A series of video reflections on life, lived and still to live!

It has been said that images are worth a thousand words.

Images and words together how worthy could they be?

Life is a chain of concepts and events.

Man is subject and object at the same time!

Wisdom resides in getting to know how to smoothly blend both ends,

and learn from it,

leaving a positive legacy, of concepts and experiences,

to the ones who have yet to come and live!

WE, THE OLD BARNS...

because we have already been through

so much!

We can recommend to the newer ones

how pertinent is to ask

WHAT´S GOING ON?

And why there is so much suffering around?

It would be so easy to live

if we abided

by righter and rightful values

and simpler rules of life.

And if living so it hurts... let´s whistle!

And keep on going the right way!

On the right paths of living!

Bless them, Lord!

You know, My Lord, that the people reading this,

are very special to me!

Let´s give thanks

to all those, who care enough

to keep on thinking positive, and sharing

their feelings, best desires and wishes,

for us, and all who stop and read,

meditating on all this,

and hopefully making it part of our lives,

in order to change it for the better,

for the sake of ourselves,

our family and friends,

and the whole lot of the rest of the world!

CHILDREN, FLOWERS AND SMILES, WHAT A LESSON OF LIFE!

Yesterday, while I was recording and posting, at their request, some comments about the Fresh Air Fund ministry, a friend of mine, an already retired Mechanical and Maintenance Engineer, or in other words, a very practical oriented individual, came to my studio, to ask me some questions, as he is helping us with some repairs at home.

He is also an enthusiastic user, as I am, of the technological marvels that allow us to get in touch with all friends and foes, in the purest expression of the freedom of speech, but this time used to promote worthier and more positive life values, polished and made to shine through the experiences of our lives.

He read the core message and watched the video I was recording at the time. We discussed, and wondered, how these types of feelings and sentiments endure the worst attacks of the gross materialism, and values distortion and deviations, that permeate our societies today.

He is, as I am, a firm believer of the direst need to stand together, as sentinels on the ramparts, joining efforts, encouraging the weaker, as well as the creative ones who extend their hands, and their spirit, to help them overcome their weaknesses and despair.

I was sharing with him that sometimes I miss the immediate contact with people I know and love, while through the internet waves I keep in touch with known and unknown friends who open their hearts and their time to my messages.

I did also share how I love to receive and then comment the messages by enriching them with the lessons from my past experiences of hopes, failures and success.

He said to me that the most valuable gift we can give and share, is to communicate unceasingly what it lies in the depths of our hearts, through the myriads of variations that nature offers.

For example, in the flower that grows, bloom, die, and then re-grow, re-bloom, and re-die in a single flower plant in our gardens, for our amazement, meditation and delight.

He liked the video and the posted comments about the activities of my ministerial friends, but he also asked me to recover the essence of my personal as well as the shared and received messages for a general but concise apprehension and comprehension by all.

I agree with him in that the purer expressions of love, hope, music, words, must not and should never be copyrighted, because they belong to the spirit and the heart, they belong to the world and those who need to find peace, solace, affirmation, healing, tenderness and comfort.

I welcomed his comments, and I here comply with his request. What it follows summarize the feelings of my heart and my hopes, prayers and desires for the generations to come.

Children, flowers and smiles, what a lesson of life!

Smiles, a gift from God!

The joyful heart beautifies the face, Proverbs 15:13.

A smile is a light on the window of the soul
saying a heart is at home!

Almost every smile is the end result from another one!
Even if there are more than a hundred languages
The smiles speak them all!

A smile is worthier than a thousand words!
No one needs a smile as much as the one
who does not have any to offer!

The wrinkle lines should only be
the trace marks of the smiles. Mark Twain.

The smiles have the same effect on the human beings
as the sun has it on the flowers. Joseph Addison.

Smile! It´s a free therapy
for the souls’ well being! Doug Horton.

There are more than enough sad children
in this world!

The newly come are entitled to

and deserve much brighter days,
because the children are the children of God!

What a smile is worth…?

The children do not have a past and, not yet, a future.
It is for this that they enjoy so much their present,
a thing we have forgotten.

If we make them smile and help them today
in their hope and search for their future,

we will recover the joy and innocence,
they have begun to lose, through
hardships and abandonment!

What they receive in their very early years…
will stay with them,
even beyond their final departure.

May no word nor obscene look…
Never pollute the house where a child is dwelling!

I offer you the flowers of my garden,
my open and extended hand,
my prayers and my heart!

Children, flowers and smiles, what a lesson of life!

SMILES, CHILDREN AND SUPPORT! IT IS AMAZING WHAT LOVE AND CARE CAN DO TO CHANGE LIVES AND BUILD UP FUTURES!

I have recently received news about the Fresh Air ongoing activities in the coming weeks and months of this year. As any ministry surely well knows, there is always an unending flow of opportunities to match donors and recipients, in this case, children from the inner-city environments.

I feel humbled and honored by being asked to pitch in these ministry efforts through spreading out the word about them.

At the same time this has made me meditate about the convergence of thoughts and feelings that abound among the Christians and well intentioned people around the world.

Some by doing, others by talking about it, some more by spreading the good news, me included, form the mighty army of the Lord that has been sent out to fight the battle against pain and hardships.

SOME, by encouraging more and more volunteers to beautify their lives by making possible the changes in lives and the building up of futures.

OTHERS, like me, by spreading the good news of the existence of dedicated souls, adding to them my time, the photos of the flowers of the garden my wife tends so tenderly, and of the children who cross my path showing to me their innocence, their resilience, and their trust that we, adults, will somehow care for them to have a future.

This is the theme and the concept of this video. Enjoy it to the fullness of its content. And then… check what this Fresh Air Fund ministry is all about it, and then, even if repeating myself… do something about it.

Sarah Wilson is telling us WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOW:

Even though it's winter out there we're already counting down to “Summer 2010” and The Fresh Air Fund is always in need of host families. There is always a way in helping to place these inner-city children into a loving host family home for a fresh air experience they will never forget.

I've put together a new social media release to make it simple to repost, so please feel free to use any of the images, graphics, banners, or copy:

http://freshairfundhosts.com/ .


What do Fresh Air children enjoy?
• Playing in the backyard.
• Laughing in the sunshine.
• Catching fireflies.
• Riding bicycles.
• Learning to swim.
• Running barefoot through the grass.
• Gazing at the stars on moonlit nights.
• Building sandcastles.
• Making new friends.
Simple pleasures of life away from the inner-city.

On March 21st, the Fresh Air Fund-Racers will take to the streets at the NYC Half-Marathon! Thank you to the Fresh Air Fund-Racers and their supporters for participating in this world class event. You are making a huge difference in the lives of thousands of Fresh Air children
We have limited availability for this amazing race. If you would like to run, please register here right away.

Fresh Air Fund Programs.
Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend one of five Fresh Air Fund camps.

The Friendly Town Program.
Through The Fund’s Friendly Town program, close to 5,000 children visit volunteer host families each summer in rural and suburban communities. Learn More and check:
http://freshairfundhosts.com/ .

Summer Camping for New York City Children.
Each summer, 3,000 children enjoy themselves at one of the five Fresh Air camps in upstate New York. Learn More.

Year Round Programs & Off Season Camping.
Throughout the year, The Fresh Air Fund utilizes its facilities at Sharpe Reservation to offer camping and educational opportunities to a variety of organizations and associations. Learn More.

Career Awareness Program.
The Career Awareness Program focuses on expanding the educational and career options of New York City adolescents. Learn More.

Our History.
The Fresh Air Fund has been serving children from New York City’s

toughest neighborhoods for more than 130 years. Learn More.

Alumni Network.
The Fresh Air Fund is looking for anyone who has participated in our Friendly Town or Summer Camping programs to join our newly created Alumni Network. Learn More.

WHAT IS IT? WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

During the last weeks I have been deluged by a flood of emails, as well as myriads of news, and televised comments on the world crisis, demises, miseries, and efforts to alleviate the victims.

At the same time I have been analyzing the claims of many, who disagree with their nations´ rulers’ motivations and actions. I see their points, as I myself have mine and very personal ones that make me, passionately, disagree with some of them.

But, not always all the fault and responsibility fall upon their shoulders. I kind of remember a statement of a presidential candidate when he affirmed: “it´s the economy”, as he tried to point out what was it the central and paramount point of all issues.

I kind of agree with this statement, with a little digression on it. It is not really the economy, the money, the wealth, per se, but the way we see it, we seek it, we pursue it, we compromise to get it, we abuse it, what is bringing down the world into this voráginal chaos.

In the course of my life I have seen people creating wealth the honest way, with daring, vision and resolve.

I have also seen people, crushed and destroyed by the insensitivity of other people, colluded with, and accomplice to, the most cynical and corrupted schemes. I have seen them acting without any care, fear or remorse, in their search for wealth and gain at any cost, and without any consideration for those they trample upon, destroying hopes and futures.

But most pitiful than anything else, is the friends and acquaintances faked indifference, and their subtle distancing themselves from those unfortunate, who fatten the ranks of the victimized and dispossessed, fearing to be counted among those masses. So, I can understand the victims grievances, their pain, their anger and resentment, their violent responses. but. is this the only way out? the only way to challenge the injustice and abuses? is this what will be the way of living in the future?

All this, and as an emotional response to those, who try to finger point the whys and hows that cause the present overwhelming confusion, hate, violence and unending crisis, all this has made me wonder, and ponder, what is going on, what is causing it, what is what we have to do to face it, to challenge it, and to overcome it, for the sake of our peace, present and future.

I tried to record my thoughts in the most secluded and silent environment, to, in my mind, be able to address the issues, at the deepest possible way, but life taught me that this would be an sterile intellectual exercise if isolated from the recurring noises of the crisis.

Cars accelerating while passing by the windows of my studio, taught me better. So, I stopped and let their noise become part of the background of my inner thinking, when pondering what it is that is going on, all around.

WHAT IS IT!


Not hearing, nor seeing and being silent
When the powerful abuse….
What is it?

Pure and simple!
Hypocrisy, cowardice and complicity!

Same with finding excuses to close our eyes
And do not act against all the voracious predators!

What is it?
To purposely dismiss
The rulers and speculators´ responsibility
For transgressions resulting in the stealing of life,
Potential wealth and freedom,
Under false premises of the indispensable
And imperative need to preserve…
The Leaders? Privileges? And Status Quo?

To do so is to become
The willing and co-responsible
Witnesses and partners
Of the dark night of the disguised
Slavery and oppression!

Running in a proboscidian stampede
In support of the menaced
Abusing rulers
And influential manipulators!

Trampling over those they are supposed
To protect from institutional abuse,
Without shame or remorse for
The blatant manipulation of the
Rights they are supposed to defend and preserve
For the well fare of their societies and nations!

Why the so called international outcry
When one abuser is removed
By the exasperation and rebellion
Of the otherwise timorous and resigned?

Beware!
Times may come
When the caged and the handled
May devour their abusive
And merciless cagers and handlers,
Bringing down the betrayers
Of their duty to preserve
Their nations and peoples´ justice, peace,
And social understanding,
Support and cooperation.

We must not forget that the nations
Are like companies
And the peoples, as a whole,
Are the shareholders
With the right to replace their corrupt
Or inefficient rulers, managers
And administrators!

The challenge is to do it civically,
Collectively, consciously and not violently!
Even at the cost of facing off
The institutional bureaucracies
And foreign and selfish
Interests and conveniences!

To not fall into the abyss
Of the societies that live subjugated
By the violence of the masses,
Ignorant and manipulated
By these callous and remorseless
Manipulators and leaders!

There is a fact that seems
To be ignored, unseen or forgotten!

We all navigate in the same boat,
Small or big as you prefer,
But the same one,
Even if we don´t like it.

We will arrive to port
Or irremediably sink into the abyss
Of the turbulent seas of human stupidity!

No name calling, finger pointing,
Blame adjudication, responsibility dismissal,
Or violent reaction
Will alleviate the already compounded crisis,
But our honest appraisal,
Righteousness and integrity restitution,
And real change
For the positive and the better!

We have made the world what the world is today!
By our action or inaction!
By our activism or our procrastination!
By our greed or let it be-ing!
By our Pharisee-ism or radicalism!

The time has come to stop and do something about it!
We the righteous or indifferent bystanders!
We can be the destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
Or the repentant Nineveh!

The already crushed and destroyed,
The suffering and the oppressed,
The jailed with no hope of redemption or freedom,
The innocent to come to face the chaos
We are leaving behind,
Demand it so!
We owe them!

Change is always possible, if desired.
It us up to us what type of change is wanted!
For the worse or the better!
And consequently, depending on
What types of actions are taken!

Let´s start changing ourselves,
And work influencing others
By example and deeds,
In a widening and restoring circle!

And if we are ignored,
Dismissed, attacked or rejected,
Let´s rest in peace
Knowing that we did
What we were supposed to do,
Despite any outcome or circumstance!