Post No. 126: For Thanksgiving Day 2010 — The Tree Of Life

(Image from Jen Delyth Celtic Art Studio)

Oh Yes, "We, The Gods"
Create The Tree Of Life

Oh Yes, "We, The Gods"
Create The Tree Of Life,
Which Is How And Why
We Create New Life!

For, "We, The Gods" Love
To Branch Out And Grow,
To Send Out New Leaves
And To Put On A Good Show!

And Each New Idea We Grow
Is Just Like The Lord's Seed
That Has Been Cast Out By Him
So It Can Sprout And Succeed!

For, Creating "The Tree Of
Life" Is Simply How We Can
Branch Out And Grow And
Become Something So Grand!

And That's Why The Lord Can
Never Truly "Leaf" Us Alone, As
We Are His True Seedlings By
Which All Truth Is Known!

So, When You Are Cast Out By
His Hand—And On To New Heights—
You Too Can Branch Out And Grow
And Become "The Tree Of Life!"

Therefore, Plant Your Soul Firmly In
The Soil Of New Possibilities And
Become The Newest Seedlings
Of The Lord's Truest Abilities!

So Yes, "We, The Gods"
Create The Tree Of Life,
And That Is How And
Why We Create New Life!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its; sun the light and I are as one!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About The Harvest Of Wisdom: Fear is the hunger. Anger is the lightning. Expression is the thunder. Honesty is the rainfall. Understanding is the soil. Desire is the seed. Love is the nutrients. Joy is the sunlight. Wisdom is the harvest. –Paul Whiting (written on May 1st, 2009 and turned into 'my writing' on April 13th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About The Seeds Of Possibility: All ideas are seeds and they only grow if you help them to do so! –Paul Whiting (written approximately on March 19th, 2011 and turned into 'my writing' on August 30th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About The Seeds Of Truth, Version No. 1: Every soul that exists is born as "A Seed Of Truth," so to speak, since we are all born as Literally Nothing. And as "The Seeds Of Truth," so to speak, all of the souls that exist are created from Nothing. For, everything that has ever been created began—literally—as Nothing! –Paul Whiting (written May 12th, 2013, revised August 31st, 2013, revised March 11th, 2014, revised March 28th, 2022 and revised August 30th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About The Seeds Of Truth, Version No. 2: Every soul that exists is born as "A Seed Of Truth," so to speak, since we are all born as Literally Nothing. And Nothing has a vibration in the center of it—due to the pressure right in the middle of Nothing—that produces light, which is self-aware or, phrased another way, that light is literally consciousness. Therefore, all of the souls that exist are created as "The Seeds Of Truth," so to speak, from the vibration at the center Nothing. And that center vibration of nothing is The Light Of God, which is also The Consciousness Of God. And so, phrased another way, that Light Consciousness at the center of Literally Nothing is like a seed, which is what we are. –Paul Whiting (written approximately on August 9th, 2013 and turned into 'my writing' from my notes on August 30th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Poem About The Trees In Springtime:

The Trees Must Be So 'Re-Leaved'
(Or, "A Springtime Haiku-Style Poem")

The trees must be so
're-leaved' when it is springtime:
Winter is over!

–Paul Whiting September 12th, 2022 and revised September 13th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "Oh Yes, 'We, The Gods' Create The Tree of Life, Which Is How And Why We Create New Life! Therefore, Plant Your Soul Firmly In The Soil Of New Possibilities And Become The Newest Seedlings Of The Lord's Truest Abilities!"

And this poem was also published on my "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs (please see the hyperlinks below for the blogs), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer." Plus, I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through my new "The Oneness Of God" spiritual practice!

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://threedarkhorses.blogspot.com

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 126 was edited on May 12th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 125: For Veterans Day 2010 — A Sacred Trust

(Image from Wikimedia)

A Sacred Trust

There is A Sacred Trust that "We,
The People" owe to Those Souls who
sacrificed themselves to keep us free
from the time that we are born!

And "We, The People" can know This
Sacred Trust in our hearts—with all
of our heart and mind, body and soul,
we can know This Sacred Trust!

It is A Sacred Trust to support and respect
Our Veterans, who bravely served here
at home and abroad—and especially to
respect Our Veterans who have gone on!

So, if you are Military Personnel, you
know The Sacred Trust absolutely, for
you would truly move Heaven and
Earth to support Our Veterans!

And if you are A Grassroots Patriot, you
know The Sacred Trust completely,
since you would reach across Our
Country in order to say "Thank You!"

And if you are An Everyday Patriot,
you know The Sacred Trust entirely,
because you would give "Thanks From
Everywhere" to support Our Veterans!

For, there is A Sacred Trust that "We,
The People" owe and know in Our Souls:
It is The Sacred Trust to support, respect
and serve Our United States Veterans!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its; sun the light and I are as one!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"We have a sacred trust for people who put on the uniform of the United States. They serve us. They're willing to put their lives on the line. And that means when they come back, we've got to serve them." –Barack Obama (September 30th, 2010)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "We have a sacred trust for people who put on the uniform of the United States. They serve us. They're willing to put their lives on the line. And that means when they come back, we've got to serve them."

By the way, I also did a rewrite of this poem that I wrote for Memorial Day that is titled, "A Sacred Respect," which published on this blog. (Please see "A Sacred Trust-Style Poem" in labels for the poem.)

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------

November 11th, 2021 Update, Written Sometime After Midnight: I signed up on Charity Navigator yesterday, November 10th, 2021, to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities—including with the intention of making donations for Veterans Day to several highly-rated veterans' charities. However, I started having problems with being able to process the donations! Although, I used a smartphone, so that could be the issue. Anyway, I did attempt to donate to veterans' organizations for Veterans Day, but it's not going to work right now. So, I am going to hold off on donating until I can donate through a personal computer, since I may be having issues donating through my smartphone, if that is what was causing me to not be able to donate... –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022, revised March 21st, 2023 and revised January 9th, 2024)
---------------------------------------------
November 11th, 2021 Update, Written Just After 9:00 AM: Success! I tried again later on in the day to donate to veterans' charities for Veterans Day on Charity Navigator and it worked! Plus, I also included a donation to Charity Navigator, because they are a charity too. And I really appreciate being able to utilize Charity Navigator's charity rating system in order to assess which charities receive their 'give with confidence' rating. I also appreciate being able to donate to multiple charities at the same time—all in one convenient transaction, rather than having to process individual donations on each charity's website—which makes supporting veterans' organizations via Charity Navigator that much more worthwhile! –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022, revised March 21st, 2023 and revised January 9th, 2024)
---------------------------------------------
November 11th, 2021 Update—Summary: I signed up on Charity Navigator yesterday, November 10th, 2021, to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities—including with the intention of making donations for Veterans Day to several highly-rated veterans' charities. However, I started having problems with being able to process the donations! ... But, I tried again later on in the day to donate to veterans' charities for Veterans Day on Charity Navigator and it worked! Plus, I also included a donation to Charity Navigator, because they are a charity too. –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022 and revised March 21st, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

