Caretakers of Tomorrow

I come to all of those within Life’s struggle with the nth amount of due respect & love for life. Being the Great-grand-daughter of a German immigrant I am disheartened by the rhetoric of both US political parties. My grandfather was age 7, a resident of Alsace Loraine, Germany, an only child who was sent with an Uncle to the US to escape the War between Germany & France. He and his Uncle stowed away aboard a ship bound for America where money grew on trees & the streams were of milk & honey. After landing in NYC & registering at Ellis Island they worked their way to the Mid-west to begin a new life.

The war caused the country’s boundaries to be changed & Alsace Loraine became part of France, but today the mainstay of the language is still German. I often wonder about his life & journey…the Germans were taking young boys as young as he..what it was like for his parents to send their only child away so that he could escape to safety & a better life. I often think of him now when I see Syrian refugees risking life & limb to escape the devastation & war within their homeland. Many of them with children crossing an ocean & walking hundreds of miles to safety & dreams of a better life. I see the mindset of Nationals in the countries they enter…I know that many immigrants who came to this Nation were met in a like manner & they too were scorned, feared & discriminated against.

Unfortunately in any conflict children & the elderly pay the greatest price for War for they are the two most vulnerable classes in our civilization. A generation of children reside in many regions around the World where they have never known peace or living a day without fear…where they have been robbed of the greatest leg of their journey in life…childhood. How confused, abandoned & rejected they must feel on their journey in distant lands when they are met with derision & scorn..if you have an ounce of human decency within your person, it tears you into two to see their suffering & fear after walking hundreds of miles to be met by armed soldiers & mobs who do not want their presence.

For politicians anywhere to liken these images to the terrorists that have shaken the World at large, to brand them with such a broad sweeping branding iron is an insult not just to Americans, but the World also. A Republican Presidential hopeful just said that he would not allow any Syrians within the borders of the US. They would have to meet new qualifications for asylum. They would have to be Christians…kind of makes you shudder…what about the numerous religions within our own borders that are not considered Christians? The same said politician also saw a mirage of thousands of Arabs on roof tops in New Jersey celebrating the collapse of the Twin Towers. I do not have any recollection of such images unless they came out of the Middle East. However, I do recall Arabs from the Middle East here in the US who are for the majority here due to political asylum who reside in Deer Borne, MI one of the World’s largest Arab populations outside of the Middle East celebrating when Baghdad fell & the statue of Saddam Hussein was destroyed.

Man possesses the uncanny ability to bob & weave, adapt & adopt…many can do so without losing their integrity & humanity. However just as the Animal Kingdom has learned to adapt to their ever changing environments, so does mankind if he is exposed to that environment long enough. When you have a young generation that knows not of peace or a day without fear, they become entrenched & embedded in an environment that was knocked off its original civilized chassis to embrace the handed down laws of survival that now control said environment. Akin to the process we have seen here in our own homeland for too many decades to count, where inner cities have gangs & the life style & laws of survival are handed down thru the generations to leave behind bitter, angry individuals with harbored emotions of abandonment.

It has been proven that you can take individuals from a dysfunctional & hostile environment, show them a better way to life, new ideologies, concepts & laws of survival & they will prosper in a like productive & positive manner. In regards to ISIS or ISIL, sometimes individuals are so close to a situation or entrenched within its problems that answers are difficult to come by. It’s like the individual who can’t see the forest because the trees are in the way. If only we could find a way to flip the script on their ‘mental framework’ it would create havoc for their chassis in the new environments they have created. The Washington Redskins did just that to RG3, they flipped the script on his mental framework & comfort zone. As they have found out it’s a costly process for them all the way around.

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself”…my mental framework assures me that when an individual(s) has to wield fear to attain his agenda or goal, his character is weak. When leaders send others on bombing suicide missions they also lack strength & self-worth in character. But that is why they invoke fear within their homelands & abroad…holding family hostages, using children as human shields…think of that now…they use one of the most vulnerable classes in our civilization to paint a portrait of power & strength.

