When I was a child, I was always told that the world is a wonderful place, and that there are only a few bad apples out there wreaking havoc upon the masses. Good prevailed over Evil, and when something went wrong, it was only a way for us to learn and improve our lives. While that may be true, one day I asked myself, “If there are so many good people walking around, how come the world for so long has been such a mess?” All a person has to do is open the Bible, and over and over again there are scriptures telling us about the landscape in which we live. I am not one who takes kindly to refuge in falsehood…I do believe the Truth does set you free.

So let’s take a look under the microscope of the world around us….why do so many become puzzled and confused about the sights and sounds that engulf their daily lives? As Jesus is known to have said, “I am sending you off as lambs among wolves.” For if we are pure of heart, with good intentions, we are lambs…but lambs can learn to watch for wolves in sheep’s clothing. So what is it? A Good world, with a few taints of Evil? or, an Evil world, where Good must overcome? It can’t be both. When I was younger, I was oh so willing to believe that goodness was fully in control. Yet, each year I become less convinced. Why, you may ask? Well what can be said of a world that in the past 100 years has invented it’s own destruction, embraced promiscuity, practiced genocide, and now, in it’s wisdom, is starting down the road of gene-splicing human beings with animals? So if you’re feeling depressed, or confused about the way of life today, you’re not crazy…..

Hey, enough of the doom and gloom! What can we do to make things a little better and more tolerable? Well for one, we must see things as they are. The day is born Evil, and it is up to us to put our stamp upon it and make it Good. For if Evil is a coward, the Light of Good will make it scour and wilt in it’s glow. The only weapon that Evil has over us is deception, fear, and cover-up. We can’t correct what we don’t see. I recently heard a lecture where a man stated that all that mankind wants is sex, drugs, and riches. He went on to say that many people believe that if they can obtain those three things, their problems will disappear and everything will be nirvana. Yes, we all have to pay our bills, but what’s so funny about Love, Peace and Understanding? Governments all over the world, for many years, have believed that if you throw handfuls of money at a problem, it will disappear….then later we learn how corruption takes hold of that money and the needy never get it. Mankind can truly do heroic deeds, yet why is it so easy for man to swim in a cesspool of manipulation?

I would do all of you a disservice if all I do is talk about the positive and not try to shine a light on what is wrong. How can we correct the mistakes if we refuse to examine them? You’re right…..I, like many, are concerned where we are going, and what the future may hold, but I also have hope that the ship of humanity can be steered to a port of pure water. That can only happen if we see things for what they truly are. I am not crazy, you’re not crazy…we just care.

Keep the candle burning,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

A dream is like a running locomotive that barrels along the tracks to a station in infinity. That train keeps right on rolling and only we decide if we hit the brakes. All trains have a starting point….could be last year, yesterday, or today. We load up our train, yell “All Aboard!”, and off we go!! The Dream Train crosses all kinds of terrain, and battles many shades of weather. The Dream Train is our vehicle for us to carry our hopes, ambitions and plans.

In the beginning, as the dream percolates in our minds, we face a train stationery on the platform of life. We stare it down, imagine the possibilities, and determine with this locomotive….can the dream become reality? In our hands we hold a clipboard with a list of passengers we would like to have on our train…as each one boards, we check off on the list that they are accounted for. The passenger’s bags are loaded in the cargo car. We are fully aware that in life it is impossible to know everything…but with a little help from each individual passenger on our train, we may be able to avoid detours to nowhere.

As the train pulls out of the station, the wheels grind and the whistles blow…excitement fills the air! Each passenger looks at each other with both fear and excitement etched across their faces. This is a journey of a dream, where miracles can and do happen. We pull out of the station, pick up speed, and head off into the wilderness. Like all trips, we can be sure that we will make stops along the way to pick up and let off more passengers. Some will be around for the complete journey, while others may decide after one or two stops that they want to get off this Dream Machine. After each stop, we press on through both day and night, while many watch in wonder. As the train crosses the country, it gives hope to those who too want to have their own Dream Train. Through each intersection, and with each passing mile, people wave and cheer as the Dream Train barrels along into the future.

