Saving our souls

"Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh my!"

The Wizard of Oz

I get it. Politics is performance art. Not surprisingly, a new star has been born to grace the political stage: Alabama Senator Katie Britt is the new kid on the block. According to her emotional GOP response to President Biden's State of the Union address , Americans are "afraid." Fair enough.

Come to think of it, a number of us Americans are plenty afraid of Donald Trump's idea of "leadership." I guess Britt and her ilk believe the American people have been overreacting to his temper tantrum, puppeteering the most unhinged of his supporters because God forbid Little Donnie can't handle defeat. There's hell to pay when Terrible Trump doesn't get his way as history has shown all too well.

Of course, Britt is mostly fearful of BIPOC Hispanic refugees- maybe for good reason in some cases unfortunately. Without a doubt, Sen. Britt makes quite the impression, lovely with hair perfectly coiffed as she chokes back tears while in her cozy kitchen at the very table where she and her family pray for the salvation of the American Dream. "Who will save our souls," after all?

A loving mother of two and devout "family values" Christian, Sen. Brit is just trying to hold it all together for the camera. Don't worry, little lamb. We SEE you. We HEAR you, sending thoughts and prayers at almost every opportunity except for those she views as  threats.   Interestingly, Britt blames President Biden's use of executive orders for the attack on her America by unwanted BIPOC'S sullying the border. Britt seems to forget Trump's use of the same power to shame his predecessor by attempting to dismantle the Obama administration's entire eight-year term. The protection and salvation of America be damned as long as your Little Donnie gets his revenge.

So we feel your pain, Katie. American women have already lost the "freedom to choose," advocating for our own health, for example. Apparently, the anti-immigrant yet pro-life senator out of Alabama, Stepford wifey with glazed over eyes, lily White skin, all-American family, and story-book existence isn't concerned with an existential crisis of a different color after the attack on the U.S. capitol. Former POTUS and likely sexual batterer Donald Trump's Charlie Manson-esque behavior doesn't seem to scare Senator Britt one bit.

Barely able to contain her trepidation of outside forces beyond her control, Britt's moral compass seems to approve of home-grown, mostly White male insurgents under her POTUS' command as unsuspecting colleagues run for their lives. Give me a freakin' break. Who TF is REALLY "out-of-touch"? How on Earth can any of us take Republicans seriously? What a joke.

"But we call religion our friend

We're so worried about savin' our souls

Afraid that God will take His toll

That we forget to begin, but

Who will save your souls?

When it comes to the beggars now

Who will save your souls?

After those lies that you told, boy

And who will save your souls?

If you won't save your own?"-

Jewel, 

"Who Will Save Your Soul." 

Official Music Video

"Le Mendiant," Victor Hugo

Un pauvre homme passait dans le givre et le vent.
Je cognai sur ma vitre ; il s'arrêta devant

Ma porte, que j'ouvris d'une façon civile.

Les ânes revenaient du marché de la ville,
Portant les paysans accroupis sur leurs bâts.
C'était le vieux qui vit dans une niche au bas
De la montée, et rêve, attendant, solitaire,
Un rayon du ciel triste, un liard de la terre,
Tendant les mains pour l'homme et les joignant pour Dieu.
je lui criai : « Venez vous réchauffer un peu.
Comment vous nommez-vous ? » Il me dit : « Je me nomme
Le pauvre. » Je lui pris la main : « Entrez, brave homme. »
Et je lui fis donner une jatte de lait.
Le vieillard grelottait de froid ; il me parlait,
Et je lui répondais, pensif et sans l'entendre.
« Vos habits sont mouillés », dis-je, « il faut les étendre ,
Devant la cheminée. » Il s'approcha du feu.
Son manteau, tout mangé des vers, et jadis bleu,
Étalé largement sur la chaude fournaise,
Piqué de mille trous par la lueur de braise,
Couvrait l'âtre, et semblait un ciel noir étoilé.
Et, pendant qu'il séchait ce haillon désolé
D'où ruisselait la pluie et l'eau des fondrières,
Je songeais que cet homme était plein de prières,
Et je regardais, sourd à ce que nous disions,
Sa bure où je voyais des constellations, 

Victor Hugo, 1802 - 1885

Google translate

Bountiful

The God I know and see is not of

Reward or Punishment

The God I know and see is not of

Retribution or Grace

The God I know and see is not of

Forgiveness or Condemnation

The God I know and see is not of

Love or Hate

The God I know and see is not of

Heaven or Hell

The God I know and see is not of

Good or Evil

The God I know and see is not of

Salvation or Damnation

The God I know and see is not of

Peace or War

And so it goes...

