, the music, the ambiance, are just as important as the meal.”

There is a door to The Bistro inside every one of us. All it takes is for us to turn the handle. After leaving The Bistro we realize that we had seen other doorways leading off to Houses of Worship, Libraries, Gardens, and Parks. Food for the Soul was at the bottom of the menu….oddly, we don’t truly realize how good the meal was until after we leave. We head home and decide to plan our next visit to The Bistro where, as you may guess, reservations are not needed. It is open to all.

The Bistro exists…..not in the physical world, but in our hearts and our Souls. Faith unlocks the door. Oh yes, and one more little tidbit…..under the sign on the doorway it says, “Proprietor, God.”

Bon Appetit,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon