Magical Moment 370, "Knowledge is Power"

Remember the old Schoolhouse Rock song, “Knowledge is Power?” As I get older, I appreciate this little ditty for more than just its catchiness. It actually has some meaning to it. Hindsight is 20/20, right? When I was 5, I didn’t know that it’s impossible to get my eyes stuck when I crossed them, like my parents told me. So, I was scared into a certain behavior due to my lack of knowledge. If only google existed back then. I would have typed in the question, discovered the truth, and been free to cross my eyes whenever I wanted.

This concept has been pretty helpful in other aspects of life, ranging from the obvious day-to-day matters, to the controversial and urgent. Believe or not, after college it took me a while to learn that I have to pay attention to what my paychecks say. As reliable as the Army is, sometimes Uncle Sam makes a mistake (gasp!) and I had to make that right. It’s easy to be on autopilot and trust without question. And sure, I would have been fine, but not the best.

I remember another issue from the Army days that’s not the most pleasant to talk about. A young girl was being sexually harassed, but she didn’t realize it. All she knew was something felt wrong. One day, we had a seminar on sexual harassment prevention that included some examples of wrong behavior:

Unwanted remarks about another person’s body, the way they looked, the way their clothes fit. Physically blocking a doorway or exit to keep someone from leaving a room. Offensive jokes or physical gestures. Etc.

Like a light bulb, suddenly this girl knew she was doing nothing wrong, and she no longer needed to tolerate this. Others who also experienced sexual harassment, learned the policy and proper way to report the behavior. Suddenly, the power these women lost, was returned to them.

It’s true on everything from buying a house, to choosing a pet, to taking care of your health. Something I am coming to terms with more and more every single day. When you know more, you can do more. Ignorance is bliss, knowledge is power.

Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

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