On Tuesday, November 7th, 2000, an extraordinary thing happened in the election to vote for the next President of the United States. A country sits at a stalemate, as votes are being recounted in the state of Florida, to decide our next leader for four years. The voter turnout has confirmed in one way or another that we are a country split down the middle. A few thousand votes will determine who occupies the White House next.

Yes, I know Democracy has spoken, which is a wonderful thing, but once we peel back the covers some disturbing situations are starting to reveal themselves. We as a society have splintered ourselves into so many subgroups that we are finding it harder and harder to see ourselves as a whole. It falls upon the next President to bring us all together. The divisions have grown too great between us all. The “Us” against ”Them” philosophy must stop. We are a country made up of many different religions, races, etc. There is strength in our differences, but this strength can only solidify when we pool our resources together.

Financially America is pretty sound…..there is always more work to be done for those who have been left behind. Morally we are at a crossroads. There are good Democrats, and there are good Republicans, and yes, good Green Party members, etc. All with their own points of view on what is best for America. At some point common ground must prevail. If one looks back over the course of the past few years it is no surprise that we have arrived at this point in time. The polarizations of the citizens of the United States has been sad to watch.

Tonight I paid a visit to my local mall, made up of all different kinds of people. The look in the eyes said it all. Many of us are exhausted, and disgusted that we have allowed ourselves to believe that we are all that much different. An American is an American….period. We have the best form of government in the world, but underneath the radar much is going unobserved. Last night as the election results came in the news networks first said that they had called the state of Florida for Al Gore. Then, about an hour later, they retracted that statement and put the state back in the “undecided” column.

At around 2 in the morning they announced that George W. Bush had won. Then, an hour later they retracted that statement and said the election is “too close to call.” These are the people that give us our information daily. The people we trust to tell us the truth. What are they telling us today? SORRY. Well, sorry is just not good enough. A number of analysts were horrified that the media had projected so early the outcome of Florida. As one guest on Larry King Live said “This is outrageous. We are talking about Democracy here.”

Whoever the next President is, he’s got some very serious and hard work ahead of him. The most important job of his term will not be to take polls, check the stock market, go to as many fundraisers as he can, etc. It will be to unite the United States.

I love America……it’s differences, and it’s similarities. I am just so tired of so many groups with their own agenda working to keep us all apart. The days of fear must be over. God Bless America, and God Bless the next President.
love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The airwaves are full these days with funny and humorous statements about how to improve the quality of life. There is always one financial advisor who says something to scare the daylights out of you. One thing is for sure…..knowledge is power.

The average American retires with four thousand dollars in a savings account. If that person is lucky they have either a pension or a 401K plan. Many do not. Until I see a serious motivation by our officials to encourage people to save or invest more, I cannot believe that the system that is in place now really cares to raise people up the economic ladder.

Each day we make choices….do I buy this? or do I save. After a while for many of us, saving starts to resemble a form of punishment….a denial of immediate enjoyment. Hey everybody wants to have a little fun, and have nice things. But a little has to be put away for the future.

Investing……it could be property, or stocks, etc. For many buying more than one home seems like a monumental task, but quite a few people have profited over time in this endeavor. It’s a little tricky and complicated, but it can work. The stock market….oh yes…..the fearful stock market. In the right companies, many have profited handsomely over the past few decades. It goes up, it goes down, but over time you are well ahead. The fear of the stock market stops many from climbing that elusive economic ladder. What some do is set aside some money each month to purchase stocks that they believe will increase over time. Stocks should be looked upon as a form of partnership…..example: If you own stock in Microsoft, you are, in essence, a partner with others who own the same stock, including Bill Gates. Yes, Bill Gates!! You may like pharmaceuticals, like Merck, or perhaps your favorite may be General Electric. Whatever it is, these types of companies are the engines that will power America forward into the future. A train comes into the station, and it’s up to each one of us to decide whether we board it, or watch it leave without us. The choice of stock is up to each individual to decide, with the help of a financial planner or money manager, or even by themselves. What’s important is that whatever one does, they progress themselves up the ladder.

