Bark and Knowledge

cold bark on thin trees
paper thin hanging barely
limbs broke and settling in grey leaves
earth as textured leaves
extends straight out and to the sides
sunlight catches the high branches
it shoots from over the hill behind

my purple Polartec jacket keeps me warm
feeling cozy in it and my favorite navy blue pants
my grey New Balance shoes anchor me from sliding into the creek below

i’m back with earth, amidst nature
i took an absence
exchanging it for the city life
riding under city lights

smooth hardwood floors and glass houses
serving as third-party anchors, the surface atop earth’s surface
as the mediator, the space between me and reality
head knowledge filled up the rooms
and talking is how friends and i grew
popping the finger in our mouths
depending on everyone to come out
metal spickets and rave show tickets
we did it right by living that life
and letting constriction take flight
no limits, only large rooms giving space to think
unlike the nature im in now

presenting me with columns of bark
faded, falling flakes extend into the earth and above my eyes
one after another adding depth to the forrest
they provide lines and walls, construction in the atmosphere
forcing the eye, the body, to alter its course,
to stop and see the need for reaction
the step to make growth happen
the head knowledge flutters from my brain
the wind takes it, throws it against the trees
it scuttles in a flurry
rearranges to the form of the earth
wrapping around each line and idea of earth

 

Political Essay by Thomas Merton: Interesting in Light of the U.S. Political Climate

“But someone will say: ‘If we once recognize that we are all equally wrong, all political action will instantly be paralyzed. We can only act when we assume that we are in the right.’ On the contrary, I believe the basis for valid political action can only be the recognition that the true solution to our problems is not accessible to any one isolated party or nation but that all must arrive at it by working together.

I do not mean to encourage the guilt-ridden thinking that is always too glad to be ‘wrong’ in everything. This too is an evasion of responsibility, because every form of oversimplification tends to make decisions ultimately meaningless. We must try to accept ourselves, whether individually or collectively, not only as perfectly good or perfectly bad, but in our mysterious, unaccountable mixture of good and evil. We have to stand by the modieum of good that is in us without exaggerating it. We have to defend our real rights, because unless we respect our own rights we will certainly not respect the rights of others. But at the same time we have to recognize that we have willfully or otherwise trespassed on the rights of others. We must be able to admit this not only as the result of self-examination, but when it is pointed out unexpectedly, and perhaps not too gently, by somebody else.

These principles which govern personal moral conduct, which make harmony possible in small social units like the family, also apply in the wider area of the state and in the whole community of nations. It is, however, quite absurd, in our present situation or in any other, to expect these principles to be universally accepted as the result of moral exhortations. There is very little hope that the world will be run according to them, all of a sudden, as a result of some hypothetical change of heart on the part of politicians. It is useless and even laughable to base political thought on the faint hope of a purely contingent and subjective moral illumination in the hearts of the world’s leaders. But outside of political thought and action, in the religious sphere, it is not only permissible to hope for such a mysterious consummation, but it is necessary to pray for it. We can and must believe not so much that the mysterious light of God can ‘convert’ the ones who are mostly responsible for the world’s peace, but at least that they may, in spite of their obstinacy and their prejudices, be guarded against fatal error.”

Thomas Merton
“New Seeds of Contemplation”

(Part 1 of 2) From Bad to Good—The Dislike

“Is Patrick gonna need a ride to the drug test for Murphy’s? So he can start working?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. You should call him.” Mom suggests the obvious: call his cellular. I call his phone but the ring immediately goes to a lovely operator speaking in robotic tones. My first thought: he can’t afford his phone anymore.

Patrick, born a socialite, can take the twinkle in his eye straight to the streets with him in a life of meager living. Hoisting a duffel bag over his shoulder and with breath in his lungs, he can walk down the street and you’d never notice his empty pockets. The charm in his eyes shines more brightly than coins of value ever will. His 6-foot, medium-size body is mostly muscle and is complementary to his love for outdoor activities. Whether Patrick hikes in the mountains of Oregon, camps by creeks in Kentucky or dips his feet in the Mississippi River, as long as the universe is spinning and he’s outside he’s content.

