Essays 2006

Purpose of Life

2006-12-27T10:41:00.000-05:00

These days we are hard pressed at times to see the Purpose of Life. If we turn on the television news we see man-made and natural disasters, and the History Channel is ever ready to tell us of impending doom. The older generation moans that it's "not the way it used to be," and the Science Channel tells us that we are gobbling up nature and possibly creating a future furnace that we'll have to try to survive in......so, is it worth it?

The Purpose of Life is to change it....we all come here fresh from Heaven, with traces of the knowledge and splendor, and the Love that creates us all....we are pushed or pulled into an earthly world of distress, disharmony, and decay. It is our job to change it....for the better. To make it become closer to where we originally come from....

So how do we do this? The complicated answer would be to say that each of us must do tremendous and huge things to accomplish this important change, but the truth is, it is the small and often unseen things that will change it the most. If each of us were able to see the Light of Compassion that beats in the chest of each of us, and the Glimmering Threads of Human Connection that makes us all One Family, we would never question or doubt our reason for being here. But by the very nature of birth, those memories of who we Truly Are become fragmented, all except for a trace.....the part of us that can still hear music, paint a canvas, cradle a baby, stroke a puppy.

So every time you smile at a sad soul walking towards you....every time you listen to a friend who needs a sounding board....when you feed a hungry person, take the time to play with a child, or cards with an older senior, these are the gestures that are our Purpose, and will help to Save the World. The ripple effect of a thousand kind gestures....spread across the spectrum of humanity.

Never doubt your Purpose....or ask if your life is "worth it." It doesn't take much to change the world....just the desire to do it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

The Last Stand

2006-12-17T17:17:00.000-05:00

Whether we care to admit it or not, 2006 has brought us closer to the Last Stand. It was not enough that half the planet is either starving to death each day, or living at extreme levels of poverty...we now have the other half of the planet facing down the reality of nuclear proliferation. If you're worried about the way things are, you're not alone. Each week I receive many emails from people concerned about the state of affairs in this world. Where once nuclear weapons were quite expensive, now with a little know-how and some loose change, voila! you have a dirty bomb.

Picture yourself on a hilltop...while all around you are levels of protection, each one existing to defend your way of life, family, and neighbors. One by one, these levels of protection have been attacked and compromised. Be it corruptions of government, or scandals within religious institutions...while each one falls the wave of turmoil moves closer. Radio and television host Glenn Beck calls it "the gathering storm." He believes that the same atmosphere exists now as pre-world war two. Glenn believes it is 1938 all over again.

I try to stay quite positive in my own life...but I do believe there are forces in play to change the landscape and the way we all live. Have we all gone mad, or is there truly something brewing out there, something on the horizon, where someone believes it is their destiny to rule and own the world? It can all seem quite bizarre and funny until someone like the President of Iran not only says he wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, but take on the Anglo-Saxon way of life also. Other heads of state around the world also chime in from time to time their visions of a New World. Each week there is a new face standing on the soap box of threats.

Neville Chamberlain who was Prime Minister of Great Britain met with Adolph Hitler to try to negotiate a peace treaty before the start of World War Two. He arrived back in England waving a piece of paper, saying "I have met with Chancellor Hitler, and I trust him...there will be peace in our time." While he was speaking the words, Hitler was invading Poland. As all this was going on, only one person in the British government took a strong stand against Hitler....guess who? Winston Churchill. Was Churchill naive? Or did he see the devastation that was about to come? Some are saying the same denial is taking place again.

Is the United States the Great Satan, as some would lead you to believe? Or is there another agenda in play in someone else's mind, who has a different vision of what the world should be like? Two opposing ideologies are on a collision course, and unless someone steps in and is able to head them off at the pass, the outcome is starting to appear quite obvious. If this happens, it will make the Second World War look like a tea party.

Why do I write this, especially at this time of year? Because the greatest gift we all can have is Peace. If there is a "gathering storm," perhaps someone can break through the clouds with a little gleaming sunlight. Perhaps someone can blow away the clouds and calm the winds. I don't know if one country can do it alone, but there is a power that is strong enough to wipe away the darkness. God, we need you now more than ever.

Give the gift of Peace,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

T'is The Season

2006-12-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

Allow the Love, the comfort, and the joy to fill your heart and soul. Take in the past year and look forward to the next. May the Season surround us all and allow us to count our blessings. No present is too small, and no smile can be too large. As we meet old friends around the Holidays, let us embrace and thank God that we made it through safely, another year. Whether we're with a large group or alone, may we all bow our heads and give thanks for what we have. The secret of the Season and the greatest present of all is the Love we exchange with each other...it can easily go by like a ship passing in the night, but its currents can be felt for years. The Holiday Season is a reminder that all we have is each other, and how we treat one another has a profound affect on one another's lives.

For me, there is no greater gift than a hug, a handshake, or a tender kiss...why? Because they come straight from the heart...they weren't purchased in a store...they are given unconditionally. The Christmas Season is about the miracle of a birth....who's to say that miracles can't happen in our own homes also. The Star that shone for the Three Wise Men along their path to Bethlehem still shines today, to guide us along our journey of life, until we reach the Promised Land. Throughout the centuries, wise men have told us this message over and over again. We All Shall Overcome, someday.

Whatever the future may hold, as long as we have each other and as long as there is Love in this world, there is a chance for mankind to climb out of the Valley of Fear. This Christmas, may we all join hands around all of our tables, no matter how large or small, look up, give thanks, and pray for Peace. If we all for just one moment stop what we're doing, collectively project our thoughts into the universe, the amplification of Love will calm any waves of despair.

