Cathy Gulkin

There was this girl - no, a lady -no, a vision to my teenaged eyes -Yes, who seemed to walk on her own cloud. She was in her own world.

I would see her float by our house, her long coat, long long hair swaying in the breeze, her mind in thought or deep concentration, books held up to her chest.

"Wow. There goes Cathy!"

Sometimes I would run out of the house and catch up to her and try to think of something amusing to say. She would put up with me too. That's how gracious she was. She never let one down with a crash, just a lovely smile.

Later, I got to know her thoughts a little more in Cegep. We were all so sophisticated young men and women back then, discovering who and what we were -and were not, -by knocking our heads on things that life dished out.

Today she is in Toronto, a business woman, Editor of Motion Picture, Video and Telelvision,- Gemini Award winner no less.

She has maintained her focus, taken it to the next level, propels her ideals through the internet and her network and puts them forward, knowing that the six degrees of separation can be used to good and substantive ends.

Today Cathy is a person I am very pleased and proud to be associated with on a number of levels. She has been a good friend for more than 40 years. She is a model worth emulating.

Idle Subjective Conclusions on the Nature of Human Existence

And so.

Another round has been completed.
Another 365 days, multiplied by so many minutes and seconds.

And so -what?

Time does not pass in fact.
It goes through us.
We ingest it; consume it.

In the digesting of life 'time' through our being, we imbue it with meaning.
That is our true function, to give the universe multiple reflections and nano bursts of recognition of it's varied, refracted and wondrous kaleidoscopic being.

We are mere bubbles of limited existence gifted with the mirror of consciousness to be able to reflect back to the universe that time experience which is and has been ingested.

Our function is to appreciate each bite and moment, in short, be 'aware' or better yet - awake whether in life or dream. For all too soon we join back with the universal 'all', having had our turn to experience - Love, Pain -Life.

So, in the passing of the moments do not stop being sensitive to this function, this responsibility. Do not take experience for granted.

And remember, by honoring wife, husband, daughter, son, brother, sister, mother and father, friend or stranger - you honor the force, that is life.
And in our death, no matter how soon or late in the eternal day, the universe completes itself in it's cycle of conscious being once again.

Remember to be kind, compassionate.
Remember that no matter what you own or have, it is temporary and must be returned one way or another.

And so.

In this existence know that the highest form is to live consciously -in awareness- of the 'all' and and to act through appreciation and enjoyment of this; to be kind, that is, to shine the colour and light of our inner bit of the 'all' on others through dignity and respect of their same 'right' to miraculous existence.
There is no past, there is no future coming for us. There is only the eternal now, the tip of our own burning fuse of life, the length of which we cannot determine or know.

So make it count. Do not waste it.

And so.

A Special Day

Every day is a special day - I know.

Last week the exisitence of the special-ness of each moment became even more pronounced when my car slid off the road and into a rather steep and deep irrigation ditch. Yes. I was still in the car as it swerved and slid sideways, down, down, down... pushing through the soft topping of powder snow, to settle and sink beneath into the deep dark liquid mire.

I was on the diver's side, which became bottom. The passenger side stuck out above me. How very strange to be face to face with dark water, bubbles and loam peering aquarium-like, down through the side window in a quiet place, and be aware of the tricle in from the back seat area.

With the help of a man who climbed down onto the passenger side and hauled open the door upward, I was able to climb out. Tough choice though - do I leave behind my coffee still sealed tight, car keys, or business brief case. After all I only had two hands. It was time to reach one out to grab the hand of the man stooping precariously down to help me.

I live my life acutely aware of three sharp lines or planes that converge. One is the moment to moment 'woken' reality during the day; then, 'dream/symbolic' reality in sleep and finally 'sparkling moment' realities. These latter times are akin to finding a special shell on the beach, or looking into the eyes of my wife, son or daughter, or reading a poem that touches the soul, or singing with someone and encountering a harmony. They are otherwise called 'numinous' experiences since they have a transcendant element that channels your 'inner being' with the universal 'outer'. These occasions are kind of, sprinkled into the other two realities.

If you would like a very pure example of music that reminds me of this state, I would ask you to find some quiet time in order to listen to (HEAR/FEEL) the sound of Sweetfield Music by Sonja Ball and Roger Sarazin - their own music, not covers of other performers/artists... -
at WWW.myspace.com/sweetfieldmusic.

You will not be disappointed. Keep in mind that this place is where you would listen once to a song and decide if you might like to buy it. The first listen is free. My personal favorite is the song 'Sweetfield'.

Hold On I'm Commin'.mp4

Sonja Ball & Chain - Roger Sarazin and Sonja with their band last night at Burbon Street West Club doing covers -very nicely... but the best is yet to come. Soon they will be issuing their own cd with -if I am not mistaken, their own creations.

Circles and Wonder.mp4

Ladies & Gentlemen -Sonja Ball & Chain