Category: fear

Go for Shakedown – for Sale

May 10, 2016

Well this has been a 5-year road. A journey of self reflection, memory and empathy. Yes empathy. I suppose my mission was to try to let people know not only what it was like, but more about all the thoughts and experiences we went through. As a first time novelist, it was difficult. It definitely could be better – but it had to be released. From about 45 chapters and 160,000 words down to a re-engineered 100,000. But from aside from all the above, I really want the reader just to laugh at what I laughed at – mostly myself. LOL.

I suppose the first feeling of success is from spouses of colleagues: “I had know idea…you saw that for real?…I can appreciate the Afghan woman story…I don’t know how you endured that!” Vindicated — in that I guess I want people to talk; for those that want to anyway.

Already people are starting to share photos and stories. Help those that are lost in time gaps. Laugh at the humour, cry at the pain but march forward out of silly secret shadows.

There are 4 chapters that I have still failed at reading through without a tear falling. It seems silly, but the things you’d expect to be the most aloof too sometimes hit the deepest. I hope, even if it is for one sentence, that some of this reaches you in a helpful sense.

Anyway, I have to figure out what marketing means now. “Buy my book please.” 😊

I thank you for sharing and supporting:

Go for Shakedown.


“Arrgg, the typos”

Book is getting close…

April 17, 2016

As I review and edit the book, I stumble through numerous contemplations. I thought I would share one….

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…A few days had passed, and I tried to function. I was a stick in the family spokes of progress. They were functioning without me.

Yesterday, the important decisions were about life and death— identifying Taliban, evacuating dead and wounded, watching patrols, and responding to lethal ambushes. Now the important decisions of home life were to ensure the garbage was out and the kids weren’t late for school. Ironically, equally important, one was for the prevention of death, the latter for the sustainment of orderly life.

I was elated to be home yet stoic….

Step away from the Fear…

December 10, 2015

fear death

Just a commentary on the current affairs of our world.

Now it is almost 2016 and society is faced with wide-spread propaganda promoting fear and violence in the name of attaining of peace and security. As I write this ISIS is growing, attacks against England, Los Angeles and Paris have occurred. Russia, France, Britain and America are in tense relations trying to establish suitable protocols in the diplomatic spider web over Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Israel and Crimea. China is establishing footholds in Africa and recently commissioned their first ever Aircraft carrier.

Yet despite this, Canada is still opening doors to the needy while some political leaders in the USA are promoting policies towards Muslims and Mexicans that are not much different from what we experienced during apartheid.

I often find my mind polarized with back room discussions. So I researched the ‘left, right , and middle’ wings of various thoughts. I don’t know what the answer is but I found some quotes that seemed worthy of remembering:

Quotes…

“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” Dwight Eisenhower.

“The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but it is really fear.” Gandhi

The Prophet Muhammad said: “Religion is very easy, and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded.” Bukhari:V1N38

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27

It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.  Buddha

And from the Art of War, Sun Tsu: “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” 

If you want total security, go to prison. There you are fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking…is freedom.  Dwight D. Eisenhower

Anyway, there’s my two cents for the day. I’m not smart enough to know the right course of action, but I’m experienced enough to now the effects of some.

At the end of my manuscript I have a reflection about wondering what it would be like to once again live in an environment which is childlike, naive, and having total confidence in your freedom and security and trusting that you could take it for granted. Wouldn’t it be wonderful?

The concept of the Mayan compass or flag and specific colours inspired me from the words of a Guatemalan mountain guide near the ruins of Copan. He said that the colours represented all the peoples of the world: whites in the north, reds in the south, yellow in the west, blacks in the east. And apparently the Mayan’s believed that world peace would never exist until all these colours became one.