One of those days
Frosty
It seems the mood of people changes as well. They are tight lipped, shoulders drwn about their ears, less smiley. No matter how much some people try to deny it, we are children of the Earth, and we can not ignore the effect it has on us.
On love
What is with my mood lately?? It's been captivated by philosophical wonderings and pondering what we really mean to each other. Mind yoga. Here's the master of my cognititive vacations, the Plato of the heart, Kahlil Gibran.
ON LOVE
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. 
I'm in the mood for love....
Ok, yep I did a very cliche thing and bought a mood ring. But they're soooo cool! It's like a little lava lamp on my finger. (Only slower). And apparently I've been in love all day. Although with whom don't ask me. There are several suspects, but unfortunately no hard evidence. Just the airy thoughts of an idle brain...
Forgotten
I forgot my poetry notebook. Sigh. I need to get more sleep.
Cats and Dogs
Unwed Mothers Shock This Idealist
Here's something I heard on National Public radio this morning, as I was lying in my bed, contemplating whether to get up or roll over and continue the surreal dream I was having that somehow involved a pet raccoon:
29% of women recorded as being pregnant in Illinois were also recorded as being unwed! I know to some this may not be that shocking, but I didn't realize it was that high! 29%! I tend to be somewhat of an idealist when it comes to marital and family issues, so I naturally assumed that when you get pregnant, you also happen to be married; at least that's the way I'd have it. (I'm a strange mix of liberal and conservative, political-wise.) The number is really a strong warning to me. One thing's for sure, I'm going to do my part to see that I am the other 71%. Saving yourself isn't only for Christians.
Terra infirma
No matter how much we build our buildings and convince ourselves that our concrete world is stable, the moving of the earth shows us that nothing in this world lasts forever, least of all us. It is very powerful, however, when so many people die at once. The impact can be felt on all of us, whether we like to admit it or not. It is true that people in our own country still need our support to rebuild their lives. My father said he read somewhere that it is the largest exodus of people since the Civil War, and in a much shorter time. However, (and I quote a very wise teacher here) "what you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me". I interpret that more being that we are all interconnected. In times past, most of us wouldn't evven know that anything would have happened. We don't have that excuse now. Our global village forces us to open our eyes and see all humans as one.
Please please help those in Pakistan and India. Any way you can.
I personally am kicking myself for not joining the Peace Corps when I had the chance.
Grease Monkey!
Spent some quality time with my father and worked on my car. Still haven't fixed whatever is wrong, but I still have a couple things left on the list to check whenever I get time. I believe more girls should learn to fix their own cars. Girls learn how to cook from spending time in the kitchen, and I think spending time in the garage should be a normal part of growing up as well. We are too dependant on others to do things for us, and technology (cars) breaking down and needing maintainance is a fact of life. I still am a strong supporter of women being good housekeepers, as is their first duty, but in today;s world, it only makes sense. If you want to be independant, girls, learn the responsibility! Spend some time under the hood, and you will gain confidence behind the wheel. )And guys get really inpressed when you start talking about replacing distributer caps and adjusting ignition timing.) :)
Cosleeping
Need Sleeeeeeeep!
Which brings up a concept discussed in Anthropology class: cosleeping. Cosleeping is where babies and young children share a bed with their parents. It is more common than one may think. America and Europe are actually the exception to the rule, as most of the rest of the world sleeps with their children. Many people in the US say this is insane! Parents could roll over on their babies, babies could get smothered with sheets, fall of the bed, ruin the parent's lovelife, and keep the parents up all night! Studies have been done, and none of this is really substanciated by the evidence. Parents sleep well, but mothers especially have a 6th sense when it comes to what's going on with the little one. No rolling over or smothering. And you have to be really unimaginative to think that the only time a couple can have sex is at night, in bed. In fact, cosleeping has shown to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. (SIDS)
Also, babies and young children who have more contact with parents at an earlier age tend to develop faster.
Not that I'm knocking the way millions of babies are brought up, it just makes me wonder if the practice of isolating children from birth is more tied to materialism than anything else. Babies need their own "space" to keep all their expensive baby stuff. It promotes the buying of huge amounts of toys, with batteries and all sorts of flashing lights and noise. It's a strange dichotomy: we isolate, then overstimulate. My mind wonders what relevance this could have to so many children with ADD.
I myself, like the idea of cosleeping. It was the way for humans for thousands of years, and for most of the world, still is. It solidifies a strong sense of family that modern American are sorely missing, in a country where most families no longer even eat together.
But call me old-fashioned.
Proxemics at 6:50am
Made me thankful for my sight.
