Category: Community

Muse in the Morning

Time for a break from poetry…in order to create some art.

Propulsion

{as promised to dharmasyd}

Okay, enough with the doom and gloom for me, for a little bit at least. (Snap out of it, LL!!)

Sanjay Khanna at YES! Magazine writes “Stories That Light Up The Dark, The experiences of our ancestors offer us wisdom for surviving today’s crises. “:

In August 2008, at 91 years old, my grandmother participated in the first official Khanna family reunion, which my aunt organized and held at her and my uncle’s Mill Valley home.

I was feeling depressed at that family reunion. When you spend most of your time writing and researching on climate change scenarios and the downward direction of the economy, it’s easy to be overwhelmed.

One afternoon, I sat down with my grandmother when almost everyone else was on an excursion.

She saw straight through my unhappiness. She peered into me, smiled calmly, and said two words: “Bring gladness.”

In spite of the specter of rising seas, increased drought, human displacement, and inundated cities prognosticated by climate scientists, I needed to find ways to inspire gladness in myself and other people. It’s that simple.

Now I hope the inner strength I witnessed in my grandmother remains a seed within me. As times grow more difficult, I pray that her ability to heal mind and body is a quality I can develop and call on.

The changes wrought by peak oil, climate disruption, and economic instability will affect all of us. Yet, those who gather strength from stories of beauty, courage, love, kindness, generosity, and good will can, in a social environment of growing uneasiness, store and spread the seeds of human welfare.

Muse in the Morning

Time for a break from poetry…in order to create some art.

Beams of Light

Muse in the Morning

Time for a break from poetry…in order to create some art.

In Flight

Muse in the Morning

Time for a break from poetry…in order to create some art.

Barrista

Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXVIII

Film at 11 Froth Deep down below past even the words are ideas and concepts normally unthought except by the weird unkempt minds of those who dare to be different Whipped creaminess of dangerous notions, syllables expressed too rarely and more seldom heard, whizzes by faster than can normally be sensed Grabbing on to a possibility I was taken downward further than imagination could conceive There is truth here There is more wherever I look And who wanted to be normal anyway –Robyn Elaine Serven –December 28, 2007

A fellow traveler, Diane G, needs a new roof. So do I.  She needs help. I do not.

I went to the One Nation rally today–walked around as much as I could took photos and so on. The day was beautiful–this is the best time of year in the Washington area.

The focus of the rally was really on organized labor and the multi-cultural community and it very much reminded me Jesse Jackson’s old rainbow coalition. It was a pleasant outing with some a lot of speeches, Marian Wright Edelman speech struck me as important–the rest, with the exception of Harry Belafonte’s (rightly warning us about the spreading authoritarianism) speech weren’t much to write home about.

I liked the fact that labor unions were so well represented. It always makes me sad to see unions try to organize and represent people–it’s such an uphill battle for them and all the cards are stacked against them and they know it.

The rally wasn’t that large, it was, as the papers say, in the tens of thousands–for once they got the crowd size reasonably right.  

Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXVII

Doorway Mort At some instant one day the words will cease to flow their creator (or vessel) having passed through the Door between herenow and therethen The words left behind the ideas they expressed the actions they instigated will be all that remains to weigh the meaning of this particular existence Regret is extinguished if the words have expressed peacefulness concern and care and a life lived well –Robyn Serven –September 21, 2007

Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXIV

Butterfly Just Wondering Just because I’m gendered differently than other people, why must I surrender my feelings, check my sensitivity at the door like an oversized overcoat, just so a few can repeat their unfunny jokes and pokes at people like me, because after all there is nothing funnier in their minds than someone like me? Not a real woman… Not a real man… What does that even mean? And why does it even matter? And why do people just stand around and silently watch it happen? Are they chuckling to themselves because they agree? I wonder. Beyond toleration and acceptance lie support and defense. Which will die first, bigotry or me? –Robyn Elaine Serven –November 29, 2005

Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXV

Layers Transference You keep telling me what I think — like you would know? How is that appropriate? I am told by you that I must be motivated by self-interest alone like you and (you aver) everyone But it is not so It angers you that I deny your claim maybe because you assume I must believe that I am better than you No such thing do I believe But the truth of it all seems to be that you apparently do believe your philosophy is lacking if your attitude is any measure And isn’t that a kick in the butt? –Robyn Elaine Serven –January 5, 2007

Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXIV

Breaking Dreams Vendetta When did revenge become part of a liberal or progressive agenda? How can we scream call names spead rumors seek to crush our enemies and remain true to our moral convictions? Is payback all there is? Is this all a game of dominance? Or do we still have ethics? Who are we? –Robyn Serven –January 9, 2007