New Vision "Journal"

I have found these links to be most helpful to me as a striving writer!

Unless you read that tiny print at the end credit of tv shows, films or videos-you will never know really what a writer does. As I've been growing up in this video business, I ALWAYS had a mentor and support. And to those who taught me all the unique ways of storytelling I thank them. From the bottom of my heart.

Today, the passion passion comes from working only on projects with a conscience, that make a difference in peoples lives!

But as I digress further and further away from my music melodies and lyrics, I no longer even remember the last time I was about to fall asleep and heard some faint words flowing around in my fading conscious

I hope that soon the universe will provide new teachers for me, to join me here to talk about our Journey towards our goals...that's the jist of it all.

Today was... well, I am unsure how to define it. Full of feelings, thoughts, emotions, happenings. Today I experienced death.

Not my own, of course, of WOW is the after-life hip or what? Actually- if I am sitting at a computer in heaven-beyond, then I really need to get a life now!  Nevertheless, today I experienced the spiritual passing of a human into the unknown.

My best-friends father was sticken with Pancreatic Cancer a few months ago, possibly from the effects of an untreated Prostate Cancer 2 yrs ago. I had been visiting him upon the request of my friend as she had moved out of town. It all started with just me "checking on" him. Once a week visits soon escalated into 2 days a week. Then I went out of town for 2 weeks and when I returned he was ill and in the hospital. His entire family along with me, made daily visits. We basically didn't let him sleep! There was always, or at least during visiting hours, someone there. The end diagnosis and path of treatment, was to send him home to be with family. In came Hospice.

After 9 days of 24-hour care and family by his side, he sucumbed to not being able to breathe. I hadn't been for a visit for a few days, when I got a call from my friend to pray for her dad. His lungs were filling up with fluid, it was near the end. I was working, couldn't talk but promised I'd be there at quarter past one.

Two in the afternoon came along, and I was still helping someone else out. I jumped up, saying I HAD to go. I drove to his house, returning calls that I needed to make for my business. I walked in and almost gasped and I saw him gasping for air. His family was there, the nurse and the healthworker. I couldn't even look into his eyes. It was as if he couldn't see. Although his eyes were open and since I had read all the end of life paperwork from the program he was in, I knew he could still hear me. I said hi, but had to immediately leave the room to compose myself. Shock. No other word I can use, but shock. I tried to cry, but nothing came out. So I went back into the room and tried again. We all ended up surrounding him, the others left the room. As he gasped for air, I stood in a circle around him, comforting his family. They were crying, bawling and I almost left the room when Great Spirit sent me a message. I whispered to my left in my friends wet tearfilled ear, "Should we pray?". She announced we should say the Lord's Prayer and as we did Dave took his last breath.

We had let him go, asked Higher Power to take him and he finally let go. I didn't ask to be there. But I am honored I was part of such a spiritual event. It strengthens my belief we are sprititual beings having a human experience. And if I had been there at the time I said I was to, I know I would have only stayed a half hour. I act tough, strong and stone proof at times, but that would have been too much to handle. My loving God shared our desire to stop the suffering, pass on and release to the unknown.

Thank you Great Spirit for allowing me to experience the death part of life. And thank you for those friends I have that invited me into their home in such a difficult time in their lives.

(originally written 5/38/06)
Through my years of traveling to 10 other countries seeing different styles of life abroad as well as throughout the great beautiful United States, my most sincere concerns are about what the future of Florida has in store. The concept of developing yet another housing development, golf course or even condo saddens me greatly.

Not to be too overly-dramatic, the fact is: what will become of Florida if we continue on the "growth-YES-train". When is enough- enough? Why don't WE stand up and make a new trend? Just say NO to further land development and YES to protecting the Loop and other environmentally sensitive lands in Volusia County!

I was told when I arrived in Florida in 1989 that condo's would stop, that there were limits to how many, how tall, etc., and that the nature of Florida was it's appeal. Where are the natural settings going to? Take a look at I-4, do we need another gas station exit? Especially with high costs of fuel, many shut down and then what is left? A concrete station where a gas station once was?  An environmental waste. Developers come to Florida to make money and that is it. Period. They don't appear to care whether or not there are rural towns that fell to a low economy. Or that building that new home will lead to yet another traffic jam, accident, injured wildlife-another major Florida gift. Now don't get me wrong, I don't consider myself a tree-hugger, but what is the rush to build-build-build? Sure, it may be correct that growth is "inevitable," as Frank Bruno, County Council Member stated, but why let greed and fear that someone else may build it and make the money -ruin the most beautiful state in the US? What will be left in 50 years? A concrete slab on what once was Florida.

According to research, when the County Council voted to allow the "rezoning of Plantation Oaks and the John Collins property that there had not been adequate (or any) studies pertaining to hurricane preparedness, provision of water and sewer, impact on surrounding area, the golf course's impact (pesticides, herbicides, stormwater retention), a tree survey to identify heritage trees, biological reports and water resource studies." (source:Volusia/Flagler Environmental Action Committee). SO please take the time to make a growth impact study your PRIMARY goal now. Before it's too late.

If development IS inevitable, then buffer it. Protect the canopy trees over Old Dixie Highway in the Loop. Stop the new access road onto the outstanding byway.And whatever you decide PLEASE DON'T build another golf course! Florida has enough golf course, really!  I have ridden my motorcycle through the Loop for over 15 year. We always waved at the few neighbors who were there to greet us before we went to a near by restaurant to eat before completing the ride back through to home - which for me is beachside in the county. But the calming feeling you can get from just stopping off in the Loop and listening to natures sounds is more of a gain that any stock profit will ever give. Volusia once advertised through one of its Chamber of Commerce's "worldwide" as a bicycler/biker destination. Now you change your minds? Tourists is Florida's economy Always has been. Let it always be available for those who want to come VISIT FLORIDA. They bring so much money, leave their footprints in the sand and their tax dollars in the counties pockets. Why chase them away with a concrete block instead of the soft sand, wonderful fishing, tranquil beaches, lush landscaping of Florida's Nature?

And last and most importantly, what about the next generation? It seems that the lack of care for  a better quality of life and certain affects to the habitat will be gone. What will be left for our children and grandchildren? As defined in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia online, the concept of "Seven-generation sustainability: is the tenet that all decisions should be made with consideration for the effect they will have on the next seven generations to follow us." I do not see Volusia County doing this. With the over development of beachside condominiums etc it is plain greedy and not in the best interest for the generations that will be here after you and I area dead gone. Close your eyes and imagine what they will have? Concrete. A concrete Florida? Is that how you envision your great great grand children playing on in Florida? Concrete?

County Citizen since 1989

Paul Harvey was a talented outspoken news commentarian while I was growing up. And honoring him in his words..." and NOW for the rest of the story..." Or should I change it to the REAL story?

I've been reading more recently about Native American history in  a weekly newspaper called, Indian Country Today (ITC)(Oneido Nation) they publish about a 2-section newspaper on wednesdays mostly legislative articles. Great information about social and political issues of various clans which are quite interesting, but very sad. I wish mainstream media represented that demographic Anyhow, BOY is there some "edukation" in there! How about the Doctrine of Discovery!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot beleive it.  Now I always knew that high school wasn't teaching me everything, but damnit. If i would've known what I know now AND enjoyed writing like I do today, I would have been a straight A-student. Of course I'd still been kicked outta school for my over opinionated attitude!

But as I have changed in my own personal journey I hope to enlighten those who cross paths with what I am learning from the red path through Native American ways, ideas, concepts etc.
Til next thought....
NVP

"Everchanging..."

I will write on this...soon. The word keeps coming outta my mouth or fingers while I type....