Join the world community in prayer today 3.31.11
Month: March 2011
Memory in Our Bones is a finalist in Eric Hoffer and Montaigne Awards
Wanted to share the news:
Congratulations.
As part of the Eric Hoffer Award, Memory In Our Bones was nominated for the Montaigne Medal
Your book is still on track for a category prize, including the Hoffer Grand Prize.
The Montaigne Medal is an additional distinction, awarded to the most thought-provoking book each year. Approximately two to three books receive this award each year.
Regardless of the judges determination, your book at the very will carry the distinction of Montaigne Medal Finalis and Eric Hoffer Award Finalist.
The Montaigne Medalists will be announced in the spring prior to the category and grand prize announcements.
Hard work ( 13 yrs) and long hours do pay off.
Lovely Letter From Japan
Reminds me of Kauai during the big hurricane, Ineki
Here is an e-mail from the friend of a friend presently in Japan. She very movingly describes the way people are coming together in the course of this disaster. This sort of personal report is worth so much more than what the cnn puts out …. love Rosie
Hello My Lovely Family
and Friends,
First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all. But it seems the best way at the moment to get my message to you.
Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend’s home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.
During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out sign so people can
come to fill up their jugs and buckets.
Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, “Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.”
Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.
We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on.
But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.
There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or
laundry out drying in the sun.
People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.
Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled.
The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.
And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on,and I find food and water left in my entrance way. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.
They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that isa bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend’s husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.
Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don’t. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.
Thank you again for your care and Love of me,
This prayer is from Tara Dhatu
Join as one heart, one mind, one moment, one thought- a moment of unity- for these people and for the earth… and, then, of course, to extend to all sentient beings, and to all grieving and all planets throughout all time and space.
Japanese Aid Donate tonight— March 18 til Midnight
Please donate tonight at 415 529-1322
For Japanese relief & earthquake fund, going on in Japantown, SF tonight.
The telethon goes on til midnight tonight.
Thanks for considering it. All the money goes to Japan there is no overhead costs.