My Uncle Carl passed away a couple of weeks ago - he was a rocket scientist. We in his family really didn't know a lot about his life in the last couple of decades because he was a quiet humble man and lived a bit more secluded than the rest of us. He worked for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida, and he loved it. He worked on the space shuttle project for many years and was also very good at what he did, winning several awards and patents that we didn't know much about. Like I said, he was humble and didn't call to tell us about these, except for one - the Silver Snoopy award. This picture is him at his award ceremony when he won this award, and it was a very prestigious award, only given to maybe one person a year working for NASA. This one he was proud of.
Yesterday, Andy and I flew to Florida for his small, casual memorial. We took the red-eye from California so were both a bit bedraggled when we went straight from the airport to the church, stopping only at the rental car place to pick up the car and change. We looked none the worse for the wear, though, and when we arrived we were met by family members we hadn't seen for a long time.
The memorial was beautiful and, as you probably know from other recent writings, I love a good funeral. The spirit was strong in the room as family members remembered Carl and his eccentricities. As a child, he was a voracious reader, spending hours on his own at the expense of many other things, chores for one. I also learned from grandma that he would make the most intricate paper airplanes, and they would always fly. Teachers would complain that he wasn't paying attention in class and grandma knew it was because his head was in the sky with the airplanes. He was eccentric but also quite brilliant as those who knew him best figured out, quickly.
In the Air Force, during Vietnam, Carl wanted to be a pilot but a chronic sinus condition kept him from the cockpit. Instead, he painted the birds, teaching him more about how to care for their surface, which involved a lot more than painting. This eventually led him through school as a physicist and then to working at NASA on the space shuttle. One of his patents was for a particle detector for the outside of the shuttle, which they used to learn about what the shuttle brought back on its surface. Nothing left earth or came back without going through Carl's clean lab. And, while rheumatoid arthritis withered and deteriorated his body, his mind was always sharp and in the sky.
We had lovely music at the memorial as well, and a great display of pictures and awards that wouldn't even scratch the surface of the life of this man. Afterward, we visited with each other telling stories and remembering him fondly. Through the day the family kept making rocket scientist jokes in his honor - "it doesn't take a rocket scientist" and "well, she's not a rocket scientist." Personally, I remember one joke he always told about higher education (being a perpetual student, he had a particular awareness), saying a BS degree was just that - b.s. An MS degree was just More of the Same, and a PhD was just Piling it Higher and Deeper. He always had this same droll sense of humor that runs in my family (though I am sure it skipped me).
Shortly after the memorial is when the big event happened for me. Uncle Rick had secured a permit, and we were going to bury Uncle Carl's urn of ashes ourselves. I had never thought I would be able to actually help dig a grave and most of the family was surprised when I chimed in that I wanted to help dig. But what a great way to serve my uncle in some small way one last time - and I'd never had much of a chance to serve him during his life anyway, so I wasn't going to pass this up.
We met out at the local cemetery, after changing into more proper digging clothes, and at the foot of my mom's grave we broke the ground as Uncle Rick hopped onto the new shovel, acquired just for this occasion. Rick is the more down to earth, preferring to work with his hands, so he led the way on the digging. Of course, the other brothers, Larry and Steve would make some joke here about leaving it to him to take the lead, alluding to his more overbearing personality. The boys jab each other often about each other's quirks - always in fun, and I've never seen it go negative. I have a great family.
Anyway, after Rick had a few turns at moving dirt, he handed the shovel to me, reminding me not to break the sides down and to put the dirt in the depression at the foot of mom's grave. That way when we were done, the excess dirt would help to even out the ground right there. He's always thinking of these kinds of things. The hole he began was a perfect rectangle, and he cut the sod with the flat-edged shovel into four perfect rectangles and removed them carefully, stacking them to the side and not where the dirt was going to go. He does this as if it's common sense, but it was new to me.
