A Reflection for a Wounded and Loved Country

A Reflection for a Wounded and Loved Country

I love this country. 

Not the version sold on bumper stickers

 or shouted through megaphones, 

but the one I grew up believing in. 

The one built on decency, courage, and sacrifice. 

The one my father served with pride. 

The one so many gave their lives to protect—

not just its soil, but its soul.

And yet today, I feel distant from it. 

Not because I’ve stopped loving it, but because I still do. 

I see a nation adrift, led by ambition instead of wisdom, 

power instead of principle, greed instead of grace.

The values that once guided us—truth, compassion, responsibility—

feel buried beneath noise and cruelty. 

But I will not let that harden my heart. 

I will not let anger turn to apathy. 

Because love—real love—

doesn’t walk away when things get dark. 

It stays. 

It grieves. 

It remembers what once was possible. 

 I honor the quiet patriots who still care. 

The neighbor who helps without being asked. 

The veteran who still believes in service.

The child who sees injustice and asks why.

I pray—not to a distant God who picks sides,

but to the quiet wisdom that lives in conscience:

That this nation might still remember who it is.

That we might choose mercy over might.

That those in power might remember 

the people they were meant to serve.

I still love this country.

Enough to be disappointed.

Enough to speak up.

Enough to believe we are capable of better—

because we must be.

And on this day, I plant that love 

in the soil of truth, 

and trust it will grow again. 

 

Tom C. Stilwell

July 4, 2025

No Matter Where You Go

I'm deeply familiar with "living with an enemy that knows [me] best,"
I say ruefully with chagrin; although the voice in my head
has gotten much, much more supportive and friendlier in recent years.  

Ripening has its perks although I sincerely wish she'd showed up sooner.

"It's ok, I'm here now, she says quietly"

May the voice in your head be kind, friendly, and encouraging.

May she show you your magnificence.

Namaste'

 

There Are Parts Of You

This quote has been shadowing me for some time.

I feel sadness creep closer and quickly shift direction;

diverting my attention to something less fraught.

I've avoided sharing it numerous times.

What better way to ignore the "parts of me that want the sadness"?

Trouble is, it doesn't banish it. There is only one way to do that.

Today, I'm stepping up and stepping in to the experience.

Baby steps is how I will proceed because its the best I can manage.

There is an over abundance of things to feel sad about.

I remind myself although sadness is painful, and really hard,

it is not fatal and it is worth the encounter.  

It's the only way to let it loose.

I will survive and thrive by

acknowledging its presence and its preciousness.

Namaste'

PS:  An extreme amount of waffling has gone in to sharing this quote!! 

 

You Are The Author

"Who needs preservation when the moment was never meant to last?"

I can't help but be reminded of why preservation is important.

Especially when it comes to the abundance of the summer garden

feeding us in the depth of winter.

How we long for moments of beauty to last!

Because they help us get through the ugly ones.

This is why we press flowers to pages,

take photos of loved ones,

put art on our walls, music in our rooms,

plant seeds and bulbs in our gardens.

We are the author of our lives...

we understand the momentary.

Breathing in the blooming is vital.

So is preserving and remembering.

It's all a glorious mishmash of appreciation.

Namaste'

 

COURAGE

"Courage has roots."

I'm enchanted with roots;

as I am enamored with the mycylial network.

Courage indeed as I contemplate the tiny seed

and the bravery required to expand from the shell

confident that exactly the right combination of conditions

will be there making it possible to send out roots and grow.

"Courage is not afraid to pray, even when she is not sure who she is praying to."

Another mighty statement.

It does take great courage to pray when you no longer believe

in the God of your childhood or in any god at all.

In this case, I'd say prayer becomes a belief in the power

of goodness; of the universe and each other.

To believe in this when there is so much evidence to the contrary

is most definitely a courageous act.

Let's wrap ourselves in this energetic mantle of courage.

Let us expand our roots of goodness.

Let us use our voices and our actions 

to grow a world where kindness is abundant

and courage is transforming the landscape

with decency and dignity.

Namaste'

 

I Don't Want To Be

Cicatrice: the scar of a healed wound. a scar on the bark of a tree.

BOTANY a mark on a stem left after a leaf or other part has become detached.

"There is no joy in abstinence from living."

I had  to sit with this for a bit.

It makes me a little uncomfortable...

frankly, it sounds like a whole lot of work.

Pink Floyd's lyric "comfortably numb" comes to mind.

Which makes me consider how worn out one can get

from avoiding difficult realities.

Taking them on can be energizing.

"Liberating ourselves from the golden handcuffs

of self-imposed fear" could be a wild adventure...

may be even better than anything we could imagine?

