Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 SOLDIER BOY I look at my phone messages. Some have been there for a few days. Oh, there' s the one from Chuck. I was just too busy to call him. Then I open it. Oh, no...his was the check that I had just bounced. I am not very good with my checking accounts, and have been trying to do too many things on my own. No money, no help...yelp!!! Rats. Why did it have to be his check? Oh, well, bite the bullet and call. Chuck answers his cell phone and I hear that familiar voice. A beautiful voice, really. Chuck is one of those people blessed with a beautiful voice and a beautiful soul, that people are just drawn to him. As always, he is friendly and polite. The consummate gentleman. And a Republican. And an Army man...you're in the Army now...the Army Reserves...Uncle Sam Wants YOU. He asks if he could call me back in 10 minutes. "I am waiting to get a shot." he says. Sure, I tell him. I go back to my desk and work away. I am not paying attention to time now. As I sit at my desk, I notice a pair of shoes, big clunky black shoes, walk by the window. That is all I ever see because I have those blinds down to prevent the sun from flashing out my computer screen and my brain. So all I ever see out those windows are feet. But that is OK. I keep a nice ground level flower garden which I also see in the warm weather. When I turn to my right, I have two large windows completey open to another garden, a rock garden. I am not suffering in my office environment at all. Anyway, I go back to my work. All of a sudden there is a tap on my shoulder. I turn my chair around and there standing before me, all 6 feet+ of him, in full Army fatigue, is Chuck. My dear friend. As it turned out, when I called him he was at the Willow Grove base, getting an anthrax shot. It was so close, he decided to stop by to say not hello, but goodbye. I jump out of my seat and give him a big hug. We catch up as much as possible in the short time we have. I tell him some of what has been going on with me since I had to lay him off last year for economic reasons, and show him one or two short excerpts from my book about the death penalty and prejudice in the world. He reads the section, Thunder and Lightning and has a somber look in his eyes as he looks at me. He says simply, "That's deep, Joyce." Yes, Chuck, I am no longer asleep. I have been awakened to serve. Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya...Lead me from the darkness to the light. Before I know it, he has to leave. We hug again, this time goodbye. It is much longer than the first hug, tight in his arms, he feeling mine tight around him. Silent moments. Not long enough. We let go...as he pulls away and I do too, the look in his eyes catches my eyes. What was that look in your eyes, Chuck? That faraway look, or was it a frightened look...that almost empty. in grief look in your eyes? That look in your eyes that brings tears to my eyes? Every time I think of you and as I sit here writing to you now? Will I look into those eyes again, my dear friend? I remember when I used to see high heels out that window box of mine, I would laugh and call to Chuck, whose office was next to mine in the line of vision, only he got to see the whole picture. I knew he would find an excuse to go out to the reception area to take a look if he liked what walked by. Sorry, Chuck, just had to tell that. There was a psychiatrist renting in my office suite, and pretty drug reps were always coming to call. They still do. Hey, Chuck, go see...there goes a pair of high heels...oh, no, she falls in all her beauty as the air she breathes chokes the very life out of her...Poison Sky. After you left, Chuck, you were on my mind. Heavily. As I thought about the anthrax shot you got and how coincidentally you just happened to be right around the corner when I called you, I thought about anthrax. I thought about fiery planes bombing right into God's side. I thought about poison in the air...poison in the sky...suddenly, Chuck, your visit to me became the catalyst for my entry into action against the war. I dedicate Poison Sky to you, Chuck. I hope you don't get in trouble with the President for the company you keep. Know that my love for you is Deep, my dear sweet friend. EternaLove, Joyce OM, shaantiH, shaantiH, shaantiH... May There be Peace, Peace, and Perfect Peace PLEASE MAIL THIS TO PRESIDENT BUSH...SWAK 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington DC 2050 or copy and then email to usa AND to president Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 Dear Lady Joyce and the moderators of this list, I can´t see what this has to do with Advaita. Very far off-topic! Best regards Stig Lundgren - "Lady Joyce" <ladyjoy <advaitin> Thursday, February 06, 2003 3:26 PM Soldier Boy > SOLDIER BOY > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 Dear Stig-Ji, I appreciate your point. However, I can't help empathizing with Joyce-Ji, Chuck and the many like him. A revolutionary poet of my language once lamented that the sage who influenced hunter Valmiki into later sagedom could only say "Maa Nishaadaa!" (Oh, no, hunter!) when he shot down one of the pair of birds with his arrow. The sage, certainly an advaitin, didn't bother to bend down and soothe the pain of the bird. Here, our Joyce-Ji has done what the sage in his wisdom forgot. Her Chuck is one of many birds that would fly singing good-bye. Let our hearts go out to them in prayer. The feet pass by her window. She watches on - the witness. I find some advaita in her story. Regards and pranAms. Madathil Nair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 Namaste Sri Stig: Your observation is quite valid and the referenced post has nothing to do with Advaita or related topics under discussion. When a member violate the list policies and guidelines, then the violater's privilege is curtailed and all postings from that member will be reviewed before they are released to the list. Members are requested to review the list policies again and they are permanantly available at the list archive and at the bulletin board http://www.escribe.com/society/advaitin/bb Please send any thougths unrelated advaita and/or announcements etc. should be posted on the bulletin board. Any member who continues to violate will lose membership privilege after 'careful review by the board of moderators.' Thanks again for your cooperation and support, Ram Chandran advaitin, "Stig Lundgren" <slu@C...> wrote: > Dear Lady Joyce and the moderators of this list, > > I can´t see what this has to do with Advaita. Very far off-topic! > > Best regards > Stig Lundgren > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 Namaskar Lady Joyce, Anyone with a heart would resonate with this post, but please do not assume that I either agree with the conclusions or desire to see such material as this on our Advaitin list. Particularly the closing paragraph "PLEASE MAIL" etc. My objection is not that it deals with war but rather that it is partisan. Is it possible for our esteemed Advaitin members to approach these vital questions without partisanship? Pranaams, Shivaram On Thu, 6 Feb 2003 09:26:50 -0500, Lady Joyce <ladyjoy wrote: > SOLDIER BOY <snip> > PLEASE MAIL THIS TO PRESIDENT BUSH...SWAK > 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington DC 2050 > or copy and then email to usa AND to president -- "0 my Naren, are you still not convinced? He who was Rama and Krishna is now Ramakrishna - but not in your Vedantic sense!" - Sri Ramakrishna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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