Author Archives: Patrick Cole

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About Patrick Cole

Husband, parent and writer. Sharing stories with a little humor and wisdom along the way.

High Coo – Dec 15 – A Benevolent Universe

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Today’s senryu: A Benevolent Universe

what we see reveals

our perspective shapes belief

see good and enjoy

Below is a beautiful sharing from Richard Rohr‘s Daily Meditations referencing Satish Kumar‘s thoughts on A Benevolent Universe. (https://cac.org/daily-meditations/) Hope you enjoy this.

Satish Kumar, a former Jain monk, is an activist and educator who has studied both Eastern religions and Western economics and cultures. He writes that recognizing a benevolent universe helps us participate in the flow of generosity:   

We live in a benevolent universe. . . .  

The benevolence of the soil is endless; it helps one single seed to multiply into millions of seeds for hundreds of years, producing colourful, aromatic, juicy and delicious fruit, feeding birds, bees, humans and animals. The tree celebrates the benevolence of the soil and becomes benevolent in return, offering its fruit to whoever is in need, without condition and without judgement. . . .  

The benevolence of the sun is beyond the capacity of words to describe. It burns itself to maintain life. . . . It provides conditions for photosynthesis for the whole plant kingdom to nourish itself and give nourishment to bacteria, insects, birds and animals. 

The moon is benevolent. It maintains the cycle of life and cycle of time. Time and tide are sustained by its presence. . . .  

Rain is benevolent. It . . . delivers itself to every farm, field, forest, mountain and human habitat, free of charge, without needing any external supply of energy. It moistens the soil, quenches the thirst, fills rivers, ponds, lakes and wells and in partnership with the sun it feeds the world. . . .  

Air is benevolent. We breathe, therefore we are. Air is related to the spirit, to inspiration, to spirituality. . . . Air is breath of Brahman, breath of the universe, breath of God. In Sanskrit air is prana, which means life itself. . . . 

Space is benevolent. All and everything is held in space and by space. All movements, all changes and every kind of dynamism are sustained in the stillness of space. We always need to be mindful of reducing our clutter and maintaining spaciousness in order to be detached and free. 

Soul is benevolent. Compassion, kindness, generosity and inner luminosity are the qualities of the soul. Mind, intelligence, and consciousness are held in and processed by soul. Soul is the seed of life. Feelings, emotions, sentiments, intuition and reason pass through soul and manifest in the world. . . . It is not only humans who have soul; animals, birds, insects and microbes have soul. Soil, trees, rocks and rivers have soul. . . .

The world is how you see it and what you make of it. If you look at the world with benevolent eyes, the world reciprocates with benevolence. If you project suspicion and self-interest, you get the same in return. Trust begets trust and fear begets fear. Recognizing the benevolence of the universe is not to deny the shadow side, but seeing nature as red in tooth and claw and people as selfish and greedy makes us respond in similar vein. If we sow seeds of malevolence, malevolence will grow; if we sow seeds of benevolence, benevolence will grow.

Satish Kumar, Soil, Soul, Society: A New Trinity for Our Time (Brighton, UK: Leaping Hare Press, 2017), 160, 161–162, 163. 

Satish Kumar at The Convention on Modern Liberty, London, 28/2/2009 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satish_Kumar

High Coo – Dec 14 – National Monkey Day

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“December 14 is Monkey Day! We may look just a bit different from our primate pals, but we shouldn’t forget that we share a common ancestor with them in chimpanzees! Warm up those vocal cords and get ready to unleash your wildest calls and cries in observance of this holiday, which celebrates not just monkeys, but everything simian. 

Casey Sorrow and Erik Millikin, both studying art at Michigan State University, are responsible for the creation of this simian-centric celebratory day. Sorrow (fittingly) would admit to the Detroit Metro Times that he experienced a form of malaise around the holiday season and felt compelled to find a way to combat these December blues. After jokingly jotting down “Monkey Day” in a friend’s calendar, Sorrow took the idea and ran with it … What started out as a bit of fun has evolved into a full-blown operation. Monkey Day serves as an important anniversary each year for raising awareness of modern threats to monkeys, with entities such as National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, and Greenpeace promoting the day.” https://nationaltoday.com/monkey-day/

Today’s haiku: National Monkey Day

Any season think:

our ancestors wish us well –

do monkey around

High Coo – Dec 13 – National Horse Day

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I had a horse in my early teen years. Honey was a retired barrel-bender; an American Quarter Horse. I truly enjoyed brushing, exercising, feeding and cleaning out her stall daily. Many good memories.

Here’s today’s senryu: National Horse Day

Bareback or saddled

we enjoyed the trails and the

“smoke ‘er home” returns

“National Horse Day is celebrated every December 13. It’s a day to remember the economic, historic, and cultural contributions that horses have made. Equine enthusiasts across the country will get together on December 13 to show their appreciation for these majestic creatures. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or have never been on a horse in your life, check out some ways you can recognize the day!” https://nationaltoday.com/national-horse-day/

High Coo – Dec 11 – Love Everything?

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I’m a work in progress with no clear finish line in sight. Yet, I aspire to being and doing better.

Below is my latest senryu and the quote that inspired it.

Today’s senryu: Love Everything?

I know I love you

and animals and plants – but –

purists, not so much

“Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to understand it every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love … Things flow and are indirectly linked together, and if you push here, something will move at the other end of the world.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov as quoted by Richard Rohr in Immortal Diamond (c) 2013, Jossey-Bass, p.159

https://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Diamond

https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Karamazov-Bicentennial-Novel-Epilogue

High Coo – Dec 4 – Animal Blessings

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Who blesses who? Who loves who? Who rescues who?

It’s been three days since we said goodbye to Lexie. Today I say hello again and look forward to the day we all will meet in the Pure Land aka Rainbow Bridge.

