I wanted to talk about something that might be a tough topic today…revenge. From Dictionary.com you will find the following definitions:

to exact punishment or expiation for a wrong on behalf of, esp. in a resentful or vindictive spirit

an opportunity to retaliate or gain satisfaction

harm done to another person in return for harm which he has done (to oneself or to someone else)

It is my belief that the desire for revenge contributed not only to so many US citizens supporting Bush’s pitch to invade Iraq in the wake of 9/11, but it also fuels much of what is wrong with our criminal justice system today (especially our continuing use of the death penalty).

Back in the early 90’s I bought a very small house in an older neighborhood in St. Paul about 3 blocks from the Mississippi River. One of the things I love about this neighborhood is all the trees. As you drive down most any street this time of year, you are passing through a canopy of bright green.

The house I bought was the “fixer-upper” in the neighborhood and really didn’t have much to distinguish it…except for one thing…the 80 foot 100 year-old elm tree in the tiny back yard. This thing was mammoth, with branches spanning the back yards of both next-door neighbors on either side. I would regularly stand underneath it, look up at its majesty, and feel that sense of awe at being part of a world that included such beauty. Since the houses in the neighborhood were built about 60 years ago, this tree had witnessed all of its history, beginning in a time when cows would probably have found shade under its branches.  

I imagine that we were all given several labels as children that were used to define us. We were smart, funny, responsible, rebellious, shy, or the opposites… on and on. One of the labels I received as a child was that I was lazy. I remember always being frustrated, feeling like I eventually would have gotten around to getting something done if folks had given me a bit more time.

It wasn’t until I was in my first professional job out of college that I began to challenge this label. All of the sudden I took a look at myself and how hard I was working. It was at that moment that I discarded the label.

And yet, as is the case with most of these things, there was some truth to it.

I think that the movement in the blogoshpere over the last few years has been to smaller and smaller communities where folks can talk and germinate ideas. I know there are pluses and minuses to this trend. But I, for one have found it helpful in giving me a place like Docudharma where I can feel free to venture into the outer reaches of my thinking.

But when that trend is reversed and independent bloggers come together to tackle an important issue of the day…I think that also deserves our attention in a big way. That is just what is happening with a new blog called The Sanctuary that officially launched last week.

As we all know, this Buddhist saying ends with “the master (or teacher) appears.” I am not a Buddhist, nor do I play one on the blogs, but this saying has grounded me for years. I think I’d substitute “learning” for “master” in the quote though, so it would read “When the student is ready, the learning appears.”

(My Helper by Bill Rabbit)

Other than my occasional irrational reactions to odd noises that go “bump” in the night, I pretty much feel safe in my home. As a matter of fact, it is a sanctuary for me where I can relax, be myself and get away from the everyday pressures of finding a way to make it in this world. There is a reason why, when we have company, the most welcoming thing we can say is “Relax and make yourself at home.”

Because I treasure the sanctuary that “home” is for me, there are two stories that I have come across in the last few days that have haunted me a bit. They have no real relationship to each other besides the fact that they involve a violation of the sanctity of “home.”

A few days ago I accepted the mission to go undercover behind enemy lines in order to report back on the activities of the opposition. I have now safely returned and am ready to brief you all as thoroughly as possible. The specific activities that were undertaken included a trip to the heart of the Bible Belt, holding conversations with members of the 26% crowd and attendance at a “mega church” to scope out the organizational activities.

What all this really means is that I paid a visit to my family in Dallas, Texas this weekend. As most of you know by now, they are fundamentalist, right-wing, kool-aid drinking christians; the group that STILL says they view GW favorably.