The Growth of a Young Man

by Mel Minitor

When David “Chico” Nieves, Officer of Community Youth Affairs for the Second Judicial Circuit in S.C., first came to me with the idea of working with kids in the intervention program, I was somewhat reluctant to become involved.

Now my thoughts have changed due to one special young man.  To protect the privacy of this young man we shall call him MR. FOUND HOPE.  He came into the program with a cocky attitude that turned around in a matter of days when he learned it got him nowhere.  We discussed what he wanted to be when he grew up and how he planned to get there.   MR. HOPE, like most kids wants (wanted) to play pro football.  I ask him if he could not do that, what would he do?  He replied that he would go in the Navy or the Marines.  I told him my story, about playing football in Jr. High School and about my accident.  Because of a football injury I was unable to go into the Navy.  So I asked him, if he got hurt as I had, what would be his backup plan?   He did not have an answer.  Over the weeks, he started to take an avid interest in the computers.  His job was to open up the computers for the “Computer for Youth” program, and clean them inside out.  He removed the hard drives for programming and stripped old unusable machines of all parts.

 After completing his hundred hours of community service, MR. HOPE asked if he could work at the store to earn a computer.  We allowed him to come in and start working to earn his own machine.  One Saturday he was given a box full of parts and told that was his computer and he would have to build it.  We made it as difficult as we could by adding extra and mismatched parts to the box.  This challenged him to think about everything he had learned while working with the computers.  He spent the whole day building the computer.  When he finished, he had a 133 mHz Pentium with CD-rom, sound card, monitor and speakers.  We loaded it with all the software that we felt he would need for school.

The following Monday, he returned.  While other kids are playing, he is working.  He has now worked a week with us on his own time.  He has built three more computers, including one for our office.  He also loaded the software on these computers.  He now comes in and we are able to give him some monetary compensation for his work.  He has earned the right to work at the tech bench.   I feel MR. HOPE is much more prepared for the coming school year.  He has become very well mannered and is polite to the customers who come into the store.

 This young man has become a positive role model for others in the program.  His mother has called several times thanking us and telling us that he can’t wait to get up and come to work.  She is very proud of her son.

 Through the Intervention Program, we work closely with “Chico” to address the individual needs of the young people.  We now have another youth in the Prevention Program working to earn a computer.  I have learned a lot through this program about working with the youth.  They are learning a lot about computers and also about working with people.  Together we are building a more hopeful future.

We wish to also thank Mr. E. Sutton of United Way of Aiken, who was instrumental in getting the first computers donated for this program.  I look forward to watching this program grow.

 If you would like to get a program started in your area,  let us know...    Mel

Reflections:

-BonnieJ.Ryan

I come from a long line of wonderers and wanderers.  My grandmother used to speak of “wander lust” with a look and a hushed voice as if it were a dreaded family affliction.  As a child I could never answer the question, “Where are you from?”  My father was career Air Force and I was raised between here and there in the back seat of a station wagon with an emblem on the front windshield that said, “Peace is Our Profession.”  I changed schools 9 times in 12 years and went to four different schools my four years of high school.  After graduation, I continued to wander…living in five states and one foreign country over the course of 20 years.  I settled in the Chicago area for a record eleven years while my children were finishing school. Then, as soon as the youngest finished college, I packed up and moved again. 

            The meaning of “home” is something I have pondered throughout my life.  My mother tells the story of my indignant response to a well-meaning church lady who expressed sympathy when we moved to Texas when I was 10.  She said, “It must be awful not to have a home.”  I piped back, “We have a home, we just don’t have a house to put it in!”

            When you are a wanderer, you become adept at making yourself “at home” wherever you happen to be. The confounding question of “Where are you from?” can be answered two ways – nowhere or everywhere – however you choose to look at it.  With no geographical roots, I could consider myself homeless with no “place” to call home.  On the other hand, I have lived so many places – soaking up experiences and leaving a bit of myself behind – that “home” could be wherever I have been, wherever I happen to be and wherever I am going next.

            I have recently moved again, this time to a place where I intend to stay for the rest of my life.  I am once again reflecting on the meaning of “home.”  I am by nature a wanderer – loving to explore new places, meet new people, and experience the full depth and breadth of life in all of its variations.  Wandering and wondering – full of curiosity – wanting to know – continually questing and exploring – that is the nature of my spirit. 