Christmas is about birth...is about Love...is for everyone to feel a part of. No one is left out of a true Christmas. New Year's is about rebirth, Hope, and dreams....and the Faith that all things are possible.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Thanks To One and All

2006-11-18T16:44:00.000-05:00

This year, like many families, was a trying time for mine. I nearly lost two very important members of my immediate family....how they are still here is nothing short of a miracle. If you would have told me what I would have had to face the coming year I would have not believed it, yet the "impossible" sometimes does happen. Thankfully, those two members of my family are still here, and they will be around my table this Thanksgiving. We all will have something to celebrate, while being reminded that Life is precious, vulnerable, and sometimes quite temporary. Thankfully, we get to spend another Thanksgiving together.

As I journey through my trying times, I am always amazed at how many others also face moments of crisis. I kid you not, it almost feels sometimes that we're all joining hands together, helping each other get through, and keeping each other from going down. One thing's for sure, when a group of powerful souls gather together in a room with the Heavens looking over, the mountains can be overcome, and the wounds, over time, do heal. My family and friends are always there for me in my times of need. As easy as it can be to take them for granted, always around Thanksgiving I try my best to tell them, "Thanks," for just being there.

It's quite interesting that when things go wrong we say, "Why me?" yet when things go right, it's easy to feel, "Why not?" Each gift that we receive is truly a blessing and can never be taken for granted, as when despair and misfortune comes knocking at the door, it is at those times that we must overcome and evolve into better people. The Heavens see the Greater Picture while we mere mortals journey on down the road of life.

Thanks to One and All....those whom I've lost, those that I still have, and those I have yet to meet,

Happy Thanksgiving,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

The Wandering Minstrel

2006-11-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

Across the oceans, over the mountains, and through the desert the Minstrel roams, for the human ear to hear his song. Be it cold or hot, winter or summer, the Minstrel seeks out those who can hear the language of sound. The Minstrel's song travels through time and space, reaching for tomorrow, while leaving its mark on yesterday. The crowds may cheer, or sometimes scorn, still the Minstrel presses on to the next town to seek those who need to hear his sweet song. While the journey may be lonely, the Heavens are always watching to see that the song continues until the job is done. Through the wind, through the rust, the Minstrel's song continues, never knowing where it may lead.

We all are Minstrels with a job to do. When the crowds cheer loudest, the feeling can be empty, yet, when just one voice answers, the heart can overflow. In life, things are never quite as they seem...each day one feels like a walking contradiction...still, the Minstrel in us all forges on with the hope and belief that we all can make this world a better place. Whatever the instrument, the words, or the tune, all our hearts have a song to sing, for the orchestra of life. Either rich or poor, strong or weak, the ears of humanity listen each day for the song of Hope. Silence may be golden, but sound is eternal. Each one of us have a song to sing...whether we know it or not, and every night the Heavens listen, hoping that the chorus grows louder each day, fearing that we all become a distant echo.

So on we go, step by step, mile by mile...until the journey's over, and the symphony of our lives is complete.

Lift up your voice,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

The Best and the Brightest

2006-10-21T17:57:00.000-05:00

There is a strong belief that throughout all corridors of life eventually, in a free society, the best and the brightest rise to the top. The cream, with all its weight and determination, sits at the threshold of the coffee cup. Is it so? Or is it just as easy for the stench of the corrupt to take that position?

Time and time again, be it countries, corporations, teams or clubs, the corrupt and self-centered can quite easily take over any institution and wield their power. Can the best and the brightest still rise, or has today's society set out to destroy anyone with new and noble ideals? I can't for the life of me believe that in the 2004 National Election in the United States the best two people we had to pick from was either George W. Bush, or John Kerry. That's it? The best and the brightest? Surely there had to be somebody else? Could the answer be that the best and the brightest are no longer willing to allow themselves or their families to be dragged through the mud of politics? The minute someone of either high status or strong integrity announces that they are interested in running for office, within moments the vultures start swarming to see what kind of meat they can pick from their bones. Instantaneously, reporters are summoned to dig up the dirt by any and all means, so that they can have the lead story on the evening news. No wonder the best and the brightest, when asked, say "Thanks, but no thanks."

For those that do make it through, they better have some personal money, because if they don't, the Money-Mongers will be banging on the door saying "Without us, you won't get elected, and one last thing....we own you." Democrats against Republicans....Republicans against Democrats...the Money-Mongers don't really care who gets elected, because they give money to both parties...that way, they can't lose. This November we Americans cast our votes for our candidates of choice...unfortunately, we're never told who the Money-Mongers are behind some candidates, and when push comes to shove, do those candidates represent Us? Their Party? Or, the Money-Mongers?

Until things change, most, if not all of the best and the brightest will never seek office. I'm sure where you live, whatever country that is, you too have seen examples of how large sums of money can corrupt and control a society. The United States is an incredible country, if it is just left alone to be what the Founding Fathers intended it to be. The 24 hour cable news cycle has shown us that politics has become one of the most lucrative professions ever. The amount of advertising dollars that have been spent by both parties could feed the homeless for years.

So next time you see a Senator or Representative of the Congress debating the contents of a bill before them, think to yourself, who's words are they saying, their own, or the Money-Mongers? So do we have a Two Party System? Or Three? Democrats, Republicans, and Money-Mongers. If the Democrats hate the Republicans and the Republicans hate the Democrats, guess what? We've just elected the Money-Mongers.

Let Freedom Ring,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Google Earth

2006-10-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

The search engine Google makes available the ability to access a satellite and zoom in on a destination of your choice. I kid you not, it is absolutely remarkable and fantastic what you can do and see with the touch of a mouse.

