Monthly Archives: March 2011

Just thoughts of one Actor in the play we call life.

030  Sometimes I sit in my room thinking about how insignificant my life is in the scheme of the universe, How there is something greater and more important than my own wants or needs. I am but a drop of water in a infinite sea. Then I think about how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, how all of humanity if not all living things are not quite as awesome as the whole universe.

  But then I sit and ponder on if the parts did not exist the the whole would not either, So therefore even , though the whole is greater than the sum of its parts , the parts are pieces of the greatness of the whole. So not one person, animal or an other living thing is insignificant. We are all a part of something that is bigger and greater than just our own lives. Each individual has freewill and the ability to effect the whole either directly or indirectly. If life is but a stage and we are all actors / actresses then each of us are needed to keep the play going. No such thing as small parts or great parts. all parts we play on the stage are equal in importance to the whole story being played out before our eyes.

Peace to all
Raymond Barbier

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Ramblings of a Middle Aged Average Joe

007-2 Social Unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, Earthquakes, Tsunamis and threat of an nuclear meltdown in Japan. Anchovies and sardines dying is the millions in a San Francisco harbor. The honey bee population dwindling and still no explanation as of why they are dying off. Something seems out of balance, change is coming to our world and it isn’t looking too good to me. Change is unavoidable and paying for our neglect / disrespect towards our home plant earth. Greed and lust for power outweighs the welfare of mother earth and those who live on it. The Select or Elite rule our world and care little about anything but their own gain while the masses stand by watching it all fall to pieces before them.

  Violence is not the way for change though it is an unfortunate reality in our world. War and violence is a necessary evil at times to keep the balance in our world. Peace, love, understanding and cooperation are the best ways to enact change. Also Truth is a great igniter of change, for knowledge and truth are the building stones for a better world. The fact we all are responsible for this world we live in and we must find better ways to do so. Better ways to generate electricity and an alternative to Oil.

Oil, coal and natural gas will eventually become depleted and the pollution from their use will further damage our environment and also our economy. The world needs to wake up and see the wisdom in both renewable fuel sources and power sources like solar wind and hydro. Our children and grandchildren have to live in this world we leave them, so we should try to leave them with a Ecofriendly and wiser world. The fact that eventually oil sources will become scarce and depleted brings to light we need to have an alternative fuel source to avoid possible wars over the dwindling supply.

There is so much we need to change in the world and in the way we both view and live in it. It is going to take the effort of governments, businesses and the civilian  population to make the changes needed to get our world on the right track. There will have to be some sacrifices in the process but so many benefits will be found along the way. Nothing of great value is ever gained without hard work and sacrifice, Neither does any good deed done go without an award in the end. Even if our labor and sacrifices don’t bring forth fruit until several generations it will still be worth the effort.

The good thing about truth, love, peace, understanding and change is that they all can start in one person.  Just like one seed can grow a orchard if not a forest  , one persons voice can become a nations or even the worlds in time.

Well enough of my tree hugging ramblings for now.
Peace to all

Raymond Barbier

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Slow Down, Focus on What is Important

002 This world is in fast forward, everything has to be done in such a hurry no one has time to really think or even enjoy life. Hurry and worry are the companions of a modern human being and no longer can one sit back and enjoy the simple things of life. Sadly paying the bills has become more important than ourselves and our families.  Consumerism has taken control of the hearts and minds of most of the population of this world we call earth. Unlike our grandparents who knew how to do with less and seemed to be far more happier with only one car and if they were lucky a television or even a telephone. They saw life in a simplistic and conventional way. Family came before everything and they only bought a house or a car through a loan. They didn’t have credit cards to buy every new gadget and fashion trend that passed by.

They lived by the philosophy that if they couldn’t buy it with cash then they didn’t buy it at all. Consumerism is ok if it is tempered by reason and it doesn’t cause you to live beyond your means. Credit card companies are more to blame for the financial mess most Americans are suffering, issuing credit limits beyond the ability of a consumer to be able to pay. Also their loan shark levels of interests, extremely high fees and charges designed to slow down your ability to pay off the card balance has caused many to file bankruptcy to escape the bottomless pit of debt. The credit card holder is just as much to blame for the mess they are in, You chose to charge it instead of saving up for it and therefore you created the initial debt. Though I believe most people would have paid off their credit card debt if the credit companies would have not had such extravagant interest rates and be more willing to work with the consumers.

