Happy Friday, dear friends. We had a lovely holiday yesterday. My favorite part is always the pictures we take of the girls.
Every year, they sit at the top of the stairs and wait for mommy and daddy to get their coffee. Even though they are grown, they still embody the child-like wonderment and joy of Christmas. I often look at their pictures from the past, growing from wee little jelly beans to beautiful young women, and I am glad to have been along for the ride.
I often think about each different physical stage of life, as being a completely unique incarnation of soul. How many different bodies have we had along the way? Every cell in our body is replaced regularly, and after 7 years we have a whole new set up, but still we think of ourselves as the same. Truth is, we are not the same, even from moment to moment, and every breath we take gives us the opportunity to choose to be different.
With our bodies, with our thoughts, with our lives, nothing is set in stone. I think that is a wonderful thing. I am simply grateful for who and what I am right now, and allow the flow of change to mold me with ease and grace.
I believe this attitude has been, for me, one of the most blessed gifts I ever received. I haven’t always felt this way. Shifting into it was uncomfortable at first, but once I got the hang of it, life was so much more peaceful.
Today, we focus on some interesting news coming to light about the US government, and we move on from there.
Merry Christmas USA, Big Brother has been spying on you!
There seems to be a trend in the US government, to release sensitive information on a holiday. The White House did it on Thanksgiving, announcing the Unified Agenda, and now the National Security Administration released reports that document how many times they have illegally spied on US citizens.
The reports have been heavily redacted, AKA censored, so much of it is almost useless. The reports were created in response to an American Civil Liberties Union Lawsuit, brought against the NSA, under the Freedom of Information Act.
I think most people are unaware of the level of spying and scrutiny that is occurring. I personally believe, we should all operate under the assumption that anytime we interact with others, there is a possibility that our privacy may be compromised. As we move towards a world where transparency will be paramount, being open with our words and deeds will become the norm.
Post 9/11 military costs hit 1.6 trillion.
Let that number sink in for a moment. The Congressional Research Service just released a report with details on this number, saying that not all military costs are reflected in it. I am simply speechless. Can you imagine how much good could be done in this world with that amount of money?
Even if we simply removed it from the budget, and decreased taxes, it would make a huge difference. What isn’t said in this article, is much of this money goes to large, wealthy corporations who outsource jobs from the US, and continue to erode the economic base they are feeding on.
Post-9/11 military costs hit $1.6 trillion by Martin Matishak on the Hill
To put this into a bit of perspective, I tried to search the web for how much the US has spent on education since 2001. I found this awesome, and shocking, breakdown for different programs on the National Priorities Project website. This group has been working for over 30 years, to create a US national budget that is balanced, and fair for all citizens.
This detailed page, really shows how out of balance the US national spending is. Politicians simply have no clue what citizens need, at this point, and the government is no longer listening to the voice of the people. I do hope this changes, as more people become aware of the astronomical disparity in funding and ask the government for an explanation.
A neat part of this website, is the ability to virtually “reallocate” the budget the way you feel it should be spent. You can also share your budget ideas with other interested citizens. It really is thought-provoking, to check in with our own beliefs and values, and create a budget that supports the divine qualities. Simply taking what is there, and redistributing it in a fair and loving way, would be a complete game changer.
A rolling total of US government budgets broken out by program on the National Priorities Project
Moving on…
Are we the only race that cares about its comrades?
This is an amazing video, of a monkey who does his best to help his friend. The injured monkey was electrocuted and fell, helpless, onto the railroad tracks. A person waiting for a train videoed the interaction, as the helpful monkey bit his friend and then dunked him in water. It shows us that other species also care for their brethren, and assist when they can. I had tears in my eyes as I watched this unfold.
Hero monkey rescues his friend on Cihan
And finally…
I can’t tell you why…
I was looking for some more Flashmob action and I came across this bagpipe and drum flashmob from Christmas, 2012 in California. When I started watching it, I simply cried and cried. I don’t know why, but it brought some deep emotions, or maybe past life memories up for me. I had a good cleansing cry, and I might never know why, and that’s ok.
Bagpipe and drums Flashmob on Youtube
That’s the news for today. Have a breathtaking day. I hope to see you back here tomorrow for more news.
Be Well. Be Joy. Be Love!
Alex