Enjoyed My 52nd Birthday (and 2nd year of this blog) on this Lovely 14th of May 2015 with Gifts from the Divine (and Y'All) in NYC! "Many Thanks!!"

With a conference to attend, I braved getting myself on the Metro-North to the Big Apple (where people live Applely-Ever-After in their own a-maze-sing ways in the subways--shout out to my new wheelchair-bound friend who needs good housing for the winter. Please comment here on how we can work together this awesome fellow whose got spinal stenosis and sang to me and others the John Denver song one friend in their 20s didn't recall ever hearing, '"Sunshine on my shoulder, makes me happy..."

That was on May13th, a birthday day for one friend who I got to visit with a few days earlier. He was beginning his travels back to Texas after doing very well in college with such effort I had to remind him that he was turning 20 in a few days! He and his mom got safely back home from the MA/NY CT area in time to celebrate ( dodging tornadoes timewise and not facing flash flooding in the Dallas area as much as other parts of TX. Still their lakes are filled to the brim which used to be very low.)

Back in NYC for me: I made it to my friendly Brooklyn destination and got to see some of my favorite people (smart activist types who each teach me things a city visitor should know by setting mahvelous examples of living life fully.)

 I ventured around Times Square and then down to the 9-11 Memorial for my spring time visit to Humanattan (see other post which promotes renaming Manhattan to reflect its many inhabitants, movers, shakers and baby-makers so think Womanhattan, Kidhattan, Babyhattan, Critterhattan and Planthattan, Waterhattan and Much More--yes even Carhattan, Buildinghattan, Movementhattan--as in motion but also ClimateChangehattan and Falun Gonghattan--which tomorrow on 5-15-15 will make its peaceful vibe contribution with 10 thousand practitioners from around the world gathering at Noon at the UN for a couple of hours of a parade.

Yours truly just got invited by one of the many gentle people who value 'truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance' and practice meditation daily. Easy to learn and free to attend the event or other programs such as through falundafa.org (another name for falun gong) or at #free2meditate.org)

I'm busy at a conference now, but want to mention some ideas for the 9-11 Memorial Area..which is stunning  in its unique 'twisted' look to capture the essence of two buildings in one. Thsingular tower is reflected in the othe buildings,one in particular. Soothing sounds of the reflecting pool I saw (one of two on the site) emanated from the cascading gentle water falls  on all four walls with the names of victims inscribed on the two foot wide edge of the wall that wraps around the pool. I happened to find the name of a young man from our area,James Gadiel of Kent CT, a place which connects in part with a person who was saved by my son--who lost his life doing so. I'd like to think James was saying a hello to me and our area with that chance connection. I was reminded too that one person on the plane that hit the Windows on the World restaurant was headed out to CA to see his sweetheart. His good friend was working in the restaurant and died in that tragedy.

The many unforeseen ways our lives intersect is one that may be 'just coincidence' but the meaning of our shared life experiences in terms of the profound meanings that they contain, however it speaks to each of us and whatever is perhaps in the Akashic records or quantum field of energy and information which undergirds our life and planet experience could be acknowledged and explored. People such as Edgar Cayce, Rudolf Steiner, and many others, including some psychics and mediums, spiritual people who interpret dreams or messages (and even written words and messages such as the Torah, Bible with insight into the Bible Code and much more indicate we've likely just scratched the surface of what our existence in human form means). We really likely have many more questions than answers about the nature of 'reality' and our own human experience and being. But back to NYC and that time since I'm adding this a few weeks later from back in the country...

The connections and patterns of being able to share a life of community through the good times and the more challenging ones was making me 'feel my coordinates' there at Ground Zero. Maybe we each have stories beneath the surfface, or those more in the headlines (or the court houses, countries or faiths where persecution leaves a cruel too often widepread streak not only as a tragedy but as a wake up call and warning.

There are no inherently 'fail-proof' ultimately safe places on earth. Even friends or strangers can find themselves in situations calling for more thoughtful interaction rather than recklessness or allowing violence to flourish (sadly as it has against 60 thousand Falun Dafa folks who have been sacrificed for their organs by oppressive governments if not killed outright for being deemed a threat.) The Native peoples of US-All in every country of the world have too often had to beg and compromise if not die at the hands of those with military might. 

When enjoying New York City in modern times, particularly during the day, the overall cooperation and sophistication seems to trump the shortcomings and violations any person or group may cook up. 

People create a container of civility with some simple healing and helpful personal interactions along the way to remind each other of our humanity. Most folks would ask where I was from if we spoke for a few minutes, realizing maybe by my light baggage but also curious and unhurried manner I was here to visit. One fellow runs a deli out of a shoebox type of space..everything handy, with low prices for breakfast and lunch sandwiches.

He works hard and is grateful for what he has and gives his tips to his boys. I felt happy to contribute as I was wearing a T-shirt I recently received that had been made shortly after our teen son Kaelan's passing (see other posts) on June 16, 2009. I like to think of how Kaelan would enjoy the city, likely being the kind of young man to go out of his way to help someone and give them good directions.

