It is nice to think that in the midst of the turmoil in our lives and in this nation, there can still be moments of bliss. We should make a habit of looking for them. Turning off the tv is a good start. Computers, too–but then how would we hear from the mariner? Thank you for sharing a quietly hopeful message during the holiday season.

Yes, looking for or identifying those “perfect moments” in our lives is something we need to be more aware of. Personally I try to identify them each day as they can be very fleeting, but recognizing them is the real goal. Soon they become more frequent and we should be ever thankful for them. Eventually we realize that every moment is a perfect moment and a blessing.

I can still picture her in the choir. I didn’t know her background, but I do remember seeing her around the church in many different places.

Well, you got my attention! This post has an intriguing title, but no information about a financial bomb shelter. Is there such a thing? What would it look like? Or do we just need a regular bomb shelter??

Giving works wonders for all involved and is a great way to celebrate the Holiday Season. But it should probably be practiced year round and then we would all be alot better off in so many ways. But unfortunately, as you say, some have lost their loyalty and compassion for one another and what a wonderful gift that would be if we could give that back to them. It is not just the low income, disenfranchised or elderly who are in need, but all of us in one way or another. It really is our duty to help each other whether it is financially, psychologically or spiritually because in essence we are really helping ourselves.

Thank you for this uplifting holiday message!

Mariner did not rejoice in the election of Jimmy Carter? And Barack Obama?

I share your concerns, Fred. I mention in the post today that the nation’s citizens relate through confrontation and repulsion. In the next generation we are facing a wall to climb as a society. It is a wall most of us must climb to find a job; it is a wall more of us than will admit must climb to know happiness; it is a wall all humans must climb to know a civil global future.
In the mariner’s lifetime, there have been a few glimpses where the state of history provided a chance to step away from war as a means of negotiation but it would require six billion people to be compassionate to those in situations which cause war because of extreme unfairness and depravation.
The wise have no choice but to press on.
Ancient Mariner

If only the state of Fear had voting rights — because there are enough of us living there to swing an election!

I must comment on this. First of all about the statement that it wasn’t until the Iron Age that man had the materials to build up. Not quite sure what this meant, but it’s certainly not accurate at least for England. Consider Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, England. It’s a neolithic monument, roughly 4000 years old, the tallest man-made mound in Europe and one of the largest in the world. the iron age didn’t begin until 800 BC in England. Also some anecdotal evidence re the genome and ancestral memories. I have always thought myself a bit weird because I loved cloudy, overcast, often drizzly weather. The first time I arrived in England, I knew I was home. the weather there was just what I loved. I firmly believe that this is some ancient memory of my family, which originated in northern England and was of Viking ancestry, somehow passed down through the DNA.

Might find some more specific information by investigating Sacred Geometry. There seems to be specific geometric shapes that occur naturally in plants, flowers, organs of the body, geological formations, genetic, atomic and celestial structure, etc. So only natural then that maybe we would notice those basic designs and use them for sacred expression. The circle is the simplest and yet most defining symbol. Never ending, all encompassing, universal and found in all cultures and the easiest to understand and express. There might be underlying reasons early structures were made the way they were geometrically. Some say the pyramids are energy or power generators or antenna that were not built for entombing anybody, but for better communication with deities or extraterrestrials and that they were built much earlier in our history and probably not by Egyptians. Who knows, but could be true and there is a ton of information out there that supports that. More is being discovered all the time about ancient civilizations that existed on our planet far earlier than we have proven so far. Why not since the earth is several billion years old. Maybe we carry the preference for geometric shapes genetically. Very deep and convoluted subject indeed and not sure that there is a specific answer and the more you research the deeper it gets!