It is also the nature of the human spirit to want a place to call “home.”  Today my heart is overflowing with gratitude because my spirit has finally found a place – a real, geographic location – to call home.  I have come, in a miraculous way, to a little house on an acre of woods in a beautiful little place that I recognized immediately as “home.”  It is a sanctuary – a haven – a nature-lover’s paradise.  And wonder of wonders – as I am getting settled, putting down my roots – I find that all sorts of people and experiences are already coming to me!  The wandering may be over, but the wonder-ing has just begun!!

Today I am thankful for the realization that I have always had a home…and now, as the child of so many years ago would say,  I have a place to put it!  That must be the meaning of “permanent residence!” 

Thanks to all who have so generously welcomed me to this new place I call home!! 

Notes and Thoughts By W. G. Black Ph.D. - Founder and Director of Gakati'yi

"There Is Only One Question in the Universe..."
 

I love what I call "the golden nuggets" in all that has been written by humans. I have noted as the years pass and the nuggets are found and collected that certain ones seem to be found in only one place. Many similar ideas and statements may be found in many places, but certain ones appear to be unique in content, origin and current location.

Such is the case with this statement from Conversations with God by Donald Neale Walsch.  "There is only one question in the Universe: 'What would love do now'?"
I have the thought that there is a close companion statement in A Course in Miracles.
"The ego loves to analyze itself." Historically, the ego has conducted endless self analyses and analyses of others through questions...endless questions. Doubts about identity, self worth and the value of the everything and everyone in the here and now can be perpetuated by endless questions. Who am I?  Am I of any value? Am I of correct value? Ad infinitum.  At times these questions have led to great discoveries and solutions to problems. In the hands of the fear based ego and in the absence of love, despair and depression may not be far away.

Gestalt therapy has been one of my favorites since late '60's. Fritz Perls, the "father of Gestalt therapy," knew much about the significance of questions and doubts, so much so that one standard guideline for participants in Gestalt therapy workshops became "to make statements rather than asking questions." Obviously, Perls noted that the negative misuse of the the process of questioning could lead to the use of questions as mental or emotional attacks, doubt casting and as a way of focusing the energy of everyone on ego analyses. He noted that people became more responsible, more personally empowered and more genuinely self expressive when they stated who they were, what they honestly felt or believed and shared openly from a position of honest self expression no matter how difficult or painful it might be to do so. No hiding behind questions was allowed. Though Perls and Freud had numerous differences, they were similar here... Freud's technique of free association supported the idea of genuine self expression in present time rather than question and answer based dialogues.

Eric Berne, through Transactional Analysis, encouraged people to release and give up the use of questions from the Adapted Child Ego State and the Negative Parent Ego State. Games and emotional racketeering were discouraged by not reinforcing the questions which initiated them or perpetuated them.

Yet, when questions are constructed with love and utilized for loving purposes, "to replace all of the ego's fear perpetuating questions," the process of questioning can be used to enrich and enhance life. What would Love Do Now? Fear has done something to create a problem. "The purpose of guilt is to stop communication." What is the solution that Love would select? Your response to this question is all important. The future of at least parts of all Creation wait with held breath for your decision. What would love do about so many challenges which we approach in general and what would love do in your individual situation and its crises? The great writings, the legends, the stories of the past about love are available to all of us. They can help, inspire and generate support and confidence for us to choose what love would do. They are of no avail, however, if we cannot or will not in the final analysis make our own here and now, courageous decision to choose "what love would do now."

It's time for feedback and sharing. Email your stories, your experiences. Share how the choice for love made a difference for you, another and our planet's evolution. gakatiyi@hotmail.com

"Want change?  Start with the part you control. Your "self."" --Dr. Michael Ryce

If you are in the Seattle area, Check out....

THE SEATTLE CONCLAVE
THE SAGA OF THE RING LORDS

LightStream is Proud to provide our readers with a column by Rebekah Dunlap.

  Rebekah is author of  Breakthrough  and  Rainbow Connection

 Forgiveness Sets US Free!!

Excerpt from Story of A Clam

Rebekah Alezander Dunlap and John M. Templeton

The exploration of the Great Creator's universe may be an infantile stage, a beginning voyage into the realm of the Spirit.  This journey may follow the twist and turns of an amazing evolutionary process involving many diverse phenomena. One necessary element of progress that The Keys of Opportunity emphasized was Unlimited Love, and the forgiveness aspect of that Love plays an important role in overcoming obstacles.

One may ask why forgiveness is so important. Let's take a look at what it means.  Forgiveness is an inclination to release, to give up resentment or the desire to punish.  It is an activity of loving pardon.  Forgiveness is a process of exchanging the false idea for the true and erasing error from mind and body and life.  When we are no longer burdened by withheld forgiveness, we can move forward with a renewed sense of peace and love.  We may not be able to change the circumstances surrounding a situation, but we are able to change the pattern of our thoughts.  It is important to keep our thoughts in an open, positive, and progressive mode, for as we think, so we are!

