natural improvements

Poems, Parables

and Practical Principles

Natural Improvements

a friends of light

production 2023

all wisdom reserved

the last meal we had before we were born…

was an apple.

***********

All change starts from within,

lest it tries to come from the outside and gets 

rejected.

Caterpillars spend their entire lives consuming every leafy thing around them. Their single purpose in life is to “glutton-ize” every photosynthesized leaf-steak in sight. 

Eat. Eat. Eat. 

This purpose overrides everything else the caterpillar can do - no matter what it’s told. In fact, even if the caterpillar had the chance to stop and smell the roses, it couldn’t. 

Then one day (a day I’m sure it didn’t plan for) the caterpillar built a home around itself and hung it from a branch. As it hung, it started contemplating its existence. Never before had it even the opportunity to stop and think about what it is, let alone what it’s doing. Strangely enough, the caterpillar wasn’t hungry anymore and quite satisfyingly stayed inside its home. 

Slowly, the caterpillar noticed that it was changing as it began to think more and more about itself. Then one day, for whatever natural reason, the caterpillar decided to step out of its home and take a good look around. So naturally, it took a step forward and noticed that it was effortlessly floating above the ground. Wait, caterpillars can’t fly! 

No, but butterflies can.

**********

Nature is the Law of God... and it is always true and extremely consistent.

On any national weather map, at various points, you'll see L's and H's and a bunch of curved lines with symbols all over them.  (The lines aren't as important as the L's and H's.)  Those letters stand for Low's and High's, respectively.  They refer to the barometric pressure of those areas.  High pressure, Low pressure.  Well, Nature in Her infinite wisdom always likes things balanced, so She sends some of the High pressure to the Low pressure area to help create this balance.

And how does this happen?  Wind.  Too much pressure goes to where there's not enough.  And where there are extreme Lows, there are extreme winds. 

Let’s review. Wind doesn’t move to the High pressure, it moves from it; only those places that have “created” Low pressure, receive the winds of balance; and the greater the Low, the faster the wind.

In other words…

Want something? Got space?

Natural truths (like this one) exist for our benefit.  And they are all around us, hidden in plain view.

So simple, yet so powerful.

**********

Nature is the way God intended, or else it would be sone other way.

There once were three neighbor potato farmers who did everything exactly the same. They planted at the same time, in the same way. They harvested at the same time, in the same way. They even took their potatoes to the same Processing Center – in the same way. 

And this Center (located about 40 miles away) requires that all incoming trucks be loaded in a specific way – largest potatoes on top, medium sized ones in the middle and the smallest ones on the bottom. Because in the potato market, the less work the Processor has to do, the more money the farmer makes. So each day, the farmers would gather and inspect their potatoes to determine their correct size, then studiously stack and organize them on their trucks according to The Center’s strict standards. Then they would all drive the 40 miles down the highway to The Center, being very careful to not upset their efforts.

Then came this other farmer.

And this farmer didn’t do everything exactly like the others (he was new to the area and so were his ways), which made the other farmers rather suspicious. They began grumbling amongst each other saying, “Things have always been done this way in this valley and no other way than ours is going to work. He will fail.” 

Although they may have appeared confidently curious, fear also resided in their thoughts. So each day, the three farmers would collaborate and send one of their workers to spy on this newcomer and then report his findings at the end of the day. 

Interestingly, each day the spy reported that the newcomer spent no time arranging his potatoes, he just tossed them on the truck and proceeded out. “He will certainly fail.” They mumbled. 

One day, they all happened to meet up at The Processing Center at the same time (with the newcomer getting there first, which he regularly did). As they all waited for the gates to open, their normal routine dictated that they stop and check their loads before entering The Center, because any potato that’s out of place will surely cost them money. 

So, every farmer stopped, got out and checked their load – that is, they all did, but one. He greeted The Processor with a smile and happily drove right through the checkpoint into the plant, where he received full value for his load. 

This really angered the other farmers. “Why does he get special treatment? We’ve been doing this for generations because it’s the law and yet, this newcomer gets to go right through?” 

All the farmers in unison approached The Processor and yelled, “Why does he get special treatment? You have always forced us to follow your rules, yet you let this newcomer in so readily. Then pay him full value when he has done NO preparation! It’s wrong and you need to make it right!” By now their anger had fomented into rage and they were about ready to do some serious damage when The Processor screamed for them to calm down.

“Please! Please calm yourselves and give me a chance to explain. Yes we have rules, the largest on top and the smallest on the bottom. Anything out of place will be deducted. This man has not violated that rule, nor have I waived it. This newcomer watched how you do things before he purchased his farm, this he told me. He saw how you were very disciplined and regimented in getting those potatoes absolutely perfect before coming to me. He also noticed that because of the few narrow curves and bumps that exist on the smooth highway, only some minor fixing was needed before passing through my gate. He watched your meticulousness to detail and organization. About how you grow your potatoes? He had nothing to say. But how you got them to me, this was the difference.” 

The Processor continued, “You see, this newcomer recognized that the smooth highway is not the only route to get to me, there is another. This man studied it and recognized that it is not only a much shorter route than the long, but popular highway; it also has some natural attributes about it that could help him out. So, he decided to take that other road, the same one that you all pass by every day. It is the one that is very rough and rugged. Yes, the terrain at times is treacherous and requires slow moving, but by the time he gets here, all that jiggling around has automatically separated the potatoes into exactly what we require – largest on top, medium-sized ones in the middle and the smallest on the bottom.” The Processor grinned, as he looked over the once angry faces. 

“By taking this other road, he realized that he did not have to spend his time preparing for something that would be done for him, naturally. He also recognized that everything he needed was already with him in the truck and the only other thing he required, was to have faith and trust that the natural way of things would sort everything out.”

There once were four neighbor potato farmers who did everything exactly the same… 

**********

Sometimes things in life just naturally deserve a second look.

One day, a cat decided that it was going to take advantage of a spot that it’s wanted to perch at for a very long time – on the wood burning kitchen stove, right next to the window overlooking the beautiful meadow full of birds. For whatever reason, today was going to be the day. 

Well, when the cat got its courage aligned with its curiosity, it leaped up on top. At that instant, for a reason unknown to the cat, its paws began to sizzle. YEOW! The cat never jumped so far, so fast in its life. 

After a time of needed healing and rest, the cat wandered back into the kitchen and was thankful that it remembered its pain and that it would never do that again. So it went over to the comfort of the familiar corner and sprawled out. Ah, peace. 

Some would say that the cat was smart to learn from its lessons. Others would say that the stove isn’t always hot and taking the risk at another time might actually give it the view that it’s always been looking for – without getting burned.

