An Interview to Barbara Evans Kinnear

  

Today I have the honor to interview Barbara Evans Kinnear, daughter of Richard Eager, a World War II veteran whose experiences are documented in her recently released book: “Richard Eager” a Pilot’s Story from Tennessee Eagle Scout to General Montgomery’s “Flying Fortress.”

    I think it is important to highlight that the origin of World War II is rooted in the rise of fascist dictators like Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany. These fascist dictators capitalized on the economic anxieties of the time to abuse their power, and to scapegoat groups of people. These dictators used racial hatred and national pride to gather support. One of their strategies was to ban books. Banning books is a feature of dictators, so we need to be aware of the implications of such behaviors to avoid falling for the same past mistakes that led to persecution of dissidents, human rights violations and so much human suffering. Their disregard for democratic principles escalated and expanded beyond their borders to dominate other countries.  After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941, The United States of America declared war on Japan. Italy and Germany were allies of Japan and declared war on the United States.

 Barbara Evans Kinnear: Thank you, Julia, for your interest in my father’s book.  I am very grateful.

 Julia: Tell us about your father. What was his mission? 

 Barbara: My father, Richard Ernest Evans, was a young man coming of age just as the Second World War erupted. For him, and for many other young men and women, this was a harrowing and life-changing time to be alive. In the service of their country, average citizens became professional soldiers and had experiences that movie producers can only dream about. As they performed their duties, they met, served, and protected illustrious and prominent leaders, who are today recognized in the pages of history, but they themselves are not.

           Captain Richard E. Evans was an American B-17 Flying Fortress pilot. He flew 55 combat missions over North Africa, Italy and other German held territories. During that time, he was chosen to fly British Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery to wherever the General needed to be throughout North Africa and Italy. Evans and “Monty” traveled together during a particularly dangerous phase of the war, when the Allied forces were just beginning to turn back the brutal Axis armies that had invaded North Africa and were closing in on Egypt in an effort to gain control of the strategically vital Suez Canal. Over the deserts of Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, a rocky but honest and respectful friendship formed between the young American pilot, Captain Evans, and his British commander, Field Marshal Montgomery, later to become 1^st Viscount of Alamein.

           Captain Evans retired to the Air Force Reserves months after the Japanese surrendered, returning home to his wife and young daughter. He was asked to fly again when the Korean War began. He continued in the Air Force flying the B-47, B-52, and he became the B-58 Test Squadron Commander before retiring from the Air Force in 1959 as a Command Pilot and full Colonel.

 

Julia: What inspired you to write this book? What is it about?

 Barbara: Colonel Evans was inspired to write this book. He loved telling the stories, and felt there were lessons to be learned, people to remember and most of all tales to tell… of the bravery of the American military and their families at home during WWII.

           With humor, humility, and honesty, he shared personal lessons on perseverance, loyalty, fairness, fear, and respect. He wrote with great detail, so one could clearly imagine the scene as he described it.

           As the title implies, this book is both a coming-of-age story with memories and lessons from home, as well as a WWII story with unique adventures and experiences.

 

 Julia: How did you research the information? You mentioned your father was a storyteller. Did he like to write about his experiences? Is the book written from  your father's point of view?

 Barbara: The 21 chapters my father wrote between 1990 and 1993 are, the heart and soul of the book. Chapter drafts were sent to family members, and we worked, commented, and encouraged him to continue. Given that he was writing 50 years after the war, many memories were frightfully clear, and some subconsciously blurred, but later drawn out.

           Colonel Evans told his stories from his point of view. His “voice” is very clear. These are the stories of those whose names are known in history books, but also those who are not known by name or who did not survive the war.

           He gathered personal letters, photos and many notes and references to add context to his stories. He also compiled a humorous glossary of pilot’s vernacular. To provide greater perspective and color to Colonel Evans’ book, we have included more research and additional archival materials, including: a chronology of his life’s mile­stones and Second World War details; an appendix of original family letters, V-Mail, commendations and interesting documents, all primary sources that shed light on his fears, reflections, and important personal and professional relationships.

           My father passed away 2006, and I vowed to bring the book to the public, especially given the broad interest in General Bernard L. Montgomery, whom my father flew.

           I had saved my father’s best finished chapters, but in 2008, my family and I lost everything in the disastrous Santa Barbara Tea Fire. We thought his work was gone.