However, his ease of charm can’t keep him a job—can’t help against the scientific certainly of a marijuana drug test. No amount of swallowed bleach, working out and drinking liquids can fool the test. This particular drug test problematically arises several times throughout the year like a reoccurring, bad dream in Patrick’s life. He can’t pass the drug test. He pisses and tries, no doubt, but he can’t  piss and pass.

“His phone is shut off. I’m going over there.”

At this point in my marijuana journey I don’t like the herb. My knuckles turn white over the steering wheel, my face tissue inflames to a red color and my jaw and brain ache. However, as usual I cannot completely give myself to the angry emotions. Wheels on other levels within me are always analyzing, turning and never halt. Even in the frustration of this moment I painfully know in my heart marijuana is not the problem. Patrick is the problem.

I grind the steering wheel against my palms and blood drains down my veins; my knuckles blush white. I want to blame a specific something or someone—other than Patrick. I want to evade the feared and approaching path in Patrick’s life, for another care-free moment in mine. However, my mind works too quickly for my emotions and I uncomfortably shrug in the mid-grade feeling I can’t fix Patrick’s unemployment problem—or whatever kind of problem he has.

My blue hatchback zooms down the expressway, the engine churns under the hood and I churn inside the cabin. No matter how much future thinking I must sort through, right now I really do dislike weed.

Kentucky Smokers! Wake Up & Let’s Get Going!

Hey all you smokers out there, wanna start a NORML Chapter in Kentucky?

Join with me and let’s support the nationwide effort to reform our marijuana laws. We can start at home, here in Kentucky and help get the ball rolling! Get in touch with me if you’re interested! Here is more information if you want to investigate first!

Kentucky Lags In Medical Marijuana Law

Once again this NPR story is the first to reach my eyes about the New Jersey medical marijuana bill. Will Kentucky hop on this train and petition lawmakers to create a medical marijuana bill?

A Good Word From A Sister

Check out this post from a friend for a bit of truth.

Though this post has nothing to do with weed, Lori hit on a crucial point that somehow I feel is behind all that I do, even this blog. I feel compelled to share it with you.

Lori recently made the comment, “Someone said doubts are the beginning of wisdom or faith.” I echo this based on personal experience. I doubted many aspects and beliefs within western Christianity, and this ultimately spurred me toward the rebirth of my soul. I urge the many who are in doubt today, continue in your doubt and seek answers for you will find them.

The western Christians of my generation grow up experiencing a template, if you will, of Christianity. A pre-programmed system in which babies are immersed in from birth to young adulthood. There is some truth in this system of how Christianity should be done, this template of Christianity, for this system was Yahweh’s grace to me by introducing His word into my life.

However, as with everything touched by human hands, there are many false teachings and impurities in this system. Unfortunately, some parts of the system are so jacked, the very people immersed from birth in the system turn away from Yahweh rather than the system. Lori does an excellent job in this post of conveying how beautiful and important the spiritual rebirth is. This birth is lost in the system, for no man can achieve such a second birth, how therefore could he program it into religion successfully? Man couldn’t, but where man comes up short Yahweh shows up big. Thanks for reminding us of this, Lori. Rock on.

Still Smoking It Up

The holiday season rang true, providing many activities keeping my hands and feet moving. The parties this time of year gave me opportunities to smoke it up and that’s just what I did. Rather than go out and drink, I smoke and go out. This way I don’t have to worry about driving drunk, I remember the entire evening perfectly and I don’t have a hangover the next morning.

I sit back now and rest for the first time in several weeks. The madness of Christmas shopping, a wedding and Christmas and New Years parties is through and I’m kicking back in local coffee shops.