Each dream has a sight and a sound…so too does the Dream Train. Nothing can erase despair like the sound of an approaching locomotive that signals All Things are Possible. The Dream Train is timeless….it is where both young and old can sit together…where black and white can embrace the Power of the Thought. Each life has its share of mountains, valleys, rivers, and tunnels….as long as there are tracks in front of us, the Dream Train can weather it all. We all know that there is a station waiting for us, where our Dream Train waits for us to board. All it takes is a thought and a few beginning steps to enter that station, smell the air of departure, and see, waiting on a platform, a train for us to board. There is a Dream Train in all of us….all we have to do is take a ticket.

Dream On,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

We all have different brands and types of computers that we use daily…be it a Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, etc. We have come to rely greatly on this tool for interaction, expression, and work, yet, the ultimate computer is still the mind.

The computer works within and outside the home. We use cable, DSL, and telephone lines to bounce around the world in seconds. What once was inconceivable a generation ago can now be accomplished at the tap of a finger. The human mind is no different….it pulls and transmits information twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Using sensors, memory, and experiences, the human mind is by far the greatest laboratory we will ever witness on an individual and collective level. All that we have seen and heard and all that we are is stored in the mind. How we love, hate, fear, embrace, our happiness, sadness, joy, and depression…all interact within the mind.

Let’s imagine for a moment ourselves sitting in front of a vast keyboard, which we use every moment…and placed right above is a sign that flashes “Welcome to the World As You See It.” We tap away on our keyboard, sending out commands on what we want to accomplish and avoid. Like the world of the Internet, there are safety zones, and places of imminent danger. The person behind the controls determines the roads that are traveled, and the pitfalls to avoid. Just like the computer, we too have to install our share of firewalls, spy-ware, anti-virus software, and ad-ware. Our minds, like computers, can just as easily be invaded by an outside, unscrupulous source. Hey, virus worms can do damage everywhere, even in our minds. The ultimate computer (the mind) learns from experience how to update and maintain its anti-virus software, or, fall prey to invasion. The human race, as we all well know, is an interactive network, where good and evil is on full display. Yes I know, deception too can easily confuse an individual, but our experiences and beliefs are what we use to decipher the difference.

So can we ask ourselves, how can the ultimate computer be best served and run at full potential? Only when the Divine is at the controls. For if the ego unchallenged and unsupervised has its way, the greater good cannot be accomplished. The Divine has all our best interests at heart. With life being so temporary, the Divine reminds us that there was life before, now, and after. What we contribute is what we will be remembered for. Each day behind the controls, our hands follow the maps and decide the paths of our consciousness. The closer we are to the Divine, the smoother, clearer, the more open our computer runs. The programs that we choose to govern us can only come from the ego, or the Divine. The Divine sees the greater picture….and the common good of our existence. All that we can be, and must. So is our computer in partnership with the Divine? or the unchallenged ego? That we must decide. The greatest achievements in this world came from a thought. What thoughts we choose to pass along are just a fingertip away.

Peace be with you,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

This week marks the beginning of the ninth year of the website and newsletter. Little did I know back in 1996 that the journey would have lasted this long….but here I am, and it has. Over the years many of you have dropped a line or two expressing how much of a difference the newsletter and my music have made to your lives. It has been my pleasure to e-mail and post the essays to the website, which as of today are a collection of 331 essays, and 73 songs. Each week one can easily find a new essay, new song, or new quote, for free, at either site: jenniferavalon.net, or, aviatorrecords.com. I honestly believe the best is yet to come.

In 1996 I remember being excited if 35 people visited the website each day. Today, easily, 8,000 people visit daily. As technology has grown, I have tried to keep up with the growing trends. This past year we have had to open a new site, jenniferavalon.net, to handle the volume of downloads. With the collapse of the music business model, I decided a year and a half ago to allow my music to be downloaded for free. Thankfully, many of you have purchased CD’s through the website…I am very grateful. Also some, through their gratitude, have graciously donated to the upkeep of both websites. Over the next year, I am going to be actively seeking a sponsor to help me to continue to grow both sites. I fully expect to expand into video and film in the coming year. It’s only a matter of time before movies and short films will be able to be downloaded as easily and as quickly as music. Many have expressed to me their desire to have my essays and songs available in a DVD format….hopefully that can come to fruition soon.

The world has changed much in the past 9 years…God only knows what Planet Earth will be like 9 years from now….I hope to be there with you on this journey through Life. As long as Love and Peace flicker in the human heart, all things are possible.