           However, within months of the fire, my stepmother asked me to take some boxes, belonging to my father out of storage in Los Angeles. Within the retrieved boxes, were drafts and drafts of the chapters, plus Air Force records, photographs and more. There was enough to get started… but the paper drafts and floppy disks were a mess. I remember asking myself, “How are we going to do this?” and then thought, “Just one page at a time.”  And so, my family and I began.

 

Julia: Would you like to share something that you learned from your father's personal experiences?

 Barbara: “Richard Eager,” was a young man with the heart and humor of a young Eagle Scout coming of age in WWII. He was given this nickname by his fellow pilot cadets for his over-eagerness, his gung-ho attitude in everything he pursued.

           One of the most important life lessons that I learned from my father was he was grateful. He shared his stories with remarkable optimism for the future and with gratitude for his family, his life, and the experiences from which he benefited.

 

Julia: What did you enjoy the most about co-authoring “Richard Eager” a Pilot’s Story from Tennessee Eagle Scout to General Montgomery’s “Flying fortress”?

 Barbara: My family and I worked over ten years to bring my father’s book to publication. The work was not every day of course, but over the years. USA and UK archive research was continued from what my father had provided. Iconic photographs that illuminated the stories, many from family, were found and restored. Important facts about B-17, crew members, who flew with Evans, were found, and added to the book. Editing the entire book, including the assistance of a fine line editor, was most important. A skilled designer, local publisher, printers and more added to the complexity of publishing the book.

 

           What did I enjoy about being the co-author… a promise to self was fulfilled, a beautiful book has been published, and this book has become a way to honor and remember Colonel Richard E. Evans and those he hoped to recognize in his chapters

 

Julia: Is there anything that you would like to add about the book?"

 Barbara: We happily learned this past spring that “Richard Eager” A Pilot’s Story was given two silver medal finalist awards by “The Next Generation Indie Book Awards” program. One award for autobiography/Biography and one for Military. And most importantly, 100% of the revenue from the books that are sold online and in bookstores goes to the Air Force Aid Society to permanently endow an educational scholarship in the name of Colonel Richard Ernest Evans.

  The selection of this charity for the Colonel Richard Ernest Evans Memorial Fund is an ode to my father’s appreciation for everyone in the Air Force. At the end of WWII, General Hap Arnold, who created the AFAS, gave a speech to “Thank all those who fly and those who make flying possible.”

 

Julia: Can you tell me about the Air Force Aid Society?

 Barbara: The Air Force Aid Society is the official charity of the U.S. Air Force founded in 1942 by General Henry “Hap” Arnold and his wife, Bee. The Society is dedicated to helping dependents of eligible Airmen and Guardians in three ways:

-Emergency assistance for families with financial needs

-Targeted community programs, such as childcare, car upkeep, and spouse employment

-Education support with scholarships, grants and loans made available to dependent children or spouses of Airmen and Guardians, active or retired. Education grants are based on financial need. The Endowed Colonel Richard Ernest Evans Memorial Fund, along with other donors, financially support the General Arnold Education Grant Program. Since launching in 1988 nearly $ 167 million dollars in Arnold education/ grants have been awarded to 109,499 hopeful scholars.

 

 After enjoying this intreview with Barbara Evans Kinnear, you may also be curious to check my writing on Wind, Sand and Stars a book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

 

 

 

And the Animals will Teach You

 

“The creatures who dwell in this book, from the rabbit in the desert to a German shepherd named Kirby, teach us how to live in the moment, how to be peaceful, how to trust, how to share strength and power, how to face fears, how to heal and how to love.” Margot Lasher

 At my local library I encountered a book that left me speechless due to its introspection, reflections and fascinating true stories about communication with non-human animals.

Margot Lasher’s And the Animals will Teach You was published in the year 1996, and I conclude that her book was able to anticipate scientific discoveries about the cognitive and emotional intelligence of non-human animals.

 It is surprising that this marvel was overlooked. Perhaps, it had something to do with the fact that it was written by an intelligent woman who meshed psychological knowledge with personal insights and observations; the world was not prepared to acknowledge the deep interconnection with other beings, the pith of her message.

If you have a special interest in relationships between human beings and non-human animals, this book is for you. If you perceive more about non-human animals than what you were taught in traditional education, this book will resonate with you, and reassure you.

  I was mesmerized by how Margot Lasher shares her observations about relationships, and how these precious connections support our daily lives in various ways. The author embraces and honors her interactions with animals and how attuned she is with them.

