Earth Healing: Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch, S.J.

June 3, 2005 Family, Teacher's and Environment Day

While the title for this day is not the most catchy one, still
we all know what it means. We ought to give special attention to the
role of family and school in the education of youth and adults on
environmental issues.

Our own culture has not had a deep sense of environmental
consciousness and so, while parents teach many good and wholesome
things to do in life, still environmental aspects are often
overlooked. This is partly because the parents must learn about
conserving resources before they can act as models for others. Some
families are experienced in not wasting food or turning off unused
lighting because the depression memories of past decades are still
strong. Some families realize the impact of nature experiences and
strive to go together on hikes, vacation trips, and winter
recreational outings. Still other families have links to agrarian
roots and want the youth to spend time outdoors doing manual work
such as berry picking and milking cows. Urban and suburban families
are challenged to teach through growing gardens and harvesting the
fresh produce.

Teachers are second only to parents and guardians in making
youth aware; quite often they show good leadership. Today's youths
have a greater awareness of environmental damage and need for
improvement than did those of thirty years ago. The record is good
but much still has to be done. Unless efforts are made to do
practical things like cleaning up roadways and rivers, planting trees
and setting up demonstration projects, the knowledge is only
theoretical. Often an exemplary project has been initiated during
the school year and then abandoned during summer months. Continuing
green practices is more challenging for schools than in homes. Still
teachers have opportunities such as personal testimony to
environmental practices (vehicles, foods, and entertainment choices),
through nature excursions, science fairs, and on-site demonstration
projects. Coordinating the teaching of ecology with visits to nature
centers has a major impact on youth.

Amid good environmental track records, all realize that more
ought to be done both at home and school. Parents and guardians
become true role models when they spend extra time talking about the
local and global environment, initiate recycling and resource
conservation (water and energy) in the home, utilize all domestic
space well, drive energy efficient vehicles, engage in gardening and
edible landscaping, adjust the diet of all family members, guide
youth to green forms of recreation, take eco-tours, and plan family
vacations that can be learning experiences. Cooperative family and
teacher programs may include joint weekend projects with those
parents and guardians serving as chaperons for extended tours. Often
such cooperative endeavors are the difference between insignificant
and adequate environmental education -- and parents and teachers
learn while leading the tours and working together for joint
educational endeavors.

June 4, 2005 National Trails Day

We have all walked on trails, some in local parks and nature
areas and some on interstate pathways such as the Appalachian Trail.
What farsighted hiking enthusiasts dream about and seek is a national
trail system somewhat analogous to the national highway and
interstate systems. However, all know that the political pressure is
virtually nil for this coming about through federal leadership and
funding. In fact, this spring's issue of "American Hiker" says that
the outlook for trail-related legislation in Washington is quite
bleak for the foreseeable future.

The vision of a national trail network is far removed from the
concerns of all but a handful of congresspersons. The Bush
administration is zeroing out funds to the states for the Land and
Water Conservation Fund and is currently giving the land acquisition
of this Fund the lowest budget level in a decade. Other
environmental concerns such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
and the proposed revision of the Clean Air Act are drawing the
attention of environmentalists as would be expected. Among
priorities, trails are far down the line, but should they be?

A well-coordinated national trail system would allow the low
impact recreational activities of hiking and birdwatching to be
further popularized. It would allow people to plan and take longer
vacations in the wilderness areas and have well-deserved nature
experiences. It would inspire those with sufficient energy, to
traverse more of our scenic country without the use of fossil fuel-
consuming vehicles. Well managed trails could also furnish possible
business opportunities for outfitters, lodging, and restaurant
operators. Finally, trails are ideal places where like-minded people
can get acquainted and exchange views and information.

Some non-profit groups such as organizations belonging to the
American Hiking Society (AHS) are not waiting for federal
initiatives. They are also free from the pressure of large-scale
developers and recreational vehicle manufacturers. Rather, working
at the grassroots with volunteer trail workers and maintenance crews,
these groups have started linking trails to each other and laying out
plans so as to close the trailless gaps on emerging regional trails.
The Southeast AHS office at Chattanooga, Tennessee is preparing a
large scale wall map of that region's existing and planned trails.
Ambitious hiking trail network programs are also underway in other
parts of the country.

National Trails Day makes us realize that something is emerging
that captures the spirit of our pioneer roots. Trails can be blazed
by willing souls without much experience. Trail makers need to be
careful to stay away from sensitive areas. Here in Kentucky we
expect to have the Pine Mountain Trail opened soon with its
breathtaking views that can be appreciated by more and more
Appalachians and tourists. More trails are opening, and nature-
loving Americans need to support these efforts. If interested, visit
<www.AmericanHiking.org>.

Ultimately almost all of us are concerned about questions of
salvation -- of ourselves, our family, our nation, our Earth. To
help with this important saving or "healing" work requires a service
imbued with a faith filled with mercy, not rote sacrifice, as Jesus
indicates in this Gospel passage. His hearers were aware that Hosea
wrote about this important attitude centuries before, "For it is love
that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than
holocausts" (Hosea 6:6).

The pharisees complained about Jesus' association with Matthew
and other tax collectors, for the pharisees thought they were of a
lower caste unworthy of salvation. But Jesus tells us that precisely
these overlooked or marginalized individuals are the prime focus of
his ministry. Jesus gives us a wake up call to minister to those
outside our normal areas of concern.

Those needing our services include a wide variety of people.
Prisoners are often shut off from our society and do not have the
services that are available to the general population. Incarcerated
people are forgotten and considered by some as non-existent, but they
cry for healing all the while. Also we need to give special
attention to those ex-convicts who strive to reenter this unforgiving
society, which refuses to erase or forget past records. Likewise,
veterans are so often thanked quickly and forgotten, yet they have
sacrificed much and often carry burdensome memories.

John Paul II spoke to President Bush about the need to extend
medical care to the entire world and not just to Americans. Victims
of disease, and especially AIDS in so-called "developing countries,"
are in need of healing care and salvation. Another group of the
overlooked are survivors of people who died from disaster or disease,
not only families and friends devastated at the time of a loved one's
death, but also orphans whose needs extend far longer than a normal
bereavement period. Mercy must come to those who are too poor for
routine health benefits and who are regarded by a self-righteous
society as being the cause of illness or lack of insurance.

Merciful attention should extend to ordinary consumers affected
by the secular and materialistic nature of our society. Often these
have little or no religious foundation, but are in need of special
attention. What about residents in senior citizen homes, those in
mental hospitals, or the shut-ins? This listing only touches a few
of many groups crying for love and mercy. The call of Matthew is the
call to the Matthews of the world. We begin to see that self-
righteousness is not the domain of the ancient pharisees alone. We
all sometimes try to justify our privileged positions at the expense
of others, the forgotten people of the world. What our examinations
at the end of the day should include are not just those with whom we
have interacted, but also those we could have approached and failed
to do so.

June 6, 2005 Nuclear Power Revisited

History repeats itself. A number of prominent writers and so
called experts who regard themselves as environmentalists have
recently come out in favor of nuclear power as a way of curbing
greenhouse gases from carbon dioxide. They include James Lovelock,
developer of the Gaia Theory, Steward Brand, founder of Whole Earth
Catalog, and Hugh Montefiore, a trustee of Friends of the Earth.
These seem convinced that nuclear energy has an improved record and
is better than coal or even alternatives such as solar-powered roof
tile and North Dakota wind farms (their "pies in the sky").

This rash of statements and new nuclear converts did not happen
spontaneously. It is the result of a concerted effort by the nuclear
power industry to redeem itself and it comes at the precise time the
federal government is entertaining the "Bush push," a nuclear-powered
energy policy. Brand says that the problems such as waste storage,
accidents, high construction costs, and the danger of weapons-grade
material falling into the wrong hands are surmountable -- as though
a non-cooperating environmental movement is what causes them to
persist. It is like jumping into a pig sty to encourage hogs to
clean up their act, and our hesitancy is cause of the existing
conditions.

