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Tag(s): Community; Community; Community-Tribal; Forest; Living Together; OpEdNews; Trees
Group(s): Reality-Based Community (rbc)Add to My Group

July 2, 2008 at 11:22:12

Headlined on 7/2/08:
We are trees. Together we are a forest.

by mikel paul Page 2 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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I am grateful and thankful that I have found here at OpEd a forest full of life. I have listened to, argued with, been awed by and quite simply moved to feel that we are very capable of handling all that we rant about as if we can't.

It also crossed my mind that living in the forest is in and of itself a privilege.

I see the forest for the trees.

peace

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9 comments

A native Californian, Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer currently living in Maine. Her background includes scriptwriting, comedy writing for the Northern California Emmy Awards, and travel writing for The New York Times. She has worked as a grant writer for the non-profit sector in the fields of academia, AIDS, and wildlife conservation and anti-poaching for NGO's in the U.S. and Africa. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous online and print publications in the U.S. and internat...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Jan BaumgartnerA native Californian, Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer currently living in Maine. Her background includes scriptwriting, comedy writing for the Northern California Emmy Awards, and travel writing for The New York Times. She has worked as a grant writer for the non-profit sector in the fields of academia, AIDS, and wildlife conservation and anti-poaching for NGO's in the U.S. and Africa. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous online and print publications in the U.S. and internat...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Moving beyond words

so I shall not offer much because I am touched, overwhelmed, and grateful for the sheer beauty of words that seem to be gracing these pages more and more these days. Your:

"I have stopped waiting for the world to change to my vision. I have changed my vision of the world. And I have learned how imperfectly beautiful the world is. How freaking painful and haunting truth is. How we are each a part. How we each are essential. Without the other, our image is forever incomplete."

is a tribute to the human spirit and resiliency. If only everyone could be as open.

Thank you.

by Jan Baumgartner (52 articles, 137 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 252 comments) on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 5:30:28 PM

56 years on this jumpin' green sphere. Musician. Own and operate a music store to help kids find a possible life long friend. I believe in the soul and the search. Happily married w/ 2 boys. Published songwriter. play bass, piano and gut string guitar. there are no solutions..only alternatives. Ask questions. Listen. Be fair and don't expect. Baseball is a mirror. Don't ask....unless you have time and a sense of humor. Peace is never easy, but worth it. Always.
mikel paul56 years on this jumpin' green sphere. Musician. Own and operate a music store to help kids find a possible life long friend. I believe in the soul and the search. Happily married w/ 2 boys. Published songwriter. play bass, piano and gut string guitar. there are no solutions..only alternatives. Ask questions. Listen. Be fair and don't expect. Baseball is a mirror. Don't ask....unless you have time and a sense of humor. Peace is never easy, but worth it. Always.

Just got finished from a another full day of.....

.....music & Open mic nite for the kids taking music lessons at my shop.

8 year old Tyler playing the Star Spangled Banner, 7 year old Jeremy doing surf beats on a drum set five times his size. 15 year old Haylie playing and singing a song from "A Mighty Wind". Parents and friends, listening and applauding as the individual spirits of these hearts shoot out, adding to the sounds of unmistakable truth, unmarketed naked expressions of the purest soul. Sing I say. All of us.

Our words and our music are our weapons. No army can ever defeat these voices. There are and will be casualties. They may win a battle.

Not the war.

I truly believe that.

Thank you Jan.....from you it means a lot.

peace

by mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments) on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 10:48:45 PM

The author lives in a small village in central Europe and has been active in the local workers movement for nearly 3 decades.

Globalism knows no borders, why should we ?
Tony ForestThe author lives in a small village in central Europe and has been active in the local workers movement for nearly 3 decades.

Globalism knows no borders, why should we ?

Dear Mikel

you rock ! The above is, without a doubt, amongst the very best this one has ever read on this webpage or anywhere else. Rock on....

by Tony Forest (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 166 diaries, 1429 comments) on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 1:16:20 AM

thanx tony.....

From my memory of your various comments and the like, you are living in Germany? A geographically unchallenged ex pat (your bio)? Sounds to me like you are quite a pat, not an ex.

I appreciate your more than kind words. Funny you should comment, your name being in the title. "We are trees. Together we are a tony."

Really though, in spite of the lousy low scoring pun, it is wonderful always to be heard, and be told. One great perk in life is when a sincere offer is accepted. It is amazing to me how many do not seem to be listening. The positive side of that is the audience is huge and ripe for our voices. Or at least a back rub to get started.

Keep firing your weapons Tony... thanx again.

peace

by mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments) on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 1:39:11 PM

Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com and is a columnist with Northstarwriters.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump s...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rob KallRob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com and is a columnist with Northstarwriters.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump s...

to see more of bio, click on member name

very nice

I published and headlined this, and that says something. But further, this writing touched me. Nicely done. And let's see more of the same. It's not all about politics.

by Rob Kall (857 articles, 3983 quicklinks, 343 diaries, 1821 comments) on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 2:20:28 PM

appreciated a lot

Thank you Rob for publishing and heading it. That means you liked it. That is the cherry.

I'm a writing work in progress but am responding with all the support of you and others who are so encouraging for my soul. Kinda proves my point how we are joined in all this.

I applaud your efforts as well in running this ship. Your work is greatly noticed. A moment to notice that you prep work is the reason I have a box to stand on. Thanx seems not enough but will have to do here.

Perhaps sometime we can compare hair thinning. Truth be told, we are very close. A sign at least that it is not an issue for either of us.

Nice to hear The boss likes it. Feels good.

Thanx again.

peace

by mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments) on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 3:34:59 PM

Writer, poet, traveller currently living in England.www.armsagainstwar.info
tinalouiseWriter, poet, traveller currently living in England.www.armsagainstwar.info

Wisdom overgrowth...

Beautifully put, thank you for the gorgeous journey through your gentle, inspiring thoughts.

Namaste,

Tina Louise

Arms Against War

by tinalouise (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 21 comments) on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 4:50:24 PM

Namaste' Tina

Glad you enjoyed. My pleasure.

You taught me something new with your greeting. I've seen it. Never heard it. Does it sound as Japanese as it looks?

Back to you Tina. I'll check your site. thanx

peace

by mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments) on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 5:47:30 PM

Writer, poet, traveller currently living in England.www.armsagainstwar.info
tinalouiseWriter, poet, traveller currently living in England.www.armsagainstwar.info

The root of the matter...

Namaste is an Indian greeting that I read about a few years and (as a collector of words!) loved. It is a greeting/acknowledgement from the 'best part of me' - to the same in you. Soul to soul/heart of the tree to heart of the tree :)

It is a word that removes the divisions between us by getting to the root of our shared sameness.

so...

Namaste

by tinalouise (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 21 comments) on Friday, July 4, 2008 at 4:49:17 AM