**********

Just because a thing is very small, doesn't make it irrelevant.

Ants are the busiest creatures on Earth. It always seems that they’re scurrying around, looking for something to take back to the nest. 

Ants don’t have any eyes and have to totally rely on the touch sense (through antennae) to get anywhere. 

Ants operate under a single purpose - provide for the nest - and live their lives blindly going in every direction trying to fulfill it. 

***********

Without opposites in Nature, how could we ever come to appreciate sweetness?

The Yin/Yang symbol has one very striking attribute – that of opposing energies (i.e. black and white) co-existing within the circle of life… and within the energies themselves.

In other words,

We could not completely know white, 

without its opposite to show us what it is not;

One could not relate to the other, 

unless the other was a part of the whole;

The fact that opposites exist is neither good nor bad – 

it just is.

Now look to see within the sea of white, there exists a speck of black.

And as far as life goes in this world of the relative…

I’m afraid there’s just no avoiding that.

**********

Sometimes, Nature can be a real pain in the "you-know-what."

Imagine, one fine day, sitting out in a beautiful meadow. It’s a lovely day, no cares – no worries. The sun drifts in and out of carefree clouds sparsely dotting the sky. Birds are chirping and playing like giddy schoolchildren. A cow munches nearby on some tall weeds. A warm breeze wafts through your long flowing hair. (A good visualization for those who are “follicle-ly challenged.”)

Then there’s that so-distinctive-high-pitched-hum by the left ear. Oh no, of all things, a mosquito is nearby! So much for the no caring and no worrying.

After being jolted from your “Calgon moment” and being forced into the here and now, you almost immediately notice that the mosquito is in dire straits. If it doesn’t get something to eat soon, it will die.

But… mosquitoes carry all sorts of undesirable things, like malaria and that west-of-the-nile issue and other virus’ that can alter DNA. (Hmm, is that only bad?). And besides all that, it’s YOUR BLOOD that this critter is asking for – not someone else’s, which it could easily be led to suck.

Now, do you save the mosquito or not? In other words, will you allow this creation of God, whose nature it is to suck off you, to live again with good health (that is, until it needs to suck again)? 

Or will you say, “No.” (Knowing full well the mosquito is going to die), and deny the mosquito the tiny bit of sustenance it needs to survive another day?

For those who say, “Yes.” Scratch away. 

For those who say, “HELL NO, LET IT DIE!” Are you then responsible for its death? 

Or in more specific terms, did your lack of sacrificing yourself kill it?

Or perhaps the only question that really matters here is, “Will the mosquito be remembered and missed?”

By the way, the answer is “No.” You didn’t kill it. You’re not even responsible for its death. You were just its last, best hope.

**********

Is there more to life than just monkey see, monkey do?

(I must say, I cannot take credit for this. One day, while channel surfing, I came across our PBS station, which was showing a kid’s program. What attracted my attention were the colorful clothes this African gentleman was wearing. Then I heard him tell this story… - paraphrased.)

There was this tribe, it lived in the jungle and stored its food in gourds, which were hung from the tree branches.  Lately however, monkeys were coming in the dead of night to steal the food from the gourds.  This made the villagers quite angry and very frustrated. They tried to catch the monkeys, but the monkeys were just too darn fast.

That is, until one morning, when a certain villager awoke with an epiphany.  So, he went and appropriated a specific gourd from the garden and began cutting out the hole in the top.  As he scooped out the guts, his fellow tribesman ridiculed him.  "We already know it is the monkeys who are stealing our food.  What good will making another storage gourd do?"

The certain man was unaffected.  He finished making his food storage device and then placed some rather large chunks of food inside. Then he secured it with a rope halfway up a nearby tree.  "There, that should do it."

His fellow villagers spent that day shaking their heads every time they walked by that tree and looked up.

Well, darkness came and everyone fell asleep, not giving another thought to that silly gourd.  Then, in early, early morning a shriek was heard coming from the trees.  A monkey had come by to steal a little breakfast, but found itself trapped inside the gourd, which was secured to the tree.

All the villagers quickly scurried out of their huts to see what was happening.  The certain man knew and he grabbed a rather large club.  

And what was the epiphany that this certain villager had, which made him see the light and resulted in him making this trap?  That the size of a hand is ALWAYS LARGER when it's holding onto something.  Therefore, he cut the opening in the gourd only big enough for the oversized chunks of food or the hand - BUT NOT BOTH. He called it a “sucker trap.”

So now, we have a monkey, stuck in a gourd with its hand full of food, that it absolutely refuses to release.  If it were to release the food, it could safely run away to steal another day.  But this day, this monkey acted just like a monkey.  You see, monkeys DON'T let go, they hang on.  And as this monkey held on tighter and tighter, it witnessed its own demise, its own death, coming its way.  And when that certain man swung that club, the deed was done. 

That monkey actually thought that what it was holding onto was more important than its own life. And the villagers were awestruck and never ridiculed that certain man again.

----------- end of story -----------

And the lesson possibly learned by the other monkeys watching from afar?  That the only way out of a sucker trap is to let go of whatever it is that’s being held onto that's bringing death - that’s bringing great stress.

The man with the club is coming.  It may be time to let go. Unless of course, whatever is being held onto is more important than your life. Sucker.

Thanks, PBS.

***********

It is the natural, reflective nature of mirrors that allows us to see ourselves as we really are.

There once was a boy who was born with a very special talent. This boy could mirror people back to themselves in a most personal and intimate way. This boy was kind and helpful and understood that it was good to bring smiles to peoples’ faces – because so many were busy making frowns.

Each time this boy was kind, the people, in turn, became kind. And when THEY became kind, he mirrored that feeling of a serotonin overdose back to them and then they REALLY felt good. The people in this very small town, in this very rural countryside knew that it was ALWAYS in their best interest to act kind and courteous around this boy – for they got it back in spades… and over time, they naturally came to just do it. 

Well, one day this happy, joyous reflecting boy decided to leave this rural place and go into the Big City. It was time for new experiences. The entire town showed up to send him off. The feelings felt that day will reverberate in eternity. Everyone cried.

So off he went, looking to experience what could be experienced. He had one of his friends take him to the bus depot – about 25 miles away. There, he waved goodbye to his dear friend and jumped on a bus bound for the Big City with high expectations and visions.

While on the bus, he saw many new people. He noticed the different clothes and languages. But, he did notice that most folks did have one thing in common – the frowns on their faces. It seemed nearly everyone was preoccupied with their own dramas, and not paying a lick of attention to the beautiful scenery or even the few friendly faces.