All of this new push for nukes occurs with the background of
Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, which nuclear power's old and new
proponents say is all past history and will not happen again. Are
they so sure, especially with the many nuclear facilities aging and
the majority of American nuke plants moving beyond their originally
intended life expectancy of two decades? Are we being saddled with
a born-again president who pretends to get messages from the Almighty
on economic and political issues including energy? And why do these
messages exclude energy conservation, which makes additional
powerplants of whatever type unnecessary? What about Bush's silence
about wind power, the fastest growing energy source in the world at
this time? If there is a new energy policy, why not include clean
and environmentally safe windpower, which is becoming less expensive?
Shouldn't the government assist solar alternatives at least to the
same degree that it now subsidizes coal, oil and nuclear power?

The proponents of nuclear power know that it will take strong
governmental support to resuscitate their problem-prone and
inherently unprofitable energy source. If not, why doesn't the
nuclear industry launch out like any other type of industry? Why
wait for the government -- except the industry needs the government
for tax breaks, hastening the licensing process, insuring against
calamities, helping to pay for the enrichment processes, guarding the
transportation of wastes, and disposal/storing of wastes for
generations to come. They can't do without governmental support.
Without handouts, the new generation of nuclear powerplants would not
have a chance. The industry simply cannot work within a market
economy unless aided by an overly generous application of the
people's tax money, your money.

June 7, 2005 Six Reasons to Oppose Nuclear Power

Proponents of nuclear power continue to dangle the promises and
enticements of nuclear power before the general public. Why? The
answer rests in the inability of the nuclear industry to go it alone
and the need for federal subsidies at taxpayer expense. In our
nuclear-based economy business should carry on as usual. But not
nuclear power. Here are some of the reasons why nuclear power cannot
do it by itself.

Nuclear power is expensive. Far from the early claims that
this source would be too cheap to meter, this has been a expensive
source when all costs are borne by the industry itself. Government
subsidies make nuclear power at least competitive with coal and other
energy sources.

Nuclear power is not wanted. The utility industry on the whole
has been bothered by the building and maintaining of these utilities
for decades. If the few utilities who are drawn into the building
scheme were enticed, it would be because the federal government would
dangle enticements such as fuel processing subsidies, relaxed
regulations and licensing procedures, and insurance guarantees to
make the deal profitable for them.

Nuclear power is risky. The safety guarantee is not perfect no
matter how much improved the engineering. The waste materials still
have to be disposed properly and that problem has not yet been
solved. The threat of terrorist attack is far greater for such
facilities over those of solar or wind or even fossil fuels.

Nuclear power requires fossil fuels. Don't kid yourself with
wanting to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. Nuclear power
actually consumes fossil fuels in order to dig the uranium ore,
process the material (one of the heaviest user of electricity
generated from coal has been the Paducah enrichment facility),
transport the materials to plants using fossil fuel, and eventually
dispose the waste. To present this as a absolute alternative to coal
is fallacious and misleading.

Nuclear plants are potential sources of bomb materials. With
all the recent controversy over North Korea, we often forget that
nuclear facilities have and will continue to be sources of weapons-
grade materials. Though we regard this as far-fetched for our own
American safety network, still we can hardly approve a culture of
nuclear production by us and forbidden to others in the world.

Nuclear power is unneeded. A combination of proven energy
efficiency measures such as the use of compact fluorescent electric
light along with the installment of new proven solar and wind power
sources will be a far better approach, cost far less, would not
require unrealistic start-ups and cost overruns, and be far safer.
Wind power as the fastest growing energy source in the nation and
world is not "pie in the sky;" rather on second thought nuke plants
are.

June 8, 2005 Sightseeing with Others

We all like to go out and sightsee, seeking scenery away from
our place of residence. That's natural and healthy for the mind and
spirit. Sightseeing can be fun and doubly fun with others who enjoy
the scenes with us. Tomorrow is Senior Citizen's Day, and the
opportunity may be just right to take senior citizens for a
sightseeing trip. We can make it shorter, if their limit of
endurance is such, or longer, if everyone has the stamina for an
extended excursion.

Sightseeing has advantages. It expands the mind; it gets us
out of mental and emotional ruts for some time; it is really low
priced compared with other forms of entertainment (except for the
fuel involved), and it requires less exertion from the rider but
maybe not from the driver of the vehicle. Since some do not want to
expend limited gasoline or diesel, they need to be reminded that
sightseeing can be done by public transportation. A bus or train can
be a perfect place to sit back and look at the countryside.

Travel light and comfortably. Nothing will irritate the
sightseer more than the little worries about baggage. But not too
light, for wearing uncomfortable shoes in place of those we left at
home can also be irritating.

Compromise on where to go. Museums are appealing, but quite
tiresome after a time. Though there are advantages to having a
travel partner, we must admit that what each one wants to see is not
necessarily what interests the other party. I may like to see
cathedrals, but others may prefer woods or lakes or quaint villages.
Some may enjoy sitting at a cafe and watching the crowds. Perhaps it
helps to discuss what to see prior to going so there's no conflict.
Give time to the rhythm of moving about and resting. One may rest
while the more energetic goes out for a leisurely walk -- those
golden sightseeing opportunities.

Avoid crowded conditions. That means starting very early before
everyone else stirs. If driving, road time may need to be limited so
as not to become excessively tired, for that can be dangerous.
Another difficulty with driving is that sometimes the sight itself
may be distracting. Flower strips on the Interstate draw my
attention, as do blooming redbud and dogwood in the spring or summer
flowers in June. Books are available for each state entitled "Off
the Beaten Path." Environmental materials tell about cities such as
Mary Davis' Green Guide to Paris, France.

Plan for fewer locations. Forget about seeing everything.
Spend quality time at a given place and see it very well -- and it
becomes a conversation piece later. I never saw everything in Rome;
however for a day the late Jesuit classicist, Ed Miller, who was
spending the summer in Rome, invited me to accompany his inspection
of markers, memorials and monuments on a stretch of the Appian Way.
We didn't go far, but the day stands out in my memory, for I saw a
small part of Rome in depth.

June 9, 2005 Senior Citizen's Day: Celebrate the Centenarians

I joined the ranks of seniors a few years back. At first it
seemed uncomfortable and my impulse was to jog more, keep slim, and
even hide the gray. With time, these resolutions faded and
seniorhood set in with a vengeance. I liked the senior discounts and
menus, the deference to the elders, and the compliments on having a
solid head of gray. With age, citizenship seems to gain meaning and
responsibility. We know we must speak up on occasion to the leaders
who are often younger -- and we are convinced less experienced --
than we are. And we do so with a little more forthrightness because
the self-consciousness of younger years is a thing of the past.
Mistakes become opportunities for growing in experience, and old age
retreats with each passing year to still older people. When I was
ten, our eighty-some year-old neighbor (see Joe Davis, story on this
website) was ancient. Now that applies to those over one hundred
years of age.

My mother has always wanted to live to be one hundred years;
she now has only five more years to go. Though she is confused on
her own age right now (she thinks she is in her fifties), she enjoys
aging. They tell us that those who want to live to be one hundred
will more than likely live longer. In the inverse, those who do not
care to live will give up more readily, and this undoubtedly shortens
many lives. I think the long-livers witness to the enjoyment of life
no matter how long our allotment of earthly time. Longevity is not
always the result of our own doings, a fact that is evident when we
meet people who have to struggle with cancer or heart disease, or we
attend the funeral of a youngster whose life was snuffed out by an
auto accident. Life is fragile, unpredictable, relatively short, and
a gift.

We are experiencing public health and lifestyle improvements
that give rise to a growing crop of seniors in the United States.
That is not true in some countries such as sub-Saharan Africa,
ravaged by AIDS and now experiencing sharp life span declines. With
growing numbers of senior citizens, priorities tend to change and
education issues take a back seat to health concerns. Often the
focus of seniors can be somewhat selfish; even they must be reminded
that citizenship needs to extend to the entire community, not just to
the wants of their own generation.

On this Senior Citizen's Day we recognize all those who have
moved through the prime of life and are now part of the ever
expanding community of the elders. Their (or our) presence should be
recognized not as a burden but as a blessing, not as a silent passing
but as a public celebration, not as an event to forget but as one to
remember. Seniors for most cultures, and hopefully ours as well, are
treasures worth preserving as best we can. For better or worse, the
seniors in American society will most likely vote, clamor for their
benefits, and speak up when others prefer to remain silent. While
some would like to ignore or marginalize them, the seniors have a way
of inserting themselves into the discussion. Let's hope this
continues.