Every few days I type in a location from my past to see how things in the neighborhood have changed. Sometimes I'm surprised, sometimes shocked, at how little Time can change a place. Google Earth allows a person to hone in on any location, be it city or town, or countryside....London, New York, Paris, or Rome....one click and you're there. Seeing the world as a globe spinning through space, wherever you roam on planet Earth, one cannot help but feel how small Earth really is. Be forewarned, these little trips with Google Earth can be quite emotional. Memories may rush back, or excitement beckon, as you think about future trips you could take to a chosen location. One has to wonder, what's next?

It's quite amazing to sit in front of the computer and gaze upon the city of Paris, inch by inch, or as a friend of mine said, taking a look at the elementary school she attended while she lived in South Wales, UK. It's all there...all ready for us to just click and gaze. How about you? what would you like to see? Do you have a favorite city or country?

Traveling can be quite expensive....yet Google Earth, except for photographs, is the next best thing to being there. I've included a link to Google Earth at the bottom of this essay...if you're interested, pay a visit. Although it may not replace a one week vacation to a favorite spot, it can bring the flavor of a place to your home.

Bon Voyage,

Jennifer Avalon

Download Google Earth

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

T.V. Time

2006-09-24T09:44:00.000-05:00

Here in the United States this is the time of the year that the networks roll out all their new shows, while premiering a new season of previous hits. This year has brought with it a new and, for some, a disturbing dilemma.....what shows do we watch? and, when???

For example: This week at various times I too have fallen victim to "clashing shows." America has gone crazy for a show that I have touched on before....called, "Dancing With the Stars," a weekly show where a champion dancer is partnered with a celebrity, who has very little dancing experience. This is all fine and dandy, unless another one of your favorite shows is on a different channel, at the same time. In my case, it is the Fox Network's "House," and also Sci-Fi's new series "Eureka." So what do I do? I watch "Dancing With the Stars," which is now a two hour show, and videotape "House," and "Eureka." If this dilemma of having different shows on different networks at the same time starts to repeat itself on multiple nights, by the end of the week you begin to accumulate a nice stash of shows to watch over the weekend.

What kind of effect does this have on your life? I kid you not, some of my friends and I have talked about this....you start to schedule your life around finding time to see all these accumulated shows! Yes indeed...there truly is "only 24 hours in a day!" Tell that to the networks! The scenario gets even more complicated when one or more people in the same household begin to make their favorite shows known also. Moms, Dads, and kids all wrestling with a perilous thought, "What do we watch?" and "When can we watch it?"

I have found it is not a problem taping or tivoing these assortment of shows....but trying to find the time to watch them starts to become a ridiculous problem. It reminded me of a conversation with a college student a number of years ago, where she mentioned that quite a few students were addicted to soap operas, and they would schedule their classes around the ability to be able to watch their favorite soaps! (this was before the days of video). Let me ask you this...how many people do you know videotape their favorite shows during the day, while they are at work, to watch them when they get home? Many do.

T.V. Time, in many of our lives, has become profound and real. More and more, we are determining what we want to watch, and when we want to watch it. Mornings, afternoons, and evenings....for many households the videotape is running. We change our lives, shuffle schedules, and buy popcorn to make sure we don't miss our favorites. As the old saying goes, now more than ever, "The Show Must Go On."

Don't touch that dial!:)

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Survival of the Fittest

2006-09-09T18:02:00.000-05:00

There is a grand illusion to us mere mortals that most of us grow to a ripe old age, and we lose a few along the way. Many perhaps do live into their eighties and nineties....but realistically, are the percentages based on fact, or fiction?

I recently had a conversation with a neighbor of mine who shared with me an interesting experience of hers. She attended her 25th High School Reunion where she had a graduating class of 125 classmates, and was shocked to find out that 25 years later, half of the class was deceased. That's right....only 62 were still alive! She thought about her graduation day when the principal of the school gave an incredible speech on how they all should strive to the limits and climb the mountain of success. In reflection, she said to me, "Jennifer, one little part the principal left out was that in hindsight, he should have told us to put a little time aside each day for staying alive!" President Bush recently turned 60, and a reporter mentioned that over one third of the people born on that day never made it to 60. In my area, I read that a local baby boomers group got together and celebrated the fact that many of them would be retiring next year at 62. What shocked them was also the amount of boomers their age that never made it...one wrote, "Thank God we're still here."

So how many of us truly live to a ripe old age? Is it as many as we think? Or is it "Survival of the Fittest?" One thing's for sure, as busy as our days may be, if we plan to be around for the long haul we're going to have to find some valuable time to put aside for our maintenance and well -being. If it's good for the car, it's good for us!

As I was thinking about this essay over the past couple of days, it was quite interesting that every day I was coming across stories on the subject matter of life and longevity...some of which I was surprised at. Did you know that more people worldwide commit suicide then the amount of people who die from murder and war? I didn't! As much as we like to think we are indestructible, Life has a strange way of reminding us that we are all just flesh and bones.

I don't find the truth depressing...because after all, it's what we don't know that can hurt us. We are born on this planet and we need food, clothing, and shelter to survive. That's the physical part.....spiritually we need Love. Everything after that is gravy, totally created by humanity...money, transportation, jobs, etc. Many spend their lives accumulating material goods until one day they realize, do I really need all this junk? when I just need a little to make me happy? Accidents may happen every day....but we have to stay fit physically and spiritually to survive.

Grow old along with me,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Decor

2006-08-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

This past week I set out to totally revamp my living room. It has been five years since I shifted around the furniture and splashed on a new coat of paint, so it seemed fitting to give my favorite room a new look. It's quite amazing how we begin to feel comfortable in our surroundings, and after a while we subconsciously start zoning out highlights of a room we spend many hours in. It could be a painting, a couch, or a simple rug...I kid you not, as the months roll by our eyes can easily start factoring them out....until one day when we decide to make some changes....we then look at every square inch to see what stays, and what goes. For me, that time was this week.

