Santa-John’s View from the Bridge
by Santa-John McDaniel
The View from the Bridge is an opinion piece which explores how political, societal, and other changes may impact the future.
Honoring one View-mentor’s words:
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the Truth.”
SHJ offers the following Opinions – review:
- Everything is Energy – scientists seem to agree that what we perceive as solid matter is actually constructed from atoms. The energy contained within the atom, when released all at once, is what devastated Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Just imagine how much energy is in all the atoms contained within the physical universe. All those stars, planets, people, plants, animals, lots of physical objects, lots of atoms, enormous energy.
- Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
- Allah, God, the One Force, One Source, the Supreme Being, however you consider the driving force of the universe, is All that is. Remember the bible, “I AM ___”? You can just fill in the blanks.
- The realization of the truth that we are all different expressions of the One Source – One Force, is what will lead us to a higher vibration and to the 5th Dimension.
- The Earth is a playground. Once here, most of us forget where we come from.
SHJ offers the following Opinions – New:
6. All religious expressions around the globe worship the same primal force by different names. Some call it The One Source, One Force; others name that force God; others Allah; and so on.
7. Heaven exists as a dimension that we all transition to when our bodies die.
8. William Shakespeare is absolutely correct in calling all the World a Stage. A stage that we are born onto and leave by dying.
9. GOOD NEWS – There is no HELL! We know of one young man, a teenager, who asked one pastor if his mom, who had recently transitioned, was going to heaven. The pastor assured the young man that since she had been baptized and believed in Jesus she would be in heaven.
The young man then asked the pastor why he believed in a God that kept producing defective people. People that would live a few years on Earth and then be condemned to an eternity of pain and suffering in hell even if they never heard of Jesus. The pastor could not answer that question. I know that young man, he was me at age 17, a junior in high school who had just lost his mother to stomach cancer.
10. Mankind has been creating hell on Earth for as long as man has existed. It’s called WAR. Ask any veteran of any war if it was hell. Ask the wounded. Ask the civilians in Ukraine or Gaza if war is hell. I believe you will hear a resounding yes from them all; war is hell.
More Opinions Next Time – Think Saturday afternoon matinee – Stay tuned for episode 11 – The BAD NEWS regarding, “There is no HELL!”
Love Your Life:
Valentines’ day we focus on Love. Holley and I celebrated our love for one another by going out to dinner. I suspect many of you did the same.
Unfortunately, there are some who feel lonely at this time. They may have recently lost a spouse or a significant other. Some feel a deep grief which is amplified at times when the World is celebrating love.
What we found interesting is a valentine video where some single folks were asking psychics when they might find a loving partner to share their lives with. The answer for many is that they needed to love themselves first. For some that meant letting go of the past.
Bottom-Line – become a loving person, and love will flow back to you – Amplified!
Becoming STOIC:
Santa’s Helper John says, I have led an incredible, guided life; I am on my 81st trip around the Sun, this lifetime. Looking back, I can see events that have guided me to where I am today. I believe we all live guided lives.
That said, recently I have been drawn to the life of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king of Rome from 161 to 180 CE. Marcus was educated by a Greek slave who taught him the Warrior’s Ways. Those ways were the ways of the Spartans. The ways of the 300 who held the Persians at bay for so long. For more information on the Spartan lifestyle, you might like to watch the short YouTube video – “I Will Not Quit” https://youtu.be/8hW7uxnR3AQ?si=wXEXKRzmiStQdDk0
If you would like to learn more about Marcus’ life and times, please explore his Meditations – https://youtu.be/TZfCTKHtEjE?si=4WEVAofDUccxMI_4
You might find the application of stoic philosophy helpful in reducing anxiety over the current political environment.
The Stoic’s Bottom-Line:
First, the past is gone. Learn from the past. Be an unemotional observer of your past. Enjoy your memories and learn from them. Don’t live there!
Second, focus on what you can control. The Stoic view is that you can only control your actions at this moment, and you can control reactions to events you do not control. When acting, ALWAYS act thoughtfully, with honesty, truth, justice, and honor. Kinda sounds like the old Super-Man motto I heard on our tubby-tube tv during the 1950’s – “Truth, Justice, and the American Way”.
Third, do not fear the future. Don’t waste your time on “WHAT-Ifs” focus on and request the most benevolent outcome for any future event. We’ve found that asking the Universe works, even for parking places. We ask out loud, using the following script – “I (or We) request the most benevolent outcome for ______ “(fill in the blank) Then let it go.
Be open to an answer, even if it’s not what you expected. Be open to no or not now. Remember that the Universe is out to help you along this journey called life.
Not receiving instant gratification reminds me of Judy, my first wife’s response to one of our child’s requests for something. She would look at the price tag and if we could manage it, she would say ok. If the price was something she thought was unaffordable or not on sale, she would say “Sorry honey, it’s not ready yet.” The price wasn’t ripe.
One final point on Stoic Philosophy – Alexei Navalny (the latest murder victim of “you-know-who” in Russia) revealed through many psychic mediums that he trained himself to not fear while he was in prison. He reasoned that his guards could off him at any time, in any way, with orders from the top. He then chose not to fear the inevitable. He would be released from prison with or without his body. This is the Stoic Warrior’s Way. Death is merely a transition to another realm.
Electric Transportation:
As some of you may know, we have experienced towing a 5500 lb. trailer with a 2020 Tessla Model 3 from Oregon to Ohio and back during September 2020. Then this year we made the same trip, same time of year with a 2001 Toyota 4Runner Limited.
I won’t bore you with all the details. Here is the bottom line:
In our opinion, current electric vehicles are not well suited for towing. Our Tesla had a range of about 280 miles at freeway speeds. While towing, starting with a full charge, the best distance we could manage was 100 miles towing at a speed of 25 miles per hour. In our experience, while towing with an electric vehicle, range was greatly impacted by speed.
The current range issue is battery capacity. In the short run, this issue will be addressed with improved battery technology and more charging stations. In the long run, electrical-induction-cables will be buried in the road. Think slot cars, power as needed.
We will cover the cost differences of gas vs electric next time – be there!
Artificial Intelligence:
Microsoft recently revealed that its AI software is being tested. We found two YouTube videos you might like to view. Both are short. The first is political in nature produced by the Lincoln Project. https://youtu.be/yWf0u-ivyoY?si=si-mUx6DQiR_PUtS
The next is Marcus Aurelius – https://youtube.com/shorts/WoyYHPgybHs?si=pNqzavNpa12C5Nar
Enjoy!
In Short
We know all things work for the good, even though we might not see the good at the time. We also know whatever we plant in this realm we will harvest. Plant corn seeds, harvest corn. Plant fear in others, harvest fear of others. Moral – plant and harvest Love.
For now…Thank you for your attention. Keep in mind that we don’t know what we don’t know. So, don’t take our word for it. Meditate and find what is right for you.
For 2024 and beyond, we pray for peace.
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, we will know peace.