It’s a good day to take care of yourself. Get outside, do some exercise, consume nourishing food, drink water, pray for peace, watch a funny movie, and remember, good news happens!
Citizens of Chile Vote For a Constitution Rewrite
After a month of protests against inequality, “Right-wing President Piñera” agreed last November to hold a referendum on rewriting the outdated and “divisive” constitution. Due to the coronavirus, the referendum was delayed until October. BBC News reports “An overwhelming majority of 79% … voted in favour of the new constitution.”
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UN Ratifies Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons for Affirming Nations
On the 75th birthday of the United Nations, Honduras became the 50th nation needed to ratify The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which makes the creation, sale, maintenance, and use of nuclear weapons illegal for nations that have signed the treaty. This article from the Good News Network includes a moving account from 88 year old Setsuko Thurlow, one of the last survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima.
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Crime Drops Significantly in the Philippines During COVID Quarantine.
In the Philippines, from March 17 to October 2, cases of robbery and theft decreased by 60 percent, and serious crimes, including murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, and theft, were reduced by 46 percent Read more from The Good News Network.
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Former KKK Leader Works for Peace and Compassion
Army veteran Christopher Buckley is a former KKK leader who now volunteers with Parents 4 Peace helping others open their minds and hearts with empathy and kindness. You can read more about his journey here and watch the video:
In Saturday’s stream of consciousness, I mentioned my participation in a local BraverAngelszoom debate. Below is my three minute speech opposed to the following debate “resolution”:
“Removing statues and monuments will erase important parts of our nation’s history.”
I was one of three people speaking the “con” side of the statement. We had fewer speaking in favor of the statement. One interesting point made by an African American woman disagreeing with the statement was that relocating statues to museums would likely give more opportunity for learning and discussion by visiting school groups, etc. She also talked about subliminal messages and healing.
Braver Angels seeks to depolarize America with workshops and debates intended to foster respect and understanding. We are encouraged to say what we believe and to speak from our own experience. After each prepared speech, people can ask questions of the speaker and responses can be up to one minute. If there’s time, we have “flash speeches” and share what we learned.
This first debate by our local group went well. There was concern from some that if we start removing statues, that other statues and monuments, like the Lincoln Memorial, could also be removed. My question to this was to ask if the speaker thought some statues could be more harmful than others, and that seemed to be a point of agreement. All statues are not the same.
Now, for my speech. (Respectful responses from your own experience and feelings are welcome. )
Hello, thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening
If we remove a statue or monument, we are not erasing history. We cannot change what has already happened. History will still be available…in books, films, and on the internet. Many statues and monuments can be re-located to museums where a much of history is saved, or to private historical sites, cemeteries, or to the families of the artists who created aolstatues.
When I first read the debate resolution, I thought of the confederate statues I’ve seen in downtown Wilmington.
I’ve lived in Wilmington since 1980. All that time, I’ve felt very uncomfortable with the confederate statues glorifying men who fought for slavery. One of the things that bothers me most is the prominence of the statues. If you live anywhere near downtown, you’ve seen these statues on a regular basis. What kind of message do they send?
One example is the prominent 8-foot-tall statue of George Davis recently removed from Market Street. George Davis was the last attorney general of the confederacy. The pedestal describes George Davis with glowing words like “stainless integrity, virtue, refinement, and the true heart of chivalry in southern manhood. Is this an accurate portrayal of history? It leaves out the fact that George Davis gave a “… public speech1861 in which he argued that North Carolina should secede from the United States …. to protect (in his words) the economic interest in “chattel slavery.” Chattel slavery in which human beings are bought and sold as property.
I am deeply troubled that this man has been celebrated and honored as a hero for so many years.
When I’ve passed by this statue, and the one on third street honoring the soldiers of the confederacy, my feelings of discomfort and embarrassment linger. I want to cringe at what they represent…..
I can only imagine what black and brown citizens think and feel when they’ve passed these statues.
We need to ask ourselves, what people and ideals do we want to honor? Do we want to promote the ideals of the confederacy? Do we want to honor men who fought for slavery and the oppression of a whole race of human beings?