As I went about moving the furniture, repainting the wood floor, and repositioning pictures and paintings, it was as if, after a while, the living room itself started to have a conversation with me. Each change I made I felt was done in agreement with the room. This process took two days...the room was transformed, bright and new, while still retaining its original character. I only wanted to give the room a fresh look....while not erasing the memories.

How about you? Have you ever gone through this experience? Possibly so. When you go out to run errands, and return home, the difference can be striking and gratifying. So many of us feel we have to move on to a new house after five years or so....forgetting that it is quite simple to just re-invent the house that we have. A friend of mine who was considering selling his house and moving, fixed it all up to put on sale, and it was at that point he looked around and said, "What, am I crazy? The house is now the way I wanted it all along! So why move?"

As we enter each room in our home, the walls speak back to us of all the time that we have spent in that surrounding. In this day and age, it is so easy to get bored in the shortest span of time. While we forget the history that we are personally creating, revamping our surrounds gives us the opportunity to look back and plow ahead.

If home is where the heart is, it too needs a little tender loving care to let it know how much it means to us.

Home Sweet Home,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Choices

2006-07-29T17:36:00.000-05:00

Right or Wrong, Up or Down, Good or Bad, Rich or Poor, Left or Right, Love or Hate, War or Peace, God or Godless...these are a few examples of choices that we have to make daily. Each predicament or scenario that stands before us, sometimes at a moment's notice, in an instant we sometimes have to choose one way or the other. In some cases we don't get to have the luxury of time and reflection...in these moments we go by gut decisions. Such is Life.

It's quite amazing, when you think about it, how we humans are able to get so many things right, with the obstacles that we have to overcome. In the year 2006 surprise, surprise, so many are still here! If one was to turn on the evening news and see the havoc that is revealed on a daily basis...a person could easily come to the conclusion that it is nothing short of a miracle how we all can continue to exist together. Each day always brings with it a new set of choices.

Isn't it strange that most of the answers to complicated problems can be answered quite simply...not complicated, not cluttered, at times with just one line. Wouldn't it be wonderful if an independent force could intervene in the war between Israel and Lebanon and just say "STOP, put down your weapons, and go home to your families." It's as easy as that, STOP killing each other...there can be no winners. The independent force would round up all the weapons and say, "ENOUGH." I don't know about you, but I don't need to see any more children getting killed for whatever reason....because next year it'll be something else. Some other place....someone else's choice....for whatever reason....to kill.

May we all make the right choices, may we find the peace that we so desperately need in this world, may we never forget the light in a newborn's eyes, may we never forget the last words before someone dies. Perfection may not be obtainable, but growth and contentment can be found within our hearts. As we sail through life, the direction we choose can either leave us lost at sea, or headed for home. We are what we choose.

Choose wisely,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

The Line In The Sand

2006-07-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

Here we go again folks....the Middle East is erupting into a major confrontation. How long and how far will this go? God only knows. Through the course of our lifetimes we have seen this scenario taking place again and again, each one worse than the last. After awhile one has to wonder...how much more blood does it take for the Middle East to find Peace?

This time around the stakes could not be greater....for the first time the word "nuclear," has entered the equation. How long will it be until multiple Middle Eastern nations have nuclear arsenals? Rest assured, we are heading down that road. What's starting to look more difficult to understand is, can nations fight their way to safety? What do you do when nations don't want to negotiate, don't want to disarm, and can't find Peace? Let's hope it's not inevitable that we arrive at the Line in the Sand.

I still have hope that the current conflicts in the world will resolve themselves...but what I find troubling is that each time around the wheel the challenges rise further. I pray that cool heads prevail....but with each passing day I am hearing lines on the news that sound eerily like those that got us into two World Wars. Not bad for a planet that has more PhD's then ever....what are we really learning?

So many people praying daily to one God....yet the only solution that man ultimately comes to is War. Does it really matter what Age we are in if that is the only conclusion we can come to, to solve disagreements? I call on man to implement the true hope of God...that only through Peace can we find lasting progress. It doesn't take a microscope to see what's wrong on Planet Earth....let's hope it won't take one to find the broken pieces.

Love thy Neighbor,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Joie de Vivre

2006-07-01T17:42:00.000-05:00

The pit and the perils of everyday life can surround us and reinforce their negativity on us at will. One flick of the television dial and a person instantaneously can be inundated with everything that is wrong about the world. Still, there are far more people, places, and things out there that are wonderful, beautiful, helpful and healing. Joie de Vivre, or in English, Joy of Life, is something we have to protect, nurture and grow in our lives. Life is way too short to allow negative forces to take control and dominate the time that we have left.

What more does Hate fear, then Love? or Despair fear more than Hope? or, does a frown run from a smile? Which action or choice we choose rests with us. We can never get enough of the Joy of Life...we must make it surround us, embrace us, and enhance us. The danger is when we blind ourselves of all the good, and swim in a sea of sludge. We take so much for granted on this earth....that we always expect things to just be. The sun, with all it's beauty, doesn't have to rise in the morning....but it does. How many times do we take each minute, hour, day, and year, for granted, as if we have a never-ending, unlimited supply? Well, we don't....each day is a golden nugget from Heaven, for us to cherish and leave our mark.

Joie de Vivre...taste it, drink it, feel it....it's nourishment is timeless.

Cheers,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Loyalty

2006-06-10T18:41:00.000-05:00

Has Loyalty become an endangered species in our society today? Perhaps, perhaps not. Still, there are many out there who've forgotten the definition and the meaning of Loyalty. Has the world entered the stage where it doesn't matter what you have to do, as long as you get there in the end? I hope not. Loyalty means that we hang in there through thick and thin, and never compromise our principles.

