Monday, February 12, 2007

Hmmmm

my spirit does not seem to fit within
my skin
this morning-
no, she is skipping
running jumping
flying out the door and up into the sky-
she is high and spinning
from life's ecstasy.

Existence
is enough of a reason
for joy to spill out of my being-
and today
my spirit dances
all over the coffee shop
and giggles shyly when
someone
catches
her eye.

i am a million miles away
and yet so present
that the Moment is
glaring with such clarity,
it makes my eyes water.

i am bouncing tumbling
spinning off in a thousand different directions
and i am here,
with you
talking about, well, nothing really-
but enjoying each other and
the twinkle in our eyes
the blasphemous and holy-
laughter
bounds out of me-
i can't help it.

i am endless-
boundless
infinite,
expanding ever wider
with a heart that has been
broken open enough
to let everyone in...
i am in love with Love
with existence
with the blessing
to be here today,

to be,
at all.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Okay, better now.

This morning was so grey and rainy. Makes the coffee shop feel real cozy though, i like that.

(sidenote of possible interest to other word-nerds like me:)
Did you know that you can spell the word grey, correctly, with either an "a" or an "e"...isn't that cool? i usually spell it with the "e" becuase it looks more, well, grey.

Please excuse my rambling- i have been working for too many days in a row and find myself in a slightly delirious state. My work is incredible though, i get to meet so many different people with such a wide range of stories and life experience...i come here, make lattes, and learn.
It is really, very beautiful.
The other day it occurred to me that i should be recording these episodes and interactions and sharing them with others. Maybe a book full of them...who knows? It is one thing that continues to amaze me every day of my life- how incredibly complex and beautiful people are. And how you never know someone's story until you ask, and they let you in.
We are so wonderfully intricate and fragile and strong.

Missing loved ones near and far, feeling rather inbetween today. But, i will be headed to Santa Cruz to see my dear, sweet Natalie- which i am very thankful for.

this is kind of one of those blogs that aren't really about anything- and for that i apologize.
blame it on the lack of sleep.

oh man.

why does it feel so EARLY this morning??????
working.
sleepy.
more to come.
brain not fully functioning yet.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Come Out Into the Light

"Sex scandal pastor says after therapy, he's heterosexual"

The title of this San Francisco Chronicle article caught my eye. I don't know how many are familiar with the Ted Haggard story. The short of it? ...He was the senior pastor of a church in Colorado, as well as the president of the National Association of Evangelicals. Then last fall, when he began to promote a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, a man named Michael Jones came forward and exposed their 3 year affair.
Rev. Haggard, who is married, was "ousted by the overseers" of his church last November, and has apparently been in counseling/therapy in Phoenix.
For three weeks.

He wrote in an email to members of the church that his three weeks of counseling in Phoenix have felt like, "three years' worth of analysis and treatment," and that, "Jesus is starting to put me back together."
Another reverend from the church, Tim Ralph "told the Denver Post that Haggard had come out of the counseling convinced of his heterosexuality." Ralph went on to say,"He is completely heterosexual." Saying also that Haggard's "homosexual behavior had not been a 'constant thing.'"

The highlight of the article for me, was the input of Dr. Jack Drescher, a psychiatrist from New York who specializes and is considered an expert in the studies/issues of gender and sexuality. Dr. Drescher said, "while it was people's prerogative to identify their sexual orientation as they wanted, the notion of being able to change that orientation was 'not consistent with clinical presentations, but totally consistent with theological belief.' "
He continues, "Some people in the community that Haggard comes from believe homosexuality is a form of behavior, a sinful form of behavior based on certain things in the Bible, and they don't believe you can create a healthy identity based on sinful behavior. ...So they define it as a behavior that can be changed, and there is this thinking that if you control those behaviors enough, heterosexual attractions will follow."

The article is ended with a comment from the Rev. Tim Ralph that he had shared with the Denver Post- that the overseers of Haggard's church "had recommended to Haggard that he take up secular work."


So much here.
First of all, what a huge rejection and repulsion from Haggard's community, his church. That is really sad to me, that they wouldn't surround him and support him and love him during this time in his life amidst all the judgement that is falling on him. That is huge. And a huge issue within the traditional Christian church, i think. When people "fall by the wayside"- whether merely the perception of others or actual hard times, there is a withdrawal, a distance that is, i feel, deliberately created. As though they are no longer deserving of your full interaction, connection, and love, or that their "sinfulness" might rub off on you.
Where is the understanding of Grace? Of the fact that none of us are perfect, and no one is worse than the other? Forgiveness?? interesting.