Now I'm giving a thought to what 

"self-imposed fears" have me confined.

I might need a sign that says:

"Brace yourself, I'm becoming a liberated liberal!"

Wouldn't that be an exercise in courage?

Namaste'

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How Lucky We Are

Obviously tongue in cheek

while also being sadly true.

Try to find a current poetry book in the library

and you'll know what I mean.

It's one of the perks of social media.

In one way, it shouldn't be surprising...

poetry, when well done is priceless.

It can be exceptionally powerful,

especially in fraught times when

all our inner resources are stretched to the limit.

It proves to us we are not alone and often

offers a radically different way of seeing things,

or a tender reminder of what we may have forgotten.

It's a window to goodness when the world feels savage.

Do what you can to support our poets.

They are a treasure.

Namaste'

 

People Speak of Hope

This strong version of hope is required today...

(isn't it always?)

with these stark and cruel circumstances.

She is giving her all without hesitation.

It's not about appearances,

it's about perseverance

and running interference...

protecting and defending those at risk.

Each of us is a guardian of truth, liberty and justice for all

AND the pursuit of happiness.

We're in this together...

We can do this!

Namaste'

 

Some Are Posting

Everyone is doing what they can.

We can do more and we will.

The main thing is being kind...

to ourselves and to each other.

The energy of respect is contagious.

The energy of decency expands.

Every peaceful thought has an impact.

Fear and hatred are contagious as well; however,

they are no match for decency and respect, bolstered by

the power of equality and true justice for every being.

Namaste'

 

Me, To My Therapist:

"did their trauma given them the right

to create new trauma inside you?"

That is a question for our days, is it not?

Although, I wonder if we can lose the "them"

and make it "us"?

Does anyone have the right 

to traumatize another person, ever?

It happens all the time and has for centuries.

Sometimes its unconcious and unintentional.

But, when its done with malignant forethought and planning? 

Can we envision a world where this does not happen?

Can humans learn goodness as well or better than we learn cruelty?

I believe that's the possibility we strive for.

We can feel how the fear and intimidation spreads,

We can also feel how dignity and decency spread...even more.

It is possible.  It is happening. 

Raise a flag to dignity and decency. 

We won't give up.  We can't give up.

We are doing this together.

And we will prevail.

Namaste'

 

In Your Own Rhythm

Isn't this an enchanting way to end the week?

Yes, things are falling apart right now in scary ways...

(I'm thinking of the caterpillar liquifying into a butterfly.)

These words give me great comfort and boost my resilience.

They help me let go of the fear I've missed out on something

as my days wind down and ripening deepens.

I have rushed through much of my life, I confess.

It would have been great to learn this lesson a wee bit earlier.

But I am going to take this sentiment to heart and believe

everything has been perfectly timed.

Namaste'

 

A Woman of a Certain Age

"To wipe away glossy apologies and 

wear no like the fiery red lip that it is."

I ADORE this line.

 I want to hug it tightly, 

throw my head back, and 

howl with glee.

From "dripping peach to zested lemon"? 

I'm ok with that. 

As I'm ok with "scalding when swallowed";

especially if its the truth after a gluttony of lies.

Making the world sputter and choke on the secrets 

I'm no longer keeping?

Hmmm...I think I'll keep some of my secrets for the time being.

"Burning the script is an option".

"Forgetting the whole damn story" is not.

However,

"exposing the well-guarded truth 

that youth does not equal beauty"?

That's the sweetest exposition of all.

"Diving headfirst into my own desire" is 

ridiculously appealing however,

these days, there's a need and a duty

for protecting and preserving

dignity and decency...

figuring out how to merge the two

is the bull's eye of my days.

So, my friends and comrades...

"wipe away your glossy apologies

and wear no like the fiery red lip that it is"!!

We're in this together!

Namaste'

 

Oh, You Forced Yourself

I get a kick out of this.

It's good to get a moment of comic relief.

Yes, a party sounds delightful.  

Even if its a party of one...

off somewhere playing at something fun...

but, lord no, don't call John Calvin.  

Namaste'

 

When The Caterpillar

"She completely liquifies her body

and rebuilds herself from scratch.

It is a messy, violent, chaotic process."

Could that be what is going on with America?

Are we in the chrysalis?

I shudder at the word violent, yet,

 there's no question it's part of it.

And then there's "done in silence and secrecy"?

It might be a matter of perspective. 

I'm thinking the caterpillar isn't feeling 

like what's happening is silent or secret.

Nor does she care.  

She's all up in it...consumed (literally) by the process.