One man got up to walk back to the bathroom and tripped and landed on the boy. “Damn it!” He picked himself up and kept going. He didn’t even apologize for spilling his soda on the boy. This, the boy wasn’t used to. And the reflection he sent out was definitely felt by the man. Because by the time he got to the bathroom he had fallen down two more times yelling even louder - becoming even more obnoxious. The people he passed by also felt this obnoxiousness and didn’t like it at all. Then, just about everyone he passed by avoided him like he was a disease that no one wanted to catch.

Within a matter of minutes, everyone on the bus started shouting at each other, saying hateful things. The bus driver had to pull over and scream at the top of his lungs to get everyone to shut up. “What on Earth is going on here?! WHAT THE HELL’S YOUR PEOPLE’S PROBLEM?!”

Then in a most dumbfounded way, everyone realized that they couldn’t figure out why they were acting that way. “Why, I don’t know.” A very perplexed older man offered.

The driver sat back down and proceeded to get back on route. The boy, having witnessed this, knew HE was the cause of it. ‘Wow, I can’t let that happen again.’ The boy then moved one seat over to the window and put his jacket in the seat he just vacated. The only vibe he could put out was “Leave me alone.”

Then there was total silence on the bus for the rest of the trip. The bus driver became eerily aware of this and knew it was getting really close to Miller time – ahem, shift change.

As they pulled into the Big City Bus Terminal, the boy awoke from a great dream. It seemed to create a great smile on his face in anticipation of the new experiences, which lay before him. Suddenly the whole bus lit up with this great feeling. Everyone seemed to come alive with smiles and laughter. The bus driver was the first one off – you know where he was going.

The boy then got off the bus and with great wonder and amazement went forth into the Big City to experience what could be experienced. He met some very nice and courteous people along the way, who instantly felt those feelings that they hadn’t felt since moving to the city. Everyone said this boy was “a breath of fresh air.”

Then the boy heard of a peaceful rally happening a few blocks over. Apparently, people were marching to protest the jobs being lost over recently passed laws with other countries. “Hey,” he thought out loud, “There might be a lot of really nice, peaceful people there that I can get to meet. I don’t think we should lose jobs, either.” He told the informing stranger and off he went.

Within no time he found himself literally in the middle of hundreds and hundreds of people marching peacefully. Some were carrying banners, while others were chanting things. “This is pretty cool.” The boy was happy he came.

As the boy marched, he noticed how BIG everything is. I mean heck, he’s marching on a 6-lane paved highway – they didn’t even have pavement where he came from. He marveled at the size of the buildings, how high they were; how the glass and steel worked together to make such marvels; and alas, how there was no grass.

Suddenly a tear gas canister went off to his left and people began scattering. Many police officers could be seen beating on people and throwing them to the ground. People were being shot with beanbags and rubber bullets. The boy saw an elderly couple fall to the ground; one of them had apparently taken a blow to the temple and was bleeding profusely. The boy stood in horror as he watched this nightmare unfold.

Then he found himself all alone… and angry- angry in such a way, as he had never felt before. Now realize, he’d never before felt what was generated on that bus trip, so you can only imagine how unhappy this boy is feeling now.

“Get down!” A man dressed in military gear and bulletproof clothes attempted to shove the boy to the ground. The boy didn’t budge. This did not set well with the boy or Mr. Cop. So, he yelled again, “Get down now or I will be forced to make you!” 

“No.” The boy remained perfectly still with a look of determination that was, well, determined.

The law enforcement officer then pulled out his taser gun and shot the boy. The boy didn’t budge. The police officer however, immediately went down in excruciating pain. And within a moment, the cop was knocked out completely.

Other police officers saw what happened and immediately saw this boy as a major threat. “Get down!!! Get down now!!!” They yelled at the top of their lungs (from a distance).

“No.”

The police officers then opened fire on the boy. And one by one each officer was knocked unconscious. One of the injured policemen radioed for help from the nearby precinct. Many, many cops showed up in no time - all decked out to the hilt – like they were ready for war. (Bullet proof, bomb proof, legal proof…you get the idea.) The leader yelled through a bullhorn, “This is the police. You are under arrest, get down on the ground. Now! Or we will open fire.”

“No.” The boy stood firm, like the Rock of Gibraltar.

Right then, about fifty police officers opened fire with automatic weapons. It took about 15 seconds for them to die. All of them.

A latecomer cop saw what happened and called Big City Hall. “You gotta’ get everyone down here. We have a terrorist that’s killing all our men!”

Within minutes, helicopters with sharp shooters hanging out of them, armored vehicles with dozens of the same and countless numbers of cars filled with cops showed up - all drawing their weapons and laying a bead on the boy. And now we’re talkin’ about hundreds and hundreds of law enforcement officers here. “GET DOWN NOW or we’ll be forced to open fire!”

“No.” The boy crossed his arms and shook his head in disgust.

Within minutes, every law enforcement officer was dead. The gunfire lasted as long as it took for each officer (or vehicle he was in) to hit its target. Then it was over.

The smoke cleared and to everyone’s amazement the boy was still standing in the middle of this 6-lane highway, totally unaffected.

Well, by now this was all on TV. Everyone in the Big City, as well as around the whole country, was witnessing what was going on. It was absolutely bewildering to see all this gunfire and explosions doing nothing, except acting like boomerangs. The moment the bullet touched the boy – it turned and hit the cop who shot it. Miraculously, it didn’t do anything to the boy. And since most cops on the scene were sharpshooters, it only took one shot to do themselves in. All of themselves in.

“Get the National Guard!” The mayor frantically screamed to his workers. “Get somebody in here who’ll kill this son-of-a-bitch!”

Then came the tanks and bazookas and flamethrowers and more automatic weapons and bigger bullets and bombs. The explosions took out most of the lower-level windows in the surrounding blocks. Pieces of metal and chards of glass were being hurled everywhere without mercy. Innocent people in the crowds were being cut while running for their lives.

When the smoke cleared, there was no more National Guard – well, at least not in that place. It did appear though, that the boy had sustained some minor cuts and bruises.

“GET THE MARINES!” Uhm, any more good men out there?

“GET THE ARMY!!” They’re gonna’ need a whole lot more stronger armies of one.

“GET THE AIR FORCE!!!” Each time a pilot shot a missile or dropped a bomb, it destroyed the plane, as well as a part of the base he took off from. Each pilot inevitably killed his family, friends and co-workers, as well as himself.

The mayor was completely at wit’s end. He witnessed the total destruction of every piece of military hardware and personnel (now we’re talking thousands of people) that his city, as well as country, could muster up – along with a good chunk of his city.

