History translates silence . . .
Sunday, April 19, 2026. It's Sol's day . . . A lovely Spring day is at hand for Green Country and TulseyTown. Moderate Southerlies bring sunny skies and mid 70's to the afternoon. The New Moon is taking on its wax-job.
Love is the extremely difficult realisation that something other than oneself is real. – Iris Murdoch
Do you think Mother Mary did not wish her baby boy did not have to suffer and die under Roman occupation? Whether or not she consoled herself with the understanding that this was his sacred contract, it couldn't not hurt to witness his persecution and his excruciating death. Of course she wished things could be otherwise.
Do you think the goddess Kali does not desire the liberation of all her children, that is, every human soul? This is the source of her ferocity, the fuel for her wild dance of destruction. She destroys every obstacle that keeps us from union with God. She will not drop her sword until we – all – are free.
My point is simply that it is ridiculous to expect ourselves to be above wanting. We want intoxicating kisses and hand-squeezed fruit juice. We want our kids to find something they love to do and are good at. We want certain countries to stop bombing the shit out of certain other countries. We want a thriving planet for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.
The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences, proclaims the Third Zen Patriarch. But we misunderstand. This does not mean we must not thirst for justice, are not permitted to crave bagels with cream cheese, are expected to allow selfish friends and relations to trample our boundaries. The invitation is to open our hearts and dare to let love guide us. She will not lead us astray. Mirabai Starr, 4.14.26
There are no words for the present moment. It has never before occurred. It can be experienced, only. Enlightenment cannot be expressed in words or evaluated conceptually. Whenever we impose language or thought on an experience, feeling, or phenomenon, we are no longer entirely present. – Rebecca Li, writing in Tricycle, “Translating Silence.” Dr.Li has both an academic/professional role in bioethics and a substantial Buddhist teaching role.
One of those singular moments occurred 251 years ago today in Lexington and Concord Massachusetts with “the shot heard 'round the world.”
So That Others Do Not See Our Love – after Rilke
We kneel and make pious gestures,
build domes of gold, sing and worship
a blue-sky god, meanwhile
practicing ignorance of Indra's net
connecting us to our earthly origins
our roots shared by mushrooms and stars.
— jab
Everything is never finished . . .
Saturday, April 18, 2026. It's the Satyr's day . . . moderate Northerlies are forecast for Green Country today, bringing a cool, sunny afternoon to TulseyTown. Mid 60's are indicated. The winds are to ease and become Southerly overnight, bringing Spring warmth for the next ten days, at least. Some rain chances are in that long term forecast.
When I am, I am not.
When I am not, I am.
– Rumi
Today in 1906 an earthquate destroyed most of San Francisco, California.
It's the birthday of Albert Einstein, born in 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany.
And, in 1775 Paul Revere took his famous ride.
Sorting out the facts . . . Iranian officials’ interpretation of events continues to be quite different from Trump’s characterization of “a deal.” Iran rejected Trump’s claim that it had agreed to hand over its uranium stockpile, and also said that the strait was open for commercial vessels—not military ships—but would close again if the U.S. blockade continued. Iran’s top negotiator, speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, posted on social media that Trump had made seven claims in an hour, and all seven of them were false. – Heather Cox Richardson, in
We make the world around us resemble the world within us. Based on our focus, ugliness is everywhere or beauty abounds. – Brian McLaren, “An Inward Migration,” Meditations, at The Center For Action and Contemplation.
What Work Is
. . . this small thing I think of as my work,
this homely piecemeal borrowing of words,
does nothing, and has not to date diminished
the price of every business hour I shirk,
and its rewards
are long delinquent, and it’s never, never finished.
– Matthew Buckley Smith, “What Work Is,” from The Soft Dark Stars, 2025 Rattle Chapbook Prize Winner.
That frantic feel in the air is not from Canada . . .
Friday, April 17, 2026. It's Freya's day . . . Forecasts for Green Country and TulseyTown indicate a cloudy day with strong gusty Southerlies developing this afternoon. The weatherfeather says chances for thunderstorms increase to 100% this evening and overnight.
The Canada Act establishing Canada's constitution was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II today in 1982, making Canada wholly independent.
One of America's very best private liberal arts colleges – Hampshire College in Amherst -- is closing its doors after the Fall 2026 semester. Founded in 1965 Hampshire opened its doors to students in 1970. The collge has a surprisingly rich roster of alumni, especially given its small size and unconventional, self-directed academic model. Its graduates span film, literature, business, science, and politics. It's most famous alum is documentary film maker Ken Burns.
Today is the birthdate of Thornton Wilder. The novelist and playwriter was born in1897 Madison, Wisconsin.
The Game of Thrones premiered on this day in 2011 on HBO.
Congress is back in session, and there is a frantic feel in the air. – Heather Cox Richardson, in Letters From An American.
ICE is busy whitewashing the worst of what is taking place. – Joyce Vance, in Civil Discourse.
“EMILY: "Does anyone ever realize life while they live it...every, every minute?"
STAGE MANAGER: "No. Saints and poets maybe...they do some.”
― Thornton Wilder, Our Town.