Author Archives: Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

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About Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

I am a former police officer, crime analyst, profiler and trainer. I hold a black belt in Aikido. In the past, I've had to make immediate decisions for people in life-threatening situations. I applied the law, martial arts principles, and life lessons, in a logical and ethical manner, and helped victims gain a sense of organization and control over their lives. I wrote a book entitled Discover the Life You Want to Live which is based on my career and writing experiences. I started this blog to help people solve their own problems and to give recognition to all the entrepreneurs out there who have a community and global view and aren't instant millionaires.

Do We Change for the Better as We Age?

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I’d like to think that for every year we are alive on this planet, we all become the wise person that we have looked up to and attempted to emulate over our elder years. I’d like to think that we all grow and begin to see the world from a better perspective. I’d like to think that we become more of a human being, like the wise grandfather elder spoke about in the old movie, Little Big Man. (A must-see movie! Add it to your bucket list!)

Grandfather, Old Lodge Skins spoke to his son, Jack Crabb—or Little Big Man, about the war with white men. Little Big Man asked if Grandfather—Old Lodge Skins, hated the white man now (after warring with people like General Custer and his army).
“Jack Crabb: Do you hate them? Do you hate the White man now?
Old Lodge Skins: Do you see this fine thing? Do you admire the humanity of it? Because the human beings, my son, they believe everything is alive. Not only man and animals. But also water, earth, stone. And also the things from them… like that hair. The man from whom this hair came, he’s bald on the other side, because I now own his scalp! That is the way things are. But the white man, they believe EVERYTHING is dead. Stone, earth, animals. And people! Even their own people! If things keep trying to live, white man will rub them out. That is the difference.”

After the war scene, Jack spoke with his grandfather once again about death and the fate of Human Beings (what his grandfather called his people):
“Jack Crabb: Grandfather, I am glad to see you.
Old Lodge Skins: Glad to see you too, my son. My heart soars like a hawk. Do you want to eat? I won’t eat with you because I’m gonna’ die soon.
Jack Crabb: Die, grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, my son. I want to die in my own land, where Human Beings are buried in the sky.
Jack Crabb: Well, why do you want to die, grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Because there is no other way to deal with the White Man, my son. Whatever else you can say about them, it must be admitted: you cannot get rid of them.
Jack Crabb: No, I suppose not, grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: There is an endless supply of White Man. But there always has been a limited number of Human Beings. We won today… we won’t win tomorrow.”

The message for me was clear: There are so many of us that don’t care about all the little things and the original people on earth that have been here long before we got here. There are many things we need to learn to survive in a world where evil people get the upper hand. And there are many things that are going to die and disappear in our lifetime, no matter what we do, because there are so many people who don’t want to respect the wise elders, or become one and do the right thing. All I am saying tonight to everyone who are still drinking the Kool-Aid:
Just….. Be better!

I send out love and happiness to all those who still care to do the right thing. And for those who don’t, Just Be Better!

We Are All Superstitious Beings

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Why do we create rituals? is it something that will help us succeed, or to ward off evil? Why do we insist that the various versions of a supreme being is the answer to everything? Is it because we just want to feel in control over everything in our lives? I have been contemplating for a long time the dilemma of believing in something that just isn’t real. I have been ruminating about these beliefs that people (and large organizations) want to enforce on all others, something that just makes most of our lives worse, not better.

I feel especially concerned when I am confronted by people that embrace a crazy rigid belief system that their ancestors and families passed down and enforced on them as children and insist on changing another person’s life choices to fit into what they think is right for you.

In his book All the Wild that Remains, David Gessner stated that his friend, University of Colorado professor, Dr. Reg Saner (1928-2021), considered himself a realist, not a romantic. Dr. Saner once wrote in an essay, “God is the single worst idea human beings ever had.” And he told Gessner in an interview: “Christians have often behaved worse than Murder Incorporated.”

And, Woody Allen once said about God: “If there is one, he’s a terrific underachiever.”