Thanks again,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

As many are aware, the disaster that hit the Gulf Coast of the United States this past week was monumental. As the stories and images unfolded before our ears and eyes we had to keep reminding ourselves that this was coming from a part of the United States, not a Third World country. Yet, lurking right underneath the surface of this tragic disaster is a wake up call for all of us. The people of the Gulf Coast were blasted by a large hurricane that stretched for many miles and wreaked havoc in four states, but it could just as easily have been an earthquake, tsunami, tornado, or terrorist attack. This is a warning for all of us to never forget to smell the coffee.

This Hurricane Katrina was fully expected. The authorities and the folks were completely aware that it was heading for them. The surprise was that no one expected the damage to be so extensive…still, each day as the storm approached, the National Hurricane Center was desperately trying to figure out where the center of the storm would hit. Last year the city of New Orleans dodged a bullet…one of the hurricanes just missed the city. As Hurricane Katrina headed towards New Orleans the levees would only be able to withstand a hit from a Category 3 Hurricane. Katrina was Category 5, until it just reached shore. 80% of New Orleans had heeded the warning to evacuate…yet, I kid you not, the night the storm hit there were Hurricane Parties along Bourbon Street. Many had told the authorities that they would not leave no matter what. Some were too poor to be able to leave…that responsibility fell to the city leadership to come up with a means to evacuate those in need. From what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, there was a failure on the city, state, and federal levels to comprehend the enormity of devastation this storm could and would deliver. As you can imagine, the political Talking Heads are searching for someone to blame. The first name that always comes to mind for some is President Bush. Perhaps he was a little slow out of the starting blocks, but not as slow as the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana. If anyone out there thinks that the government is some great “Big Daddy” who is always going to be able to be there immediately to help us and take care of us when we fall down…..smell the coffee!

Since 9/11 there have been multiple articles stating that two events have a greater then 70% chance of happening within the next few years in the United States. One, that the city of New Orleans would be hit badly by a catastrophic hurricane, because of the deficiency of it’s levee system to hold back the water. Number two, is that California will be hit by a massive earthquake. What we have learned is that preparations were not put in place to protect New Orleans. I just hope California has looked at this disaster and prepared for worst case scenarios to protect themselves, if they receive a jolt from nature.

So what are we to learn from all this? I, living here in Massachusetts, have been told that one of the hurricanes this season could head up along the eastern seaboard of the United States and deliver a knock out punch to my state. If Massachusetts does get hit, and we are warned days ahead of time to prepare, it would be irresponsible of me not to stock up on bottled water, flashlights and batteries, canned food, and prepare my house as best as possible. While the authorities or the National Guard may get to me at some point, it is up to me to keep myself as safe as possible until the Calvary arrives. As I care for all of you who read this newsletter, I cannot stress enough that where ever you live, you be prepared for whatever events could pertain to your area, to keep yourself and your loved ones as safe as possible. Yes, there’s always a chance that we may not survive, but at least we did everything we could to place the odds in our favor. Let’s all smell the coffee….

Be safe,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

To me, life is one great field. From the day we are born, we make our way across the field, from one end to the other. All around us are beautiful trees, glorious flowers, and heavenly skies, yet, unfortunately, across the field, some large, some small, are landmines.

As we journey across our field, the first step is to acknowledge the existence of the landmines, and prepare as best we can to avoid them….for to journey across the field of life without taking into account the effects of the landmines can be disastrous. Think to yourself….wouldn’t it be wonderful at the beginning of the field if we could put on a pair of special glasses that would spot out all of the landmines so that we could walk through the field safely? Impossible, you may say? Perhaps….or perhaps not….but the realization of the existence of landmines would help us step carefully.

There are all different kinds of landmines in life…health, financial, violence, and pure old hate. All different shapes and sizes, just waiting for us to place our foot in the wrong location. Sometimes it almost makes one feel that life is a war that each of us fight, and strive to win. Experience and knowledge can help us see these landmines in front of us, but we must never forget, when called upon, there is a spiritual birds-eye-view that can be tapped into to help us through rough terrain. So imagine for a minute yourself journeying across the field of life wearing body armor, full sensor technology, and aerial reconnaissance above, that gives a full picture of what we need to cross the field. In accepting the existence of landmines, and accumulating the knowledge and faith to sidestep them, we not only become better people, but better souls too.

