REFLECTIONS ON LIFE
–March 2018
Absolutely Everything is
Connected
REFLECTIONS ON HOME IN COLUMBIA
Lloyd and I were both holding our breath for a few days after
the mid-March snowstorm. The heavy wet snow burdened the long branches of the
big pine tree visible from the window beside our bed to about ten feet above
the roof. Those branches needed all the
strength they could muster to avoid snapping under the very burdensome weight
of the snow. Serving as the stage, these branches are crucial to the show put
on by the birds and squirrels throughout the four seasons of the year. The four-foot railing around the upper deck
provided support for a few, though the majority of the branches drooped close
to straight down for three days, three very long days. I wanted to take a broom and knock off the
snow as best I could, but Lloyd convinced me that such pressure could backfire
and endanger those magnificently graceful branches to an even greater
extent. On the fourth day, we did go out
on the deck and rescue what is possibly the most pivotal branch which provides
the take-off platform for squirrels jumping onto our roof. The fourth day after
the snowstorm brought with it a big, bright, warm sun! Our pine branches had made it through the
storm, most completely intact. Now we
lie in bed in the morning observing many squirrels jumping from branch to
branch. Those branches spring right back
to position after the full force of a landing squirrel bends them quite a few
feet toward the ground. A lesson in resilience for us humans in these troubling
times.
.
The Washington
Anyone visiting on our deck this time of year could tell you
that female cardinals can and do sing.
REFLECTIONS ON ZACH
The spirit of Zach must be very strong in the air. Suddenly I am receiving more and more
requests from friends and others whom I have heretofore known to invoke Zach’s
indomitable spirit on behalf of a loved one – child, spouse, parent,
grandparent, friend – who is living with difficulty in his or her life. In previous “Reflections on Life” I have
written of the windowsill “Zach altar” beside our bed, just inside the window
from which we view the birds and squirrels. See. Everything IS connected. Each night I sit on the side of our bed and
bring forth in my mind and spirit the images of all of the individuals on
behalf of whom I have received these requests.
This simple spiritual practice puts me in a very peaceful frame of mind
as I fall off to sleep.
REFLECTIONS ON BALTIMORE , MY HOME TOWN
The Baltimore
By Kevin Rector
This park is located between my high school and the Baltimore
Museum of Art. When I was supposed to be in class, it was not unheard of that I
could be found walking through the dell toward the Baltimore Museum of
Art. Born a slave on Maryland ’s
eastern shore, Harriet Tubman grew to become a Conductor of the Underground
Railroad. How fitting that she is now
honored in this beautiful site in the midst of long-standing racial tensions in
Baltimore City
REFLECTIONS ON PUBLIC POLICY—LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL
Several months ago I was invited to do a monthly half hour spot
on Howard Community
College Columbia ,
Zach, Baltimore – My Hometown, Public Policy -
Local, State, and National, Our Planet Beyond the U.S. ,
and Our Universe. That is followed by an
interview of someone from our Howard
County newtown of Columbia . Another past interviewee is the Director of the Howard County
Historical Society who spoke of the long rich history of Ellicott
City and the impact the Newtown of Columbia has had on the county
as a whole.
This month I interviewed Howard County Superintendent of
Schools, Michael Martirano, who has held that position for just about a
year. He took over this very crucial
position after a couple years of what I describe as uncertainty and poor
management of our school system. He
spoke on the importance of equity in our school system as well as the necessity
of treating the “whole child.” I found
his words and his spirit very encouraging.
I believe you will agree. You can
find the episodes at http://dragondigitalradio.podbean.com/category/reflections-on-life/.
State of Maryland
The Washington Post
March 23, 2018
A deep bow and “thank you” to our state legislators for their
excellent work. Let’s hope that the U.S.
Congress will follow.
The Baltimore Sun
March 28, 2018
I was serving the last of five terms in the Maryland
legislature when we adopted the procedure for utilizing TIF (Tax Increment
Financing) funding in our state and counties.
A small vocal minority of us legislators worked hard to expose the
potential negative financial consequences to this procedure, but to no
avail. Now the legislature is considering
corrective measures for Baltimore
City
Between this TIF debacle and the unfulfilled promise a couple of
years before that casino profits would go to education, the people are
suffering at the expense of big profits for big business.
The Washington Post
March 7, 2018
If we are appalled now by the rampant economic injustice in our
nation, hold on.
It can get worse.
REFLECTIONS ON OUR PLANET BEYOND THE UNITED STATES
The Washington Post
March 6, 2018
The good news was that a new coalition government led by Ms.
Merkel (Germany ) was finally approved by members
of her partner Social Democratic Party. The partnership became necessary as a
result of an election last September in which the center (Merkel) was battered
but not defeated. It now falls to Ms.
Merkel to seek reforms with Mr. Macron (France )
that will promote growth in struggling E.U. countries such as Italy while
continuing to defend liberal democratic principles. “At stake is nothing less than the survival
of the West as the world has known it since 1945.”
Reference point: I, Margaret Elizabeth Gilner, was born in
Maryland in the United States of America in 1943.
China and Russia
It seems that the Washington Post has had countless articles
during this month of March on two very large nations on our planet – China and
Russia. China is larger in population
and Russia larger in landmass. One thing
they have in common is that their current leaders have been declared, one by
law and the other by electIon manipulation, leaders for life, or as long as
they wish.
Then there is our nation, the United States of America and our
president. …?
The Washington Post
March 15, 2018
By Joel Achenbach and Boyce Rensberger
The Baltimore Sun
March 15, 2018
By Seth Bornstein
Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease at the age of 21 and given
two years to live, Stephen Hawking lived to be 76, bringing a love of science
to many who had theretofore considered themselves “unable to learn” about it,
myself included. Lloyd had his own
curiosity from which grew his skill. Now
we both treasure Hawking’s book, “A Brief History of Time.” The New York Review
of Books described it thusly, “Hawking can explain the complexities of
cosmological physics with an engaging combination of clarity and wit…His is a
brain of extraordinary power.” Lloyd gave this book to me for Christmas,
inscribed: “Tempus Fugit! Merry
Christmas 2014.” Having been pulled from
its home on a shelf in one of our bookcases a few weeks before, it was sitting
on a table between our two rocking chairs in our family room on March 14, the
day Hawking took his last breath on this earth. We will pick it up from time to
time and read a passage.
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
Are
drifting through my open mind
Possessing
and caressing me
Across the
Universe
~Lennon and
McCartney
Be
well and love life.
~Liz
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