Wildcard Wednesday - Lincoln Center Christmas Tree

Thanks to http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/12/lincoln_center_christmas_tree.php for submission of the beautiful tree at Lincoln Center for this Wildcard Wednesday.

She did submit it before Christmas, but because of the holidays I was off for a couple of Wildcard Wednesdays. Here in Miami, FL though, we are still celebrating the holidays until Three Kings Day on January 6 - despite warnings from the fire department that all of the real trees were cut too early this year (people can't figure out that Thanksgiving came early?) and are now fire hazards.

Does any other part of the country celebrate Three Kings Day, the supposed day that the three wise men finally arrived with their gifts for baby Jesus? There is a big street parade here and everything. Let me know if other areas celebrate, and as we say, Prospero Ano Nuevo!

Many Worlds, One Planet

I read a book once that changed my perspective on life, as great books are bound to do. An old, very geeky text, Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings started as a class project to retrofit ancient map fragments to actual geographical landmarks and features and determine the system of coordinates used to make the maps. It was an unlikely place to derive spiritual wisdom. But as they say, when the student is ready, the teacher will come.

While the premise of the book itself was rattling enough, that these ancient maps proved the existence of an advanced civilation who could navigate the seas with mathematical precision during the Ice Age, the part that has remained with me was the general givenness of the conclusion. Of Course They Existed, Why Wouldn't They Have?

We consider ourselves, the First World inhabitants of planet Earth in 2007, as the humans that evolved in intelligence through a building block process that eliminates the possibility of more highly advanced civilizations before us. We write off the existence of the Pyramids for example as some forgotten trick of balancing and moving heavy objects, or as something anyone could do with a large enough forced work team.

But Sea Kings pointed out that at any time in the history of the planet, there have co-existed civilizations of vastly different technological ability. Even right now, at this very moment, there exist Aborigines, Amish, tribes who know nothing of electricity, indigenous cultures who live as they have for hundreds of years, religious sects who follow beliefs that set them far apart from what is considered mainstream.

If you are reading this, you are probably comfortable with technology. But imagine, you could be alive right now, your same age, and be in an entirely different world. You could be driving a horse drawn carriage to your neighbor's house for the barn raising. You could be sleeping on a grass mat under the jungle canopy. You could never have seen television or a light bulb. You could be hunting your dinner with a spear, and not for sport.

Is it so far removed to consider the circular, rather than linear, nature of time? That history repeats itself not because we are unable to learn from our mistakes, but because another group of students is ready to enter the classroom. The lesser advanced civilizations need their opportunity to develop themselves.

Is it so hard to imagine a civilization that existed, with an apparently recorded history, that was wiped out by a geological catastrophe? Do you think they knew it was coming too?


Thanks to Andrew Edgington, this week's winner of Wildcard Wednesday photo carnival and the administrator of the excellent blog Edit Your Digital Photos, for submitting the photo at top. Andrew's blog teaches how to use Photoshop to give your photos an Old-time look, and many other tips.

Peaceful Protest

Today I have to thank sincerely Dave from Living in the Now. Had he not been my first entrant for Wildcard Wednesday, and had I not been so endebted to him for his support of RMB since our early days, I was prepared to abandon my Carnival entrants and go off on another topic entirely.

Our local paper, The Miami Herald, ran a photo today that was so haunting, so enraging to me as a parent, of a terrified little Iraqi girl who had been wounded in a mortar strike. I cannot get her eyes out of my mind, and I was on the verge of swiping Maya Allerruzo's photo and going off on a political rant.

But thanks to Dave, I was brought back to my center by his unknowingly appropriate photo to consider one of my central beliefs. I try to follow the tenet that if you truly want peace in the world, it is not enough to think about peace, not enough to wish for peace, not even enough to pray for peace. If you truly want peace, you have to be peace. You have to stand in the center of your own being, in your own place of silence, and be the peace that you would have in the world.

Parents know this in its simplest form as the count to ten rule. When your child has just trampled your last nerve, count to ten and find your own peace before responding, and answer your child with all the love and caring available at the center of your soul. Even if the answer involves a punishment, administer it from a place of peace. We've all seen it on our family level; one person, be it mom or dad or any caregiver, standing in absolute peace will dissolve the anger of the most hysterical child. One person ranting only adds to the escalation of violence.

When you consider it, isn't this season all about peace? Doesn't everyone want peace on Earth, goodwill towards men? It isn't tied to which church you attend, or don't attend, although many are able to leave behind worldly concerns and access peace in church. It isn't tied to one religion or another, and in fact religions have been invoked as reasons for most wars.

We seek the peace that passes all understanding, the peace that speaks no language and every language. For each of us it is important to take a few moments every day to connect with peace and send that peace out into the world.

I remember a story I heard about a person who had a near death experience. She had been in a horrible car accident, in the middle of rush hour, and died while waiting for help as the ensuing traffic jam prevented a quick rescue. As she floated out of her body, she could hear all of the people in the other cars, angry and upset at how delayed they were due to the accident. But then she heard one person praying for the stranger who was in the accident, praying for that stranger's family, sending love and kindness out to a total stranger.

Be that person who in the midst of the angry crowd, in the situation that ruins your schedule, in the moment that could bring out your worst, be the person who is peace.

Don't Despair Panda Bear

Sorry, this post moved to my ebook The 10 Best Stories in the Universe Written by Me. See the right sidebar to order.

Thanks!

Photo Credit: Gary M. Stolz, Washington DC Library, United States Fish and Wildlife Service Digital Library System (http://images.fws.gov, WO8465-002), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS, http://www.fws.gov), United States Department of the Interior (http://www.doi.gov), Government of the United States of America (USA)

Wildcard Wednesday Blog Carnival

During NaBloPoMo, I found so many great blogs out there. If you aren't familiar with Monkeys and Marbles or Busy Mom or Living in the Now, take a look.

But one thing I noticed is that they all have pictures, and Russian Mafia Babe does not. This is due in part to the fact that I am a lousy photographer. Also, any pictures I do manage to take remain trapped forever on my photo card, never to be uploaded.

So clearly I need help. That's why I came up with the Wildcard Wednesday idea. Any photographer, or at least anyone better than RMB, who would like to provide me with an inspiring photo for Wednesday's posts may do so through Blog Carnival.

Then I will write something inspired by the photo. Maybe fiction, maybe an essay, maybe haiku - what is it with blogs and haiku? I've read more haiku since I've been blogging than during my entire years of school. Maybe I'll try one. Then the photographer is welcome to use whatever I write on his or her blog, if so desired. One less post to write, yes? Or at least a free link and bio.

By inspiring photo, I have no idea what I mean. This is a mom blog, and I am an animal rescue advocate, so please nothing cruel or lewd. Other than that, whatever you want to send. I'll also consider graphics and anime. Be sure to include your link, short bio, and email address for credit.