Or do we want to promote values of equality, equity, community, and inclusivity? ……
The statues representing confederate soldiers and statesmen have stood for many years in prominent positions in our city. But times are changing.
Maya Angelou wrote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
It’s time now for our city to move forward, and to honor positive and inclusive ideals.
Demonstrations Resume as Mayors Call for ‘Peace, Not Patience’ (New York Times 20/05/31)
Some will draft letters to the government, others will create signs for protest demonstrations, I may do so tomorrow though today on this day of pain …
….I elect to write a post to this blog.
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.”
Today’s SoCS prompt is: “fan.” Use it by itself or find a word that starts or ends with it. Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
Fan the flames of peace.
Sing out to bring the dove.
The road might not be straight.
Let me start with my own heart.
Fan the flames of justice.
Not with violence, but with strength.
Be persistent.
We can’t always wait for Karma.
Fan the flames of love.
Speak your heart’s desire.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Remember we all belong.
What do we want to speak into existence? Our thoughts and our words are powerful! Focusing on what we want, not what we don’t want, brings our heart’s desire. Yet, there are times when we must vent to release and make room for something better. Just don’t linger in the darkness. Don’t let the negativity become toxic.
Imagine the best.
That’s the fifth step in my new book, From Loneliness to Love, Five Steps for Finding a Healthy Relationship.The e-book will be available on Amazon tomorrow! (June 7) I’m still trying to get the cover right for the paperback. It looks good digitally, but the printed proofs….. Oh well.
I will imagine that this book will help people. The principles work not just for finding a healthy relationship, but for many other goals. Here are the steps:
Clarify Your Heart’s Desire
Request Help from the Divine
Love Yourself Well
Focus on Friendship
Imagine the Best
On another note:
Fan blades remind me of flower petals. So I’ve recycled ? upcycled a couple.
Painted with alcohol ink and soon to be a sunflower
This one spins in the wind.
For more Streams of Consciousness, visit our host, Linda G. Hill at
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday:
“…spay/splay/spray.” Use one, use two, use ’em all, it’s up to you. Have fun!
There’s so much I could write about, but I’ll start with the prompt.
Spay or neuter your pet. There are so many homeless dogs and cats, so many killed because they were abandoned…. I’m feeling tense right now and sad because of the news in the US, and now, thinking of abandoned pets being killed in shelters…. I don’t want this to be a downer post, but that’s where the stream of consciousness is going for me right now. Consciousness sometimes means being sad or angry or afraid because of what’s happening….
Going back to spaying and neutering, there aren’t enough homes for them all, so I don’t understand why people would find it acceptable to breed more dogs and cats when you can adopt from a shelter and save a life. If we get another dog, when we get another dog, I’ll be looking for a shepherd mix from a shelter. But who knows who will find me.
Doodle, our Treeing Walker Coonhound, may she rest in peace, was adopted from a shelter or rescue by my husband before we got married. Her big walker feet would splay out when she got excited. It was involuntary. I wish I had a picture of her feet splaying. Here she is sleeping on our bed with her big feet.
Spray. The first thing I thought about with that was pepper spray. I’ve been watching news on the protests in Minneapolis over the murder of George Floyd. When I watched the video of the police officer kneeling on George’s neck for several minutes even after he became unresponsive, I was yelling, “get off him! Just put him in the car!” (He was already handcuffed!) But when I was watching the video George was already dead. Bystanders were yelling for the policeman to, “check his pulse!” and “He’s unresponsive!” Afterward, I cried. I don’t wish I hadn’t watched the video. It was important to see it. So many black men (and women) have been killed by police officers or “vigilantes.” This one was the worst I’ve seen. But they’re all horrible.
I’m usually optimistic, and I still have hope that we can do better. Sometimes things have a way of getting worse before they get better. I believe this is enough. My heart is heavy.
I know there are plenty of (?) some good cops in the world and in the US. I know at least one personally. There must be more. Police suicide in the US is very high. Some big changes need to happen. Police officers and cadets need a lot more training in de-escalation and community relations. That’s an understatement. They need routine screening and supportive counseling.