Religion in many derivations has been around a long time, and as civilization evolved, so did its grip on humans. Even when unknown and outrageous statements made people afraid, the people still believed. Powerful religious wars broke out and people of all shapes, colors, and beliefs, were tortured, because they didn’t believe in whatever the people in power believed and refused to bow down to the ones in control. The kings and oligarchs, with the help of powerful churches, wanted power and political advantage over the masses. So what better way to create mythic heroes who did battle for a god, slaying those who would disagree and fight back for their values and rights. Oppression has never worked.

According to Wikipedia, the word superstition is used to refer to a religion not practiced by the majority of a given society regardless of whether the prevailing religion contains alleged superstitions or to all religions. Definitions of the term vary, but they commonly describe superstitions as irrational beliefs at odds with scientific knowledge of the world.

In a 2025 PsychMechanics article, the author stated that: “Once a superstition gets planted into a person’s mind, he collects ‘proofs’ to bolster his belief. Unless he questions his superstitions or is forced to question them, he may carry them in his psyche all his life.”  https://www.psychmechanics.com/why-people-have-superstitious-beliefs/

In a 2024 study published by Scientific American, it was suggested “…that very few people show a complete lack of superstitious beliefs or practices. So why do we remain superstitious, even though it is clearly irrational and could lead us astray? It turns out superstitions may provide certain psychological benefits.” We used these beliefs as defense mechanisms and they are a self-serving bias. We believe it gives us control over the unknown.

So my thoughts are this: Tradition and traditional values aren’t necessarily a good thing. We should learn from our past mistakes and evolve as a people and create a more civil society, where everyone’s opinions and point of view matters. We should stop the hate. We should hold our judgement of others because their values differ from ours. We should strive to create a society where there is not just one big guy in the sky (or office) and embrace that everyone is different. When our defense mechanisms take over, we tend to lash out to those that are different from us. We take the gospel of a religious bible too literally, and it has been used to justify many evil doings. It is simply a collection of myths and tales, just like any other book, written over centuries where life evolved and changed.

And we still haven’t learned that everyone is different from us. We are unique individuals and should be treated fairly no matter what another person believes. Sometimes, we just have to understand that oppression is prevalent in our society today. It would be great if we had folks like the ones on the TV show Leverage who can right the wrongs and the benefactor always wins. Alas, most things in the real world do not wrap up neat and tidy like an hour-long TV show.

So, having said all that, I want to get to the meat of the matter. I just wanted to state that for all of these reasons given, that’s why prayer doesn’t work. It is superstition with a set of rules. I know it makes you feel better if you tell me “I’ll pray for you,” but that is not the answer to the worlds’ ills. Your selfless actions and the sciences are the answers to help anyone in need, not prayer. A make-believe external all-knowing being does not save or cause things to happen. You as a human being, cause things to happen, whether through your actions or in-actions. If you can embrace and understand this, you are a better person for it, and you will do the right thing to help others who need help without the attachment or a fake being.

I know I will make a lot of you folks unhappy with this post, but all I am asking in this blog post is for you to stop praying for me, stop the prayer hand emojis, and stop quoting things from your bible to me. It makes you happy because you want everyone to comply with your beliefs. But it becomes an extremely uncomfortable conversation if I defend my position to you because you don’t want to listen to another person’s point of view. You want me to believe what you believe and I simply don’t and never will. It is my right and privilege to be the person I am trying to be.

Each time I encounter these conversations, I take great steps to let you be who you are, but you don’t have the courtesy to do the same. So, just stop before you start. Thank you.

I love you, faults, and all, but let’s just let everyone be themselves every day that we live!

Waiting to “Exhail”!

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Most of the weeds are pulled, the bushes are planted, the seeds are emerging from the raised bed soil, and the zucchini and squash are in the ground! I am sending out an enormous THANK YOU across the UNIVERSE to my husband who has helped me through injury and my aging body. I am grateful every day you are alive and well, even though being a cancer survivor is rough on your body. We are both going through a lot of exhaustion and exhaling to master daily chores, especially those that I have tried to keep up with every day. I appreciate you stepping up this summer for all the laborious tasks that I am not able to do right now. We are, after all pretty good together when we decide it’s worth doing and I’m not too bossy (okay, maybe I’m still a little bossy!)