November 11th, 2022 Update, Written On November 11th, 2023: I made one-time donations for Veterans Day to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). –Paul Whiting (written December 7th, 2022 and turned into an 'update' from my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On December 7th, 2022' from my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog on November 11th, 2023)

P.S.: I feel like I need to clarify why I didn't write an 'update' for Veterans Day 2022! You see, creative writing takes a lot of time and energy—and I was really busy with blogging toward the end of 2022, because of the Midterm Elections. Now, I did manage to create a "My Writing About Donating To Veterans' Charities On Veterans Day (for 2022)" for my "Thank You For Your Service!" post on both of my "Small All White in the Forest" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. However, I didn't manage to write an 'update' about my Veterans Day donations for 2022! And I did not notice this error until I was searching for a "November 11th, 2022 Update," which I assumed would be available for me to utilize as a basis for my "November 11th, 2023 Update." Thus, I did find a reference to the donations that I made for Veterans Day 2022 on my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On December 7th, 2022' from my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, so that is why I turned that reference into my 'update' for Veterans Day 2022. (I hope that makes sense!)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 24th, 2023 Update No. 7 [My Writing About How I Have Changed The Way That I Label My Blog Posts 'Updates' For Any Additional 'Updates' That I Write, After The First 'Update,' By Using A Simple Numbering System, Which Starts With The First 'Update' (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:

I have changed the way I label the blog post 'updates' that I write because I oftentimes write more than one 'update' per day!

And in the past, I have labeled the second, third, fourth and fifth 'update' with the following extensions—on the days that I write more than 'update'—to differentiate any additional 'updates' from the first one, as follows:

[1st] Month Day, Year Update
[2nd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued
[3rd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further
[4th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More
[5th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before

However today, October 24th, 2023, I actually had more than five 'updates' to write, so I decided to change how I differentiate any additional 'updates,' from the first 'update,' by using a simple numbering system, which actually starts with the first 'update' that I write, as follows:

Month Day, Year Update No. 1
Month Day, Year Update No. 2
Month Day, Year Update No. 3
Month Day, Year Update No. 4
Month Day, Year Update No. 5
Month Day, Year Update No. 6
Month Day, Year Update No. 7

Therefore, that is why this 'update' is the seventh one for today! –Paul Whiting (written October 24th, 2023 and revised October 28th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

November 11th, 2023 Update No. 1: In order to respect and honor the many sacrifices made by those who served their country in the U.S. Military, I made one-time donations for Veterans Day to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). –Paul Whiting (November 11th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 125 was edited on January 9th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 124: For The First "Election Day Celebration!"

(Image from Peoria Public Radio)

Celebrate Election Day!

Happy Election Day, Everyone!

Celebrate Democracy And Vote!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its; sun the light and I are as one!"

My Writing About Making Election Day A Legal Holiday: I think that "We, The People" should make Election Day into a legal holiday, so that the whole day is dedicated to the celebration of democracy by celebrating the right to vote! –Paul Whiting (written November 2nd, 2010, revised November 5th, 2013, revised March 31st, 2015 and revised November 8th, 2022)

My Writing About How I Vote: When I vote, I typically consider the recommendations of various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers' and, then, I decide whose recommendations for, or against, each candidate or ballot measure make the most sense. Plus, I usually always vote for Democrats. And that's how democracy rolls in this house! –Paul Whiting (written October 28th, 2012 and revised November 8th, 2022)

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "I think that 'We, The People' should make Election Day into a legal holiday, so that the whole day is dedicated to the celebration of democracy by celebrating the right to vote!"

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

November 5th, 2018 Update: I wanted to explain to you the way that I have changed how I vote! And, in order to explain how I changed, please let me quote myself—specifically from my July 1st, 2012 post titled, "For the Year 2012 — My Posting Sabbatical, Part 2," which is published on my "Small All White in the Forest" and "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blogs:

My Writing About How I Vote: When I vote, I typically consider the recommendations of various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers' and, then, I decide whose recommendations for, or against, each candidate or ballot measure make the most sense. Plus, I usually always vote for Democrats. And that's how democracy rolls in this house! –Paul Whiting (written October 28th, 2012 and revised November 8th, 2022)

Now, that quote still applies to how I vote; however, in 2018, I decided to not just read voter recommendations of "various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers.'" Instead, I read news publications during the entire year. And, in that way, I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, throughout the year! And, thusly, when it comes to voting on Election Day, I have spent the entire year preparing to vote and have not been preparing only when it's time to vote. And, just to clarify, for some publications, I still only read their voter recommendation editions when I am preparing to vote. –Paul Whiting (written November 5th, 2018, revised June 15th, 2022, revised November 8th, 2022, revised April 19th, 2023 and revised June 12th, 2023)

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 124 was edited on June 25th, 2023.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 123: For Labor Day 2010 — The Democracy Of God!

(Image from IMPACT Branding & Design)

The Democracy Of God!
(Or, "The Glory Of God Is Work")

I don't mean to 'belabor' this point,
in the sad, sad case that you are
one of those 'shirkers,' but
The Glory Of God Is Work and
The Pride Of God Is For His Workers!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About The Right Of Any Employee To Join A Labor Union: I am totally in support of any employee's right to freely join a labor union (without any forced unionism, of course), because of the many valuable benefits that are offered to labor union members, not to mention the fact that labor unions have a long and proud history of winning many victories on behalf of all employees. –Paul Whiting (written May 6th, 2012 and revised September 5th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About Anti-Union: Anti-union is anti-worker! –Paul Whiting (written April 4th, 2015 and revised September 5th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About How I Am Pro-Union: I am pro-union and pro-worker! –Paul Whiting (written October 16th, 2021 and revised September 5th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Writing About Pro-Union: Pro-union is pro-worker! –Paul Whiting (September 5th, 2022)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "The Glory Of God Is Work and The Pride Of God Is For His Workers!"

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 5th, 2022 Update, Written On September 4th, 2022: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

In celebration of Labor Day, and out of respect for the work that is done each and every day by our U.S. Military Personnel, I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations), because "the USO works to keep America’s military heroes connected to family, home and country as they make immense sacrifices to protect our nation."

And I made this donation for Labor Day in response to an email that I received from the USO today, September 4th, 2022, with the subject line, "If it wasn’t for the USO, I wouldn’t be here," which stated the following:

Paul, according to USO volunteer Gene Maynard, he might not be here if it weren’t for the USO. "My parents never would've met," he said. "That's really the full circle."