Right about then, in a hospital across the way, a little girl awoke from a coma that she’d been in for about a week. One afternoon she fell asleep on the couch and just didn’t wake up. Well, today she did!

As she sat up in bed, none of her family noticed, because they were all down the hall (along with everyone else), looking out their 13th story big bay window, watching what was going on with this stranger – this young boy – so far down below. So, this little girl got up, grabbed something, then walked out of the hospital and over to where the boy was standing. As she got closer and closer to the boy, her family noticed that this young girl looked just like their…. They ran to her room to see she was gone. “IT IS HER!!!”

The young boy screamed to the girl to come no closer, but she wouldn’t listen. She walked right up to him and offered him a pitcher of water that she had taken from her hospital room. She wasn’t afraid. “You must be thirsty. Here, drink from this.”

The boy’s reflections of rage and punishment immediately vanished and were transformed into serenity and peace. “Thank you, I was very, very thirsty.”

Just then, there was movement near the children by the cop previously knocked unconscious. (How he survived the onslaught, God only knows.) He’s not quite sure what happened before, but this time he is going to get his man. So, he pulled his gun and shot… the young girl right in the back.

“NO!!!!” The young boy caught the girl in his arms. “NO! This can’t be!!” Suddenly both fell into each other’s arms to their knees and looked into each other’s eyes, very, very deeply.

“You sacrificed yourself for me. You came to me with drink, when all others wanted to do me harm. I will sacrifice myself with you.”

Then, right there on that spot in the middle of a 6-lane demolition derby, the young people fell the rest of the way to the ground, closed their eyes and died. 

Then they opened their eyes and saw each other as they really are, as they are in Heaven! “Sister, why did you do that? You knew I would do what I did.” They straightened out the wrinkles.

“Dad told me to come and get you.”

“Why? What did I do? I was only reflecting back to the people what they were willing to send to me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Son?” The boy’s Father summoned him for a snack and a chat.

The boy made his way to the banquet table. “Yes, Father?”

“Son, please come sit here next to me. I want to take a good look at you, for it has been a little while since I have had the chance. Please, come.” His Father tapped on the seat of the softest chair cushion.

The boy sat down and grabbed a wafer from the table. “I love you, Father.” The boy figured he couldn’t go wrong starting out with those words.

“And I love you, too, son. Do you know of another reason why I could have called you here today, other than to see your lovely face?”

“Uh, yeah. It has to do with what just happened on Earth, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.” His Father was glad to see that he at least didn’t have to do any more work to get it out in the open. “Do you see the wrongfulness in your approach to that situation?”

“Father, I gave back what I was given. When compassion came my way, I gave it. When ugly people did ugly things to me, they got ugly back. This is the gift that you gave to me just before I was born down there. So, I used it.”

“But do you see that you could have done something else?”

“What, like do what they were screaming at me to do? Who the heck are they to talk to me and treat me that way, when I didn’t do a darn thing to them? Look at all the innocent people they hurt… all in the name of what?! C’mon Dad, why on Earth would I take the time out to do ANYTHING ELSE, but do unto them what they were trying to do unto me?” The boy seemed genuinely perplexed. “I mean” (Big pause.) that is the nature of humans, right?”
 

His Father was slightly disheartened that his son had yet to understand. “You sent many, many children Home today.”

“They did it to themselves. All they had to do was be adult and treat me with a little respect. All they had to do was show a hint of compassion. All they needed to say was, “Hey, kid, terrorists are planning to blow this place up, and I need to get you out of here. Let’s go.” But no, they had to be the BIG MEN ON CAMPUS, and play the role and treat ME like I was somehow the terrorist. So, I accommodated ‘em.” The boy sat in contemplation of everything he just experienced. “Gee Dad, don’t Ya’ think they NEEDED to learn that lesson about ‘ya’ get what ya’ give’?”

“You could have chosen to stop reflecting their limited-self back to them, and chosen instead, to reflect back Your Own Unlimited Glorious Self.”

“I know. But what lesson would THEY have learned? Hurt me and that’s okay? Kill me and get rewarded? After all, it was THEIR FEAR that killed ‘em – not me.”

“And what did you get for your efforts?”

“The satisfaction of knowing that I taught them the lesson that you can’t fight fire with fire, ‘cause you’ll always get burned. You have to fight fire with water. Then it’ll go out.”

“Now, are you speaking of the lesson YOU supposedly taught them? Or was that the lesson YOUR SISTER taught you?”  Father glanced over and gave his daughter a wink and a beautiful smile. 

After a good moment of pondering, the boy’s eyes opened really wide, another smile came across his face and everyone had an eternally good laugh over that one. 

**********

In Nature, what happens to the very small, also happens to the very large.

There once was a certain man who purchased for himself a beautiful new car. This car was magnificent – it had ALL the “buzzers” and “whistles.”

This man loved his car and greatly admired it. In the beginning he washed it religiously, almost to the point of holding it sacred. He initially had an almost magical bond with this vehicle. He loved it very much… and it loved him.

Well, for a rather long season, this certain man drove his car everywhere he went – even if it was just down the street to get a pint of ice cream at the corner market. He truly loved his vehicle.

However, after a while, he did notice that this car had something in it that could be used to make many other things. And there appeared to be a lot of it, for it was being stored in a rather large reservoir. What was this coveted substance that could be used to make so many other things and help out in ways that only it could help out? The engine oil, of course. And above all things, it makes for a great lubricant.

You see, this man was also attending school where he was learning about all the uses for this near-magical fluid. And oh boy, were there many! 

Now this man understood that this oil was in this reservoir for a reason and that the engine needed this oil to run right. But he also knew that the reservoir was large and besides, he was only taking out a very little bit each time. “Surely that shouldn’t make too much of a difference in the performance of the engine.” He would reason.

Over some time however, the man saw his gauges begin to register differently than at the time when he purchased his car. The temperature gauge was indicating that the engine was running hotter. The check engine light started coming on more frequently. He checked the oil manually with the dipstick, and it clearly showed that there was oil in the reservoir, but it did register slightly lower each time he checked it.

It was for a rather long time that this man did siphon out the very substance that was lubricating and cooling his engine. How does oil cool? It reduces friction. Friction generates heat.

And so, since there was less and less oil in the reservoir, the oil was returning to do its job faster than when there was more. This meant that more and more hotter oil was returning to the moving parts of the engine. Yes, it may still be getting lubricated, but the temperature is starting to rise.

Then one day, as this man was using his car to go to the grocery store, the engine began to cough, and smoke started coming out of the exhaust. It was a horrible sound and an even more horrible smell. The man noticed it most definitely, but he still denied these things and kept on driving.

