Issue5_art2.2

)) !WAKENING AND 2EMEMBERING ! 2ECOLLECTION BY #HARLES 'IBBS /UR BIRTH IS BUT A SLEEP AND A FORGETTING 4HE 3OUL THAT RISES WITH US OUR LIFE S 3TAR

(ATH HAD ELSEWHERE ITS SETTING

!ND COMETH FROM AFAR .OT IN ENTIRE FORGETFULNESS

!ND NOT IN UTTER NAKEDNESS

"UT TRAILING CLOUDS OF GLORY DO WE COME &ROM 'OD WHO IS OUR HOME ˆ7ILLIAM 7ORDSWORTH FROM h/DE )NTIMATIONS OF )MMORTALITYv

)

BELIEVE WE ALL COME FROM THE SAME SACRED SOURCE AND ) BELIEVE WE ALL RETURN TO THAT SOURCE WHEN WE DIE "UT ) DON T KNOW WHY SOME PEOPLE SEEM SO MUCH MORE ALIVE TO THAT SOURCE SEEM DRAWN TO IT SO MUCH MORE POWERFULLY SEEM NO MATTER WHAT COURSE THEIR LIFE TAKES UNABLE TO TURN AWAY FROM IT ) DON T KNOW WHY ) CAME INTO THIS WORLD TETHERED SO VITALLY TO THE DIVINE "UT ) DO KNOW ) M NOT ALONE )N MY EARLY DAYS AT MOMENTS ) WAS l LLED WITH WONDER AT THE WORLD S ORDINARY MYSTERIESˆTHE STILLNESS AT SUNSET AS BIRDS IN THE TREETOPS l LLED THE FADING LIGHT WITH SONG THE GENTLY INSISTENT m OWING OF THE 2IO 'RANDE BEFORE THE ENDURING WITNESS OF THE -AGDALENA -OUNTAINS AND THE VASTNESS OF NIGHT SKY ABOVE .EW -EXICO S HIGH DESERT 4HE MEMORY OF THESE EXTRAORDINARY MOMENTS WHEN THE ORDINARY WORLD WAS ABLAZE WITH AN ABIDING MYSTERY THAT SPOKE OF THE SOURCE REMAINS WITH ME l VE DECADES LATER WITH A VIVIDNESS THAT STILL EVOKES THE WONDER ) MUST HAVE FELT THEN !T A LEVEL DEEPER THAN WORDS OR THOUGHT MIRACULOUS MOMENTS OF ORDINARY LIFE RETURNED ME THEN AND RETURN ME NOW TO MY SOURCE TO THE SOURCE OF ALL THAT IS )T WAS AND IS AS IF THE DUST OF %ARTH AND DUST OF STARS IN ME CONNECTED AND CONNECT WITH THE %ARTH AND STARS IN A WAY THAT THERE WAS AND IS NO ME OR %ARTH OR STARS

ONLY THE SOURCE OF ME AND %ARTH AND STARS !ND ) LOVED h'OD v -Y MOTHER A DEVOUT %PISCOPALIAN TOOK US TO CHURCH RELIGIOUSLY AND FROM MY EARLY YEARS ) TOOK TO CHURCH ) LOVED 3UN DAY MORNING !S EASILY AS ) BELIEVED IN THE RISING SUN AND THE STARS AT NIGHT

) BELIEVED THE BOLD STORIES FROM THE (EBREW "IBLE OF 'OD ALIVE IN THE WORLD AND FROM THE .EW 4ESTAMENT OF THE SWEET *ESUS WHO LOVED ME ) m OWED WITH THE MUSIC THAT HELPED THOSE STORIES m OW LIKE A RIVER !ND ) WAS IN AWE BEFORE THE MYSTERY OF THE %UCHARISTIC SACRAMENT THAT FED THE FAITHFUL LIKE MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS

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!WAKENING AND 2EMEMBERING

4HROUGH CHURCH AND 3UNDAY SCHOOL ) LEARNED ABOUT A 'OD WHO WAS LOVE WHO HAD A PASSION FOR PEACE JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS WHO CARED DEEPLY FOR THE WEAK AND VULNERABLE WHO WALKED THIS %ARTH IN THE PERSON OF *ESUS OF .AZARETH BECOMING HUMAN SO THAT HUMANS MIGHT BE DRAWN CLOSER TO 'OD WHO ASKED OF US ONLY THAT WE RETURN 'OD S LOVE BY LOVING 'OD WITH THE FULLNESS OF OUR BEING AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS WE LOVE OURSELVES /R

IN A CHILD S TERMS THAT WE LOVE EVERYONE AND TRY TO DO RIGHT LIKE HELPING PEOPLE IN NEED AND AVOID WHAT WAS WRONG LIKE HITTING SOMEONE ELSE OR TELLING LIES 4HIS REQUEST FROM 'OD IS STARTLINGLY SIMPLE LIVING INTO IT FULLY IS THE CHALLENGING WORK OF MANY LIFETIMES ) HAD DREAMSÂ&#x2C6;) DON T KNOW HOW YOUNG ) WAS AT THE TIMEÂ&#x2C6;OF LEADING A CONGREGATION /F STANDING BEFORE THE ALTAR IN A GRAND CATHEDRAL PREACH ING 'OD S LOVE AND JUSTICE TO A FEARFULLY HOPEFUL COMMUNITY ASSAILED BY THE WORLD S PAIN AND SADNESS

BY VIOLENCE AND GREED /F ASCENDING AS A SIGN OF 'OD S COMPASSIONATE PASSION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AND SWEET *ESUS LOVE FOR ALL 7HERE DID THAT DREAM COME FROM /R THE SENSE ) HAD THAT ) WAS TO BE THE 3ECOND #OMING OF #HRIST ) HEARD TALKED ABOUT IN 3UNDAY SCHOOL )T ALL SEEMED SO NATURAL THEN "UT NOW ) DON T KNOW WHY ) HAD THOSE DREAMS 7AS 'OD TRYING TO GET THROUGH TO ME IN A PARTICULAR WAY 7HY ME ) DON T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT ) WAS A YOUNG SAINT BECAUSE ) WASN T ) MADE THE SORTS OF BAD CHOICES THAT LITTLE BOYS OFTEN MAKE AND GOT INTO MY SHARE OF TROUBLE WHEN ) WAS CAUGHT OFTEN AS THE RESULT OF HAVING TOLD A PREPOSTEROUS LIE AIMED AT DEm ECTING BLAME ONTO SOME INNOCENT FRIEND -Y FAVORITE EXAMPLE IS WHEN ON THE WAY HOME FROM l RST GRADE FOR LUNCH ) FOUND A PAINT CAN LID LYING IN THE DIRT ROAD ) THREW IT &RISBEE STYLE

AND WATCHED IN HORROR AS IT ARCED GRACEFULLY TO THE LEFT AND SAILED THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A HOUSE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION !T THE SOUND OF BREAKING GLASS ) RAN 4HEN ) LIED ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED 7HEN MY MOTHER LEARNED THE TRUTH SHE MADE ME GO BACK TO THE HOUSE TO CONFESS MY SIN AND MAKE AMENDS ) TREMBLED AS ) KNOCKED ON THE DOOR

HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT NO ONE WAS THERE 4HEN ) HEARD FOOTSTEPS AND STOOD FROZEN UNTIL THE DOOR OPENED REVEALING A LARGE MAN h) M SORRY ) BROKE YOUR WINDOW v ) BLURTED OUT TEARS POOLING IN MY EYES AND ) HANDED HIM SOME COINS MY MOTHER HAD GIVEN ME TO PAY FOR THE WINDOW 4HE BIG MAN TOOK THE COINS LOOKED AT ME SMILED AND SAID h4HANK YOU v ) TURNED AND RAN BACK TO THE CAR -AYBE ) VE NEVER REALLY BELIEVED IN A HARSH JUDGMENTAL 'OD BECAUSE THAT MAN WAS SO QUICK TO FORGIVE /R BECAUSE MY MOTHER IN HER LOVE AND SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG MADE IT CLEAR THAT ) D DONE WRONG AND HAD TO MAKE AMENDS BUT THAT THE SLATE WAS THEN WIPED CLEAN -AYBE IT WAS BECAUSE FEEL ING FORGIVEN MADE ME WANT NOT TO DO WRONG AGAIN !ND MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #HARLES 'IBBS

