Drop of Water

Everyone has heard the old story asking, “is the glass half full or half empty?” Recently I was told another version that I had never heard before.

No, it was not the story that told us simply to, “add some golf balls and your cup will runeth over.”

No, this story does not involve adding anything to fill the glass. Our dilemma may arise in the fact that we tend to focus on the water. We see a void, no matter if our glass is half full or half empty.

In another way, we could simply change the glass. Is it possible we have enough water to completely fill the void if we just chose a smaller glass? Sure, we can even choose a much smaller glass so we have some water left over. With this water we can help others fill their own glass.

Elephant Conservation Center

This successful breeding center, about an hour outside Chiang Mai, takes care of 12 elephants. They have added three babies, through natural fertilization, over the past 4 years. The baby in this picture, who playfully enjoyed running into me head first while feeding his mother, is just over 8 months old. The center adopts elephants from around Thailand when they can no longer be cared for. The natural habitat provides them with a trail walk and bath in the river every day. The caretakers are mostly hill-tribe natives who have experience working with the big gentle creatures.

A black cat

Here comes the spring
so I take a walk
to the temple I bring
A long thought

The hike was usual
a long trip of mind
but at the top
A joy I would find

I payed my respects
to the monks who do
what most of us neglect
To follow through

Then a little soul
dressed in black
crossed my path
And I was taken back

I played with the cat
with my walking staff
till it purred away
And rubbed my back

As I walked away
the cat confused
i wanted to stay
Not just for today

The trail led on
down the rocky slope

Happy Holidays

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Times are tough
All over the world
From East to West
And all the rest

Gifts may be small
This year moneys tight
But babies still crawl
And candles still light

So cherish the simple
The things that will always be
Take care of our earth
In spring plant a tree

A glimpse at the moon
A breath of fresh air
These things we all have
These things we can all share

Happy Holidays to all
Happy days to come
This is my wish
An in faith can be done


Happy Holidays,

Mountain Temple

This mountain temple is one of my favorites. I hiked to the temple the first time I came to Thailand. At that time there was one small temple building and an ancient chedi. The new temple building, in this picture, houses several large white Buddhas. The building has simple clean lines and an amazing roof structure.



This Buddha makes his home in a man-made cave at the same mountain temple. This is an example of a fairly uncommon white Buddha. Most of the Buddhas in Thai temples tend to be gold.

History

We all may be witnessing one of the most powerful uniter and speakers the world has ever seen. There is no doubt we are experiencing one of the most historic events in world history, the first black (and white) president.

Watching Barack's acceptance speech today, I flashed back to the nights our family gathered around to watch the much anticipated television series "Roots" in the year 1977. As a young boy, my emotions ran wild watching Kunta Kinte struggle through the beatings and chains of slavery wanting only freedom and to love. The most dominate emotion was sadness. It was sadness for what black people had been put through because of the color of their skin and the ignorance of their fellow humans.

Time will tell how the presidency will treat Barack, but for now he is a beacon in the darkness for countless people around the world. A beacon to all ethnicities.

Good luck to the United State's new first family, and to President, Barack Hussein Obama ll.

Deadly Box Jellyfish

An official warning issued by the Phuket Marine Bological Center (PMBC) confirms that the potentially deadly box jellyfish have arrived in the waters around Phuket, Thailand.

The box jellyfish were found in a fish trap. The jellyfish prefer the shallower brackish waters. A two-day collection recovered another eighteen more in the same area.

This follows a reported death of a Swedish Tourist in the waters off Koh Lanta. In early April another person was reportedly stung in these same waters.

The box jellyfish can have a potentially deadly sting. The toxin from the tentacles can travel to the heart in four minutes, causing cardiac arrest.

Regular household vinegar is one of the best medicines. Vinegar can slow the toxins entering the blood stream lessening the effect of a sting.

Local authorities recommend bringing a small bottle of vinegar to the beach in case of a box jellyfish sting. This method also works on other types of jellyfish stings.

If anyone is suspected to have been stung by a box jellyfish, apply vinegar to the sting. If the victim falls into cardiac arrest, begin CPR immediately.