Words from the Heart

  The porch is a great place to just sit on hot summer days. Photo Credit: Roger Rhinehart The first time I heard the phrase, "Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer," I wasn't sure why summer days would be called "lazy," when everywhere there is activity, especially if you live by a river, lake, or the ocean.  But, such are the ideas of a young person. Now as I travel through my 59th summer, I realize that when the temperatures reach over 90 degrees, the body just doesn't want to work.  My mind is saying, "Go weed the garden, then cut the shrubs, then write, then..." but my body is saying, "Whoa there!  We're not doing anything but sit in front of the fan!" All kidding aside, when the temperatures get this high, I think of the thousands of people who have no fan, no relief from the heat.  I think of people who have not experienced high temperatures before and do not know that they must stay hydrated. My heart goes out to the babies, w

Amid the background noise of lawn mowers and traffic, I am being serenaded by the birds.  Their song is so lovely...so breathtaking.  I must pause in my work and listen. What is it about listening to birdsong that relaxes us?  I can be in total frantic mode, yet, if I stop to listen to the birds, my entire being relaxes.  I become calm, centered and at peace. Could it be that these small winged beings are the Divine's messengers?  Is this, or could this be where humans got the idea for angels? I don't know the answers, but I do know that when I stop...when I open my ears and heart to listen, something happens deep inside that brings me back to center...brings peace. May you hear the birdsong that surrounds you and may it bring you peace, also. Namast é !

Last year, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend the swearing in of 50 new Americans.  This year, I will once again participate in this inspirational process as people from around the world stand before a local judge and promise to take o n the responsibilities that many of us never think about.   The oath that each new citizen says is: "I hereby declare, on oath, that I  absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;  that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;  that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law;  that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law;  that I will perfor