 There are three reasons why I cherish this unique read. First, her stories are riveting. Once you begin reading one of her intriguing anecdotes, you cannot put it down. Secondly, her insights are infused with wisdom, intuition and knowledge. She is a keen observer of everyone around her. Finally, her brief powerful poetical descriptions caress the heart and inspire the mind.

 “In New England after a snowstorm, the sun comes out and the trees and ground and houses and ponds are all shining in whiteness. You walk outside and you feel a deep happiness at being alive. You feel awe in the presence of such beauty, and privileged to be part of this incredible setting. It stretches out like the night sky, sunlight touching snow in every direction. In this world you feel happy and blessed just to be alive. You feel the connectedness, the oneness of everything. You feel love for everything. I think animals feel this boundless love. Everything is full of wonder; everything makes them happy. Everything is an adventure in being alive.”

Her words encourage us to seek peace within ourselves, to dive into our source of  strength and power.

 “From feeling happy with an animal, you gain a deeper awareness of your own happiness. When you and an animal are together in the feeling of happiness, echoing the happiness between you, the feeling takes on a new richness and depth. Pure happiness echoes within and between you.”

The energy of Lasher’s book leaves an indelible imprint in my mind.

“When you are experiencing the fragrance of a flower, the motion of your own body, or the happiness of an animal, you are experiencing awareness. When you are tuned in, completely focused, you are one with the fragrance, the motion, the happiness. You are the awareness. The core of yourself is your awareness. The nature of animals is pure awareness.”

 

  And the Animals will Teach You offers an exquisite journey for the mind, vivid sceneries, and stories that reveal the wonders of transformation, protection and friendship; along this path, Lasher guides us into our inner wisdom. Her experiences explore the depth of communication with animals, the nature of living in harmony.

“Animals are tuned exquisitely to harmony. Awareness of harmony is awareness of the energy of the whole. Animals live essentially in harmony.”

 Margot Lasher is a psychologist who specializes in relational theory. She has taught many workshops on empathy, and is also the author of The Art and Practice of Compassion and Empathy.

  If you enjoyed this post, you will appreciate my writing on Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals by Jonathan Balcombe.

Gaia's Own: Every Child's Guide to Living in Harmony with Nature

 

“If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrot, you get in touch with the soil, the rain, the sunshine. You get in touch with Mother Earth, and eating in such a way, you feel in touch with true life, your roots, and that is meditation. If we choose every morsel of food in that way we become grateful, and when you are grateful, you are happy.” 

Thich Nhat Hanh

 The delightful exchange of letters between a grandfather and his empathetic grandchild can teach us a lot about life. Gratitude is the essence of a happy existence, because it means that we take nothing for granted.

Gratitude was at the heart of many ancient cultures, including the ancient Celtic wisdom, which I wrote about in my previous post. Gaia teaches us this basic concept everyday, when we live in harmony with Mother Nature, but when the norm is to ignore basic principles of reciprocity, we abuse other living beings and the environment, and we harm everybody in the process.  

When we are thankful, we don’t take more than what we need. The troubles of humanity are the consequences of taking too much from Mother Nature—Gaia—and not giving back.

 

Today I am honored to write about Gaia’s Own, a book by Dharshana Bajaj, a writer and artist from India. In the exchange of letters between Satvika and her grandpa, a wildlife photographer, we gain insights and learn facts. Above all, we are inspired to make choices that support our authentic self, health and Mother Nature. Some people live under the delusion of separation. This book will help them to dissolve such a delusion.

 This is an educational, thorough and entertaining read that will guide every child and teenager toward an existence of love and health. It will encourage them to get creative as well, to respond to the challenges they will be facing throughout their lives.

I highly recommend Gaia’s Own: Every Child’s Guide to Living in Harmony with Nature to educators and parents. 

 Children have the potential to understand things better. Unlike adults, they are not detached from their environment and the truth about how everything is connected. Fostering their inquisitve minds should be part of their education; it is important to cultivate curiosity along with compassion, instead of stifling them. This is why this book should be shared widely in schools. Our future depends on it.

Leonardo Da Vinci was ahead of his times when he developed the idea of harnessing solar power. His authenticity was fully expressed through painting, writing, architecture, engineering and ideas that continue to be relevant today. A rigid mindset would have restrained his creative power, but Da Vinci’s works required an open-minded approach to learn continuously and thrive.

 

 I learned a lot from this comprehensive book (Gaia’s Own). I did not know that countries like Paraguay, Albania and Iceland only use renewable sources of energy to satisfy their electricity needs. I did not know that India is the world’s third largest producer of renewable energy (solar, wind, small hydro, bio-power).