It was at a USO dance in Chicago nearly 80 years ago that Maxine, a shy girl visiting from Iowa, met Norm, a dashing combat engineer who had just enlisted in the U.S. Army. What followed was a whirlwind romance cut short by the difficult reality of World War II.

Two months after that dance, Norm arrived on Omaha Beach just six days after D-Day. Over the next year, Norm and his unit made their way through the country, attacking German-occupied strongholds and coming under frequent fire themselves. They faced several close calls, including one where Norm was shot in the head — but miraculously, he survived.

When the war in Europe ended in May 1945, Norm continued to serve in Paris. Then, his unit was notified that they were about to be deployed to Japan, where the war in the Pacific theater raged on. Norm worried that he'd never see Maxine again, but just before his unit was set to depart, Japan surrendered, and the war was over. The moment he arrived back home, Norm asked Maxine to marry him.

Today, their son Gene chooses to volunteer with the USO because he knows firsthand how much our support means to service members like his father and to loved ones back home like his mother.

Norm and Maxine wrote to each other almost every day during his deployment, leaving behind hundreds of love letters and several photos from their time apart. Gene knows how meaningful those moments of connection were for his parents, and he's proud to be a part of the USO's mission to keep today's service members connected to family, home and country through every step of their military journey.

You are an important part of this mission too, Paul. We'll be sharing inspiring stories like this one all month long to give military supporters a chance to deepen their connection with service members and military families — so stay tuned!

Thank you for being a part of this patriotic community,

The USO

The USO works to keep America’s military heroes connected to family, home and country as they make immense sacrifices to protect our nation. But our work is only possible because of the generous support of patriotic Americans like you. Will you make a gift today so the USO can continue supporting troops around the world as they risk their lives to keep us safe?

DONATE NOW***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And I made this one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's statement, "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can’t do that without support from military supporters like you. Our troops are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

–Paul Whiting (written September 4th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised November 24th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023 revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023, revised July 28th, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023, revised November 18th, 2023 and revised May 4th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 4th, 2023 Update, Written On August 30th, 2023: Happy Labor Day, everyone! In celebration of Labor Day, I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations), because "America’s brave service members ... sacrifice so much for us, it’s our patriotic duty to do everything we can for them."

And I made this donation for Labor Day in response to text message that I received today, August 30th, 2023, from the USO (United Service Organizations), which stated the following:

𝐔𝐒𝐎 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓: Before you enjoy your long weekend, keep our troops in mind as they sacrifice so much for us.

Paul, thousands of service members are currently deployed around the world, missing celebrations, first days of school and so much more - all to keep us safe and free.

The USO is there to support them through thick and thin, but we can't do it without patriotic Americans like you. So we've set an end-of-month goal to deliver support to deployed troops, and a generous group of USO supporters is MATCHING all gifts up to $25,000 for a limited time only, so please: Rush a donation now before this opportunity expires to have it doubled to support our troops around the world >>***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And I made this one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's statement regarding this limited match opportunity:

"Incredible news: Until midnight on Aug. 31, [2023] all gifts up to $25,000 will be MATCHED to reach our end-of-month goal for America’s brave service members. As they sacrifice so much for us, it’s our patriotic duty to do everything we can for them, so please don’t waste this rare opportunity. Give now to DOUBLE the value of your gift for our troops!"

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month! –Paul Whiting (written August 30th, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023 and revised November 18th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 4th, 2023 Update: I was doing my usual reading of Time Magazine articles from one of their daily emails that I received today, September 4th, 2023, when I noticed a Time.com article titled, "Want to Honor Labor Day? Check Your Paystub." (By the way, I am a subscriber to Time INSIDER Digital Magazine.) An introduction to the article can be found below:

"Want to Honor Labor Day? Check Your Paystub" from Time Magazine

By Elizabeth Tandy Shermer | September 2, 2023

There’s a better way to honor Labor Day this year than shopping, hitting the beach, or BBQing. Take a few minutes to look at your paystub.

Most Americans don’t anymore. Paystubs or payslips used to come with the physical checks that Americans would get every two weeks or once a month. Now, a lot of Americans get their pay directly deposited into their bank accounts. They have to go looking for information on how much they earned and what was deducted for taxes, 401(k) contributions, and other employee benefits.

There are a lot of good reasons to check your paystub. First and foremost, there’s a problem with a wage theft in this country. Americans also need to make sure that they are getting the employee benefits (like health insurance) that they signed up for. Equally important, however, is that the many deductions on a paystub are a powerful reminder of how hard and long Americans have fought for shorter hours, livable wages, and better working conditions, all of which made life on and off the job a whole lot better.

The Federal Income Contributions Act (FICA) deduction, for instance, captures the meaning of Labor Day better than any picnic. When Americans get their first paychecks, many probably asked, like Rachel Green on Friends, “What’s FICA? Why’s he getting all my money?”

Congress passed FICA in 1935 so that employees and employers could pay for the much more well-known 1935 Social Security Act. This landmark legislation included a lot more than federal pensions, or what most Americans mean now when they say the words “Social Security.” Labor Secretary Frances Perkins addressed Americans on Feb. 25, 1935 over the radio to explain that the most important part of the bill before Congress was insurance against unemployment. She called it “the greatest of all hazards.” At the time, unemployment was 20%. More than 10 million Americans could “plunge into destitution and dependency” while they searched for a job.

There would also be money for “old-age security” in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Administration’s broad plan for economic security (which also included support for the blind, child welfare, and public health). But Roosevelt did not take credit for that legislation. Three years after passage, when that law had already helped millions, Roosevelt attributed its success to the American labor movement. “The underlying desire for personal and family security was nothing new,” he insisted in a radio address on August 15, 1938. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://time.com/6309751/labor-day-paystub-essay

And I decided to highlight this article from Time Magazine for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written September 4th, 2023 and revised September 23rd, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 4th, 2023 Update—Continued: Labor Day is today, September 4th, 2023, since Labor Day is yearly (annually) on the first Monday in September.

And I received an email from National Today yesterday, September 3rd, 2023, with the subject line, "Cheese Pizza, Beer, and Plenty of Books. This Week on National Today", which stated, in part, the following:

THIS WEEK ON NATIONAL TODAY

We honor American workers’ contributions to our country... While we enjoy picnics and parades, let’s remember to honor the unwavering commitment of the workforce that propels the economy forward on Labor Day. ...

... Monday 4 September

Labor Day

Summer's final fling has arrived in the form of Labor Day.

Read more:

https://nationaltoday.com/labor-day

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can, in part, be found below:

NATIONAL TODAY

Labor Day – September 4, 2023

[Observed in the] U.S.

