casshern

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Casshern The Movie
Uploaded by mavriick

Raw, edgy anime interests me. So when we stumbled across the film, Casshern, my interest was piqued.

I was not disappointed. The dark setting and fast-paced battle scenes contrasted nicely with the beautiful, slower-paced reflective scenes. In some ways, the movie reminded me of the popular Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.



This one, I'll need to watch again.

connected

It's been a while since my last post.

The family and I have been spending more time outside. And me, mostly looking up, as usual.

Truly, the natural world is amazing. The vastness of the heavens. The power of the seas. The structure of an anthill.

There is always something fascinating to look at.

And just as wonderful, the mysterious. The spiritual part of the world. The soul of the earth and all that we can touch or see, seem inseparable.

The other day, I came across an episode of 30 Days about the Navajos . (Read more about the episode in this article on the Farmington Daily Times website.)

Being an Oklahoman, with ancestors from the Cherokee, Apache and other tribes, I know a little of the culture. There is a deep respect for all things. Even eating a once living thing means more to them than to most of us. Want fries with that?

What's more, they seem to be "connected" to the soul of the earth. There is a heightened awareness of surroundings. The many rituals they perform and their belief systems illustrate this.

To many, including to some of their own young people, Native American beliefs might seem outdated. To me, it seems they have been right all along. Perhaps, had we listened long ago about respect for our Mother Earth, we might not be talking about global warming today.

There is much to be learned from indigenous peoples.

After watching the 30 Days show, hearing one highly educated Navajo woman speak of the disconnect in America, I felt it nice to know I'm not the only one recognizing this loneliness surrounding us.

Now, what to do about it~~

brother's clover

A dear friend of mine recently reminded me of the "signs" our loved ones send us when they leave this earth.

No matter how logical my mind believes itself to be, the signs, I never sought, refused to be ignored.

I lost my brother, March 31, 2000.

And on one beautiful spring day, shortly after his passing, I walked solemnly through a lush clover patch with my small daughter and my friend Don. Breaking the silence, I said, "Wouldn't it be funny if the first clover I pick is four-leafed?"

I bent down, and there, amongst the clusters and clumps of three-leaf clovers, was the first one my hand hovered over ... a four-leaf clover. Don was amazed, and stood dumbfounded for a moment. Then, we both laughed stupidly.

The clover, I keep pressed in a book. Today, I took it out. It's the one pictured here. Because it is fragile and means so much, I've decided to encase it in clear tape, so that it looks like a bookmark of sorts and will hold its shape.

Perhaps, it is all coincidence.

Whatever the case, this is my brother's clover. I won't ever forget.