Loyalty is that prodding finger that constantly reminds us who we are and what we stand for. While storms swirl around us, and doubt blows through the wind, Loyalty is what keeps us straight and tall without giving up. We all in our own way, from the day we are born, do battle with injustice, fear, doubt, and compromise. Loyalty is there to always remind us that some things are not for sale. Loyalty and Dignity walk hand in hand, through all terrain. True Loyalty is not laced with foolishness or dominance. It is a collection of principles that are established to evolve the world to a better existence. The purpose of Loyalty is to give one a perspective and wide range of vision, while holding the Truth close to the heart.

The ultimate Loyalty comes from God....while there are those who may disagree, God never abandons us. What we learn from the Heavens about Faith and Purpose, we are obligated and bound to disseminate upon earth. Loyalty challenges us to understand that while Peace is the destination, the journey can sometimes be quite rough. Love, Peace, Loyalty...have they become relics, or are they destined to consistently be reborn?

In the hands of Loyalty is Hope and Understanding. Loyalty has to stand strong to tell someone they are wrong, even when they think they are right. If Loyalty is the foundation of a good friendship, then Truth is the house that it is built upon.

Be true,

love,
Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Nature

2006-05-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest aspects of Life is available for free...through the senses. Find a meadow, open field, or back garden...look around at the miracle of Nature. Be it a plant, a tree, the sky, or the wind....Nature, by far, can display the greatest show on earth.

This time of the year in the United States, the full power of Nature starts to emerge. How many hours of a life can be recharged by just staring at the beauty of a flower? How many lives can be extended by watching the world go by under a shady tree? What a wonderful feeling it is to stretch out on a nicely mowed lawn, surrounded by Nature's blanket of green.

Nature is priceless....yet it is also free to experience. It can never be taken for granted. While it can be breathtaking and extraordinary, it can also be powerful and ruthless. Nature can deliver with one stroke a sun drenched day, yet turn dark, stormy and blow winds that can devastate the terrain. One thing's for sure...Nature demands respect.

Each year as the seasons pass, the performance of Nature is witnessed by all. It is one of the last bastions of Life that Man has no control over. Nature can hurt, and heal. It teaches and reminds us that we live on a planet spinning through space and time. Many feel Nature is a reflection on how we live..... others see it as a force to be reckoned with. Nature is with us, whether we like it or not.

So enjoy, respect, and experience it...the greatest performance that planet earth has to offer. If Nature is a stage, we all are truly the actors.

The show goes on,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Money

2006-05-13T18:46:00.000-05:00

Money is the modern day acceptance for trade, transactions, and services rendered. In a world where a price is put on just about everything, Money is the currency which we use to assign a value to all assets, and liabilities. In a perfect world, Money would not be needed, but in a flawed society and civilization, it is an accepted form of transaction.

We buy, we sell, we win, we lose.....whatever the outcome, Money always seems to hang like a shadow over our heads. Is it far fetched to say that the majority of our problems are Money related? Is it far fetched to say that most of the evil acts that are performed have their roots in Money? The reason Money can do so many bad things, is because it exists....still, the reason Money can do so many good things, is also because it exists. It's not about the amount of Money.....it comes down to what we do with it.

It's possible that one of the most fundamental reasons that Money is used in our society is that everybody and everything is assigned an amount of value. Life may be priceless, but rest assured, there are those out there who have no problem coming up with a number for an individual's life. Just walk down the street and most of the time what you see and hear has a tinge of Money. All over the place, everything after a while seems to be vying for what you have in your pocket. The amount of advertising dollars spent yearly is astronomical...all of it competing for what you may want to purchase. It helps, it hurts, it rises, it falls......Money, ironically, sometimes seems to have a life of it's own.

Money released in the right direction can do an incredible amount of good.....but if we take no responsibility and oversight, Money can just as easily be re-directed and sent on a pathway to destruction. The past few weeks the Enron trial is getting many headlines...what we keep hearing over and over again is nobody seems to know what happened, and it was the other guy's fault. The Money just disappeared. How Enron crumbled is a mystery.....heck, some even say it happened by itself!

Money is a necessity in our society...to pay our bills, and do commerce. Yet we must always remember we own it....it doesn't own us. In the end, we can't take it with us.

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

War

2006-04-30T13:12:00.001-05:00

War happens when mankind fails to reach a realistic compromise.....War is the condition where man is reduced to his basic, animalistic tendency. As much as we feel we have intellectually evolved over time, killing is still a part of our physical and mental fiber. Once again, the Dogs of War are howling loud and strong.

Is mankind's mission to bring about a planet of peace and tranquility? if that is the case, then the weapons of destruction must be extinguished. Is the human civilization forever doomed to choosing either one side, or another? Good against Evil, Peace Versus War, Hate against Love. How many more wars do we have to have before this competition is ended?

The more we drift from the Will of God, the further we drift into the wilderness. Surely, we were not put here to kill. If an extraterrestrial craft with any form of advanced intelligence were to approach our planet right now, would it surprise any of us if they just kept going? Have our egos gotten so out of whack that we think we ARE God? How many go to sleep each night thinking no one could be smarter, while others wonder if there will be a world waiting when they wake up?

I think many of us understand that we are heading for some form of major confrontation that will affect the entire planet. It's in the air...it whistles through the streets, it ripples with the flag. As we walk the streets and catch a glimpse of the eyes, written on many faces, without a word being said, is the sense that something is coming. The question is, can mankind find a solution to head off the abyss?

Stay close to your families, stay close to your friends....let them know you love them. All of this may end up being "moot"...nothing to worry about....then the worst you'll have done is spread a little more Love....but if it does come to pass, you've surrounded yourself with the most important line of defense.