June 10, 2005 Separation of Church and State

We Americans take our separation of church and state for
granted, something I have never written about before. We do not like
an established state church that infringes on the private devotions
of citizens, nor do we like a state that interferes with religious
practice. I have offered prayers at the Kentucky House of
Representatives on a number of occasions, though the prayers could
have comfortably been given by others of a different faith (is that
part of separation?). We do accept that state fire laws and other
regulations apply to church grounds as with other public locations.
At times we are tempted to challenge that separation by installing
illegal devices to deactivate cell phones in the interior of church.
A daring but perhaps challenging practice!

All said and done, we generally approve of those who protect our
separation of church and state. Personally I think the matter was
quite fuzzy in April on "Justice Sunday," when right-wing church
people mixed political speeches and religious rhetoric; this was
designed to launch a campaign to get church support for the "nuclear
option" or abolishing the right to filibuster federal judicial
candidates. The brew was somewhat potent when speakers inferred that
the other political side was against religion and these opponents
were evil in intent. The deliberate targeting of religious places as
partisan political stations is where the separation seems to get
mixed up -- though the Church must speak out on moral issues that
have political implications.

The separation walls are being attacked to some degree by our
current president, who manifests his own religious commitment, his
born-again stance, and his religiosity on many occasions -- "I heard
a call. I know God wants me to run for president" (1998). Again,
"Those who attack us have chosen their own destruction"....
"Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."..."God is on
our side." "God bless America" (9-11-01). "We know that God is not
neutral" (11/21/01). What makes these statements more serious is
that they are wrapped in a Calvinistic/fundamentalistic theology
where the good are righteous and divinely directed and the evil ones
reside on the other side of the political divide. They are to be
cast out as unredeemable and a holy war may be permitted against
them. That war is at the calling of the righteous and can even be a
war of prevention launched at the discretion of the "good."

The current federal Faith Initiative touches grounds that
should be left separated, but, with proper specifications, the walls
of church and state can be retained. Vouchers for those attending
religious school have been approved. It seems that in some arenas
the separation is scrupulously maintained but in others there is a
winking and looking the other way. Certainly all, even those in
religious schools, should be provided with proper transportation,
health benefits, basic educational materials, and proper protection.
That is part of being citizens. Their religious content should not
be interfered with in any fashion in the course of making these
public provisions, but they deserve support.

June 11, 2005 The Virginia Declaration of Rights (June, 1776)

I. That all men are by nature equally free and independent,
and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into
a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or
divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and
liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property,
and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.

II. That all power is vested in, and consequently derived
from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and
servants, and at all times amenable to them.

III. That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the
common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation
or community; of all the various modes and forms of government
that is best, which is capable of producing the greatest degree
of happiness and safety and is most effectually secured against
the danger of maladministration; and that, whenever any
government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these
purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable,
unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform, alter or abolish
it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the
public weal.

IV. That no man, or set of men, is entitled to exclusive or
separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in
consideration of public services; which, not being descendible,
neither ought the offices of magistrate, legislator, or judge be
hereditary.

V. That the legislative and executive powers of the state
should be separate and distinct from the judicative; and,
that the members of the two first may be restrained from
oppression by feeling and participating in the burthens of the
people, they should, at fixed periods, be reduced to a private
station, return into that body from which they were originally
taken, and the vacancies be supplied by frequent, certain,
and regular elections in which all, or any part of the former
members, be again eligible, or ineligible, as the laws
shall direct.

VI. That elections of members to serve as representatives of
the people in assembly ought to be free; and that all men, having
sufficient evidence of permanent common interest with, and
attachment to, the community have the right of suffrage and
cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses
without their own consent or that of their representatives so
elected, nor bound by any law to which they have not, in like
manner, assented, for the public good.

VII. That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of
laws, by any authority without consent of the representatives of
the people is injurious to their rights and ought not to be
exercised.

VIII. That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man hath
a right to demand the cause and nature of his accusation to be
confronted with the accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence
in his favor, and to a speedy trial by an impartial jury of his
vicinage, without whose unanimous consent he cannot be found
guilty, nor can he be compelled to give evidence against himself;
that no man be deprived of his liberty except by the law of
the land or the judgment of his peers.

IX. That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor
excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments
inflicted.

X. That general warrants, whereby any officer or messenger
may be commanded to search suspected places without evidence of
a fact committed, or to seize any person or persons not named,
or whose offense is not particularly described and supported by
evidence, are grievous, oppressive and ought not to be granted.

XI. That in controversies respecting property and in suits
between man and man, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to
any other and ought to be held sacred.

XII. That the freedom of the press is one of the greatest
bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic
governments.

XIII. That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the
people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe
defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace,
should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that, in all
cases, the military should be under strict subordination to,
and be governed by, the civil power.

XIV. That the people have a right to uniform government; and
therefore, that no government separate from, or independent of,
the government of Virginia, ought to be erected or established
within the limits thereof.

XV. That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can
be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice,
moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue and by frequent
recurrence to fundamental principles.

XVI. That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator and
the manner of discharging it, can be directed by reason and
conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore, all men are
equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to
the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of
all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards
each other.

June 12, 2005 To Be Apostles

Jesus summoned his twelve apostles and sent them out.
(Matthew 9:36 - 10:8)

We can view our Scriptural readings as observers or
participants. As observers we see Jesus as moved with compassion by
and for the crowds. We may see crowds differently and try to avoid
them altogether. We may regard them as directionless, and confess to
shrinking back into our own little worlds. Jesus, on the other hand,
sees the milling crowd and resolves to do something about it. He
creates a Church, which is founded on the apostles, ordinary folks
like us, and that institution is to deal with crowds, the hoi polloi,
not select individuals.

As participants we need to identify with the Apostles, not
distance ourselves from them or look upon them as exceptional and
only to be admired. All his apostles but one would run away; one
would betray him; Peter denied him three times; one was a zealot or
revolutionary; and each had his imperfections. God's church is of
divine origin but is composed of human beings. God is with us until
the end of time, but that does not mean each person is perfect, or
does perfect things. We are those sent today; we are successors to
his first disciples. We are not just called to do starry-eyed
exploits. During Jesus's stay the apostles were sent to the tribes
of Israelites and not yet beyond. Only later after the gospel was
rejected would the message go out to all the world. And it is
Matthew's gospel that tells it so well in this passage. Each of us
must discern what God's will for us is in this calling.

We are the ones who do more than gaze as spectators; we must
walk in the footsteps of the Apostles. The Lord promises to be with
us while we are empowered to perform miracles of grace in God's name.
We become healers and help others see the grace of God's mercy. And
following the Apostles means healing a wounded earth. This
commission takes great effort and all of our talents and abilities,
but the Spirit will guide us in these undertakings.

"You received without payment; give without payment." Our
ministry should be one of pure thanksgiving because of the great
things God has done for us, not something we deserve, nor what we
deserve for time spent doing good. Strictly speaking we do not
deserve anything. Our motivation is the love of God who loves us and
keeps us in the palm of the divine hand. God calls all of us to be
humble in the wake of disorder, scandals, and other misgivings in
this present day. Being participants means we cannot lose heart. We
are to be one with God, for we have our weaknesses, which God uses
for our own good and for the good of others. In witnessing the life
and death of the Lord, the apostles grew and became ever more sincere
about their ministry. We have our knocks in life and thus are
humbled as well. We too must learn to grow in our ministry,
accepting past mistakes and learning from them for the betterment of
those we serve.

June 13, 2005 National Juggling Day

Most of us admire and clap for jugglers. I think we partly clap
because these talented individuals do things we find extremely
difficult. I admit I can't juggle one object well, much less many.
My only extra ability is to balance with my little finger the end of
a hoe handle vertically in the air and walk around. So much for
unusual skills, but maybe we sell ourselves short. Napoleon was said
to have a half dozen secretaries, and he would circle from one to the
other dictating contents in successive turns and keeping the writers
busy. He must have been a mental juggler to some degree.

On second thought we all do some juggling and yet either we do
not recognize the skill or are embarrassed by the practice. We just
don't flip objects in the air and catch them before admiring
onlookers. Our juggling may be more serious and requires another
type of dexterity. My mother as housewife, mother, cook, food
canner, chicken raiser, garden and flower grower, cow milker,
entertainer, tobacco growing assistant, berry picker, euchre player,
and listener could out-juggle anyone I've ever seen. She could cut
up boiled potatoes for frying with a pancake turner in a hot skillet
while talking or listening to others and preparing two other dishes
at the same time. Now that was juggling. She never hesitated to
rise early and at any time of night, if anyone needed help. And she
still lives at 95 enjoying life.