I really care about people. I get heart-wrenching letters from many who are hurting for all different kinds of reasons. We can’t erase the mistakes we have made in the past, but we can learn from them, and take control of our lives. The tools are out there….we just have to use them. Money has a profound effect over our lives….like it or not, it is so. A lot of people believe that their “dream” will provide them all the financial support that they need. Very few businesses or endeavors start making a profit from their inception. If you really really want your dream to succeed, you must take away the fear factor, and make sure that you can stay financially afloat while you build your success. We can accomplish our goals if we stay grounded.

From the ground up, may your dreams take flight……

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

We love because without Love there is nothing….no purpose, no center, no destination. Think for a second….if we were to eliminate Love from our lives, the giving and the taking, what would we have left? There are all kinds of Love. Love of the Self, Love of Others, Love of the Arts, Love of God. From the day we are born until the day we die, many signposts on the road of life are marked by Love. A friend of mine recently shared with me his thoughts on Love. He said, “Jennifer, I have no Love. I’m not married, I have no children, I have few friends.” I turned to him and I said, “Why?” His answer, “I guess I’m afraid to Love.” I asked him, “What are your passions? How do you spend your days, when you can?” He replied, “Ah…I make model airplanes that I fly in the park every Saturday.” I asked him, “Do people enjoy you flying your planes?” He replied, “Funny you mention that. There is a little boy named Jack who comes each Saturday with his father to see how I’ve improved my planes. Recently I gave the boy one of my handmade airplanes.” I then responded, “Well you gave him Love, whether you’re aware of it or not. That little boy will remember the gift many years from now.” My friend, without realizing it, gave a gift of Love.

Love is a seed that once planted, one never knows how high and how far it can grow. Our job as people is to plant as many seeds as we can during our lifetimes. To Hate is easy……..it takes no discipline, no caring, no effort. To Love is sometimes difficult….but once we leave this planet, it is not the money, the fame, the possessions that we take with us……it will be the Love we contributed.

So why should we Love? Because no matter how much money, whatever country you live in, whoever you “are”….the gift of Love is equal. Perhaps what we are all to learn is that the greatest commodity that we can exchange on this earth is Love. I have hope that one day we will. True intelligence equals Love. All the diplomas, the certificates, the prizes, are reduced to pieces of paper when they don’t include Love. The day we are born we come into this world with just one thing….the Love that God has instilled in us…and the day we die we go back to God with, hopefully, more Love inside of us then when we arrived as newborns. It is our job to hold onto the Love inside of us, and to give it away……..

Take the time to Love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Many of us are Walking Wounded. We spend many days coming to terms with those wounds and seek ways to heal them. How do we identify these wounds? It could be something from the past, a feeling or a sense of not belonging, a yearning for more out of life….and sometimes simply overcoming some form of emotional distress. These wounds exist. The following is a list of some of the things that have helped heal my wounds:

1) Be honest with yourself, and identify the problems. This is the point where the tears start to flow. It’s very hard to look at what’s wrong…but if we don’t, the wounds just get larger.

2) Take some time to relax and think. This is where we begin to look for solutions. It’s vital that we don’t beat ourselves up, and allow our minds to clear and see where we should go, and what steps should be taken on the road to healing.

3) If needed, seek out advice. It could be a friend, a book, or a family member, etc. Try to find somebody who won’t be judgmental, someone who can see the whole picture.

4) Plot the course. Like a map, set a course of where you see yourself over the next 5 years. Set realistic goals, where each step resembles a ladder.

5) Establish a support system. Surround yourself with people, places, and things that can reaffirm your dreams.

6) Celebrate each success. This is vital, to bring a dream to fruition.

7) Believe in a Higher Power. For me, prayer has gotten me through many a rough time. There is a God…..one of the biggest fallacies out there is that God doesn’t exist. What’s sad is that in many cases where God is not let in, the ego has a field day. At that point, mankind starts to believe he is the center of the Universe. All one has to do is look up at the stars at night, to understand that Somebody put this all together.

On a personal level, I have found that Life is a partnership between me and God. God is there to provide the tools when needed to accomplish positive work, but it is up to me to accomplish the mission. It is far wiser to show a person how to fish, then it is to provide the fish for them.