I know non-gardeners think we are nutty people—always wanting to get our hands dirty, moving rocks around, taking away rock fill, putting rock fill back in, constantly weeding, fighting massive thunderstorms, flinching when we get hail as big as golf balls, shooing away literally tame rabbits that are trying to eat everything, and bobcats in the backyard-hopefully eating some of the rabbits! But in reality, we gardeners are generally trying to make a wonderland out of the clay soil and our crazy weather out here.

At the end of summer, and after I put the yard tasks behind me, I am sad that winter is coming. I clean up, put up the tools, and then go inside. I get antsy around April (false spring out here!) and start planting seedlings in the sun room. Unfortunately, the sun room isn’t heated and so I have to use space heaters when it gets down in the 20s and 30s at night. But, voila! Real spring happens, albeit late this year, and I can do it all again. Every year is different and I focus on different areas of the yard. Last year, there was the gazebo build, and this year it has been major cleanups, and planting around the gazebo. Who knows where I will venture next year? I am grateful for my farming father, who taught me a thing or two about the land. I am grateful for my ex-neighbor who was a Master Gardner who moved away 7 years ago to lush North Carolina, but still keeps in touch and talks about what we each have done in our yards. And long story short, I am grateful to be alive, semi-healthy, and loving my wonderful spouse for all of his help.

So whether you are waiting to exhale or waiting for the hail I hope you all live in that moment before any negative disasters that may come your way. Focus on the now and the positive. Love the beautiful green things you have planted and relish the promise of food before fall! Love tonight to all and be at peace with yourself for a little while!

Riding the Biggest Wave

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It’s almost summertime and images of those amazing surfers riding the big waves always make me dream of Hawaii. Although I am not a surfer I loved watching the locals master the biggest waves I’ve ever seen. Even the littlest kids were better than I could expect to be, but they get to go out every day and practice since they lived there. When there was a surge, school would let out and they were there on top of those crazy waves. Their skill set is something that we could all learn from to plow through all of the discontent and uncertainties in our lives.

Surf culture dates back at least 1500 years. I always thought those free-spirited folks had such a carefree life, with a knowing that it could end at any moment in a rush of turbulent water. There was fear, but they continued to conquer the inevitable. It is a culture of human versus water, as well as human versus other humans. There was always strife on who would dictate the local areas, warding off all those they didn’t consider royalty or a different tribe. And yet, their culture created a community that helped each other, from the food they ate to the surfboards they would make. The best surf spots were guarded secrets to the outsiders and they taught each other how to pick the right wave for the ride. They had mad skills in learning how to stay on top.

Each day so many of us choose to ride the wave that has been given to us and yet we could be that rogue warrior that goes off on their own despite the risks. We could learn from this counterculture by riding the wave that helps us postulate carefully about the facts that are given us. We can be the people who love and respect each other and do not blame everything on poor people. We can decide that everyone deserves a chance at the table, no matter who they are. We can be the people who accept differences and not worry about where we came from. We can be the people that takes care of each other. We can stop comparing ourselves to those who have more money. They will be who they will be, and we can’t change them. We are on a biological clock and human life is limited. So, why don’t we live our lives helping others instead of hoarding and having the mentality of I got mine and I’m gonna keep it? Live a comfortable life as you age, but help those in need with your personal wealth. Stop worrying about everything else, and turn off the TV and your phones for a little while each day. We can’t keep money and treasures after we die, no matter what the bazillionaires believe. We don’t need more to be happy. And just like the oceans, life is full of differences and mysterious beings. Let’s embrace them all and have some fun doing what we love with what we learn every day.

Love to all on this crazy, rainy night!

