Apple Compassion

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There is a baby apple on my baby tree! (Actually, there are two, one on each tree!)

[Baby apples forming on 1yr sapling]

 

This to me is a symbol of growing compassion. Why?

Well, I’m a little bit of an introvert, and although some days I receive energy from interacting with people, other days I absorb more energy from the quiet rustling of trees and
the tranquility of being alone in the grass.

I never tire of interacting with nature—even in the skin-drenching, cold, awakening rains of spring or the thick, burning heat of midsummer—because to me it is the manifestation of God and His creation.  I can be my comfortable self in nature and God will shine his sunny and windy and rainy love upon me in equal measure.  I still love people; sometimes I just need to love them from a distance.

 

[Gods Glory!]

So when I am striving to cultivate plants or simply exist respectfully in the midst of them, my purpose is twofold: 1. With every photograph of gorgeous plant I take  (oh so many!), I am expressing my appreciation and awe at the complexity of God’s design; And 2. I am exercising my muscles of compassion for my fellow humans. (Some days the workout seems harder than others!).

The way I see it, we are all connected. Not just people to people, but people to earth, and even generations to generations connect across time. By planting in, and investing in the landscapes around me, I am investing in not only present beatification and fresh summer veggies, but also future generations who will inherit whatever we leave behind.  We connect with the past and the future through nature, by experiencing the hard work that our ancestors have wrought, and by improving upon the conditions for our children. Isn’t that cool? Nature is such a universal element that all peoples can profit from it, and find a sense of the spiritual therein. So I say, enhancing nature enhances the spirit! 

And so, with these two humble sticks that are in fact Apple trees, I am growing my spirit and my compassion for the world at large.  Just as others may seek to change people’s lives when they serve others in teaching, nursing, I seek to change the outcome of humanity’s future by changing the landscape of the land!

I grafted these apple trees just last spring, so this is the first time I’m seeing them develop. This is only the beginning! I am not planting the apple trees for immediate joy--though I still receive weekly satisfaction watching more leaves, branches, and now tiny new apples emerge—but for the long-term satisfaction of my mother’s grandkids to enjoy. And maybe their kids!

But wait, you say you don’t have your own apple trees? No yard to put them in? (not even your mothers? Harness what you do have. Go ahead, pick the low-hanging fruits! You have the power of the sun, and the wind and the rain! Dry your clothes outside on a nice day.  Or if you’re feeling ambitious you make a solar oven! And after all that hard work, enjoy some tea, brewed in the sun! J We are fortunate in the Western World to have an abundance of water; yet it is still a precious resource to be guarded.  Collect rain water for your gardens, and consider using drip hoses around your plants—it uses less water AND delivers it more directly to where the plants need it most, in the roots.

And of course, whenever and wherever possible, plant things! Let them grow! Encourage green leaves to help the earth and heal people’s souls. (You can ask for help if your thumbs look a little blackish, there are plenty of growing resources out there, and garden friends to be made!)

And I bet, by the time my apple trees really get crankin’, I will be filled with the spirit of compassionate giving, and ready to turn all the energy from nature into energy with people!  Then I can share the fruits of my labor and nature’s compassion with my neighbor! I can’t wait!

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Chelsea Powell grew up in Dayton and enjoyed the experience of The Miami Valley School. She proceeded to study architecture and horticulture at U.C., helping to start a garden in downtown Cincinnati. She now continues her search for good design with various plants, people, and projects in Southern Ohio.

Love the neighbor!

Out of the blue of a beautiful evening, after a just ok day at work, toting an achy body from a weekend "trip"- into this poor-poor-me moment in time, comes my neighbor Eric.

He had noticed that my pile of yard debris - I should say PILES of yard debris - were adding up, growing taller, taking up more and more of my pretty yard. He had walked his dog by fairly often, so to note the life span of said pile. (smile) So on this cool June evening, with a truck borrowed from another neighbor to haul is own yard debris, Eric came over to rid me of mine. I had the front door open, screen door closed, so I could hear the truck pull in and sounds of an organized effort.

I went to the door to find this kind soul hugging bundle after bundle of tree branches, taking them from pile to pickup in short order. I walked out in bare feet to greet this action, deeply humbled by this random act of kindness. We chatted away as he continued. I was sort of stunned with appreciation. Finally, I thought to go inside, put on shoes and help, for heaven's sake. Soon enough, the job was done and off he went to the yard debris center in our community.

Action! It's about action.

Later, after running a few errands, I came home to find Eric walking toward my house, laughing that the yard center wouldn't take a couple of ply pieces. We laughed and talked some more. The bumper stickers on my car set several topics in motion: drums, drink, children, music and church. We even had some friends in common. The follow-through: idea to action, by this cool neighbor, changed the landscape of our neighborhood (not to mention the landscape of my landscape. )

The universal common ground in the human family is really so simple. Love each other. Treat each other the way you hope they'll treat you. Simple. And no question about it: actions speak louder than words!I'm grateful for Eric tonight and for the magnificent movement of the Spirit!

