Good morn or evening friends. I'm playing hookey from work today. I've taken a day for reading, contemplation, introspection...and hanging with my girls - Bingo, Frankie and PC - soaking up their unconditional love.

While reading a chapter in Bill Russell's autobiography, Second Wind, I came across a passage in which he paraphrased Mahatma Gandhi. I then turned to a booklet of quotations from the Mahatma (translates as Great Soul).

The Mahatma is one of my true heros. Someone who lived a life of valiant, warrior-like battles against his imperfections, ever-pursuing truth, right thought, word and action. He was a Satyagrahi and espoused Ahimsa. I cannot possibly do justice to these living philosophies in my attempts to define them. I urge each of you to, at the very least rent the movie Gandhi. I also recommend his autobiography.

The following quotations are taken from the booklet mentioned above, Mohan-Mala: A Gandhian Rosary:

1. "I make no hobgoblin of consistency. If I am true to myself from moment to moment, I do not mind all the inconsistencies that may be flung in my face."

2. "It is not necessary for toleration that I must approve of what I tolerate. I heartily dislike drinking, meat-eating and smoking, but I tolerate these in Hindus, Mohamedans and Christians, even as I expect them to tolerate my abstinence from all these, although they may dislike it."

3. "We are living in the midst of death trying to grope our way to Truth. Perhaps it is as well that we are beset with danger at every point in our life, for, in spite of our knowledge of the danger and of our precarious existence, our indifference to the source of all life is excelled only by our amazing arrogance."

4. "When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator. I try to see Him and His mercies in all these creations. But even the sunsets and sunrises would be mere hindrances if they did not help me to think of Him. Anything which is a hindrance to the flight of the soul is a delusion and a snare; even like the body, which often does actually hinder you in the path of salvation."

Read, ruminate, revile, revel, ignore, however the mood strikes. May each of you undertake those activities, today and every day, in which your souls find themselves unhindered and taking flight!

Best,

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), September 01, 2000

Answers

BTW, Bill Russell's autobiography, Second Wind, was published in paperback in 1979. It is one of the truly outstanding pieces on/by a sports legend I have ever read (who knows who actually put pen to paper). It reveals the man behind the ballplayer. And what an intelligent, strong-willed man he is. Truly a fascinating portrait. Look for it in your local used bookstores.

For those of you not sports-oriented, Bill Russell played center for the Boston Celtics professional basketball team from 1957-1969. His teams won eleven NBA championships in thirteen years! Unprecedented success rivaled only by the New York Yankees and Montreal Canadiens.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), September 01, 2000.

What a bunch of crap. Who gives a damn what the hell Gandhi said. Just an old man in a diaper, before they had "depends". Gawd.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), September 01, 2000.

There is much food for thought here, King of Spain. This man turned the tide of history. And even if he had not done so, his words contain real wisdom for individual lives. No matter what his attire.

What do you wear for mud wrestling?

-- Oxy (Oxsys@aol.com), September 02, 2000.

You miss the point KOS.

Gandhi was a great man simply because he was able to change an entire nation WHILE wearing a diaper. I dare you to go to Wal-Mart in a diaper, let alone change history in one. Piker.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 02, 2000.

But Gahndi was a FOREIGNER!! That must be taken into account.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), September 02, 2000.

Perhaps it would help to re-emphasize and re-read a portion of the post:

"...in spite of our knowledge of the danger and of our precarious existence, our indifference to the source of all life is excelled only by our amazing arrogance."

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), September 03, 2000.

To All,

There is much gold to be mined from the Mahahtma's words. AB carted off a truckload and was kind enough to share it with the rest of us. Unk and Oxy nailed it - the man changed the course of history, impacted the world as few ever have.

When I am feeling particularly full of myself, I look to the Mahatma's life, then back to my ego and ask questions such as these:

"Do you have the balls to undertake ANY of what the Mahatma did? Can you use introspection not only to reveal to yourself, but others, your most egregious faults and failings? Could you hold the lives of millions within your grasp and not buckle like a child testing his legs for the first time? Could you spend well over a decade in prison and use that time to evolve as a soul? Could you fast for long periods of time for the purpose, among others, of forcing your countrymen to cease their violent activities?

