ABOVE AND BEYOND

Funerals in Ghana have always been big, noisy, colorful celebrations of the life of the one who'd died -- about as different from a standard American funeral as anything that you could possibly imagine..

The elaborately carved and painted sarcophagi of Teshi were a mid-20th century phenomenon.

What a wonderful way to think of a funeral, 'a celebration of life' and to be able to decide in the fantasy ride of you life, to travel beyond the great horizon.

Now you too can pick the fantasy ride of your life. This wonderful art has been brought to America.
If you were in Fort Bragg, just north of Mendocino, at a shop called Ananse Village, you could say, I want to leave this world in a Shuttle or a submarine or-- well -- you're only limited by your own imagination.

No matter what you call your venture from this world into another realm, whether it be, the happy hunting ground, eternity or the great beyond or heaven, what would you choose if you dared to throw caution to the wind and decide to be outrageously creative .

What would your ride be ? What would you choose to travel above and beyond the horizon, into the great unknown? Telll me about it.

AN OLD SONG WITH A NEW TWIST

Does anyone remember and old song called 'Kokomo', by 'The Beach Boys'. I loved that song.
Recently someone sent my daughter an e-mail with the URL to a new version of that song.

If you never view another video again please watch this one. It was made for fun by some soldiers in Kosovo.

It's cute, it's adorable, it's funny, however I must say that although I started out laughing, it only took me 2 seconds of watching the video to start crying like crazy wondering of how many of those young men we have lost since this video was made. My tears flowed like a waterfall as I blurted that thought out to my daughter, then she looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said me too.

Please watch 'The Beach Boys Remix', by some very brave men.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

An American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader.
Quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr.

“There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow.”

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and consciencious stupidity.”

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically... Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

“Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.”

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

“Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'”

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Martin Luther King, Jr., a peace loving nonviolent man who only wanted equality for his people, yet violence followed him everywhere.
Sadly he was assassinated on April 4, 1968 . He never got to see his efforts materialize to their fullest. Known for his famous speech
"I Have A Dream". He would be proud today.

A MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE

Here we are again, September 11th rolls around to haunt me, you, us and it brings that terrible devastating day back into view. Not that it ever goes away.

Like so many people feeling lucky and secure at living in the USA it was certainly a wake up call to realize there is no safe place for anyone in any country.

I remember the feelings well, first shock and sympathy for all of the people trapped in the buildings and pride in all of the brave rescuers.
The fear that this just might cause another world war. When will the bombs start falling? Where will we hide? We will surely be effected we live within range of an armament. Then the realization that I am now feeling what people in other countries have already felt.
A wake up call that I should have realized a long time ago -- no one is exempt.

To the families who were directly effected by 911, I think you are also very brave, and I Pray that you will continue to find the strength that you need to carry on.

I wrote a poem about 911 and I posted it last year. As poems go, I don't know if it's a good poem or a bad one, I only know it was what my heart felt at the time. I'll leave it for you to judge if you so choose, 'DESTINATION UNKNOWN'.

As a child I used to play with my shadow. It's name was simply, 'Shadow'.
When the sun would shine just right so that I could see Shadow, I would dance with it and sing this old time song called 'Me and My Shadow'.

As an adult I no longer dance with Shadow and although it still follows me, it has a new name, 'Fear'.

YES, EVERYTHING WAS ILLUMINATED

I have been looking for a movie everywhere that I had been wanting to see because of a review that a blogger friend did on it. I called my local video store, they had never heard of it. I called Wallie World, nothing. Other stores nothing-- nothing, nothing.

I had been hunting for it since July and I was about to give up hope. I couldn't find it anywhere.

I kept complaining about how much I wanted to see it. I had watched the trailer and I was sure that I would like it. It appeared to have lot of comedy in it.
One day my daughter said write the names down of the movies that you can't find and maybe I can find it on my break at work. They have a huge 'Movie Mart' near where she works.
I don't think I ever wrote it down for her but I had mentioned it so often that she remembered it and one day she called me from work and said that she had found the movie I wanted. She said she wasn't even looking for it and it was right in front of her when she walked in the door. Like it just said here I am.
How about that. It was meant to be!

When she got home from work and gave me the movie I asked if she was going to watch it with me and she said that she didn't think she would like it. My teenage grandson and I both wanted to see it so we popped it in. Her loss.

I must say Thanks to 'Id it is' for the review of the movie. I think he explains it better then I could. Click on his site for his review.
Click on the movie title to view the trailer 'Everything Is Illuminated'.

All I can tell you, is that it was a comedy, a drama and a mystery.

We laughed. We wondered? We cried.

We loved it!