May your catch be bountiful,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

It’s hard to believe, but this week marks the third anniversary of my free weekly newsletter!! Little did I know in 1997 how many countries my words would touch. Today the newsletter reaches over 80 countries. None of this could be possible if not for the Internet, and people like you.

As with anything that is undertaken, it has not always been easy. Anytime a person begins an endeavor, at certain levels one faces a wall of resistance. Believe me, over the past few years I too have thought of giving up, but something always comes along to pick me up. It can be a kind word, a personal experience, a message from God. I have been called many names over the past three years…. Good Samaritan, Mad Christian, Someone Who Cares, a Pagan, a Light in the Darkness. There are forces at play that will do anything to keep people apart, and there are also forces that do important work to bring people together. I have seen both.

Whenever a person starts a project, one thing you have to be aware of is that not everyone will either like what you’re doing, or totally agree with you. As I have said before, that’s fine with me. It’s not important that people always agree with me….but if I can in some way start a dialogue and get people talking, I have done my job. Communication is vital on a planet of so many different points of view. We all have to learn to agree, or respectfully disagree.

The next few years are going to be incredibly innovative and frustrating at the same time. Our lives are going to change. The Internet, our homes, our lifestyles will be transformed by technology. The kitchen may start to cook it’s own meals, the television and personal computer will evolve into a total communications center. How far away are we from Robbie the Robot opening the door for us at the end of the day, saying “Good Evening, how was your day???” Anybody who has visited a technology trade show in the past few years will know what I’m talking about. Let’s hope we use all these new tools wisely. They can do tremendous good.

So why do I do this? A free weekly newsletter? I have a lot of thoughts that run around my head daily. Sometimes they produce themselves in the form of music, sometimes in the form of writing. The newsletter gives people a chance to access both, if they wish.

I want to thank you for allowing me to come into your life each week. I have some major plans for the coming year, which I’ll touch on in the next few weeks. I also plan to make the website more interactive. I hope to continue to touch upon subjects that affect all of us.

Many Blessings,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

From the day we are born until the day we die, we walk through a field made up of “Hopefullys.” What do I mean by this?

From birth to age ten, hopefully, we are born normal. Hopefully, we have loving parents. Hopefully, we are accepted by our siblings. Hopefully, we are born in a safe and prosperous country. Hopefully, we get into a good grade school. Hopefully, we don’t have learning disabilities. Hopefully, a good foundation has been established for our future growth. These are the challenges that face every human being in the first ten years of life.

From age ten to twenty, hopefully, we evolve into healthy teenagers, hopefully we form good relationships with our peers. Hopefully, we learn to communicate well. Hopefully, through dating, we learn how to love. Hopefully, we graduate high school and go on to a higher education, or, learn a valuable skill.
From age twenty to thirty, hopefully, we graduate from college, or are fully established in the trained skill. Hopefully, we meet and marry a person who is good for us. Hopefully we get a good job. Hopefully we ourselves have healthy children. Hopefully, we learn how to sustain ourselves financially. Hopefully, we learn to think about more than ourselves. Hopefully, we don’t allow hate to control our hearts.

From age thirty to forty, hopefully our children get into good schools. Hopefully, they too learn how to love. Hopefully we didn’t screw up in parenting. Hopefully we can beat the fifty percent odds and not get divorced. Hopefully, we still have that good job. Hopefully, we can save a little money.
From forty to fifty, hopefully we can survive our mid-life crisis. Hopefully, our children have established good relationships. Hopefully they too have good jobs. Hopefully, we learn to deal with the fact that we may not become famous. Hopefully we begin to understand what really matters in life. Hopefully, we can take care of our parents in the twilight of their years.

From fifty on, hopefully, we still have that good job. Hopefully, we are in good health and also, our families. Hopefully we have put enough money aside for our twilight years. Hopefully, we learn to deal with the limitations of age, with grace. Hopefully, we can look back on our lives and be proud overall. Hopefully, we can pass on to our children and grandchildren the wisdom of our years. Hopefully, when we pass on, and see the Gates of Heaven, they swing open and we are greeted with smiles.