As the days passed, more and more of these strange sounds and awful smells emanated from his car. He stopped washing it and holding it sacred. In fact, he now saw it as just a machine that’s needed to make his life easier. His love for his prized possession had long since fluttered away.

Now, another day came, and this man’s engine stopped - RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR! My God, the tie-up was horrendous. Everyone involved was so angry. After all, not only were they going to be late for another dinner, but it was also another very hot day, in a very long string of very hot days.

Then along came a mechanic. Just any ordinary mechanic - works well, does a good job, doesn’t rip anybody off. He parked his truck and walked over to the stressed-out crowd, making his way in between everyone to get to heart of the problem. 

The mechanic, having mechanic’d for a long time, knew what to check first – battery hookups, fluid levels… the oil… “Here’s your problem sir, your dipstick is registering an extremely low level of oil and if your engine doesn’t have enough oil, it will seize and may even throw a rod, destroying it completely. You’re lucky your engine is only in this stage of letting you know that you’re low. I got some extra back at the truck. Be right back.”

The mechanic then went to his truck and returned with a sufficient amount of oil to completely fill the car’s oil reservoir. He showed the certain man the container. “This is synthetic oil. It’s manmade oil that works great as a lubricant and coolant. And it will do just fine for your car.”

The certain man gratefully thanked this guardian angel, then started his car and drove away knowing that he never has to take out any more oil. And he also pledged to make his car look and run as great as the day he purchased it.

**********

Sometimes, we're sitting right on top of the answer we're looking for... and don't even know it.

A certain man came from a land faraway, to visit some relatives that he had been told about. He quite enjoyed his trip and marveled at all the wonders and goings on in this new place. (The relative he spent most of his time with is a distant cousin from on his dad’s side. He’s an electrical engineer who knows a thing or two about power.)

“What’s that?” The certain man pointed to some rather strange looking buildings.

“Oh, that’s a nuclear power plant. It makes electricity.”

“How?”

“Well, first we have to excavate the radioactive material from underground. Then that radioactive material is made into “rods” that are used to boil water that creates the steam needed to turn the turbines, which in turn, create the electricity.” 

The certain man seemed confused. “And how long do these radioactive rods last?”

“Oh, about 5 years or so. That is, until they become depleted.”

“That’s when they’re safe to be around?”

“Oh, no. That won’t happen for another hundred thousand years or so. Give or take a millennium.” The engineer nervously smiled. “Depleted means, they won’t boil water anymore.”

“Oh.”

Then after a little more sightseeing, the inquisitive visitor pointed to another set of rather strange looking structures. 

“Oh, they’re smokestacks. They help get all the coal smoke way up in the air so the people won’t have to breathe so much of it.”

“Coal smoke?”

“Yeh, it’s not good to breathe.”

“So, you burn this coal.” The man deduced. “And where does this coal come from?”

“Well, like the nuclear material, it too, comes from underground. We dig up thousands of tons a day. Then that coal is transported, mostly by train, to all the coal-powered plants. Then it’s burned to generate the heat that’s needed to boil the water to create the steam that’s needed to turn the turbines that create the electricity.” He seemed out of breath. That was a lot to say.

“Hmmm.” The certain man seemed even more perplexed. “Are there other power plants than those that use coal and radioactivity?”

“Yes, we also have some that use petroleum oil to burn, thus heating up the water and creating the steam that’s needed to turn the turbines, that….”

“Create the electricity.”

“Exactly. We drill for that underground, too. And we’ve even gotten so good that we can go way deep down, under the oceans, to find more. Then, of course, that crude has to be refined before it can be burned.” The engineer’s mind wandered over a wasteland of obvious secrets.

“Do you have any power plants that use any of the natural resources you have around you? Like the atmosphere or the wind or water or the sun?” This visitor was beginning to have his doubts about what he was told back home.

“Oh yeh, but they aren’t anywhere near efficient or cost effective enough for us to use on a large-scale basis. Money is pretty important.” He offered as a weak excuse. 

“Fascinating. Let me see if I have heard you correctly. Among the resources that your country uses, are materials that are deadly to everything alive. And those materials are then used to boil water to turn the turbines that create the electricity that everyone uses?” He was still in doubt of the words springing from his own lips. “And this is because other less lethal methods are just too expensive?”

“Yep, but it seems a bit silly when you put it like that.” 

The certain man felt the need to offer another perspection. “Look, since you are so fond of going below the surface of the Earth to solve your energy problems, why not consider this…?” He touched his relative on the shoulder.

“Why not drill holes down to the superheated mass of magma located just below the mantle and tap into all that superheat that would surely rise up your “heatwells” and boil the water that will create the steam that would turn your turbines and generate so much electricity that everyone could have it for free?”

The certain man paused for a moment. “And you would no longer be polluting your environment, destroying everything in the process, just to operate those things that you’ve created to allow you to see what you’re doing in the dark.”

***********

The contemplation of Nature can only lead to one outcome...

A seed requires three things to blossom into a fully mature plant.  Light. Water. Something good and Earthy to grow in.

…and it must be planted 

deep.

*********

The nature of Light is that it's bright and it brings with it a whole lot of information.

Lighthouses are embedded in bedrock. Their foundations are of the strongest on Earth. They have to be, in order to withstand the constant pounding of surf and storm.

Lighthouses are permanent (so long as they are maintained). They stay put.

Lighthouses shine a beacon of light into the darkness, so others, who may be looking for this light, may see it and then make a decision on what to do next.

The lighthouse beacon illuminates the position of the lighthouse, in relationship to the captain, who is floating around out there, somewhere in the darkness. 

With these few facts, notice what Lighthouses DO NOT do…

Lighthouses do not chase after the ship, which is floating around in the darkness (be it cause of storm or simply nighttime).

Lighthouses do not do for the Captain floating around out there. It allows the Captain to come to its own conclusions and then choose its own way from there. 

Lighthouses do not/cannot do anything physical, for anything or anyone. (Well, perhaps if you stand close enough to the lamp, it may get you very warm. And uhm, shelter from the storm is always nice.) 

Lighthouses simply shine the light into the darkness, not at the darkness. It is not standing opposing the storm, nor is it cursing it, praying that the storm go away. Lighthouses know their purpose. And if it weren’t for the darkness of the storm or of night, they would have no purpose and probably wouldn’t be needed and would never have been created in the first place.

Lighthouses perform an incredible service to those looking for the light; looking for a way to avoid hazards and danger; looking for something that they themselves cannot see in the dark, all by themselves.

Lighthouses, ya’ gotta’ love ‘em. 