Such was my luck when I wanted to head back after having time to see folks around the  9-11 site and getting my picture taken by someone who said I could pay the gesture forward instead of give him something for e-mailing my the photo (which included me holding a small poster of Kaelan with a message to help others and ask for help as needed. I'll share more of that in another post. I told a young security fellow about Kaelan and shook his hand, feeling 'that could have been Kaelan' standing at the ready.

There were extra security people at Penn Station after the recent train accident which I just learned likely was caused by an unbalanced driver.

I also heard on the news that a father 'spaced out' (though his term was 'went on auto pilot') and left his one year old asleep in his SUV at the MA train stop. That was likely a horrific but important warning to all people to doublecheck their cars, literally stick their heads in the car and LOOK Closely to what is in the back seat and put a 'Child Reminder' toy, mesage or even phone message (and maybe plan to have a call system from a friend or family member if one is at all prone to forgetting or is under stress, etc about important times, pick-ups and drop-offs.) I frequently called a person or two to let them know where I was in the city and that I made it to my final destination.

Pilots in training have to plan their routes wherever they go and I think their times (and maybe check in). I forget the details but after hearing of a woman once lose control of her car after driving on sand on the edge of the road, and rolling down a hill in the car --which sadly ended her mother's life-- I have thought it makes sense to let someone know where you are going and when you expect to get there (and via which road as may be reasonable).

That challenge was back in the 1960s with the woman and her mom having that accident (just after she had graduated from college and planning to let her mom leave a difficult situation as they journeyed back north from the South of the US). Another fellow I know was stranded for a day or so after his desert adventure went awry when his jeep flipped and landed him with some serious medical challenges.

A blanket came in handy I think he told me to keep him warm at night and shaded during the day from hot sun. But back to NYC, where the roads are filled with some amazingly skillful bus drivers (thankfully), taxi cabs, cars, trucks and you-name-its. One woman actually Almost got 'deep-6'd' by crossing through moving traffic.Thankfully, a taxi driver slammed on his brakes (just in the nickel of time) did NOT run her over to her relief and mine as I was sitting on a bench outsife of Macy's enjoying my homemade turkey sandwich.

No human sandwiches that day in front of Macy's, 'just turkey'...yet let's all be a little smarter than our Thanksgiving bird (unless we go veggie which maybe with the Cowspiracy documentary pointing out vegetarianism may be a neccessitarianism for US-All so we can live and breathe longer than if we keep on the meat-madness diet most industrialized countries insist on for profits.

While the debate continues over whether meat is needed or desirable for development and health, there's been far too much waste. There's an overconsumption by people (too many at the mercy of media and fast food crime-like frenzy feeding such as in Supersize It documentary) and an a huge enviromental cost to the LIMITED resources of land and water that we have on plan-it earth (or heart for those who like to think of the many beating hearts drumming in all people, mammals and many other animals.)

One hard-won lesson most people couldn't be paid a lot to try, this one woman did likely 'without thinking for an extra moment' (rather like the man with the one-track mind to be on time and not take a moment to Review, Rest his Mind and Respect Others--in this case his own child and family members with a better plan. Let's not have more tragedies of the preventable nature just happen because the Plan is not in place (that failing to plan means planning to fail sometimes..as the saying goes).

Walking around the outside of one's car Before getting in it and After getting out could be a mini-meditation time but also a time to LOOK Inside even after the first look when leaving, particularly when the weather is warming up,colder or when one is leaving the car for more than a few minutes. Of course, all of the precautions for kids should be used as well for elderly, pets or others who may not be able to get out or a car if needed. I readily acknowledge I am a country mouse in the city, so need to review all of these points even as I share them. Likely you could all add a few to fine tune your own self-care and safety plans.

Arriving early to an event allowed me a whole day to explore NYC and has built my confidence after a few visits exponentially. I have to pace myself (particularly all the hustle in some subways to go a few blocks and to other levels). But the noise does not seem as intense, the people are clearly 'all going about their business' and have a field of knowledge which they seem to allow others to tune into readily.

'Go with the flow' has a new meaning in terms of the major numbers of people planning to live reasonably (and yes, fully) in concert with others topped off with some cool, kind competence that makes me want to break out into a happy dance sometimes (which I did briefly at an outdoor mini-celebration by Macy's when I was here back in Decembah when someone was playing music and I think collecting for Sal's (Salvation Army). 

Spring is coming through with lots of inspiration (and some perspiration) for those braving the big world whether in city or out amidst their more natural settings in gardens, taking hikes (such as Brenda and her beau from graduate school days a few decades back who I met early on and learned they were off to hike in Scotland and Ireland--after lives of teaching at high school and college). How cool is that? They are meeting friends from their Southern homestate for the first leg of the journey.

Why not shake a leg and venture out and about your neighborhood (and do tick checks if there's any chance of those little critters finding you which can happen in a wink especially when kneeling on the earth --okay to pat ol' pacha mama and feel some gratitude for the divine blessing of life that pulsates throughout our planet, nature and beings. On that humble, happy note, I'll bid you all a "happy birthnight" goodnight!