Indeed, may we "survive our metamorphosis!

Namaste'

 

In The End

I realize I've shared several of Anderson's quotes in the past;

(crypto means hidden...I didn't know that.) 

His way of mixing metaphors 

between earth and human appeals to me.

Try changing the first three sentences to present tense.

Does it make a difference?

I'm asking myself what love and knowledge I'm

setting in motion...trying to be more cognizant of this.

Saturday, at the No Kings rally, some folks drove by

and made unfriendly gestures. I felt myself getting riled up.

 A young boy in front of me called "we love you" in response. 

I was struck by how quickly my internal weather changed.

It was like the sun came out after a cold, dreary day.

 Then a man behind me began doing so in a strong voice 

and magnified the sense of good will.

A woman walked by on the other side of the street 

and claimed, "he's my king".

We called back, "we love you anyway".

It was all a welcome lesson for my ripening soul.

The word love may be overused

yet it still carries power.

Namaste'

 

We Let Our Hopes Go Up

I had something else queued for today until I saw this.

It activated something inside that made tears well up.

It was the thought of "imagination standing there,

waiting to cradle the ones that fall."

Hopes certainly seem to be falling frequently these days.

This encourages me to tap into imagination for cradling

and guidance going forward.

The image encourages me to pay close attention 

although sometimes, I find 

softening my gaze and letting my mind wander

brings imagination closer than straight on gazing.

It also encourages me to seek out the tiny,

the small, the apparently insignificant...

I picked a bouquet of grasses yesterday.

Not sure why other than I 

felt they deserved some notice. 

I remind myself hope happens

among the quiet folds of ordinary living...

it does not require loud, audacious or dramatic.

It's a moment by moment love affair.

We're in this together.

It is truly up to us and we've got this.

Imagination is showing us the way,

Namaste'

 

Life Is

At first glance this doesn't feel like much of a quote.

However, upon reflection, life today certainly does

 seem to be about undergoing...or enduring....

wretched things happening everywhere, even close to home.

"We are constitutionally in the midst."

Isn't this the sad, sad truth?

This is why focusing on the forests and rivers is vital.

Last night, after sitting through a long meeting 

with a disappointing outcome, 

seeing fireflies for the first time this season

was the delight I needed to remember to soak in

tiny bits of joy strong amongst the detritus.

Let the forest and the rivers enliven us.

We will stand strong together.

We are not a minority.

We are massive in number and mighty in spirit.

We simply need to make ourselves visible.

Namaste'

 

I Used To Think

These words give me hope...

on these days when I ask myself what possible

contribution this art I'm making is bringing to the world.

They help me to continue to trust in what I do not know which

lives inside of me and wants to be revealed...that needs to be seen.

It surprises me how demanding this is.

To believe when there is no solid evidence to do so.

To believe when things seem small and pointless

in the face of so much vying for attention and care.

And to believe in myself, no less, rather than some deity.

Could it be true whatever is divine is already here?

That feels like way too bold of a stretch.

Once again I'm reminded that its the small steps

and hesitant questions that lead the way.  

It's staying the course even when I not sure where I'm going.

It's believing the river of goodness exists within me 

and the world around me even when things look bleak.

We are in this together and we will prevail.

Our journey matters.

Namaste'

 

Today Is A Good Day

These words are brimming...overflowing.

It feels wrong to add any commentary; rather,

I want to etch them into the back of my hands;

carry them in every pocket, tattoo them on my forearm

and never wear sleeves so I am reminded always.

Let them dissolve into my bones,

turn to permanent ink in my blood stream.

This is word made flesh...dwelling among us...

dwelling within me.

Namaste'

 

I Want To Tell All Women

"It's about owning the ocean of who you ARE."

Let's think about how vast and majestic the ocean is...

the landscapes existing deep within;

the amazing creatures living within the depths;

now apply those elements to yourself.

This is what I would call ripening.

Enjoy the gift...the present of your own presence.

It's everything.

Namaste'

 

There Are Things You Do

Something lighter today for balance.

I've come to enjoy being in the mystery of darkness;

however sitting in the midst of madness is a different story.

This requires strong measures of concentrated goodness 

for sanity and well being.

I hope with fierce intent that this regime will soon end.

In the meantime, let's remember to balance the work

of resistance with the joy of existance in a world filled with beauty

often found in unexpected places amidst unplanned happenings.

Many carry heavy backpacks of heartache...

let's continue being gentle with each other and with ourselves.

We've got this....we're doing it....together and we will prevail.

Namaste'

 

That Kind Of Hope

"It looks the world full on, it looks reality in the face,

and it refuses to accept that things have to be this way."