 I was thrilled to know that farmers in Japan managed to save the cranes from extinction through their caring thoughtful actions:

https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/trying-to-save-the-red-crowned-cranes-of-japan

We all play a role in healing the planet through conscious efforts, creative ideas and mindful choices. There is a massive extinction crisis going on, and those who believe that it will not affect humanity are choosing a path of dangerous denial. This is happening right now. If the deniers truly understood how we are all interconnected, they would fathom that the survival of humanity is at stake. 

 “If you really think the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money.” Guy R. McPherson.

800 million people go hungry everyday in our planet. Yet thirty percent of the world’ s food is trashed. In the USA alone, 40 millions tons of food are wasted every year. The Global Hunger Index is calculated based on the number of people who are undernourished and the number of children under five who are underweight. Congo, Haiti, Zambia, Yemen, Madagascar, Burundi and Chad have the highest scores ( between 30 and 40). India has a score of 26. Somalia has the highest score: 50

 On the other hand, all these countries are on the receiving end of tons of electronic waste dumped into them by some of the most developed countries, like USA, Britain and Germany, so in addition to dealing with hunger, they contend with pollution from outside sources.

 This book brings to our consciousness issues that are routinely ignored. Raising awareness on the intricate ways through which we are all connected is necessary to inspire people to make responsible choices and to develop new sustainable solutions.

 Those who work on the update of technologies should also be tackling the problems of sustainability in technology as a fundamental component of it. Overconsumption destroys lives; greed kills. We have destroyed the balance that allows us to live in harmony with Mother Nature.

 We need to restore this balance.

 We cannot extricate ourselves from reality, no matter how hard they try to distract us with trips to the moon and to other planets.

 

 “Trees are the oldest life forms on earth, making up over 80 percent of the global biomass. They provide millions with nourishment. We get our wood, herbs, medicine from trees. Trees hold the soil in place, preventing soil erosion and landslides. They help in carbon sequestration and produce oxygen we all need to make life possible. They reduce air pollution, heat and gases that cause the greenhouse effect. They are home to millions of animals, insects and birds.”

 Healthy forests are necessary for the oceans as well, and I explained it when I reviewed To Speak for the Trees. Without healthy forests, we will annihilate the fish, the whales, the dolphins…

  With the burning of fossil fuels, which is also responsible for the production of plastic, we disrupt the health of forests and oceans. Industrialization has led to an exponential increase of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. A simple graph shows the increase over time. These gases trap heat.

 By the same token, this increase correlates with the rise of global temperatures and climate change.

 My simple question is this: does anybody believe that we will survive as a species after destroying the ecosystems of Mother Nature? 

  I cherish Satvika’s grandfather’s wisdom, and I hope it will reach many hearts and minds across the world.

 “We are all interconnected with each other and everything else in Nature, so keep doing what you can. Spend as much time in Nature as you can and love her more. For she is you.”

 

 

I thank the author for kindly sharing “Gaia’s Own” for My Writing Life.

If you enjoyed this post, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it on social media.

 

 If you have a special interest in related topics, you can also read my posts on the following books:

UnlikelyFriendships

Eat for Life

Unlikely heroes

 

I put together a number of posts from other sites, related to the subject of this post:

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/3481622-to-fight-inflation-we-must-fight-climate-change/

https://www.oneearth.org/regenerative-agriculture-can-play-a-key-role-in-combating-climate-change/

https://www.climaterealityproject.org/climate-101

https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/climate-change-and-women/

 

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/elements_of_biodiversity/extinction_crisis/

 

https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/toxic-e-waste-dumped-in-poor-nations-says-united-nations

 

 

To Speak for the Trees

 

“Trees offer us the solution to nearly every problem facing humanity today, from defending against drug resistance to halting global temperature rise, and they are eager to share those answers. They do so even when we can’t or won’t hear them. We once knew how to listen. It is a skill we must remember.”

Diana Beresford-Kroeger

Gifted with an incredible memory since a very young age, soaking up the nectar of ancient Celtic wisdom, Diana grew up with a love for the natural world and an unquenchable curiosity to learn as much as she could about it.

 How can I communicate the marvel of diving into To Speak for the Trees?

 If you feel rejuvenated and cheerful when you immerse yourself in a forest, reading her words will be a unique experience, a wellspring of inspiration and an invitation to learn more about trees and the boreal forest.

 Her book illuminates our spirit with hope, but not the kind of hope based on empty words; it is the invigorating energy underpinned by scientific knowledge and creative ideas to work together to become part of the solution to the environmental crisis.