Summer’s final fling has arrived in the form of Labor Day. Yes, most of us get the day off, but this holiday triggers mixed emotions. While summer still has 21 calendar days left, it’s time to get serious. School’s starting and there’s a sense that summer vacation is over. So what’s behind Labor Day — and how did it earn a place as a federal holiday?

Let’s take a look.

---------------------------------------------

WHEN IS LABOR DAY 2023?

Labor Day always falls on the first Monday in September, which means anywhere from September 1 through September 7. This year it's September 4 in the U.S. and Canada. However, this is not the case for most countries — the majority of which celebrate on May 1.

---------------------------------------------

HISTORY OF LABOR DAY

Do you get weekends off work? Lunch breaks? Paid vacation? An eight-hour workday? Social security? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, you can thank labor unions and the U.S. labor movement for it. Years of hard-fought battles (and the ensuing legislation they inspired) resulted in many of the most basic benefits we enjoy at our jobs today. On the first Monday in September, we take the day off to celebrate Labor Day and reflect on the American worker’s contributions to our country.

---------------------------------------------

LABOR DAY HISTORY

There’s disagreement over how the holiday began. One version is set in September 1882 with the Knights of Labor, the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations at the time. The Knights in New York City held a public parade featuring various labor organizations on September 5 — with the aid of the fledgling Central Labor Union (CLU) of New York. Subsequently, CLU Secretary Matthew Maguire proposed that a national Labor Day holiday be held on the first Monday of each September to mark this successful public demonstration.

In another version, Labor Day in September was proposed by Peter J. McGuire, a vice president of the American Federation of Labor. In spring 1882, McGuire reportedly proposed a “general holiday for the laboring classes” to the CLU, which would begin with a street parade of organized labor solidarity and end with a picnic fundraiser for local unions. McGuire suggested the first Monday in September as an ideal date for Labor Day because the weather is great at that time of year, and it falls between July 4th and Thanksgiving. Oregon became the first U.S. state to make it an official public holiday. 29 other states had joined by the time the federal government declared it a federal holiday in 1894.

Maguire or McGuire? Read more on this unusual coincidence in our FAQs below.

What is the Haymarket affair?

On May 4, 1886 — at a time when most American laborers worked 18 or even 20 hours a day — tens of thousands of workers protested in cities all across the U.S. to demand an eight-hour workday. Police in Chicago attacked both those peaceful protests and a workers planning meeting two days later, randomly beating and shooting at the planning group and killing six. When outraged Chicagoans attended an initially peaceful protest the next evening in Haymarket Square, police advanced on the crowd again. Someone who was never identified detonated a bomb that killed a police officer, leading cops to open fire on protesters and provoke violence that led to the deaths of about a dozen workers and police.

The Pullman strike

Ironically, Chicago was also the setting for the bloody Pullman strike of 1894, which catalyzed the establishment of an official Labor Day holiday in the U.S. on the first Monday of September.

The strike happened in May in the company town of Pullman, Chicago, a factory location established by luxury railroad car manufacturer the Pullman Company. The inequality of the town was more than apparent. Company owner George Pullman lived in a mansion while most laborers stayed in barracks-style dormitories. When a nationwide depression struck in 1893, Pullman decided to cut costs the way a lot of executives at the time did — by lowering wages by almost 30% while he kept the rent on the dormitories he leased to his workers at pre-depression levels.

Railroad boycott

These conditions ultimately led workers to strike on May 11, 1894. The walkout gained the support of the nationwide American Railroad Union (ARU), which declared that ARU members would no longer work on trains that included Pullman cars. That national boycott would end up bringing the railroads west of Chicago to a standstill and led to 125,000 workers across 29 railroad companies quitting their jobs rather than breaking the boycott.

When the Chicago railroad companies hired strikebreakers as replacements, strikers also took various actions to stop the trains. The General Managers Association, which represented local railroad companies, countered by inducing U.S. Attorney General Richard Olney, a former railroad attorney, to intervene. Indianapolis federal courts granted Olney an injunction against the strike, a move that allowed President Grover Cleveland to send in federal troops to break it up.

A few days later, Cleveland realized that he had to act quickly to appease the country’s increasingly agitated labor movement. But he didn’t want to commemorate the Haymarket incident with a May holiday that would invoke radical worker sentiment. So Cleveland harkened back to the first established September 1882 holiday and signed into law that Labor Day in the U.S. would be celebrated on the first Monday in September.

---------------------------------------------

LABOR DAY VS. MAY DAY

Communist and socialist factions worldwide eventually chose May 1 as the date to mark the Haymarket affair. A 1904 conference issued a plea that trade unions stage rallies on the first day of May — demanding to make the eight-hour workday standard. They organized the action in the name of “universal peace.” The 1st of May is a national, public holiday in many countries across the world, generally known as “Labour Day,” “International Workers’ Day,” or a similar name – although some countries celebrate a Labor Day on other dates significant to them, such as Canada, which celebrates Labor Day, like the U.S., on the first Monday of September.

Here’s the U.S. Department of Labor’s official tribute to U.S. workers on Labor Day:

“The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known, and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.” ...

---------------------------------------------

... LABOR DAY TIMELINE

1882
It’s Unofficial:
10,000 labor workers march through Union Square in New York to protest poor working conditions and low wages.

1884
A Date is Set:
The first Monday of September officially becomes Labor Day, with the Central Labor Union pushing other organizations to follow suit and celebrate.

1894
Congress Approves:
Labor Day is approved as a national holiday by Congress, and President Grover Cleveland signs it into law.

2009
Let’s Not Forget Women in Labor:
President Obama restores the rights of women to sue over pay discrimination with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. ...

---------------------------------------------

... LABOR DAY BY THE NUMBERS

162 million – the number of Americans (over 16) in the labor force.

40% – the percentage of U.S. workers who belonged to labor unions in the 1950s (that dropped to 11% by 2018).

1894 – the year Congress officially made Labor Day a federal holiday.

86% – the percentage of Americans planning Labor Day weekend travel who will do so by car.

41% – the percentage of Americans who plan to barbecue over Labor Day Weekend.

818 – the number of U.S. hot dogs eaten every second from Memorial Day to Labor Day. [I'm vegan, so the hot dogs that I eat over the summer are Plant-Based!]

$685 – the average kid’s back-to-school expenses.

$55,000 – the median U.S. household income.

705 million – the total number of U.S. unused vacation days (2017).

80% – the percentage of Americans who would take time off if their boss were more supportive. ...

---------------------------------------------

... LABOR DAY ACTIVITIES

1. Read up on the history of Labor Day

Labor Day has a rich history that directly impacts the working conditions we experience today. So in between rounds of BBQ at your Labor Day celebration, take the time to discuss the U.S. labor movement and its contribution to our country's current work culture.