Then

Now

Always

   Enough…

"Ample make this Bed 

Make this Bed with Awe 

In it wait till Judgment break

Excellent and Fair...,"

Emily Dickinson

Wasp

One afternoon among the many dog days of summer, a wasp was crawling along a pane to cool-off in my house. This particular guest uninvited, I cracked open the window, and "Wasp" scurried out along the screen. I figured, "No biggie. Wasp will find his own way."

Confident that he'd escaped, I came back to find Wasp trapped between screen and glass. Wasp seemed to be disoriented, even panicked. Afraid he would burn up in the sun, I knew I had to help Wasp somehow.

I looked at the screen to see if there were any openings. Sure enough, there was an ample opening down by the left corner, but for some reason Wasp couldn't find it. I remembered that wasps were attracted to light, so I shined a flashlight on the hole in the screen. Immediately, Wasp found his freedom.

I'd like to think I made a new friend, but as far as relationships between wasps and people go, probably not. 😊

I miss you somethin' awful and love you even more...

Dearest George, 

Happy Birthday 

On what have been your 

69th year on Earth,

Now eternity in Heaven,

With love always, 

Donna

 

Acts of Kindness Ideas

Random Acts of Kindness Ideas

In celebration of a man who packed a lot of love and light in a relatively short life of 63 years, please enjoy the following clip. Some say that George even sounded a bit like Ray Benson with that deep singing voice. Asleep at the Wheel and Willie Nelson were at the top of his list of favorites. Enjoy.

"House of Blue Lights,"

Donnie Ray and Freddie Slack, 

performed by 

Ray Benson's Asleep at the Wheel

And Willie Nelson

"The Applicant," Sylvia Plath

First, are you our sort of a person?
Do you wear
A glass eye, false teeth or a crutch,
A brace or a hook,
Rubber breasts or a rubber crotch,

Stitches to show something’s missing? No, no? Then
How can we give you a thing?
Stop crying.
Open your hand.
Empty? Empty. Here is a hand

To fill it and willing
To bring teacups and roll away headaches
And do whatever you tell it.
Will you marry it?
It is guaranteed

To thumb shut your eyes at the end
And dissolve of sorrow.
We make new stock from the salt.
I notice you are stark naked.
How about this suit——

Black and stiff, but not a bad fit.
Will you marry it?
It is waterproof, shatterproof, proof
Against fire and bombs through the roof.
Believe me, they'll bury you in it.

Now your head, excuse me, is empty.
I have the ticket for that.
Come here, sweetie, out of the closet.
Well, what do you think of that?
Naked as paper to start

But in twenty-five years she'll be silver,
In fifty, gold.
A living doll, everywhere you look.
It can sew, it can cook,
It can talk, talk, talk.

It works, there is nothing wrong with it.
You have a hole, it’s a poultice.
You have an eye, it’s an image.
My boy, it’s your last resort.
Will you marry it, marry it, marry it.-

Sylvia Plath

"Are you gonna liberate us girls 

from male, White corporate oppression?"

Sonic Youth,

"Kool Thing"

Between friends (To Judi...)

I will miss

Your unapologetic authenticity;

Your unwavering devotion;

Your uproarious laughter...

You.

I will miss you

...always,

d.

"...I answer the heroic question ‘Death, where is thy sting?' 

with ‘it is here in my heart and mind and memories,'"

Maya Angelou, "When I Think Of Death."

Judi, Bruce, and Ruffles

"We're after the same rainbow's end..."