Here’s my hope and vision for the future of my country where violence and injustice are concerned:
The US stays involved in the United Nations. We have a Department of Peace that gets just as much funding and status as the military. We have offices of peace and peace workers in every city and town that get just as much funding as law enforcement agencies. We organize for peace. We seek it diligently. We nurture peace and each other. It will not be easy. But it is possible.
I haven’t been smiling lately, but here’s some medicine:
Oh, yeah, my husband David just made a peace chair protoype. I’m going to paint some color on it. Painting is my medicine, too.
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
For the past nine years, Dr. Kwane Stewart has been visiting homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and walking the streets and alleyways of California to take care of homeless pets for free. He and his vet tech, Genesis, do this work in their spare time. They understand that pets are family. Dr. Stewart has a gofundme page for help with supplies, medication, and pet food.
You can read more about the the street vet in the following story from from the Good News Network:
This post is part of the We Are the World Blogfest, a monthly blogging event created by Damyanti Biswas and Belinda Witzenhausen to showcase stories of hope and light.
On Monday in the US, we honor the life and teachings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This quote about peace is one of many gems he gave us. You can find more MLK quotes here.
I strongly believe that we in the US need a well-funded Department of Peace to focus on building communication and understand and to seek compromise rather than violence.
Sensory-Friendly Santa for Kids with Special Needs
A mall in Lexington, Kentucky open early to create a safe and comfortable environment for kids with special needs. Dimmed lights, less noise, engaging activities, and wheel chair accessibility make it easier to include more kids in the Santa experience. Here’s the story with a video.
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Green Light Could Relieve Migraine Pain
There’s something about green. The following article explores research using green light for migraine and other kinds of pain. The main study has people sit in a dark room with a green light for an hour a day with reduction in symptoms over time. Of course quiet time in a dark room might also be a factor. I can’t help but wonder if being in a room full of green plants would also help. Here’s the article from the Good News Network
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Nurses Turn Surgical Wrap into Sleeping Bags for the Homeless
2000 large sterile wraps were being thrown away every day. But nurses at Tampa General Hospital had a different idea. Imagine if every hospital did this?
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One Love
This is not new, but it came across my bow wanting to be shared again. In 2018, a thousand strangers, Christians, Jews, and Muslims, got together and sang Bob Marley’s “One Love.” Here’s how it turned out.
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Rain Dance
It’s been raining in Australia! Some fires might still be burning, but we celebrate the joy of rain where it falls. This video shows a group of firefighters with one breaking out in dance. If you can’t see it, go to the YouTube link. There’s one more below.
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Got good news?
Please share in the comments!
Wishing you comfort, peace, and joy through the holidays.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “ght.” Find a word that contains the letters “ght” in that order, and use it any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use three or more different words containing those letters. Have fun! (From Linda G. Hill)
The Stream:
Fight or flight. I’m Sooooooo glad I’m not in that mode much anymore. It can be addicting and distracting from what we really need to focus on. But sometimes, it is warranted, a matter of survival.
In 1898 in the city I live in, the only successful coup d’état in US history took place. People had to run for their lives because of the color of their skin. Yesterday, I attended a ceremony to unveil a historical marker to to remember what took place.
It was surprisingly cold yesterday at the ceremony. But there was a good crowd. Ten names were read of the people who were known to be murdered in the coup. But we will never know how many people were killed.
Why is it important that we remember this coup, sometimes called a massacre? We need to know it happened to understand the history of our city, to understand the pain passed on through generations, and work to not let it happen again.
In 1898, Wilmington was a model city of restoration. African American owned businesses flourished as did diversity in government and the press. I imagine a city, a country, a world, where we work together and cooperatively in diversity and peace.
I thought I was going to write about my own move toward peace. I guess that’s where it starts. At least we need to work toward inner peace as we work toward peace with others. We can do both. It’s not always smooth, in reality, it can be hard work, but peace is possible.
You can read more about yesterday’s ceremony and the history here.
There is also an excellent novel, Cape Fear Rising, including the history which I read a few years ago.
I just want to add, getting back to “fight or flight,” that the African Americans involved in the 1898 massacre did not fight, they did not riot, they mostly fled for their lives. Now, there are different ways of fighting racism and injustice so that we can move forward together in peace and diversity.
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
