Talking about PAINTING STUDIO In The Light Of Day, Spring Poem by Stephen Craig Rowe And yes there are times that space is only as deep as one makes it. Here and now family, world, the blessing of life is not a gift taken lightly. It is the Light for you are the Light of the World. Smile! As ever be well, Stephen Craig Rowe

WALKING THE STONES Spring sweet blooms Blossoms buds and twittering Birdsong Sun warmed face. Breaking my stride To a slow march as Row and row of White Stones Row after row of White Stones Appeared. Stark upon Dark green Late Afternoon lawn. Alone I walked the Stones Reading inscriptions Name, Rank, Branch of Service, Campaign. Date of Birth and Death. With reverance softly touched some Stones with Hand and thoughts. In the center of the Cemetary stands a Statue. Stark white Stones Cast Late afternoon Shadows As I Unseen Formaly marched around the statue. At each compass point North, South, East and West Stopped and faced the Stones. Came to Attention And saluted The Silence In Honor and Respect Then went Walking the Stones. As ever be well. With love, Stephen Craig Rowe

Dante said that the hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who remain silent in a moral crisis. America is in a moral crisis. The $3 trillion thrown away on an illegal invasion equates to spending $100 million every day, 365 days a year, for 82 years. Or $1 million a day every day for 8,219 years. And it’s not just the money that we now owe to other nations from China to Mexico. America’s claim to fame was the moral high-ground. How do you stake that claim when you are by far the planet’s biggest arms dealer? When you use depleted uranium and other WMD against civilian populations? When you have the largest per capita prison population of any other country on Earth? When torture, disappearing people and holding them without access to due process is national policy? When Blackhawk is the most powerful mercenary army on Earth? When Pew global research indicates that America is regarded as the biggest threat to world peace? When America is #44 down the list of other nations in freedom of the press. #48 in infant mortality. #72 in overall health. #55 in literacy. In the June issue of Vanity Fair, Graydon Carter’s Editor’s Letter is entitled, Emerging from the Dark Ages. He writes, “In less than a year, the Bush administration will strut out of office, leaving the country in roughly the same condition a toddler leaves a diaper. The report card on this White House will be a series of F’s. An optional war that has cost this country dearly in lives and resources?—F. Our reputation, military and economy in tatters?—F. Wall Street an unregulated disaster?—F. Banks in crisis and airlines in bankruptcy?—F. A national debt that is through the roof?—F. Oil at more than $113 a barrel?—F. A tax system that favors the rich over the poor?—F. A general of environmental protections shot?—F. Five-year record low in consumer confidence and new lows in “Are we headed in the right direction?” polls—F. The loss of a great American city?—F.” http://www.vanityfair.com/ For fraction of that $3 trillion, for less than 2% of our collective GDP, we could have put together a kind of Marshall Plan by and between the 18 countries that account for 80% of the global emissions to solve the climate crisis. http://unfccc.int/2860.php For a fraction of that $3 trillion we could have instigated a WPA/Apollo kind of program to repair our crumbling infrastructure, and create sustainable jobs. http://www.apolloalliance.org/ For a fraction of that $3 trillion wasted we could lessen the despair that creates so much conflict. 3 billion live on under $2 a day. 33 million Americans are hungry. 34,000 people die every day in the world from hunger. Here is an exciting program from Newsweek that is helping: http://school.newsweek.com/edResources/resources/extras/hunger.php?PHPSE… Here is all that one woman achieved with $150,000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzoNInZ2ClQ Thomas Jefferson said if there is a chosen people it is those who toil in the Earth. Today I think that means toiling FOR the Earth and her people. We all need to become social entrepreneurs within our ability, and committed to lessening injustice, inhumanity and suffering. Otherwise we are party to it—and will earn one of Dante’s rings in Hell. At the same time as co-creators with the universe we have equal duty to the gift of our own lives. It was Aphrodite who won the Judgement of Paris because she symbolizes rebirth, charm, beauty, laughter, festivity, wit and joy…the things that civilize life. So, help save the world…and take equal time to be grateful, plant flowers, pet dogs, make people laugh, paint pictures, eat chocolate, pour the wine, wear something juicy, turn up the music, dance, love the people you love, and have a ball. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsgL35RCGcc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHuQKe1ithw

When we stop laughing, they might as well bury us. The better part of us would be dead, anyway.

I would like to think the teenage years shouldn’t be taken seriously or too seriously. But, try telling a teenager that! The dress, the boyfriend, the test, the pimple, the weight, the curse, the tears and the disconnect from reality. Then they reach 18, still a child, but also an adult; here, there, in college or ‘over there’ and they are all sublime and now each day of their lives is our seriousness but the teenager at 18 is independent and has shed the complexities of youth.

Humor has always been a part of my adult life, my married life. Then I was faced with something very unnatural ,10 years ago husband diagnosed with Alzheimer. Little by little the humor between us stopped. I became morose , I not only did not know who he was anymore ,I also did not know who I was. Somewhere in there I knew I had to start laughing or I would die before him. I try my darnest to laugh as much as possible. When we meet a ladyfriend and he asks me later “Who was that?” I answer ” your first wife” and he looks very puzzled but when I start laughing he does too. The other day he did not let me in our bed. He announced that he did not have women come into his bed. I said : Not to worry I am not here for sex . That note struck me funny so I started to laugh and he laughed and let me sleep in the same bed. Most days I can do that , I said MOST days, well, almost most days.