I suspect I have inherited some skills at types of juggling for
I like to write several books at one time along with these daily
reflections. The two parishes at Stanton and Ravenna get half of my
attention, and my free time is taken reading a half dozen books off
and on as the spirit moves. I like to exercise and meditate at the
same time, read and eat breakfast and listen to the radio all at the
same time. Who knows, we all are jugglers.

Looked at in this broader sense, we juggle but do we do so
efficiently? We may hide the practice from others because they
expect greater demands from us in one or other area of our work. We
may overlook other important issues because we juggle too many things
and are concentrating on areas of lesser importance. Does our
spiritual life get proper attention when we juggle the cares of life
throughout the day and night? Do we present a good presence to
others with so much attention to our unimportant forms of juggling?
Do we take time off and rest and simply abandon the juggling act so
as to give time to God? Juggling can be entertaining, challenging,
demanding, and skillful, but it can also distract us from issues of
greater concern.

Let's celebrate all the jugglers of this world from soccer moms
to dads holding two jobs. We do not try to imitate them in exactly
what they do, but reflect and consider whether all our life's works,
including our own juggling acts, are in perfect balance. And let's
remember that juggling is not our most important task. That consists
in being who we are even when we are not moving things about. We can
be who we are at rest.

June 14, 2005 Celebrating Flag Day

Though I do not fly those "home" flags, I like them flying from
neighbors front porches and entrances. They are generally quite
colorful, are adapted to the seasons, and give a sense of cheer to
the entire domicile. They tell something about the resident's
willingness to communicate to the exterior world. Thus these home
flags become a type of greeting and distinctive symbols of the
owner's individual personality.

Flags can give mixed signals or can be merely decorative. Quite
a few institutions afford the flag a prominent place on their own
grounds. Often this demonstrates a type of loyalty and says, "I'm a
true patriot, are you?" We find it hard to belittle these efforts.
Over the years many soldiers died trying to keep the flag flying in
fierce battle; others returned in a flag-wrapped coffin; still
others had their hearts stirred when they saw the flag still flying
after calamity. We say much with our national flag during this
current conflict; we say other things with state, religious or
institutional standards.

Some Appalachian businesses fly some of the largest American
flags imaginable with massive flag poles to keep them flapping in the
breeze. It is their mark of patriotism in this time of the War on
Terror. Since the custom of taking flags down at dusk has lapsed,
current proper etiquette says that these flags ought to be flown with
a light beaming on them. This is not always the case.

I'll never forget on the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of
Independence seeing a flagman on the roof of the Capitol in
Washington racing flags up and down the pole. I'm sure there was a
long list of people wanting the "one" that flew over the Capitol on
July 4th, 1976, but what did it really mean? Sometimes our flag
waving has about as much significance as that hyperactive flagman's
work. We want to be seen with a flag, but spend little time
regarding the significance of flying it. We should show the flag, if
we want our land to be free and our outreach as a nation to be caring
for the democratic aspirations and well-being of all people.

Let's celebrate flag day by asking some searching questions: is
the Patriot Act truly patriotic? Are the causes we fight for true
causes or mere subterfuges for those who want to make profits out of
our land? Are we truly expressing freedom in what we do as a nation?
One of the best ways of celebrating this day would be to read John
Perkin's new book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (Berrett-
Koehler, 2004). This tells about how others -- bankers, business
persons and governmental workers -- wrap themselves in Ole Glory and
yet distort the welfare of victim nations that they become indebted
to our nation's institutions. The victim nation's resources,
especially oil, are extracted, the environment and quality of life
damaged, and the people forced to pay exorbitant sums to creditors.
The story is disturbing and worthy of reflection. We ought to
celebrate Flag Day by seriously reflecting on how we allow such
situations to arise and continue.

June 15, 2005 The Gift of Peace

During this current seemingly interminable War on Terrorism, we
openly wonder when it will ever end. We begin to desire peace in the
worst sort of way; we ask whether the war is a result of our
deficiency at peacemaking, as though a little more effort would be
like the hair that breaks the camel's back. Or we might be tempted
to distance ourselves from the fray and blame the war on others as
though that will condemn it enough to bring about its end. What is
often overlooked is that the desired peace is God's gift.

Our hope. Peace as a hoped for situation is a gift. We as
individuals and communities must yearn for peace so that others may
thrive, and that hope is a virtue inspired by God. We could desire
warlike conditions which bring profits and destruction to evil ones;
we could consider war as so necessary that, if we did not fight this
battle, an unforeseen one would arise. But to hope for peace is a
needed beginning, and that is God's gift to us.

Effort. Peace is a process requiring patience, ingenuity, and
cooperative effort. That is not a totally human undertaking for
these qualities that constitute authentic peacemaking are gifts from
the Holy Spirit. To be peacemakers does require our part, but we act
in an enlightened fashion -- and must acknowledge the divine source
of that enlightenment.

Source. Peace begins in the soul and moves out to external
expressions, and that fundamental peace that the world cannot give is
from God. We find peace with the Lord in the totality of our faith
experience, and in an atmosphere of journeying together with others
seeking peace. If we are disquieted and our soul is in flux with
many anxieties, we are hardly able to initiate and maintain the
peacemaking process. God's peace must permeate our hearts.

Endurance. Peace that comes to the world is fragile and easily
swept away by acts of selfishness. It takes an enduring love of our
fellow human beings and that love breaks through the clouds of
despair, anxiety and doubt. We can join with others and live in
peace, but we must pray that once gained that peace endures.
Whatever situation of peace is achieved is from the hand of God and
this deserves our prayers of thanks.

Alternative. Military might is not a genuine way to peace.
The song to "give peace a chance" is more than a mournful plea. The
raw power of military suppression will not bring about peace, unless
we are willing to ask profound questions about the causes of the
discontent. To be shaken enough to ask these questions is itself a
gift from the Almighty. We need to consider that the weapons of
destruction color the way peace is contrived. A militarily dictated
peace is not enough; it may only be a mere pause before the next
battle. Rather, we must look beyond in freedom to non-violent means
to bring about and preserve peace once it is gained. And that mind
set of a new game plan is a gift from God as well.

June 16, 2005 Intensive Gardening

Many of us are limited in the amount of land we have or can
cultivate at a given time. We seek to garden intensively so that we
can get the most nutritious yield on the limited amount of available
space. A few boast that a one hundred square foot area per person
could yield sufficient vegetables and herbs for a year. I doubt
this, even in the best of conditions including season-extending
gardening, heavy composting, proper water conditions (see previous
contributions) and intensive cropping. I attempt to raise half of my
needs on three times that space (300 square feet) and feel quite
satisfied with yields.

Some of the conditions for intensive gardening are: plant
closely so that all space will be covered by adult plants without
crowding out the next generation of plants; raise crops that do not
require large amounts of space (e.g. greens versus green corn); allow
plants to thrive in well tilled naturally organic soil with
earthworms to enrich the soil by allowing for greater penetration of
air, moisture, and warmth; utilize raised garden beds for better
drainage and aeration as well as ease at working the garden.

Proper intensive gardening takes planning and proper design.
Whether a container garden on a patio or a roof top or limited areas
in a vacant lot or backyard, the design is important. The degree of
sun or shade dictates choices of what to grow. We grow to the site
to some degree knowing that there are many choices whether sunny or
shady. Trellises allow cucumbers, beans and peas to grow more
vertically, thus freeing up space for lower growing varieties.
Planting taller plants at the north side allows more sun for lower
lying crops. Walking or working space can be covered by the natural
spread of the growing vegetables since it is more needed in planting
and in the initial stages of growth. The mature plants growing space
must be anticipated. An onion grows vertically; its companion may be
more bushy such as Swiss chard. Some growers are restrained by
concerns about companion plants, but I focus more on space needed by
the mature plant.