Below are a couple of quotes from the excellent book Blessing the Animals by Lynn L. Caruso (c) 2006 to comfort us in the meantime.

“The love we give to a pet, and receive from a pet, can draw us more deeply into the larger circle of life, into the wonder of our common relationship to our Creator.” Kevin E. Mackin, OFM referenced on p.23 Blessing for Cats

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” Albert Schweitzer referenced on p.31 Blessings for Cats

“May all creatures be freed from their suffering. May all creatures be freed from their illness. May those in fear be comforted and those bound be set free.” Buddhist prayer adapted by Lynn L. Caruso Partings p.180

Today’s humble senryu: Lexie

we will not forget

our love for each other – we

will reunite soon

Leezy (with caramel-colored feet) and her sister Lexie (with white feet)

Dec 3 – How to Live When a Loved One Dies

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https://www.parallax.org/authors/thich-nhat-hanh/

“Our loved ones are in us and we are in them. When a loved one dies, a part of us also dies.” p.2

“We are in the habit of identifying ourselves with our bodies. The idea that we are this body is deeply entrenched in us. But your loved one is not just their body; they are much more than that …. The idea that “This body is me and I am this body” is a belief we must let go of. If we do not, we will suffer a great deal. We are life, and life is far vaster than this body, this concept, this mind …. We are not limited to our physical body, even when we are alive. We inter-are with our ancestors, our descendants, and the whole of the cosmos. We do not have a separate self; we are interconnected with all of life, and we, and everything, are always in transformation.” p.100-101

I miss Lexie.

I’m grateful for the reminders Thich Nhat Hanh offers us.

May we all have a peaceful weekend.

Dec 1 – Some Days Are Stone

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Lexie

After fourteen years together, I delivered our beautiful cat, Lexie, to veterinary specialists for a throat scope early this morning. In a few short weeks she had gone from a social, vocal and loving feline companion to a hoarse, weak, barely eating cat choosing to hide from the family.

An x-ray late last week and a CT-scan earlier this week, revealed a mass in her throat. Veterinary specialists advised a throat scope but forewarned us Lexie might not survive the procedure. They told us a throat scope could tell us more about the mass and any possible treatment options.

We were mentally prepared for the worst but still hoped for any good news. Sadly, we were not fully prepared emotionally to hear the final diagnosis and recommendation. The throat scope revealed Lexie had cancer and it had progressed beyond any recommended treatment. They could revive her for a final goodbye, but euthanasia appeared to be the most compassionate next step.

My wife and I returned to say our goodbyes. We petted and hugged her. We apologized for not knowing how to help her earlier than we had. We thanked her for our fourteen years together. We asked her to wait for us at Rainbow Bridge. We told her we would miss her terribly and would place her cremains on our memorial bookcase with other loved ones from our “furever” family.

My wife held Lexie as our beloved feline received two injections into her IV. She was gone almost instantly. See https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/euthanasia-what-expect-and-what-questions-ask-first

Love is hard, grief is hard, and some days are very hard.

CYE Countdown – Dec 2 – National Mutt Day

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What is a mutt? A dog of doubtful pedigree.

What is a pedigree? Recorded ancestry, especially upper-class ancestry, a pure-bred.

What is National Mutt Day? “A holiday that celebrates mixed breed dogs. It is also an unofficial holiday that proclaims that these dogs are as special as their pure-bred counterparts and should be afforded the same love, affection, and respect.

This day should also serve as a reminder that there are millions of mixed breed dogs in shelters all over the United States who are just waiting for a family to take them home and love them.” https://www.holidayscalendar.com/event/national-mutt-day/

Why adopt a mutt versus a purebred? They’ve got the best temperaments.

Most purebreds were bred for specific traits, so they’re likely to have a more extreme personality. Mutts, on the other hand, have a blend of traits from different sources, which often leads to a more mellow mood. In fact, purebred dogs are more likely than mutts to have genetic disorders, including cataracts and hypothyroidism.” https://nationaltoday.com/national-mutt-day/

One more thought for consideration. My father would sometimes smile and with a twinkling eye say: “I’m Irish, English, Scottish and Dutch and a little bit German but not very much.”

Today’s senryu/dogryu: Adopt A Mutt

Now think about it –

what’s your ancestral record?

Mutts should adopt mutts 🙂

CYE Countdown – Dec 1 – Thank You, Sallie McFague

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Today is the first day of the last month of this year. Only 31 more days until the new year. What might we do different this month to end 2022 well and ensure 2023 will be better?

In her Yale University address A New Climate for Theology: God, the World, and Global Warming, Dr. Sallie McFague said, “a different world is possible if we live differently.” Check out the address video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjK4d8ci1e0

Dr. Sallie McFague

A few of my favorite Sallie McFague references are:

“theology is mostly fiction“, but a multiplicity of images, or metaphors, can and should enhance and enrich our models of God McFague, Sallie (1987) Models of God: Theology for an Ecological, Nuclear Age. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, xi

salvation is about salvation of all earthly bodies (not just human ones) and first and foremost about living better on the earth, not in the hereafter McFague, Sallie (1993) The Body of God: An Ecological Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, p. 44

God is the one ‘who judges those who thwart the well-being and fulfilment of her body, our world’ McFague, Sallie (1987) Models of God: Theology for an Ecological, Nuclear Age. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 11

And for more information about this eloquent American feminist Christian theologian, check out her biography here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sallie_McFague

Today’s homage senryu: Thank You, Sallie McFague

speaking truthfully

you clearly said how we could

live differently

May we apply our wisdom more effectively this month.

A New Climate for Christology: Kenosis, Climate Change, and Befriending Nature. Minneapolis: Fortress Press (2021)