Take the time to love,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Robots and Clones

2006-04-15T18:19:00.000-05:00

Well folks, it's starting to look like the era of full-blown robots and clones is just around the corner! Sometime in the near future we are all going to have to grapple with their effects on our lives. How soon? Perhaps within the next five to ten years.

Within the past two weeks I have read that two horses were successfully cloned from a champion thoroughbred racehorse. At the press conference the participants mentioned that they expect to do thirty more over the next year. Why is this important? Horses are mammals, last time I checked...and so are we. Are we fully prepared for the impact of clones in mass numbers on our daily lives?

So what about the robots? We've all seen the demonstration of Japanese robots...I know, they look a little strange and mechanical, but trust me, things are moving fast. I always believed that the robotic brain or program would enter our lives first, to be followed by the hardware or body. Sprouting up all over the Internet are sites where you can communicate with or create your own ChatBot. Some of the software is free, where you get a choice to implement the subject matter and interests that you want the Bot to have. I have checked out some of the sites...it is truly fascinating. You ask the Bot a question, and it answers, and as each question is accumulated, the Bot begins to develop a greater understanding of who you are, what you like, and what information you need. Eerie, but interesting. A computer in every home? How about a robot in every living room? These robots will quite easily be able to be personalized to each person's or family's satisfaction. You want a robot interested in sports? Presto! You got it. How about a political robot?...Tell me this, how long will it be before "Meet The Press" is hosted by "Tim Chatbot!!" I've read articles where people are concerned that Artificial Intelligence can increase at thousands of times the speed of the human brain.

So what's it going to be? Do you want a clone? Or a robot for your birthday?....think hard. One or the other is coming to a store or manufacturing facility near you. So check it out....stay informed. If you have a few minutes, read up on the latest clone research, and enter Chatbot in your search engine to see what's coming. People are going to be talking about the ethics of these issues as they evolve, for years.

Be informed,
love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

The Fifteen Minute Vacation

2006-04-01T19:40:00.000-05:00

We go to work, we come home. We go to work, we come home. We go to work. We come home. Same thing, week after week, over and over again. At some point, we all must force ourselves to take a "time-out" from the cycle, otherwise before you know it, Life's over!! I don't care if it's a walk around the block, a conversation with the flowers in the back garden, a card game with friends, or, if you must, a scream from a mountaintop, all of us must accept the fact that if we don't control what we do with our time, Time will control us.

Let's get real....with television's 24 hour news cycle, how much is enough? Hey guys....I know the world is going to hell in a hand basket, but how many times do you expect me to hear it before I just "zone it out?" I find myself these days more and more tuning into shows on the Discovery, or Travel Channel. There are many things I probably will never be able to do in my life, but at least for fifteen minutes, I may be able to get a glimpse of them. Each evening I try, whenever I can, to take a fifteen minute "vacation" to see, hear, or experience something I have not done before. I find this exercise a great refreshing excursion outside the norm....so that when I "return," I am filled with a feeling of newness.

All it takes is fifteen minutes....around the block, or around the world through television, or the internet...it doesn't matter. What matters is that you are transported to someplace you've never been before. If we humans are a collection of our experiences, the more, the merrier.

Bon Voyage!!!

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Place Your Bets

2006-03-18T19:03:00.000-05:00

My life has been touched by some strange events over the past couple of months...yet I believe they are all connected. I know somewhere within the center of these events is an underlying message. Let me share some of them with you:

I got a chance to rent the movie "Two for The Money," this past week....an interesting film starring Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey. The premise of the movie is that Matthew's character has a knack for picking winning football teams on Sunday. His percentages are so good that it reaches the ears of a large bookmaker in New York, played by Al Pacino, who offers Matthew's character a job with a large salary. What is revealed during the movie is what great lengths people will go to in order to bet money to win on games. It is shown that betting on sports is an over 200 billion dollar business a year. What we eventually see is how important money is to the general population. Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Monte Carlo, etc....the planes fly in daily for the chance to touch the golden nugget, despite the odds against them.

I also visited an Assisted Living facility, where an aged friend of mine who recently lost his wife, lives. As I entered the lobby and passed along the corridor, lining the walls were painting after painting done by some of the residents. I kid you not, the talent and the dedication were obvious. Underneath each painting was a price which someone could pay to purchase the artwork. Unfortunately, not many of the paintings appeared to be sold. One doesn't have to stretch too far to come to the conclusion that there are more who are willing to spin the wheel for a dance with Lady Luck than to appreciate a one of a kind expression of the heart.

The streets of Hollywood are lined with actors, screenplay writers, and wanna-be directors, just hoping for the chance for their dreams to light up the Silver Screen. In Nashville, Tennessee, each day a bus lets someone off with a guitar in their hands, searching for the elusive Recording Contract. Does the "Starving Artist" always have to starve? or is there, or could there, be a way to put a little food on their table?

Writers, musicians, photographers, painters, filmmakers.....a system must be created to address and appreciate each one of their talents. I know...the cream rises to the top....there are grants for the asking....but seriously, if a system can be created to engulf sports betting and gambling, is it too far-fetched that some of that money could be directed to the Arts?

I'm sure you have your thoughts....here's one of mine: I recently paid a visit to a local music store...what astounded me is the amount of musicians and singers who purchase equipment weekly from the store. I asked myself, what are they doing with all that equipment? So I mentioned to the manager, "I know this may sound crazy, but wouldn't it be great if you put together a small selection of CD's from local musicians who purchase equipment from your store? Can you imagine the buzz that it would send through the music community in your neighborhood?" The manager looked at me baffled but said, "You know, it's not such a crazy thought...let me think about it." If a store sells items, it's not a bad thing to display the fruit that springs forth from those items.