Soil conditions are pertinent for maximum crop production.
Natural fertilizing and soil enrichment require composted materials,
nitrogen materials such as diluted urine, light applications of wood
ash, and proper mulching. Many gardeners like to introduce mulch of
various types in order to smother weeds and reduce tilling demands.
I agree, and prefer either straw or living mulch such as hairy vetch
or the growing plants themselves.

Thinking ahead to autumn means much, for often we can grow two
or three crops on the same area each year through proper planning.
A radish patch in the spring can be turned into a tomato-growing area
in summer and a collard bed for the late period. Some of these late
crops demand seasonal covers such as "tobacco cotton" which can
protect against early frosts in autumn and late ones in springtime.
A hope is that this intensive garden can furnish produce for much of
the year.

June 17, 2005 Poisons

Summer and vacation time can be a period in which mishaps occur,
and sometimes people get poisoned. The disaster occurs unexpectedly
and yet we must act promptly to save the life of the victim. In rare
cases poisoning occurs when on a camping trip or far removed from
medical assistance, and so a few minutes of consideration may be a
matter of life or death for another.

In nature we find more than the rash of poison ivy which can be
quite irritating to some. Certain poisonous mushrooms and other
plants like laurel are around us at times. Don't ingest what you
don't know. I was known to taste plants, and a guide came up and
told me, "I saw you taste wild fennel in Judea but remember all green
plants here in the Sinai are poisonous."

Sometimes people get poisoned with some commercial substance
either intentionally or accidentally ingested or touched. The clues
are information on the condition of a victim, presence of poison
container, sudden onset of pain or illness, burns around mouth,
chemical odor and contracted or dilated pupils.

It is time to act. What we do to help victims until
professionals arrive is of critical importance. Call 911. If the
person is conscious get them to drink water or milk. Don't give
oils. I once saved my poisoned dog by forcing her to drink a mixture
of egg and milk. Save poison container and vomited material for
analysis, and do not contaminate contents. For those becoming
unconscious, keep airways open and give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if necessary. Do not give
fluids in this condition; position the head of the victim so that
vomit drains away. If the person is in convulsions, position the
victim to prevent injury; don't try forceful restraint. Physicians
advise us not to force hard objects or even fingers between the
teeth.

Need we add to keep poisons out of reach of children and those
who can mistake them for other substances. Some may advise storing
anti-poison substances, but, except for epsom salts (a laxative),
they would be of little use. If no medical help is around, or one
may be unable to make cell phone contact with an expert, the best
advice from the American Red Cross is to induce vomiting, if the
overdose is a medicine. However, that is not advised after ingesting
a strong acid, alkali or petroleum product.

We have to learn to respect unknown plants which could possibly
be harmful, and that goes beyond plants with white berries. We
should review whether we ought to have commercial poisonous
substances around the premises at all. A strong reason for organic
gardening is keeping us from having to store poisonous pesticides --
a major source of domestic poisoning. All in all, respect chemicals
that are all too ubiquitous in our world. This bears repeating in an
age when so many people take and expect to take medicines for only
minor ailments. Respect all chemicals.

June 18, 2005 International Picnic Day

I always hesitate to treat picnicking as an activity because we
all have had good ones and those that were marred by pests,
unpleasant people, or uncooperative weather. However, some of our
more pleasant memories are also associated with picnics. One I
remember quite well took place in Alsace on my 69th birthday in the
little wine-famed town of Hunavihr: Frank, Mary and I had cheese,
fruit, French bread, sausage, and of course wine in a public
gathering place; we observed kids jumping off a low shed nearby with
squeals of delight; we were accompanied by wine gatherers washing out
their vessels in the late September twilight. Why we remember
certain picnics so well including the place, food and people is
because we thoroughly enjoyed the particular picnic.

I am uncertain of the origins of this International Picnic Day
but guess it was meant well and is an opportunity to consider
organizing picnics for travelers who visit us or as the perfect
meeting place -- the picnic table or cloth spread on lawn, beach or
woodland floor.

The "International" aspect of a picnic can give it a special
flavor. Often people who have just moved into the community will
find the picnic a perfect way of breaking the ice and coming to know
neighbors. A group picnic in church or neighborhood allows the
barriers to be lowered and the fellowship to be extended to some who
would otherwise withdraw through fear, shyness or lack of
understanding. A well designed picnic gives a sense of informality,
a chance for added mobility for the restless, and an opportunity to
get to know others. It does not need a rigid time schedule other
than when to start the serving. Too much planning may spoil the
event itself.

The "International" aspect could also mean getting to know
other's ethnic foods. Here is the time to experience the tastes of
different people and to do so when not under pressure. Picnics could
be regarded as truly international events when the various ethnic
groups in one's community are each invited to bring one ethnic dish
so others can learn. Maybe suggest inserting a card containing the
name of the dish as well as some basic ingredients for those who like
the contents and want to know more.

Of course picnics often have extra uninvited visitors such as
ants, ticks, or yellow jackets, but we can anticipate and minimize
their impacts with proper preparation. We can provide or find shade
if some people need a resting place for a nap after the meal. We can
provide balls, volleyball nets, toys, and games if needed; we can
have the food coolers and baskets well provisioned. In other words,
by a little forethought we can make the quality of the picnic better.
Let's try to make each picnic a memorable occasion. Who knows, maybe
heaven itself is an international picnic day that never ends, and we
have to be preparing for it in this life.

June 19, 2005 Jeremiah

"Ah, Lord God! I know not how to speak: I am too young."
(Jeremiah 1:6).

The character of Jeremiah stands out in his writing:
dispirited, honest, unsuccessful, faithful, unable to bring about
change, still willing to try amid adversities, outspoken, undaunted,
and suffering as martyr. It is as though we see the entire life of
an honest pilgrim, as well as prophet, before us. Jeremiah's human
foibles seem to stand out more than those of most of the Biblical
characters. It is with interest that people throughout history have
identified with this bold and forthright individual.

My own personal kinship with Jeremiah goes back a long time, for
his writing struck a responsive cord. His prayers seem genuine and
his unwillingness to undertake his mission takes me back to my own
reluctance to act. I feel his dark side when he sees that things are
not going well and he speaks as best he can about the need for change
of lifestyle. I also see a greater person in his shifting of
strategy: when he sees that people do not heed advice and fall as
was predicted, he shifts his message to one of consolation and
comfort. Being able to do both is the mark of a
great role model.

Jeremiah suffers because of his unpopular stance. In Matthew's
Gospel we hear Jesus saying "do not let them intimidate you." We
need to see that our message may be unpopular and cause others to
move away from us. Why not be like the rest of folks and get them to
clap for what we say? They want us to be watchful of personal
morality but forgetful of policies dealing with a wider range of
issues in community, nation or world. Even in the personal morality
which is a good expectation, there is a higher selectivity. Those
moral issues at a distance from one's self get a higher priority than
those dealing with me and my stance in life.

Jeremiah focuses his initial attention on the insensitive
lifestyles of the people. The people around him simply refuse to
listen no matter how hard he tries. Don't they see what is coming if
they continue in their ways? In reply, we know from history that
they did not heed his warnings. We too are tempted to be silent
about the culture in which we live. We are encouraged to spend and
borrow on credit, to trust our private information to those who
profit from its revelation, to cheat on taxes, to find good in
wasteful practices, never to speak about military spending and the
current conflicts throughout the world, and to overuse the limited
resources at our disposal.

We need to be Jeremiahs in this age to the best we can. The
most surprising thing is that the Gospels speak of salvation of the
individual soul, and also about the salvation of an entire people.
How do we relate to our neighbors, both those who live close by and
those who reside in distant lands? We need to be Jeremiahs to this
age.

June 20, 2005 Pharmaceuticals from Food Crops

A recent cause of concern is the use of corn, soybeans, and
other food crops to produce drugs, vaccines and industrial chemicals.
These "pharma" plant products could be inadvertently allowed into the
food stream, and the enzymes, hormones or diagnostic compounds could
reach the wrong people. The original purpose of this new use is to
reduce production costs of the drug or substance in question through
a form of genetic engineering. While the commercial level is still
only in its infancy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has
allowed nearly 200 applications for field testing these processes.
The question that some concerned citizens raise is whether a flow of
pollen from one crop to another could contaminate the vast farming
belt of a hundred million cultivated acres in America's Midlands from
Ohio to Colorado.

