Still agonizing over my recent knowledge of what's happening in the Amazon basin, I now am asking myself, "What's the difference between the "ethnic cleansing/genocide" going on in Darfur right now, and the "settling" of the Amazon basin?  Is the difference the name of the oil companies involved?  Is the Darfur outrage in the name of a Chinese oil company, while the Amazon outrage is in the name of an American oil company?  Is that why we never hear about what is happening in this hemisphere right now? 

I know I have to come to terms with what all of this means.  Last eve I was contemplating what the Dalai Llama would say, and I know he is personally familiar with these kinds of outrages in his own native country.  I know his answer, and the answer of all of the world's most important teachers is to have compassion, understanding and love for the ones committing the atrocities.  And therein lies my dilemna, because the anger this knowledge produces has always burned in me, and I know that I am not an enlightened being.  I always picture retaliation, revenge, justice, acts of violence that must stop the perpetrators of the destruction of earth and its peoples.  I know I must get on with life and not dwell too long in this empathy, but my mind and heart says "If only there was something I could do..."  Something proper that would work, and all I can think of is that these acts must be exposed for what they are. 

My daughter made me go into town yesterday and get groceries.  There was a terrific sale on food at Trig's and I came away with a goodly amount of sale-priced food, but I am not as happy as I otherwise would be about it.  It's a foggy day today, misting rain, and so mild that no fire is needed to keep the house warm, just the underfloor heating system and my oil-filled space heater for my bedroom.  I took yet another box of goodies to Good Will yesterday; this time, some tins both round and tall, and a weird collection of kitchen utensils that were all extras or never used.  This cleaning every shelf, nook and cranny to see what I can give away is getting to be fun for me.  I believe it is good therapy too.