"People As Moving Puzzle Pieces", a talk I, Catherine Palmer Paton, gave that rings true for US All today

Yesterday I was working to fine tune a 5 minute talk for a Toastmasters Speech Contest in which I was the only one competing. So I knew if I got through it, I had succeeded on some level. The working title I chose went from "Moving Puzzle Pieces (as we age and of our lives)" to "People As Moving Puzzle Pieces" since the vehicle for life when it comes to humanity is primarily people. Living people move about, but both the egg and sperm when alive are filled with motion and energy as well. So it's the energy in a person that enlivens an entity and creates the movement whether expressed physically through growth in form or over stages of life from in utero (or in a fertility lab or suspended in a freezer as many sperm and eggs as well as fertilized eggs or embryos are even for decades.

The miracle and mystery of how the human components and forms can be reignited with life forces is something more consideration could be given. When people are in coma or under anesthesia or maybe even under acupuncture or hypnosis or altered mind and body states, the functions of one's body can change and even 'cross threshholds' of brain activity, physical death in terms of not having a heart beat or breathing and other signs of 'death' on some level.

Yet before we say 'that's the final answer or state of being' we hear stories and many scientific studies exploring and explaining that 'people can come back to life' whether after a short time of 'flatlining' with a spontaneous restart or one aided by CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, or someone helping them breath again by giving chest compressions and breathing into their mouth with the nostrils pinched close and the head tilted back.)

Having heard the talk on youtube channel of Mitch Horowitz (author of The Occult) at the Scoville Memorial Library (with a nice summary in The Republican American by Ruth Epstein) about the Burnt Over District.along Route 20 from Albany to Rochester NY,many spiritual and medium movements began in the the 1850s in America in settlements formed on land that the Iriquois had inhabited historically.

The realm of the psychic abilities of people to connect with other realms of nature, other people and spiritual guides and forces was a huge movement of 'mind over matter' and breaking bonds with a sense of having only set ideas about deities and ways to connect with divine wisdom and blessings (and avoid curses and poor health and climate etc.)

The Values of Belonging by Carol Flinders explores how people from ancient times moving from nomadic tribes to more established agriculture based communities reshaped that values of sharing and caring about one another and nature to 'owning land and resources and looking at people as workers and establishing property rights and hierarchies."

To revisit and reclaim the values of sharing natural resources and finding ways to live amicably and with a shared sense of purpose to survive and thrive together as larger groups is a theme the is emerging from the realms of permaculture and many movements around the world. With the oceans rising (news flash...one of the many consequences of climate change, the planet warming and melting icebergs and burning fossil fuels as well as cutting down the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil as well as clearing other forests 'the trees being the lungs of the planet" and consuming great amounts of meat (from cattle, pigs and so forth which create methane from their manure in the process.)

All of that needs 'tending to' in a big way by most of the planet, not just a few leaders in each country hoping that word will spread and people will 'choose accordingly.' The takeover of Austalia and many other continents by those with extreme wealth (largely inherited from centuries of slavery and economic and therefor educational and other social barriers to achieving equal opportunties) is resulting in a small percent  of people owning most of the land on the planet. Simon Winchester's new book called Land (with a subtitle...) explores more of that theme in modern times.

So these are some of the examples and aspects of the theme of "People As Moving Puzzle Pieces" that more people could consider, like great puzzle masters, looking at one section or another, but realizing that each person, family and community as well as part of land and resources each needs to have lived and continue existing reasonably on the planet is part of the puzzle to address.

Now with our political scene in America center stage today and moving forward, we can raise our glass and hopes for more positive dialogue, problem-solving and planning for better ways for those puzzle pieces to fit together. The life raft each person needs may be unique in many ways but we all know the gist of what's required to stay afloat.

Using natural systems such as the climate in warmer parts of the world to let people live close to nature (with at least fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink and grass to walk on barefoot or with shoes even to connect with the grounding healing energies of the earth would be a good starting place. People also need positive social pods to be acknowledged and validated for their efforts in life and their visions for the present and future. Having a plan for every man, woman, child, embryo and person who crosses over to be in touch with others who can tell their basic life story, help them feel seen (which is what the Australian word Ubuntu means..