THE SOURCE OF ALL THAT IS ISN TT HARSHLY JUDGMENTAL -AYBE THAT MAN AND MY MOTHER WERE ACTING IN WAYS THAT REm ECTED THE TRUE NATURE OF THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFEÂ&#x2C6;A NATURE THAT IS LOVING AND COMPASSIONATE )N THE SAME WAY THAT THE WHOLE OAK TREE EXISTS IN THE ACORN WHEN IT IS PLANTED MY ENTIRE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY EXISTS IN THESE FEW REMEMBRANCES FROM MY EARLY CHILDHOOD ) VE ALWAYS FELT A POWERFUL CONNECTION THROUGH NATURE TO THE SACRED SOURCE OF LIFE ) VE ALWAYS FELT DRAWN TO AND PURSUED BY 'OD

EVEN WHEN THE #HURCH S TEACHINGS ABOUT 'OD HAVE MADE IT DIFl CULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE WORD h'ODv TO POINT TO THE SACRED SOURCE !S ) VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BELIEVE IN A HARSH JUDGMENTAL 'OD WHO WOULD CONSIGN PEOPLE TO AN ETERNITY IN HELL WITH NO HOPE OF REDEMPTION BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THEY D DONE WRONG ) VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BELIEVE IN A 'OD WHO WOULD CONSIGN PEOPLE WHO HAVE LED GOOD LIVES TO AN ETERNITY OF HELL BECAUSE THEY DIDN T HAPPEN TO BE #HRISTIAN )F AS THE CHURCH SEEMS TO TEACH THAT IS 'OD THEN ) WANT NO PART OF 'OD "UT IT HAS SEEMED 'OD WANTS A PART OF ME AND ) CAN T ESCAPE ,IKE THE PRODIGAL SON IN *ESUS S PARABLE ) VE WANDERED FAR AWAY IN A LAND OF WASTE OFTEN LOST AND DESPAIRING OF EVER l NDING HOME ,IKE THE DUTIFUL SON ) VE SOUGHT TO DO MY DUTY AS BEST ) UNDERSTAND ITÂ&#x2C6;TO LOVE THE SACRED SOURCE OF LIFE WITH THE FULLNESS OF MY BEING AND TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF ) HAVE ALWAYS FELT DRAWN !LONG THE WAY ) VE DONE MANY THINGS IN MY LIFE ) VE BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS TO A WIFE WHOSE TO AND PURSUED BY 'OD

COMMITMENT TO SERVICE IS A DAILY INSPIRATION AND ) HAVE HELPED RAISE TWO REMARKABLE CHILDREN ) VE WORKED IN EVEN WHEN THE #HURCH S THE THEATER BEEN A WRITER AND TAUGHT WRITING BEEN A HOUSEPARENT AND COUNSELOR AT A GROUP HOME FOR DE TEACHINGS ABOUT 'OD HAVE VELOPMENTALLY DISABLED TEENAGERS DRIVEN A SCHOOL BUS AND A DELIVERY TRUCK FOR A STEEL COMPANY BEEN THE l ELD MADE THAT DIFl CULT SUPERVISOR ON A PICK IT YOURSELF STRAWBERRY FARM AND WORKED ON A CATTLE RANCH !T THIRTY SIX HAVING COME UNEASILY TO A FRUITFUL PEACE BETWEEN MY PERSONAL FAITH AND THE RELIGION OF MY BIRTH ) WAS ORDAINED AS AN %PISCOPAL PRIEST HONORING A CALLING ) D FELT SINCE ) WAS ELEVEN AND HAD AVOIDED ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE 3INCE THEN ) VE DIRECTED A SOCIAL OUTREACH MINISTRY IN A COM MUNITY OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES LED AN %PISCOPAL PARISH AND HELPED CREATE THE 5NITED 2ELIGIONS )NITIATIVE A GLOBAL INTERFAITH ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO INTERFAITH COOPERATION FOR WORLD PEACE ) HAVE LIVED AND WORKED WITH A KEEN SENSE THAT 'OD S COMPASSION ATE LOVING NATURE UPHOLDS RIGHT PEACE AND JUSTICE /N BALANCE ) VE TRIED