 Did you know that pine trees produce an atmospheric aerosol called pinene? The pinene molecules are easily absorbed by the skin and the lungs, and they have shown to boost the human immune system and to uplift the mood.

 “The beneficial effects of a twenty-minute pine forest walk will remain in the immune system’s memory for about thirty days.”

 

 The Druidic physicians considered the evergreen pine essential to health, and they prescribed walking in pine forests to support the health of the respiratory system. They called it “forest bathing”.

 Diana migrated to Canada from Ireland when her research prospects were limited. In Canada she endured new challenges.

 She was always motivated to learn about the natural world and to share her knowledge and research. As a courageous independent thinker, however, she was treated with derision and underestimated. Tired of the biases against her, she left the academic system in the 1980s and embarked on a new path of research.  She explains it well in these words: “I had the whole of my scientific education, a baseline of knowledge and technique against which I could measure and make sense of the things I observed. I had the freedom of being loosed from institutions, the room to be myself and chased what caught my curiosity without external interference. “

Her honest reflections resonate on many levels:

 “I had the solitude and desperation of existence on the margins, scary and sometimes painful emotions that have the power to strip you down until you’re just your raw essence and nothing more. I had my painter’s eye for beauty, which could draw me to a discovery just as surely as the orderly thinking achieved by reason. And I had the ancient knowledge of Lisheens and the view it had given me of nature as the sacred source of everything that’s needed to sustain ourselves and the planet.”

 Her love for trees led her to save several species. Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a botanist, medical biochemist, activist and author of various books. Her research and work strive to influence the way we interact with Nature.

 She had settled with her husband in Ontario, Canada, on a 160-acre area of land, where they planted trees and a vegetable garden; a place they care for in partnership with nature, without the use of pesticides.

Diana Beresford-Kroeger plays a vital role in the preservation of the boreal forest. She empowers each and every one of us to do our part to support the health of the planet and our own survival.

 “From my childhood in Lisheens, I’d been taught to freely share anything I was able to, especially my knowledge, and to always look for ways to improve the world around me.  I’d never had the money to engage in the type of philanthropy favored by the Marias of the world. Instead, I gave back through something called philanthropy of the mind, using my scientific knowledge and all the energy I could muster to advocate for any worthy cause that came through my door and to spread awareness of the issues nearest to my heart.”

   Diana’s scientific knowledge and ancient Celtic wisdom were augmented by the teachings she absorbed from the indigenous people of Canada. To Speak for the Trees unleashes the power of the mysterious world of trees.

 The first part of the book is about her childhood, youth, work and experiences interacting with Nature. The last few chapters focus on various species of trees with interesting facts about them. (Some of the trees included are elderberry, birch, blackhorn, aspen, oak and many others).

Her enthusiasm to understand the natural world is an endless endeavor that creates ripples of transformation to support the planet and our survival.

 She never gives up.

 “There is never a day spent outside that you don’t learn something. It might be something small, but that small thing might also be a key to something very big. The discovery of those small things and of the ways they connect to one another and ripple through the whole web of life—that is one of the true beauties of nature. That is what I sought to understand and cultivate.”

  If I asked you to explain a way in which trees support the health of the oceans, what would you say?

 You will probably mention that forests absorb a quarter of the amount of carbon dioxide generated by human beings. This is how forests help to curb the acidification of oceans caused by the burning of fossil fuels. After reading To Speak for the Trees, I should also tell you about a  beneficial effect of Mother Trees I had never heard of before.

 When the leaves of these trees fall in the autumn, they contain high amounts of fulvic acid. As the leaves decompose in the ground, the fulvic acid dissolves in the soil. Fulvic acid is rich in iron, and when this form of iron is flushed out into the oceans through rivers and other waterways, it helps to feed the phytoplankton, supporting the health of the ocean ecosystems.

 Everything in the planet is connected. Hence, the effects of Mother Trees extend into the oceans. This is why when those trees are cut down, fish die; ocean ecosystems are disrupted.  

 When Diana shares her childhood years, she also offers interesting information about the Celts and their history.

 The Celts were woodland people; their culture was born from the deciduous rainforests that covered much of the country in the past.  In the penal years, the British subjugated the Celts and destroyed these ancient forests with the purpose of severing the ties of the Celts with the roots of their culture and language.

“During the penal times, the Irish were not allowed to own trees or even certain seeds—they were only allowed to grow potatoes for food.”

