Threatened rains have passed without further damage near here, but other parts of Wisconsin have been hard hit. Same for northeast Iowa and other parts of the Midwest. In our county and those nearby, homes have been damaged and destroyed, farmland turned to mud, roads and bridges washed out, businesses messed up. Will take a lot of time, energy, and funds to clean up and rebuild.

Fortunately, our government isn’t as horrid as Burma’s, especially on the state and local level. Still, nobody is expecting much help from FEMA after what happened in New Orleans, and it would be nice if the country could stop wasting money destroying Iraq and elsewhere to rebuild infrastructure at home.

Please give some thought to those around the world who are facing hardship due to weather, war, unemployment, poverty, disease, addiction, divisive politics, and all the myriad causes. May our practice help to raise the boat of all humanity, and not just we who are privileged and affluent.

May all beings be free of suffering.