Report to People & Planet on My 76th Year

1 August 2019 – 31 July 2020

Caring for Community and World as Author and Activist:

Author: - Wrote, published, and marketed memoir, Serving People & Planet (SPP), and poetry book, Earthling Love (EL); articles about SPP and EL published by Black Mountain News in North Carolina, and the Bulletin of the UN’s Association of Former International Civil Servants (AFICS) in NYC; donated SPP and EL to the AFICS library in NYC; roughed out a new book of fourteen speeches given for the UN, the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA), and other organizations, and two books of essays (societal and personal); my article was published in the Integral Leadership Journal online; was asked by University of Oxford to help with their documentation of the movement of movements (MoM); donated my books and UN papers at the request of the UN Career Records Project to the University of Oxford; wrote endorsement for Dr. Larry Ward’s book, America’s Racial Karma, and for Dr. Shabbir Cheema’s book, Democratic Local Governance; celebrated Bonnie Myotai Treace’s three new books – Wake Up!, Zen Meditation for Beginners, and Zen 52 Weeks Journal; sent comments on two historical novels by Dr. Nikhil Chandavarkar; and continued posting on blogsite, A Compassionate Civilization, and social media.

Ecosystem/Justice Activist: - Participated in climate strike in Asheville, NC; became advisor to The Solutions Journal, Overview, and Planetary Human; met Dr. Peter Whitehouse online re a compassionate civilization; was invited to speak at global conference at Harvard, accepted, then declined due to virus in China; participated in the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement of movements (MoM) online international conversation; participated in the ICA Social Research Center/Archives online meeting, and talked about the movement of movements (MoM); hosted my first Zoom meeting on the movement of movements (MoM); discussed with a colleague his intentional community plans north of Toronto; and participated in Zoom meetings with UN Deputy Secretary General, and with the UN USA Association.

Caring for Family, Friends, and Self:

Family: - Attended French horn concert w Bonnie; celebrated Bonnie’s BD at Owen Lake – last time together with whole family; celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary at a lake house; Attended Micalmas at SOLA; visited BMT museum with grandkids; visited Asheville museum with Bonnie, then with grandkids; had Venezuelan lunch w Ben and Phoenix; wrote poems for Thanksgiving, and the grandchildren; went with brother and sister-in-law to Greenville for brother’s procedure; accompanied D and L for broncoscopy; helped set up Hermitage Heart legal and tax free status in NC; helped Bonnie with health issues; created cottage garden with Bonnie and Julie; created a Happy Hermitage for our pandemic isolation; received kids' weekly visits at-a-distance during pandemic; talked by phone with John and Margy, and Benjamin; walked Abby the collie daily.

Friends and Colleagues: - Met with Dr. Qinghong Wei and husband from Tampa; met with Rebecca Mahan who moved to Asheville; helped Dr Bishow Mahan get a neurology internship; attended ballet with Vivi as star; talked by phone w Rev Dr Kang in Seoul; participated in online memorial services for Charles Hahn, and Marge Philbrook of the Order Ecumenical; and mourned death from COVID19 of colleague's wife.

Body-Mind: - Practiced daily meditation; had successful cataract surgery; bought a hybrid; had successful Mohs surgery on chin; had online physical therapy for left heel; participated in Zoom desk-yoga with Tina Spencer in Australia and later with the UN AFICS; participated in online dharma teaching by Dr. Larry Ward; and celebrated 85th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

In mystery, love, and gratitude for this past year, this life, this planet.

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