Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

America's military is at war while its citizens are at the mall." -Ronald Winter

Doug and I are spending our holiday with daughter, Jessica, in Athens, GA. We were touched with the spirit of gratitude that is Thanksgiving as we witnessed Altanta give standing ovations to the soldiers assembling in the airport preparing for overseas deployment to war. The rest of us felt hassled by plane delays and crowds at the rental car counters so it was good to have things put in perspective. We arrived safely from our travels to enjoy a delicious meal Jessica had prepared for us. We said a prayer for the young men and women's safety at the airport and Doug said Grace over Thanksgiving dinner. We spoke about how fortunate we are, acknowledged how happy we feel.

As a family, we discussed again our desire to give money in honor of Christmas in ways that would be most meaningful for us. We have made several attempts to simplify holiday excess in the past. Last year, we proposed a family donation to a military charity in lieu of a gift exchange. Not everyone was excited to do so and we subcumbed to traditional gift giving and made a personal family gift. This year, we will find the courage of our convictions to do the right thing.

Our holiday dollars will go to the Fallen Heroes Fund . We will make donations in honor of our family and friends but will be refraining from gift exchanges except in a few circumstances. Knowing that there are family and friends who will still send a gift, we are looking for ways to donate these items to military families in need as well.

I have some truly poor relatives but my immediate family, extended family and our friends enjoy a life full of riches. We have comfortable homes, drive nice cars and take great vacations. I can't help but believe that the energy, time and money expended to express Chirstian love might be better if diverted to those most in need of benefits or most deserving of receiving.

Doug and I are usually partial to organizations that help children, particularly with regards to literacy and education. Yet with the state of the world, we recognize that our well being, our very way of life is secured everday by the ideals, work and sacrifice of America's Armed Services.

This holiday season, we will break from hindering observations and obligations to honor the Christ that lives in us as well as the people who ensure that we may practice our Christain beliefs without harm coming to us and our homeland.

May God bless America's Armed Services as He has blessed my family and our friends. While we have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, it is to them we are most grateful.



Arlington National Cemetery 2007

UPDATE: A reader named Rog alerted me to some questionable practices of our favorite military assistance charity, Salute Our Heroes. He forwarded an article from Forbes that outlined fund allocations we were not comfortable with. We have found a new organization, the Fallen Heroes Fund and I have revised this post to reflect this new course of action. We are most happy that 100% of the fund go to military personnel and veterans and all administrative costs are paid by Trustees.

In Gratitude To Veterans

Today I want to introduce you to a soldier and veteran that Doug now calls friend. His name is Brandon and he is currently serving in Afghanistan in the Army.

I have not had the pleasure of meeting Brandon yet. We have a dinner date when he returns to the States and San Antonio.

From his picture, I can see he is impressive. The Pilates teacher in me immediately notices his straight spine and great posture. Without the weaponry, his physique indicates a formidable opponent should one meet up with him in combat. If I was of a pacifistic or cowardly nature, Brandon would scare the hell out of me. I am pretty sure I am not of those natures and Brandon actually reassures me. I hope the Taliban actually never lay eyes on him while he goes about destroying them.

Today my prayers and thanks are with Brandon and men and women like him. Those who suit up, meet the enemies that are defined for them and put their lives on the line for American ideals and pitiful paychecks. Those who have returned mercifully alive from the world's war zones so that we may live in our comfortable homes, be distracted with our petty activities and concerns and sit around tables speaking arrogantly about politics and conflicts deserve our graciousness and gratitude.

Brandon, I respect, honor and thank you for your service to this country and what you do on my family's behalf. Return home safe and sound so that we may celebrate you at our table.

Learning To Breath

Breath is one of Contrology's (what Joe Pilates called his exercise method) fundamentals. It is also one of 6 Pilates principles adhered to by any competent Pilates teacher today. Joe taught that life began with an inhale and ended on an exhale. Master teacher Kathy Corey remarks that life longevity is simply always following an inhale with an exhale.

One of my clients recently observed that he would have to learn how to breath all over again in his study of Pilates. It is likely that we all need to learn how to breath again to enhance our feelings of vitality and well being.

Mary Bowen shared that we are all "sipping and sucking." These are really tied to infantile behaviors and they prevent us from optimally oxygenating the body. Ron Fletcher and Pat Guyton teach me that the inhale must be so filling as to press the ribcage out to the sides and back, that the exhale returns the ribcage to so that it encircles the spine and organs. The chest should lift rather than the shoulders and the belly does not protrude. Ron admonishes, just as Joe did, that the inhale should match the exhale in depth and length.

Breath isn't something attended to when one is meditating, relaxing or exercising. Breath is the physical expression of life. Breath is literally life.

Really breath today.
Really feel the ribcage open and close in symphony with the lungs expanding and contracting.
Inhale.
Exhale.