2. Buy an American-made product

When you're doing your Labor Day shopping, take the time to read the labels. Consider buying products that say "Made in the USA" to show your support for American workers.

3. Watch a movie about labor unions

Many of us get Labor Day off. What better way to relax than to stretch out on the couch and watch a movie about the American labor movement? There are tons of union-themed movies to choose from. "Norma Rae" ring a bell? Side note: Unions play a major role in the entertainment industry.

---------------------------------------------

5 LABOR DAY FACTS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW!

1. It’s on May 1 in other countries

Most countries around the world celebrate Labor Day on May 1, and it is called International Workers’ Day.

2. Stores remain open

While most schools and offices are closed on Labor Day, retail workers and shopkeepers don’t get the same break, as the holiday is huge for sales and shopping.

3. Third most popular holiday for outdoor cookouts

Labor Day is right behind the Fourth of July and Memorial Day in being the most popular holiday for barbecues and cookouts.

4. Labor Day marks the unofficial NFL kickoff

99.4% of the time, the NFL’s first official game of the season is on the Thursday following Labor Day.

5. Union members today

In 2017, there were 14.8 million union members, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while in 1983, there were 17.7 million.

---------------------------------------------

WHY WE LOVE LABOR DAY

A. We're hard workers — we deserve the day off

Statistics show that Americans work longer hours than citizens of most other countries — 137 more hours per year than Japan, 260 more per year than the U.K., and 499 more than France. And our productivity is high — 400% higher than it was in 1950, to be exact. So we totally deserve that day off.

B. It's one last chance to grill

Labor Day is widely considered to be the unofficial last day of summer. Before the air turns cold and the leaves start to fall, it's our last chance to grill some steaks and wear shorts.

C. It's the reason we can say TGIF

Labor Day is a time to celebrate the benefits we enjoy at our jobs — including weekends off. The concept of American workers taking days off dates back to 1791, when a group of carpenters in Philadelphia went on strike to demand a shorter workweek (10-hour days, to be exact). It wasn't until 1836 that workers started demanding eight-hour workdays. So nine to five doesn't sound so bad after all.

Please see the hyperlink below for the post:

https://nationaltoday.com/labor-day

–Paul Whiting (September 4th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 4th, 2023 Update—Continued Further: I was doing my oftentimes daily news searches on Google today, September 4th, 2023, when I noticed three different articles on various news websites, including USNews.com, NPR.org, and APNews.com!

No. 1: The U.S. News & World Report article that I read today is titled, "Have We Forgotten the True Meaning of Labor Day?" An introduction to the article can be found below:

"Have We Forgotten the True Meaning of Labor Day?" from U.S. News & World Report

The first Labor Day was hardly a national holiday. Workers had to strike to celebrate it.

By The Conversation | Sept. 1, 2023

The Conversation is a nonprofit news organization bringing knowledge from academia to the wider public. Articles are written by scholars who are experts on issues of public interest, assisted by editors who help unlock the knowledge. The Conversation was founded in 2011 and has newsrooms in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, and France.

By Jay L. Zagorsky

Labor Day is a U.S. national holiday held the first Monday every September. Unlike most U.S. holidays, it is a strange celebration without rituals, except for shopping and barbecuing. For most people it simply marks the last weekend of summer and the start of the school year.

The holiday’s founders in the late 1800s envisioned something very different from what the day has become. The founders were looking for two things: a means of unifying union workers and a reduction in work time.

History of Labor Day

The first Labor Day occurred in 1882 in New York City under the direction of that city’s Central Labor Union.

In the 1800s, unions covered only a small fraction of workers and were balkanized and relatively weak. The goal of organizations like the Central Labor Union and more modern-day counterparts like the AFL-CIO was to bring many small unions together to achieve a critical mass and power. The organizers of the first Labor Day were interested in creating an event that brought different types of workers together to meet each other and recognize their common interests.

However, the organizers had a large problem: No government or company recognized the first Monday in September as a day off work. The issue was solved temporarily by declaring a one-day strike in the city. All striking workers were expected to march in a parade and then eat and drink at a giant picnic afterwards.

The New York Tribune’s reporter covering the event felt the entire day was like one long political barbecue, with “rather dull speeches.”

Why was Labor Day invented?

Labor Day came about because workers felt they were spending too many hours and days on the job.

In the 1830s, manufacturing workers were putting in 70-hour weeks on average. Sixty years later, in 1890, hours of work had dropped, although the average manufacturing worker still toiled in a factory 60 hours a week.

These long working hours caused many union organizers to focus on winning a shorter eight-hour work day. They also focused on getting workers more days off, such as the Labor Day holiday, and reducing the workweek to just six days.

These early organizers clearly won since the most recent data show that the average person working in manufacturing is employed for a bit over 40 hours a week and most people work only five days a week.

Surprisingly, many politicians and business owners were actually in favor of giving workers more time off. That’s because workers who had no free time were not able to spend their wages on traveling, entertainment or dining out.

As the U.S. economy expanded beyond farming and basic manufacturing in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it became important for businesses to find consumers interested in buying the products and services being produced in ever greater amounts. Shortening the work week was one way of turning the working class into the consuming class. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2023-09-01/have-we-forgotten-the-true-meaning-of-labor-day

---------------------------------------------

No. 2: The NPR (National Public Radio) article that I read today is titled, "Labor Day is now a key to Election Day for Democrats and Republicans alike." An introduction to the article can be found below:

"Labor Day is now a key to Election Day for Democrats and Republicans alike" from NPR

Ron Elving | September 2, 2023

"Labor Day" is one of those holiday names we repeat so often we stop thinking about what the words originally meant. Some people set aside time to remember the human price of war on Memorial Day. Most of us give some kind of thanks on Thanksgiving. But the only ritual for Labor Day is taking the day off, and many see it only as the three-day weekend that marks the end of summer.

Yet Labor Day is as political in its history as the Fourth of July or the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. The first Labor Day celebration on the first Monday of September was in New York City in 1882, an era when labor activism was often illegal and always dangerous. Workers and police alike were killed when a labor protest near near Chicago's Haymarket Square turned violet in 1886, and federal troops fired on strikers in that city's Pullman Strike of 1894. Later that year, in a bid to calm a rising storm, Congress made Labor Day a legal holiday, and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law.

Over time, Labor Day became the American version of May Day or International Labor Day, an occasion to celebrate working people and their causes, often associated with the political left. For the major U.S. political parties, it also became the unofficial starting gate for fall election campaigns of the old-fashioned kind – largely done outdoors in person with no screens of any kind.