It is ironic that innovative processes meant for healing could
contaminate our food supply. This is likely since three quarters of
the pharma crop field permits from 1992 to 2004 were for those two
mainstays -- corn and soybean. Also permits have been granted for
use of rice, barley, alfalfa, rapeseed, safflower, wheat, sugarcane
and tomato, most foodstuffs or food derived plants. Contamination
could enter the food chain in so many ways through this variety of
products. The Union of Concerned Scientists is asking the USDA to
"halt the outdoor production of genetically engineered pharma crops
immediately, until a system can be put in place to protect the U.S.
food system and food industry." Ref. "A growing concern," Catalyst,
Spring, 2005, p.5. <www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment>

The UCS recommendations fit well with the current goals of
Kentucky's tobacco research. The third highest number of permits
given by the USDA is for the tobacco crop. People don't eat tobacco.
Note that unlike pharma-corn, the tobacco is not specifically
genetically engineered. The subject of the engineering is rather a
tobacco mosaic virus, which uses the tobacco plant as a host.
Testing is done in areas removed from cropland for smoking tobacco
and under specific control conditions such as greenhouses and
isolated fields. The engineered virus produces Aprotinin in the
tobacco plant infected with the virus, whereas Aprotinin can be
produced directly in a corn plant seemingly stuck in a sea of
cornlands. A key to leaving food crops is to use tobacco to the
delight of 100,000 tobacco growers, since traditional tobacco uses
are in decline.

The pharmaceutical industry favors corn and other such crops
because they are raised by experienced farmers, they are inexpensive
to grow, the genes are easily manipulated, and the dried seeds or
kernels can be stored without breakdown of the engineered chemicals.
But the experienced farmers live amid a community of farmers growing
foodstuffs, and so the contamination is highly likely. This is all
the more serious because genetically engineered materials have
escaped in certain areas and have become a cause of contention among
neighboring growers. Will this condition repeat itself in our vast
corn and soybean lands?

June 21, 2005 Summer Solstice: Cancer the Crab

Today, we join others throughout the Earth and throughout the
ages who have celebrated and continue to celebrate the summer
solstice -- our longest day in the Northern Hemisphere.

Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac, which is entered by the
sun on this day. Many of us do not give much attention to astrology
or the position of Leo, Gemini, or the constellations. But the word
"cancer" strikes us for another reason, for the illness elicits fear
in all and becomes a life struggle for so many. Cancer comes in many
forms. Thus we are drawn to annual physical and continual awareness
of its ill effects in human beings. Lung and other cancers can be
triggered or enhanced through personal practices such as smoking.
But one cancer with its deadly effects that we all know and that
requires special attention in summer is skin cancer.

All crave the sun's rays to some degree, for we all need
sufficient Vitamin D -- and sunlight triggers its production. Some
people are naturally better protected than others, with skin pigment
that will allow them to darken easily and not be too affected by the
direct sun's rays. Others are fairer skinned and need additional
protection from the summer rays. None of us like to hear that too
much ultraviolet light could affect the skin, cause it to age and
wrinkle, and even trigger skin cancer which takes its toll. In this
country skin cancer is a surprising killer of thousands each year.

The amount of damage caused by direct sunlight is sometimes
disputed. What are less debated are the ill effects of tanning
salons that are used by people who generally want the luxury of a
winter tan (our small county has at least three such establishments).
We don't want to take the trade away from small business people, but
their services are questionable. Customers are misguided into
thinking that this protective tan will give them a sense of well-
being and prepare them for beach and boating activity in this summer
season. Instead, it can have devastating and irreversible effects on
human skin. Merely using sun tanning lotions is not sufficient but
less harsh than damage from the uv lamps.

Do to others whatever you would have them do to you
(Matthew 7:12). We use this golden rule reading in today's feast of
St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a special Jesuit feast day. We could apply
this golden rule in what we have just said about awareness of skin
cancer problems. Maybe we should resolve to give some time during
this season to caution someone about the need for protection from
excessive ultraviolet rays. Turning one youngster away from the
effects of a tanning salon before it is too late is a worthwhile
undertaking this summer. And do abide by the doctor's advice and
protect where and when needed.

June 22, 2005 Bites, Stings and Summer Insects

Among the unpleasantries of summer, many list all sorts of
biting and stinging things. For the most part a good principle is
leave them alone and they will not hurt you. I find that many
stinging insects apart from mosquitoes have to be threatened in order
to single out people for their venom. Maybe people should respect
other insects but so much of the fright directed at bees and wasps is
highly unfounded.

While director of the ASPI Nature Center I took semi-annual
tours on the frequently used paths and among scattered buildings to
remove wasps or hornet nests before the human traffic began in
summer. This was to show that we had made an effort to remove any
possible causes of sudden troubles, should an allergic visitor be
stung while walking around the place. We never wanted anyone hurt
and would hope they did not irritate the insects. Actually the
stinging insect that bothered me most was the autumn yellow jacket
that seemed to want all the food one would have at a picnic.
Likewise, stepping inadvertently on one of their nests could make
them quite angry. Mud daubers are often mistaken for wasps and
eliminated although they are really among our non-stinging friends.
Honey and bumble bees will not harm us, if we don't get in their way
or threaten them. They are busy and we have no pollen that would
interest them.

My respect for hornets makes me launch an early morning raid on
their nest with a flaming torch, because they can become mean and
dangerous when aroused. Wasp nests are removed by dousing them with
diesel fuel or kerosene, far superior to commercial pesticides (less
toxic) and far less costly. When hit by a kerosene squirt or
moisture cloud, most of these winged insects will fall straight down.
When the application is quickly applied to the nest, the entire
colony except for strays can be disposed of quite efficiently.

Some people may be highly allergic to these bites and should
have Benadryl or other safeguards at hand. Highly susceptible
visitors or workers should carry these remedies in backpacks when on
hikes and leave some within easy reach. We had one scare during my
quarter of a century in nature work when the wife of a worker visited
and had to be taken to the local hospital due to a wasp bite. People
differ in how they react to these stinging insects. In some cases
the allergy is said to arrive without any prior experience on the
part of the victim.

Give all insects a certain respect. Merely swatting at an
insect will most likely arouse it and do more harm than good.
Buzzing you is not a prelude for attack unless you are trespassing on
the space of the nesting insect. Granted some insects are more
irritating than others. Bumble bee bites are painful though of
limited duration, but it good to remember that it takes much to
irritate a bumble bee. Most bees would prefer that you just go on
by. Don't be stupid and smell a flower in which one of them is
working.

June 23, 2005 Environmental Sleepers

We often know the areas where environmental regulations and
attention have changed things for the better, namely through air and
water pollution measures and through curbing the presence of such
toxic substances such as lead and mercury in our environment. But
what about other areas somewhat overlooked? Today we are giving more
and more attention to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and
so we are becoming alert to these dangers even though the proper
remedies may be ignored by many Americans. We pride ourselves on a
growing environmental consciousness and can glibly speak of problems
and solutions and yet overlook many of the obvious problems that are
all about. Here are five examples:

Space expansion -- The overbuilding of interior commercial,
educational, worship, and domestic space in the past two decades has
resulted in immense increases in demand for energy for heating and
cooling, as well as in required construction materials and
maintenance costs;

Exotic Species -- The purchase of plants and the introduction of
exotic flora and fauna in other ways have opened the way to
introducing exotic and often uncontrollable pests which can become
invasive and threaten native species. This is regarded by some as
the most serious environmental problem of the twenty-first century
and has so often been the product of ignorance on the part of an
introducing agent.

More technology and gadgets -- In the kitchen an inefficient
refrigerator is replaced by a highly efficient one using half of the
energy, and the old one is relegated to the back porch or garage as
a beer storage unit. Did appliance energy expenditure go down? No,
it has increased fifty percent.

Unregulated pets -- The prowling cat can take down many birds
over the course of its lifetime. Millions of wild animals are lost
to the loose felines and canines in our urban and suburban areas.
Just this morning when I was writing this I watched and heard three
loose neighborhood dogs chasing some form of wildlife in the
woodlands adjacent to the church. Their barks betrayed a hunt in
full pursuit. Was it a groundhog, fawn, or rabbit?

Litter -- How much more has to be said? We know that the litter
problem is not going away, that it degrades the community, and that
it erodes the tourist potential of our hills and lakes.

