Author Archives: Patrick Cole

Unknown's avatar

About Patrick Cole

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

High Coo – July 20 – National Moon Day

2 Replies
Neal Armstrong takes the first step on the moon July 20, 1969

Fifty-three years ago, the first moon landing took place. I saw it on television.

Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, were the first humans to walk on the moon. The United States had won this leg of the space race and nations have been competing ever since to explore the cosmos.

Here is today’s haiku:

National Moon Day

Earthling spacemen land

and collect precious moon dust.

“Look Mom, we did it!”

For more information on this national holiday see: https://nationaltoday.com/national-moon-day/

life24into7.com

“Science Has Become My Spiritual Director”

5 Replies
Sharing this beautiful and related post from Sr. Joan Chittister at https://mailchi.mp/5f96105bae30/do-no-harm-to-the-earth-750105?e=be693754a4
The cosmic God is a surety
“I have no doubt now that God is with us all and comes often to many in a burst of awareness. The difference is that the Presence becomes a guide, a warmth, not a vengeful human being writ large. Instead, the cosmic God is a surety, a promise of support, a reminder of what the Jewish community has always called “The Covenant” and the Quakers call “The Inner Light’. God is the internal voice calling me to give myself to the fullness of life. It is the trek of the soul to wholeness and understanding. It is an awareness within me of my identity with all creation and the strength I need to wrestle my own uncertainty, indifference, spiritual deafness to the ground.

Let me explain: Science has become my spiritual director.

It is science that brought me face-to-face with the awareness of the overwhelming, immeasurable presence that is God. It took me to the edge of life, beyond the fairytale God. It helped me to understand that the Light was the energy from which all things come. It brought me to realize that the Cosmic Presence, the beginning and end of everything, has been consumed, dwarfed, shrunk, and reduced to magic, warring, vending, judging, and manipulating the laws of life. God, to be God, is the substance, the embrace, the whole of life. It’s out of five basic elements – oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon – that all the elements of life come. These five elements are at the base of all life processes, in all of us, in all living things everywhere. “We are made of the same makings as the stars,” Dr Ashley King, a planetary scientist and stardust expert teaches. “Nearly all the elements in the human body were made in a star…”, and so, I believe, will return to stardust at the end.

The poets tell us that we are nothing but stardust. But stardust is the same stuff of a Cosmic God as we are its cosmic dust. Think of it: God is within us and we are within God, the Light – God, the energy of all life, God the Creator of the universe.

God within us is Light, the essence of revelation and insight. God within us is energy, the pointer toward the tomorrow that comes out of today. God within us pours out on us the reckless generation of the gifts of life.”           
        —from An Evolving God, An Evolving Purpose, An Evolving World by Joan Chittister (Fortress Press)
Recent Photos from James Webb’s Telescope
 FIVE GALAXIES   TWO DYING STARS
Photo of 5 Galaxies Dying Stars              
To read about the most recent innovation in space exploration, click here.

High Coo – July 19 – Chaos Theory & Murphy’s Law

1 Reply
Sciencecodex.com

Edward Lorenz, meteorologist, accidentally discovered an interest in chaos theory, when he noticed “that small changes in initial conditions produced large changes in long-term outcome.” Or, in other words, you can never fully predict the weather (or anything else for that matter) because of all the variables involved. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_theory)

And then there’s Murphy’s Law which says, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy’s_law)

For example, the James Webb space telescope mirror appears to have suffered more damage than originally thought when it was hit by asteroids in late May. (See https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/big-setback-for-nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-badly-damaged-by-asteroid/ar-AAZJfgx)

So how might we respond to the theory, the law, the news of the day? Here is today’s haiku:

Enjoy the Show

Be thankful for flaws,

we are here to discover

our imperfections.

boldomatic.com

High Coo – July 18 – Yes! It’s OK to Be Happy

3 Replies

This is a beautiful day, a happy day. Why, well because I choose to be happy today. I know I am responsible for my own happiness and I know if I am happy it will contribute to others happiness. Also, today is my first child’s birthday. Ah, what a lucky man I am.

Today’s haiku is inspired by this wonderful day AND by a wonderful talk by Jonathan Foust.

May We Be Happy

Of all the choices

we have in ev’ry moment,

please choose happiness

For access to Jonathan Foust talk see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFdPPrXNgcU&t=118s

For more information about Jonathan Foust see his website: https://www.jonathanfoust.com/weekly-talk/oktobehappy

Jonathan Foust with his spouse Tara Brach

High Coo – July 17 – Thank You Tara for RAIN

Leave a reply

Yesterday we reached 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is not unusual for this geography for this time of year. Still, it’s hot.

I woke up this morning to a gentle rain and at 6am it’s only 78 degrees. We are projected to reach a high of 84. Ah, blessed relief.

All of this reminds me of RAIN and the guidance provided by American psychologist and Buddhist meditation teacher Tara Brach. She teaches radical self-compassion for dealing with challenging feelings. While Tara didn’t invent the acronym, she has gone on to provide much comfort to many with her teachings.

Here’s today’s haiku:

RAIN

Recognize, allow,

investigate and nurture.

Smile to your relief.

For more information on Tara Brach’s teachings see: https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/

For more information about Tara Brach see: https://www.tarabrach.com/about/

High Coo – July 16 – Ida B. Wells

4 Replies
Ida B. Wells born July 16, 1862

Former slave, investigative journalist, early civil rights leader and Pulitzer Prize honoree, Ida B. Wells is a role model for all of us. Two of her many famous quotes are:

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

“Virtue knows no color line.”

Today’s haiku: In Honor of Ida B. Wells

Step up, speak out, do

what must be done, for justice

requires persistence

For more information about her heroic accomplishments see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells

High Coo – July 15 – Give Something Away Day

1 Reply

We all have something we can give. While clothing, money and food are the most common donations, we can simply give a smile, a word of encouragement or a dedicated moment of undivided attention and appreciation.

As the Dalai Lama reminds us, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

Today’s haiku:

Why Give

How might we practice

generosity today?

It’s good for our health.

For more information on the health benefits of giving see: https://www.rush.edu/news/health-benefits-giving#:~:text=Why%20giving%20feels%20good%201%20Greater%20self-esteem%20and,giving%20your%20time%20may%20have%20protective%20benefits.%20

High Coo – July 14 – Woody Guthrie

2 Replies
“I hate a song that makes you think you are not any good.”

Born on July 14th, Woody Guthrie was an American Folk Music singer-songwriter and social activist. He inspired many musicians, most notably Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

Woody wrote hundreds of songs and regrettably died far too young at the age of 55 in 1967. Here is today’s haiku:

Woody Had Hope

No dust bowl could stop

his hillbilly musical

social justice march

Find more information about his influential life here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Guthrie

Check out his daughter and granddaughter’s website homage here: https://www.woodyguthrie.org/

Finally, here’s another great Woody Guthrie quote: “Life’s pretty tough ….. you’re lucky if you live through it.”

High (& Low) Coo – July 13 – Barbershop Music Appreciation Day

1 Reply

“There is no bad day that can’t be overcome by listening to a barbershop quartet. This is just truth, plain and simple.” ~ Aldous Huxley

Today’s haiku:

Vocal Smorgasbord

A cappella joy –

base, baritone, tenor and

soprano delight

Check out this year’s top 5 international quartets here: https://www.barbershop.org/

For more information on this holiday see: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-barbershop-music-appreciation-day-july-13/