I enjoyed my turn at digging and gave the shovel over to Uncle Larry who took a turn. I took over his camera to take pictures and we all stood around making jokes and laughing. What a wonderful way to spend an occasion that most would think dreary or morbid. Uncle Carl is a practical man, never caring what happened to his belongings after he died - he didn't even have a will. Being practical, we knew he wouldn't want us standing around crying and mourning his loss - what use would that be? Plus, we all understand that this is more of a happy occasion for him as he is now free of the arthritis that plagued his body and his life.
The stately wooden cubicle urn, holding Carl's ashes, was put into its vault, which Rick had painted green. Why, he asked us, did he paint it green? Well, because that was his "marking color" when he was a kid. Grandma marked their underwear, socks and even kitchen cups with their colors so no one would get them mixed up - and they could keep using the same cup all day. Carl was green, Larry was blue, Steve was red, and Rick was purple. Ok, now we know what colors the other vaults need to be painted!
Using a long string, Rick and Larry lowered the vault into the hole, and then we carefully placed the dirt back in - around the sides of the vault first and then on top. Larry did the job of packing down the dirt because, as Rick said, "he had the girth." Rick carefully put the four cut squares of sod back on top of the very neatly square hole, now filled with dirt, and packed it down one more time. The leftover dirt was spread evenly over mom's grave as planned.
Then Rick said a prayer to dedicate the gravesite, a special ordinance in our church meant to protect it and its sacred contents. It is now holy ground.
The rest of the day, we spent as a family at grandma's house - our favorite gathering place. It is here that we all feel peace and love together. We conversed, joked, poured through old photo albums, especially those found at Carl's house, and played with Jennie Mae, my cousin Alina's 7-month old. She helps to remind us all of the cycle that keeps going. One person leaves this earth, another comes - all part of God's great plan of happiness.
We love Carl and will miss him greatly, but we all know he will be there after this life and for now we can celebrate him, grow in our love for each other, and feel God's spirit closer than ever as the veil between this world and the next is thin. These are the times that make life so special and worth living.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Person-hood granted to corps but still not to some humans
When I realized this, I just thought "How DARE they". They have granted person-hood status and rights to corporations, but are still denying them to unborn humans. This is just inconceivable to me!
There has been a long-standing debate about whether a fetus is a living human or not and therefore whether or not they should have actual human rights - such as the right to life. But now, according to the Supreme Court who just last week granted free speech rights to corporations, these entities have a status higher than that of fetuses.
The debate is still being waged about the unborn being human but certainly there can be no debate that they are more human than corporations. Let's make a few comparisons, but first we must remember that a corporation is not the people that run the corporation - it is simply an entity created in the ether.
1. Physical attributes - Human fetuses have human DNA, unique and distinct from their parents. How about the corporation? Does it even have DNA? Human fetuses also have heartbeats, blood, organs, a brain, and senses while corporations have none of these things - they don't resemble humans in any way. Yet, somehow they have the right to free speech? Wait, where are their mouths? Oh yeah - they don't have them so their "speech" is actually money - at least according to the Court.
2. Life - Even at the earliest stages, a zygote multiplies its cells, takes nutrients from her mother and grows. One could argue that a corporation has life - that it grows, it feeds off of its employees and managers and that it multiplies (just take a look at any corporate hierarchy - there can be TONS of entities bred by the original) - but the corporation could do none of these things without the humans running it. Sure, the argument here is that without the mother, the fetus dies - but eventually, she can live on her own - this can never happen with a corporation. I think this is the definition of parasite, isn't it?
3. Potential - Corporations have some potential - to grow, and make money. But a human fetus has so much more potential than that. A human fetus will one day feel pain, love others, taste great meals, serve those around him, LEARN! These things make us truly human and add art, music, science and spirituality to the world. Corporations? No.
