letter from the publisher
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ugust’s clear blue skies are a refreshing sight and Florida’s famous scattered clouds with the accompanying short, intense, noisy rains are a signature for our area of paradise. In our Wise Words article, Erling Kagge passionately speaks about finding quiet. There is the seeking of the quiet within and there is another type of silence that I perceive as places wherein I do not hear the artificial sounds of mankind’s machinery and devices— the “get-a-way” from our bells and whistles. I have many fond memories of my own childhood living in very out-of-the way places during the summers and being surrounded by a deciduous forest and river in Maryland. The “silence” in the forest was amazing—to hear the wind as it rustled the leaves brought a sense of awe—only to be broken by my own footsteps or my own breathing. Then there were those days it rained. Our summer house on the river picked up the sounds of the rain hitting not only the trees, but also the river. Sometimes, we’d go swimming during a rain; that was exciting, feeling the warmer rain mix with the cooler river water. On sunny days the shoreline sounds were of the gentle lapping of water against the
small pebbled coast. We had neither cell phones nor battery operated devices to play with. These are the memories I head toward when I am wanting to recall and feel peace in self and in nature. A few years ago I worked with the Michiko So Feingold Memorial Trust, and the organization called A Quieter Future, on a collaborative art project with noise pollution as the theme. Who might be the pioneers in developing quieter or silent products and devices that don’t add to the noise pollution, damaging wildlife and human sensitivity? Electric cars and aircraft are great examples of this. In an effort to personally minimize noise pollution, I keep my windows rolled up in my car when I have the radio on and place my cell phone on vibrate. As our numbers grow, the followthrough in speaking out and making changes in our own life becomes critical. If you’re passionate about health, you’ll see there is an inseparable connection between your own personal health and that of the planet. The health and quality of all life on Earth is dependent on the health and quality of the air, land and water. In the article this month on Simplified Parenting, Gary Chapman, PhD, author of The 5 Love Languages of
Traffic Pattern
Artist’s digital creation using metal bottle caps found on the streets and parking lots in the United States that appear to have been passively flattened by vehicular traffic.
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Children, poses, “The question is not, ‘Do you love your children?’ It’s, ‘Do your children feel loved?” Yes, what effect do you have on your children, friends and family? Do you feel loved? Do they feel loved by you? This concept flows through everything. As I misstep, I feel my way back to a place of heart-centered thoughts and actions. I really believe that love is such a key to a life worth living. Finding peace within is created through this space. As I speak to groups, I like to mention the Global TRASHformation pledge which was recently updated. Though it centers on trash, it’s more of a metaphor for those unloved leftovers or parts of self: · To be active in finding viable solutions for keeping the areas I live, work and play litter-free. · To do my part gladly and effectively and, in so doing, inspire others to participate in the movement. · Cultivating cleanliness within creates a consciousness shift that heals and expands constructively. · It’s all about working from the inside out, and the ground up! We are a most innovative and creative species. I believe through what we are passionate about, we have the absolute ability to find ways to selfcorrect and mitigate the damage we’ve allowed to happen. We can be powerful in resolve. What can you work on for the greater good? Follow your passion; plan on it.
SusieQ Wood Publisher