We have spoken of each of these problems before, but each of
them forms part of a total complex environmental picture. All could
require more regulation by governmental sources and thus decrease the
severity of the environmental problem, but all, including the tossing
of litter by the user of disposable materials have an individual
response element. When feeling good that people know more about
environmental issues than they did a few years back, we realize we
have a long way to go in becoming personally responsible.

June 24, 2005 Eating Right: Constructing Dietary Guidelines

In writing a quarter of a century ago the phrase "follow
dietary guidelines" gave the impression that the U.S. Department of
Agriculture had the last word in diet. However, the food pyramid of
that period has been put to rest and a more complex system installed
in its place. That is described in many information outlets. The
added emphasis today is on personal constructed diet guidelines based
on the following: access to nutritious affordable food; food
preferences and tastes; seasonal availability; age and current amount
of physical work; proximity to cooking facilities or prepared food;
sufficient time for food preparation; and personal needs related to
allergies, blood pressure, illness and cholesterol levels (with
doctor's advice). All of these factors help a person to construct a
daily menu that will permit one to "eat right."

Some of the older guidelines such as the USDA older version of
25 years ago still apply: eat a variety of foods including
selections of fruit, vegetables, etc.; maintain an ideal weight since
over half of us fall into the category of overweight and beyond;
avoid too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol (fried foods); get
adequate fiber (whole grains, vegetables and fruits); avoid too much
sugar in the many commercial products that appear so tempting; avoid
too much sodium (see Salt in April 27); and finally "if you drink
alcohol, do so in moderation." I did not include the adequate
starch, listed along with fiber, from those 1980 guidelines.

Most diet promoters would agree with many of these basic
elements, though amounts of specific foods will vary from diet to
diet. Nor do we want to engage in a heated debate over the various
well known weight reduction diets. If we keep the weight under
control, the debate is moot. But must Americans suffer from a
plentiful supply of lower priced food along with ready availability
of fast food restaurants with tempting menus, a host of smorgasbords,
buffets and all you can eat places. It seems at time that we
economize by eating more and fail to see the after- effects resulting
in overweight.

We find it hard to change our personal diets, for food is so
much a part of who we are. But we do gradually change over time from
baby food to that of youth, to middle age, and to that of older age.
About half of my current foods were not on my list a decade or so
ago. Youthful need for quick energy gives way to older desires to
reduce fats and calorie intake. What should always be avoided is the
mere convenience of fast food restaurants or the impulse to eat with
the crowd. Another weakness is the desire to snack during the work
day or free time. We most often "eat wrong" at non-formal meal
situations. In this land of salsa, chips, dip, beer, buttered
popcorn and other frills, we tend to disobey every resolution made to
eat right. We can avoid those temptations, but it takes will power.
If we succeed, then our proper exercise of freedom will be rewarded
with better future health.

June 25, 2005 Custer's Last Stand and the American Indians

I visited the site of Custer's last stand on the 110th
anniversary of that tragic event and could not but feel a sense of
loss, hurt, and desolation. The Montana landscape appeared peaceful
enough in the rolling treeless hills. The locations of each fallen
soldier brought back in imagination the gun smoke, waves of warriors,
battle flags, and shouts and curses all in one. For all these
reasons the peace-filled atmosphere gave way to one of shame.

Massacre. There was more tragedy to the event that took place
in Crow reservation territory 129 years ago today. General Custer
and his military groups were in the process of subjugating the Native
Americans of the Great Plains. He had had a career with some success
in Civil War campaigns but he overestimated his ability to bring all
these people under governmental control. The tragedy was in part
that the military expedition he commanded was surrounded on that
fateful day and massacred, for want of a better word. That was a
tragedy in its own right, but not the only one.

No time to reflect. The second somewhat greater tragedy is that
our country did not learn much from the event. Perhaps this happened
just at the time of our hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of
Independence. The Civil War had been won only a decade before, and
this was not a period of continued reflection but of Manifest
Destiny. New inventions such as the telephone and new land
acquisitions (Alaska) made the rising American star seem unblemished
even in the squabbles with the Indians. The haughty campaign of
subjugation hardly paused, for, in a matter of weeks after the
defeat, new seasoned military companies were brought in and the
conquest of a people continued with even greater intensity.
Forgotten was honoring the Native American's rights to land and
independence. Had a peaceful solution been tried, the fighters on
either side at Little Big Horn would not have died in vane.

Last hurrah. Equally tragic is that the coalition of Native
Americans was not sustained and, in its crumbling before the American
military might, the Native Americans essentially lost their
livelihood, their lands, and their sense of military prowess, which
had just been gained on the field of battle. Henceforth the Native
American power would retire before the onslaught of the American
army.

Long-term lessons. I don't know how one can celebrate that
event at Little Big Horn. As a nation we do not like to gain lessons
even after a period of a century or so. But the event that occurred
on June 25, 1876, could be repeated in Vietnam and even now in the
Middle East. We may beat off attacks or take temporary defeats that
overpowering might can rectify. But is this the way to proceed? Is
the military approach as self-defeating in 2005 as in 1876, and can't
the span of history teach us as a nation anything? We don't make
right through arms; we don't sacrifice young people on both sides
for some short-term goal. There are better ways that our history
needs to teach us. Then tragedy can be turned into success.

Hospitality is required of all people and cultures, but some
excel more. Kentuckians are known for this practice, and we hope
that tradition will live on and on. We know that unless the desert
people of much of the world were inviting, the result would be
disaster for the thirsty wanderer. It is also a religious demand on
each of us as Christian people. Because God has been generous and
hospitable to us, we invite others into our shared lives.

St. Peter struggled with whether the Church was to embrace the
gentiles, and finally came to this key insight in the whole of our
church history. Yes, we are ALL called to be saved. After
conversion, Paul saw that his former life was on a wayward track, and
God's generous grace rescued him through no merit of his own. Both
Peter and Paul constantly spoke of this divine generosity, and they
grew in response, which included hospitality.

Individual Acts. We each know of cases where people from other
cultures or backgrounds befriended us for no good reason but that we
were in need. It was not our merits that allowed this hospitality,
but rather the goodness of their hearts. In India two college
students befriended me and acted as tour guides when I was
inadvertently on a bus with Hindi pilgrims; they explained the
shrines and even bought me a soft drink. To my protest they said
that, when in America they will receive hospitality in return.
Again, in West Virginia, when our truck broke down, it took several
hours for roadside mechanics to finally get it going. We offered
some money and they refused saying they would expect the same if in
Kentucky. Generosity and hospitality go hand-in-hand. The folks who
were stalled in Canada on flights back on 9-11 spoke of the
hospitality of the residents of the Maritime Provinces.

General hospitality should always extend to those who come to
this country -- even to wetbacks. One minister puts barrels of water
on the wetback routes from Mexico through hot Arizona and is credited
with saving a number of lives. Hospitality is meant for immigrants,
tourists, wildlife, and anyone in a strange place. It is in the
depths of our Christian commitment that we understand this demand on
us. When hospitality is refused us we move on. As providers of
hospitality, we must always be sensitive to needs.

Being Compassionate. When people lack compassion they do not
see others where they hurt badly. We are to be gentle and
compassionate especially in this time in the Church. The bishops
should do this or that! The Church should do this or that! Let's
each re-examine our relationship to the family that is the Church.
Let's be compassionate for those who hurt at this time and go the
extra mile. If we are not mutually forgiving, we will lack the basic
compassion to invite others in and show them genuine undeserved
friendship -- for God loved us while we were still sinners. We must
likewise do the same as part of enhancing our sense of hospitality.

June 27, 2005 Helen Keller's Birthday, 1880

Some people are challenged in a very pronounced way and yet
overcome difficulties to live normal lives. Helen Keller in a
sightless, soundless world had many extraordinary challenges and
overcame them through diligence and hard work, and the assistance of
good patient mentors. We are impressed by people who can live fairly
normal lives, get advanced degrees, go to and from work on busy
subways, and act as independent agents even though they are
physically challenged in various ways. A picture appeared in the
paper today of a handless Vietnamese, the victim of Agent Orange,
writing with her feet. Some play instruments and use computers.

The Helen Kellers of the world make us aware of the gifts we
have with limbs and eyes and ears. We can appreciate gifts given by
God, through those who lack some of the normal means of carrying on.
They often seem thankful that they can carry on and thus remind us to
give thanks for the benefits we have and use with so much less
effort. These folks become our mentors.