For generations, Labor Day activities organized by unions were seen primarily as Democratic affairs. Working-class voters were the heart of the coalition Franklin Roosevelt rode to four presidential victories (1932-1944). FDR rewarded them with the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, enshrining in law the right to collective bargaining and giving labor unions a new level of recognition and clout.

But many of FDR voters or their descendants began drifting away from the Democrats in the economic expansion and relative affluence of the postwar era. The trend strengthened in the late 1960s as many grew disillusioned with the promises of President Lyndon Johnson's Vietnam War and his "Great Society" programs.

Many working-class voters turned to Richard Nixon, who built his "Silent Majority" around them in 1968 and 1972. Even more joined the ranks of "Reagan Democrats" carrying Ronald Reagan to a pair of landslide wins in the 1980s. And the demographic category provided the surprising surge that elected Donald Trump in 2016 (and came close to doing it again in 2020).

Abandonment or "walking forthrightly"?

This is all part of the long postwar pattern by which the Democratic Party has departed from its traditional geographic and demographic bases. It is no longer surprising that elements of the Republican Party have eagerly embraced voters in those bases who felt the Democrats had simply abandoned them. Reagan was perhaps the most famous former Democrat who made a habit of saying: "I did not leave my party, my party left me."

The most obvious driver of this was the Democrats' move away from their historic roots as a Southern, rural party committed to states' rights. After a century of struggle among its factions, Democrats gradually followed the direction of a young speaker at the 1948 Democratic Convention. That was when Hubert Humphrey, later to be a senator and vice president and presidential nominee, called on the party to "get out of the shadow of states' and to walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights." ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/02/1197271638/labor-day-2023-elections

---------------------------------------------

No. 3: The AP (Associated Press) News article that I read today is titled, "From strikes to new union contracts, Labor Day’s organizing roots are especially strong this year." An introduction to the article can be found below:

"From strikes to new union contracts, Labor Day’s organizing roots are especially strong this year" from AP News

By Wyatte Grantham-Philips | Updated September 1, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Labor Day is right around the corner, along with the big sales and barbecues that come with it. But the activist roots of the holiday are especially visible this year as unions challenge how workers are treated — from Hollywood to the auto production lines of Detroit.

The early-September tribute to workers has been an official holiday for almost 130 years — but an emboldened labor movement has created an environment closer to the era from which Labor Day was born. Like the late 1800s, workers are facing rapid economic transformation — and a growing gap in pay between themselves and new billionaire leaders of industry, mirroring the stark inequalities seen more than a century ago.

“There’s a lot of historical rhyming between the period of the origins of Labor Day and today,” Todd Vachon, an assistant professor in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, told The Associated Press. “Then, they had the Carnegies and the Rockefellers. Today, we have the Musks and the Bezoses. ... It’s a similar period of transition and change and also of resistance — of working people wanting to have some kind of dignity.”

Between writers and actors on strike, contentious contract negotiations that led up to a new labor deal for 340,000 unionized UPS workers and active picket lines across multiple industries, the labor in Labor Day is again at the forefront of the holiday arguably more than it has been in recent memory.

Here are some things to know about Labor Day this year. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the video:

https://apnews.com/article/labor-day-history-unions-organized-cb4ef1bb135e6deebb29fb87a13b8824

And I decided to highlight these articles from U.S. News & World Report, NPR and AP News for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written September 4th, 2023 and revised September 23rd, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 123 was edited on May 4th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 122: For the Upgrade of "Footprints in the Sand"

(Image from ForWallpaper.com)

Footprints in the Sand 2.0
[A "Footprints in the Sand" poem poetic adaptation]

One night, I dreamt I was watching
the beach of life unfold before My Child
and many scenes from his life flashed
across the sky. In each scene, I noticed a
sets of footprints in the sand. Sometimes,
there was one set of footprints. And other
times, there were two sets of footprints.

This concerned Me because I noticed
that during the lowest periods of his life,
whenever My Child was suffering from
any anguish, sorrow, or defeat, I could
see there were two sets of footprints.

So I said to My Child, "Son,
you promised Me that if you
followed Me, and accepted Me
as Christ, that you would follow My
Example always. But I have noticed
that during the most trying periods
of your life there have been two
sets of footprints in the sand."

"Why, when you needed to be like Me the
most, have you not been there walking
very much alone, shouldering all of the
burden, taking on all of the responsibility,
and acting as independently as I would?"

And My Child replied, "The times, Lord,
when You have seen two sets of footprints
in the sand, during the most trying periods
of my life, whenever I was suffering from
any anguish, sorrow, or defeat, is when
I was being carried by a dear friend."

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun the light and I are as one!"

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: Someday, I hope to be the next Walt Whitman, or Robert Frost, or Mary Stevenson! And I hope that my name will synonymous with some of my poems or, even, aspects of my poetic phrases...

...For example, the way the title "Footprints in the Sand" is associated with that poem, along with the stanza, "The Lord replied, 'The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.'"

And that is why I decided to write this poetic adaptation, or this "upgrade," so to speak, of the famous poem by Mary Stevenson in order to talk about the importance of looking to friends during troubled times in our lives which includes, of course, anyone within your support system of life!

So, that is why I poetically adapted that famous poem to talk about relying on friends during troubled times:

"And My Child replied, 'The times, Lord, when You have seen two sets of footprints in the sand, during the most trying periods of my life, whenever I was suffering from any anguish, sorrow, or defeat, is when I was being carried by a dear friend.'"

And this poem was also published on my "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs (please see the hyperlinks below for the blogs), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer." Plus, I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through my new "The Oneness Of God" spiritual practice!

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://threedarkhorses.blogspot.com

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 122 was edited on May 6th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 121: Gaia's Message Of Support For Those in Need — "Gaia Loves You More Than Words..."

(Image from Awesome Goddess)

Gaia Loves You More
Than Words Can Speak Of!
(Or, "A Message Of Support For Those in Need")

Gaia The Goddess Loves You
More Than Words Can Speak Of!
She Is There For You In More
Ways Than You Can Imagine!

She Has More Muses To Help
Inspire You Than You Can Count!
She Has More Forms Of Creativity
Than Droplets In Her Oceans!

Every Soul Inspired To Embolden
All Others Is Her Energizing You!
Every Musician Lifting You Up With
Their Notes Is Her Humming To You!

All Photographers Capturing Life
Unfolding Are Her Picturing You!
All Architects Designing Life's
Temples Are Her Celebrating You!

Those Who Reach Out With Love
Are Her Reaching Out To You!
Those Who Inspire Others Do So
Because They Express With Love!

Each Soul Who Walks Her Path
Knows That They Represent Her!
Each Person Who Celebrates Gaia
Accepts Her Joy To Create!

