See Anastasia's Commentary: Frederick News Post

Frederick News Post Sunday, December 19, 2010

"Now Be Thankful"

by Anastasia

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_lte.htm?StoryID=113926

The Man With The Map To Awe

I grew up having had many opportunities to meet celebrities. No one, however, ever evoked a sense of awe in me. That is -- other than the very humble man celebrating his ninety-fifth birthday today in British Columbia. My/our Beloved Murat.

I admit to having felt a surge of joy that lifted my heart on my sixteenth birthday. I had gone backstage to meet Liberace with my father on the special nightclubbing “date” he and I were having for the occasion. And, Jim Bacchus tickled me, no end, when I heard Mr. Magoo’s voice surprisingly slide forth from a seemingly “ordinary” man I met one day, visiting Desilu Productions, when I was a kid. Years after the fact – when I learned that the Lone Ranger was never, ever seen without his mask, I was delighted to recall that I had seen him on a backstage lot sans mask. Still no awe!

My father owned and operated Custom Corner (specializing in custom auto parts and design) on Vine Street and Willoughby during the 1950s and into the early 1960s. Desilu Productions sat diagonally across the street from Custom Corner. My father originally launched the business with renowned custom car designer, George Barris who went on to create the Batmobile, the car for “My Mother The Car” and the Knight Rider as well as many other unique, one-of-a-kind cars. Custom Corner was the primary source through which these childhood celebrity encounters arose.

So here it is Murat’s 95th birthday!

Now that is AWESOME. And, I am wishing so much to be a part of the celebrating though I am thousands of miles away. I think to contribute something to the occasion by telling visitors to this blog about the "awe”

Murat knows how to guide people to intentionally attain. Murat has a map for climbing to the peak of the Mountain of Awe. He got it from his tribal elders as a boy. Trained by his elders and then beyond them, Murat developed the discipline they taught him that is a definite path to AWE. He has painstakingly written about that discipline and path in his numerous books.

Check out: "Ahmsta Kebzeh: The Science of Universal Awe" by Murat Yagan. And, Murat’s autobiography, "I Come From Behind Kaf Mountain." Is telling you this enough for me to do on such a wonderful occasion? What to do? What to do? Maybe, just say --

Happy 95th Birthday to Beloved Murat!

With love and deepest gratitude from Anastasia

who so much wishes she could be with you today.

In Your Face

I’ve been a devoted student of human nature for close to four decades now, yet only lately do I seem to be truly getting it; the majority of the people – all over the world – are either too lazy, stubborn, self-centered, not fully committed or disinterested to do the simplest, most direct things to make peace a reality.

(Maybe feeling hopeless, discouraged or not truly believing that he/she can be the peace for which they are yearning.)

The essential ingredients that can generate and sustain peace and well-being in communities already exist in almost everybody, everywhere! We human beings are created in such a fashion as to, not only have a dark and potentially evil side, we also have within us the capacity for kindness, generosity, compassion, gratitude and cooperation. These beautiful, life-affirming human characteristics – as well as many others – are a natural part of us.

They are the seeds of living in small ”zones of peace” (i.e. small communities).

If these seeds of human goodness are nurtured, they can grow into larger community structures that can generate human, living conditions wherein someday violence can become obsolete. Because it would no longer necessary. Why is this so hard to figure out? And act on today and everyday?

From Anne Frank --"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

I learned the "awe" that can be attained in community life from Murat. He learned it from the ancient cultural traditions within which he was raised.

Living In Win-Win

Visit today's posting and read how New Horizons Small "Zones of Peace" Project "Talks Turkey" 

YES! We are getting it together on the ground level.