 How can we listen to the trees?

Some people are more attuned to trees than others. Celtic cultures believed in the sentience of trees; many ancient cultures did too.

  I already wrote about ways through which trees communicate. However, I had never read anything about infrasound or silent sound from trees until I read To Speak for the Trees. These are sounds below the range of human hearing. They travel great distances, and they are also produced by elephants to communicate.

 How are trees related to these infrasounds? I wonder about it. Science does not know, but some research is emerging about sounds and plants:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7671032/

The mystery of trees… an endless exploration to observe, feel and ask questions.

 There is a documentary she made called Call of the Forest.

You can also learn more about Diana Beresford-Kroeger’s work by visiting her website.

 

If you enjoyed this post, you may welcome my writing on the following books:

The Ecological Gardener

 Finding the Mother Tree: discovering the wisdom of the forest

Butterflies: their natural history and diversity

Enjoy the offcial trailer of the documentary Call of the Forest:

Julian De La Chica's book

 

 Award-winning Colombian composer and filmmaker spent over a decade researching the facts about Agua de Dios, a small town in Colombia used as a concentration camp to confine dissidents and deprive them of their civil rights and possessions.

 At a time when leprosy was considered a divine punishment, Agua de Dios was created by the Catholic Church and the government to imprison people who were considered to have leprosy, even when they were healthy.

 Leprosy became an excuse to persecute dissidents and to force them to live in isolation in Agua de Dios, the leprosarium where “patients” were supposed to be treated and taken care of. The purpose of the site, however, was to oppress people.

 The victims of Agua de Dios became prisoners for the rest of their life.

 Torture, rape and malnutrition became part of this traumatizing place, which was established in 1871. It was closed in 1963, when the Colombian government finally passed a law abolishing the forced isolation of people.

 Julian De La Chica’s God's Punishment is a historical novel based on real life events; De La Chica interviewed several people before he crafted the novel. In the story we read Leonardo’s words, a writer who gets paid to make a documentary about leprosy in Agua de Dios.

 Leonardo explores the life of Luis Antonio, an enigmatic man who had spent the first years of his childhood in the San Ignacio orphanage in Spain. Luis Antonio is eighty-five years old, and a letter from a priest opens up the path to the secrets of Luis’s past, which are related to Agua de Dios.

Amid the darkness of his life, Luis finds a refuge in music.

The bridge shown on the book cover is the Bridge of the Sighs over the Bogota River. This was the bridge that had to be crossed to reach Agua de Dios.

Here’s a trailer of the novel. The melancholy and mystery carried in Luis’s words entice us to read the novel and learn about his story.

 

The novel explores an ominous aspect of Colombian history, and I think the merit of the novel is the unearthing of the human rights violations and the stories of suffering and injustice that have been neglected for so long to sanitize the reputation of the Church.

 The book helps to understand how the Church was complicit in the dire situation of Agua de Dios. It is an example of how religion can be used as a tool to curtail people’s freedom and serve the greed of dictators. 

Even though I empathized with Luis when he spent time in the orphanage, I could not connect emotionally with any of the characters in God’s Punishment. I also found that the female characters in the novel are stereotypical. They are limited to being helpers or appendages of men. Yet the novel kept me on tenterhooks and offered a number of twists and surprises that responded to the intrigue and suspense sparked at the beginning of the story.

 Distressing scenes are expected in a book that portrays life in a concentration camp, so be aware of this when you approach “God’s Punishment”.

Julian De La Chica did an incredible job in recounting the historical details of human rights violations in Colombia. The author clearly exposed the consequences of the abuse of power by the government and the Church. Both worked together to oppress people by taking advantage of the citizens’ prejudices and ignorance.

  I received a copy of the book from the publisher to write an honest review.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like reading my writing on the book On Account of darkness.

Eat For Life

 

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is for you.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

How do we live up to the promise of our highest potential?

It is common for people to believe that as we age, we become sick, have less energy and less mental clarity. This is not true. When we provide our bodies with what they need to stay resilient and strong, we are more likely to stay healthy.

  One of the essential pillars of a healthy mind and body is excellent nutrition. Sleep  and exercise are also basic components of the foundation of health, but today my post focuses on nutrition. Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a Board Certified Family Medicine physician and nutritional researcher, who has helped to improve his patients’ medical conditions by modifying their diets. He has written several books about nutrition. This is one of them.

