They're Not In There Anymore

How many of you have looked at a dead person? I'm not talking on TV, I'm talking in person. Maybe it's part of your job, maybe you had a loved one pass on from this life. Either way, did you look at them? Were their eyes open? What did you see?

Maybe it makes a difference if you see them right after they die versus hours after they die, but when I look at a body, I see an empty shell. The body looks flat. You can tell that there is something important missing, something that once made it look full is no longer there. It almost reminds me of a sack of sand, where everything is pulled towards the back and if you poked it, the impression would remain. I know this sounds incredible callous, to be talking about a loved one in this manner, but are they really still your loved one any more? I don't think they are. The person you knew and loved, the essence, the soul of that human who you cared for, is gone and you're left with an empty box.

Where does that essence, that energy, someone's soul go? How does it get out of the box? When does it know to leave? What keeps the soul connected to the body to begin with? How does it get in there? Is it when the heart stops pumping, is that the sign? Or is it when there are no more brainwaves or are there no more brainwaves because the soul (energy) left? Brainwaves are electricity after all. Does that mean when we put people on life support, we are artificially tethering their soul to a broken shell? Not allowing their energy to leave? What about the premise that energy is neither created nor destroyed, does that mean the energy that is in my body currently has been in another body? If so, whose and how many others? Maybe it's not science at all, maybe it's God who lets the soul know it's time to come home and releases the essence of the person from their physical container.

I have no answers but have a mixture of faith and science. Our soul is the energy that keeps our bodies full. These earthly shells will only last so long, some get damaged or are diseased before they should be, others deteriorate with age. When it's time, God does call us home and allows our souls to be released from our physical bodies. Whether there is a Heaven or we move onto a new body, I don't know. What I have learned is I don't want my loved ones to see my empty, lifeless body. Let them remember me when it was full of energy. Don't let them see the sack of sand, the empty glass. 

"Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"

by Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do no stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on the snow.

I am the sunlight on the ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the sift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft starts that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there; I did not die.

We're Fat Americans

Are Americans the laughing stock of the rest of the world? As each day passes this question rears its ugly head more and more. We have a dysfunctional family called the Khardashians whose rise to fame was due the matriarch allowing her family's daily lives to be put on TV and the viewing public eating this "reality TV" up. We watch this TV show over the National news. I guarantee you most Americans can tell you what the decathlete formerly known as Bruce Jenner's new transgender name is over knowing a soldier's name from their hometown. Most of us only speak one language, myself included, while the rest of the world is usually bilingual at a minimum. And boy are we fat. Not just a a couple of us with a little extra weight, we're F-A-T, fat. Fat like Randy from "A Christmas Story" whose mom bundles him up with so many layers, when he falls over he can't get back up fat. And what's worse than adults being fat, go to the beach or a swimming pool and look at the kids, they're fat too. It breaks my heart. When I was growing up, there might have been one, maybe two overweight kids in class and they were tormented. "Fatty, fatty two-by-four couldn't fit through the kitchen door" and countless other vicious rhymes. Now it's the skinny kids that get picked on because they're atypical. Since when did it become wrong to be a healthy, normal sized kid? Since we became The FAT Americans, that's when.

I think most of us know that the obesity epidemic is due to our horrific diet of processed, refined and sugar-filled crap, laden with GMOs and artificial colors and chemicals whose names I can't even begin to pronounce. I'm guilt of ingesting what is being passed-off as "food" but the ingredients, even when I try and sound them out, make me sound like I'm Penny trying to talk to Sheldon about theoretical physics. How do I know that a lot of "foods" have big, grown-up words on the labels? Because for about a year I've been diligently reading them and making a conscious choice about what I eat, albeit not always the best choice. The conclusion I've come to is this epidemic is going to be one of the hardest to overcome. Sugar is in almost everything that's processed, even if it's not needed. Why would soup need sugar? Bread? Juice? And many Americans don't know any better, don't know why white flour, white bread, white rice are unhealthy for themselves and their families. They don't understand the pre-cursors to diabetes and what the lasting effects of this disease are. They think soda is an ok beverage to drink everyday. Yes, I said ok to drink everyday and they let their kids drink it, everyday. Soda in my house is a treat, like candy. It's one of the worst offenders of overall health and wellness in America today. 

Here are some facts about soda, pop, cola, coke and all the other names it goes by:

- Causes obesity

- Causes diabetes

- Linked to high blood pressure

- Increased chance of stroke

- Higher rate of osteoporosis

- Tooth decay

You may think I'm just out to slam soda makers, that they are evil. If that's what you think, please do your own research, see for yourself that soda is one beverage that should be avoided except on occasion, it should be a treat, not what you drink for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and before bed. Opt for water with a hint of fruit juice, tea (hot or unsweetened with ice)...there are better choices. While it may be hard to go cold turkey, just know that once your body adapts, and it will, you will feel more energy, your skin will look better and most people lose weight. 

Links to Sites:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/131088-bad-effects-cocacola/

http://www.medicaldaily.com/pulse/soft-drink-dangers-8-ways-soda-negatively-affects-your-health-319054

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/diet-soda/faq-20057855

http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/03/soda-do-you-drink-it-every-day/

http://www.today.com/health/diet-soda-doing-these-7-awful-things-your-body-1C6558748

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/03/17/bad-news-diet-soda-drinkers-your-favorite-beverage-may-lead-to-more-belly-fat-as-you-age/

Something Fun That Doesn't Involved Mud

I'm always looking for fun little experiments and things to do with my son. Science experiments that fizz and smoke. Things that can be built with nails, hammers and saws. And of course anything at all with mud. Ok, maybe these are some of his favorite things. I can get into the science stuff, and the building things I'm adequate at. I own my own power drill and can hang my own curtains, but I've never spent a lot of time building anything substantial. And the mud...at one time in my life I did enjoy the fine baking skills of mud pies, but now mud simply equals something I have to clean. Yes, I know he's a boy and yes, my yard is muddy and woody (on purpose), but I still have to clean what he brings in, which is not limited to feet, sneaker, muck boots, knees, pants, hands, elbows, face, hair, the dog, assorted insects and other random critters, sticks, and rocks to name a few. And I love when the door knob is covered in mud and I put my hand on it, oh the joy. But then I take a deep breath and remember that it's only mud, it does clean and this is actually what being a kid is all about. That I should be thankful he's not glued to the TV 100% of the time, but then I step in the pile of mud and just look upwards and ask God for a bit more patience, please.

Ok, I've totally digressed, back to fun little things to do that don't involved mud. Did you know there are some vegetable you can grow from scraps? Me neither. But after doing a bit of research here's a few that I found and how to do.

Romaine Lettuce
Put romaine lettuce stump in 1/2" of water and keep at that level. In a few days roots and new leaves will appear, you can transplant into soil.











Celery
Cut off the base of the celery and place in a cup or shallow bowl of warm water in the sun. Leaves will begin to grow from the middle of the stalk and can then be transferred to soil.



Basil
Put the basil clippings with 3-4" stems in a glass of water in direct sunlight. When the roots about about 2" long, plant in soil and no time you will have a full basil plant.

Scallions (green onions)
Regrow scallions by leaving an inch attached to the roots and place them in a small glass with a little water in a well-lit room. You can either replant or continue to grow in water.

So, if you're looking for some fun, simple experiments to do that yield edible results, here you go, enjoy.