By becoming fearful of immigrants, especially families with children & denying them the opportunity of a better life or existence…we forge the chains of ISIS by creating another generation who harbors anger, bitterness & emotions of abandonment. Yes, there maybe a few who slip through the immigration surge & process, but many others will prosper, become positive & productive and more importantly hand it down through their generations. There has been a great deal of emphasis & movement lately in this Nation in regards to ‘police shootings’, individuals walking or running away from the officer being gunned down, when the individual did not seem aggressive in his actions by the public. So what about the refugees who turn their back on Syria, a dictatorship & war torn Country…should their dreams of peace, a day without fear & a better life also be shot down? I wish I could ask JFK or MLK for their perspective on these issues…..

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of due respect & love for life….

Lady Gray/RosemarieP.

‘Heroes woven into Society’s Fabric’

Profiling, Patton & Attica

I come to all of those within this dimension we call life with the nth amount of due respect & love. In this article I would like to welcome you in to my corner of the attic that I like to refer to as nuts, bolts, ponders & muses. At the behest of my youngest son I have decided to share a slice of life again.

Lately the news has been inundated with negativity, chaos, destruction & catastrophes…a full menu of items that can be detrimental to our digestive systems. ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same’. Now that right there is ‘treal speak’in’. Being an ardent follower of history…it seems the only thing that has changed for mankind or the planet Earth, is Time itself.

Profiling is as old as time itself; it is the first thief & jailer that we meet on our journey in life. If not recognized, acknowledged & reformed it can become an incurable disease that can take the Universe that lies before you & confine it to one dimension, community, block, slice of mankind & wonders.

Profiling to some may be considered a ‘natural instinct for survival’ & have varying degrees of implementation. It may also become confused with extreme characteristics of ‘bullying’.  In fact I like to believe that bullying is implemented out of the baser instincts of ‘profiling’.

I grew up in a small farming village in Central Wisconsin that hosted 399 residents. One afternoon as I was walking home from elementary school I saw some teenage boys in the park banging on the swing set supports making a large racket. They were pointing to the front of the park & laughing…there was a metal street light at the front of the park & an elderly man dressed in denim pants & jacket was trying frantically to climb the light pole.

When I arrived home I told my mother what I had witnessed…she sighed & I could see her becoming upset. She told me the man’s name & said he suffered from ‘shell shock’. I hadn’t seen the elderly man before…my father came home from work & told me what shell shock was & how sometimes the kids would take garbage can covers also to drive the Veteran ‘nuts’. My mother said if any of us kids did what the older boys had done she’d beat our ass!!!

Several years later, my brother 2 years younger than myself picked up a paper route & sometimes when the weather was bad or the papers were running late I would help him. One evening I found myself in front of a door with a newspaper in hand with orders from my brother to collect the monthly dues. When the door opened, I was face to face with the elderly man who suffered from severe shell shock. Due to the weather he invited me into his kitchen/dining room while he collected his payment.

My eyes fell upon one wall & I was taken aback & astonished! One whole wall was covered with photos, certificates, cards, letters & hand written notes from General Patton & men he had served with. I couldn’t believe my eyes…he had served with General Patton’s Tank Division! As I tried to take it all in & read as much as I could before he returned I could feel the pride swell & course through my body…a seasoned soldier of a period in history I only knew of from movie screens…he lived it & was residing in my village of 399. Payment in hand he came & stood beside me…he pointed to a group picture in front of tanks & said, ‘this is me & over here is my brother’. I almost fell over again…I just stared at the wall. He didn’t say anything else; I thanked him for inviting me in & his payment.

Tom rarely ventured out of his residence; he never bothered or hurt anyone. If the ‘profilers’ who tagged him as ‘nuts’ saw him, he was bullied & abused for his patriotic & self-less contributions to WWII & America. He didn’t like to speak or boast of his military experience, I don’t think he needed to, the wall said it all. After my encounter with Tom I became enamored & enthralled by history…occurrences & events that define & affect individuals & countries. Over the last 45yrs I’ve thought of Tom & his wall…I wonder what happened to that little unknown ‘museum’ by an unsung hero.