Another issue that arises for me is Haggard's hypocrisy. And what of Michael Jones? First of all, props to him for outing his lover who was sharing his bed, and then preaching the evils of homosexuality and publicly supporting a discriminatory and unconstitutional amendment. Secondly, the poor man. He must feel such a sense of betrayal. To prevent any further damage to his position and reputation in the Christian world, Ted Haggard (whom he had been intimate with for three years), cast him and all consideration for him aside , completely disregarding his feelings and his humanity and reducing him to a sinful act, a bad choice made, some sort of depravity that requires therapy to resolve. wow.
And the real issue here isn't the details of this specific case that was brought to the public's attention. The deeper issue is that this is not a rare occurrence, an isolated event. We are trading honesty and reality for hypocrisy.

Something else that this brought up for me was the human ability to define terms and create definitions for everything imaginable. By doing this, in essence, we have the ability to create our own realities...the laws and terms by which we live. The trouble is, groups and sects, (and major religions) can all create contradicting, differing definitions whose collisions can be disastrous.
I don't think that homosexuality is a "form of behavior" and i don't think that changing your behavior changes your sexual orientation; in fact, i know it doesn't.

And yes, you can change your behavior- who you date for example. And i know many who have. They believe that it is against God to fall in love with and pursue someone of the same physical sex and so, they break up. They stay single. They pray harder. Does this mean that their interest and attraction to people of the same physical sex just go away?? No. And does this mean that they will fall in love with and be physically and sexually attracted to someone of the opposite physical sex? In some cases, maybe. In most, probably not. In some, never.

I think we are all broken and beautiful people. I think if we could all just be HONEST with each other and be open about who we really are, we would all be so much better off. We could all let our bellies hang out and laugh together and realize that we are the same. And judgement would stop, because we would realize that we are what we're judging. I think that there are so many people in the church today that are hiding. And, metaphorically speaking, i think we all need to come out.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

letting go for good.

always
different versions
of me.

the woman i am now
looks back upon
the girl who followed you around
unsteady and wobbly
like a toddler
depending on men to feed me
like a baby
i needed a hand to hold
and guide me
and i thought maybe that
it was only i,
at the time.

but now i have a clearer view
and i can see
that it wasn't only me
who was acting out ancient archetypal roles
that had been lived out

centuries before we ever existed
and played out incessantly
throughout both our childhoods.

i am learning now the weight of my words
and their inherent value-
ideas denied me for most of my young life
so hear this now,
if nothing else:

Listen. LISTEN.
and find value in everyone
and what they say-
not just the individuals
who interest you (for you)
it is the greatest kindness
you
will ever
do.

and pride will fall
and break
into a thousand different pieces
like a plate
shattered upon the ground-
my anger flares
at things long passed
words whose ring still echo
in my wounded places.
and so i violently reject
all thoughts of shame
and regret,
i throw "ideal" out the window
into the street
with the trash and the shit
where it
belongs.

please do not mistake
my words for judgement-
that you are not more like me
it is merely a grieving,
and a vow
that i will never again allow
myself to love a man
who wants to
change me.

Who is James Thurber?!?

...i need to do some research!! i like a lot of what this guys is saying....hmmm. who is he?


A few quotes i found this morning.

"All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why."

"Discussion in America means dissent."

"Early to rise and early to bed makes a man healthy, wealthy, and dead."

"Laughter need not be cut out of anything, since it improves everything."

"The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself, but in so doing, he identifies himself with people- that is, people everywhere, not for the purpose of taking them apart, but simply revealing their true nature."

"There is something about a poet which leads us to believe that he died, in many cases, as long as 20 years before his birth."

"Unless artists can remember what it was to be a little boy, they are only half complete as artist and as man."

and some of my favorites...

"Love is what you've been through with somebody."


"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility."


"I think that maybe if women and children were in charge we would get
somewhere."


"It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers."


"Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness."


"Progress was all right. Only it went on too long."


"Women are wiser than men because they know less and understand more."


"There are two kinds of light- the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures."

Friday, February 02, 2007

Sigh.

Thoughts from the Mon Cafe this afternoon...

1) Men should never, NEVER make women feel uncomfortable- ESPECIALLY in their place of work. It is not okay.
You men out there-- show every woman the respect you would show your own mother.

2) If someone is stealing your tips, and you know they are stealing, and you choose not to say anything, then in essence you are giving them your tips, and it is okay.

3) Glen Smallman is the coolest.

4) Treat everyone with kindness. (Unless they fall under the category of number one.)


thats all for now, i think. it has been an interesting day...haha. it always is here.

Had a phone conversation with little Miss Fiona last night. some random quotes...

"My sisters twist my legs! and sometimes...Brianna hits me so hard...like a tiger!"

"But i am a strong kicker...(laughing)...i am very powerful!!"

...and so many more. oh man, that child is such a joy to me. i am going to see them the begining of next week...i can't wait. :)