Karma

How's this for Jungian synchronicity -- I pull out my children's book on Jim Jones Monday so I can use it for the blog. I notice for the first time that Jim and Marceline Jones were the first white couple to adopt an African-American child in the state of Indiana, Jim Jones, Jr.. Two hours later, I'm at the gym and catch a commercial for Oprah. Jim Jones, Jr. is her guest for Tuesday. I seldom watch Oprah and never know who is going to be the guest. Cue Twilight Zone music. He escaped because he was playing basketball a hundred miles away from Jonestown on that fateful drink the flavor-aid night.

I found Jim Jones, Jr. to be incredibly thoughtful. Oprah asked him why he didn't change his name given all that had happened. He said that he went by James for a long time, but when he got his dream job, there were too many titles for his door to fit so they had to abbreviate his name back to Jim and he thought, that's who I am, Jim Jones, Jr. His contention was a simple yet profound one -- to disown parts of ourselves is to be forever running away from those parts, giving them even more power than they have originally. We all have a legacy and a story that we shape over and over again based on the skeleton keys we feel compelled to give each other. Like the sign over all the dead bodies in Jonestown said, Those who can't remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Michelle's Spell of the Day
"Everybody comes from the same source. If you hate another human being, you're hating part of yourself." Elvis Presley

Cocktail Hour
Anyone interested in Shutter Island? Looks like the kind of thing that will give me bad dreams for a few days.

Benedictions and Maledictions
Happy Thursday!