If you were lucky enough to visit the village of 399 where I grew up, you probably visited the Drug Store/What-not-shop. Within you would encounter Bud the Pharmacist & owner. You would probably consider him an educated professional, successful business owner, community leader & family man…then profile him as a ‘pacifist’. The U.S. govt couldn’t disagree with you more. During WWII Bud was an agent for the OSS before it became the CIA. There are very few men who could wear his shoes let alone travel his same journey in them. He spent most of his time with the OSS in Germany behind enemy lines. He experienced untold dangers, adventures & sacrifices.  So much for ‘profiling & stereotyping’…unsung heroes & greatness can even be found in a village of 399.

Lately there has been a great deal of awareness focused on ‘profiling & stereo-typing’. I find it sad that the young generation of today is comparing their struggle & the issues they face to be more monumental than what the generations before them confronted & experienced. I’ve seen it occur several times when I take public transport…youth rebuffing & down grading the elderly for their participation in past struggles & movements.

Last summer as I waited at the bus stop near Tanger Outlet, I had the opportunity to converse with one of the individuals I had seen rebuffed & down- graded. An 80yr old, 6’3” Black Man of medium build. An earthy, amiable gentleman, of very strong character & will.

After serving in the military, he had decided to take employment with the State of New York as a Correctional Officer which he retired from. During his time of employment he worked in New York at some of the most dangerous prisons in the U.S.  They included Ryker’s, Rahway & last but not least Attica. After the riot & murders which took place in Attica, he was the first Black CO to enter those walls. He was not welcomed openly by the White CO’s or Administration & although one of the demands from the prisoners was for ‘minority CO’s’ there were some inmates who saw him as a ‘traitor’ to his own race. He suffered untold discrimination, torment & hardships…his burden was a heavy one being the first Black CO within the walls. If his character wasn’t one of strength, fortitude & strong will he would have crumbled as many were wishing him to do.

Profiling, stereo-typing & ignorance are robbing us of some of our greatest hidden treasures & unsung heroes. Individuals who could or would be able to offer us strength, hope & inspiration. Young individuals being taken due to ‘profiling & stereo-typing’ before their time, before they reach awareness & wisdom which can lead to untold contributions to the fabric of society. We never truly know what tomorrow brings…but we can look to yesterday to see how far we’ve come so we will know today how far we have yet to travel.

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of due love & respect for life.

Lady Gray/Rosemarie

A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

I come to all of those within Life’s struggle with the nth amount of love & due respect. I’ve had several individuals & readers tell me since Thanksgiving that they have Seasonal Blues which visit millions of people this time of year. I find it especially so with the elderly & those of us who were embedded with the true essence of the season. I would like to share some of my own thoughts & memories for the Holidays.

As a child growing up in a Village in the upper mid-west it was the grandest time of year. I couldn’t wait for the Village workers to put up the lighted Holiday symbols on our lamp posts. There was nothing like coming home from school at the end of a blistery day, opening the front door & being assaulted by the odors of my mother’s baking wrap around you in warmth & love. My mother would start baking right after Thanksgiving, first with the fruit cakes, cranberry bread, orange slice bread & Boston steamed bread. Then she’d start on cookies, a dozen different varieties & in the end there would be hundreds of them stored in containers throughout the house. Then came the candy; peanut brittle, fudge, sea foam, divinity, chow mein candy & more. 

Growing up, we weren't well off, but we weren't dirt poor either..but we struggled. We couldn't afford to buy gifts outside of our family, so my mother would make up boxes & tins of cookies, candy & bread to give to relatives & friends of the family. My mother was a master baker! Her gifts were greatly appreciated due to her skills in the kitchen & because so many women had entered the work force due to inflation. Outside of the luscious smells that assaulted us when we walked in the door, we were each given a sample from the batches she baked that day. I remember when we would eat supper around the table where we could find a spot since the baked goods consumed the table in all of their glory. My mother wasn’t selfish with her baking or creations, she often allowed us to help her & decorate the cookies…with pieces of candy, frosting & often one of our own decorated masterpieces disappearing into our mouth, over the gums & right into our tummies.

We always had a real Christmas tree decorated with ornaments, handmade decorations & sometimes even strung popcorn. Mom was also involved in craft projects making some of our ornaments, center pieces & wreaths made out of pine cones which was no easy task let me tell you! My father to supplement his income for the season on weekends would cut wood on my grandfather’s farm & sell it to purchase our gifts. I remember one year it was atrociously frigid & my father was cutting wood, when he came into the house & took off his bombardier style hat with the side flaps, his ear lobes had blisters on them from the cold! Then there was the year when he cut up out of lumber a whole gunny sack full of wood blocks that we could erect things to our hearts content…but we didn’t always have the common sense to pick them up. He warned us he would burn them if we didn’t…well eventually he came home to find them on the floor of the front room & true to his word, we were kept warm that night with those blocks!! 

Does anyone remember the fake snow kits that came with stencils that you could either put on your windows or spray your tree with? That’s the only thing I didn’t enjoy about the Holidays, it was my job after the Holidays to often scrape those stenciled beauties off the windows with a razor blade & clean the windows, try doing that in sub-zero temperatures!!

We always had my mother & father’s parents over on Christmas Eve…a light supper then the Dining Room table would be laden with oranges, a bowl of mixed nuts, mom’s breads all sliced on plates, candy & cookies placed on numerous plates. It was an incredible sight for a child to behold…all those sweets, treats & love in one place for us to devour. Then Santa would come to give us our presents…we could also open the gifts from my Grandparents. We would then be able to hit the heavily laden table & make pigs of ourselves. It was a grand thing to have all of that sugar in our system, because then we would go to mid-night mass with my mother’s parents.

Christmas Day, relatives would come to our house along with my grandparents…my mother was a master chef as well!! Later in life she must have thought so too for she had her own catering business! Oh yes, those were the times with so many precious memories. Christmas wasn’t about not being able to see the trunk of the Christmas Tree with more than our share of presents & gifts…it was about family, giving to others & celebrating the true essence of a baby’s birthday.

I don’t know when the evolution of our Holiday’s here in America began. There was a time when stores didn’t bring out the decorations & toys until after Halloween…there was a time when we thought of who we would see at Christmas time & not what we would receive. There was a time when people everywhere looked forward to the Holiday’s & not the economic burden & expectations starting after the Fourth of July. Unless you were well off you didn’t think of materialistic elements to make your child happy or become their babysitters. Today the perception that love is shown by purchasing an electronic device for a child’s happiness or babysitter on the home front does not meet the elements of love that so many seek or the quality time spent with family & friends.

 Now on the Holiday set aside to give thanks for a bountiful harvest & another year of survival is spent camping out in front of large stores & corporate chains thanking them for kidnapping the meaning of our two most cherished Holidays. Too many prefer the company & comfort of a shard of plastic then a chat with Uncle Guido or perfumed hugs from Aunt Harriet! The financial burden of high expectations at Christmas has robbed too many of the true essence & meaning of Christmas. 

Many choose to avoid family gatherings altogether & prefer to send a gift card with little thought of the recipient. We were always told it’s not the gift that counts, but the thought behind it!! How much thought do you suppose goes into a little card of plastic? I know one family that sends out 50 gift cards a yr…each for $25.00 while they’re at Nassau spending some quiet time on the beach for the holiday. I remember when you didn’t ask Santa for a large gift because they cost so much, today the little electronic gizmos & babysitters can cost a fortune. It seems as if everything in life is getting smaller…

There’s one thing the Holiday Evolution cannot take from my person…those endearing memories of so long ago of family, warmth, laughter, love & the celebration of a baby’s birthday. The gifts I received as a child so long ago are no longer, but the joyous memories, smells & sounds of the Holiday Season are with me still.

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of love & due respect.

Lady Gray/Rosemarie P.

White Washed Journey

History Erased

I come to all of those within Life’s Struggle with the nth amount of due respect & love for life. I would like to share my thoughts on a movement in this Nation by States & school boards to erase many chapters within the history of our Nation. Individuals who would like to portray our historic journey as a ‘cake walk’ & in a more positive light.

History is the Scientific Journey of man..it’s trials, failures & discoveries.

Being a history fanatic since my elementary years in school, I find this new ‘white wash’ concept as somewhat traitorous to those of my Nation who came before me & made insurmountable sacrifices. Sacrifices that those who wish to erase chapters within our history books would not have the strength to endure nor would they presently be able to enjoy their present positions or stature in life. Let us erase public dissent, Indian Wars, the American Revolution, Civil War, Slavery, Civil Rights, the 60’s, WWI & II & the Industrialization of America & the Reformation of Worker Rights. Let us forget the sacrifices & blood that fertilizes our soil from shore to shore & border to border. Let us forget the ‘horrific’ chapters & events within our borders that united its citizenry & Nation into a powerful nucleus to cope & overcome.

Let us forget the evolving nature of our people & Nation. How numerous times the citizenry & leaders fought to correct & amend the wrongs which were put in place before our own birth & arrival. How we humbled ourselves to the citizenry & the World by admitting our errant choices, events & ideologies. . Human Rights…this portrait was not created without struggle, sacrifice or compromise. It wasn’t always a pretty journey, but for the most part it works. Let us forget how millions of inhabitants around the World want to live & achieve their dreams within this Nation.

We often hear about the ‘lost generation’ in America today. We complain because they have no reason or purpose, no respect or desire to be rooted. Keep deleting the journey of our Nation, the chapters & events which give us roots, pride, respect & a sense of belonging…reason & purpose & you will see the future degradation within the characters & morals of future generations also. I am always amazed & appreciative of the earnest interest & respect shown by youth when I share historic events & chapters of our journey with them. Very few children & youth today can tell you about the journey & struggle of their family’s history…their nationality, immigration journey, struggles or enslavement, nor the heroes or sacrifices made by family members who walked before them. When I

attended elementary school it was a 1^st grade assignment to know your nationality/ies. We are known as the ‘melting pot’ of the World…before you partake & enjoy a bowl of soup, do you not want to know the ingredients?,

Over the years I have been chided for sharing certain events on our historic journey, especially when it comes to government, slavery, massacres and Wars within & out of our Nation. ‘Lady, we want to forget that time in our Nation, our lives, we just want to live for the here & now.’ If we forget those struggles & events they will surely be repeated in the future, maybe not in our lifetime, but in a generation to come. Many Wars & Rebellions are repeated or continue because errant concepts & ideologies out of the past have not evolved & been amended.

I have always believed that in order to proceed on a journey or with an agenda, to see progress as a Nation, we must first know how far we’ve come so that we may also know how far we must journey to reach our destination & expectations. If you want to erase legs of our journey & chapters within our history books to resemble ‘Xanadu’ or a ‘Fantasy Nation’, then you’re in the wrong profession, you need to become an employee of an Attraction Park or a Fiction Author!! Growth & Advancement in life is not achieved unless we can learn from our past; both positive & negative…leave our history books alone. Do not White Wash the events & sacrifices of those who have journeyed before us.

History is doomed to repeat itself when man is not taught nor does he heed the lessons which are rooted there…

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of respect & love for life.

Lady Gray/Rosemarie P.

My Thoughts on the NFL & Abuse

I come to all of those in Life’s Struggle with the nth amount of love & respect for life.

I wish to discuss in this piece the recent events in the NFL & abuse at large. I would like it known that I’ve always been an avid fan of College & Professional Football. Perhaps that is due to the fact that I was raised in Wisconsin home of the Badgers & the Packers. I’ve also seen the roller coaster ride of the social & judicial mentality when it comes to domestic abuse, especially when it involves the partners in a relationship or union. I would like to share some of my present thoughts with you on this issue.

Many within society often see those within Professional Sports as Super Heroes or mentors for those who wish to follow in their shoes. However, they are mere mortals with exceptional talents & skills within a profession they love. Many of them have made self-sacrifices & great strides in order to reach their destination. Some of them have suffered just as many within the public domain regarding mental, physical & sexual abuse…many of them have also been victims of their environment & upbringing. We fail to take into account the total scope of their journey & only now focus on the games & their actions.