One more point….feel free to exchange stories with others who are crossing the field also. Shared knowledge can always increase the level of survival. Life being a shared experience, over time the correct path through the field can become more pronounced if more succeed. There will always be those who will say to heck with it….I will do what I want, I don’t need anyone. Unfortunately, many times they are the first to become the casualties of the landmines. The field can be crossed….while we may accumulate our scars and bruises along the way, when looking back we will be able to see what we have overcome.

Those who cross the field successfully before us have left a trail. If we are willing to walk the straight and narrow, and abide by the rules to stay on the path, we can make it through intact. The wheel doesn’t have to be re-invented….it just needs to be rolled.

Step wisely,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

This time of year in the Northeast of the United States much of the talk turns to the weather. August is traditionally known as the unofficial “steam bath” season. It’s quite interesting how each person has their own favorite season and time of year. So how about you? Are you a warm weather person, or cold weather person, or someone in-between? It does have an effect on our lives.

Personally, I used to always consider myself a warm weather person. Seeing that I grew up in Southern California, it’s quite understandable. Warm weather, the sun, the beach….all year round. After awhile it was quite easy to feel that a Mediterranean climate was the norm, until I moved to the Northeast of the United States, many moons ago. Can you say, culture-shock?? Well these days I have done an about face…..cold, cool weather is not looking so bad anymore. How do I know this? After the winter we have had here all it took was one month of 90 plus degree temperatures to start dreaming about snowflakes again. I kid you not….as I write this, hot August is living up to it’s name. Winter evenings by the fire are beginning to look mighty good! Still, I am not foolish…I know there are many out there who just love the warm rays of the sun on a summer day, and they, God Bless them, wouldn’t want it any other way. Four seasons, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall…which one is your favorite? For me, I love the Fall….the cool crisp evenings, and walks under trees ablaze in orange and red and yellow. So you see, we all scale the Weathering Heights.

Is it any surprise how much the weather has its effect on people? Productivity, emotions, communications, and health. The weather, in it’s own quirky way, in one swoop can either heal or destroy. When there is a drought, mankind prays for rain. When there is a flood, he hopes that the waters cease. As we all live under the skies, we are amazed at it’s beauty, glory and power. With a greater understanding of how much the weather effects us on a daily basis, we can have a better grasp in adapting to it’s influences.

May the sun shine brightly over your head, may the warm breezes of Heaven flow through your heart, and may the cool winds of contentment soothe your Soul.

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

We all grow at different rates. While one person can arrive at a conclusion at twenty, it may take another until they’re forty. Our minds, over time, become an elaborate and unique camera that consistently takes snapshots along the road of life. These snapshots can easily become objects of great value, an individual perspective on any given subject or idea that we may arrive at. Snapshots are real, but how society reflects on them and uses them is truly another matter.
How many times have we heard somebody say that they could not have been able to handle or arrive at a certain conclusion earlier in life and that it took them maturity to grasp what it was they had discovered and were able to use? Yet, still our society seems to be fixated on the premise that “the faster you get there, the better you are.” One person may learn to ride a bike at five….while another at fifteen. Even though both are doing the same activity, their experiences and comprehension can greatly differ. The same snapshot taken at different periods of time can give a different perspective. How many inventors have stood on the shoulders of the giants who have come before, and taken their previous research to the next level? A bird may fly through the air, but for a man to accomplish that task it took a different mindset. So today man can fly like a bird….almost.

Snapshots of thought are very much like snapshots taken by people….images frozen in time that capture a memory. An author may write a great novel in their twenties, yet how many times do we hear that same person in their sixties or seventies say, “I don’t know how I did it. It’s almost as if someone else wrote it.” Strangely, society seems to think that it can lump us all into boxes that can be broken down into age, race, and religion, as if that is all we are. The mistake that is made is that we all grow at different rates. What’s missed is that we are really an accumulation of our experiences…all different, all quite unique. Although many would like us to believe that we are nothing more than just one more drop in a sea of humanity, it is quite the opposite…we are all rare and special droplets that are inter-connected with the Universal Divine. Each life is as sacred as the next. When one life is lost, it can never truly be replaced on earth. It all reminds me of a television show I saw last summer called “The Prisoner.” The line that was repeated over and over throughout the series was, “I am not a number, I am a man.”