 Eat for Life: the breakthrough nutrient-rich program for longevity, disease reversal, and sustained weight loss guides and encourages people to become the best version of themselves by educating them to make choices that supply the body with the adequate amount and balance of macronutrients and micronutrients. When the proper choices become a habit, you will find yourself craving healthful foods.

Dr. Fuhrman details the molecular mechanisms that explain how foods have an effect on the cells and tissues of the body.

 

  I did not know the term “Nutritarian” until I read Dr. Fuhrman’s book, even though I follow a nutritarian lifestyle myself. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term. The experiences and photographs of people who addressed their medical issues by following Dr. Fuhrman’s advice are also shared in this book, where you will find over a hundred recipes and various meal plans that you can adjust based on your needs, possibilities and motivations.

 I was in awe to learn about the case of Dr.Chris Miller. She is an emergency medicine physician who suffered from an autoimmune condition called Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. The disease wrecked her body and she had to stop working. She was tired, had skin rashes and pain in her joints; her kidneys were affected. She was prescribed a total of six immunosuppressive medications, but every time a new medication was added, her condition got worse.

 Despite her aggressive treatment, her disease continued to progress. The inflammation was present in multiple tissues. She explains her experience clearly: “I was on six medications. It seemed the more medications my doctors gave me, the more complications I had, and the more I needed to take. It was a terrifying cycle, and I felt depressed and hopeless.”

   When her doctor offered experimental medications, she decided to look into other options herself, and came across Dr. Fuhrman’s approach. As she learned about the pro-inflammatory nature of various foods she consumed, she understood the need to create a strict plan of nutrient dense food that would help her body heal.

 Dr. Miller followed special protocols that involved the use of vegetable juices as part of the nutritarian diet to address her specific condition. Over time, she was able to taper off her medications. Her kidney function normalized. She began to feel well and was able to return to work.

 She even ran a marathon after not doing so for eight years.

I found the following words in Dr. Chris Miller’s website: “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. I’m saying it’s going to be worth it.”

  When he designed the nutritarian lifestyle, Dr. Fuhrman took into consideration the Blue Zones' dietary habits of the world, but he went beyond this approach by exploring the research  and honing these diets.

 

 The nutritarian style does not care about calories because it focuses on nutrition. He explains that “the higher the nutritional quality of your diet, the less you will desire to overconsume calories.”

 The following situation illustrates the ongoing challenges demanding attention to the science of nutrition:

                       “In 2009, a group of ophthalmologists led by Joshua Dunaif and eight other physicians specializing in macular degeneration at the Scheie Eye Institute of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (now the Perelman School of Medicine, or Penn Med), noted that several of my patients had reversed their macular degeneration using the Nutritarian diet. They contacted me because they were interested in researching these remarkable results further. They devised a research project and submitted it to the National Institutes of Health for funding. Unfortunately, the grant was turned down partly because of limits to funding nutritional research and because these physician researchers who had done much research in ophthalmology, had done none related to nutrition.”

  The foundation of the nutritarian plan can be remembered through the use of the following letters: G-BOMBS. The letters include the groups of foods you must include every day to optimize your health, support your immune system and help to prevent cancer.

G stands for greens.

B stands for beans ( legumes are in these category).

O stands for onions (include garlic, and others that belong to the Allium family).

M stands for mushrooms (always cook them).

B stands for berries (if you don’t have berries available, then remember to include other fruits in your plan).

S stands for for seeds (and remember the nuts).

Dr. Fuhrman also dares to say something that many doctors prefer to avoid telling you: even small amounts of alcohol increase the risk of cancer. 

I am sharing a conversation with Dr. Fuhrman to understand how to improve your diet and feel better. If you don’t have time to read the book, you can take the time to enjoy this presentation. It summarizes his recommendations and provides relevant information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaudzJd89Js

I don’t have a rigid approach to his nutritarian diet, but I can say that I feel great in my body, as I incorporated many of his ideas on diet to optimize my wellbeing.

 

 Dr. Fuhrman highlights the link between a healthy soil and human health. Growing food in a way that helps to regenerate the soil, protect the quality of the water and the air and support biodiversity is essential to our future and health.

 Some of Dr. Fuhrman’s patients or followers portrayed in his book express a new appreciation for the food they eat and for the work of the farmers who grow food in sustainable, organic ways. These reasonable methods help to make the soil resilient to weather extremes and also contribute to carbon sequestration, which is part of the solution to address climate change.