Money is Power....and it does send a message. How we use it contributes not only to our environment, but also to our lives.

Place your bets,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Moving the Dial

2006-03-05T10:03:00.000-05:00

In our hands daily is a transistor radio that is attached to our minds. We move the dial back and forth to find the desired station to permeate through the speakers. From one end to the other we choose what information is eventually transmitted into our minds. The choices that we make can be influenced by our opinions, Faith, hobbies, drama, and humor. We have our finger on that dial and we move it constantly to search for what we want to listen to.

Though we have the radio in our hands, responsibility of how we use it comes with the turf. While we want freedom to choose whatever we want, those choices can greatly influence our lives. Across the radio dial are multiple stations that transmit 24 hours a day....and those stations are there to develop a following of like-minded people. We all have our favorite television shows, and radio shows, and those favorites do reflect who we are. No one knows this better than the advertising community.....the commercials on the stations cater to a certain demographic that they believe will purchase and embrace their product.

As we get older, we become more selective of our stations....and eventually we settle on one, two, or three personal favorites. In many cases, we settle into these choices and waver little. The young, on the other hand (kids and teenagers) are more open to suggestion, and in quite a few cases have been known to spin the dial like a wheel, just for the fun of it. The young are quite susceptible to influence...more so than the older demographics. As long as we hold the radio, what plays through the speakers is up to us. If we don't like a station, we turn it off...if we enjoy it, we can play it 24 hours a day. With that in mind, any complaints must rest at our doorstep. Influence is everywhere....what is influential to us personally is up to us.

The Beatles influenced multiple generations...still, once in a while it is quite easy to run into someone who will tell you point blank that they never liked them, and never enjoyed their music. While many listened to all the Beatle records, some just changed the channel. Music programmers have said on numerous occasions that even a bad song, if it's played enough, people will start to like it......hmmmmm......I wonder what that means.

So check out that radio...pick a station or two...the hills are alive with the sound of more than music.

Touch the dial,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Either Here or There

2006-02-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

We tend to spend much time during the week examining why we make the choices we do, and where they lead us. There has to be a reason for why things go right, and why they go wrong. Choices, decisions, contemplations and dilemmas circle around us daily, until we all reach a point when we say we are either "Here, or There."

What do I mean? Well here it goes: We either believe that there is a God, or we don't....plain and simple. Yet, in many cases, that simple decision sends us off in a direction that will determine almost all the events that will engulf our lives. If we believe in God, then every single decision that we make must not only bring us in alignment with that belief, but also closer to God. If God exists, and is responsible for all that we see here and feel, then that belief must flow through every cell in our bodies. The alignment with that Divinity will solve most, if not all, of our problems. I am not talking about showing up for Church, or House of Worship, for lip-service on Sunday, I am talking about actually allowing the influence and alignment with God to be with you all week. True Believers know this.

If we don't believe in God, then whether we know it or not, we develop our own alternative belief system. If we eliminate the presence of God, we then have to seek out and acknowledge that something else or someone else is in play. While believing that God does not exist, we are left more or less with one entity running the show.....Man. Mankind calls the shots.

Suppose you invite the truly religious leaders of the world to a party, and one by one you ask, "What does God mean to you?" Over and over again you would probably hear statements like, "God is my source for peace of mind," "God wants us to progress as a human family," and, "God is the Light and our Salvation." Is the purpose for man to contemplate that there is something greater than himself? Or is man's purpose to reach the answer that he or she is the center of their own universe?

For those who believe in God, it can sometimes be quite a hard road to hoe. Doubts, indecision, being criticized, being judged on your Faith. In the belief of God, and of its defense, this all comes with the turf. While at the same time, this belief can also bring peace of mind, tranquility, acceptance of Life after death, a reason and plan for one's existence. For those who do not believe in God, they too have their road to hoe. The mysteries of life haunt all of us....how we solve them individually is up to us. For me, nature holds one of the most profound keys.....as long as the sun rises in the morning, and sets in the evening, someone has created a miracle.

Thanks be to God,
Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Saints and Sinners

2006-02-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

Although I am a Christian, I always try to look inside, look around, to the future, and to the past, to understand why I am here, and what it is I am to learn. That involves being honest with myself, and passing along that which I have found baffling. I truly believe that each generation of mankind has to evolve and become better, in order for the world to move forward and survive. Over two thousand years ago Jesus Christ walked the earth, and left behind an incredible collection of thoughts, beliefs, and miracles. The Prophets of the Old Testament also left their wisdom for us to become better spiritual beings. Other religions, too, have contributed their share to the human library. Yet, isn't it strange...with all this knowledge that has been recited, over and over again, we as a planet are still but a blink away from extinction. Have the Words of the Heavens fallen on generations of deaf ears? or are we the society that is supposed to wake up?

Through wars, natural catastrophes, scandals, and holocausts, man was supposed to learn from his mistakes and never repeat them. Yet today if one was to look around at the state of our planet, one would be hard-pressed to understand why the Holy Books that are close to our fingers, have been pushed so far away. The purpose of mankind was supposed to be to climb the spiritual staircase to bring us closer to God. Over time, the gap between Heaven and earth was supposed to close...yet today, it seems wider. We seem, as a society, to be obsessed with the physical....the latest gadget, or car, the so-called "flavor of the month,"....while our spirits seem to have been placed on the back-burner, hoping one day to find the time to get to them. Two thousand years on from Christ, we have placed a man on the moon, developed "wonder drugs," scaled the walls of invention, and oh yes,....we have created enough nuclear warheads to destroy our planet many times over. A real Christ-like solution to our problems.

