It's Raining, It's Pouring. . . .

. . . and I'm not freaking out about possible flooding!

*does happy dance

Instead, last night I lay on my bed and looked at the water falling on the lit-from-within swimming pool, and savored how beautiful it was.

The Essentials

I am blessed by the friendship of lovetakesyouin, whose posts are a continual reminder to me about the fundamental values of spiritual life, and whose life and teaching challenge me to find and act upon ever deeper levels of compassion.

His post this morning is a wonderful example of his writing, and highlights some of what I'm trying to express in my posts about the fruits of spiritual practice being more important to me than what I believe about the beings I work with.


There are very few things I hold as "beliefs," but perhaps the most important is this: that when we die, we are not quizzed about what doctrine we professed or what rituals we performed, or the gender or numbers of the people with whom we shared our bodies. If we are judged on anything, it will be about the amount of love, generosity, compassion, charity, understanding, justice, and mercy we brought into the world.

No one path -- religious or otherwise -- has a monopoly on those qualities.

Emanuel Swedenborg taught that God is what brings us closer to God, whether one believes in God or not, and that growing in love and wisdom is the path to God, no matter what name is at the trailhead. God doesn't care which path we take, as long we're on a path that results in the growth and deepening of love, and the will to act on that love.

Wildlife Adventures

Thanks to pathfinder for this one:

Alaskan wolf fishes for salmon as efficiently as local bears:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/bears/story/9343962p-9258417c.html
Be sure to click on the photo at the top right for a series of photos.


And thanks to strandsofchaos for this:

A bear was walking across Rainbow Bridge (Old Hwy 40 at Donner Summit, Truckee) on Saturday when two cars also crossing the bridge scared the bear into jumping over the edge of the bridge. Somehow the bear caught the ledge and was able to pull itself to safety. Authorities decided that nothing could be done to help Saturday night so they returned Sunday morning to find the bear sound asleep on the ledge. After securing a net under the bridge the bear was tranquilized, fell into the net, lowered, then woke up and walked out of the net.

( Photos of this behind the cut )

Photos of The New Place!

Months ago, I promised photographs of The New Place.
Here they are!

( As a friend said -- Regal, Yet Comfortable )