Last Friday, January 22nd was the 37th anniversary of another Supreme Court decision that took away a fundamental right from this underrepresented group of people. Roe vs. Wade is now famous, or as I see it notorious. It was bad enough that the court ruled that one set of humans' right to live should be supplanted by another group's right to choose (really right to privacy). Though we continue this debate, now and obviously I disagree with that decision in 1973, at least we were favoring humans over other humans. At least there is some debate.
But this decision last week just adds insult to injury. Even in the face of all of the scientific evidence, humanity continues to deny basic rights to this vulnerable group of people who are completely subject to our will. While we have been tasked in this life to nurture and care for our children, this has been denied to the youngest and weakest of them, yet we are content to allow (or at least remain quiet about allowing) the court to give basic human rights to something not remotely human.
Wake up, everyone - if this isn't turning wrong into right - what is?
There has been a long-standing debate about whether a fetus is a living human or not and therefore whether or not they should have actual human rights - such as the right to life. But now, according to the Supreme Court who just last week granted free speech rights to corporations, these entities have a status higher than that of fetuses.
The debate is still being waged about the unborn being human but certainly there can be no debate that they are more human than corporations. Let's make a few comparisons, but first we must remember that a corporation is not the people that run the corporation - it is simply an entity created in the ether.
1. Physical attributes - Human fetuses have human DNA, unique and distinct from their parents. How about the corporation? Does it even have DNA? Human fetuses also have heartbeats, blood, organs, a brain, and senses while corporations have none of these things - they don't resemble humans in any way. Yet, somehow they have the right to free speech? Wait, where are their mouths? Oh yeah - they don't have them so their "speech" is actually money - at least according to the Court.
2. Life - Even at the earliest stages, a zygote multiplies its cells, takes nutrients from her mother and grows. One could argue that a corporation has life - that it grows, it feeds off of its employees and managers and that it multiplies (just take a look at any corporate hierarchy - there can be TONS of entities bred by the original) - but the corporation could do none of these things without the humans running it. Sure, the argument here is that without the mother, the fetus dies - but eventually, she can live on her own - this can never happen with a corporation. I think this is the definition of parasite, isn't it?
3. Potential - Corporations have some potential - to grow, and make money. But a human fetus has so much more potential than that. A human fetus will one day feel pain, love others, taste great meals, serve those around him, LEARN! These things make us truly human and add art, music, science and spirituality to the world. Corporations? No.
Last Friday, January 22nd was the 37th anniversary of another Supreme Court decision that took away a fundamental right from this underrepresented group of people. Roe vs. Wade is now famous, or as I see it notorious. It was bad enough that the court ruled that one set of humans' right to live should be supplanted by another group's right to choose (really right to privacy). Though we continue this debate, now and obviously I disagree with that decision in 1973, at least we were favoring humans over other humans. At least there is some debate.
But this decision last week just adds insult to injury. Even in the face of all of the scientific evidence, humanity continues to deny basic rights to this vulnerable group of people who are completely subject to our will. While we have been tasked in this life to nurture and care for our children, this has been denied to the youngest and weakest of them, yet we are content to allow (or at least remain quiet about allowing) the court to give basic human rights to something not remotely human.
Wake up, everyone - if this isn't turning wrong into right - what is?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Corporations are now human? Really??
Rarely, do I get so incensed by something political that is not a moral issue for me. But, yesterday, I was struck dumbfounded by the Supreme Court's decision to grant rights of free speech to corporations, by allowing them to now give freely and with virtually no limits to political campaigns. This is just another piece of evidence that the adversary is convincing us that right is wrong and wrong is right! Our world is being turned upside down, and it's happening right in front of us.
Of course my first and biggest argument is that these entities are not people. They don't have DNA - they are just signatures on paper. They have only one purpose - to make and increase profits. And, of themselves, they have no conscience. Individuals may act in selfish ways and some may seem to not have a conscience but corporate entities, by their very nature, are solely self-serving and have no feelings telling them right from wrong.
