Desire is Tricky + Pianist Tears + 6-Year-Old Wisdom.
Good Morning from Warren Grove, Prince Edward
Where the snow hangs on in the woods sending its melting crystals to thirsty streams waiting.
Where the stubs of hay stand erect, saluting the sun through the last remnants of snow while they wait for their rooted feet to thaw and release the energy stored around them.
Whereas a 9-day old retiree, I am getting used to the calendar popping up at 6 am to tell me, “you have no scheduled events today.”
Desire is a tricky thing, the boiling of the body's wants...
I've been the one who has craved and craved until I could not see
beyond my own greed. There's a whole nation of us.
To forgive myself, I point to the earth as witness.
... tell me,
what it is to be quiet, and yet still breathing...
...to honour this: the length of days. To speak to the core
that creates and swallows, to speak not always to what's
shouting, but to what's underneath asking for nothing...
~ Ada Limon from "Notes on the Below" in THE CARRYING
It is heartbreaking to see the evil carried out in Ukraine, but as the darkness of events clouds our view, there is light there.
Mister Rogers once said: When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers.
You will always find people who are helping.”
Here are just some of the helpers:
There are hundreds of helpers, but one needs to choose wisely.
( I have not researched their administration % costs versus dollars to those who need it, nor the validity of the organizations; I feel safe suggesting these.
World Central Kitchens. Chefs around the world go into harm's way to feed people. https://wck.org/story
Global Empowerment Mission GEM has supported missions in 28 countries, 50 US states, and territories, including the Caribbean. In addition, the organization's complete 360-degree response has a long-lasting institutional impact.
Flags for Good. Buy a Ukrainian Flag
Voices for Children Their objective is that every child suffering from the war in Ukraine must get psychological help in time.
Their values: respect for child’s dignity and rights; understanding the needs of every child to be heard; faith in getting the best results only with the help of partnership and mutual aid.
They work in various villages and towns along the frontline in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russian philosopher Leo Tolstoy,
You should respond with kindness toward evil done to you, and you will destroy in an evil person that pleasure which he derives from evil.
Thinking about our species humankind led me down many paths, but trying to keep this blog to around 1000 words, I will focus on music and the second part of human-KIND.
Kind and caring people have come into my life at times. So many of us have been blessed by the love and kindness of others.
Before you know what kindness really is, you must lose things and feel the future dissolve in a moment like salt in a weakened broth. What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully saved, all this must go so you know how desolate the landscape can be between the regions of kindness. How you ride and ride thinking the bus will never stop, the passengers eating maize and chicken will stare out the window forever. Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness, you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho lies dead by the side of the road. You must see how this could be you, how he too was someone who journeyed through the night with plans and the simple breath that kept him alive. Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing. You must wake up with sorrow. You must speak to it till your voice catches the thread of all sorrows and you see the size of the cloth. Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread, only kindness that raises its head from the crowd of the world to say, it is I you have been looking for, and then goes with you everywhere like a shadow or a friend.
– Naomi Shihab Nye
Music is one area of living where people can agree that music, in most cases, brings people together regardless of one's culture and beliefs. Everyone can stand in awe of music that seems to have been conceived by someone's musical skill touched by a higher power.
I am not naive to think there is no “B-side” to this record; music is used to whip up emotions to the point of tribal group-think mindlessness.
We need always to question our personal beliefs. But it is not up to me to “challenge” yours.
Many people need more knowledge and less judgement. ~ Kushand Wisdom.
Vladimir Horowitz was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1903 while it was under Russian occupation and part of the Russian Empire.
On December 18, 1925, Horowitz made his first appearance outside his home country, in Berlin. He later played in Paris, London, and New York City. Horowitz was selected by Soviet authorities to represent Ukraine in the inaugural 1927 International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland but decided to stay in the West and did not participate.
He passed away in November 1989. After watching the video below, I imagine if he was playing this today, his tears are for the pain being experienced in and for Ukraine.
Last week, we sold our little company to Adam and Marsha Doiron. This blog post goes into detail regarding the change. However, I am grateful they asked me to continue writing Bruce’s Muses for the unforeseeable future.
I started a new blog as well to keep myself engaged with life.
A Bunch of Good Things is where I plan to write daily. Covering subjects inspired by studying things about philosophy, psychology, spirituality, music, cultures, nature, personal development, architecture, or whatever thread I feel inspired to pull on.
The site is less than 70% ready but 100% ready to have you sign up.
Last week, we asked for emails only and thanks to those who signed up. You made me feel hundreds of waves of warm gratitude.
I was disappointed with the system not allowing me to only ask for emails and first names.
Using their protocol, I asked for first name, last name, and email this week.
Please understand I DO NOT share any information with anyone. It is strictly between you and me.
If you signed up last week, you could sign up again with your full name and same email address. However, you will not get two newsletters.
I would love to send a newsletter using your first name. I hope you will sign up here.
"If you look deep enough, you will see music; the heart of nature being everywhere music." ~ Thomas Carlyle
"There's acres of blue up there," he said,
Beyond all these clouds and rain;
There's oceans of joy and love somewhere,
Apart from sorrow and pain.
"There's millions of stars that man's never seen
Where life can begin anew;
There's perfect calm where the ends of a rainbow
Dip into acres of blue.”
( I can’t find the author's name. Anyone?)
I wish everyone a peaceful weekend.
With love from Prince Edward Island.
Sincerely,
Bruce + Millie
ps. Your Morning Smile
A first-grader came to the ophthalmology office where I work to have his vision checked. He sat down, and I turned off the lights.
Then I switched on a projector that flashed the letters F, Z and B on a screen. I asked the boy what he saw.
Without hesitation, he replied, "Consonants."
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