If we can allow the real and imagined hurts and wrongs of the past to remain in the past, we are not compelled to endlessly reenact those experiences.  Forgiveness does not mean excusing.  We are become genuinely free when our gift of forgiveness to another is, at the very same moment, a gift received in our own heart.

Discoveries and inventions are continuing at a vigorous pace.  Who can imagine what may happen as this accelerates?  Each discovery reveals new mysteries.  The more we learn, the more we realize how ignorant we may have been in the past and how much more remains to be discovered.  Strange as it may seems it could be important to forgive our feelings of ignorance!

Forgiveness is about loving one's self enough to be honest, open-minded, and willing to move forward in life.  It is about learning to be grateful, not only for our personal mistakes but for all our experiences, even though some may be painful.  Forgiveness can be about knowing that although we experience pain, we don't have to suffer.  The faith expressed through our gratitude for our challenges can help dissolve the appearance of negative circumstances as we look for the good in the situation.

Through giving and forgiving, the old ego-centered structures that may have built up over a lifetime can crumble.  When that wall comes down, we are free to build healthy structures in our minds.  When that wall comes down, we are free to build healthy structures in our minds.  When true forgiveness takes place, no scars are left, no hurts or thoughts of revenge remain; there is only healing.  We are then free to help the power of the Great Creator do its perfect work through us.

Donna McGrath is a licensed Medical Technologist,  and  performed PH.D. level research as a Molecular Biologist at the NIH.  Donna will provide you with the most  accurate and up-to-date information on better health!

Healthful Hints

By Donna McGrath, M.T. (ASCP), M.S., C.H.T., D.D.

Healthy Summer Skin and Hair

             Hip, hip hooray! Summer has finally arrived and with it plenty of outings in the fields, mountains, water and sun. Below I have compiled many natural products to keep your skin and hair glowing and healthy during the next few months.

 Surviving Bug Season

            Whether you are camping or frolicking through fields and streams, there is one major product you cannot do without: a powerful insect repellent. Of course, we don’t want to pollute our bodies or the environment with potentially toxic DEET. I recommend

SunSWAT by Kiss My Face sunscreen and natural insect repellent, SPF 15. This product contains a mixture of essential oils including citronella, bay, cedar wood, lavender, patouli, juniper, tea tree oil, orange peel, tansy, and goldenseal. On a recent girl scout camping trip, my friend applied the above to her 8 and 10 year-old girls. They were the only ones to arrive back from the woods without one bug bite! Good stuff!

            Of course , if you do happen to get stung by a bee or  other pest, an excellent homeopathic gel to use is SssstingStop by Boericke and Tafel. It helps to relieve the itching, pain and redness often produced by insect bites.

Fun In the Sun

            When my daughter was three years old, I tried to protect her sensitive skin with an expensive commercial sunblock, SPF 30.  Five minutes after slathering it on her, she broke out with large red bloches all over her body. EEEK! I found out later that she was allergic to PABA, an ingredient often found in sunblock products. Needless to say, it ruined our day.

            In order to avoid such problems, I recommend Kids Sunblock by Naturade. It is SPF 30, fragrance-free, water-resistant, contains no artificial colors or fragrances and, above all, is PABA free. Of course, adults can also use this great product.

            Stress to the skin due to over-exposure to the sun or cold can often be the cause of fever blisters. An excellent product combination by Quantum is Super Lysine Plus. This tablet can be taken 1-3 times per day preventatively or when you feel a slight throbbing on the lips and know a cold sore is developing. Super Lysine Plus also comes in an ointment or lip balm for external use. For fast healing once an outbreak has already occurred,  use both the tablets internally and the ointment externally. Super Lysine Plus contains vitamin c, lysine, garlic, echinacea, propolis, and goldenseal.

For Swimmers Only

            For those of you who love to swim, whether in chlorinated pools or salt water, I recommend Swimmers and Sports Shampoo by Jason. This fine product protects the hair and scalp from dryness, dullness and irritation caused by over-exposure to salt water or chlorination from pools. This shampoo can be combined with Tall Grass Hi Protein conditioner, which contains keratin and 22 amino acids to feed the hair with extra protein and moisture.

            For children, For Kids Only shampoo and conditioner provides a gentle pH balance of 5.5, which produces No Tears when applied to active children in the tub. It is also safe to use every day and contains aloe vera.