THOUGH NOT ALWAYS SUCCEEDED TO BE MORE JOYFUL THAN SOMBER IN MY PURSUIT

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!WAKENING AND 2EMEMBERING

OF THE SACRED SOURCE AND THE LIFE GIVING VALUES ) l ND THERE !ND ) STILL DON T KNOW WHY ) l ND THAT PURSUIT AND THE KIND OF LIFE IT IMPELS ME TO LEAD SO POWERFUL "UT ) DO KNOW THAT 'OD OR THE SACRED SOURCE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE WHEN IT COMES TO TOUCHING PARTICULAR PEOPLE IN A PARTICULARLY POWERFUL WAY "ECAUSE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE ) VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO MEET AND WORK WITH THROUGH THE 5NITED 2ELIGIONS )NITIATIVE ) VE COME TO SEE THAT 'OD !LLAH THE 'REAT 3PIRIT THE "UDDHA NATUREย THE SACRED WHICH INHERES IN EVERYTHING THAT ISย DOESN T DISCRIMINATE 3HE (E )T IS AS LIKELY TO TOUCH A *EW AS A *AIN A :OROASTRIAN AS A -USLIM A 3IKH AS A $AOIST AN )NDIGENOUS PERSON AS A 7ICCAN A "UDDHIST AS A "AHA I A (INDU AS A #HRISTIAN )N ) PARTICIPATED IN A 5NITED 2ELIGIONS )NITIATIVE SUMMIT IN )TA TIAIA A NATIONAL PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RAIN FOREST HALFWAY BETWEEN 2IO DE *ANEIRO AND 3รกO 0AULO "RAZIL 4HE SUMMIT S FOCUS LIKE ALL THE 5NITED 2ELIGIONS )NITIATIVE S WORK WAS ABOUT SHARING THE SACRED AND SERVING THE WORLD &OR FOUR DAYS WE EXPLORED HOW PEOPLE OF THIRTY DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

SPIRITUAL EXPRESSIONS AND INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS WORKING TOGETHER FROM THE DEEP SPIRITUAL CENTERS OF THEIR TRADITIONS COULD MAKE THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE 4HOUGH THE RECORDED OUTCOME OF THIS SUMMIT WAS EXPRESSED IN SHARED COMMITMENTS TO PROJECTS PARTICIPANTS CO CREATED THE MOMENTS THAT SHIM MER MOST BRIGHTLY IN MY MEMORY ARE OUR EXPERIENCES SHARING THE SACRED 4HESE EXPERIENCES CREATED AN UNPRECEDENTED COMMUNITY AND INSPIRED MU TUAL RESPECT AND A DESIRE FOR SHARED ACTION 4HESE MOMENTS PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE OF DIVERSE TRADITIONS TO DEEPEN THEIR OWN SPIRITUAL ROOTS THROUGH PRAYER MEDITATION CONTEMPLATION WORSHIP MOVEMENT AND MUSIC TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS OF DIFFERENT TRADITIONS AS THEY OF FERED SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF LOVE HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION FROM THEIR DIVERSE TRADITIONS AND TO EXPERIENCE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER THAT IS REVEALED WHEN PEOPLE OF DIVERSE FAITHS ARE TOGETHER IN A COMMUNITY INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED ON SHARING THE SACRED AND SERVING THE WORLD 4HAT SERENE AND BLESSED MOOD

