… In honor of Thanksgiving, I invite you to close your eyes for a moment and become present to the gifts that you hold and the importance of your unique contribution to our world. Ask yourself, "What would be possible if I treated myself like a million pounds of gold or a precious child? What would be possible if my heart were open and my generous nature took the lead this coming year? What would I be able to give or accomplish that I can't now?"
If you see the possibilities, take a vow of non-violence in your thoughts, in your speech, and in your actions. At this time of blessings and thanks, take a vow that you will be kind to yourself and others, that you will be gentle to yourself and others, that you will treat yourself and others with the loving compassion of a mother holding a sick child, that you will nurture yourself and others, that you will honor and respect yourself, that you will protect yourself, and that non-violence and peace will start right here today inside of your own heart. Vow to hold the love that exists in you, that precious resource, like it's the most important thing in the world. And as you treat yourself with that kind of generous, non-judgmental, and compassionate love, watch and rejoice as it alters those around you. This vow of peace begins inside of you.
So, if you are ready to take a vow of non-violence one day at a time, a vow of love and peace instead of anger, impatience and intolerance, just say it out loud now. "I take the vow." Say it like you mean it and imagine what is possible for you, for your families, and for our entire world.
And now take a deep breath, because here's where the fun begins! Now that you've taken the vow, when you hear a little negative voice inside of you, you can just say, "I'm so sorry. I can't listen because I took the vow." Or "I'm sorry I can't participate in that neglect, that abuse, or that judgment because I took the vow." Or "I can't be hard on myself or spew words of anger at others because I took the vow." Or "I can't think all those negative thoughts about this family I'm having dinner with because I took the vow."
"Is not all that we see or seem, but a dream within a dream?" - Edgar Allen Poe
I've been writing this book for the last two years, "Re*Membering Now : the wonderful adventures of the holy road h*Ome." It is a ten book series, about 300 pages each and it is told from the perspective of my "eternal s*Elf," Holy How*L. It is a science fiction autobiography that looks back from the future. In the book, we play The re*Membering Game together. I'm making much progress here in the quiet country of Connecticut. Write me at thankyou@lizziewestlife.com if you want to know more. Yours in trust from the holy road, X=h/m, Lizzie and Dharma Dog too.
Letter from the future to President - Elect Obama:
Thanksgiving, 2009 Dear President Obama, It is almost Thanksgiving 2009. Our country is at peace and healing. Thank you! Before you were elected in 2008, I was terrified to have a child in this world. I couldn't bare to bring a baby into this world full of apathy, fear, and forgetting. I am no longer afraid. Thank you.
The wonderful things you have done in this first year of your presidency have brought our country back to life again. Your presidency has made me believe in the real American Dream of peace, equality, hard work and celebration. Thank you.
When you announced the Family Victory Garden (Americans feeding America) program at your inauguration, I cried. It was such a hands on approach, asking every American to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty and take part in our nation's Spring healing. We all understood the symbolism of the gardens. We grew our gardens for the soldiers who had died, the innocent who had been killed in Iraq, and for our own children who needed to learn that vegetables don't grow on grocery store shelves. I am thirty six years old. When you requested that every American family plant a garden in their yards, you made me truly believe in my country for the first time in my life.
Who knew so many hungry mouths could be fed from our own gardens. "Americans feeding America" was a great grassroots initiative. Our country will eat from the hands of our good citizens (men, women and children alike) for many years to come. When you, Michelle, and the girls, broke the frozen ground at The White House, the country broke ground with you. We all planted Victory gardens and our children learned to help tend them. That day, we all planted seeds of hope our hearts. Thank you!
By June the troops started coming home and we all gathered to celebrate the end of the Iraq war. Thank god! You took all the money being used for the war to create jobs, invest in education and develop sustainable energy resources. You made our borders safer by strengthening our diplomacy, rebuilding our dignity, and inspiring our willingness to fight for a democracy we can believe in.
Then, I don't know how you did it (I am not a lawyer or a government man), but you began to, one by one, hold every single crook, from the Bush administration, responsible for what he or she did during those painful eight years. You said you had to, otherwise your children would think it was okay to steal, cheat and lie. In addition, all the bankers and investors who made off with people's hard earned tax money in the 2008 bailout were investigated and tried for robbery, misconduct, and in some cases, even treason. Those tyrants had to sell every extra house they owned to pay the people back. Let's hope the money from the house sales will to give the people reimbursement checks and save our economy. Thank You!!
I'm especially thankful that you had the courage to run for president when the country was in such turmoil. I can only imagine how challenging, exhausting and, at times frustrating, the 2008 presidential race must have been for you. Even during the worst part of the storm, though, you kept your integrity. Your balanced, poetic and dependable character inspired us all to work hard, donate money, and come out of hiding to vote for you. Thank you!
You have begun to help us all save our country from spiritual, social and financial ruin. Now here's to creating a safe, unified and peaceful world for our children.
