ORIGINS: UNIVERSE, LIFE, HUMANKIND, AND DARWIN

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Comment by Napoleon Bonaparte on January 2, 2013 at 7:34pm

Comment by John Lynch on January 2, 2013 at 5:56pm

Good for you Joan

Comment by Lillie on January 2, 2013 at 5:53pm

Joan you are always the bearer of such positive, encouraging news. 

Comment by Dr. Terence Meaden on January 2, 2013 at 5:38pm

Congraaatulations Joan. I'll add my applause to those of the other diners. 

Comment by Joan Denoo on January 2, 2013 at 4:56pm

Arrived home last night and my son who lives with me held down our hearth in great fashion. I took him out to lunch this afternoon as a great big "thank you" to him. Sitting in a booth about six booths away from us two men spoke so loudly about Christ, and the work they have been doing in the name of their savior, I could not hear Cary. So I got up, walked calmly over to their booth, sat down beside one of the men and told them they had very loud voices that disturbed us, not only because of them speaking so loudly, but because the things they discussed did not interest me nor my son. We are atheist and did not come out to a nice restaurant to have to listen to a Christian sermon. As I walked away, the dining room thanked me and applauded. The men thanked me and turned their volume down about 1 degree on a ten degree scale. 

They responded by paying our bill; quite a pleasant surprise. We thanked them and they gave us their blessings. Religious people will have to get used to non-believers standing up against such thoughtless conduct because we are becoming legion! Have you noticed the increased enrollment in non-believing sites? 

Comment by Dr. Terence Meaden on December 29, 2012 at 5:16am

Joan, you are a role model for others. It is a pleasure that you share your story with us. To you and everyone I wish a Happy and a Healthy New Year.  

Comment by Chris Breman on December 29, 2012 at 12:44am

Thanks Joan, I love your view of a harmonious family! That's a real comfort - I hear far too much about broken families.

A happy New Year to you!

Comment by Joan Denoo on December 28, 2012 at 8:00pm

Thanks, Steph, you provide such interesting and stimulating ideas and your gentle nature delights me. Have a great holiday!

Comment by Steph S. on December 28, 2012 at 7:45pm

How wonderful Joan! You know how to parent. You have a wonderful family. I hope you have a wonderful New Years!

Comment by Joan Denoo on December 28, 2012 at 4:05pm

It has been 38 years since I decided I wanted to live without violence in my home and packed up three 10-year old children and drove 2,000 miles, bought a little patch of Earth where kids, cats, and cabbages could grow and develop into all they are created to be.

 

That year I planted a vegetable garden and neatly labeled all the rows according to the seed packs that were given to me by family. When seeds came up, a row came up beets but were labeled something else. That is a metaphor for my parenting style. Provide the proper conditions and the seed will come up according to its own kind and I don’t have to mold them into some imagined way of being.

 

All three grown children will be 49-years old by February 2013, and all have learned to live using good communication skills, able to solve problems and conflicts without violence, and know how to treat others, as they want to be treated. They learned how to assert themselves and to listen actively. 

 

This festive Yule season I am spending with my daughter and son-in-law and their families. My daughter has 2 daughters, and I am blessed with 5 great grandchildren and their pets and I enjoy all the activity. They do not quarrel, nor fuss, nor whine. They act as though they belong as members of the same team, doing what needs to be done to make life productive and interesting and fun. They laugh so much, enjoy being with each other, cooperate doing daily chores, they like school and participate in all kinds of activities. They have horses and pets to care for, as well as the usual chores to be done on a rural place.

 

They live some miles away from a very small farming/lumber town in the middle of a large forest. Wild animals come and go creating risks for pets; Dominic, the large black Lab that we brought home from the pound on Dec. 24, 2011, keeps smaller threats away and warns when coyotes and cougars come through. He knows how to open and close latch doors and even takes care of Spaz, their tiny Chihuahua and Spice, a roly-poly cat.

 

Right now, we enjoy deep snow, and many forested hills on their property. The children start high on a hillside south of my daughter’s home, which runs more than a city block and slide down a curved gravel road to my granddaughter’s home. The two houses exist invisible to each other because of the forest density.

 

From deep in the forest of northeastern Washington state I send you best wishes for a new year. May you share the season with family and friends you love and who love you. May all your wishes come true, you have good health and cheer and are able to live nonviolently.

Fondly,

Joan 

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