When it comes to challenges, all have some. We all have
handicaps of various types for all are challenged in some way or
other but we may hide them or ignore them. Our difficulties may be
minor when compared to others. When we see those who are successful
in meeting their challenges, we are inspired to tackle our own
problems with a renewed effort. If Helen Keller can make it through
life, so can we. She becomes a role model for many of us to meet our
challenges and overcome them.

The third thing to note on her birthday is that great strides
have been made in securing physical aids for a host of physical
challenges encountered today. These range from computerized word
recognition programs to motorized mobile chairs, and from seeing eye
devices to well trained dogs. A major industry has developed and
engineers have come up with some ingenious devices. The attention
given, in modern design and construction to handicapped lifts,
entrances, restroom facilities and pavements are a result of the
American Disabilities Act legislation and implementation. We are
more aware of others and we are drawn to assist them. Still more
needs to be done.

We tend to blame someone as though in blaming them we are
excused from doing anything for the person. Though the challenged
people do not always seek our assistance, still we can be sensitive
to their needs and give ready assistance when needed. We thus find
challenges to be opportunities for us to help others and to be
sensitive to special needs should they arise. Perhaps what many of
them seek most is to be considered as normal citizens and to
interchange with us on this more normal level. We have to learn how
to interact with these challenged individuals in a more wholesome
manner. That too, takes a little more effort on our part.

June 28, 2005 Blackberry Season

It's a little early to think about blackberries, isn't it? Not
exactly, those of us who watch the briar patches know that within a
given county there can be berries for up to six weeks or more, only
they come on at different times in different locations. I like being
on the lookout in June for the early ones, which overlap with the end
of the raspberry season. When walking on the Appalachian Trail
hikers note that elevation has much to do with the ripe berry season
and that the period can last about two months.

Let's use the term "taste berries," because at a certain age
some of us no longer like to pick berries. That practice borders on
hard work, even though when young we could get a whole quarter for a
gallon and a dollar or more for a bucket of berries. At that time in
life the monetary incentives always made the thorns, thickets,
scratches, sweat, ticks, and possible blacksnakes a little easier to
endure. Berries were best right off the vine. I had a dog that
liked blackberries provided I picked them for her -- though her
offspring had no use for them. She would be fed from my left hand
while I would eat and gather for human consumption with the right
hand. It was the only respectable thing to do.

When the berries are plentiful and easily accessible from a
roadway, the impulse may come to gather enough for culinary delights
for others -- for wild berries are a most generous gift. Berries in
smaller amounts freshen the breakfast cereal bowl or serve as topping
on ice cream. In more plentiful quantities, berries can be
transformed to a blackberry pie or cobbler; and in still larger
amounts they may be turned into homemade jam or jelly. My mother
would can blackberries whole and these were a delight in the middle
of winter, a long time after the growing season. The berries can be
easily put into a freezer and the juice can be thickened and turned
into a syrup which can add zing to pancakes.

Blackberries are so common in much of temperate America that we
take them for granted. But should we? They are often the first to
populate and give a sense of productivity to barren landscapes and
the cleared space under utility lines. Blackberries are dependable
and flourish in both wet and dry years. Blackberries are hearty and
when we tramp down the briars to get to the ripe fruit, the new
briars seem to thrive with the added space the next year.

Blackberries have distinct tastes as to the portion of the
season and the land on which they grow. They are tolerant of both
shade and sun. And most of all, when blooming in May or heavily
laden on the canes, blackberries give beauty to the countryside and
a sense of well-being to even the poorest land. I always think God
gave us blackberries to realize how we ought to be in the divine
scheme of things -- people with a distinctive inherent richness, who
can beautify barren places, and who can help others at certain
periods in our season of life.

June 29, 2005 A World Grain Reserve

I wrote this in early May. This week we had two frost days
which is unusual in our part of the country for this month. We read
in history about various times that summer was missed and the whole
year was winter. But we have been spared from this happening for
almost two centuries. Just a single wintery year without a major
grain harvest would be horrifying. Hopefully, a grain harvest will
be starting across the Great Plains when this is read. Golden fields
of wheat are the sign that well-being will be with our world for
another year. But the Earth's people live with a slim food surplus,
and only a single non-harvest year could be devastating.

What about the current malnourished? They tell us we have ten
9-11s each day (about 23,000 deaths) from malnutrition and associated
diseases. A malnourished person deserves much more for their life.
A child should have the right to live and enjoy the benefits of
maintaining a household, raising offspring, and seeing the fruits of
a life of caring and joys. This condition of hunger could be partly
addressed by a storage system throughout the world where surplus
foods would be safely stored as an emergency grain reserve (wheat,
rice, corn, etc.) that could be dispersed when need arises. Also
twenty-five years ago, in 1981, through the efforts of "Bread for the
World" and other groups, the United States set aside a supply of
grain exclusively to be used to avert famine around the world. That
reserve still exists but not extensively dispersed to all in areas of
so-called developing nations where need could or does suddenly arise.

Such storage depots do not come without a price. Reserves may
be a boon to producer nations with grain surpluses and still harm
producers in the parts of the world targeted for distribution. Grain
farmers in those lands may not like competition, but the challenge to
distribute to those who could not afford even local grain is not an
unsurmountable problem. However, sensitivity to local farmers is
always required. The malnourished can be targeted through special
feeding in health clinics, churches, and school lunch programs.
Relieving malnutrition need not be an unsurmountable local economic
issue. Regional storage facilities could be built and maintained
under the auspices of the United Nations, subject to public review.
The programs should be extended to include powdered milk and cooking
oil, as well as grain. As the products in storage age, a system of
distribution and replenishment will have to be included as well. It
should be done not to hurt local markets or turn the distribution
into a long-term dole.

A more basic goal is supporting local food production. Part of
this is to discourage one-crop corporate agriculture in lands that
formerly were food self-sufficient. A storage system must not hinder
local food self-reliance. However, all of us know that droughts and
natural and human produced calamities occur all too often in so-
called developing countries. The hungry need to be fed, not allowed
to become mere statistics or pawns in the global food production
systems. What becomes clear is that the issue is more complex than
merely opening new soup kitchens.

June 30, 2005 ASPI: Celebrating the Rockcastle River

At the end of each month we celebrate an earth-healing group.
It is most fitting in June to do so for Appalachia--Science in the
Public Interest (ASPI). For this is Kentucky Rivers Month, and ASPI
has been singular in celebrating the Rockcastle for some 22 years
with a host of events and activities.

In its 28 years, ASPI has strived to make science and technology
responsive to the underserved in Central Appalachia. It has sought
to balance advocacy with alternative ways of healing our wounded
Earth such as through solar energy applications, forest preservation,
nature experiences, dry composting toilets, and use of native
building materials. Over the years ASPI has informed the public
through its demonstration sites at Livingston and Mt. Vernon,
Kentucky, and through technical papers, books, videotapes, and events
such as River Day in June, and Solar Day and the Energy Expo in
October. The Nature Center at Livingston offers tours for youth
throughout the school year. Hikers are always welcome to come and
walks the trails and see the over one hundred labeled trees, all
native to this part of Appalachia. Also the site includes a solar
demonstration house, cordwood buildings, a yurt, a variety of dry
composting toilets, and organic garden.

For the record, this Earthhealing Program was launched as an
informational process while I was director of ASPI. The ASPI-
sponsored portion of the program included five years of weekly
television shows on WOBZ-TV at London, Kentucky, and the production
of 70 half-hour videotapes through a grant from the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency. For over two decades "Earthhealing"
was a term used to designate our program for conducting environmental
resource assessments for groups throughout the United States and
Canada. Earthhealing continues to give information on this website
and also in the form of environmental resource assessments of non-
profit properties from its North Carolina office
<paulg@buncombe.main.nc>.

For more information on ASPI contact its office at 50 Lair
Street, Mount Vernon, KY 40456-9806, Phone:(606) 256-0077 Fax:
(606) 256-2779; Web Site: www.a-spi.org E-mail: aspi@a-spi.org

Copyright © 2007 Earth Healing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Albert J. Fritsch, Director
Janet Powell, Developer
Mary Byrd Davis, Editor
Paul Gallimore, ERAS Coordinator

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