To be perfectly frank I got back to my room this evening a bit disturbed. I can't remember the name of the film but I do remember the focus was on the trap of celebrity in the film industry. A satire and there was cynicism in it too. There was a point being made, and I got it!

Earlier in the evening I found myself making up a song to the tune of Bless 'em All, a war song made famous by Vera Lynn. It is a celebration of today, of meeting a shoal of Jade readers here for the Festival ceremony for Manjusri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom and more besides:

Bless 'em all, Alfie, Mum, Da Ad, and all
And Jenny/Sue/Dave/Dave/Brenda/Angie... and the short and the tall
Bless all the readers and contributors three
Bless all the sunshine and the dah-di-dee-dah
For I'm saying good-bye to them all
As back to their billets they crawl
You'll get no (fill in the blank) this side of the (Great) Ocean
So cheer up Rev. Mugo Bless 'em all.

Anyway, seeing Jim's post One Perspective On The spirit Of Jade rounded off the evening rather well. I'd wanted to make note of Ayse talking about merit, just in case this aspect of things got over looked, and Jim got there first. I think my little ditty complements his post quite well.... Do I embarrass myself!

The first reading of Ayse's posting on Dealings with Pain had me refreshing the altar in our home on which we have all our memorial pictures and ashes of family, friends, and pets. I made an incense offering and sat watching the smoke rising and curling and dispersing. I let go of the surge of love and liberation that Ayse's penetrating description of sensing the thoughts of love and compassion directed toward her brought up. Letting it go, letting keep moving, circulating to where it is needed and benefiting from it passing through.

I made a copy of Ayse's posting and gave it to a friend who has been struggling with cancer for 18 months. I read that Dave Robinson had passed on a copy to his mother and then followed the link to Dave's blog. And then I read of Angie's struggles and of her style of wisdom. And then I read of Adrienne and her daughter's plight. I think of those who have read and not left comments, of those who have read and allowed themselves to feel somehow less than because they don't feel adept at handling things as well as Ayse. I think of Rev. Master Mugo who has felt her way along with Jade Mountains in the fog, in the sun, and with bright going-on-ness.

And as postings go on, I sense this kaleidoscope of images of us all. As this compassion and love circulates, we are all Ayse, Dave, Dave's mother, Adrienne, Adrienne's daughter, Angie, Wick, Andrew, Jim, R.M. Mugo, those of us feeling less than at the moment..... At the same time, it seems so important to see each slice of color of this kaleidoscope, each individual.

I am reminded of a quote from Lily Tomlin, an American actress and comedian, who once said: Let us not forget, we're all in this alone. May we all look past the either/or choices of a world that looks to be this or that and see that there is More Going On.