**********

It may be natural to blame others, but it's still not right.

Imagine standing in a room that’s totally filled with Light and you can see the cause of that Light – it’s a Lamp in the center. Strangely enough, the Lamp is putting out tons of Light, but not an ounce of heat. As you look around, you can see the room in its entirety, and it is most beautiful. You can understand the connectedness of all things by seeing how everything affects everything – humans to Earth, humans to each other and even to the weather patterns. In one moment, your breath is taken away because of the sheer magnitude of glory you’re witnessing. Awesome. Magnificent. Beautiful.

Then you remembered what your co-worker said to you today that made you angry and you suddenly saw a tissue thrown over your Lamp. The tissue didn’t diminish the Light much, but it did diminish It. Then you realized how that stupid thought just took away your Light and you got irritated. Five more tissues were thrown over It. 

Now things are getting more shadowy, and you don’t like it. You want the room to be back to the way it was and begin to express outwardly, through words, your displeasure with what’s happening. Now a towel is thrown over your Lamp. 

Suddenly in a fit of rage, because all the beauty is fading into the shadows, you take destructive actions to lash out to show your disgust with the situation. Ten more towels are thrown on.

The Light is almost gone now. Your frustrations and anger have made It all but disappear. It is very faint, but It is still there. Now something else comes into your mind that distracts you from your own awareness and more tissues and towels are tossed on. “Stop it, stop the madness!” you cry as you fall to your knees wondering if you’ll ever see the Light again.

Then It dawns on you, of course you’ll see the Light again - It’s always there - you just have to get all that linen off It! But then another realization comes – that can’t start until the linen STOPS!

In a flash you witness that YOU were the one throwing the linen on your Lamp. You were the one diminishing its Light, through thoughts, words and deeds that didn’t REFLECT the Light – they only covered it up. So through trial and error and going through many humbling lessons, many towels have been removed, but the Light is still dim. 

Rome wasn’t built or burnt in a day, you know. “How many towels did I throw on my Lamp?” you often ask. “Many.” is the only reply.

One day, as the towels were being removed a thought came. ‘Why am I removing one towel at a time by paying penitence for each one of them, when I can do something that would remove them all at once – I CAN LOVE!’  Suddenly, all the linen flew off your Lamp and the Light never shined brighter. 

Then you realized that it was everything but love that dimmed your Light and all you had to do was stop “not loving” to bring back the Light and remove the darkness… forever. 

Now give a moment to take another look around.

**********

A painting without shadows has no depth.

In these times of uncertainty and the absolute need to illuminate a dark landscape, I wish to offer this perspection:

Have you ever noticed that when you’re standing in the dark, you have no shadow? Where did it go?

Yet, do you notice that your shadow is its darkest and most intense – WHEN YOU ARE STANDING IN THE LIGHT? …and the brighter the light, the denser, more thick, dark and definite the shadow will be?

This is no coincidence. It’s a fact of nature. In order for us to point out our shadow, we must first be standing in the light. For that is the ONLY way God will allow us to see it. There is no other way.

So therefore, know that ye are blessed for acknowledging thy shadow. For thoust be standing in the presence of The Light. It is the first step in knowing that ye be in the light.

Now notice the direction you’re looking. In order to see your shadow clearly, you must be turned around from the light, looking away from it. This is also a fact of nature that we cannot escape.

So, what do we do? What can we do to remove the shadow, to get rid of it? Nothing. Not a darn thing. For the shadow is what we cast whilst standing in the light – it is ours and we must claim it… integrate it. (It is our Spiritual Barometer – our Christed Compass.)

Do we rail against it and deny it? Do we fight it? Do we try to destroy it? Only if we wish to destroy ourselves. Only if we choose to deny Who We Are. For the only way to truly remove a shadow is to remove the object that’s standing between it and the light. And glad to say, that object is us.

Therefore, know ye are standing in the light – AND TURN THYSELF AROUND. Simple as that. The shadow will exist as long as we continue to stand in the light. That’s relativity and it’s inescapable.

It’s when we have no more shadows in our lives that we should be very concerned.

It is time to be at peace. Know your shadow as you know your light. Begin to realize which way you’re looking. Either way is neither right nor wrong, they are only choices. But if we claim to be the Light Beings that we really and truly are, then it may be time to turn around and start looking in the other direction.

All our life’s energies from this moment on, should be directed towards the light. All our acceptance and mercy should be directed towards the shadows.

Lest ye wish to be left back, looking behind. 

**********

It's when have no more shadows in our lives that we should be very concerned.

It is time to be at peace. Know your shadow as you know your light. Begin to realize which way you’re looking. Either way is neither right nor wrong, they are only choices. But if we claim to be the Light Beings that we really and truly are, then it may be time to turn around and start looking in the other direction.

All our life’s energies from this moment on, should be directed towards the light. All our acceptance and mercy should be directed towards the shadows.

Lest ye wish to be left back, looking behind. 

**********

It's when we seek the light that we finally find it.

In a time, not so long ago, in a land, not so far away, lived a people of great gladness. Each person had a roof over their head, and all had plenty to eat. Children’s laughter echoed off the distant hills and even the cats and dogs ran and played together! It was a wonderful and joyous time.

Then for a reason unbeknownst to the people, a great sickness came to visit their village. It took many forms and created many differing symptoms, but one thing was for sure, the sicknesses all had one thing in common… they only affected the children.

The adults were all so sad, because they had tried everything they could to heal their children. Doctors were called upon, as well as natural healers. Many medicines were dispensed, but none of them worked. The parents even prayed to God in their own way, begging to have their children healed.

Then one day, an Angel showed up. It was a magnificent Angel – very bright, very kind. It visited all the homes and gathered the children together into a great room. But before the Angel could visit the last child, a great cry was heard coming from a home not so far away. Not a cry of pain, but one of JOY! LAUGHTER! SINGING! What could this be? A joke? A cruel joke?

Nope, no joke. From a distance, the townspeople and their children could see a single child, dancing and singing and jumping and twirling!! It was when the child got close enough to recognize, that the townspeople couldn’t believe their own eyes. Even the children knew this boy and how sick he was. A heavenly glow came from his very being.

What made everyone gasp, was that this boy was the sickest of all the children – you see, he had cancer. And it had gotten so bad, that his folks didn’t know if they were tucking their baby in for the last time. In fact, they didn’t know if he was even going to wake up in the morning. They couldn’t sleep for the crying.

BUT NOW HE WAS WELL!! In fact, HE WAS GREAT!! Everyone wanted to know what happened. Did the Angel do it? “No. It was not Me.” Replied the Angel. “Then who… what could have done this?” They were all very, very confused – BUT THRILLED!