You Will Know Her Muses, For
They Will Genuinely Lift You Up!
You Will Feel Her Power, Because
They Will Truly Inspire You!

For, The Power Of The Goddess Is
Not Subjugation—It Is Creativity!
For, The Love Of The Goddess Is
Not Obstruction—It Is Expression!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: Gaia Loves You More Than Words Can Speak Of!

This is one of two poems that I wrote to help those in need—as a message of support—with the other poem being titled, "Jesus Loves You More Than Words Can Speak Of," which is published on this blog and, just like this poem, is subtitled, "A Message Of Support For Those In Need." (Please see "A Message Of Support..." in labels for the poem.)

And this poem was also published on my "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs (please see the hyperlinks below for the blogs), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer." Plus, I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through my new "The Oneness Of God" spiritual practice!

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://threedarkhorses.blogspot.com

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 121 was edited on May 6th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 120: Christ's Message Of Support For Those in Need — "Jesus Loves You More Than Words..."

(Image from galleryhip.com)

Jesus Loves You More
Than Words Can Speak Of!
(Or, "A Message Of Support For Those In Need")

Jesus The Christ Loves You
More Than Words Can Speak Of!
Jesus Is There For You In More
Ways Than You Can Imagine!

He Has More Angels To Guide
You Than You Can Count!
He Has More Forms Of Mercy
Than Droplets In An Ocean!

Every Soul Inspired To Help All
Others Is Him Helping You!
Every Voice Lifting You Up In
Song Is Him Singing To You!

All Artists Painting Joyfully Are
Him Brushing You With Love!
All Sculptors Carving Life's
Monuments Are Him Shaping You!

Those Who Reach Out With Love
Are Him Reaching Out To You!
Those Who Serve Others Do So
Because They Serve With Love!

Each Soul Who Walks His Path
Knows That They Represent Him!
Each Person Who Accepts Christ,
Accepts His Burden To Serve!

You Will Know His Servants,
For They Will Serve Humbly!
You Will Feel His Power,
As They Will Shore You Up!

For, The Power Of God Is
Not Superiority—It Is Humility!
For, The Love Of God Is
Not Servitude—It Is Service!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: Jesus Loves You More Than Words Can Speak Of!

This is one of two poems that I wrote to help those in need—as a message of support—with the other poem being titled, "Gaia Loves You More Than Words Can Speak Of," which is published on this blog and, just like this poem, is subtitled, "A Message Of Support For Those In Need." (Please see "A Message Of Support..." in labels for the poem.)

And this poem was also published on my "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs (please see the hyperlinks below for the blogs), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer." Plus, I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through my new "The Oneness Of God" spiritual practice!

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://threedarkhorses.blogspot.com

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 120 was edited on May 6th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 119: For The Goddess And God Of All The Orphans

(Image from Wikipedia)

The Goddess And God
Of All The Orphans

Do not be afraid, My Dearest Child,
for you have not been forsaken; the
love that your Great Parents hold
for you can never truly be taken!

For, every child born is adored by the
most wonderful woman, because the
Great Mother Of All Earth's Children
is The Goddess Of All The Orphans!

And every child born is adored by the
most wonderful man, because the
Great Father Of All Earth's Children
is The God Of All The Orphans!

For, Their Love for you is so deep that
it can only be kept at bay—and Their
Spirit is strong enough that they
know how to light your way!

So be at peace, My Darling Child, and let
these tidings end all of your strife: the
love that your Great Parents hold for you
will guide you throughout your life!

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: This poem is dedicated to "All Of The Orphans!"

By the way, this poem is also a rewrite of a poem that I wrote for my friend Diane that is titled, "The Immutable Circle Of Life," which is published on this blog. (Please see "The Immutable Circle Of Life-Style Poem" in labels for the poem.)

And this poem was also published on my "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs (please see the hyperlinks below for the blogs), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer." Plus, I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message I am trying to convey through my new "The Oneness Of God" spiritual practice!

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://threedarkhorses.blogspot.com

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 119 was edited on May 6th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Post No. 118: For the 234th Birthday of the United States of America

Image from Savon Dental Plan

Between All Of Us
(Or, "An Independence Day Poem")

All of God's creation is joyfully,
gloriously, and so abundantly,
standing between all of us.

The love of God for this great
country of ours is proudly
blooming between all of us.

America's amber waves of grain,
and her fruited plains, are forever
unfolding between all of us.

The Constitution is a binding
testament to the liberty that
lives between all of us.

Our Founding Fathers' balanced,
hard, and proud, accomplishments
breath freely between all of us.

The Liberty Bell silently peels
truly, faithfully, and incredibly
deeply between all of us.

The Statue of Liberty keeps
her flame of freedom burning
brightly between all of us.

The Washington Monument
rises above the fear of change for
some of those between all of us.

The Lincoln Memorial speaks
quietly of the peaceful patriotism
that exists between all of us.

Old Glory herself is waving loud
and proud for the love of America
that thrives between all of us.

And only our great love for this
wonderful country of ours could
ever come between all of us.

So, let us all pledge our allegiance
to the one nation under God
that stands between all of us.

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Poetic Notes:

The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: "Happy 234th Birthday, America!"

And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."

Just so you know, I revised this poem, as I often do with my writing! And I changed how this poem was written on July 3rd, 2023 after I sent it to someone in an email who had said to me, "Have a Happy 4th of July," and I said back to them, "Happy 4th of July to you too!" Thus, after my signature, I said, "P.S.: Here is an Independence Day poem that I wrote a few years ago!" So, I wanted to show you how this poem used to be written, before I revised it as above.

And it used to be written like this:

Between All Of Us
(Or, "An Independence Day Poem")

All of God's creation is joyfully,
gloriously, and so abundantly,
standing Between All Of Us.

The love of God for this great
country of ours is proudly
blooming Between All Of Us.

America's amber waves of grain,
and her fruited plains, are forever
unfolding Between All Of Us.

The Constitution is a binding
testament to the liberty that
lives Between All Of Us.

Our Founding Fathers' balanced,
hard, and proud, accomplishments
breath freely Between All Of Us.

The Liberty Bell silently peels
truly, faithfully, and so very
deeply, Between All Of Us.

The Statue of Liberty keeps
her flame of freedom burning
brightly Between All Of Us.

The Washington Monument
rises above the fear of change for
some of those Between All Of Us.

The Lincoln Memorial speaks
quietly of the peaceful patriotism
that exists Between All Of Us.

Old Glory herself is waving loud
and proud for the love of America
that thrives Between All Of Us.

And only our great love for
this wonderful country could
ever come Between All Of Us.

So, let us all pledge our allegiance
to the one nation under God
that stands Between All Of Us.

Thus, I revised this poem to be written as it is above.

