There are sooo many things going on at every level—local, regional, national, global.
For the last I can’t recall HOW long—Americans have endured a barrage of campaign advertising.
Personally, I am satisfied with most of the election results, but would be delighted to see the obscene expenditure of those massive dollars go toward putting people back to work, re-building America’s infrastructure and all kinds of relief for those who suffer in our midst.
The Coffee Strong– (an ‘eclectic Coffee Spot’ in Lakewood, WA-near Ft. Lewis) Facebook timeline (11-12)reads as follows:
Envisioning post-combat suffering as a technical problem places those of us who have not been to war in a far-too-easy position. If veterans’ suffering is primarily a technical problem, then our duty to them, as a culture, is to provide them with the right forms of treatment. But this ignores the fact that just as we, as a culture, participated in causing veterans’ suffering — we sent them to war, after all — so also we must collectively facilitate their healing and reconciliation upon returning home.
Thank you Coffee Strong for reminding us all about our dedicated fellow Americans and for being such a valuable resource center for Vets to get the compassion and help they need and deserve. [-M.G.]
As we approach the day of Thanksgiving and impending seasonal festivity, I hope that we will be ever-mindful of those who contribute to all the things for which are grateful, among them— the survival of the people, pets and belongings impacted by Hurricane Sandy, our soldiers returning from war, our country rescued from political greed, and the love and friendship we share and enjoy.
One of the most salient things I discovered in researching “Eclectic COFFEE Spots in Puget Sound” is the importance of community and how much we all need each other. Coffeehouses have traditionally provided an enormously valuable venue which brings people together. I don’t know whether or not the Dalai Lama drinks the lovely dark elixir, (somehow I doubt it ) but his thoughts about how our own happiness is— by nature— is linked to the happiness of everyone else— certainly resonates with what coffeehouses have to offer.
It is easy (actually, it’s NOT) to blog about coffee, my book, and ‘fluffier’ subjects. I have held back from blogging lately—not wanting to publicly expose my political views so as not to affect the marketing of my book in a negative way. That seems arbitrary to me now, because although art and coffee are wonderful things to celebrate and enjoy, the subjects of healing and compassion and the human connection can indeed be considered political.
When I read Coffee Strong’s Veteran’s Day message, I felt compelled to get back to blogging and to sharing my thoughts. I’d really like to hear what you all have to say.
I shot this pumpkin bonanza photo last week when I was campaigning/knocking on doors in Tacoma— it creates many smiles !