Imagine

Save Your Servant

Save your servant, O Sustainer of Life,

From too early a death.

Free me of that affliction of believers

Who so easily become rigid of heart

In their journeys to you.

Make my heart like the green willow tree

That easily bends in the wind,

That bows gracefully before the storm

Only to raise its head again with renewed life

When the angry clouds have moved on.

Fill me this day, I pray,

With the strength of your Spirit,

The strength to be flexible and ever-green.

Create within me the heart

Of a disciple of life,

A heart that is gentle and meek.

Let me learn a lesson from your daughter water

Who seeks the lowest path,

Ever yielding and humble,

Yet wears down the strongest stones into sand.

In her I see the wisdom of the Tao:

The hard and strong will fall;

The soft and meek shall overcome.

- Ed Hays

Happy Lent

Send Producers the Message: We Want More Like Black Panther

I've seen people saying that white people shouldn't see Black Panther because doing so is "cultural appropriation." To my mind, this is an erroneous way of thinking because I would think that you'd want to encourage EVERYONE to see this wonderful, exciting, action-packed film and send the message to movie producers that YES! We want more movies with fantastic black heroes and heroines. More movies like Black Panther with characters that boys and girls (and women and men) of all races can admire--it's time!
This would be similar to me saying "men shouldn't be allowed to see Wonder Woman because powerful female characters are only for women." Hell with that. I want everyone to see Wonder Woman, because it's always appropriate to watch a cool heroine kick some ass.
I say see Black Panther regardless of whether your skin tone is black like onyx or pasty white and burns under a 60 watt bulb like mine. Send the message that we want more movies with racially diverse casts. It's past time.

 ~Cie~

The Cheese Grates It: False Memory Syndrome

I do not like Woody Allen. I think that messing around with your 20-year-old stepdaughter behind her mother's back is pretty damn gross. However, I have long thought that his daughter's accusations of him smack of false memory syndrome. I feel that he is not a child molester.
This issue means something to me, as a number of years ago I had a therapist try to convince me that my father had molested me. I stopped seeing this therapist. My father most assuredly did not molest me.
My father could be overbearing, obsessive, and extremely opinionated in a maddening way. He sometimes couldn't see past his own nose and at times I felt he had cloth ears. He was both brilliant and very stuck in his ways. I think in many ways he was conflicted. But if there was one thing he was not, it was a child molester.
Many people were falsely accused of doing terrible things during the heyday of false memory syndrome.
I do not think that Dylan Farrow is a liar, I think that she is suffering from false memory syndrome.
I do not think that Woody Allen is a good person, but I do not think that he is a child molester.
Now, if you ask me about Roman Polanski, I will tell you that I think his child-raping ass should be in jail. Being a brilliant filmmaker should not absolve you of a heinous crime.

 ~The Cheese Hath Grated It~

 

Happy Hola Mohalla

"Hola Mahalla is an important Indian Sikh festival held in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab which follows the Hindu festival of Holi. Unlike the festival of Holi, when people playfully throw coloured powders on each other, Hola Mahalla is an occasion for Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills. Sikhs gather here in large numbers to witness a very impressive and colourful procession of Nihangs, in their traditional attire displaying their skill in the use of arms, horse riding, and other war-like sports. The fair is also known for community service as langars (voluntary community kitchens) are held by the locals for serving traditional cuisine to visitors to this festival." 

Text courtesy of www.stateexpressindia.com