Angry and Out of Control

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Or: The only perfect people are in the cemetery.
“The graveyards are full of indispensable [people].”—Charles de Gaulle

The other day, I talked to my friend who had a visit from her grandson’s wife and great-granddaughter. The young one was so out of control, talking back to her mother that my friend became upset. The kiddo kept saying she didn’t have to apologize or do anything they told her to do. She’s 9 and already at that teenager angst! My friend was very upset and got angry with her. She caught up with her, grabbed her up and told her under no circumstances was that behavior allowed because this was her house. My friend sent her out of the room and she slunk back in later, never really apologizing to her mother. It was sad to hear that. My questions about this ridiculous behavior are: “Were we all like that at that age or were we older when teenage angst overtook us?” And “Why aren’t we teaching these kids to be humble when they are in the wrong?” And one more: “Is it a discipline issue or is it a sign of the times?

Children go through all kinds of crazy emotions and love you and hate you at the same time. It’s up to you as a parent and grandparent to weather all the storms, and try to make the winds of change flow over you instead of right at you. If we get angry with our children we’ve proved their point. So the hardest thing to master as a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent is this: Don’t get angry, just let them fume in another room. Then, re-visit them when they’ve thought about it. They will be pre-teens and teenagers – that is a human’s life cycle.

Adulting is hard work but you have to teach your children how to get there and accept responsibility for themselves, the good and the bad. Don’t enable them by letting them blame you for all their woes. Parents aren’t perfect, but they try to do the best they can with the knowledge that have been given or have learned themselves. If we have taught our children well, they will pass on that knowledge to their children. It’s hard, but we have to realize that when children find that they can punch your buttons and you give them ammunition, you allow them to place the burden on you as the parent. You have to be brave and let them make mistakes, hopefully, not life-threatening, by telling them what’s inappropriate. It is up to the child to learn over and over again how to make their life better and not blame their parents and grandparents. Give them the foundation, but let them go when they need to be on their own. Be there when they need you the most. But also, don’t expect a child to change if they haven’t had the background of loving parents who don’t teach them how to deal with the frustrations of life. You learn from each other, but you hope they learn to be a better person than you are. That is the goal of parenting.

In his book, All the Wild That Remains, David Gessner stated that personalities develop through a dose of nurture and a dash of nature. Gessner wrote of the life of Edward Abbey and Wallace Stegner. They had hard childhoods, but persevered and became better human beings as a result. Gessner stated that Stegner believed that individuals have a hand in their own fashioning. “He held onto this conviction his entire life, frequently using what would come to seem dated words like will and determination.” They overcame the hardships of their childhood.

Today, we look at the children who are acting out in public to those who didn’t harm them, and it embarrasses many of us. Perhaps they were more privileged and didn’t get the nurturing they needed as children. Perhaps getting likes solves their need to be loved. We just have to keep explaining to them that all of that is not real. It’s more important to make changes in writing to those in charge. Tiny little cogs in local government can’t solve everything, but if enough people write and attend local meetings, things can change for their neighborhoods. Shouting and filming local police and council members doesn’t help. Persuasion using the written word and great public speaking will change things. Think about it: Does shoving a camera into someone’s face change anything? Sure, you might make them uncomfortable for the moment, and you might even get arrested. But think about all of the other people watching what you are filming. Think about how you are making them uncomfortable. And they may support that opposition because of your actions. Those that vote see your behavior as an attack on an individual (even if they are truly horrible to their constituents). You may not like those buffoons who are spewing information that has no basis in fact because they are following the party line and that guy in office, but have you really made a change in that person? Only reading what is being done, fact checking information that is being given to you on reliable sources, and voting for someone who cares about all people will create a wind of change. So young people, stop sitting on the sidelines or filming stupid acts! Get out there and vote and create relationships with a new driving force! Enough said.

“Order is the dream of man, but chaos is the law of nature.”—Henry James

I love you all and try to flow like me with the winds of change every day that you are alive!

