From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2012 #1062 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe:mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Website:http://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Tuesday, August 7 2012 Volume 2012 : Number 1062 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: The Tea Leaf Prophecy ["Mark" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2012 20:34:43 -0700 From: "Mark" Subject: Re: The Tea Leaf Prophecy I'm glad to see that some activity was awakened here. I was beginning to be afraid that the JMDL was fading away into cyberspace oblivion. But I honestly thought I had screwed up. Lieve, It's great to see you writing here and thank you for saving my bacon. After I had sent the post, there was something about it that gave me the feeling there was a hole in it somewhere. I went back and skimmed through his obituary and I got the impression Bill Anderson joined the Canadian Air Force out of a burning desire to learn to fly planes. Now that I look at it again, it doesn't really say that he didn't join because of the war. Maybe he wanted to be a pilot so he could fly combat missions in Europe. And even if that weren't the case, maybe the war had something to do with where he was stationed and the timing of his 'two weeks leave'. So maybe there was some validity to my theory that without the war, there might not have been a Roberta Joan Anderson. And Lieve, you made some wonderful observations about the chaotic nature of life, how bad intentions can bring about good consequences and how the reverse is true as well. Many people die in wars or are horribly maimed. Then again, how many soldiers met their spouses in places where they would never have been if they had not been fighting in a war? Sue, One of the final episodes in the novel 'Atonement' takes place at the Imperial War Museum in London. My friend Melanie wanted to go that museum while we were in England together. It would never have occurred to me to do so. But I have been there and seen the two huge gun barrels that lie on the grounds in front of the entrance. There was a documentary about genocide that was playing continuously in a small theater somewhere on on one of the museum's upper levels. It was very revealing, informative and fascinating in a morbid kind of way. I agree that it is disheartening and sickening to know that the Holocaust was by no means the last occurrence of genocide in our world. Bob, I have often had the same thought about that 'don't have kids when you get grown' line. The words may have been Joni's invention or maybe she really heard them come out of her mother's mouth at some point. And I agree, it would be a very sad thing for a child to hear his or her mother say them. I don't think it would be the first time that some horrendous example of man's inhumanity to man has brought about that reaction. How can you bring children into a world where such horrible things happen? But if that kind of defeatist attitude had ever prevailed, the human race would have been extinct a long time ago. We go on and continue to hope our species and the world we live in will somehow evolve into something better. And, after all, 'the wash needs ironing and the fire needs stoking'. Life does indeed go on. Bill Anderson's frustration at not being able to become a pilot makes me wonder if he did have a 'dream to fly' that he passed on to his daughter. Joni has written so often about flight and 'loving the freedom of all flying things'. Do you think maybe she got that from her dad? I don't want to ramble on forever here, hogging bandwidth. But it feels so good to be reading the words of your thoughts and to be writing my own to you again. I do so hope we keep this forum alive. I can hardly believe how long it has been a part of my life now. Mark in Seattle - -----Original Message----- From: Lieve Reckers Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2012 2:01 AM To: Mark ; joni Subject: Re: The Tea Leaf Prophecy Mark, I don't think that any info in Mr Anderson's obit is any reason to ignore your beautifully written post! It does not matter if a particular theory may not be valid, the thought behind it is much more broad and remains valid. And it just reminded me of my favourite theory: everything is chaos and random good or bad luck, without much sense or justice, and still throughout this mess we should have our own imperative to "do the right thing" (i.e. to only do to others as we would wish to be done to us). So yes, we can probably all find terrible things like war or accidents which have set off good coincidences and meetings which may have led to the birth of a genius. But in the same way good intentions may have led to the birth of mass killers. There is just no justice... And still we should never stop trying to do the right thing... Just my quick personal reaction, maybe not in the direction you had in mind, but thanks for prompting a reaction at all, I feel like I am waking up! Big hug, Lieve ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2012 #1062 ****************************** ------- To post messages to the list, sendtojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------