Pictorially, mainly winter in the Midway area – hopefully, next month Hawaii

Poetical Journal ©by Bob Casey

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Mission: To provide poetical and thoughtful comments on life

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PLEASE! Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated!
Any amount of donation is appreciated. To support, click on the link and scroll down. click here.


Please click here to go to the Amazon link to learn about my books.

Questions? Email me.

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VOLUME XXIII – Issue 2: Sunday, March 31, 2024 (271st Issue)

Welcome

I am pleased to have you as a reader. If you enjoy the PJ, please encourage others to subscribe.

If your country is not listed in the demographic section at the end, please let me know so I can update the list.

The next Poetical Journal will be out April 28, 2024.

 

Not a great shot but a true picture of this winter. We would receive 4 to 6 inches of snow in a matter of a few hours, but it would substantially melt within a few days. The picture is a bit blurred due to the heavy snow falling. It was taken through our dining room window.

...Opening Comments from Bob

This Issue: Winter has been a bit unusual this year in our section of Utah. While the snowfall at the higher elevations has been above average, in our area much of it has melted early due to warmer temperatures and rain. Hence, I did not take many pictures of the area this year. Most of these shots were taken in January before the melt. There are three serious poems, Narcissism, In Honor of Ryonene's Poem, and They've never met a stranger. The poems are further explained in the comment section below the poem.

Subscriber Residences: PLEASE let me know if your state, providence, or country is not listed in the demographic section at the end. There currently are subscribers in 27 states, 3 provinces, and 13 countries. See complete list near at the newsletter.

Next Month: The next issue comes out on April 28, 2024. We again return to the Land of Aloha.

To become a friend on Facebook, click on this link.

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PLEASE! Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! Any amount of donation is appreciated. To support, click here.

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(Not Utah) Taken from the front steps of our son's home in Castle Rock, CO. They too had snow but not as much as us.


Three Poems

Comment: This poem speaks to an issue that inundates modern culture. Often it seems we can justify
our beliefs or actions, no matter how outrageous, on data that agrees with us despite the lack of credibility
or credentials of the person or groups disseminating it.

Comment:A bittersweet tale: Ryonen (1646 -1711) was a Buddhist nun in ancient Japan. She had been
married, had children, and was later widowed. She was considered very beautiful. When she first applied
to become a nun, she was refused because of her beauty. After she took a hot iron to her face and permanently
scarred herself, she was admitted to the order. She went on to become a famous poet and spiritual leader. Her
poem was written the night before her death and were supposedly the last words she wrote or spoke. For a bit
of fun and a challenge, I took her 18th C. poem and changed its direction slightly.

Comment: Such individuals are extremely rare. I have known one person, a college professor in undergraduate
school that was such a person. Even though 55 years have passed, Dr. Dale Heath, my Greek professor,
still impacts my life. Having the opportunity to know such a person is a privilege.

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No Vignette this Month

Recommendations

Strive to be that person who has never met a stranger.

Please take a look at the online book and gift pages.

 

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The picture was taken January 14 after a few days of heavy snowfall. We measured slightly over 19 inches.
However, it has almost all disappeared.

Quotable Quotes

"The heart is like a garden: it can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?" - Jack Kornfield

"Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal." - Maude Royden

"From the moment we cease trying to swim upstream and begin to flow with the current, something changes within us." - Arthur Sokoloff

”Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." - Leo Tolstoy

Looking across the valley toward 10,000+ foot Mt. Timpanogos

A Bit of Humor

A bit of laughter is healthy for the soul

Ancestry

"My ancestry goes back all the way to Alexander the Great," said Christine. She then turned to Miriam and asked, "How far back does your family go?"

"I don't know," replied Miriam, "all of our records were lost in the flood."

Compliment of A Joke A Day

Spring attempting to make its way (Give it three more weeks.)

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Tai Chi Corner

Some of my Tai Chi students enjoying a pizza lunch. We like to celebrate!
Click here to locate the name of a tai chi instructor near you, or contact me
directly.

PJ Forum

If you have comments, recommendations, or suggestions for the PJ, please e-mail them to bob@poeticaljourneys.com. I personally respond to all. (When editing the comments for publication, I eliminate very personal comments and edit for spacing.

"How wonderful that you have been publishing PJ for 23 years and bringing joy and food for thought to so many. Your pictures are always a delight and bring back many fond memories of my travels. Look forward to each issue. May your life be filled with happy moments," - Bev (Ed.: Thank you very much for you kind comments. Also, thank you for the support you have given over the years. She has been a subscriber since 1/27/2003 - quite awhile…:-)

" Loved this month's issue. Look forward to a visit. I feel you'll have many poems flowing out of you when you return to Lahaina. . . As for all that snow, I'm thinking you and Jan are a lot tougher than I'll ever be. Our winter has been very nippy, and still is, only in the high 50s in the AM, and lots of rain. Maui is gloriously green again. God is good!" - Priscilla from Hawaii (Ed.: It is always good to hear from Priscilla. When we make our visits to the Islands, we try to have at least one lunch together. We hope to see her in April.)

