Still Waiting

"Sarah was given two different due dates by two different doctors, the 23th and the 24th. Well both have past and baby still isn't here. I think I am more frustrated by this than she is. I want to hold my grandbaby. She is just really tired and wants to be able to sleep on her stomach! Hopefully baby will come tonight," I whisper.

Are you listening?

Happy Birthday Phillip

"Twenty four years ago today at 6:37 in the morning I gave birth to my son Phillip. As he was my first child, I was not totally aware of how strong a bond I would form with him or how much I would love him. When I brought him home, I remember sitting in my rocking chair holding this tiny little boy and crying. My husband ask me why I was crying. I replied that one day he would grow up and leave home, that is why I was crying. Well, that day has come and gone and I have survived. Phillip has grown into a wonderful young man who I think any parent would be proud of. He has found what he loves to do in life and that is, I believe, a rare thing. He makes me very proud to be his mother and on this, his 24th birthday I send him my love and best wishes for a wonderful birthday and a great year. I love you Phillip more than you can imagine. You are my dear heart." I whisper.

Are you listening?

Non-violence in 10 lessons

"Taken from Ode Magazine April 2007.

Violence dominates the history books; here’s what can be learned from the history of warfare:

• Nations that build military forces as deterrents will eventually use them.
• The state imagines it is impotent without a military because it cannot conceive of power without force.
• Once a state takes over a religion, the religion loses its non-violent teachings.
• Practitioners of non-violence are seen as enemies of the state.
• A conflict between a violent and a non-violent force is a moral argument. If the violent side can provoke the non-violent side into violence, the violent side has won.
• Violence does not resolve. It always leads to more violence.
• Despite society’s promotion of warfare, most soldiers find war to be a wrenching departure from their own moral values.
• War produces peace activists.
• The best organized and most articulate group often prevails over the largest one.
• The hard work of beginning a movement to end war has already been done.

Check out the article at Ode Magazine. I hope you find it interesting," I whisper.

Are you listening?

Death in Afghanistan

"Tonight the flags of Fredericton and the surrounding area are flying at half mast. Not the flags on federal buildings, only those that fly at city halls, rec centers and private businesses. I guess the government that sends men and women off to die, doesn't feel the necessity of mourning their passing in a timely manner.

Again, my daughter knows one of the dead. She also has a friend who knows all six, who's task today was packing up the rooms of two of his comrades who won't be coming back, who don't need the rooms anymore, whose belongings will most likely be sent home to grieving parents to deal with.

This most recent wave of death has shocked the Fredericton area. The commander of the base has said, "the base had been pactising a number of "what if" scenarios, but never expected anything close to what happened."

Excuse me, what fantasy world do these people live in? They are fighting a war and they don't expect more than a couple of dead at a time? It's WAR, what part of that don't these people get? Soldiers die in war, that along with killing others, is as far as I'm concerned, their job. That's what any rational person expects to happen. You can't fight a war without casualties. Oops, I forgot, in this day and time it is civilian casualties one expects, not military. And it doesn't seem to matter how many civilians die as long as our soldiers don't." I whisper.

Are you listening?

Waiting

It's April and Sarah's baby is due on the 24th. Today though, she is having pain, thinks it's contractions, so maybe this little one will be early. So we wait. It's a nice thing to be waiting for. My first grandbaby. Wow, I can hardly believe it. I'll keep everyone posted", I whisper.

Are you listening?