Everyone has their own point of view. The way they see things and the things they see. 

Today a friend posted a photo of the morning in Central Park in Manhattan, so I thought I'd post the morning view from my new home. 

Both magnificent. Both awe-inspiring. And both, in a way, humbling. Whether they're God-made mountains or man-made buildings, the view of "the bigger world" makes you somehow feel insignificant. 

Yet part of life is figuring out where and how we can feel more significant. More than, (to paraphras a favorite movie, Contact), "some microbe on an anthill in Africa."  Our point of view may be narrow. Or impact doesn't have to be.

Every morning my phone lights up with a traffic message. And every day it says the same thing: "Light traffic in your area." 

Do you, dear reader, realize how wonderful that is? How freeing?  

Not that it matters, since most places you can walk to. Which undoubtedly helps the traffic stay light. Win-win.

Since I always like a good metaphor… 

Traffic is about flow. About getting from one place to another. In some places there's gridlock. People trapped where they don't want to be. Blocked from getting where they want to go. 

And in other places, you float merrily merrily merrily merrily down the stream. 

A close friend visited me and said I was living in a dream.

If I am, I don't want to wake up.

One thing great about starting with a "clean slate" is the chance to start over and decide what kinds of friends you want. 

It's not that you don't have friends you want to keep from your previous life, because of course you do. But you do have a chance to cull out those "convenience friends," the people who you associated with but really didn't have anything in common with. 

For me, coming here to Aspen is a lot like someone from another planet going home after visiting an alien world. You finally find people who speak your language. There's no need for translation. 

I honestly had no idea this would be the case when I came here. I just knew it fit some of the criteria I was looking for: a beautiful place where people lived a healthy life out in nature and a cooler climate where I could sleep more soundly under warm covers. 

So it was most definitely serendipity (a happy accident) to find so many "quarters" to treasure. And we need to surround ourselves with like-minded people now more than ever.

A lot of us are asking what we should do with the evil we're confronting. Do we cross our fingers and hope he'll change? (Highly unlikely). Do we pray? Look for "common ground?" Fight back? Hide? Build a bomb shelter? Prepare for "the end?" 

Each person will have to choose for themselves. As I said in my 3-part plan, we each need to use our strengths, talents and skills in whatever way we think makes a difference. Sometimes that's using force, sometimes it's using your voice, and sometimes it's finding a more subtle way to wake people up in time. 

I love this Carlos Castaneda quote so much it's in my Reasons Why book. 

As we look at so many people in power having no heart, all we can do is find our own center, our own path.  

Mine is in Aspen.

When you read this, what was your first reaction? What feelings did it generate? Were you curious? Anxious? Something more visceral, perhaps?

It comes as no surprise that the world is about to change in a profound (and likely profoundly disturbing) way. What does that mean? And how might it relate to my experience here in Aspen? 

It means that we will face new experiences. Some confusing, some shocking and some frightening, maybe even horrifying. 

If you look at this quote (from my DUET stories novels), you'll see one of my philosophies about life. It's a quote designed as a counter-point to the expression, "Whoever dies with the most toys wins."  (That would be someone else entirely. We all know who).  

This quote indicates that the reason we're here on this planet – especially at this time – is to explore new experiences. And the purpose of that is to learn. 

The following verses from my children's book, "Sometimes I Wonder," can help explain:

We decide on our lessons
The paths we will take
Awards we might go for
And mistakes we might make

For life isn’t easy
And not always fun
But easy is boring
Like games always won

So we set up our challenges
And mountains so high
To test our endurance
And reach for the sky

It doesn't much matter
If we get to the top
What matters much more is
What we do when we stop

You heard it here first: New band name:
4:44 and the Supermoon

I woke up at 4:44 this morning, the super moon blinding my face through my bedroom window. 

To see the meaning of 4:44, click here:

http://sacredscribesangelnumbers.blogspot.com/2011/09/angel-number-444.html

And to learn about the Super Moon, go here: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/11/13/super-moon-in-taurus-unleashing-our-gifts/

The Jungians are reacting to this election, too, letting us know that the "collective shadow" has been released. 

While it is horrifying – it is not that surprising. If you're paying attention, that is. The number of synchronicities I've experienced in the past few days is beyond comprehension. The shift is accelerating. It's like the Earth is shifting it's axis and only some people will be able to hang on. 

We all have a purpose. Now is the time to tap into it. 

Wishing you love and light on this mystical day. 

Brownell

I have tried to avoid talking politics on this page. Not because I'm afraid to voice my opinion (if you follow me on Facebook or know me personally you should know that about me). But because I didn't want to "tarnish" this page with negativity, even when I might have been facing a crisis. 

Today I am finally clear on what to recommend as a 3-Part Plan. 

First, make sure you and your family are as safe as they can be. Yes, that might include moving. I am as thankful as I can be that I live here, what I'm calling the Switzerland of the US. Surrounded by mountains and beautiful, insightful, liberal people.

Second, enjoy life as much as you can for as long as you can. 

And Third, use your talents and abilities to make a difference in any way you can in the time you have left. For me that will be writing meaningful stories and movies (and hopefully blogs).

I'm not a pessimist. I believe "good" wins in the end. I just might have a different perspective on what "the end" means. 

And even if I'm wrong, then how is this a bad plan either way?  

Sending love and light and praying for peace.

Brownell

Today's topic will be the Five Stages of Grief: 1. Denial and isolation; 2. Anger; 3. Bargaining; 4. Depression; 5. Acceptance.

Elisabeth Kubler Ross's breakthrough theory is like so many great world-changing insights. It's like a "blinding flash of the obvious." Something we already knew but didn't know. We weren't able to articulate it, but when we see it, we exclaim, "Eureka! That's IT!" 

This theory is most often applied when someone is dealing with death – usually someone else's, but sometimes their own. And sometimes it's something bigger. 

The worst of course is when it's something out of our control. In that case, Anger and Bargaining are futile. Depression is depleating. So all you have is Acceptance and Denial. 

I told some friends last night that I wanted to change the name of Aspen to "Denial." So I can tell people "I live in Denial." There really is no place better (at least for me) than to live here – the Switzerland of the United States. Beautiful, liberal, loving, intelligent, well-educated and charitable. 

I just wish other people I care about could find their safe haven, too.

I don't know if you can see the image in this photo – but the headline of this post should explain what it looked like – and how it felt – for me on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

And even though I'm not ready to laugh, this song's lyrics fit the emotion.