Although I now commend this Professional dimension in society for taking action & bringing domestic violence to the forefront of the public, we cannot solely rely on the NFL to curb the mentality or the violence that exists in our society. At the moment I believe that is what is happening…we’re looking to the NFL as a ‘cure-all’ & ‘trailblazer’ to abolish an issue that has been with us since the beginning of time on earth. Such violence & actions do not only occur within the NFL but are too common from the bottom of Life’s Food Chain to the apex of Life’s Ladder. No one entity will change the mentality that has embedded our perceptions of life or the role we play in those portraits. The mentality that curses too many, brings them misery & even disabilities & death can only become lessened through widespread education & the empowerment of individuals of both sexes.

There is no dimension within our existence that has not known or suffered from this issue. There is no class, race, creed or economic status that has not had such violence or events visit their realm. For centuries women have been treated as second class citizens & have been viewed as ‘property’ over the years by law enforcement & the judicial realms. There was a time in our Nation when men could murder their wives & it was known as a ‘crime of passion’ if it involved her cheating or stepping out on her husband. The same can be said for males who fall victim to emotional, physical & sexual abuse. Due to the fact that males were portrayed & profiled as being the stronger, dominant individual in our society, their own plight was often ignored & was often the brunt of (sic) jokes if they professed the crimes & indignities they were forced to endure.

I remember when the ‘Burning Bed’ made its debut & the uproar it caused across our Nation. Women who suffered many years of abuse who caused injury or killed their spouse did not receive the same justice as men who exercised the ‘crime of passion’ alibi. For centuries women have been forced to accept their ‘sub-servant’ roles to man & the mentality of society as a whole. When women spoke out about the issue, they were labeled as ‘bra burners’, ‘women in red’ & rebels who were tooting their own horn. Since the beginning of time women have had an uphill battle not to be seen as statistics but individuals. I don’t believe the majority of women want to be treated as equally as men on all levels in life, but they do want to be respected as equally & recognized for their self-worth. In my lifetime, I have held several jobs which were classified as ‘male’ employment. I did not receive the same wage & was often berated when I out performed them. I do believe there are things in life that either one sex or the other is better qualified to do or perform, not that it can’t be done by a female, just not as efficiently or as fast. However if a female does perform job tasks or meets all of the qualifications of their profession, I do believe they should be paid equally to their male counterpart.

I understand the elite & prominent role the NFL & sports in general play in our society, but why are we  now so ‘down in the mouth’ about the NFL. If we look to Hollywood & the entertainment industry where abuse has been rooted, we do not protest Movie Studios, Directors or Producers to ban any of their stars for their domestic or acts of violence. Does not the public receive greater exposure to this realm of life than NFL offerings? What about the music industry…many times we hear of violence against a mate or partner & yet we rush out to purchase their music with no barn storming or broad protests or legislative hearings & investigations. We seem to accept such behavior & uncivil actions in these realms as part of the ‘life’ or ‘norm’ in their dimensions. So why do we focus just on the NFL? Is it the salaries? The enormous amount of revenue raised or the beginning of reform for the issue of ‘violence’? 

This is an enormous issue which has many elements which contribute to its ongoing presence in our society & private lives. It is an issue where if all of the elements could be identified & dealt with on a nat’l scale it would be one of our most costly expenses outside of War. When you think of the physical & mental health issues, judiciary proceedings, the effects socially & economically on a family that must be assisted & healed you are dealing with astronomical amounts of funding. Perhaps that is why this issue has thrived for so long in our civilization. Perhaps its pride & individual weaknesses that we wish not to expose that so many have embraced or fallen victim to…but it is an issue that will not upright itself or go away just because we ‘wish’ it to be so.

It starts with each one of us…the transformation of our own mentality & perceptions of such violence & actions Perhaps if we started to see one another again as individuals & not just a number or statistic for number crunchers & politicians to point at. Maybe the 2 Golden Rules must be focused on once again…Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…Respect received is respect that can be given. Domestic violence & abuse have had centuries to strengthen & reinforce their chains within life, they won’t break on their own overnight, but if we can remove some of the links that enable it to exist with such impact & suppression on the masses, perhaps as a society & civilization we can truly earn our spot as the top of Life’s Circle & Food Chain.