This is not a depressing scenario……..this is real, this is life. What are the odds for us to get all these “hopefullys” right and have everything fall our way? Almost impossible. But we are human beings, we do make mistakes, and the beauty is we can learn from them and go on. Is it any wonder why people get lost, feel trapped, and lose hope? When one of the “hopefullys” fail, all it takes sometimes is a hand reaching out to pull us up, dust us off, and move forward. While all this goes on, God watches, is there for help, and sees how we deal with things. So let’s not be so hard on ourselves. Throughout life we walk through a minefield of “hopefullys.” Hopefully, when we reach the end of the field, we realize, Love heals all wounds.

There is hope,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Many of my writings deal with empowering the individual. Essays that I hope enhance and improve the quality of life. Most practice religious beliefs to guide them along their paths, myself included. Overall, there are still other things that can influence our lives on a daily basis. What surrounds us, be it people, radio, television, and books can affect us all directly and even more profoundly, indirectly. What becomes vital for us to realize are all the forces that bombard us that we are unaware of on the surface.

An experiment was performed on the public, watching a movie on television, about two decades ago. A number of frames within the movie flashed a person eating popcorn….and lo and behold, is it any shock that many in the viewing audience started to have an uncanny craving for popcorn? The question can then be asked, if messages are inserted into media, can the people, without their awareness, be controlled? The books on the shelves in our homes, the CD’s in our music collections, the videos in the cabinet, all are packages of information……and what is contained in those packages may give us entertainment, but also influence us.

The Motion Picture Association unveiled this week new ways to stop children from seeing movies that may be harmful to them. Example: No rated R trailers before G Rated movies. Jack Valenti, the President of the Association, made an interesting point, “All these rules of rating will not be of any use unless parents enforce them with their children.” Jack’s point is well taken. Let’s hope it works. In this day and age, where both parents are working long hours, it’s easy for children to get away with things.

Whatever is released to the public….whatever the product, how it affects the overall population and to which age group it should be marketed, should be considered before it is released. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that if a brutal horror slice and dice movie is marketed to children, or a violent video game, with no regulations at all, there will be no surprise as to the influence.

The movie studios have a responsibility for what they distribute….so does the music industry….and last but not least, the parents also. Influence affects people….good and bad. What we take in daily, evolves us as people. We eventually become what we absorb, digest, and believe. Garbage in…..garbage out. Good in, good out. No mystery…..real simple. Some people think that we can absorb whatever we want and still maintain a certain good quality of life. I’m sorry, I don’t.

I don’t believe in government censorship……but I do believe in self-censorship. Each individual decides. If one of those individuals is underage, then the parent decides. Either we set the rules for our lives, or they will be set for us. Influence is everywhere. How much and what kind ultimately matters.

Choose carefully,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The more we look at the world, our problems and ourselves, the better we are able to reach conclusions and solutions. The Truth, in most cases, is a hard pill to swallow. Often, we want to sweep things under the carpet, hoping that by themselves, problems will go away. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. Accepting the Truth is not always something that we are trained to do in this society, but it becomes essential over time, if we are to continue on a positive course in our lives.

The Truth is looking at everything under a microscope. Many times we are astounded how problems seem to appear by themselves, out of nowhere, but do they really appear out of nowhere, or do we put on blinders to not allow ourselves to see them coming? It’s so much easier to assign blame somewhere else, then to accept the responsibilities for our own actions. The Truth is a zone, or an area, where one feels like they have been given smelling salts under their noses…a sense of alertness, stability, and knowing. We feel, when we are surrounded by the Truth, that we are truly awake. The enemy of Truth is lies, deception, and illusion. When we embrace these thoughts, we are left in a fog, never knowing where it begins and where it ends. The Truth comes along like a strong wind, and blows the fog away.

Truth can be a scary thing…..it can mean standing up for what you believe in, making changes, and feeling alone in a crowd. What we eventually come to understand is that Truth and honesty walk hand in hand. Do we really want to know what other people think? Or do we just want everyone to agree with us? Truth can sometimes produce conflict…..but once views are put on the table, that’s when compromise and healing can begin.