The child of great light then calmed down, took a deep breath and told of the dream he had the night before. “Last night, I was feeling really, really sick.” He started out. “But… I was feeling even worse for my mommy and daddy. They were always crying, and I didn’t want them to cry for me, anymore. So, I asked God for help. Then I went to sleep.”

The boy seemed to go into a trance. “All of a sudden, I saw myself looking out a window or something, at a world totally MADE OF LIGHT!! I’d never seen anything like it before! It was so bright! The buildings and the roads and the bridges were all made of light. Even the people were made of light. AND EVEN THE CATS AND DOGS WERE MADE OF LIGHT! Everything was so bright, so wonderful. I felt so much love, I can’t explain it. I felt well.” The boy paused, seeing it so clearly.

Then he calmed down again and told of the rest of his dream. “Then I saw a family having a party in their house. I saw two kids and their parents having lots of fun in their living room, playing some kind of game. Then I saw one of the kids get up and walk over to a pole – just like the kind that the firemen use. Then he jumped onto it and started sliding down, spiraling around and around as he went.” The boy smiled. “Then I saw a lamp shade get removed.” His face made a question mark, and he gazed down and away.

Suddenly, his focus came back, and he stared at the stunned people. “Then I woke up. Now, I normally don’t remember my dreams too well, but this morning I did!” His face was all lit up. “I remembered the light world and the light people, and then, I realized, that I was looking at MY WORLD, where I came from! And that light family, was MY FAMILY!! And those light pets, were MY PETS!! And that young light kid swooshing down that pole, WAS ME!! Inside, I knew I came from this place of love and joy and somehow, I also knew that this place exists inside of me. And it healed me.” A great light emanated from this boy’s face. 

The boy then walked over to a lamp sitting on a table, turned it on, and then removed the lampshade. “This shade was my sickness, it’s gone now.” He then set the shade on the tabletop and pointed to the light. “That’s me.” He said with great confidence.

The boy then ran and hugged the Angel for dear life. “Oh, Angel of Light, help my friends to see what I’ve seen. Help them to remember Who They Are and Where They came from. And please, take away their lampshades so they may be well again.”

The Angel then turned to the sick children and asked that they find a place to rest and prepare for the good night’s sleep ahead. “For tonight, you are going to dream great dreams of light and love. You will see amazing sights and hear amazing sounds. You will marvel at your Home, and once again, remember what it feels like to be There. For tomorrow, the day after tonight, you will awaken healed and happy; ready to jump and play and run and laugh and do all those things that children do.” And off to bed they went.

Can you guess what happened in the morning? That once very sad, small community was awakened by the loudest, most beautiful laughter it had ever heard! The children were healed and so were their parents. (For they now knew, what was most important and to never again take certain things for granted.) 

And in the end, they came to realize that it took the sickness for them to even SEE the Light, let alone use It.

And it is rumored, even to this day, that anytime a child of God goes to sleep, asking to be shown the Light, it shall be done. And through this act of removing the lampshade, intent shall be shown and healing will happen.

**********

Water is a universal solvent.

It always finds a way.

icebound i was, with process so dense,

to give it a thought, would make little sense.

the hate and the greed and the malice abounds,

along with those things, came their own little sounds.

i hate it, i loath it, so why can’t it change?

is it so hard, to think i can re-arrange,

the bonds that are tight, keeping me still?

the bonds of fatigue, are killing me still.

with thoughts so dense, i became like a berg.

floating around, hard and absurd.

density, dark and feelings so strong,

how could i know i was doing it wrong?

then came the light, then came the heat,

and from this abyss, i started to reach.

first came new thoughts and processes around,

to change me from ice, and its rigid-y sounds.

fluid was made and began now to flow.

fluid was me, and i knew it was so.

ice began melting and changing its tune,

water became me, a part of the moon.

concepts so new, so light to the touch,

i never knew, i didn’t know so much.

from inside of me, came a wandering light.

up through the skin and clear out of sight.

water was i, fluid and smooth,

no more the ice, prudish and crude.

now things were better, better they seemed.

even in sleep, even in dreams.

the moon and its ‘scapes, calling to me.

as bold as a lion, as high as a tree.

bend with the breeze, go with the flow.

this is the place of peace that i know.

so then i began accepting it all,

knowing for sure, that God made it all.

that evil or good would stand here no more,

if God waived His Hand, away, close the door.

acceptance and mercy and compassion the same,

the trilogy of love and peace in His Name.

then came more light, more heat from within,

of what do i feel, another begin?

then what was fluid and flowing in place,

changed here to vapor, to fly off in space.

freedom abounds, going at will.

all different places, all different spaces, 

all of God’s Will.

another quantum jump, a leap not compared.

where did i go, to feel so unscared?

yes, to let go, to go with the flow,

was something i did, to challenge my foe.

but where did he go, that foe of relief?

where did he go, beyond my belief?

once i was water, now i am gas.

free of the river, freedom at last.

what once was ice, has melted away.

what once was water, has blown far away.

now i am free, to wander and see,

just what it is, God has waiting for me.

i am the berg, the river and air.

i am it all, and i do not despair.

acceptance is still a part of the plan,

to become more than this - a mere, mortal hu-man.

**********

All of Nature is simplyu God looking back at us and asking,

"What will they do with Me now?"

On Earth, water is everywhere, all the time – even in the rocks (although barely perceptible). Water makes up our oceans and streams and rivers and lakes. Water makes up all the ice caps and icebergs that are floating around here and there. Water is in the air we breathe. Water gives us life – for without it we would all die horrible, horrible deaths.

Water – everywhere, all the time. Now let’s look at the different kinds of water. There is liquid water like the kind we find in lakes and raindrops; and there are frozen kinds of water, like snow, sleet and hail (listed as they progressively get more painful). 

Does water ever change itself into something else? Or better yet, does it ever “reincarnate” as something other than water? No, but it does appear as many different forms, to many different places. Imagine a snowflake falling into a stream in Canada. The stream leads to a larger one, then to a river, then out to sea. While at sea, a natural process takes place where that snowflake (which has now long since melted and joined the collective of water around it) gets sucked out of the collective (through evaporation) and is transferred to a place that will be responsible for distributing it back to the collective – a cloud.

Now this cloud (which is also made up of water), fills itself with water until it reaches critical mass where it must release the water. Over what part of the Earth will the water droplet fall? Your guess is as good as mine. What form will the water droplet take as it falls to Earth? Will it be a snowflake or a raindrop or an ice crystal? Or will it evaporate back into the cloud before it reaches the Earth? Again, your guess is as good as mine.