In trust and with respect,
Elizabeth Westergaard Kieraldo (aka Lizzie West) (Norfolk, CT)
Thank you to all who have been writing. Your words of support, inspiration and solidarity mean so much to us as we travel this holy road h*Ome. Below is the letter we sent out to our friends and family in Missouri. Sometimes I think, or perhaps I remember, that Holy Road Freedom Songs was a bridge that I built in order to reach you, in order to fulfill an agreement I made long ago. I have also posted a video that Baba made (a collection of photos from the last two years), and some loving responses from those of you who have been moved to respond to our e-mail. Thank you! X=h/m, your artist in life and song, Lizzie and Dharma Dog
To our Missouri community, Thank you for helping us grow. Over the last two years, we moved from New York City to Columbia in hopes of better knowing the heart of our country. We're so happy we did that. Being part of a smaller community and exploring the true culture of our country's heart has been absolutely inspiring.
Since moving to Columbia in 2006, we bought a Victorian house in the North Village on Saint Joseph Street, work shopped our new musical, toured around the country a few times, hosted potlucks, recorded music, opened our house to the public, embraced local artists, hosted some national artists, and produced a few fun events. In the meantime, we started a non-profit and then realized we were better artists than we are non-profit directors. Wow, what a journey!
We have made some great friends in Columbia and want to take this time to thank the whole community for embracing us, especially those who volunteered with us on various projects. Over the last two years we have seen a lot of communities around this country. We can sincerely say that Columbia is one of the most exciting and active pockets in the nation.Though it is now time for us to move east again, we will always think of Columbia as our first home together. After all, it is the majestic location of our marriage, which took place last fall along the Missouri River. Thank you Columbia, for being home to us in the happiest chapter of our lives so far. We believe in this vibrant town and hope to continue to grow with Columbia as the years go on. We leave with gratitude in our hearts and look forward to visiting soon.
To see a brief online slide show of collected shots from our two years in Columbia, click here. For anyone interested in buying The Holy Road House at 214 Saint Joseph Street, you can view the listing by clicking here and contact Brent Gardner at brentg@remax.net. It has a fresh new face and is available to look at by appointment. We sincerely hope the house will find an owner who is also committed to helping the Columbia Arts community grow.
Your artists on the holy road, Lizzie West, Baba Buffalo and The Dharma Dog Happy Halloween!
Lizzie and Baba-- This is a beautiful and heartfelt thanks...and had to be a bit hard to write as well. Perfect pitch, perfectly sincere...and, I believe, the right decision for you at this point in your work. I will be with you to the end of my days...and I suspect most of your fellow Columbians will be, too. Much love...miss you, and hope for a reunion soon—here or there. Xoxo, MK
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Oh, Lizzie, Baba & Dharma-Dog,
What a sad moment. Columbia will miss you immensely.
I am filled with gratitude that you called me that day a year or so ago, and that I was able to take part in even a tiny bit of the wonderful energy of your place - and to have been privileged to share in your boundless creative energy. It still inspires me. I am also filled with regret that after my building fell through, that my job in Iowa kept me out of touch for so long, and then that it took me so long to get my feet under me afterwards. Believe it or not, I was emailing Blake to get back in touch with ya'll and to find out what was happening at the house when I got your message. I have entered into negotiations with another developer and am trying once again to get Theatre NXS on its feet, and I am so sorry that you won't be here to be a part of that as well.
Mostly I am very grateful to have gotten to know you, even a little bit, and to have been blessed to be present at some of your private performances, which never failed to blow me away. You are fantastic artists, and become possessed by your music in a way that all artists dream of finding. Thank you so much for your assistance and encouragement with TNXS, and who knows, maybe next time you come through here I can provide you that venue we were hoping for last spring.
May the Holy Road bless you and all of your endeavors. And I sure look forward to seeing you - and hearing you - the next time.
BTW, great job in Chicago. Do keep me on your mailing list. Thanks for everything.
LR
Hi Lizzie, I'm writing you in regards to your travels. It was a blessing to have met you, may God be with you in your move. It is encouraging to see an empowered woman who fights for what she believes in. When my soul was in despair a few years ago, your Holy Road album helped save it. Hannah Robbins
*****
Lizzie,
I guess I want to take this opportunity to let you know how influential you have been in my life even way before we ever met. Holy Road Freedom Songs spoke to me. You set some kind of reachable bar, a dream within grasp for some of us that were searching...I signed up to be a Kicker. I *wanted* to play, I wanted to explore, I wanted to be strong and to be me, or who I thought I wanted to be.
But I had no idea...
I had no idea that you would come back into my world years later and continue to inspire, even if it was often painful, often challenging, often more complex than I was comfortable with. Our relationship, you and I, I felt was clouded with your mystery. I was often frustrated by the shroud of your past, and just wanted to connect with you somehow on some other level.
I don't think it happened in any way that I ever imagined, and yet you continued to encourage me to face my depths and all it's possibilities. You kicked-started a ball rolling that just hasn't stopped for me. Maybe not you personally, but your exploration, your delivery, and your relentless pursuit for facing obstacles head on.
*****
Ever so kind of you the message thank you. My life has been immeasurably enrichened by your kind friendship. Please come out and play any time, and bring your two humans with you, I always get a kick out of them, they always make me laugh and smile, and they make great music together too! ;>] There is another little one-eyed doggy out here who would make a great new friend as well!
I am back from South America deep in the land of the southern white vote. I'm not far from Selma and I'm thinking about going up there on Super Tuesday. Selma is where they cut loose with the hoses and vicious dogs during the civil rights march. Alabama swung for Obama by a wide margin in the primaries.....pretty powerful historic stuff going on down here.
Keep in touch....love.....cptkrk -- if you don't create y*Our reality, y*Our reality will create you