This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------

WARNING: THIS POEM HAS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!

The United States Of America Co-Opted
Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" From Russia
(A Patriotic Apologetic Poem)

"The Year 1812 Solemn Overture, Op. 49"
(popularly known as the '1812 Overture')
was written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky—
68 years later in 1880—to commemorate
Russia's successful defense in 1812 of
Moscow against France's invading "Grande
Armee" under Napoleon Bonaparte!

And the United States of America
co-opted the '1812 Overture' for
the musical accompaniment to
our Independence Day (or, the
"4th of July") fireworks, as if the
brilliant Russian classical work
of music was ours and not theirs!

Therefore, in order to 'sum it up,'
on behalf of the entire United
States of America, I would like to
apologize profusely to the entire
Russian Federation for America having
co-opted their inspiring '1812 Overture!'

–Paul Whiting (written June 15th, 2021 and revised May 14th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

WARNING: THIS POEM HAS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!

Happy Independence Day!
(Or, "A '4th of July' Poem")

God's Creation in its totality is perfect.

The United States of America
within God's Creation is imperfect.

Since July 4th, 1776, this "Great
Experiment in Democracy has
been a 'melting pot' of immigrants
from other countries...

...For example, some immigrants,
who came from England, invaded
Native American lands—and
committed genocide of the Native
American people—in order to gain
independence from Great Britain
(which is the basis of the
Independence Day, or the
"4th of July" celebration)...

...And other immigrants who came
from Africa, were forced to come
to America as slaves, which was
the cause of the Civil War (and
which is the basis of the "Juneteenth"
celebration, when African-American
slaves were notified, in Texas, by Union
General Gordon Granger on June 19th,
1865—two years after the Emancipation
Proclamation of January 1st, 1863—
that they had been freed)...

...And African-Americans are
still treated as if they are slaves—
because they are actively exploited,
marginalized and even killed by the
'white masters of slavery' (which is
the basis of the "Black Lives Matter"
movement that began in 2013)...

...Therefore, if Americans wish to
create "A More Perfect Union," then
we need to stop thinking, feeling
and acting as if we are more perfect
than the totality of God's Creation.

–Paul Whiting (written July 3rd, 2021 for Independence Day, or the "4th of July," revised July 4th, 2022 and revised May 14th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 4th, 2022 Update, Written On July 1st, 2022: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

In celebration of Independence Day (which is usually more informally referred to as the 'Fourth of July'—or sometimes the '4th of July'—in the United States of America), I signed a 'Fourth of July' card today, July 1st, 2022, from the USO (United Service Organizations) in order to include our brave men and women in uniform in my '4th of July' celebrations.

You see, while we are celebrating 246 years of the United States of America, "we cannot forget the service members who continue to sacrifice so much to defend the freedoms our forefathers fought for."

And I was notified about this Independence Day card yesterday, June 30th, 2022, via an email from the USO with the subject line, "Before July 4, will you join me in thanking our troops?" that was written by [name redacted], "who is the highest-grossing box office star of all time," which stated the following:

Paul,

I've had the honor of visiting with over 5,500 of our brave service members in Kuwait, Turkey, Qatar and Afghanistan alongside the USO, and this much is certain: No superhero on the big screen can stack up against these real-life heroes in uniform.

While it's not always possible for us to thank our troops in person, I know how much it means to this community of military supporters to send them love and gratitude from home — especially ahead of important moments like July 4. That's why I hope you'll join me in thanking our service members today:

I'm helping the USO collect at least 100,000 signatures in support of our military heroes before July 4, so please, will you add your name now to thank our service members who sacrifice so much for our freedom all year long?

SIGN THE CARD***

Many of us are looking forward to a weekend filled with fireworks and barbeques with our family and friends, but we can't forget about the service members who will be thousands of miles away from their loved ones — deployed in dangerous conditions to make sure we can celebrate holidays like July 4 back home.

I've seen firsthand how much messages of support and appreciation mean to our troops, and it only takes a moment to say thank you. Please, can I count on you to sign the thank-you card now for our service members in honor of their sacrifice? It's the least we can do for the heroes who selflessly do so much for us.

Thank you for all you do to support our service members — today and every day.

—[Name redacted]

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our service members, "Happy Fourth of July to all the brave troops serving at home and abroad! Today and every day, we truly appreciate everything you do to protect our country."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

–Paul Whiting (written July 1st, 2022, revised July 6th, 2022, revised August 16th, 2022, revised September 4th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised November 24th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023, revised May 19th, 2023, revised June 14th, 2023, revised July 28th, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023, revised November 18th, 2023 and revised May 4th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 4th, 2023 Update, Written On July 2nd, 2023: In celebration of Independence Day (which is usually more informally referred to as the 'Fourth of July'—or sometimes the '4th of July'—in the United States of America), I signed a 'Fourth of July' card today, July 2nd, 2023, from the USO (United Service Organizations) in order to include our brave men and women in uniform in my '4th of July' celebrations.

You see, while we are celebrating 247 years of the United States of America, "we’re showing up to support our brave military heroes and let them know how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect us and our freedoms."

And I was notified about this Independence Day card today, July 2nd, 2023, via an email from the USO with the subject line, "This July 4, join me and thank the heroes defending our country" that was written by [name redacted], "who is the highest-grossing box office star of all time," which stated the following:

Paul,

I've been lucky enough to join the USO for several tours and events and meet thousands of our brave service members. It's such an emotional experience each time to listen to their stories and personally thank them for their service and their immense sacrifices.

I know there are many moments in the line of duty where these heroes need a reminder that they are appreciated — when they're facing danger and uncertainty, stationed in unfamiliar places far from home or missing holidays with loved ones.

That's why, this Fourth of July, I hope you'll join me in thanking our service members: I'm helping the USO collect at least 100,000 signatures on a special July 4th thank-you card to honor our heroes, so please, will you add your name next to mine now to thank the troops sacrificing so much to protect our freedom?

SIGN THE CARD***

Whether I'm shaking hands with troops on the ground or connecting with them virtually around the world, I know a quick expression of thanks goes a long way to boost their morale and strengthen their resiliency. It's the least we can do, Paul, to honor those who volunteer to keep us safe and free back home.

So please, before you go out to celebrate our country with family and friends this Fourth of July, can I count on you to be one of the 100,000 signers via email and text messages to thank all the troops sacrificing so much for us? Sign the card now to honor these courageous heroes.

Thank you so much. Happy Fourth of July!

—[Name redacted]

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our brave military heroes: "Happy Fourth of July! Thank you for everything you do to protect our freedom and keep us safe."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month! –Paul Whiting (written July 2nd, 2023, revised July 28th, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023 and revised November 18th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 118 was edited on May 4th, 2024.

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]