Lovely Shades of Brown

"One day, Julie, all of the people in the world will be a soft shade of brown. Won't that be lovely?" - My great-aunt Virginia, circa 1971.

Day 154. Carnage on the Tour. I have never seen such bloody beginning stages of the Tour in all the years I've been watching. Helps me remember I take part in a sport that has the potential to be extremely dangerous. Makes me love it all the more.

Carnage on my blog. I will have to abandon the dinosaur and complete tonight's post at my work computer. Drat the absence of a lap top!

To continue . . . . The quote from my great-aunt is a favorite of mine and my mom's. We still marvel at the wisdom and foresight expressed by this 80-year-old white woman in the early 1970's. Her insight is especially impressive since it was only in 1967 that Loving vs. Virginia was settled by a 9-0 vote in the U.S. Supreme Court, ending all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the U.S. Obviously, "brown" babies were being conceived and born long before the U.S. courts legally sanctioned the unions that created them. It stuns and astonishes me that this particular issue was resolved in the highest court of our nation on such a recent date. What were we thinking? Can it possibly take that long for such obvious truths to be legally endorsed? Yet another reminder that, at any given moment, what is Right and what is Real can be very different things.

I won't ruminate on specific racial issues. I've had cultural differences and the bloodshed that accompanies them on my mind as I've read "Three Cups of Tea." The book provokes an almost mystical sense of hope in me. The hopefulness is not singularly attributed to Greg Mortenson's genius and compassion, although he is undoubtedly one of the most inspirational Bodhisattvas that walks the planet. My sense of optimism also stems from the fact that this book is a national and international best seller. Large segments of the human race appear ready to embrace it. The book has been adopted in classrooms and organizations and in diplomatic and military studies. People in positions of great power and influence are paying attention to what Mr. Mortenson has to say. His work is incontestable evidence that there are processes of change other than dropping bombs, killing people and demanding that all humans believe the same things. "Dr. Greg" models respect for diversity, in particular Islam, without abandoning or acting incongruously with his own values and belief system. Big Mind in motion is a wonderous thing indeed!

My son has close friends who are black, white, and just about every conceivable shade of brown. His great-great-aunt would be pleased. Color is not an issue in his friendships; nor is sexual orientation, the absence or presence of a spiritual affiliation, age, premarital parenthood, or the presence or absence of money. He has a bias against "fake" people and judgmental people. At nineteen, he is eons more evolved than most of Oklahoma's elected officials. His generation gives me great hope, too.

I grin like the Buddha when I envision upcoming generations who don't get distracted by the illusion of differences among humans that have bogged us down for thousands of years. Imagine how much more quickly we could cut to the heart of REAL issues that threaten the original intent for humans, which is to be joyful and love-filled. All thoughts and actions that remove impediments to human happiness matter. Make as many contributions as you're able.

A lot has happened since 1967. The number of "brown" people in the world is growing exponentially, even in Oklahoma. Isn't it lovely?

Gassho,
CycleBuddhaDoc