Recently, I attended yoga and afterword, I felt great. Then I went out to my car and found that it had been blocked in on the driver’s side by a truck next to it. I couldn’t even open the door. I had to climb in through the passenger side. Meanwhile, I started to become angry, and thought how inconsiderate it was for the driver of the truck to block me in. The feeling of anger grew inside of me, and when I backed my car out, I decided to “teach a lesson” to the owner of the truck and bump the truck with my front bumper. When I did this, to my astonishment, nothing happened to the truck, but the left front light of my car popped out of place. I couldn’t believe it!

I had sought to punish the driver of the truck, and in doing so, I punished myself by breaking my front light. And then, it dawned on me what the Bible says about revenge. “’Vengeance is mine, I will repay’, says the Lord.” (Lev.19:18)It then occurred to me how useless of an emotion that anger really is.  It may be good if it stimulates assertiveness, but when it triggers vengeance and other malicious feelings, it does not do any good.After this little incident, I realized that there might be legitimate reasons that this person had parked so close to my car.  Perhaps they had an emergency; perhaps they didn’t notice how close they had parked; or perhaps they were in a hurry as is so typical nowadays.  Or, maybe it is true, that this individual may be an uncaring and heartless type who didn’t care that they had blocked me in.  Even if this is the case, I realized that such a person deserves a prayer from me, not a retaliation to their already disturbed personality. So, this incident taught me a valuable lesson: to think twice before allowing anger to simmer inside me. Perhaps there is a better way to handle a situation.And as for my front light, as luck would have it, my handyman had come over that afternoon and was able to put the light back in its place for $15!It’s all good… 

I like to surf the inside break, because it is less crowded and it reduces my ego. The big waves always crash on the outside break, and my ego always wants what is biggest.  However, I find when I ask myself what is really fun, the inside waves are just fine.  So, I learn from the ocean, it teaches me. Everytime I enter the water, it is a new experience.

Hello from India!  I am here for the second time in two years, and it has  been a fullfilling, satisfying trip.  I have met very interesting people from all over the world (Montreal, Sweden, Brazil), not to mention the MANY interesting Indians.  I have visited two ashrams as well as seen the place where the Buddha became enlightened.  India is a rich and varied country.  It has lots of elements of modern technology, and at the same time is mired in poverty and other signs of life which the modern world would not allow (such as pollution, litter and sewage).

Amidst the bright spots of India, there are many–foremost which come to my mind are the values of God and family.  Their culture is rich in  both of these respects.  Their religion is rooted in ancient Vedanta (the term used to describe the roots of Hinduism).  Also, there is a sublime religious tolerance here.  And family is very important.  Even the poorest of the poor seem to enjoy these two values: religion and family.

The women dress modestly wearing sari’s or other similar garments.  I find this to be appealing taste…

I love India…

Well, after 7 1/2 years of working at the law school, God finally saw it fit to make me an independent programmer.  So far, the work is hard–definitely harder than working at the law school, but I can see that it  will be a much more worthy endeavor.  After getting used to working my own hours, I will be able to schedule in other activities, hobbies and past-times which I enjoy doing.

A few thoughts about days of the week: 

• Monday: Keep It Simple Monday
• Tuesday: Easy Does It Tuesday
• Wednesday: Gratitude Wednesday
• Thursday: Serve Others Thursday
• Friday: Have Fun Friday

Saturday and Sunday are off!

During my trip to India,  I had picked up some sort of bug in New Dehli (which is hectic to say the least), and I could feel it coming on strong as I boarded the 5 hour ride to Rishikesh.  Knowing that I had only 24 hours to enjoy the experience in Rishikesh, I really did not want to go through it vomiting with fever, etc.  So, I consciously affirmed with my eyes closed the whole way in the seat, that I would resist the bug.  I denied the food that was offered to me by the porter, and drank just water.  I believe I may have sweated, but when the train pulled into the station, I knew that the bug had not gotten the better of me!  My “mind over matter” experiment had worked, and I was able to enjoy the next 20 hours or so in a reasonabe state of health…

It feels like the axe is coming down.  I will know shortly–in around 20 minutes.  Having this feeling reminds me of the need for me to have faith.  I do not know what is in store for me.  I cannot control the minds or opinions of other people. 

I have been around long enough, in fact I am 44 years of age today, that I know that the good life requires faith.  Faith is about believing that I have enough, no matter how much the evidence may seem to the contrary.  It reminds me of children,  who I like to work with.  They have implicit faith.  If you were to explain faith to them, and then ask them if they had it, they would look you funny in the eye and let out a belly laugh.  Of course, they have it!  Without it, how could they survive?  They are at the tender mercy of the adult world.  They  know faith.

I think the greater question than whether faith is necessary or not, is how to react or respond to what life deals us.  Isn’t that the great message of so many of our American movies?  For example, in It’s a Beautiful Life, the hero transforms his circumstances of being a prisoner of a Nazi Concentration Camp, and tells his son that this is a big adventure.  He tells him this to his dying moment, at which point the son sees that it is truly an adventure.

 That is the purpose of faith. Without it, life is meaningless.  With it, life is meaningful.  How we translate our interpretation of the events of our life by faith, and thus ascribe meaning to them, is the goal I think of existence.  It may be called the dance, the play, the song, the whatever.

 Today I have faith.  Tomorrow I will have faith.  This is the logic and the mantra which gets me through to the other side, when I can say emphatically, “this is the meaning of such a course of events.”

It is about the diamond trade in war-torn regions of Africa.  It features Leonardo DiCaprio.  It is a moving film which has caused me to stop and think every time I see the big rock on a finger.

This moving was well done, educational, moving.

I don’t want to politically preach, but if you like captivating movies, which bring you to tears, then see this one.  And since it is a based on truth, it may have a lasting effect on you, as it did on me.

Here is a link for more info: http://www.blooddiamondaction.org/

this post is from Natalie, age 8, in California.

i liked western ireland because it was out in the country, and we had our own farmhouse with sheep and a donkey named Bill.  when you looked out, all you saw was grass going on and on.  every single day it rained, so it was useful if you brought a umbrella.  and if you looked south, you saw the ocean.

Once again, I got to visit the Grand Canyon.  This amazing natural structure hewed out of the earth is really a wonder of the world.  On my first visit there, last year in 2006, I was amazed, and now have already returned, albeit for one day in early January, 2008.

Below are the extensive photos I took while there the first time.  The airplane shots are from when we rode on a small plane over the Canyon.   It was quite an experience!  At first, we were a bit scared, as the plane rocked back and forth from the wind, but soon we forgot about our predicament, and enjoyed the ride!

http://www.tomracanelli.com/personal/travel/GrandCanyon-2006/index.htm

The Grand Canyon amazes me more than I thought it would.  First of all, it is so old!  I don’t know exactly, but somewhere in the neighborhood of…millions…maybe even hundreds of millions, years old.  And you can see the different color rock layers which represent different epochs of time.

Secondly, it is so immense.  I think it is at least one mile deep and seven to eight miles across.  And, once again this is only a guess, but somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 miles around its perimeter.

Here is a Wiki link to demolish my pseudo-facts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon

 Lastly, it is so beautiful and silent.  When I hike down, even just for one half an hour (and when other people do not hike by talking, I am amazed at the utter silence it exudes.  It almost has a ’silent hum’ to it.  And it is beautiful.  The colors and shapes and enormity make it  a pleasure to stare and gawk at.

If you live in S. California and have not yet visited this place, do yourself a favor and plan  a trip. It is only a 7 - 8 hour ride from there, and it is worth it!