Need to do something!

With U.S. involvement in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, school shootings, bee population decline (a possible indication of bigger environmental problems?), an ineffectual media system, and widespread spiritual malaise, I often feel crushed and impotent, guilty of not doing enough, not taking enough action.

For the last few months, the last week in particular, I feel an urgency to do more, to get involved with gay/lesbian rights, to protest the wars, to advocate for environmental awareness. Or it can be something more intimate, less "political," like reading to kids or helping with a literacy program. In fact, since I'm an aspiring educator, literacy and nurturing a love (or at least appreciation) of the written word could well be my cause.

I don't know how others are feeling, but I feel the urge to DO something, to break out of my comfort zone, to combat all this negativity.

Listen to this...

This is a clip from youtube.com of the song "On Call" by Kings of Leon, performed on Letterman. For those of you who love fresh rock music with diverse influences, this band, Kings of Leon, is terrific. These three brothers and their cousin comprise my favorite new band. I just can't stop listening to them. Hope you enjoy the clip and possibly make a new musical discovery!

Another Kind of Speech

Someone typically known for talking in excess, always having an opinion, and speaking up in public, nature has a way of shutting me up, so to speak. Whether it's a cherry tree in bloom or lilies clustered on a bluff of Big Sur, nature stops me in my tracks. It quiets me. In lieu of politics or controversy, today I offer pictures (photo illustrations created in Photoshop) of things that often go unnoticed.

While we struggle to fully comprehend free speech issues, nature speaks volumes...with no words at all.