Category: Uncategorized

Hope has to be audacious to ward off 
 the demons of doubt and hate.
It can give flight to dreams of peace and prosperity.
Hope gives love a chance to change lives
 and enrich our cultural experiences.
Growth needs hope and love to reach new heights
 and to touch the sky.
The disenfranchised people of this world of ours
 can thrive through hope.
If hope is killed, these people will perish.
Audacity is required to keep hope alive
 and keep our world revolving.

The box above was given to me by a neighbor when I was still in elementary school. He was a family man, and I do not really remember much about him or his family. He gave me two boxes just before they moved away. I do not know why he gave them to me. I do not think this was ever explained to me.

The other box was wooden with an English hunting scene on top. The scene had some damage to it. This box ended up broken, and I threw it away at some point in my life.

My parents and I never talked about these boxes or why they were given to me. Perhaps they considered these gifts inconsequential, having no merit or need for explanation.

In any case, this porcelain covered brass or copper box has been in my possession ever since then. I do not know where it came from. I vaguely remember that the man had been a state department employee, and had acquired the box somewhere in his travels. Since this is a very vague memory, I am unsure of its accuracy.

Long ago I saw boxes that looked similar to mine in a museum case at a museum somewhere in our capital city. I cannot imagine that my box has great value because if this were the case, I do not think he would have given it to me.

This box has always represented a mystery to me, and I think this is why I have held onto it for so long. It is attractive, and when it is opened it reveals a solid turquoise colored porcelain. Some of the porcelain on the inside is chipped, and you see a very copper colored metal underneath. The box is heavy for its size. The porcelain on top has some very tiny circular holes which is a sign of age. The bottom of the box is turquoise colored porcelain with no discernible markings that I can see with my naked eye.

To this day it remains a mystery to me, and sometimes a mystery is better than the truth.

When we think of artifacts most of us think about archaeological digs, and of the unearthed pottery, coins, and other man-made objects.

There is another type of artifact that is less well known, and this is behavior that has been created and formed as the result of a behavioral test. In other words, an experiment can produce behavioral results that did not exist prior to the experiment.

We are all artifacts now, and the experiment and/or behavioral test has been, and continues to be, the internet. We have all witnessed behavior that now exists as a result of mass media, viral triggers, and human boredom.

Our behavior has become more and more predictable, especially now that they are learning how to nudge us (which means getting us to react in predictable ways by using triggers with the statistically highest success rate.) They know our weaknesses and our strengths. It is an illusion to think you can hide.

I have begun to read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. So far, I have read his Prologue. The book is very thick and it will take awhile for me to read. Sometimes I do not make it to the end of a book before I am distracted by the life of my family.

I do have an interest in church architecture, and I often marvel at the beauty of stained glass. The book’s cover is illustrated with church arches. This sent me searching for all the words associated with church architecture. To name a few: apse, nave, sanctuary, and vestibule. I enjoy learning new words, and the English language has a goldmine of them.

In my search I ran across examples of natural arches found around the world. Nature is frequently the inspiration of architects and engineers. They need to find ways to build that will be strong and stand tall against the ravages of weather and man.

Pillars, arches, and buttresses are architectural structures that are used both functionally and aesthetically to support the vast weight of stones and other building materials used in cathedral buildings.

This all seems more than fitting for buildings that represent a communities’ desire to foster communion and faith in a higher power. A higher power that can help to hold us all up in times of emotional need.

“And the Word is God.”

12/24/2023 Update: I was looking through my tree of thoughts (MovingForwardSlowly) here. I saw this post which seems like ages ago, and decided that I needed to put into this post the fact that I did indeed finish Ken Follett's book , Pillars of the Earth. It was an excellent book, and it profoundly impacted me. I realized how hard life was for these characters, and it gave me a renewed appreciation for all the ways that I have been blessed.
He has a new book out now in 12/23, and hopefully I will get the chance to read it.

Flights of fancy, intentional or not,

power this world of ours.

A prophet, a seer, and a stacked deck of cards

are at odds.

The outcome is still a toss-up

in the air.

Power is for sale

and

money is at stake.

Money is a token,

so its worth can be altered.

Unturned stones are littered

on the ground,

And their potential has been ignored

or missed.

Missing details can change everything

when they are found.

A meticulous search will find

some of these unturned stones,

Missing details that can be

deadly.

Not all will be found.

The scene can transform mid-flight or mid-journey,

so those on foot or wing must stop and pause.

A sensor is needed to reassess.

Corrections might be needed.

The universe is full of self-organizing chaos.

Many factors can be swept up and aside,

and get lost,

But not forever.

Get set. Go. The gates and doors are open.
The learning can continue or begin. 
Your life dictates your starting point.
Hopefully, all minds are open, ready to absorb,
And process new information or expand upon old foundations.

My arms are open, welcoming all.
Some students will be excited, some will be hesitant and shy.
Some wanted summer to go on, while others anxiously waited for it to end.
We all come from different places with different ideas.
We all have different interests and goals.

Let us begin the school year believing and trusting in one another
And ourselves. Together we can grow and still retain our individuality.
We can have a common purpose without being all the same.
Let us go chase our dreams together.

By the light of the moon everything 
falls into perspective.
As a reflection of sunlight its light is pure.
Its mission is clear.
The darkness of night needs a beacon.
A ray of illumination is needed by travelers,
journeying through darkness.

It is nature's cue for cycles of life, rejuvenation,
and continuation. The swoon and romance of the moon 
can be a powerful force.

Kings and leaders, sea captains and soldiers, 
have relied on moonlight for ages.
Battles and quests can be won or lost 
by moon enabled vision or lack thereof.

Those in power play the stage.
Don't be distracted by the antics of men.
Look to the moon and nature for guidance and truth.