You may say that because these entities are created and run by people that they must have similar characteristics, and the people running them have consciences, so they have the ability to choose to act for good or bad. But, I believe that when acting on behalf of a corporation the saying is true: "it's just business," and that justifies many evils that will protect the corporation, and thus the corporation protects the people making the decisions. Managers at companies are beholden to the stockholders and boards of directors and, unless they are willing to lose their jobs and the high salaries and bonuses that go along with them, they have no choice but to do whatever they can to increase profits.
Now, I need to be careful here because I work for a corporation. And, I have to say that I actually very much like and admire my particular corporation and its executives. Yes, I can hear you say it under your breath - "brown noser!" - but it's true. I know a few of these people, personally and they are good, honest people, and I believe they run this corporation on as high of a moral ground as they possibly can. But, the nature of the beast still insists that they make money for the company, literally putting every other ideal second.
My point is that people are people - they have votes, consciences and true abilities to serve, while corporations do not. Granted, that now the flood gates have been opened, I am sure corporations will buy enough politicians so that possibly they can have votes one day. And maybe this will lead to religious organizations and other tabooed entities having the ability to give to their political causes with impunity.
So, the consequences of yesterday's decision are dire. I had to agree with Keith Olberman, last night (WHAT??). He compared this decision to the Dred Scott decision, which led us to civil war. I think he has a good point. Here's part 1 of his rant, which also gives his forecast of our future: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72ZwG5vQ_04
This world is about people and we have just given it over to corporations. Yes, they already had their roundabout ways of contributing through 501cs and covert loophole jumping but now the court has given them permission to take over our world.
One last point of evidence that this act by the court is wrong, wrong wrong! (I will expound on this more another time.) Now these non-human, paper entities have actual human rights, while unborn humans, with true human DNA, do not even have the right to live. Again we have been convinced that right is wrong and wrong is right. The adversary is at work here folks - don't be fooled by the politics of the day.
For more on this - see my hubby Andy's blog where he makes very astute comparisons. He's a much better writer, too! http://woodlandshoppersparadise.blogspot.com/2010/01/we-made-it-can-we-unmake-it.html
Of course my first and biggest argument is that these entities are not people. They don't have DNA - they are just signatures on paper. They have only one purpose - to make and increase profits. And, of themselves, they have no conscience. Individuals may act in selfish ways and some may seem to not have a conscience but corporate entities, by their very nature, are solely self-serving and have no feelings telling them right from wrong.
You may say that because these entities are created and run by people that they must have similar characteristics, and the people running them have consciences, so they have the ability to choose to act for good or bad. But, I believe that when acting on behalf of a corporation the saying is true: "it's just business," and that justifies many evils that will protect the corporation, and thus the corporation protects the people making the decisions. Managers at companies are beholden to the stockholders and boards of directors and, unless they are willing to lose their jobs and the high salaries and bonuses that go along with them, they have no choice but to do whatever they can to increase profits.
Now, I need to be careful here because I work for a corporation. And, I have to say that I actually very much like and admire my particular corporation and its executives. Yes, I can hear you say it under your breath - "brown noser!" - but it's true. I know a few of these people, personally and they are good, honest people, and I believe they run this corporation on as high of a moral ground as they possibly can. But, the nature of the beast still insists that they make money for the company, literally putting every other ideal second.
My point is that people are people - they have votes, consciences and true abilities to serve, while corporations do not. Granted, that now the flood gates have been opened, I am sure corporations will buy enough politicians so that possibly they can have votes one day. And maybe this will lead to religious organizations and other tabooed entities having the ability to give to their political causes with impunity.
So, the consequences of yesterday's decision are dire. I had to agree with Keith Olberman, last night (WHAT??). He compared this decision to the Dred Scott decision, which led us to civil war. I think he has a good point. Here's part 1 of his rant, which also gives his forecast of our future: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72ZwG5vQ_04
This world is about people and we have just given it over to corporations. Yes, they already had their roundabout ways of contributing through 501cs and covert loophole jumping but now the court has given them permission to take over our world.