No matter how many people may visit the Holy Land, each one comes back with a different story. Snapshots of a land that has been visited time and time again, yet with each one having a different texture and angle. This camera work goes on over and over again throughout our lives….perhaps because one day when we pass we are hooked up to the ultimate projection screen, where all can see who we are and what we went through.

May your life contain many beautiful pictures,

love,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

It’s quite interesting to observe a room or a home that has not been occupied for a period of time. When one opens the door one is surrounded by cobwebs and dust, for this marks a location where human activity has become sparse. If we were to stand in one place for an extended period of time without any movement, we would be sending out a signal to the air around us, through our lack of movement, that life has ceased. Movement is the ultimate vehicle of motion. As long as we move, we are Consumers of Time.

As Life moves forward through time, we become some kind of pac-man….gobbling up the air and space in front of us, and casually, as we take a look behind, we can see clouds of dust and debris. To live is to constantly push forward….as I have said before, today is tomorrow’s yesterday. As long as we breathe, we can make a difference…we have the choice of how much air to breathe, how much time to consume. Our choices truly matter. As each breath is a miracle, each moment is sacred. There is a responsibility for the time we digest. While we may not know the exact second of the end of our lives, we do know that the time that we have here is not infinite. With each moment that we live, we move one minute closer to our own succession of time. In knowing this, what we consume from our tomorrows must have meaning, for those who have come before, and for those who will follow. Once we stop moving, we too become dust. At that point within the mourning can be a heart of celebration, for a life that had meaning and made a difference. In this troubled world, the currency of Time has become that much more valuable. Even as the dust of the past lays behind us, on the horizon is a sunrise in the morning, waiting for our touch.

So on we go, Consumers of Time….spinning through the Universe, creating our own unique, individual atmosphere, which collectively makes up our planet. Still, we have to understand that as Consumers of Time we too are polluters, but in our case, we decide which one…are we polluters of Love, or Hate? Our consumption too has a lasting effect. Each moment is ours to mold, to shape, to bend. A priceless commodity that is rare, precious, and beautiful.

To everything there is a Time,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

It’s always a good point once in awhile to sit down, take a look back, and see where one’s life has been heading. Over time, our hopes and dreams may evolve and where we were headed in one direction, we may have, somewhere along the way, taken a detour on a different road. We evolve and grow, but it’s always important to stay focused on what it is we want to accomplish with our lives. The questions always lay before us….who are we? what do we want? where do we want to go? and, what do we want to leave behind?

For myself personally, my mission in life has come down to three things. Number One: I want to have and maintain a good and loving relationship with my family and friends. Number Two: I want to be financially responsible so that money never becomes a generator of heartache and pain. Number Three: Last, but not least, I want to give and leave behind a body of work that can be helpful, and enjoyed long after my passing. While the time is quite short on earth, I do feel that if I can accomplish these three things, I will gladly lay down my head when the time comes, and rest in peace. In doing so, I will have proven to myself that I can embrace and exchange Love, not allowed addictions to control me, and given something back that says “I was here.”

So there it is….those are my three personal wishes. How about you? What are yours? What things can you do to contribute to yourself, friends, family and the world? No dream, no wish, is too big. If all of us picked three things and tried our best to accomplish them the world would be better off than it is now. I received an interesting letter recently, where a man said to me that if the world is so full of good people, why is it in the state it is? He went on to say everyone he knows these days just wants to get as much money as they can, no matter how they get it. He believes there are quite a number of people who would have no problem morally, robbing a bank, if they knew they could get away with it. He further continued to touch on different subjects, like health and crime…basically with the same viewpoint. I wrote back that I did understand what he was saying, but instead of focusing on what is wrong, what would he do in his own way, to help make it right? He hasn’t written back yet (ha!) His complaints were many….his solutions few. Look, we all can sit around and see what’s wrong….but it can only stay that way when we believe it can never change. I believe we all can have a positive influence, not only for our current generation, but for those to come…we can make a difference, if we want to.

Love is the most powerful emotion we have at our disposal. If we can get past the twisting and corruption of Love, Pure Intelligence can reign. More can be learned in the human heart than can ever be read in a book. The only way this world can get better is if we let Love blow like the wind. There is no corner of the planet that it can’t reach. Truly, the answer CAN be blowing in the wind.

Let the winds of Love prevail,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon