15 Years!

Britt and I got married 15 years ago this morning at around 10am pacific time. Britt sent me 15 yellow roses today at work and I got soooooo many comments and congratulations. I am such a lucky dude. So here are a few extra pics from Uncle Salad's camera from this past weekend with them. Test Test... does changing this alert my blog tracker...

The Power of Religion

Here's a piece writing I submitted to the Religion and Spirituality page at the UPI site which did NOT get published even though I submitted it twice with two different titles and approaches... So I thought I would post it here for any of you curious folks... 163 years ago (1844) on May 22 the Baha'i Faith had its beginnings with a dusty and weary traveler being greeted warmly by a stranger at the gates of Shiraz in what was then Persia and inviting him to eat and rest at his home. While I was biking to work the morning of that very day this year I started to think about the power one act of selflessness or one truthful response or one moment of forgiveness can have can exert on the world around us. And I had a warm, inexplicable confirmation of a message that I received growing up in a Baha’i household.

That message being that there really is no greater unifying power in the universe than that of religion! Really and truly! I know that this statement seems ridiculous in light of religion’s track record, but I am not talking about the religion that we have twisted and warped into the chaos that we see all around us now. I am talking about the pure, sweet, powerful aroma of the words contained in the books that help define each of the world’s great religions. And I am not talking about the words argued over and insisted upon that we have used to confuse and divide the entity that is our present day world. I am talking about those powerful, basic, pure words that are found at the root/base/heart of all these religions. These are words that whole civilizations have been founded and built upon… think about it, whole civilizations...

And I am not talking about one or two magic words that will change all of our darkness to light (though the magic, mystery and power in any one letter in each of them is irrefutable). I am talking about the specific arrangement of words that define for us a lifetime of search, effort, challenge, and joy on our journey towards God. These are the spiritual truths found at the root of each and every one of the world’s great religions.

The Messengers who delivered these words to us and their lives are important, this is certain but more important is the message itself. It is this message that we use in our daily romps and adventures that we experience on our path towards our Creator. It is these words and their arrangement into key concepts that we use to treat ourselves and others justly, to help ourselves and the others around us on that journey towards God.

So let's look at one of these basic concepts. Let's take the concept of truthfulness. Here are some examples of quotes on truthfulness from some of those Holy books.

"Overcome meanness with generosity, and overcome a liar with truthfulness." ({italic}Buddhist, Dhammapada {/italic})

"Let him always delight in truthfulness..." ({italic}Hindu, Laws of Manu {/italic})

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." ({italic}King James Bible, 1 John {/italic})

Baha'u'llah's son Abdu'l-Baha has said that "Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues..." ({italic}Baha'i Writings {/italic})

So sit there and try to imagine what today would be like if we all told the truth. Maybe this an impossible task amid the chaos that we have created but let’s for a moment attempt it. Today when you ask someone a question you can immediately act on the answer, no questioning, no games, no searching in their face for a twitch or a narrowing of the eyes, nothing. You asked the question, it was answered, and you acted on it. Imagine the power there would be in that day. Just think of how much could be accomplished. How much mileage we could each cover on our path towards God. All with something so simple as telling the truth.

Now this example of course is not without its holes which I am sure you have picked up on by now. We do have to excercise caution with what we say, when we say it and to whom etc. But even taking this into consideration there is no doubt that applying the concept of truthfullness to our daily lives can only bring good.

And this is just one of a host of concepts that we are asked to apply directly to our daily lives that will help us ever closer to our Goal. So let's put aside the parts that divide us and unite in our focus on these "gem-like utterances" found in in each and every one of the God's holy books.