I collected a list of articles that are relevant to this post:

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/12/23/785566796/malnutrition-hits-the-obese-as-well-as-the-underfed

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220727163045.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/05/diverse-farming-climate-wildfarmed-groove-arma

https://regenerationinternational.org/2022/07/15/this-antioxidant-may-provide-a-key-link-between-regenerative-agriculture-and-human-health/

 https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/red-meat-colorectal-cancer-genetic-signature

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/books/article/5-blue-zones-where-the-worlds-healthiest-people-live

https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj-2022-070688

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30008-5/fulltext

 I am horrified by the attack to Salman Rushdie. As a writer he endured persecution for a long time. 

 I hope he will recover soon, and I admire his courage and strength. The Satanic Verses is now in my reading list. This book has been banned in several countries.

My Writing Life stands up against hate and supports freedom of speech.

I invite you to read this brilliant article by Hadley Freeman, which was published by The Guardian today:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/14/salman-rushdie-threat-life-courage-fatwa

 

 I will publish my next post in two weeks.

 

 

 

 

Chase that Smile by Harold Cabrera

 

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less without that missing drop.”

Mother Teresa

 I love books that inspire us to work toward our goals with enthusiasm and determination; they are reminders to keep our purpose and intention at the forefront of the mind.

  Harold Cabrera is a husband, father and full-time software developer and data scientist. He works full-time from home, but he is also an athlete. He has a passion for running, swimming and biking. In 2017, a few months before turning forty years old, he decided that he would run the Paris marathon, complete an Ironman and climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

  After losing loved ones to cancer, he thought it would be a good idea to raise funds for cancer research as part of his athletic commitment.

 

 As a child, Harold had not done sports. He only biked on weekends, with his friends. He did not even have the opportunity to learn how to swim during his childhood years because he lived in a place where there were no swimming-pools nearby. Harold was an adult when he decided to participate in his first triathlon in the year 2008—and he did not even know how to swim. He managed to learn how to swim in time for that specific event.

CHASE THAT SMILE shares the path that led him to complete his goals for his fortieth birthday.  The book has a friendly, entertaining style that entrances the spirit and makes you smile. You can’t put it down. 

 

 I love what he said when he compared the art of swimming with Ikebana art. The Japanese art of putting flowers in a vase is in fact an art steeped in the philosophy of developing closeness with nature.

 “An ikebana master described himself as being on a journey where the path has no end and the main purpose is to learn and improve his art continuously.”  

 Harold applies this idea to the art of swimming. It is an ongoing process. Every day we can endeavor to tweak our skills on whatever we choose to do, accepting the learning process as an endless path.

 Harold has lived in three different countries: he was born in the Philippines and lived there until age 13, when he and his family moved to Canada. Later in life, he moved to London. I appreciate the way he threads into the narrative gripping anecdotes and experiences about his past, adding words of wisdom about facing setbacks and dealing with hurdles, and he does so with a sense of humor. By the end of the book, you will feel that you have made a new friend.

 

The climb of Mount Kilimanjaro with his wife and a group of people is another fascinating aspect of Chase that Smile. During that trip, in that intimate connection with nature, the members of the group bonded like family; I know the sense of camaraderie and friendship that thrives in that kind of setting, and Harold makes it vivid and interesting, reminiscing over the details of this unique trip filled with laughter, dance, songs and human connections.

   Harold Cabrera has travelled the world, and his experiences in different places add a unique touch to the read, opening up our eyes to broader perspectives and encouraging us to pursue our goals with optimism.  

 “Perhaps, there are many treasures hidden within ourselves, and sometimes it takes challenges to unearth these personal riches. Taking myself out of my comfort zone forces me to dig deep within myself and allows me to discover my hidden gems. I’ve done this by doing sports, travelling, being in a relationship, being a father, or just by trying to fully experience life. Seeking these treasures makes life one big adventure.”

His love for his kids and his wife Tania is the essential foundation of his journey, and I feel thankful that he shared his book to inspire this post for My Writing Life.

  I hope Chase that Smile will buoy up your spirit and brighten your days with the energy of your own goals, supporting you to keep your intention strong.

  Like the Ikebana Artist, we can all choose to embrace the endless path of learning with gratitude, as we do our best in each moment.

 

Each challenge can be approached with a curious mind.

Each challenge can be viewed as an invitation to become stronger.

 No goal is too small when we follow our path with love, motivation and optimism, and, like Harold, we can share the sparkles of this energy with others.

 You can visit the author’s website here:

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to read my writing on the following books:

Running for Good by Fiona Oakes

Marathon Man by Alan Corcoran

 

Till next time.