I Yam What I Yam

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Or: You Cannot Keep Ignoring the Truth
Popeye said it so succinctly that we are who we are no matter what others think of us. With all the Pride parades and parties coming up, I want to return to a subject that the rednecks (male and female alike) of the world have latched onto because of that guy in office. Why are you so worried about others whose identity doesn’t match up to what your expectations are? Why are you afraid that others who can be incredible and yet different from your perception of reality?

And you women out there who are so loud and obnoxious and sooooo terribly wrong in these matters, ask yourself: Why do you fall into line because a ridiculous man is telling you what you think and what you should do? Are you that privileged that you don’t see the pain of others when you belittle those who are unique in their own ways? Why are you threatened by this?

Blaming DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) on everything that is happening is just wrong. We had come a long way before the buffoon started telling us what to think. Women, get it together and change this! Teach your children (especially your male children) to respect women and diverse people. Stop agreeing with this nonsense and support your community – those who are alike and different that you. DEI isn’t a bad word. It promotes:

  • Educator Growth: Professional Development, Training, Hiring Practices.
  • Classroom and Climate: Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Practices and Curriculum.
  • Student Belonging: Identity, Empathy, Inclusion.
  • Community Cohesion: Parent/Guardian Education and Involvement, Town Partnerships.

I grew up in an era where if you weren’t a white Anglo-Saxon male, your voice meant nothing. Have we completely returned to this way of thinking? And, if so Why? Everyone is unique and have made it so far in this world. Hating someone for being of a different race, a different gender, for what they believe, or even how they dress and identify is just wrong. We have to return to loving kindness for all and if that is what it means to be woke, then count me in!

“Everyone deserves to live free from hate, fear, and violence. We cannot free ourselves from hate if we don’t identify and acknowledge it when it happens. What is typically included in ongoing reporting is just as important as what is left out – the voices of individuals who experienced incidents of hate.” AND:
“Today’s political climate is highly charged. From white supremacist and anti-government movements coalescing and moving more into the political mainstream, to conspiracy theories circulating online, to the amplification of hate by public officials. We refuse to let the loud volume of a few define us.” https://civilrights.org/value/fighting-hate-bias/#

For more information on this organization and what else you can do see:
https://civilrights.org/blog/

So all I am saying is stop the patter of malcontent and learn to accept that not everyone is like you. Embrace all those who differ from you, even if you don’t always agree with them. Make life a little easier for yourself if you choose your battles and words with others.

Get outside, enjoy the beautiful days, and have a heart full of love tonight! Love to all who are trying to do their part every day they live!

Writers are Brave

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Or: New thoughts are bold and scary. Anne Lamott once said about her father: “Writing taught my father to pay attention; my father in turn taught other people to pay attention and then to write down their thoughts and observations.” Lamott’s father was a writer, and had students that were inmates in San Quenton prison who took part in a  creative-writing program. He taught his students and his daughter by example. He asked his students to put a little bit down on paper every day, and to constantly read great books (and poetry).

I know how important math and sciences are and am grateful for the education my child and I have had in our lives. But sometimes I think society has forgotten the fact that creativity in the form of writing and reading has helped us in the past. I wonder if the reason that we don’t encourage others to engage in the simple act of reading is because the people around us begin to change. They expand their thinking because they are more enlightened on a subject and aren’t afraid to discuss it. A subject may change their lives and they may drift away from you because you may not want to follow the thread of this new idea and life in general.

If we don’t read, we don’t want others in our inner circle to change. We are stuck in some reality that actually doesn’t work but if others leave us we feel threatened by them. Reading (and writing) helps us evolve and become who we are today.

Bold stories make us ponder all of the history writers have written about, and philosophize about deep subjects which leads us to become incredible critical thinkers. When young people tell me they don’t like to read, I am saddened to think how much they have missed in their lives. I am saddened to think of all the incredible stories that have been told in the past and are currently being told today. They are missing out on how humans have evolved (and devolved of late) from past understandings of how the world and society as a whole works.