            Another lifesaving product for mothers of active kids with sensitive scalps is Knot! made by Kiss My Face. This spray-on gel detangler is a must for combing out long kid’s manes while producing no pain!!! This product is a must for smart mothers’ shopping lists.

            As always, have a safe and healthy summer holiday season !

With Love and Light,

 Donna McGrath

  Please send any specific questions or comments to me via e-mail at dawnawolfe@yahoo.com. Also look for my fall lecture schedule coming soon and also the biographical account of my light experience in Corporate Mentality to Spiritual Reality, which will be available in the fall 2001.

 Copyright 2001 by Donna McGrath

     Radio Worth Listening!

       (Click on the Quest to hear)    

The Quest -Radio that makes you think!!

Eagle Soaring's New Fall Schedule

Eagle Soaring, a Medicine Wheel artist and creator of custom Power Shields, is a lecturer and teacher of Native American wisdom.

-::Lament For A Lost Vision::-

Long before I ever heard of Christ or saw a white man, I had learned the essence of morality.

 
With the help of Nature herself, my grandmother taught me things simple but of the might import.

I knew God. I perceived what goodness is. I saw and loved what is really beautiful. Civilization has not taught me anything better!

As a child, I understood how to give. I have forgotten that grace since I became civilized. I lived the natural life, whereas I now life the artificial.

Any pretty pebble was valuable to me then; every growing tree an object of reverence. Now I worship the white man before a painted landscape whose value is estimated in dollars.

In this manner is the Indian rebuilt, as the natural rocks are ground to powder and made into artificial blocks which may be built into the walls of modern society.  - Ohiyesa
From: The Wisdom of the Native Americans -Kent Nerburn

submitted by LightFeather

  Peter Hill - Author of:

Get It to G.E.T. I.T. Together

Presents

Warrior Work Week 1

 In the upcoming weeks I will be taking you through the 9 precepts of the warrior from Miyamoto Musashi.  He recommends these principles to be memorized, researched deeply and applied. These are from his  “Book of Five Rings”.  “Musashi”, a book referred to as the “Gone With the Wind” of Japan by Eiji Yoshikawa chronicles his life. It is also depicted on film in the “Samurai Trilogy”.

  Principle 1: Seek the truth. Do not be dishonest in your thinking.

 Often our world is like that of the elephant and the 9 blind men. Each of us vehemently defends our part of the elephant because of what we “see” forgetting or neglecting that we are only seeing one part of the elephant and there are many more sides. Also we are often unaware that our intent can subtly shift our perception and what we “see” at one moment may change dramatically the next. For instance, if you are working smart, building your power and position at work then you perceive the people around you as an asset or a threat to that power and you behave accordingly. Friday comes and maybe your intent shifts to having fun so your perception shifts and you go out and meet some really fun people and create a great time. Monday comes, your intent shifts back to power and the “fun” people suddenly repulse you; you’re short and rude with them when they call and then you wonder, “Why was I such a jerk?”  Your intent directly effects and colors your perception and that in turn directs your behavior. Just like a computer program, your system’s energy is directed through verbal and physical techniques to achieve your goals and intent even if you are not consciously aware of the process going on beneath the surface events.

 As you go through the week, ask yourself each day what your intent is toward yourself, the people and situations you encounter. Watch how it colors your world and then if you don’t like what you see then change your intent and develop new behavioral skills to foster achieving the intent and goals you affirm!

 
Protect Dolphins & Whales

With all the hubbub about the IWC meeting in London, we have not sent out anything on LFA Sonar in awhile.  Well the NRDC has just sent out an Action Alert in this regard, written by three celebrities. It is a very moving letter from James Taylor, Pierce Brosnan, and Jean-Michel Cousteau. If you want to cut to the chase, go to the NRDC website at

http://www.nrdcaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=518

and follow the simple prompts to send a fax (which is better) or an email message to your US Senators and your US Representative, telling them your concerns about Low Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar, and asking them to stop funding this dangerous and deadly Navy project. This will only take a few minutes, so why not do it now. This may be our last chance to pull the plug on LFAS. And please forward this message on to your friends, family, co-workers, and network.

Let's hit critical mass with this one:
one million faxes and emails for the whales and dolphins!      submitted by --Stessa

Roy Mills --will be the keynote speaker at:

 The Harvest, Onjinjinkta Publishing's annual event in Utah.

The event will be held at the South Towne Expo Center, 9575 South State St., Sandy City, UT 84070 at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, August 15. Admission will be free, with a suggested  donation of $5.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit American Indian
Services.