  We really need to slow down and smell the flowers from time to time. Life is too short to waste on worry and family is far to important to let a career or financial worries to get in the way. We need to get back to living for the family, friends and being sensible in our financial dealings. What does all the trinkets and gadgets really do for us anyway except keep our focus off of what really is important.

Peace
Raymond Barbier

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Heart full of Sadness, Mind full of Awe –Thoughts of an Old Man

Japanese People

My heart is full of sadness from the current death and suffering across the globe. Between the problems in the Middle East and North Africa to the ruins left in the wake of an earthquake and tsunami in Japan there is a lot of work to be done by the international community. The tasks at hand are not easy ones due to the fact too many governments playing politics while so many suffer and are dying each day. While N.A.T.O. and the U.N. debate over possible solutions the crisis is becoming more and more critical with each day that passes. We should come together as a world to help Japan avoid the Nuclear disaster that is looming on the horizon. We should do something to keep Libya from becoming a nation soaked in the blood of civilians and revolutionaries.

My mind is full of awe from the discipline and courage of the Japanese people in the face of such great danger and devastation. Workers and military personnel willing to get so close to the reactors as they are going critical and doing so knowing there will be great health risks involved if not death. People such as those are what we call heroes and great humanitarians. They put their own life on the line for the good of all of mankind. I pray their heroic efforts succeed in stopping the looming nuclear disaster and that we can learn from this serious situation. Nuclear power may be a financially ideal source of energy but the possible costs involved such as nuclear waste and the chance of nuclear meltdowns. Maybe the situation in Japan will open the eyes of the world to the dangers in playing with nuclear power and that we should be investing in alternative power sources such as solar , hydro and wind power technologies.

The Libya problem is one that effects not only North Africa and the Middle East but the whole world. The United Stated should be leading the way in finding a solution to this problem and should do so soon. Each day America wastes playing political games the more people are slaughtered by the Kaddafi Regime. Strong words and sanctions are not going to stop the slaughter of thousands of civilians and rebels. The situation in Libya went from a political struggle to a humanitarian crises and something needs to be done soon.

Just the thoughts of some old man, May God watch over those in Libya and Japan.

Peace
Raymond Barbier

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Just some babbling about the self and happiness

014 I often have wondered what is the secret to a happy life and for the most part the answers seemed to change with each situation I experienced during the course of my life. So needles to say the answers I thought were correct were just reflections or shadows of the true secret. The real question is if there is a secret to living a happy life or not. Obviously no one can be happy 100% of the time and I am not even sure that only one secret or answer could be found to the question.  The main thing I have learned is one must let go of the prioritization of the self and its desires. The self is the most time and resource consuming part of being a sentient being. Since the self must exist in order for one to be self aware / sentient then we must learn to restrain its ever present demanding voice.

  The tendency for humans to be selfish and self centered is basically a natural part of our psyche and though it can not be totally avoided it can be muffled or muted. Therefore Discipline of the mind is also one of the secrets of a happy life, for without mental discipline the self would become center of all and selfishness would be the main controlling factor in our daily lives. To sustain the self and to take care of its needs is something we must do, but to fulfill its wants and desires is something we can all together control or avoid. The self  usually is like a little child who is spoiled and gets all he or she wants with no restriction. In a disciplined mind the self learns that not all it wants will be fulfilled and that there is higher priorities that must be focused on.

Having concern for the welfare of others seems to be somewhat instinctual to most humans though I have noticed a few people who seem to have no concern for others. This is probably because they allow the self to take high priority to the point of selfishness and become apathetic to the concerns of things that are not of any benefit to themselves. For most of us though the welfare of others usually plays at least a small part in our lives if not a major one. Being social creatures that seem to group up to survive and thrive makes the welfare of others a necessity in maintaining the group.

   Maybe a lot of the problem in modern society is that not everyone has a social place, there is a lot of people who are just transient social outcasts. People that are either not accepted by the social circles of modern society or who never could find where they belong. Without purpose socially they seem to either become a social ostrich or turtle by hiding their head in the sand and or retracting into their protective shell. This makes them feel unwanted or unneeded so they float from one social circle to the other having no purpose or destination.

So I guess the secret to happiness is to find your place in society and be needed as well as being satisfied with what blessing you have. To care for others and put the self second to the more important things of life. Maybe there really isn’t no real secret or just one formula to happiness, maybe the secret is to find your own path to walk.

Well enough of my truly random thoughts and babbling

Peace

Raymond Barbier

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