the woods are lovely, dark and deep

Maybe it's the weather. Yes, it's snowing again. Maybe it's the strange pace of the holiday season. For whatever reason, today my mind drifted to a song and poem I introduced to my class last semester.

The poem is Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." It's a short, simple poem about a person who stops for a moment of reflection. Simple, but with potential for layers of meaning.

Many of these layers are captured in a song, "Dark and Deep," written by David LaMotte and inspired by Frost's poem.

I love the refrain in this song, "A promise is not like a moment; a moment's not something you keep; I've made too many promises lately; and the woods are lovely, dark and deep."

I asked my class to write a reflection about the themes of the poem and the song, looking for how they were similar. A couple of students actually took the assignment very seriously, and I could tell they spent time exploring the depths of meaning.

Instead of telling you what they or I discovered in these works, I'd like to hear from you. I have enough blog fans out there that we should be able to hear from quite a few people. So take a few moments, let all the other stuff take care of itself, and tell me what you hear.

the seventh veil

This is part seven of a seven part series. Read parts one, two, three, four, five, and six first.

The seventh veil uncovers a truth upon which all the other truths hinge. “The illusion of the seventh veil was the illusion that you could get somebody else to do it for you. To think for you…Even though the great emotions, the great truths, were universal; even though the mind of humanity was ultimately one mind, still, each and every single individual had to establish his or her own special, personal, particular, unique, direct, one-on-one, hands-on relationship with reality, with the universe, with the Divine.”

This is neither easy to accept nor to accomplish. We can learn from others, the great minds can help us navigate the waters, but ultimately, to be fully human, we have to do the tough work ourselves. It would be easier, of course, if there were an instructional manual for life, but there is no such thing. Even the great works of scripture don’t claim this title. And if there were an instruction manual with all the answers to all the questions, what would happen to the adventure of discovery? Life would be bland, mundane, shallow, and fake.

This is how many choose to live, though. To allow others to tell them what to do, what to say, how to think, for whom and what to vote, seems like the safer, more comfortable route. It brings many peace, but the peace is false. It is more an agreement to live as a mindless robot; it is handing over one’s heart and soul in exchange for a pre-packaged, artificially sweetened way of life. Do they know what they’re really consuming, though? Do they know what they’re feeding their children?

When the seventh veil falls, the world is shaken, the sense of security may be shattered for a while, but ultimately, life is richer, colors brighter, the heart and mind more alive and real.

Houston voters rock the political world

While most people were caught up in the frantic pace of the holidays, an historic mayoral election in Houston added one more signal to the changing political climate in America, a climate where the issues matter more than the particular ethnicity, culture, or sexual orientation of the candidate.

On December 11, Houston became the first American big-city to elect a lesbian mayor. What's most remarkable, however, is what a non-issue her sexual orientation was. In a country whose politics over the last several decades have been over-run by a narrow, bigoted "family values" platform that often shadowed issues actually relevant to Americans, it is exciting to see signs that a new generation of voters care more about things like jobs, education, health care, and constitutional rights than a candidate's personal relationships.

A black presidential candidate carrying southern states, Bush's hometown electing a lesbian democrat as mayor, what's next? A woman as US president? Let's dare to dream.

moments

My daughter teaches me anew everyday to seize moments of joy as they come. This is one of those moments that I wouldn't give up for anything. It was like time was standing still. Running in the sand with her, giggling as the waves splash us, watching the sun set without worrying about the time: it was a day full of perfect Christmas presents. When I'm back home at the end of a long day of working, I will remember these moments and look forward to more to come.

an unexpected moment of beauty

Today, for the last day of classes, we celebrated the progress students have made over the last quarter. We announced those who had passed the GED recently and asked them to share their future plans. We cheered for everyone who had advanced academically over the last quarter, and we praised all the students for their perseverance and hard work. The dean even joined us and commended the students for all they had accomplished.

After the celebration, I returned to one of the classrooms with a student to show him some study resources for over the break. While we were working, another student stepped in. I thought most had already left, so was a little surprised. She said, "No one mentioned the instructors today. Before I left, though, I wanted to tell you thank you. You have all worked hard and helped us very much. I appreciate everything you have done. It means a lot to me. So thank you."

I was speechless for a moment. It was completely unexpected, but also obviously heartfelt. I smiled, maybe even teared up a tiny bit, and said, "You're very welcome. Thank you for telling me that. I'm glad to have helped." She smiled back and me, then walked away.

That was my first Christmas present this season, and it will be hard to top.

Raymore city council may be packin'

The Raymore city council just voted to allow its members to carry concealed weapons to council meetings. Yep, that's right, so be careful what you say if you go to a council meeting. Don't piss them off. The vote was 5-3, so you'll be safe with a few of them. Problem is, the news article didn't mention who voted which way. So, I would tread carefully, if I were you.

Read my article with all sorts of deep reflection here.

and so this is Christmas

Aliyah and I are heading to the beaches of Florida in a few days. I was thinking a warm, sunny beachy Christmas would be fantastic this year. She, on the other hand, once she thought it through, was a little concerned. “Mommy, there’s no snow in Florida. How can it be Christmas without snow?”

Now, mind you, in all her years on this planet she has lived through more Christmases of color than white, but in her head is the idea that Christmas always means snow, and the possibility of that in Florida is remote to none. It’s interesting how expectations work their ways into our heads. Generalities and stereotypes invade our thinking without our even noticing, so that we expect something to be or behave in a certain prescribed way, even if it doesn’t fit our general experience.