One last point of evidence that this act by the court is wrong, wrong wrong! (I will expound on this more another time.) Now these non-human, paper entities have actual human rights, while unborn humans, with true human DNA, do not even have the right to live. Again we have been convinced that right is wrong and wrong is right. The adversary is at work here folks - don't be fooled by the politics of the day.
For more on this - see my hubby Andy's blog where he makes very astute comparisons. He's a much better writer, too! http://woodlandshoppersparadise.blogspot.com/2010/01/we-made-it-can-we-unmake-it.html
Saturday, January 16, 2010
My love of funerals
It is interesting, I think, that I enjoy funerals - I even look forward to them. Most people avoid them, fear them or at least are made uncomfortable by them.
I think my first memory of this was right after 9/11. Being in California, I felt very far away from the tragedy. Andy and I gave to the Red Cross - pushing "Enter" on the keyboard together to symbolize our solidarity in this act of giving, but to me that was so little help in such a huge crisis.
When the time came for the day of prayer, my church had a service broadcast to our chapel. It was important to me that I go and I really wanted to go. My boss at the time said she had no desire to go to a service that day - that it was too much, too difficult to bear. But, for me I needed to feel something! I needed to feel something of the sadness that so many others were feeling - like somehow that would help ease their suffering if I could share it with them. When I went, I did feel a small part of that sadness and I felt connected to others in spirit. We were mourning a great loss and truly grieving together. Like a good cry usually does, it made me feel much better afterward. I think that is part of the purpose of funerals.
I actually don't like the word, funeral. It has such a negative connotation and, to me a service for someone who has passed isn't like that - it's an honoring of that person and their life here on Earth. It's a memorial to them, a gathering of those who loved them to share in the spirit of that person and of God.
When my mom died, I planned what I thought to be a fitting memorial to the woman who sacrificed so much for me - to raise me as best she could on her own, with little money. She brought us to the church that I now love so dearly, which gave me such comfort at her passing. Her memorial consisted of music that she loved, sweet words from friends and family members and a beautiful piano piece by my daughter, her granddaughter. Throughout the service I was sad, but felt so close to the Spirit of God and to my mom that I didn't want it to end. I would have been happy to stay in the chapel hearing the music and words being said all day. It truly was lovely. I learned that day how my mom's illness strengthened those who cared for her, me in particular, and how we were better people for having gone through that with her.
I can't express in words these feelings of the Spirit that are present when gathered together with others to say goodbye to a loved one, but they are tender and peaceful, at least. These feelings come, I know, from the knowledge that the person is not dead but only separated for a time from us and from their body. Often that separation from their body is a freedom, as it is for my mom and for Michael, whom we honored, yesterday. In both cases, as with Ed, my husband's step-dad, and my dear friend Bobby who died years ago, their spirit had been trapped in a body that suffered debilitating illnesses, keeping them from comfort, peace and much of the enjoyment of life that they should have had. Once separated, they are then free to walk, dance, talk, sing or even throw their arms out and spin like a child. Picturing these people that I love in such happiness brings joy to my heart as well.
Gathering together with our loved ones at these times, remembering and honoring a dear friend or family member and reminding each other that we will see each other again one day is a truly grand and special experience that brings real healing, when we understand God's plan for us. We can learn through this sharing how the person's life and even illness and death has strengthened us, taught us valuable principles and helped us to become better people ourselves. That is God's plan, to become strong and caring, like Him, and why I believe we must suffer these tragedies. The memorial or gathering is where that learning culminates and where we can start to see the value of what that person suffered and what we are suffering. It is a time of joy, as well as sorrow. It is a time of love and grace and the Spirit is beautiful.