.I see you as part of the village,(that's my loose interpretation.) The way to afford staying in one's home or at least one's hometown area or with familiar people or a team to help with transitions with both older and newer people sharing the connections to helping one or more people adjust to changes, consider new opportunities, recount a life story and set of plans for oneself, those in one's care whether children or pets, relatives or friends, home or property, finances or other assets requires a lot of trust and accountability.

The values of 'doing to others what one would want done to or for oneself' can guide many an interaction. Having team support like the US President has others in leadership roles and in the Cabinet as well as Governors, City and State Leaders and many NGO (non-government organizations) and local efforts, clubs, neighborhoods, services and agencies is key to success and being connected.

Thanks to all working to make this day a memorable one of a fresh start with healing for all on every level..from the past, to the present and future... energetically then emotionally and socially as is reasonable (although realizing many are needing space and limited means of being in communication due to many factors.

Those may include legal or criminal matters, people in prisons, or in nursing homes, hospitals or hospice, other closed facilities or communities people have chosen to live in 'of their own will' and a number of other safety measures to avoid danger, or of course the COVID pandemic concerns, however one feels about that. There may be more measures taken to fine or insist on how people interact or even decide on who can be where, possibly taking measures to separate family and others who would want to be together, including children from parents.

Those are situations arising in the political and health world which have been happening in other areas, particularly custody courts in which abusive parents (generally the fathers) gain sole or shared custody of children that they have hurt or may hurt...and the protective parents (generally the mothers) are tasked with trying to comprehend the grounds for such injustice, cruelty and endangerment if not lethal consequences.

The harder protective parents fight, even at the steps of the Capitol which they have done for over a decade, the more the resistance in legal, social and even religious and local fields seek to silence the whistleblowers. Maybe this day can be an end to that era of civil war under the radar of mainstream media which has also been complicit.

Whether talk show hosts of great renown or advocates the public hears about, if they are not learning from CA Protective Parents Association and BMCC, Battered Mothers Custody Conference. they are woefully behind the times...and basically on the abuser's team. There is a huge funding stream to 'get fathers involved' ($500 Million) whereas there's not much for abused moms in every community or abused women, children or pets either.

We all can take some steps in the direction of Learning About Common Calamities, Often in plain view and find ways to form teams to address matters amicably. There are ways for more people to live sustainably and with support over one year and decade to the next. The key to making things go smoothly is in treating people kindly and encouraging all to do the same to themselves and those in their circles.

When some bullies act up, everyone could identify that as a sign of mental instability and help the person 'get some therapy' but not alone where only their version of reality is allowed to be discussed. More programs along the lines of Batterer Intervention Programs such as run by NY State and informed by Barry Goldstein, LundyBancroft.com and others would make sense. If people are trying to allow the abuser to stay in the family system or under the same roof etc, then see what David Mandel and others share on SafeandTogetherInstitute.com.

Likely every adult woman should have a private consult (maybe at her doctor's or other private consult center, even online with an anonymous website giving info and helping her assess her actual knowledge and safety about her relationships and even self-esteem, since many females 'act in' or get depressed while many males 'act out' and get angry. So one for males would make sense too and one for each other type of gender identity as well.

Children and even 'adult children of various conditions such as alcoholics but also of custody conflict, divorce etc' could be given timely online coaching and support to comprehend What Isn't Being Addressed and find safe ways to learn about what they may have experienced emotionally and mentally in terms of coping with crisis, conflict, having to be apart from one or more safe family members, having to be with an unbalanced, dangerous or difficult caregiver, siding with the abuser to cope and much more.

Consider seeing sites listed on LundyBancroft.com (and consider his book and a chapter for men on ShouldIStayOrShouldIGo.net.) After thinking through one's safety in social settings and in one's home, consider planning for the future again with affordable ways to have care if one or more people in one's family or social group requires support for ADLs (Actitivities of Daily Living) which include dressing and hygiene, eating and getting food prepared (and a way to receive food set up), transferring and mobility, etc.

Learning basic legal ways to prepare five years or more in advance to have a secure housing and caregiving situation can help one plan for managing one's home, funds and other assets with others to have resources to remain more independent and work with others to have the kind of life one desires as much as possible. Now 'it's time for the Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris!" Here's to peace on earth and good will toward all... NY Brooklyn Democrats are having live viewing party online so check that out for extra kudos all around!