I am still unemployed and I enjoy reading, writing and listening to music on Bardstown Road when I cannot find anyone to go out with. However, most evenings I’ve spent with old friends checking out Louisville bars and making new friends. Driving into town takes about thirty minutes and of course I consider that prime time for a smoke and some good tunes to set vibes for the night.

Despite returning home from college and living in the same house as my parents and the frequent interaction between us I smoke just as much as I did at school in Tennessee. Unfortunately for you I have no new opinions about marijuana to share with you… my stance remains it has only been a blessing to this point in my life. I’m continuing to investigate the matter and future interviews will occur with people having room to speak on the subject.

One substantial point I will make addresses smoking on a personal level. I think smoking, as with anything else, must find its niche within one’s life. For example, some people enjoy exercising in the morning and others enjoy it at night. For whatever reason(s) morning exercise may work best in a person’s schedule rather than at night. There’s no rhyme or reason it’s just how that activity falls into his or her life. Another example is yoga or even grocery shopping. Some people do those activities once a week and others do them three or four times a week. Smoking marijuana is no different in that the user must find how it fits within his or her life.

Over the past four weeks I smoked a lot and it has been in the context of “partying.” I’ve learned from this type of smoking versus staying at home and smoking while relaxing/meditating/creating. I will say I am longing to move into my apartment (Feb. 1!), set up my space and kick back with a good smoke and tunes. I deeply miss the smoking ritual I began with this summer. This ritual is my ideal smoke and involves reading the Bible, writing, drawing, listening to music, reading articles online, playing guitar, reading books and being outdoors.

Going to bars and being silly with friends is certainly still a great time to smoke because marijuana is a much safer drug than alcohol. However, for myself, if this was the only time I used marijuana I would certainly not blink twice about giving it up.

Because I use marijuana in other contexts it has more meaning to me. I think it is important to not become lazy and party the days away, but be diligent to continually set aside time for important activities such as meditation, praying, thinking, reading, walking and creating.

Especially as a regular smoker it is easy to identify the substance with whatever context it is used in. I do not want to lose the special attributes of marijuana and I do tire of only going out and being silly with friends while smoking. I want to use marijuana in its most beneficial form for me, and I do not think this can be achieved if I am at the bars.

Pot Smokers Will Enjoy This Video

It is ridiculous the cop was not charged, but the video is hilarious.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/failblog/videos/342/

What The Heck Is This Blog?

This blog began in April as a tool for well being, functioning as a food journal. However, it developed into the outline of a story beginning last January and extending through today. I began writing entries about the topic foremost on my mind (marijuana) and from that grew a train of thought now blossoming into full bloom. On these Web pages you can find traces of this bloom and its thoughts, and I hope you will enjoy it.

What marijuana sparked in me extends beyond a desire for fair government, community and peace. It brings into 3D the tenderness and transparency of life that is otherwise layered behind images we can’t see around or through. As I smoke and contemplate the complexities swirling around inside of me and also contemplate how across the world millions are living their day, each person with a trillion unique details about his/her life, I wonder at how one divinity can catch the tears of them all, laugh with all the joyful and care after all the sick and needy. Smoking and thinking about this brings into panoramic view how small my bedroom is within this cold, winter night. Suddenly the starry sky outside my window is daunting in strength and length. The world grows big and our problems stay the same, consuming and exhausting our bodies and spirits.

At all of these wonders I wonder as I smoke. As the world shows itself more transparent against the lyrics and music of Trevor Hall, the tough exoskeleton of religious people and the idea of church as an institution crumbles as dust before my feet. Left in the hollowed out darkness are souls quivering for a bit of light and bread for their aching bodies. Suddenly everything man has known

Federal Government Recognizes State Marijuana Laws

Great news for medical marijuana distributors, the federal government shouldn’t be banging down the doors of state-licensed dispensaries.

The Justice Department issued orders that its officials “should not focus federal resources in your states on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.”

For the full NPR story.