Ok, so I have bitten off way more than I can chew here with all this but I would like to end this way: Is religion the most powerful, unifying force in the universe? I think so and would like for us all to give it a try. Anything is better than the sheer chaos that is out there now

Visits and Conquests

Life can get so full sometimes... at moments there seems that there are no reserves left for anything but the basics ... you know folding clothes, washing dishes, digging legos out of the couch, finding swords (what is up with little boys and the inability to find their most prized possesions???), washing dishes, sweeping, washing dishes, sweeping, taking out the trashs, and washing dishes... have I said that yet? ... oh yeah I did and cooking... anyway... broken record... you get the idea... What I wanted to say was that there are other moments where the reserves are there and wonderful things spark up in earsplitting belly-laughter type joy. Today Aman conquered his fear and went from end to end of the Umass parking lot on his bike for the first time ever and the belly-laugh joy was there. The belly-laugh joy was there last night when Xinxin and Josh showed me a video that Xinxin shot while they were driving somewhere... it is a simple shot... Josh... at the wheel driving... and he is lip synching to a mexican ranchera that Xinxin is singing hysterically... classic... if you see them please ask them to share the belly-laugh. As you can see, we finally got to meet Xinxin. They are so sweet together and we are so happy to have Xinxin as part of our family. We both confessed to being super nervous about the meeting eachother ... but the awkward section is over and we had a good couple of days with both of them. Xinxin made us chicha morada and a spicey creamed potato yumminess whose name I forgot but typical dishes from her home in Peru. We took them up to Shelbourne falls to a bunch of rocks called the potholes for the afternoon... The boys are done with school for the year (see the last day pic) and have started their summer camps with... Camp Oma... they have this first week with adventuring with Oma. This weekend if everything goes right Isaiah and I will be driving to NY to go mt biking with Dad...

Speaking of Dads... Happy father's day to all you fathers out there. Especially to Mr. "I change diapers give her to eat and baths carry her around all day while I neglect my job" ... yes I am talking about... who else? but Ela's dad Dadvi (follow their link for the latest Ela pics). I love you bro.

Anyway, I am going to try and write more often so that these aren't so long and windy.... whew... feel it??

First June Weeks

We have been rolling along with lots of stuff happening. Work loads for both Britt and I have been tapering off. The hectic project I was helping out with is winding down and I have started where I left off in Dec on a nice design with another group. Britt got through the episode where the building inspector shut down her newly opened gym by kowtowing and did the tricks through all the hoops that supposedly hadn't been performed before. It is amazing how many laws there are for things... things have just gotten way too complicated... it's interesting... it seems to me that we as collective whole... you know... the world... by not followiing something so basic as telling the truth have had to come up with a gazzillion rules for every little detail in order to not have chaos reign supreme. Anyway I am rambling...

The kids have one more week left of school and we have a summer of trips, camps and other activities lined up for them. They are excited to be done and moving on. Isaiah will be in 3rd and Aman will be starting 1st. Aman read every word of Green Eggs and Ham tonight to me... He is really taking some huge strides... it is so nice to see. He and his class along with the 5th graders gave a concert for the school and parents which was really cute. Their cousin Jesse Welbourne was one of the 5th graders (redhead just above Aman). Isaiah is getting an attitude and tells you how things are and how they are done at every turn... I mean what is that? It was like someone came in one night, flipped a switch and taaaaddaaa... lip... I guess I hear it from his friends too a bit... that must be the source. He reads (or listens to) books constantly and still has his wonderful imaginary life... Oh yeah... the kids have stumbed on the art of bickering... they will argue over who has the most hairs on their head!! It is interesting to watch sometimes... Don't get me wrong they are still amazing and cuddly and we love'm...

Aria, James and Sasha stayed a hectic few days with us while they found an apartment in Boston where James will be working towards his master's degree. It was a stressfull time for them but it is basically over now... they even drove out today to hike with us up to the horse caves in south amherst. It is so nice having them close... and one of these days I will win Sasha over to me... she is till super timida with me... I have been trying believe me pero ya ahorita...

What else... Oh yeah we went for a great romp with the Brandons at look park. The last time I was there was for Alfie and Ericka's prewedding party where I got bit by a brown recluse spider... It is a nice park with lots to do and we ate, caught frogs, played baseball, and got wet at the water park. We are really going to miss having you guys close... Oh yeah, memorial day, Britt and I and the boys went for a fantastic 17 mile bike ride... something which we hadn't ever done as a family before... beautiful backroads up to sunderland where we ate and came back...

Mason had a fantastic 4th birthday party at groff park... treasure hunt, arts and crafts, cake, food, lots of running around and some time in the water at the river... Speaking of births I told you that I have a new niece right? Ela? She is adorable and you must visit the mckinney link to see the latest pics.

Anyway... I am getting tired and need to crawl under the sheets to read go to sleep...