Category Archives: Community

Losing Lila

Posted on by annandmeg

Our worst fears have been realized, yesterday morning, October 18, 2012, Lila (Lila Gail Morse) lost her battle with cancer. On November 7 she would have been two years old.  She was the joy of her parents, her grandparents and her friends–who considered themselves to be her family.  We considered her to be our family.

Lila was so young, so in love with life, and so full of the future. She was smart as a whip and charmed everyone around her.  We are assured that she passed away peacefully in the arms of her parents, surrounded by her family.

Her death, which occurred so close in time to the beginning of her life, is reason enough to rage against God.  But my feelings are not those of her parents. Miriam and Michael have chosen to affirm life. Throughout her short life, her parents, as much as it is humanly possibly, chose joy over grief, living each precious day with their child as a gift to be savored.  They filed their child’s life with joy and expected that those who surrounded her also fill Lila’s world with happiness.  Her mother sent an email to close friends (and they are many), shortly after Lila’s death, that began:  Baruch Dayan Emet. 

Like many of Lila’s gentile friends, I did not understand the significance of these words.  Another friend googled the term and based on her research pointed us to jttp://www/jewishvaluesonline.org/621, which tells us that “Baruch Dayan Emet” is a Jewish blessing to be recited on hearing any form of bad news, particularly a death.  The Mishna [1] advises that a person is required to praise God for both the good and the bad and to love God with all our heart, whether circumstances are good or bad.  It also includes an affirmation that God is just even in the face of such tragedies.

Our grief is overwhelming.  It is nothing in comparison to the grief of her parents and family.  Her family’s affirmation of faith and strength in the face of such great loss is a reflection of the values of this wonderful family in this great tragedy.

I do not begin to understand life’s great joys and certainly life’s great tragedies.  But I am reminded of the importance of holding our friends and family close to our hearts as we support Lila’s family in this time of great loss.  Lila, we will miss you.

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[1]The Mishna is oral Jewish law set down by Rabbi Judah the Prince, a 2nd century CE rabbi.

Sheila Kemper Dietrich Park: Where Urban Renewal is Child’s Play

Posted on by annandmeg

Within walking distance of Crown Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital, the Juvenile Court building, Ronald McDonald House and a host of children’s and family services, Sheila Kemper Dietrich Park is an oasis in a sea of turmoil.  Few people choose to spend their time at the nearby children’s hospital or any of the children’s agencies.  But the Park is another matter all together.

Located at 26th and Gillham Road, the park is a happy place.  The sight of children and their parents sharing the everyday experience of a swing is a reminder that wounds and illness can heal, troubled children can find joy and estranged  families can be reunited.

As therapeutic as a park can be, this park was in need of a sprucing up.  And it got it.  For the last month or more there was a construction fence around the park.  I was concerned at first that it might be demolished.  But I didn’t need to worry.  Construction crews rejuvenated the park so that it is even better than before.  Urban renewal at it’s best!!

Imagine the fantasy land of a park where a child can experience the thrill and sense of adventure associated with climbing on an old ship (well, not really so old, and certainly not seaworthy) or fending off an artificial sea serpent.  They can maneuver a rope (well sort of) to climb up to the ship.  They can play to their heart’s content while imagining themselves as great adventurers.

Children can wander around cartoon figures that, for young children, are every bit as exciting as the statues at Disneyland, and they are free to all who enter the park.

The park includes children’s slides, swings, jungle gym type climbing equipment.  There are tennis courts on the adjacent property.  Sheila Dietrich Kemper Park is a place where the environment encourages happy thoughts and a spirit of adventure.

For a few minutes at least, the park can remind children and families with loved one’s who are sick or troubled that there can be happy days and happier tomorrows.  And for the neighborhood itself, it is simply a wonderful block where families can experience the simple joys of time together.  For all, the park builds the spirits and inspires us all.