)N WHICH THE AFFECTIONS GENTLY LEAD US ON ย 5NTIL THE BREATH OF THIS CORPOREAL FRAME !ND EVEN THE MOTION OF OUR HUMAN BLOOD !LMOST SUSPENDED WE ARE LAID ASLEEP )N BODY AND BECOME A LIVING SOUL 7HILE WITH AN EYE MADE QUIET BY THE POWER /F HARMONY AND THE DEEP POWER OF JOY

7E SEE INTO THE LIFE OF THINGS >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #HARLES 'IBBS

/N THE SECOND DAY OF THE CONFERENCE WE SHARED AN INTERFAITH BLESSING CEREMONY FOR TWO CHILDREN 4HIS DIVERSE COMMUNITY GATHERED IN A MOUN TAINSIDE GARDEN OVERLOOKING A SEA OF TREES l LLED WITH SONG 3PIRITUAL LEAD ERSÂ&#x2C6;)NDIGENOUS !FRO "RAZILIAN :EN "UDDHIST (INDU 4IBETAN "UDDHIST

#HRISTIAN 3Ul Â&#x2C6;STOOD IN A SEMICIRCLE IN SILENT WITNESS TO A SIMPLE REALITY THAT SINCE WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE SAME SOURCE ALL CHILDREN ARE OUR CHILDREN AND THAT THE BLESSING WE ASK FOR ONE WE SHOULD ASK FOR ALL 7ITH THIS WITNESS WE CREATED A COMMUNITY THAT HAD NEVER BEFORE EXISTED ON THIS %ARTH %ACH CHILD WAS PRESENTED BY HIS OR HER PARENTS TO EACH OF THE LEADERS

WHO OFFERED A BLESSING 4HE INDIVIDUAL BLESSINGS WERE AS UNIQUE AS THE VOICES OF THE DIVERSE RAIN FOREST BIRDS YET TOGETHER THEY SANG A SONG THAT THIS CHILD BE WELL LOVED AND NEVER KNOW THE DEBILITATING WOUNDS OF POVERTY OPPRES SION OR ABUSE AND THAT THIS CHILD BE l LLED WITH THE LIGHT OF THE SACRED AND THRIVE 4HAT EVENING WE GATHERED FOR A SACRED RITUAL OF HEALING RECONCILIATION AND PEACE IN A LARGE CIRCLE IN THE DARK IN A CLEARING ON THIS HOLY MOUNTAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE "RAZILIAN RAIN FOREST 4HE ONLY LIGHT CAME FROM A BONl RE IN THE CENTER OF THE CLEARING AND FROM A FULL MOON OCCASIONALLY CONCEALED BY THE CLOUDS DRIFTING ACROSS THE NIGHT SKY /UR RITUAL WAS LED BY PEOPLE FROM FOUR INDIGENOUS NATIONS WHICH HAD BEEN PUSHED TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION

BY THE RELIGIOUS ANCESTORS OF MANY OF THE PEOPLE NOW INCLUDED IN THE CIRCLE $RESSED IN THEIR CEREMONIAL REGALIA ONE NATION AT A TIME OFFERED A RITUAL OF DANCE AND CHANT TO INVOKE THE SACRED SPIRIT OF ALL LIFE !S THEY CIRCLED THE l RE THEIR FEET MAKING MUSIC WITH THEIR -OTHER %ARTH THEIR CHANTS ROSE WITH THE SMOKE INTO THE FOREST THEN PAST THE CLOUDS PAST THE MOON INVITING THE GREAT SPIRIT THAT IS THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE TO GIVE US THE STRENGTH AND WISDOM TO WALK A NEW PATH OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND PEACE 4HEN IN A HISTORIC MOMENT ALL FOUR SHARED A COMMON DANCE !NCIENT DIVISIONS AMONG THESE INDIGENOUS NATIONS WERE SO STRONG THAT THEY HAD OFTEN FOUGHT BUT HAD NEVER BEFORE DANCED TOGETHER 4HE PREVIOUS NIGHT