So now I will sit back & observe this new movement, to see if it will stop at the gates of Stadiums & their boardrooms or travel to other dimensions where domestic violence is also prevalent. I do know that within the NFL itself & the players there is more good than what is currently being perceived. The players who give back to their communities, schools & neighborhoods both personally & monetarily is greatly appreciated & often overlooked.  I will pay attention to the direction the NFL & the Nation take on the issue of Domestic Violence & continue to enjoy the sport of Football.

I thank you for your time & patience while I share my thoughts on this issue with you. I leave you as I came with the nth amount of love & respect for life…

Lady Gray/Rosemarie P.

Lady on the Mid-East Upheavals...

Lady on the Mid-East upheavals…

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot force him to drink even if he is dying of thirst. A large region in the World steeped deeply in the struggle, sacrifices & journey of mankind once again is experiencing the shifting of landscape & political power upheavals. A barren region for the most part given life by man through his strength & sheer will power. I once was told that no man, clan, tribe or people should control an ‘oasis’ or the will of a people. The dates, water & cool shade should be shared by all for it is essential to the survival of the regions heritage. Too many have known very little but pain, suffering & the destruction of War, yet they fervently believe in a time of peace to come. There is much wealth that lies beneath the shifting sands; some of it has come through the creation of irrigation systems by man. There has been too much wailing by women & children, too much war which only leaves images of destruction of legacies for the history books. 

Too many children ‘exist without dreams of living’ because they have never known peace. Prosperity for all people cannot exist if it does not have peace for a period of growth & if all people do not have a hand in the creation, fertilization & maintenance of growth to benefit from its fruition. It is time to break bread & enjoy cabsah with neighbors, to smile & talk of a future which will leave joyous chapters in the history books for children to behold. Lady Gray

Attn all FB Friends, Readers & Observers: Since I moved to my new location I have not been online as much as I would prefer to be. I have been receiving questions & complaints from individuals in regards to ‘individual’s friend requests & non-profit associates’. Those who have followed me for any length of time know that I will not send any individual, non-profit, Orgz or Foundation to you without first notifying you personally & discussing it with you.

My pages on the internet are Public & not everyone who follows me is closely associated with my person. I have many individuals here who do have programs for their country, communities & neighborhoods…that does not mean that I endorse their personal character, but that I respect their efforts to move life. I encourage everyone to always look into any non-profit or Orgz thoroughly before gifting any funds…I prefer that individuals donate to well-known local charities in their own communities.

Since the fall of 2010 I only help individuals within the Judicial/Penal realms that are ‘Independents’ & not associated with any group or Organization. I am a Democrat & Liberal…I do not believe that President Barack Obama was a street member of the GD’s at any time!! So for those of you who have asked me about this claim…’I see it as a recruiting effort’ by the Orgz’s that make such claims. If this claim were to be true the SS, T-thugs & Repugs would have been all over this like flies on shit.  Please do not direct such questions to me anymore. I do not believe in violence as a cure-all to any issue that we may face. I believe that our pro-gun society & ideologies need a facelift. The alibi by the pro lobbyists of keeping weapons out of the hands of felons no longer has any weight with me. The majority of our mass shootings & weapons being brought into our educational realms are by non-felons who can legally attain & purchase such a weapon. What can you not do with one bullet that you can do with 10-15-30?

For those ‘cowardly eyes’ who follow me & observe but do not report the truth…no outside individual, group or entity needs to ‘divide & conquer’ your realm…you’ve become masters at doing it yourself!! I do not allow anyone to berate or disrespect anyone on my pages…nor is sexual literature or graphics welcome!! I have many here of all ages, races, creeds & nationalities…from time to time I will let ‘ignorance run its course’ so that everyone may behold the small mind from whence it comes. There is NO BULLYING on my site…you may post ideologies, news & political views different from my own…but do not harass individuals who are on my sites. Perhaps the citizens can do what the politicians cannot, we can compromise, seek tolerance & have more compassion for our fellow man…catastrophic events should not be the only time when humanity & the human touch visit our lives.

I will be online more now in the future…I will be writing more also & addressing issues that we face in our daily lives & existence. If you have concern over content on my pages please feel free to contact me. I will discuss the content or issue with you. I thank you for all of your messages & keeping an eye on my pgs while I am gone. Thank you for remaining with me & touching my life….

Lady Gray