Easy to write these words, not so easy to act them out.

Its PAINFUL to look reality in the face and 

see all the NEEDLESS suffering and destruction 

caused by humans.  It's just full-stop HARD.

(I'm going to exercise my goodness muscle and say

hurt humans.  Humans who don't know any better.

Humans who don't care because they are deeply wounded.)

I want to make them monsters and demons;

I want to destroy them for their heartless greed

and need to dominate others but that 

takes me nowhere I want to be.  

And it doesn't work.

Now, my "intelligence, energy, persistence,

creativity and courage" must gather the power

to get behind and sustain this insistence...

this "refusal to accept that things have to be this way."

May the goodness from the universe and beyond

be the force that propels and sustains us.

We are in this together.

Namaste'

 

I'm Talking About Hope

"In the face of profound, reasonable despair,

hope is a calling."

This is something I can live with...

I've been adamantly refusing to use the word despair 

because it means giving up and I reject

giving up with every fiber of my being.

I can carry "reasonable" despair 

even as I detest its presence in my sphere.

Why is it some people feel the need and the right

to force their will upon others, 

and do so with impunity?

Why is that?

I wish humans had the capacity 

of trees to alter their chemical composition

in order to banish predators.

Perhaps we do in some way?

We need to employ whatever resources

we have with vigor and charisma.

I'm ok with casting spells if that's what it takes!

This is me, flexing and strengthening my hope muscle.

Namaste'

 

To River

If you give this some thought, we are  "rivering" constantly.

Our physical bodies contain enough water to make us a mini river...

flowing along...picking up and carrying things we encounter...

occasionally leaving them on the shore when we're done with them...

We carry microbiomes of life...bacteria, fungi and viruses...

similar to the habitats living in healthy rivers.

Our mind is like a river...

 currents, thoughts and energy of emotions 

moving through time and space.

I am enchanted by the idea of "rivering"!

Isn't it ironic that auto correct changes it to riveting?

Namaste'

Rivers Are Easily Wounded

It's a stretch to contemplate this right now as our river 

has so recently been ravaged.

However, I find hope in these words and

trust reality will follow in the healing of the river, with time.

"Remarkable speed" is a relative term, isn't it?

May the river respond with robust resilience 

and may we humans follow the lead 

as we find ourselves in the midst of a different kind of ravaging.

Human dignity, respect and decency being plundered before our eyes.

Kindness, fairness and empathy scoffed at, rejected, dismissed.

Truth kidnapped and held hostage.

We are resilient...we resist and persist and prevail.

This is us, together, healing ourselves.

Our goodness is pouring back.

Namaste'

 

We Read Each Name

The situation in Gaza has been haunting me, yet, I've 

stored it away where things I cannot control reside.

Two days ago, I read this story

about a doctor working in a hospital in Gaza

when the charred remains of 9 of her 10 children were brought in.

I learned about it via Nikita Gill's Instagram feed.

She asked what poetry can do in a world where this happens.

This poem is her response.

I am sharing it from the river of tears in my heart...

"This is all it means to be human.

To know the beating heart of the world

even when it is a wound."

We are all carrying the wounds of this world

and it is a torturously heavy burden...

May this be a catalyst for gathering our forces,

for showing us how we need each other,

to help carry this together.

It is the only path toward healing.

Namaste'

 

There Was A Forest

This fantasy verse fascinates me.

"It doesn't make sense", I think to myself.

But its the bits of nonsensical that appeal to me.

A "forest who grew without touching the ground", 

the "mist holding her up"?

It conjures delicious imagery to contemplate.

And then, the trees, thin as veins,

 reached for something they couldn't see."?

My favorite line. 

I'm frequently reaching for something I can't see.

We'll ignore the "thin as veins".

"some things are too full of sky to fall."

I feel as though the sky is a constant companion

as I walk the woods, drive the car and sit by the window.

Endless variety and relatively constant motion here.

I have a bit of an issue with 

"some things don't even know they're lost."

It's the word things.  

I'm practicing the art of seeing

"things" as animate rather than inanimate objects.

That being said, I love the phrase.

Aren't we all a bit lost?  Always?

Namaste'

 

To Free Us

It seems to me this is critical work, 

especially for women of my generation.

And it should be noncritical in nature, in my opinion.

We are masterful at sensing what is expected of us.

I believe the programming begins at conception.

I guess it's logical that it takes a lifetime 

to free ourselves from it's clutches.

"to give us back to ourselves..

there lies the great, singular power

of self respect."

Let this be the music of our days.

Namaste'