Afterward, there are people laughing, telling stories about their loved one and strengthening their own bonds of love. This is what life is all about. People are what life is all about and when you can feel this amazing time with others, learn and grow together - it is a true blessing from God. As they say, the veil between this world and the next is very thin and you can feel a little of what it must be like on the other side. I don't look forward to the loss of those I love, but when someone does return home, I love touching heaven just a little bit with brothers and sisters around, and feeling that very special Spirit that uplifts us all. It gives me a clue to what my Heavenly Father has in store for me.
I think my first memory of this was right after 9/11. Being in California, I felt very far away from the tragedy. Andy and I gave to the Red Cross - pushing "Enter" on the keyboard together to symbolize our solidarity in this act of giving, but to me that was so little help in such a huge crisis.
When the time came for the day of prayer, my church had a service broadcast to our chapel. It was important to me that I go and I really wanted to go. My boss at the time said she had no desire to go to a service that day - that it was too much, too difficult to bear. But, for me I needed to feel something! I needed to feel something of the sadness that so many others were feeling - like somehow that would help ease their suffering if I could share it with them. When I went, I did feel a small part of that sadness and I felt connected to others in spirit. We were mourning a great loss and truly grieving together. Like a good cry usually does, it made me feel much better afterward. I think that is part of the purpose of funerals.
I actually don't like the word, funeral. It has such a negative connotation and, to me a service for someone who has passed isn't like that - it's an honoring of that person and their life here on Earth. It's a memorial to them, a gathering of those who loved them to share in the spirit of that person and of God.
When my mom died, I planned what I thought to be a fitting memorial to the woman who sacrificed so much for me - to raise me as best she could on her own, with little money. She brought us to the church that I now love so dearly, which gave me such comfort at her passing. Her memorial consisted of music that she loved, sweet words from friends and family members and a beautiful piano piece by my daughter, her granddaughter. Throughout the service I was sad, but felt so close to the Spirit of God and to my mom that I didn't want it to end. I would have been happy to stay in the chapel hearing the music and words being said all day. It truly was lovely. I learned that day how my mom's illness strengthened those who cared for her, me in particular, and how we were better people for having gone through that with her.
I can't express in words these feelings of the Spirit that are present when gathered together with others to say goodbye to a loved one, but they are tender and peaceful, at least. These feelings come, I know, from the knowledge that the person is not dead but only separated for a time from us and from their body. Often that separation from their body is a freedom, as it is for my mom and for Michael, whom we honored, yesterday. In both cases, as with Ed, my husband's step-dad, and my dear friend Bobby who died years ago, their spirit had been trapped in a body that suffered debilitating illnesses, keeping them from comfort, peace and much of the enjoyment of life that they should have had. Once separated, they are then free to walk, dance, talk, sing or even throw their arms out and spin like a child. Picturing these people that I love in such happiness brings joy to my heart as well.
Gathering together with our loved ones at these times, remembering and honoring a dear friend or family member and reminding each other that we will see each other again one day is a truly grand and special experience that brings real healing, when we understand God's plan for us. We can learn through this sharing how the person's life and even illness and death has strengthened us, taught us valuable principles and helped us to become better people ourselves. That is God's plan, to become strong and caring, like Him, and why I believe we must suffer these tragedies. The memorial or gathering is where that learning culminates and where we can start to see the value of what that person suffered and what we are suffering. It is a time of joy, as well as sorrow. It is a time of love and grace and the Spirit is beautiful.
Afterward, there are people laughing, telling stories about their loved one and strengthening their own bonds of love. This is what life is all about. People are what life is all about and when you can feel this amazing time with others, learn and grow together - it is a true blessing from God. As they say, the veil between this world and the next is very thin and you can feel a little of what it must be like on the other side. I don't look forward to the loss of those I love, but when someone does return home, I love touching heaven just a little bit with brothers and sisters around, and feeling that very special Spirit that uplifts us all. It gives me a clue to what my Heavenly Father has in store for me.
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