When We Reach the Y in the Road

Do the kings and prince’s of Saudi Arabia spend time with the aborigines of Australia? Do the captains of industry in the western world hang with the indigenous of the American continents? Do the Russian oligarchs hang with the Aleuts and Inuits of the Arctic regions? And so on. Probably not.

Wealth and power can put heroin addiction to shame.

Wealth and power can correct social and planetary imbalances, or tip the balance to unsustainable levels.

2017 — Part 1. Family, Friends & Heroes

This astounding assembly of talented, caring, fun-loving, thought-provoking and brave group of friends are inspirational beings with whom I am honored to share their moments in life. A few of you are famous, many are infamous, some are intellectuals, and others could give a crap. And that’s just how I like it. Some of you walk in spirit, some of you dance around the edges of risk. And that’s just how I like it. Most of you give and care. And that’s just how I like it.

The Well-Being of Leaving Tribalism Behind

This time last year I wanted to gather my own tribe around my dining room table. I craved their ways of thinking, experiences, wisdom, crafts and talents. But the problem with “my tribe” is we are not very tribal and gathering these folks at one time is akin to herding feral cats — which is why I love this weakly defined tribe.So, instead, I hiked the desert, wandered through the forests, listened to the rivers and ocean,  bought mounds of books to read and ponder, and took to what I’ve always done at challenged life moments — threw words on paper in hopes of sorting it all out.

Words We Use Matter

I do not like it when a cloud lingers around my aura. My thinking fogs-up. My feet shuffle instead of step up.  And my language slips into what one of my mentors would call “slow vibrating words.”  That’s not a good thing because the faster and more clearer that our aura vibrates, the better we can see truth and make positive choices.

Living Among 66 Million Dead Trees

I just returned to Yosemite National Park after decades of absence. It is magnificent, if you ignore the hordes of people crawling the valley like ants, and the over 66 million dead conifers in the Sierra Nevada, with the grey and brown bulk seen along the roads leading into Yosemite National Park through Mariposa County. I lost my breath seeing the death of these trees.