In Search of Dvarapala

Posted on by annandmeg

Mysteries are just facts waiting to be discovered.  Since research is as exciting to me as sports are to some of my friends, I love a mystery.  Taking a hiatus from family research, I was trying to come up with a project.  The one that came to mind was  staring me in the face, literally.  It combined Indian history, religion and art.  Perfect, I said to myself.

Over 30 years ago I stumbled on two wonderful little statues in a small antique store.  They were a bit pricey for my recently out of law school budget.  Fortune smiled on me.   I was the only customer who fell for these unusual pieces.  Months later, I returned to the shop. Both statues were still there.  They were discounted and I took the plunge.

I was told the statues had been salvaged when a Hindu temple was destroyed.  They were supposedly purchased by an interior decorator who traded them to the antique dealer as partial repayment on a loan.  I took them home, tried to research them, gave up and put them where I can enjoy them!

The most interesting of these statues (don’t tell the other one) is pictured below:

It is a wonderful carving but other than the dealer’s story, I had no real understanding of his significance.  Technically, he is a “wood & polychrome” statue, meaning only that he is painted in a variety of colors.  It is obvious he has been repeatedly repainted, suggesting only that he is not new and, perhaps, that he was designed more for utilitarian, than artistic, purposes.

A lot has changed in 30 years.  I realized with the internet I should renew my search.  I began by searching terms including Hindu statue, guardian, Hindu art and Indian art.  Eventually I came across the term “Dvarapala” [1] meaning guardian deity, door guardian or wrathful deity. Dvarapala is associated with the temples, shrines  and monasteries of Buddhism, Taoism and Hindu religions.  They are found in such countries as India, Burma, Tibet, Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and China.  These guardians have played a significant religious role throughout much of the world for over a thousand years.

Initially the images of Dvarapala I found on the internet were massive stone or bronze sculptures of ferocious warriors.  Ultimately I came upon a reference to more benign sculptures and continued my quest. Finally, I googled “Dvarapala, 1800s” and discovered this wonderful late 1800s statue, also identified as “wood polychrome”.  The Jaipaul family donated it, with other Indian and Tibetan sculptures, to the Allentown Art Museum, [2] in 2000:

While certainly of finer quality than my own statue, the similarities satisfy me that my home and family are well protected by a Dvarapala.  I promise to treat it with the respect it deserves as a representative of a deity not my own.

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[1]  In Buddhism “Dharmapala” identifies a wrathful  protector who, similar to the Dvarapala, often guards a monastery or other religious building.

[2]  Allentown, Pennsylvania

Ancient Deities, Familiar Truths

Posted on by annandmeg

As the world shrinks, we benefit by our willingness to gain an appreciation and respect for the diversity surrounding us.  There is much to be gained by finding common ground with those whose cultures we have never experienced.  I have so much to learn.

Buddhism and Hinduism are both ancient religions with their origins in India. the roots of Hinduism easily extend more than a thousand years before the birth of Christ.  They are cultures both rich and full of meaning.  To my Western understanding, there are similarities between the two religions that might reasonably be compared to the similarities between Jewish and Christian origins, beliefs and traditions.

While Buddhism and Hinduism both recognize many deities, they do not represent separate gods, but rather different manifestations of one God.  Some of these manifestations are quite strange to us; and each of these deities may have multiple roles.  Additionally, some Buddhist deities originate in Hindu traditions:

[1] Ganapati/Ganesha

[2] Vidyaraja

These symbols of their God, however foreign to us, should not deter us from understanding the universal truths which are part of these faiths.  Many of the beliefs of Buddhist and Hindu teachers could come from the mouths of our own spiritual leaders, still others, are worthy of our respect.

Buddhist Quotes:

Three things can not be hidden; the sun, the moon and the truth.  Buddha

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.  Buddha

In this way, all here are the same, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, Easterner or Westerner, believer or non-believer, and within believers whether Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and so on.  Basically, from the viewpoint of real human value we are all the same.”    The Dalai Lama [3]        

If there is love, there is hope to have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace.  If the love within your mind is lost, if you continue to see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education you have, no matter how much material progress is made, only suffering and confusion will ensue.  The Dalai Lama [4]

The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.  Atisha [5]          

Hindu Quotes:

I came to the conclusion long ago…that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold to my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism.  So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu…But our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian.  Mohandas Gandhi [6]

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave. Mohandas Gandhi

 

 
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[1] Ganapati/Ganesha–Ganapati is the Buddhist wealth deity.   Ganesha is the Hindu god of wealth and success
[2] Vidyaraja was apparently a Hindu deity incorporated into Buddhism.  He has many images representing  such attributes as purification of the mind, wrath, protection of believers, eliminating evil.
[3]From Kindness, Clarity and Insight
[4] From the Path to Tranquility
[5] 11th century Tiebetan Buddhist master
[6] Quote similar to quote by Sri Sathya Sai Baba, born 1926 “I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith-so that the Christian becomes a better Christian…”
The opinions in our blog do not represent the opinions of our families, our employers or our friends.  They do from time to time represent our attempts to understand the world around us.  If we are in error in our understandings, we are happy for caring corrections.

In Honor of our Readers in India and Tibet

Posted on by annandmeg

Eastern cultures are so rich with history, religious belief, the arts and education.  As a result of Meg’s posts on Natasha’s wedding ceremonies, we have a fair number of readers from India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia–the list goes on.  We are grateful for your interest in our  blog.

From time to time we would like to share some of the wealth of art and wisdom that originates from cultures other than ours.

A good friend, born Catholic, has spent a lifetime studying Eastern religions and acquiring art, primarily from India and Tibet.  His collection, primarily of Buddhist sacred and less sacred, carvings, fabrics, and decorative objects, surround you throughout his home.  Because he has attempted to capture the environment of a shrine, he uses dim lights and wraps his statues in beads, strings of light, fabric and other symbols of respect.  I will include posts on our blog that include photographs of his collection.

He is not a wealthy man so he is not competing with museums in his acquisitions. That in no way diminishes the beauty of the art.   The cultures reflected in these works are truly to be treasured:

Buddhist (and Hindu) female deities are generally crowned, serene in demeanor and adorned with beads.

Tibet’s fabrics are often ornate and generally rich with color and design.  Tibet clothing can be quite lovely, with ceremonial clothing full of color, intricate design and elaborate headgear. In the West we are fortunate to see examples as banners, wall hangings and prayer flags. Even such examples give us a sense of the beauty of their design.

While I love the beauty displayed from various works of art.  I am grateful for corrections as I stumble with identifying various deities and ornamental items.  Please feel free to correct me or to provide us with additional information.

We wish you well.

The Little Free Library–Blue Springs Style

Posted on by annandmeg

As I was photographing the Brownfield House for yesterday’s post, I saw what appeared to be a slightly oversized bird house.  Fascinated, I aimed my camera for a shot only to see through the viewfinder the words “Little Free Library”.

Last week I first heard about “The Little Free Library”.  It is such an exciting concept.  Begun in Madison, Wisconsin, it has already spread to California and has recently begun making its way into the heartland.

The goal of The Little Free Library project is to encourage businesses and individuals to establish their own tiny libraries to make books easily available throughout the community.  While focused on encouraging literacy and a love of learning, a secondary goal is to encourage healthy and interactive communities.  What is unique about these libraries is their size.  They are tiny, really tiny.  The largest may be redesigned telephone booths.  The smallest aren’t much larger than bird houses.  And they are so cute.

  The way the library works is that containers are placed to be easily accessible to the public.  Neighbors–and strangers–are encouraged to borrow a book, take a book, leave a book or borrow a book at one library and return it at another.

It is truly a “public” library in the best sense of the word.  While the containers have doors of some sort to allow for easy access to take a book or donate a book, and to protect books from the weather, the containers have no locks or keys.  This library simply instructs the observer to “Take One”.  No lecture about rules, due dates, fines or fees.  Just take one.

The goal of the movement’s founders is to create over 2510 libraries.  Since this was the first such library I have encountered, I assume the movement is far from reaching its goal.  But with the support of America’s Community Bank, there is now also a second tiny library in Blue Springs.  Hopefully more are on the way. The owners of the Brownfield House, excited by my excitement, told me about their interest in the project and directed me to this tiny library in front of the bank building.

Do you want to be the first in your neighborhood to provide a library?  No staff, no employment taxes, no payroll.  All it takes is a little creativity and the best books to share with others–your own.

Happy reading!

Another exciting Kansas City weekend

Posted on by annandmeg

Jake and I went home for the holiday weekend for several reasons. We had a wedding, a few family members who needed some extra love, and naturally we needed some good KC barbecue. While my work life is about to get crazy, it was a perfectly timed trip.

We have now learned that in order to see everyone over these weekends we simply have to split up and do the best we can. It can be exhausting, but oh so wonderful to spend time with our family and friends he in KC. I even managed to have a few afternoons of bonding time with my parents, including a yummy dinner at the new Mexican restaurant on the plaza with Pud.

Friday night was Brian and Tracey’s wedding. Mum was the officiant, and she did an amazing job of making everyone laugh and feel excited about being inside in light of all the rain. Tracey looked stunning of course!

Padre and I were able to fit in a 125 mile ride on Sunday morning, stopping at a little diner outside of Perry, KS for some breakfast. I ride a 2002 V-Rod, and Padre rides a 2009 Softail.

On our last morning of the trip, I went for a refreshing run and passed by Nicholas Kemper in Loose Park. Little did I know that Lotte was in town too! After my Mum’s delicious French toast, we went to meet the Kempers for a latte at the Roasterie. It was the perfect end to a wonderful weekend in Kansas City.

A Lazy Day on Martha’s Vineyard

Posted on by annandmeg

At the end of my “cousins trip” I met my husband and friends on Martha’s Vineyard.  The only way to get to the island is by ferry, private boat or plane, or Cape Air.  Visitors should only fly Cape Air if they have absolutely no schedule, since Cape Air’s schedule is as relaxed as the island.  We took Cape Air.

We had absolutely nothing to do for the weekend, but–to do nothing.  The company was great, the environment was soothing to the soul.  Martha’s Vineyard is all about being lazy.  And oh, we did that so well.  On the island, it seems that no one is in a hurry.  The boats are slow, the birds are tranquil and the need for speed seems nonexistent.  Even the critters are calm.  We found this old chair sitting abandoned on the beach.  apparently the owner just wants it there in case s/he comes by and wants to sit.  The bicycle seemed to be the same situation.  I did not see any children anywhere nearby. Perhaps the islanders not only live a relaxed lifestyle, but also a trusting one.

Boats are everywhere, but canoes, trawlers and similar low speed boats are preferred to power boats.  And like everything else, there seems to be a casual attitude about guarding one’s possessions.  I suspect nearby clam diggers may have been responsible for this boat.

While life is casual, laid back and relaxed, food, especially lobster, is serious business.  There is nothing better than fresh lobster, fresh corn and key lime pie shared with friends.

Hope you have a great and restful weekend.

For Aunt Kathie

Posted on by annandmeg

Aunt Kathie is Lily and Cousteau’s “Aunt” in Kansas City. Kathie is a greyhound rescuer, REGAP volunteer, and foster mom. She was Lily’s foster mom before we adopted her, and she has since adopted the name “Aunt Kathie” since she sat for our kiddos often when we lived in Kansas City.

Well, Lily and Cousteau have been running around the house “naked” lately (meaning, without their collars), and Aunt Kathie wasn’t very happy about that. SO, being the good mommy that I am, I have put their collars back on.

Aunt Kathie, this one’s for you!

For those of you who are not familiar with greyhounds, they are absolutely the sweetest and most loving dogs I’ve ever known. They have very difficult lives while in the racing industry, yet still make amazing companions despite their hardships. Please consider rescuing a retired racer. You can visit your local greyhound rescue group, or visit one of the following groups we’ve worked with: Kansas City REGAP www.kcregap.org, and Wine Country Greyhounds www.winecountrygreyhounds.com.