May 29, 2008 One More Time

Our youngest, Ariel, gave birth yesterday shortly after 4AM to a lovely boy, un-named as of this writing…a natural childbirth.  She will be home tomorrow.  She had to fill out all sorts of forms because she won’t allow any vaccinations.

He is my 8th, and likely last grandchild.  I’ve been very laid back about him, but as I write various friends I realize how excited I really am.  There’s something in that – how sharing with others reveals you to yourself.

So in this year so far, our youngest daughter Ariel has given birth, Sunny, our oldest - because of Aliya’s love – is moving to a house of her own.  I tell you, her yard is the yard of a million dollar home and the home is in Hamilton, near an excellent school.  And my now next older grandson is almost 8 months old – He talks with me all the time.

When you have family like that, nothing else matter.  We are blessed One More Time.  I am secure in my commitments – to a sustainable planet, to social justice and to spiritual fulfillment.

May 26, 2008 Happy? Monday

This is about contradiction.  There’s no work.  There’s no school.  It’s a perfect day; temperature 80+, cloudless sky, just the right breeze.  And it’s memorial day.  Be happy.  Remember the dead, the brave, the sacrificed.  Watch war memories on television with the windows open.

How do we be on a day like this?

Here’s how I am.  Happy, playing with happy grandchildren, being outside.  Praying the war will end — everywhere, praying for us to build our future, not destroy it — saying what I want, writing poems.  Being grateful for what we have, for what works, for today.

Going for a walk.

May 21, 2008 Getting There

I haven’t been up to getting moving – It’s 3PM and I’m starting.  email takes too effing long; even just deleting…

I am working at separation — separating the work I do for tomorrow and the work I do for today.  It’s difficult because in my mind tomorrow always has precedence.  But today is earning a living.  Today has the virtue of immediacy, the call of urgency.  Tomorrow has the virtue of pleasure, the call of importance.

It seems we are all caught by the pull of urgency and the call of importance.

And between Scylla and Charybidis is commitment… my commitment to a sustainable tomorrow – without it there ain’t me, us or it… the commitment to spiritual fulfillment that makes it all worthwhile, that gives it meaning beyond facts….the commitment to social justice becayuse it’s not just you and me and never has been… and we forget that.

May 17, 2008 I’m Back!

A vacation in Cape Cod – the only bad things were getting there and returning — a normal 5+ hour drive took over 8 hours each way.  Was it the rain?  Was it Friday? Both?  Nancy and I loved even the travel.  It’s rare to spend that much time together, but really — together.  Enough to have us overjoyed at arriving there…when plain joyed would have been enough

My favorite was finding this organic farm a few miles outside of Falmouth.  What got me was their collection of field greens, including edible flowers…Flowers!!  Who knew??  Nasturtiums…Spicy and wonderful.  Owned by a couple from Ghana.

It was cold, ridiculous for mid-May; never wore short sleeves all week.  Cold; don’t think of a wine-tasting as being for warmth.  ’nuff.  My inbox has well over 500 emails and I have to readjust to being here.

May 1, 2008 More Learning

I tried an experiment last night.  Me to We coaching is based on these premises – 1)  that people who make a contribution are more open to be contributed to 2) that when one person sees something, the sharing will register with other people.3)that anything is an opportunity for fruitful coaching.

Last night I ran a session with a total of eight of us, really to test the validity of these premises.  And the premises are valid; an excellent session

What do you think about being a fly on the wall for one of those coaching sessions?

To me, this is just one of the ways that I work to fulfill my saying that I bring  Joy and Satisfaction — Environmental Sustainability, Spiritual Fulfillment and Social Justice to  People’s Lives 

April 29, 2008 Gratitude

Sunday is World Laughter Day…never new that.  We need more laughter. Be grateful for the human comedy.

I take specific time every day to be grateful – though spontaneously, not scheduled.  Certainly, whenever I have down feelings, I remind myself of the wonders of life – simple sunlight, a spring rain, the miracles of my family, the blessings of having friends.  Gratitude is a very high state of being – sends out great vibrations.  And, I’m sure, attracts great vibrations.

I am convinced of the validity of Me to We coaching.  In fact the path to a winning future is creating a Me to We world.  Gratitude can lead the way, replacing resentment.  With resentment you forget what to be grateful for.  With gratitude you can enviion a sustainqble environment, spiritual fulfillment and social justice.

April 22, 2008 Earth Day

I am committed to a sustainable environment, social justice and spiritual fulfillment for all of us.  Earth Day is about all three.  You can’t have one without the other.  If I lived in a cave and meditated –And survived only by breathing, I would still need the mountain, the cave, the air… would still need to be left alone.   We cannot support the environment without social justice – Who will force the government to take any action?  Only all of us.  And who will stop that action from harming the disadvantaged, keeping the wealthy undisturbed?  Only all of us.  In fact, “only all of us” could be our. mantra

Aptil 19, 2008 The new immediatley by michel lipp

I always start the day by writing this.  I’m starting my day late.  Shopping at Whole Foods, then toys for Brandon – tomorrow he’s 6 – at Target; then a quick good morning to Camron and making lunch.  We are having a non-seder Passover; Too much young, undisciplined family . I celebrate my freedon by allowing them theirs

Anyhow it’s my annual treat of matzo Brei for breakfast.  If you don’t know what is is – it’s French Toast made with matzos.  Superb.  Eatedn with jam, maple syrup, sugar and cinnamon.  My father just used salt and pepper.  So a quicky — To your freedom; And our planet’s

March 24, 2008 Spring Break

The impudent teenager wants to take that title and not write anything – and somewhere that tempts me.  But I’m saying this more about Diamond — Mom and Grandma work and she’s home – having to play.  Ironic.

Monday is always busy for me – I write my essays for next Monday, which includes creating new poetry.  And, of course, there’s the “normal” Monday activities – the phone calls, the commitments,… And yesterday was a holiday for some of my family.  Have I ever mentioned my family’s personal diversity?  My son is married to a born-again Christian (with 3 sons, twin grandsons and a grnddaughter).  My two oldest dayghters are both pagan – Wiccans, as is Deborah’s son.  My next two daughters are each with African American men, one a husband, the other a commitment-phobe father- They account for 5 grandchildren – 4 boys and Diamond, who, appropriately is the leader.  And my youngest daughter, divorced from her daughter’s African American father and pregnant with her white catholic raised son.  Whew…

When I read that, I think – no wonder I’m committed to Social Justice – as well as Environmental Sustainability and Sporotual Fulfillment –takes all of that just for a family gathering.

March 18, 2008 TRP

Last night was the third session of my free seminar, The Relationship Principles.  As often happens, the seminar went its own way and carried me along with it.  And what I saw was that I had never seen the inter-relatedness of commitment and vulnerability.  And, personally, with that and creativity.

Mostly I had never seen how guarded we are to keep our vulnerablity hidden, to protect ourselves - to seem invulnerable.  Probably because we all have somewhere in our past multiple instances of being hurt. 

I’m still puzzling over this.  My point is that this seminar is a constant surprise.  I don’t know if I said this before, but insights are contagious.  Once started, they cascade… and there’s a sense of safety that allows us to lower our guard.

The next cycle of the free 6-session seminar starts April 21 and runs through June 9, missing May 5 and 26.  You can find out more and register on my website, www.michaellipp.com