Peace bubbles

What’s good? What needs reconciling and healing? Let me know.

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“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche

“The butterfly does not look back at the caterpillar in shame, just as you should not look back at your past in shame. Your past was part of your own transformation.”
- Anthony Gucciardi

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner” - Nelson Mandela

Hello Monitor readers,
I started this article with the intent of highlighting issues and topics of the past few months. I wanted to name what I consider the bad or negative, as well as the good or positive happenings.
However, as I begin to list some issues/topics like climate change, global de-forestation and forest fires, the high rate of gun shootings and murders across the country, the Water Protectors fortitude and solidarity to end the outdated and dangerous pipeline 3, I started feeling overwhelmed, scattered, and even depressed –although I was also listing positive things like increased pollinator gardens, Minnesota’s young warriors, champions, draftees, and Olympians, another national award-winning year of National Afternoon/Night Out events in the Twin Cities, and other good things.
I realized what I wanted to write was just too much to express.

What do you think?
So, I decided to ask you, the Monitor readers for input highlighting issues and topics. For instance, using the five senses, what do you think, feel, smell, taste, and see happening recently; and what suggestions for short andlong-term solution plans would you like to share with your district councilperson, your city councilperson, your county commissioners, our state and federal lawmakers?
I’m inviting you to please share your suggestions that we can share in the September issue of the Monitor.

Working to adjust
Actually, we know that too much is going on as we keep trying to adjust and create a new normal way of life based on what was basically a safe and not perfect but comfortable norm for America and Minnesota. However, COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd have helped to remove the false narrative that has served as U.S. history; the curtain of Manifest Destiny and how the West was won and of the ongoing and generational impact of not owning-up and repairing the results of enslaving Africans to make our country the global powerhouse on our beautiful planet.
Again, I encourage you to send me messages highlighting the good and suggestions for reconciling and healing our not good and intentional mistakes of the past and current bad polices that undercut our rural farmers, upholds urban redlining, or corporate welfare loop-holes that allow companies to receive above average tax credits and exemptions.
I also would like to know who else was not surprised that some national lawmakers who like to talk law and order, however, they betrayed our national peace/police officers by denying Jan. 6 was an attack on our democracy and are still trying to justify the killings of the peace/police officers at our national capitol? These lawmakers often love confusing and dividing people by telling us that Blue Lives Matter. The curtain was removed and they had a chance to prove their words. Instead, they appeared to be more interested in limiting the opportunity for people to vote or to receive basic health care. Some lawmakers also seemed to forget that they were birthed from immigrants and refugees, particularly, in the 19th and 20th centuries.


V-Fest reflections
I also want to encourage that we all lighten up and give ourselves a break during our current reset phase.
It’s way too easy just to see the bad and injustice happening, particularly when we know there are good and great things happening, too. I attended a wonderful event in July so I asked Phillip McGraw to share two paragraphs about this uplifting event. These are his brief reflections:
V-Fest was a beautiful-community healing event for Saint Paul. This was our second annual health and wellness event. At this event, we had a larger audience, more vendors and volunteers, and more give-a-ways for youth and families! I was so thankful to see young kids and families at V-Fest share in our love for life. I felt that our efforts to promote V-Fest went better in the Rondo and Frogtown community. Individual’s reception to our flyer was easier to explain the mission and benefits of one “living your best life.” With COVID-19 being more than a year behind us, individuals believe in the notion that health is wealth. Our community deserves a healthier and more vibrant food system that supports this need.
We want to thank our sponsors and partners: Urban Farm and Garden Alliance, CSP, Open Cities Health Clinic, Job Corps, Twin Cities Rise, Ramsey County Public Health (sponsor), Minnesota Community Care (sponsor), Cultural Wellness Center, Arts Us, Hallie Q. Brown, Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicle, Minnesota Health Fairview (sponsor), Saint Paul Public Art, Saint Paul Public School Family Engagement, Black Nurses Rock, U of MN, Animal Rights Coalition, MRAC (sponsor), and Turning Point. We couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you for believing in me and my staff (and volunteers) to execute a vision for a health and wellness event this community deserves. And, we know this because we received warm welcomes, happy smiles and community appreciation for hosting this for our community. See you all next year.
With Love and Light, Phillip “Prospers” McGraw, founder and owner Living Naturally Abundant
Thank you, Brother Phillip, for being a beacon of hope and inspiration and for creating a space for community and businesses to work together for a higher purpose.
We don’t have to stay stuck and be divided.
We have to keep rising and working together for the best of all.
What ideas do you have?
Dream and believe!!!!!!

May Peace Be In the Rondo, Frogtown, Hamline/Midway, Como, & Surrounding Communities...
May Peace Be In Our Homes & Communities…
May Peace Prevail On Earth MPPOE)!!!!
BE SMART! DO YOUR PART! Get Your Vaccination Shots!!!

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