So can the Truth set us free? If we are to be honest with ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and understand different points of view, yes…..it is better to live life in the clear light than in the dim haze of the shadows. The road of Truth eventually leads to silence, because once we know, nothing more needs to be said.

Seek the Truth,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Sometimes I think I’ve just about heard it all….then I hear something that makes me realize there will always be more amazing things to hear on this planet!!! One of America’s illustrious states just passed a law, after a new development was built on previous farmland, next to currently operating farms. The new law puts farmers in jail for 90 days and/or fines them if their farm animals make too much noise. The new neighbors of these farmers claim they want the “peace and quiet” of the countryside. I would like to know what planet these new neighbors think they’re living on.

In the mornings early, where I live, somebody’s rooster heralds in the dawn…..sometimes a stray cat meows in the fields…..dogs often bark to say hello to one another through the woods. There are birds that chirp in the trees, crickets that sing at dusk, the occasional horse that passes by, leaving it’s dung on the road. That is the “price” I pay for choosing to live in the countryside…..a price that I welcome, because I feel I am living among some of God’s best handiwork. What can be said for a human being who has so lost touch with the sounds of nature that they want to close it out completely? Nature is more than the smell of fresh grass and flowers….it is more than the moon rising over the forest, and the mist lingering over the hill. Nature is alive…..and so are the creatures living in it.

We want everything handed to us on a platter…..most of us don’t make the connection between “beast and beefsteak.” Perhaps if we all had to hunt for our own food we wouldn’t be perturbed by the noises of nature…..we would realize that those noises help to maintain us. Is the noise of city living any more civilized than that of the farm?

From the woods,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The two subjects which can take us to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows are Love and Money. Incredible joy, and excruciating pain. Yet, why is it we receive so little education regarding these two topics? Education, you ask? Yes….. about how Money will affect us throughout our lives, and the best ways to handle it. Also, how Love and who we love affects our happiness.

Money has had an influence on the masses throughout the ages. For the rich, little formulas and secrets are often handed down from generation to generation. Perhaps that is why we hear comments like, “Money follows money.” How many of us received in elementary school any form of classes in how to spend and save and may I say, invest? That may be changing….it is not uncommon to see a school class of 8 or 9 year olds forming stock clubs in order to invest and understand how money works. Better late than never…..but it sure has taken a long time. When I was going to school all we cared about was how much candy and clothes we could buy each week!! Money affects our lives daily, whether we like it or not. The more we understand, the better off we will be. There are plenty of books that can be purchased or picked up at the local library…it’s important that we totally understand how Money leaves our pockets, where it goes, and what we have to show for it at the end of the day.
Love is a word that is easily battered around, but boy, does it have a lasting effect over our lives. With the divorce rate now better than 50%, obviously we’re having a little bit of a problem with the word Love, as a society. In our younger years we walked around as teenagers waiting for a bolt of lightening to come out of the sky and hit us, to tell us, “There is the person of your dreams!!!” believing that all we had to do was get married, and everything else would take care of itself. No more effort required. Wrong…..that’s when the work begins! How many of us spend an hour or two each week talking to our spouses or loved ones about how we feel about each other? Love is something that has to be worked at daily, whether we like it or not. We can never say “I love you,” enough. It is truly important to not mistake abuse for Love. Love that is abusive is not Love.

In this day and age, these two subjects, Love and Money, are at war with each other. How many families, because of the need for Money, have very little time left over to exchange Love? In my area it’s not uncommon to see Mom and Dad leaving the house at 7 in the morning and returning home by 8 in the evening, five days a week, using the weekend as a way to catch up, first of all on sleep, second of all, on family. How many of us find ourselves, time after time, having to choose between what comes first, Money, or Love? There are exceptions to the rule. People who work together or people working at home….but these are far and few between.

To find a solution we must understand that Money engulfs the mind, and Love embraces the heart. Both are needed to sustain our quality of life. The better control we have over our finances, the more time will be available for Love. In the end, it is the Love we take with us.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon