It’s a beautiful November afternoon and I am feeling much better after my tooth extraction. I need to get back to light exercise, which I abandoned while the tooth was giving me such trouble.

I have this old-growth Ming Aralia on my bedroom hearth that is suddenly drooping. I tried to put some stakes and velcro tape around her, but I had no idea what I was doing. Rob, perhaps, will be better at tackling the job than I was. I named her Pamela after the expert at Home Depot who installed her in a larger pot and made her look so beautiful.

My mother brought the aralia to me from Memphis about twenty years ago, so she is one of my few Memphis relative (if you can call a plant that.)

I haven’t heard from my brother’s daughter in a month or so; he must be hanging on.

This life is so very hard and I have worked avidly to study spirituality in all of its many flowing streams. The Tao is my shepherd, I shall not want. I lean back into the utter perfection/suffering of it all and let it carry me where it will.

Yes, the planet is in dire need of better care, but let’s face it, business interests are in direct opposition to human interests. It has ever been thus.

I foresee dark times for the planet; this is when the teachings are secured on the ark when the floods of evil come. When it is safe, the teachings will emerge and begin to find students all over again.

No teacher is needed, but until you see this, you will continue to look outside yourself for one that can supposedly enlighten you. Dream on!

Vicki Woodyard