I was really dismayed when I looked at what all of us, especially women, have gone through to be allowed to learn and especially ponder life’s greatest mysteries by asking intelligent questions. Reading and writing have been essential in my life and I hope I have passed on these life-changing thoughts to my child. I hope to pass on the importance of turning off that constant scrolling and pick up a book (or audiobook) to discover life’s mysteries both past and present. Be a brave reader and get curious!

Here’s a kicker from my past:  My mother would constantly tell me not to read under the covers with a flashlight late at night because it would ruin my eyes. And when I said I wanted to emulate Madame Curie, who worked through a problem night and day and didn’t even take a bath, she stated, “Well, you have to bathe!” And I muttered under my breath, as all teenagers do, “Wow! That’s what you got out of that?”

And finally, to a quote Emily Dickinson: “Women were not encouraged to read because men feared it would joggle their minds.”

I encourage everyone to read my favorite book on writing of all times to gain perspective on us writers:   Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

I love you all and hope you are having fun creating a magnificent garden in your back yard. Summer is upon us!

Hug Trees, Clean up the Seas, Save the Bees!

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I saw this on Facebook today and I thought it summed things up nicely! When things get rough out there go out into the woods and just breathe. Find the biggest tree and sit awhile, embracing its energy. Sink your feet in the earth and call out its name. Thank the tree for still being there. Be grateful it has survived all these years, through fires, drought, massive rain runoff and abuse of people in general.

If you are near the ocean, take a walk on the beach with your bag and pick up plastic and debris. Dispose of it afterwards in the appropriate bins. Find a spot on the beach and sit for a while. Watch the waves and harmonize with them. Say hello to the little birds and critters in the sand.

Plant your garden with pollinators and welcome the bees, even if you are a little afraid of them. They are our friends and keep our plants and food alive! Get rid of the wasps that try to take over their habitat. Let them be at peace and do their work.

Be grateful for all of the creatures, plants, and trees that we still have out there on this planet. Yes, we lose things every day, but there are still those places that survive despite our undoing. Tread lightly on these vast arid landscapes and keep it alive.

We can live in harmony with nature if we slow down and give it a chance. We can appreciate the beauty outside if we appreciate the beauty inside each of us. Everyone needs a sacred space to go to, even if it is a small one in your backyard. That is what I am creating, a little bit at a time. Can you say that you are doing the same thing in yours?

I am at peace tonight, finishing up my work, and listening to the birds and creatures outside (although a little malice towards that very loud crow!) with promises of a beautiful summer ahead.

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.”― John Lennon

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
― Jimi Hendrix

I love you all and wish you well!

Out of Time

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“Now is our time. It’s our time to chase rainbows and build castles in the sky. It’s our time to create a life that we love. Because someday, it will no longer be our time.” ~ Shawn Anderson

“The clock is ticking. It’s time to stand up. Reject the lesser evil and that propaganda. Reject the lesser evil. Fight for the greater good like our lives depend on it because they do. We’re running out of time. It’s time to stand up.” ~ Jill Stein

“Before you know it it’s 3 am and you’re 80 years old and you can’t remember what it was like to have 20-year-old thoughts or a 10-year-old heart.” ~ Anita Pallenberg

“We all live inside bodies that will deteriorate. But when you look at human beings, they’re capable of very decent things: love, loyalty. When time is running out, they don’t care about possessions or status. They want to put things right if they’ve done wrong.” ~ Kazuo Ishiguro

And one more from Edward Abbey:
“Transcendence…It is this which haunts me night and day. The desire to transcend my own limits, to exceed myself, to become more than I am. Why?…To transcend this job, this work, this place, this kind of life—for the sake of something superlative, supreme, exalting.”

Love where you are at this very moment. Seek transcendence just like Edward Abbey, but in your own time, before you are out of time. That’s it for today. Been working on the book! Love to all of you out there who are trying to do the right thing.