 

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Reader Demographics

States - AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, NC, ND, NY, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, and WI     

Canadian Provinces - BC, ON, and QC;   

Countries - Albania, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Turkey, UK, U.S., and Venezuela.

........Changes to this section will be updated each month.

If your state, province, or country is not mentioned, please let me know.

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Book Reviews

Blast Series: Review by Janice M. regarding Blast Book Four: . . . I loved the book.  There were so many ideas floating around in my head from your writings, and I understood everything you wrote about.  I saw the visions while traveling through the pages. Thank you for your inspiration. . . ."

General: JJG wrote: I've read Bob's "To the End of Time" trilogy twice, each time gaining deep and deeper insights into the human condition. The three small volumes hold their own as good stories but also provide a unique glimpse into a new religious paradigm. Would that it could come to be.

Specific Book: To the End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey

David from Utah: "The new novel, To the End of Time and Back is a skillful account of two lovers on an 'Epic Journey,' racing through time and history to learn life-changing truths. Their spectral mentor, Arundel, sends them through difficult travels, but their relationship endures and remains strong despite physical, and psychological stress. Powerful emotions such as fear, anger and happiness, combine with lust, pain and sexuality to help them learn. Written in verse form, the story is an epic poem, painted to portray the duality of mankind throughout dimensions of human history that is sometimes cruel and horrific. The reader will come to know and understand what is being described and will certainly enjoy the stimulating elegance of the story and the philosophy. A thoroughly enjoyable read that is certain to make you think."
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Jim from Mt. Vernon: "I finished your book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was much easier to follow by having the whole thing in front of me, and reading as much as I wanted at a time. I felt pretty weary after bouncing around in time for many hundreds of years, but I was relieved to know that at least part of the world survived 'Armageddon'. What a feat you have performed."
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Kimberly from Ohio: "Well, Bob! I am rather blown away by your book. Finished it yesterday, and it only took four days, which means I was intrigued and wanted to know how the book ends. I'm a slow, deep reader and since my profession is writing and editing, I edit continuously as I read. Can't help it! But this book was worth dropping everything for and reading to the end. I admit to cynicism about your claim that it would change me, and I don't know that it has just yet but it won't be leaving my heart and head for a long time, and change could happen. I'm impressed that the book actually lived up to your claims for it. . . . I'm intrigued by this book because it rings so true, and I am therefore tempted to believe you actually were given the gift of this dictation. But if not and this is fiction, you have written one hell of a book, masquerading amazingly as non-fiction ... which is indeed one of the goals of fiction."
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An Ohio Reader: "WOW! WOW! WOW! I read it in one sitting and found so many things you wrote about 'true' for what I know and feel about past lives I've lived. Actually, the chapter about the Holocaust was something I couldn't bear to read–too sad and painful. (I've always felt that way about that period of history.) . . . it was very well done, Bob. Just beautifully done. I'm looking for the movie. . . I'm sure others will feel connected to this book just as I did. AMAZING. Just AMAZING. I couldn't put it down. There was so much anticipation with each chapter it hooked me from the very beginning. . ."
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Specific Book: Adelyn: An Epic Journey:

Ohio Reader: "In his book, Adelyn: An Epic Journey, Bob navigates the reader through a challenging journey in the time space continuum while exposing both the weaknesses and strengths of humanity. As Adelyn is exposed to the infinite love of The Source, the reader is challenged to understand how personal beliefs and actions often have more to do with cultural rather than spiritual influences. In a time and world filled with political anger and personal indulgences reading Adelyn offers the open-minded promise. It would make a great book study."

Specific Book: The Tao of Momentary Thoughts

Doug from Ohio: ". . . I was not prepared for page 116 Should have been because of the extremely personal nature of the entire book. Please understand that the unusual length of time to finish your book (especially for a binge reader like me) was because it screamed to be read thoughtfully in increments. For me that was 10-15 pages every weekend, often in quiet . . .Thank you for "putting pen to paper" and sharing your soul. Those of us who have followed Poetical Journeys will recognize much of the content. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to share part of your journey really feel a part of it."

Charles from Park City: "Hi Bob….I just picked up your The Tao of Momentary Thoughts.  It’s wonderful . . I love your book."

Ed from Seattle: The Tao of Momentary Thoughts: "I was smiling all the way through the reading . . .I think I will reread it again during the next week."

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PJ Online

To read some of the back issues of the PJ, go to here.

The next issue will go out on Sunday, April 28, 2024.

Until next time - joy and peace,

Bob

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Bob Casey
Poetical Journeys
P.O. Box 319
Midway, UT 84049
bob@poeticaljourneys.com

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