Those who can read, let them understand.

When raindrops fall in a heavy thunderstorm, do you witness the raindrops individually or as one mass of water? (I would venture to say that most of us perceive raindrops as individuals, not as one whole mass of water – mainly due to the spaces in between the drops.) Given that, could not the argument be made that as one raindrop witnesses another, it can actually point to the “other” and make the claim that it is separate from the “other?” 

And how about snowflakes? None of them look alike. So, when they are falling, could they not look at each other and say that the other is DIFFERENT? 

Yes. In all these cases, the raindrops and snowflakes can individualize themselves - they can separate themselves from each other and judge their differences - but I can assure you of one thing… 

They don’t.

Water knows it’s water. It is always moving, always changing, always flowing in one manner or another. Look where water is stagnant – yuck. Look where it is flowing – beauty. The river is always new (even though the ditch it’s running through may be as old as the hills).

Water continually “reincarnates” in many different forms to serve in many different ways. Water cuts through rock and turns boulders into sand. Water satisfies and quenches the thirst. It cleanses and purifies things that are dirty. (Again, just like God.)

Can water now be seen as a tangible example of God on this planet? Can we humans, who continually identify the differences in us, can we ever come to see that we are all from One Origin (just like the water)? That we exist in many different shapes and sizes and colors, yet are One? 

I think in these times of uncertainty, we have forgotten our origins, and we have simply gotten caught up in the illusion of the storm. 

Release, let go. Understand that a storm is all around, but that storm owes its origins to its Maker.

Just like us.

Father, please bring a Peaceful Rain,

to wake us up to Love again.

One that gently washes away our differences,

and cleanses away our separate thoughts.

One where every drop is Your essence,

refreshing us and filling us with Your Love.

Thank You, Father, for the Peaceful Rain,

to wake us up to Love again.

***********

Sometimes, the most beautiful flowers in the field have their roots firmly embedded in cow patties.

There once was a certain man, who after much pondering and living, came to see many, many truths. Amazed he was, each time a new truth would reveal itself. And they always seemed to reveal themselves right in the middle of things – good or bad. Mostly bad.

This man felt great satisfaction in coming to know these truths. (Even though he put himself in some rather precarious situations to find them out.) However, along with this feeling of self-gratification came a major sense of consternation. Now that he knew all these things, well, everyone else needed to know them, too. He felt that they would make everyone’s lives easier and more productive and certainly more peaceful. (And that they may even help a few folks avoid the crappy pitfalls that he himself fell into.) 

“If people would just take a second to think before leaping, many problems would be avoided. And what a better world this would be.” He often thought.

There was only one problem; everyone seemed to be too busy to pay attention. 

So… he wrote and wrote and wrote many works. All attempting to convey these helpful truths – that no one wanted to read.

So… he spoke and spoke and spoke these truths, always attempting to present them in an acceptable fashion – that no one wanted to hear.

So… he expounded on these truths and described them in illustrative detail as to make them more easily seen – but no one was looking.

Then one fine morning, while resting out on his front porch, this certain man came to some rather devastating conclusions…

“It was all fertilizer to help me grow. And it was all just meant for me.”

Now he lives in peace. 

**********

...a better understanding of things.

One day, a young boy came home from school and asked his parents if he could go on a field trip.

“Where to?” They asked over dinner.

“Oh, our teachers told us that it’s a mystical, magical place. I’m not sure if it’s a zoo though, but they said it’s got plenty of animals. And I’m not sure if it’s a haunted house either, ‘cause they said it could be pretty scary there, too. And I think there must be some kind of magicians there, because our teachers said that the people, who already live there, are able to create everything that they can think of. And while we’re there, they said that we get to choose whether we want to participate or not with what’s going on. WE GET TO PLAY, TOO!”  The boy seemed very excited. 

“Will many be going?” The father asked.

“All my friends are going!” The boy yelled back. “And I want to go with them. Can I go, huh? Can I? Can I? Can I? Huh?” By now, the boy had jumped up from his chair and was bouncing around with joyous anticipation.

His parents joined in with his enthusiasm. “Yes! Yes, of course you can go with your friends to this mystical, magical place. Give us your slip and we’ll sign it.”

While dad was signing it, dinner resumed and mom asked, “Are you all prepared? Do you have everything you need?”

“Well, the trip is going to last for a little while, but our teachers told us that everything we’ll need will be provided for us there. We only need to bring what we are.” The boy paused for a moment to think. “Whatever that means.”

“Are you afraid?” Dad asked.

“No, we’ve gone over everything at school. And they told us that nobody was going anywhere until all us kids’ questions were answered. And believe me, they answered ‘em all. They said that this trip would give us a better understanding of nature. And they even took us to a place that showed us what this place was like. Kind of like a movie theatre.”

“Well, young man,” Dad said with a smile, “maybe it’s time that you head up to bed and get a good night’s sleep for your big journey tomorrow.”

The parents then gave their son huge hugs and kisses and sent him up to bed. 

Mom started crying. “Our boy is grown up now… and so soon.” Knowing there was nothing he could say to make her feel any different, Dad just gave Mom a loving hug and created a few tears to go along with hers.

The next morning came in a flash and the young boy awoke with great anticipation and leapt from his bed. “Today’s Field Trip Day! No more reading about it. No more seeing pictures about it. No more talking about it. Now I get to DO IT!” 

The boy dressed himself in record time and ran downstairs, only to see his mom and dad standing beside the breakfast table, which was loaded with his favorite fruits. “Whoa!” He rubbed his eyes. “For me?” He wasn’t sure what was going on.

“We’re celebrating with you, son. We’re proud that you’ve grown up enough to leave here and go visit other places. We’re so proud of you.” Dad scruffed up his hair.

“And we’re making sure that you have a full tummy to get you off on the right step.” Mom added, while Dad tossed him an apple.

Then for the next few moments, they shared laughter and joy and talked of all the possibilities that might be possible on this wonderful upcoming field trip. Then all too soon, the bus pulled up and it was time to go.

His folks hugged him for dear life. “We love you with all our hearts.” They said in unison. Then they reluctantly let go and watched their young boy walk out to the bus.

As he approached the steps, his father yelled out, “Son, we’ll be here waiting for you when you get back. Don’t you worry about us, and we’ll do our best to not worry about you. And remember, we’re always here for you if you ever want to call. Now go have fun.”

The child then stepped onto the bus, gave his signed slip to the bus driver and found his seat amongst his friends. As the bus pulled away, the kids started singing a happy bus song, as they headed off on their field trip to a mystical, magical place… called Earth.