Archive for January, 2010

Roman Catholic Church

January 25th, 2010

Politics and Religion are taboo topics of conversation in most social settings. But deep within the fabric of my heart, spirit and soul, I desire to share with you—that I am Catholic. The dichotomy of internal dialogue begins to tear at my heart, brewing intense self-scrutiny. (Don’t forget, I am a consecrated Catholic with a 27-year commitment…and counting.) I can neither defend nor justify the evil actions of members of the ecclesial body of the Catholic Church, or explain the mystery of its better half—sanctity. Personally, I have experienced the heinous and bigoted transgressions of members of my Church, along with the blessings, love and compassion from its very life force.

The Catholic Church is composed of two elements: the human and the divine. The Divine nature of the Catholic Church is the source of all goodness, compassion, knowledge, wisdom and understanding, etc. However, when the human side attempts to interpret the Divine—“perfect love” becomes prey to the personality and potential whim of the individual(s). Regardless, the source of this perfection remains unchanged. Yes, the Church is governed by laws, particularly the law to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength; and your neighbor as yourself’. The ideal, in the hands of mortals is an aspiration, not an accomplishment. However, for those of us laboring in the trenches holding onto God’s inspiration with every breath, we do the best we can, accompanied by our flawed nature that is “weaker than the spirit”. I am in love with the very existence that heals me as it wounds me.

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Education: We Can Do It!

January 19th, 2010

Inner city school for girls? Where was the origin of that curve ball?

In my mind’s eye, I see a black, Asian, Hispanic, Latino adult with a bit of Caucasian, Norwegian-North Pacific ethnicity, sitting in a uniquely colorful boat, fishing for her family—of thirty (I love big families.) ‘Teach a man to fish…and he eats for a lifetime!’ … The lyrics, “I like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony”, begin to reverberate in my memory with a bit of distortion from a 70’s Coke® commercial…

Although the above sounds disjointed, as are most dreams, my desire to serve the needs of the poor and marginalized—through education—are not.  The emotional, spiritual, intellectual, cultural and physical poverty in the United States is relative to the quality and capacity of our educational system.

Why is the United States of America’s educational system ranked 18th among 36 industrialized nations in the world, when the US is supposedly a World Leader? (Based on a 2009 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)

Why is the United States ranked number ONE in the WORLD for the highest documented incarceration rate? (1 out of every 200 people is in jail.)

The answers to the above questions, in part, is due to the current inability of our educational system to adequately and appropriately educate and minister to the needs of our children.

As we sell Easeamine, we have made donations to different non-profit organizations in Worcester County Massachusetts. One particular donation was given to the Nativity School of Worcester. Like any good school leader/developer worth his/her weight, Matt Brunell, President of the above school, contacted and invited me to witness his school. (By the way, it is an all boys’ school.) In my wildest dreams to serve the poor, of the many vehicles, education was ranked number one on my chart. Having had countless years to dream and develop the idea, I experienced my ideal at the Nativity School of Worcester. Holy…Mother…of…Mercy! I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the physical manifestation of one of my dreams.

The end of this story and the beginning of a new by-line is: I want to open an inner city school for girls…the counter part to the boys’ school.

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Inner-city School for Girls

January 11th, 2010

Thanksgiving 2009 passed like a blur. H1N1 found residence through a chink in my immune system armor, leaving me quarantined. My body felt more like a pharmacy than a temple of God. Blurred vision was a byproduct of the fever and the remedy. Having 108 hours out of nine days of bed rest, an inability to read printed text and ‘Home Alone’ in the monastery, left me living vicariously through the television.

While I was on vacation in late October 2009, my eldest brother introduced me to NCIS. Although not a TV enthusiast AND out of commission, I watched dozens of episodes. Myth-busters, Mega-Structures, How’d They Do That; the Military Channel, Discovery, and the Science Channel became the mainstay of attractions during my 108 of woken bed rest. The realization that I had watched too much TV occurred when I was capable of selecting buttons on the TV remote control—without looking. Then there were the commercials….

A troubling awareness broke into my reverie when a framed religious image on the wall began to move. Consequently, the state of my body and mind was not available for an authentic paranormal experience. This was the beginning of a deluge of random synapses that were mis-firing from a frying brain with a temperature of 103. Odd connections between otherwise unrelated ideas began to form. Dollar amounts of potential retail sales from the countless number of advertisements for Anti-Aging products being broadcast began adding up in my mind. Then the Google searches began. (Thank you iPhone!) According to a new report from market research firm Mintel, http://www.mintel.com/press-release/Antiaging-becomes-top-facial-skincare-seller-in-2008-reports-Mintel?id=324, sales of anti-aging skincare products rose to over $1.6 billion in 2008. Although statistics “speak to me”, the ability to correctly add numbers eludes me.  However, it was easy to make the leap of faith in recognizing that our product Easeamine is an unprecedented skin care product. It actually does what we say it does. I began to ask the Lord, “How can I get 1% of the $1.6 billion pie?” When I discover this answer, and put it into effect, we will be able to create a school for inner city girls. I’m praying on this one…big time! This is one of our goals that needs to be fulfilled soon.

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All is Trite Compared to Love

January 5th, 2010

hands

So…I was concerned about what people think. Prayer, time and too much drama cured me of the stink eye of others. With years of “philosophizing and theorizing” came hopes and dreams I shared with few. It did not take long before I awoke to the critique of pragmatists. To the contrary, my mother and father habitually adjusted to the array of future occupations, which flooded my imagination as a child and adolescent. “You can accomplish anything of which you can dream”, my parents would offer. Though my mind did not settle on one distinct profession, my soul found God and settled for nothing less.

The short version: Hope was my mainstay and time afforded me the opportunity to recognize a few essential facts of life. First, people come into our lives for a reason, season or a lifetime and they are all gifts. Second, miracles happen more frequently than the imagination can grasp and God is more powerful than any situation, circumstance or life event that may appear to overwhelm us. Third, when we become blind, deaf, mute or paralyzed due to pain, turmoil or tragedy—peace and healing are inevitable once we allow ourselves to take the first step forward. Forth, life is given perspective with death. When death appears at our doorstep the only experience we can take with us is love; everything else is trite.

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