Mountain moment

Have you ever felt like the path you're following was cut out of rock for you? Like a magnificent  rock was sculpted, chiseled into open space, allowing you to slide through, like a ray of sunshine?
If not, wrap your imagination around this idea, as it pertains to you in the present moment. What if?

Because, really: what are we but a mirror image of stardust, billions and billions of us moving at a glacial pace in comparison, yet skipping in and around rocks, being shaped while we shape other glowing particles? Imagination is power. Your power. And you can move mountains.

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Survive or Thrive

Good Day, Compassionary Blog Readers. It feels like a long time since I have written. Just when I think "what in the world will I blog about" - Shazam! The universe provides an opportunity! 

Well, today a new family member (I have been married almost 2 years) was not so nice to me. You would of thought my skin was going to fall off! I cried, and ranted, and yes raved a bit. So, I got on my bike, I usually have to do something physical to try and make the crazy~brain go somewhere else ! I rode and rode. 

When I stopped, God said to my Heart, "You survive when its easy to be compassionate to folks that are agreeable. But - to thrive, try being compassionate to the folks who are NOT so nice. Love them. 

A sweet sense of peace washed over me. Thanks God. When I can be quiet and listen, I move a little closer to getting it! 

On another note, If I may brag, my awesome little sister did a TEDx Talk. If you have never been in Ted-Talk-Land, you are in for a real treat!  I am honored to introduce you to a sweet part of my Heart: Lil Sis, Kelly Callahan. I know you will love her! Peace. ~Colleen


Kelly Callahan, TEDxTalks, Atlanta

Folks & Orgs: Making it real!

Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.

~Gautama Buddha


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Hello, my compassionate friends. I had to flat out stop yesterday! I could achieve none of my ridiculous list of stuff on stuff. God has this awesome way of doing for me what I cannot do for myself. In that, I had to wave the white flag. I surrender! And give in. Soften, relax, give in: like its a bad-person-thing to take care of yourself. Wow. This can't just be a me thing. Let's be compassionate to ourselves. To love ourselves enough to give in. God has a lot in store for us, if we slow it WAY down in order to hear him. Busy hears busy. 

~Compassionate Colleen 

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I'll be 36 on Friday. All I want for my birthday is the courage to stand up for what is right, the skill to address issues that tear down our communities in a way that brings people together for a common cause, the common sense to listen and the faith to step outside of my comfort zone to start doing different and exciting things for ME whether I have someone to accompany me or not. 

~Katy Crosby, Facebook status 

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I write to combat feelings of helplessness, senselessness, soullessness.  Days of fear and 

insecurity. I sit down and feel the power grow through my fingers, up my arm, into my 

heart and head. It is even possible to be brave, to show courage, to express the unthinkable 

from time to time. If there is a path to freedom, to an active, meaningful life, I think it 

begins with one hour of prayer and one hour of writing every day. How could one go down 

to self-defeat with such a daily practice?

~Cynthia Gehrie,  Published, April 25, 1993, Voices of Cabrini

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In order to grow the Dayton region's economic and social capital, the Collaboratory is providing the Collaborative Infrastructure—the physical space, engagement tools and support system—for people from across the region to come together to imagine and act upon new possibilities for themselves, each other and the community. These new possibilities will involve citizen, government, business, institutional, organizational and philanthropic participants and will impact how we live, work, play and learn.

~Model organizational mission: The Collaboratory, Dayton OH, Peter Benkendorf

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In early May 2013 we recorded/filmed the other artists at various locations around Dayton. We're now reviewing the recorded tracks, and I can't begin to tell you how excited we are about this project!  We filmed & recorded 10 very different artists in 3 days, who each added their artistic voices to "Where There is Love."  We had merely sent them the basic track and encouraged them to interpret it, and with the exception of a sketch of Rick Good's banjo treatment, we did not hear anybody's version before recording. As we heard each one for the first time, played along to Puzzle's basic track, layers of depth and meaning and the intention of this simple song were revealed. In the coming weeks, we'll be editing together performances from musicians who play salsa, reggae, blues, old time/country, jazz, spoken word, singer/songwriter music, a Native American drummer and drummers from Burundi. We've got additional singers and even some dancers.

Playing for Change Dayton has been recorded with great love and care, and the end product is going to clearly demonstrate the breadth and diversity of art and music in our great little town.

Sandy & Michael Bashaw
May 13, 2013

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Check out this link:

Louisville, KY - Compassionate City

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To build a community in which all animals are valued and family life is enhanced, through     relationships with pets.

Our Vision ~Humane Society of Greater Dayton

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Welcome to the House of Bread, a non-profit community kitchen which serves a hot, nutritious, lunchtime meal to anyone in need 7 days a week.