It could be all the classic Christmas movies we watch: Miracle on 34^th Street, White Christmas, Christmas in Connecticut. For some reason, northeastern United States has become our standard for appropriate Christmas weather. I wonder about the cultural dominance of that area of the country.

So, we will not have a white Christmas, dear, unless you count the whitecaps on the waves.

let the provoking begin

Last Wednesday I attended my first meeting of the Provocateurs, a sister group of the Freethinkers, led by Fred, the science journalist who was kicked out of his church for talking about evolution (yes, Toto, we’re still in Kansas).

The purpose of their meeting is for dechurched or disillusioned people to discuss weighty matters of ethics, morality, belief, and life in an open, respectful, casual environment. Our makeup that night was four Christians, an ex-Mormon, and several atheists. I was especially impressed that so many turned out that evening since the outside temperature was 7 (how very glad I am the window in the ghetto Beamer is fixed).

Fred kicked off conversation with the question, “What is one action that you would consider moral?” The amount of agreement in our answers was impressive considering the diversity of belief systems. Answers included: caring for someone in need, honesty, standing up against injustice, and refraining from murder (ok, that’s more of a negative of an immoral act, and we didn’t all agree on the definition of murder). The next question spurred more disagreement, “What is the source of morality?” Offshoots of this question included, “Does morality change with time, culture, and situations? Must morality be given to us by some objective being outside the material world? If morality is doing more good than harm, how do you measure and balance harm and good? Would superior alien life forms view us in the same light that we view goldfish?”

Unfortunately, I had to leave before we delved into the second topic of the night, “if there were (is) no god, would we have to invent one?” inspired by a quote from Voltaire. My answer? Yes, yes we would.

What I especially appreciated about the evening, besides the scrumptious fruit dip (how did you make that, Jennifer?), was that as much as we disagreed, we did not attack one another. Instead, everyone listened to and respected each other, and we all came away with at least a little more knowledge, a little broader minds, and a little deeper friendships.

Unless, of course, something went terribly awry after I left.

Catching Fire: More fun than it sounds

Suzanne Collins does not disappoint her readers with her sequel to "The Hunger Games." We again follow Katniss and her friends as they suffer under, yet defy and begin to rebel against, the all too familiar Capitol. It's not just an entertaining read, though. It's also a critical look at our own wealthy, powerful culture.

Read my review and reflection here.

the sixth veil

This is part of a seven part series. Read parts one, two, three, four, and five first.

The sixth veil reveals something insidious. “Nazi Germany, the Inquisition, Stalinism, the Crusades, these were what happened when reality was allowed to give way to cliché. Behind the sixth veil, like a pearl behind cheesecloth, was the realization that ‘the end of the world’ was the most dangerous cliché of all.”

Ah, clichés. Don’t you just love them? They remove all necessity of thought, introspection, openness to change, and creativity. Instead, they allow us to simply fall in with a simple party line that satisfies and pleases thousands, even while robbing the soul of its depth.

Has there ever been a politician elected to a prominent office without a handy cliché? (Here’s a fun quiz: how many US presidential slogans can you recall?) Parents, of course, rely heavily on clichés. They are a great way to answer the child’s “why” without ever actually answering it. Rest assured, though, that children will remember the clichés to pass down to their children and grandchildren.

Robbins claims that the most dangerous cliché is “the end of the world.” Most of us laugh at the image of a man walking the streets holding a sign that says, “The End of the World is Near.” We don’t really buy into this cliché, do we?

I remember watching a film in youth group at our family’s (denominational affiliation removed) church about the end of the world, “The Rapture.” Its intent was to scare the hell out of us, and it worked on me. For years after, chills would run down my spine whenever I walked into an empty room and couldn’t find anyone. “Oh no! The rapture came and I was left behind! I’m going to burn for eternity!” It was a powerful tool of control. None of us wanted to step out of line, lest Jesus decide to reject us at the end of times.

Then there are those that believe in and desire the end of times so firmly that they dedicate their lives to helping bring it about. The end is accompanied by great wars and tribulation, so the story goes, so if they can add to these, the end is sure to come more quickly. Just as dangerous are those who insist that all the violence and suffering are necessary, or at least inevitable, so make no effort to combat it.

Is there an end of times? Well, I guess everything that has a beginning has an end (oops, was that a cliché?) so quite likely there will be an end of times. But it is not ours to anticipate, bring about, or fear. Today is just today. Enjoy it and try not to mess it up too badly.

What happens to a dream deferred?

My classes are studying the play, "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry, a play first produced on Broadway in 1959. Among other themes, the play explores cultural and individual pride. One of the characters, Joseph Asagai, asks Beneatha why she insists on mutilating her hair. He suggests to her that her hair would be beautiful if she let it go natural. I asked my class what they made of this, and at first they weren't sure. So then I asked them what was the most popular hairstyle for black women in the 60s. All of them, even those in their 20s, knew it was the afro. "Why?" I asked them, which led into a discussion about taking pride in natural beauty instead of trying to mold oneself into the narrow definition of beauty promoted by our dominant culture.

To further this idea, I brought up the 90s song, "Baby Got Back." (How do you know about that song, Ms.Pullin? they asked. They think all I listen to is Leann Rimes) True, the song is full of innuendo, but at its heart it is encouraging women with curves, especially women of color, to see themselves as beautiful and desirable the way they are. This is why I found it so offensive when Cameron Diaz danced to the song in "Charlie's Angels."

So I'm wondering, besides incredibly thin bodies, what other standards of beauty does our dominate culture promote that damage the confidence of men and women who can not fit these standards?