2000-10-19 - 19:35 MDT

October 19, 2000

Why Not ?

Nothing is forever, at least on this ball of dirt and rocks washed by the salty sea. Change is the constant, ever present, showing a different face each moment. Islands are born, coastlines wear away, mountains are pushed up and volcanos blow their tops scattering lava debris over statewide areas, erosion created the Grand Canyon co-operating with the elevation of land mass. The weather changes and the seasons walk their circles, never in quite the exact same path, some hotter, some colder, some wetter some dryer. The Redwoods grow and eventually each one expires to make room for the upstart forestlings.

I am essentially the same man today as I have been, still containing the improvements from boyhood and some of the faults too. I too change, hairs growing whiter and becoming fewer, back getting more creaky as time passes, the wrinkles running together and the eyes getting a bit dimmer. That is the physical bit.

But the driver of this two legged vehicle is the same person who was amazed at his first sight of the stars and saw the moon, huge on the horizon rise far into the arch of heaven. This driver has learned a bit as he went, stumbling, bumbling, falling down occasionally -- rising to go at it again.

There is one thing though which makes me wonder, am I one of the very few who is willing to say ? "That is the way I thought, but I have changed my mind." With some of us it seems that moving a tectonic plate would be a darn sight easier than taking a second look and changing a viewpoint.

Man seems to be more resistant to change than the earth. Just thinking about the centuries old wars still being fought in the Mideast, Africa and other parts of the world. The ethnic disagreements in our own country a case in point. Will we ever accept each other as having the same rights, same schooling and same medical treatment ? Because a child's father is rich, should the poor child starve ? Because for many years I was an agnostic, am I now a wimp to say, "I believe ?"

Greed, anger, spite and perversity -- G A S P ! Will that be the epitaph on the gravestone of mankind ? Can a change in thinking, a mellowing and an acceptance and a willingness to work and play together ever happen ?

It seems to me that a thought, an idea, a tenet once in a group's mind becomes ingrown to the point that change is impossible. We don't seem to want to make room for others thoughts, beliefs and ways of living. But -- look, there is room. Room for all kinds of peaceful thought and ways of living. To my mind, the things we do not have room for are egotistical one-upsmanship, clashing of wills and discrimination which truly breeds hate and rebellion. The many things we don't have room for look to me to be all the mean, evil, bluenosed, one way and that is MY way activities, they are all aboil, roiling, steaming, burning and nauseating to peaceful people.

Will what I say, what I think effect a change ? Yeah, right !

But it would be so wonderful, miraculous if all the hard heads -- leaders and peons -- would get together and decide that they have changed their minds and want to have peace in the world ? It can be done, so Why Not ?

Recently I have been introduced to a man who lives in the northern part of the southeastern coastal United States who has a remarkable gift of words and artistry, tale telling and history gathering, we haven't shaken hands, physically, but have over the internet. It is worth reading a bit of his stuff, I think that there is something in there for everybody. I am sure that you will like Jaeme

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