Every day I read about another wonderful person who contributes large sums of money to a worthy cause, or a good soul who does a good deed to change the life of someone in need. Through the ages, there are books filled with these types of individuals. Wonderful examples of humanity. Yet over the centuries, what has overall stopped us from climbing that spiritual staircase? There are always those that do....those that figure it out. Still, there are so many who starve the soul, for an ounce of gold. Saints and Sinners...all occupying the same space. I heard tonight on the evening news that 97% of Americans say they believe in God....interesting....
So folks, I think the mantel has been passed to us, every citizen of the world....it is all of our turn to try to turn the corner towards enlightenment. It can be done....but in the nuclear age, it MUST be done. If man was truly made in the image of God, it is time for man to hold up the mirror.
keep climbing the staircase,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Master P.

2006-01-22T10:32:00.000-05:00

One of the popular shows on television right now is "Dancing With The Stars," on the ABC network. For those who have not seen it, the series scenario is matching a professional dancer with a celebrity. They then compete against each other as couples. The dancing couples each cater to a different demographic...some for the young, some for the old. Three judges critique their performances, and the other half of the scoring is based upon the amount of people in the viewing audience who call in to vote for their favorite couple. Each week a different dance is assigned and each couple is judged on their performance. For me, the real unusual star of the show is a rapper who goes by the name of "Master P."

Why "Master P." you may ask? Because he has told everyone that he is going to participate in the competition on his own terms. Dancing shoes? not for Master P.! He has stubbornly said to the judges that he only dances in his lucky basketball shoes. He says he is there to represent the "hood," his hometown posse, who seem to support him loyally. Master P. is no twinkle toes on the dance floor...in fact, he comes across as a lumbering jack, practically with two left feet....still, he appeared to give it his all, under his own terms. Of course, this infuriates the judges and perhaps even some of the viewing audience. Yet, for the past three weeks Master P. has surprised many by not being eliminated from the competition. This past week one judge even said to Master P. that he thought he and the show should, "Part ways." This made Master P. furious, but ironically when audience voting tabulations were made, Master P. was still in the game.

For me, if Master P. had no idea how to dance, or didn't have the talent or finesse to tackle the moves, I would admire his gusto and bravery to attempt the moves. That changed this week when a scene on the show revealed that Master P. is a wizard on the basketball court. The segment showed that not only can Master P. shoot hoops half a court away, he can also do it with his back turned. The man is an extraordinary athlete...then how come that finesse and talent is not being transferred to the dance floor? It begins to appear that Master P. is choosing not to see the connection between basketball and dancing...how many times have we seen basketball players dance with the ball around the court? Still, he is able to receive more than enough audience votes to keep him fully in the competition. It appeared that one of the judges was willing to look over Master P.'s shortcomings, in believing that he may not have been that talented....but when he saw him come alive on the basketball court, his sympathy went out the window.

I believe Master P. is still in the competition because he has a loyal fan base, the ingredients of hidden potential, a competitor who is competing on his own terms, and a person who shows a different angle to the intricacies of ballroom dancing. Tell me, when was the last time you got to see a rapper ballroom dancing on national television? We can say what we want about Master P., but one things for sure, he's got spunk! Some are loving every move...while others.... he is driving them crazy! As long as Master P. stays in the competition, the element of surprise will always be in play.

All the world's a stage,
Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Stuck in the Mud

2006-01-08T10:34:00.000-05:00

If life is truly one huge highway, then we can be sure that the highway will cover all kinds of terrain. Hopefully, a long road that will have it's share of hills and valleys. As long as we're moving, regardless of time and speed, we are heading somewhere...the problems arise when we get sidetracked, confused, or simply stuck in the mud.

Each year I'm always surprised at the amount of people that I run into who seem to have, sadly, given up their dreams and just pass time doing the mundane, and without realizing it, given up. For some reason along the road of life they have decided that their dream is over, and it's senseless to continue to try to reach their goals. On the human highway, they have guided their car off the road and into the mud. Once there, rather than try to get back on the road, they have decided to turn off the engine, and wait. All of our lives have value...no dream or goal is too big, and when we decide to quit, we give notice to ourselves and to others that we are just going to sit around and mark the time, until we die....finito. Doom and gloom, but that is what happens.

I will share with you a story that I think I have mentioned before. Natalie Wood, before she passed away, went to Russia to film a documentary on the people of the Soviet Union. At the time, Communism was in full play. As she went about the country, what started to strike her was that she noticed the people under thirty years old seemed alert and energetic, while after thirty, year by year people got heavy, and developed addictions to different types of substances, mostly alcohol. She came to the conclusion that in Russia, at that time, dreams died at the age of thirty. When I was back in my teens, I used to often go over to a particular friend's house, and one day I noticed that her father was very sad. I said to my friend's mother, "What's wrong with your husband?" She said, "Jennifer, today he turned forty years old, and he realized that there are many things he will not be able to accomplish." My friend's father, I kid you not, was devastated at turning forty, and realizing that many of his dreams had not been accomplished by that age...so, I guess he was deciding to just give up...not being aware that perhaps these dreams and goals could still be realized, at fifty, sixty, or well beyond. Unfortunately, as we drive along the human highway, there are quite a few vehicles stuck in the mud.

I don't know about you, but I've been stuck in the mud a couple of times. I just decided not to stay there....I got out of my car, found a couple of two by fours, stuck them under the back wheels, rocked the car back and forth, hit the gas, and never looked back! I refused to believe that there was no hope at getting back on the road. If one is stuck in the mud, someone can stop by to give you a hand....just make sure that their intentions are good. Each one of us is unique....and our goals and dreams are priceless. As long as we aim realistically, we can succeed. While there are those who never venture again out of the mud, there are far more who have learned to press onward. The mud can be a curse, or a blessing...how we handle it, we decide.

Onward and upward,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2006 Jennifer Avalon