THEY HAD STRUGGLED INTO THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING WITH HOW TO LEAD THE WHOLE GROUP IN THIS RITUAL !T LAST SOMEONE HAD SAID THAT IF THEY WERE TO LEAD A RITUAL FOR HEALING AND PEACE FOR THE WHOLE GROUP THEY MUST l RST HEAL ANCIENT ENMITIES AND BE RECONCILED AMONG THEMSELVES !S THEY DANCED AND CHANTED TOGETHER ANCIENT WOUNDS WERE HEALED THEY WERE RECONCILED AND PEACE PREVAILED )N THAT MOMENT AND FOR THE SECOND TIME THAT DAY A SACRED COMMUNITY WAS BORN THAT HAD NEVER BEFORE EXISTED ON THE %ARTH !T THE END OF ITS SHARED DANCE THIS NEW INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY INVITED EVERYONE PRESENT TO JOIN IN ONE LARGE CIRCLE DANCE !S WE TOOK EACH OTHER S HANDS ) LOOKED AROUND THE CIRCLE AND SAW INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THEIR NA TIVE DRESS A :EN "UDDHIST MONK IN HER ROBES A 4IBETAN "UDDHIST MONK

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IN HIS ROBES TWO $OMINICAN MONKS IN THEIR ROBES A (INDU SWAMI IN HIS ROBES AND A 3Ul SHEIKH ) SAW ALL SIZES SHAPES AGES AND COLORS OF MEN AND WOMEN IN EVERYDAY CLOTHES RITUAL ROBES AND CEREMONIAL REGALIA HANDS JOINED DANCING TOGETHER AS ONE COMMUNITY EXTRAORDINARILY DIVERSE AND YET UNITED &OR THE THIRD TIME THAT DAY A COMMUNITY WAS CREATED THAT HAD NEVER EXISTED BEFOREÂ&#x2C6;A COMMUNITY LIKE THE OTHER TWO INSPIRED TO SERVE THE WORLD BY SHARING THE SACRED 7E WERE OUT OF TIME OUT OF PLACE OUT OF MINDÂ&#x2C6;/NE IN THE SPIRIT )F MY BIRTH WAS A SLEEP AND A FORGETTING MY LIFE HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE BY l TS AND STARTS AN AWAKENING AND A REMEMBERING ,IKE THE %ARTH IN ITS ORBIT AROUND THE SUN ) HAVE FELT SOMETIMES NEARER TO AND SOMETIMES FARTHER AWAY FROM THAT SACRED SOURCE OF LIFE "UT ) VE ALWAYS FELT ITS GRAVITA TIONAL PULL ) STILL DON T KNOW WHY ) CAME INTO THIS WORLD FEELING THAT PULL SO STRONGLYÂ&#x2C6;FAR MORE STRONGLY THAN MANY ) VE KNOWN NOT NEARLY AS STRONGLY AS OTHERS "UT ) AM GRATEFUL ) DID AND ) M GRATEFUL ) VE BEEN BLESSED WITH SO MANY DEAR FRIENDS AND FELLOW PILGRIMS OF DIVERSE RELIGIONS SPIRITUAL EXPRES SIONS AND INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS WHO LIVE IN THIS WORLD GUIDED BY A POWERFUL AWARENESS OF THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF THE SACRED SOURCE 4OGETHER WE ARE SPIRITUAL CITIZENS OF THE %ARTH OF THE COSMOS AWAKENING AND REMEMBERING 4OGETHER WE ARE SHARING THE SACRED AND SERVING THE WORLD IN THE HOPE THAT THE SOURCE THAT SEEKS US MAY SHINE THROUGH US TO LIGHT THE WAY FOR OTHERS ON THE JOURNEY s .OTES 7ILLIAM 7ORDSWORTH FROM h,INES #OMPOSED A &EW -ILES ABOVE 4INTERN !BBEY v

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