I feel the response even now..."But Why would you WANT to do these stupid things?"

The answer is an easy one, though the wording will differ from individual to individual: "Because life is all about facing ourselves, the darkest recesses and the most high, and putting forth daily efforts to change clay into gold."

Effort, Sincerity, Endurance. The Mahatma epitomized these precepts. I aspire to do the same.

May each of us celebrate the day as a series of opportunities - to improve ourselves, to touch the lives of others in positive ways, to smile deeply and know we are connected.

Namaste,

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), September 03, 2000.

der Bingle,

See, that's the difference between you & His Majesty. When you are feeling 'full of yourself', you look to Mahatma. When the Kingster is feeling full of himself - well, let's just say I'm suprised that he missed the golden opportunity to ask about 'your girls'' mudwrestling proclivities.

limbo limbo,

-- flora (***@__._), September 03, 2000.

I would really like to do whatever my mood strikes today--"those activities, today and every day, in which [our] souls find themselves unhindered and taking flight!"

But, our well has gone out and we have to do some serious preparation before the well driller gets here next week. The temperature is going to be in the l00s, great fun. The driller says the water table is getting lower all the time. And we live in a state of lakes, rivers and streams. Listen up folks. You don't need a 40 min shower, or the cleanest car in town.

And, I found a baby Robin which is injured, and must be taken care of. The ground is hard as a rock from lack of rain, so no worms to be found. I'm having to buy 4 dozen worms at a time for $8.00!!

The honey bees are moving and are drinking four or five pie pans full of sugar water during the day--glad I didn't pour out all my stored water. We have at least 30 humming birds that drink from 3 large feeders, which they empty them twice a day.

I have company coming next week, and must do some cleaning in spite of lack of water. I'll do the dry stuff, and tackle the wet work later. And I have to clean around three large dogs which refuse to go outside, except to pee, in this horrible heat.

And.... I just broke my glasses! It's Sunday, and I'm wearing old one which make me feel drunk, without the benefit of the hilarity that ususally come with this state.

I see no hope for indulging my soul today. But I do have an extremely handsome frog in my flower garden that I have treated very well--I keep a saucer full of sugar water near his rock den, and this attracts flies, which keeps him supplied with food without much effort on his part.

Woe is me!! And this is supposed to be my golden years!

My only hope is that if anything else happens, I'm going to kiss him, and maybe he will turn into a handsome prince and take me away from all of this.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), September 03, 2000.

gilda,

Good luck to you, and PLEASE let me know if the frog thing works out!

Anyone game for some Coptic concepts?

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."

- Gospel of Thomas

-- flora (***@__._), September 03, 2000.

Gilda,

There is no ignoring you, woman! Either your posts make me mad as hell or put a grin on my face so wide my ears actually shift towards the back of my head to make room!

BTW, depending on just how deep you folks need to drill for potable water with a high enough flow rate (GPM) to supply your needs, a cable-tool drilled well can be more cost-effective and easier on the environment. Many drillers these days operate rotary rigs, which drill so fast that they can easily blow by good water- producing strata.

Also, these rigs cost so much to purchase and run that the drillers need to drill deeply in order to charge more wampum ($$$) so they can meet their payments on the rigs. You may e-mail me if you have any questions on this issue.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), September 03, 2000.

Gee Bingo, it would sure cheer me up if you would take a picture the next time you grin so hard your ears end of on the back of your head. Just put it on photo point so we can all enjoy it. :)

Seriously, I don't believe there is a cable well driller here anymore. There was a few years ago, but they've all gone to rotary.

I liked your post about Gandhi, and I've always admired what he did. He didn't pretend to be flawless either. He was a wormy looking little fellow, but most true heroes don't look like Charlton Heston playing Moses either. Thanks Bingo.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), September 03, 2000.