Greetings from My Mountain Cabin,
Back when she was a twenty-something, my wife, Annette, once expressed to her dad that she felt frustrated in not owning a home; that money spent each month renting an apartment was in a sense wasted because it produced no tangible benefit.
A wise and insightful man, Annette's dad encouraged her to view her rent money as providing a dwelling that offered a haven from the outside world—protection from the elements and a sanctuary from the intrusion of workaday trials and tribulations. In no way was her monthly rent wasted, even though it was not building equity in home ownership.
A home is so much more than a house.
"Home is the place that goes where you go, yet it welcomes you upon your return. Like a dog overjoyed at the door. 'We've missed you,' is what you hear, no matter how long you've been gone." ~Michael J. Rosen
I am fortunate, indeed, to live in and work from a house that is also a wonderful home. Our cabin is nestled on two acres in a remote section of the Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina. Wood-framed with cypress siding, the building is beautiful in its simplicity.
We have two other families living down our gravel road, but most of our neighbors are wildland walkers, crawlers, hoppers, fliers and swimmers. Since moving here in 2003, Annette and I have been visited by black bears, timber rattlesnakes, copperheads, foxes, turtles, raccoons, Mr. Toad and his family, bobcats, five-lined skinks, plus birds and insects too numerous to identify. A veritable Noah's Ark ... and I love it!
About the only guest whose company I don't particularly care for is the bald-faced hornet. These little zappers are quite territorial and prefer to build large paper nests often where I like to hike. How inconsiderate!... (of them or of me?)
Living in my mountain cabin most assuredly has a positive influence on my disposition, and is thus ideal for creative writing. My computer is in a study that has a window looking out on my front porch. The antics of goldfinches, wrens, titmouses (titmice?) and LBJs (Little Brown Jobs) at bird feeders provide a welcome distraction when I am searching for the Muse. Thirsty ruby-throated hummingbirds are certainly candidates for being voted Clowns of the Sky.
"Greetings from My Mountain Cabin" is a phrase that welcomes my readers—my Circle of Friends—into my world. I mean it to imply an open cabin door; come in and sit by the fire, enjoy a glass of wine, conjure some dreams and swap a few tall tales.
An expression of gratitude for a life that has been (and continues to be) well-lived, the pages following consist of short vignettes inviting readers to open their minds and hearts to joy, hope and optimism, humbly offered especially for today's challenging times.
May you enjoy my musings as much as I have enjoyed sharing them.
So ... Come in! Come in! Come in, you saints and sinners; magicians and Mormon missionaries; librarians and libertines; vagabonds and vixens, you Swabbies and even you Jarheads; all are welcome at our hearth.
Come in! Come in!
And for those whose company I cannot enjoy in person, "Greetings from My Mountain Cabin" are sent out to the Circle in the form of this book and my regular blogs, perhaps providing for them a quiet harbor in a storm-tossed sea.
Ed Kesgen
January 2012
Only Five Senses?
As every school kid knows, human beings have five senses. They are taste, touch, smell, hearing and sight. Right? WRONG!
~~
Paraphrasing theologian Matthew Fox, if instead of hurriedly rushing through our day oblivious of our surroundings, we would pay attention to the magic and wonder of the universe in which we are immersed, we would all be fish-mouthed.
I conjure up an image of a trout floating suspended in a stream. I see the fish continually opening its mouth and waving its gill flaps to draw oxygenated water into its bloodstream for survival. With eyes bulging, its rhythmically opening mouth is an iconic image; a living caricature of awe and wonderment.
And certainly the human body is an awe-inspiring vessel. Never static, your body is a dynamic organism that seeks equilibrium and optimal functioning (healing). Many of the functions of your body operate on automatic pilot, such as digestion, circulation, respiration, elimination, antibody formation, cellular growth and wound repair. And it is well that this is so, for to be obliged to thoughtfully monitor and manage these functions would completely occupy one's consciousness.
The marvelous capacity of the human body extends beyond these processes into the realm of the senses. And yes, you have more than five. Some people who make an extra effort to pay attention to sensory input have had the following experiences. Perhaps you are one of them. They have sensed...
• impending danger
• navigational direction when traveling
• a mutual emotional connection with an animal companion
• the presence of another person in a room without light
• awareness of a soon to occur weather change
• the arrival of an imminent letter or phone call from a loved one
• a distant accident involving a family member
• a yet to be diagnosed physical disease in one's own body
• the unnerving feeling that one is way over one's head in a given situation
• the spiritual presence of a consciousness other than self (God? Angels? A transitioned soul?)
Whether you pay attention to them or don't, sensory messages such as these are present as part of our being human. I once asked a blind friend of mine, David M., whether there was any truth to the commonly-held notion that a blind person's other senses become sharper in the absence of vision. He said other senses do not become sharper; the blind person simply pays more attention to the senses s/he has remaining.
Perhaps the most important sense you have is a sense of inner peace—a perspective through which you become aware that there truly is a harmony and purpose to the structure of the universe and that you are part of a Grand Design.
All is as it should be and you have an important role to play in the Cosmic Drama.
Life is good.
~~•~~
The Grand Poobah's Quest
If you could condense all human awareness and knowledge into the briefest of expressions, what would it be?
~~
Once upon a time (I love starting a tale that way) there lived a rich and powerful emperor who ruled over a peaceful kingdom populated by devoted subjects. The Grand Poobah had lived a life where his every wish was granted, yet now in his later years found himself yearning for more.
The emperor assembled a Wisdom Council consisting of philosophers, priests, writers, magicians, scientists, artists, musicians, playwrights and physicians. He added a few military strategists to round out the roster.
One day the Grand Poobah gathered his Council in his chambers. An ornate room with silk draperies, fabulous rugs, and gilded tables and chairs, his private quarters were wondrous to behold. Everyone was seated and rose to their feet as the monarch entered the room.
The emperor strode to his throne at the front of the chamber and sat down. Smiling approvingly at the cast of characters in attendance, he congratulated himself on his selection judgment. Then he explained the purpose of the meeting.
"I command you to travel throughout my kingdom and gather all that exists representing the totality of human awareness and knowledge. Leave no stone unturned. Speak to scholars and commoners alike about life, death and everything in-between. When you have finished, I want you to summarize your findings in written form and bring it to me."
Members of the Council were astonished at the magnitude of the task before them.
The Grand Vizier spoke, "Grand and Mighty Poobah; Master of the Beasts that Crawl, the Birds that Fly, and the Fish that Swim; Emperor of the Sun, the Moon and the Stars, everyone here would give their life sooner than fail you in anything you ask, but even if it is possible, such a task will take many years."
Without further elaboration, the emperor said, simply, "Then you'd better waste no time in beginning your task."
... and so they did.
Four years later, the Council sought an audience with the emperor to share the fruits of their labors: Comprehensive in its scope, the massive leather-bound book was fully 12 inches thick. The cover was embossed in gold, as would befit the status of its recipient.
The Grand Poobah took a long while thumbing through the contents of the book, a look of confusion eventually dawning upon his face. He spoke to the Grand Vizier, "The Council has served me well, but I cannot make sense out of such a great amount of material. I want you to take the book, review its contents, and summarize what it has to say in a single chapter.
Again, the Council was staggered by the emperor's request, but would not risk offense by questioning his proclamation.
Nine months later, the Council returned and handed the emperor a 300-page single chapter that summarized the original work.
The emperor leafed through the writing, and again seemed displeased. A bit irritated, he said, "This is still too long! I need you to focus on the essence of my request. I want a single sentence that synthesizes and summarizes all of which we can be certain regarding what we call the human experience."
Six months later, the Council returned, exasperated but compliant. Yet the Grand Poobah was still not content. He said, "I know you have worked very hard in following my direction, but I am not satisfied. I want you to take the sentence you have given me and reduce it to a single word that represents everything there is that humans know. That word will be the essence of all truth."
... and so they did.
One year later they returned, bearing the only word that can assuredly encapsulate and summarize the totality of human awareness. As you may have guessed, the word is ... (to be continued).
