Inspired by my brother's graduation from college

The educated man 

 The goal of the school is to make uniform, hopeful to distribute equally a curriculum. The curriculum is only a framework for the synthesis of education. Is education the goal? It is not for a learning man. Curriculum is like a vascular system feeding the parts of the body with known goodness. At times forgetting it is helping the body grow. It is the mind that harnesses the power of curriculum. The mind bridges the gap between the outside world and the inside world. 

The process is learning. Learning is the adaptations, integrations, failures, and inspirations that revitalize our understanding. When we are replenished with newness some ideas concepts must die. There must be a letting go. Intellectual maturity is a cycle. Take what is known, feed the body, absorb the world, experiment, and adjust the curriculum with thoughts and ideas. 

The goal of life is learning, school must not limit itself to an institution. It is the light of the day shining on objects wanting to be understood. It is the darkness of night holding silent to be felt. It is violence of confrontation anxious to be feared. It is the paradoxes that humble us. Like the sun being a night star shining so bright we call it day. And like the night that reveals the multitudes of days in the universe. It is eternal. 

 The goal of the educated man is to get swept away in the spirit of learning, not the accrual of knowledge?

 Dedicated to my Brother Peter Estrada.

One interested capitalist at a time...lets adjust the world

Reality is real

Reality is so real it's like running through a grass field and coming across a sticker. It's like taking a warm shower and someone flushes the toilet. It's like believing one is thinking of you and you get a call.

There are things that make home...Home!

Prayers....they baffle me

So being a man in a dominantly secular culture with a codominant recessive spiritual trait, I often pray secretly.  There is even instruction from my spiritual mentor, to pray secretly in my room, close the door, and keep it secret.  So now sharing that I pray is somewhat vain.

Anyway, I have found nature to be a complete expression of humanity.  This has caused me to map the different qualities in nature with those most have been taught to believe are exclusive to humans..  I want to see myself in the natural beauty that surrounds me.  This reflection should hold both shadows and brilliance.  This visibility of reflection is a prayer that I have sent to the Lord.

For those of you who have notice the forgiveness theme, this is one of the qualities I have been contemplating.   I am being shown that our animal qualities are not so distinct from our human qualities.  The payer I am being sent back is that I am not so superior to the simplest organism, to the point that pain and injustice is beyond them.  I must not only be considerate to the homeless, but also the ecosystem.  The earth is not beyond being wounded, nor are its simplest parts.

This man's research is how God sustains me and keeps me believing in prayer

Only If

Damn! If we only opened the doors of creativity to all our cultures, not just the ones who qualify.

 If we could only figure out ways to discover potential in our delinquents, versus inventing ways to entrap them. 

 If we created di-versities that can integrate pros and cons versus uni-versities ethnocentrically doing their best to tolerate us, our participation rate might be higher than our incarceration rate. 

If we could only stop the constant exposure to failure, and have some one finally see us as potential, we might be reminded of the value in values. 

If we could only find opportunity where we stick out. 

 If crime was seen as a cry for help versus a reminder of slavery just as another name. 

I think if we had social aid, creativity aid, and soul aid, financial aid could graduate.

- Ron Estrada

Synergy

The complete and efficient use of energy can be an out put of forgiveness synthesis. I think about how much energy I put into confrontation, especially needless confrontation, and I realize how distracting it can be. I move to worry, resentment, or even fatigue. This happens frequently throughout the day. Its the larger forms of grief that delay me. There are mood changing, day changing, and the daunting life changing events. Regardless I can visualize the processing of my distraction, pain, and concern. It is taking shape and it looks like what I call forgiveness synthesis. I break down the obstacles that clutter my day with reason, identifying my emotions, propelling me into acceptance and empathy. Empathy is the ultimate catalyst for compassion and when there is internal compassion forgiveness can clear the soul. Compassion is evidence of understanding, if we can find purpose for the experiences that are unfair, we are free to glide with efficiency.