Everyone is welcome at the House of Bread. We believe in treating everyone who comes to us as our guest. Everyone is treated with respect and dignity, and no one is ever turned away. We are open all holidays, as we know everyone deserves to spend all holidays in a place where they feel welcomed.

From our founding over 26 years ago, we have stayed true to the core mission of preventing hunger. The lunchtime meal is prepared fresh daily by staff and volunteers working together. Lunch typically consists of meat, vegetables, bread, fresh fruit, salads and dessert. All meals are served in our dining room at 9 Orth Avenue.

The House of Bread offers many services to our guests, in addition to the lunchtime meal. We offer personal hygiene and warm wear items, and serve as a referral source for many social service agencies in the area. Help and hope are always on the menu at the House of Bread!

~House of Bread, Dayton, OH  Welcome Message

It's time!

Good Evening!

Truth is revealing. Sometimes those revelations are joyful ~ awe-inspiring. Other times, what is revealed, although not necessarily new information, comes to you in such a way that it shocks your system. That shock sends waves through the whole-of -you, right down to the core of you ~ where the truth is ~ and all is forever changed. As startling as this event might sound, it's particularly effective because it happens in the simplest of situations, in boring real time (smile). No special effects. No sensationalized "breaking news coverage."  But simple real human truth. I've just had one of these.

I am blessed by a friendship with Guy Jones, We met in 1992 here in Dayton, OH. I had just moved into town, taking a job with a local theatre company, running youth programming. One of the first projects chosen was a dramatic adaptation of the epic poem Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. My goal was theatre as education: honoring a rich tradition. My research took me to the Miami Valley Council for Native Americans. The president: Guy Jones. The partnership was remarkable! MVCNA members came out in support. What we all built together stays alive in memory ~ what we learned and how we shared it. For me, it was a mountaintop moment!

Jump ahead 21 years to a new project in Dayton. Guy and I have reconnected after numerous years. We just finished one project and are dreaming up new ones. In our lunch conversation this week, my wise friend started to talk about the building of experiences, one upon another, with the new generation. He said, " Things are changing. I can't put my finger on it. I just know it's time." Time for what, I thought. He continued. I paraphrase now. He spoke of how youth in high schools he had visited lately were very accepting of each other: race, sexual orientation and spirituality to name a few. They asked great questions and they listened to the answers. The way he spoke, I could tell he was referring to more than just obedience or a well-managed classroom.

Guy sat quietly, staring off into the distance, deep in thought. We went off on a tangent or two, laughed and ate our salads. Then he looked up and once again said, "It's time. "Say more about that," I asked.
He sat up straight in the chair, turned out crossed his leg and said, "well, you know, it's like, we might actually get to be part of the ball game."

Another silence.

All of a sudden, it hit me. What Guy was talking about was not an exciting upcoming project to get involved with, or a community group with interesting programs. He was not speaking of sports or "we" in terms of us or even his immediate family. What Guy was framing in that moment was society, race, class; respect, understanding, inclusion, quality of life. What he processed in his bones in that moment was the largest possible picture of movement forward: acceptance!

I will say, this moment felt so big and so emotional for me, only because I knew this man to be a mover of mind sets, living his life as an example, being a willing participant in living history. This man, in his simple statement, was admitting a vulnerability, a truth that so infects our world: bigotry, racism, classism and all the rest are gutting the sense of belonging in the human family. Honestly, in that moment, I felt the pain of the multitudes.

It is my Spirit-generated opinion (and by that I mean, from the core of me) that those of us with a vision for peace that starts with individuals, those of us with a hunger for justice, those of us with a commitment to education, for our common passions and our willingness to risk "for the ball game" ~ our heads/ hearts/ bodies must take action!!!

Get out there! Share your truth, live your compassion, model the ways of love, support those who have been in there fighting the good fight. Truly, there is no real human family unless all of us are counted as members. Otherwise, we are a scattered bunch, struggling to make our way in a world of disengagement or misengagement: a set of exclusive position holders that choose ego satisfaction over everything else. Our individual agendas over the common good. Compassion is not generated in this world.

Compassion is palpable in those moments with friends where the hurt is revealed, where the wound is part of the solution. Guy was heading into a high school the next day, where he had taught as part of a comparative religion course The seniors requested his presence for the day, so they could learn more about native traditions and spirituality, so they could feel part of a ball game that we might just call Love!

Thank you, Guy! You are my Brother. We reside in a universal family. May we continue to work, to love, to celebrate, to build, to instigate, to honor and to play ball! It's time!

Compassionate Colleen

Reflection

This past week, I took the opportunity to slow down and spend some long overdue time with my Mother . I actually enjoyed her company. We shared, we laughed, we praised the beauty in the day. I was not defensive or combative. I usually am with my Mom. You know, all of those useless, ridiculous resentments? 

Thank You God, for Grace in prayer. That allowed this daughter to be truly grateful, acting with a compassionate heart for my Mom. 

Happy Mothers Day Mom. 

Peace, Colleen