Reflections on Defining Our Identity and the War to Come

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“Identity is an entirely made-up construct, formed largely based on stories other people tell you about yourself.” – Veronica G. Henry, The Canopy Keepers

There are many books in this series, but I encourage you to at least read this first one: The Canopy Keepers

You learn many things about yourself from your family’s stories before you establish who you are. But when you make a decision to go the path you are destined to take, you may counteract all of those stories they have given you in all the years you lived with them. You break out of the mold and become the person you were supposed to be.

If you spend any time with the Buddhist monks, they might ask of you “Who are you?”
I once met and hung out with some amazing monks from China back in the 90’s. I was at an event in Northern California and later at the person’s house who housed them for the time they were visiting. There were a few older ones and a lot of young ones. The older ones appeared to be so very wise and my skeptical self said whether it was a con or not, I listened to what they had to say. And for a while, I felt at peace. They weaved red ropes and gave me a necklace to wear to ease my pain. For a while, I was at peace.

It was the younger monks, though, that just surprised me and made me laugh and enjoy their shenanigans. They went shopping at the local stores, bought sunglasses, baseball caps, and Pepsi. I couldn’t believe how much of that stuff they consumed while they were there. These kids were able to step out of their serious world to a moment in time where they could just be teenagers.

There was a time when I identified with the era of dragons and dragon queens, of Celtic Lore and the powerful belief in magic. I researched the Power of the Myth with Joseph Campbell and read everything I could get my hands on from fantasy authors such as: Marion Zimmer Bradley, particularly The Mists of Avalon, Anne McCaffery, especially the Dragonriders of Pern, Andre Norton, and later Robert Jordan, to name a few.

This powerful connection to the lore of the past made me appreciate the connection to the earth and how we treat it. Reading these books also prepared me for an appreciation of the old world and later to western civilizations and exploration. It led me to debunk the glory of the cowboy and appreciate those that were here before the insurgence of people that didn’t understand the land. I read all of the greats, such as Wallace Stegner, Edward Abbey, Reg Saner (CU professor-Look it up!), and now David Gessner. Their powerful words led me to an understanding of why I am here and not on the east coast. It led me to an understanding of the things that I still want to do in life to preserve what we have, while trying to help people understand that we are the interlopers and should be humble in the presence of those that came before us out in the west. It led me to meeting interesting native peoples and learning how they lived their lives. It led me to a teacher who gave me perspective on their thoughts and ways of life. And finally, it led me to some understanding of how we must continue to protect this wild west at all times, against anything that is thrown at it from crazy corporate schemes. I picked my battles based on what I can do at the time. One day at a time.

There is a war brewing and when it begins, history will repeat itself. “When a war begins, history is quick to tell us who made the first strike (Veronica Henry, The Canopy Keepers, p222).” However, it is not really as clear as Sylvester Stallone’s classic “They drew first blood.” The war brewing outside of us needs to be channeled into what we can do to save democracy, and to save to world. But we must first quell the war inside us and take a stand, unclouding our judgment and creating a better world for us and all of the oppressed.

The war within us helps us define who we are and what we need to do. Parents and grandparents always seem to think they know best, but it’s not true. They can give the foundation for a good life, but it is up to their offspring to discover who they truly are and where they can do their very best in the world. You can have the most experience in the room, but sometimes you have to see a new way of doing things.

Old knowledge can get in the way when you think you know all there is about a subject. So I am asking all of you to listen to all points of view, even when you believe it is wrong, and stop waging the battle inside. Find a way to come up with solutions where we can work together and all wind up at the center of the universe, not as individuals, but together, in harmony, working towards keeping all people free and protected from injustice.

So I am asking everyone to think about who they are and why they are here. I am asking everyone to take a leap beyond what our parents thought we should be. Become that person beyond the perception of your parents, grandparents, and coworkers think you are. Be a responsible homeowner, parent, chief cook, and bottle washer. I am asking everyone to get involved and keep this beautiful land habitable. I am asking everyone to pick one cause that keeps cruelty at bay. Saving democracy and peaceful cohabitation is the right thing to do with our lives.

I love you all on this beautiful rainy Colorado evening.