When you find yourself writing the forward to your own book it means you’r not famous or rich, thankfully your a little mature in age, aware as a human being these two facts could be your greatest assets of all.
I share my life with other very openly because I feel a desire, an obligation to do so.The most dramatic of events that do belong to and effect humans have been mind, also the most rewarding aspects with challenges, a very human story starting from the most normal of beginnings to go on to live out an extraordinary life with challenges, with rewards from life it's self. Our deepest emotions have been experienced & lived to the extremes, all have been mind. Most important however is whats been learned, if I learned nothing by live my life what use is their to tell the story ?
This 2019 makes a 12 year effort made in writing this book, Yes it's been complacated, it's been done while still living and learning. Fifty plus years ago I came very close to having my life taken from me, it fucus my mind, my emotions, it made me to think different. It filled my head with crazy thoughts many would say.Today we our still living out our lives a bit crazy to me. Today I have my experience in and about life with maturity as my witness, where to begin. After a year + in the hospital to recover from wounds recieved I returned to the war at it's highest level of intensity with No job, No connections, and very little money ?
Today of course I understand it was because at home in the USA in 1967, everyone around me were busy, they were work, buy houses, make money and plan for the future, they did not know event it was on the TV every night, opposition to the war was starting in be heard, but the people for the most part, they were taking care for Themselves, event my Dear Mom said, Yes, it looks like the end is near but the Lord will take care of us. Oh how long ago that was and how quickly the time has past. Today so much has changed and yet taking care for ones self is so popular, so normal, event our leaders today most talk about self, not about others, not about our higher thoughts and understanding. Today of course my Mom's gone and most of my brother too.
The times our different, accumulated knowledge is vast and available to so many, connection and communication our so different and so very vast. Yet the two wolves of our human nature fight on, (Me Or Us) ? The Great remarkable fact is that finally the signs can be seen, our starting to showing them selves, the young in general our grasping reality of all the open knowledge of today, 70% of the world is under 30 years old. The time has come when women of our world our standing up and being counted and progress is being made. The young, Female and Male will be just fine, I say trust yourselves and your instinks, you lead it's your time and the world needs your thinking and you.
I share my story to you for one reason only, I comprehend that simply by changing our thinking, we can and do change everything about ourselves, our actions as a people, as human beings. I dare not or wish for you to think like me, My only hope is that you will think ! That you will find the courage to think openly and honestly on facts, on reality, on the accumulated knowledge of today. That you will be quitily listen to your deepest wishes and hopes.
To those in my generation I want you to know in many ways, I'm la lot ike you, I'll quot the songs of Simon and Garfunkel, (The Sounds of Silence)
Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping, the vision that was planted in my brain, Still Remains.
Ten thousand people, maybe more. People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share. And no one dared, Disturb the sound of silence.
People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share. And no one dared, Disturb the sound of silence.
"Fools", said I, "You do not know. Silence like a cancer grows, Hear my words that I might teach you. Take my arms that I might reach you" . But my words, like silent raindrops fell, And echoed in the wells of silence.
And the people bowed and prayed. To the neon god they made, And the sign flashed out its warning, In the words that it was forming. And the sign said:
"The words of the prophets are Written on the subway walls, And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound of silence."
And the people bowed and prayed. To the neon god they made, And the sign flashed out its warning, In the words that it was forming. And the sign said:
"The words of the prophets are Written on the subway walls, And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound of silence."
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I could tell you the true story of another one of their songs, I attempted to learn it, and still sing it today. (HomeWard Bound) I learned it from someone becoming a friend only to die near by the next day in my final battle.
What I would rather close this New Years post with is the Song (What a Wonderful World) by Lious Armstrong. Because thats how I found and saw our world, this life. When I think about, Whoa, to have lived this remarkable life at this remarkable period of history, all because one guy that did the right thing when doing the right thing came to him, to have been born with desires and the courage to live, to have found an open mind in the shadows of blindness. To have been allonwed to exist at this period of history leaves me with only one feeling. Thankfulness !
Richard L Iverson
Remember Happiness is Oh so simple, that a grateful heart is the beginning of wisdom, that Effort is essential for anything worthwhile in life !
