Danny, age 17 and I were driving away from the cemetery where we had visited the grave of a 19-year old friend of his, Alex had been killed in a gang event in Wilmington.
Danny asked me, “Do you think Alex heard any of what we said to him?”
I replied, “Danny, there isn’t one person in the whole world that can answer that for sure. We all have ideas and beliefs. And nobody knows for sure. Beliefs are something that cannot be proven yet we all have them to provide some comfort during troubling times. Beliefs are very powerful, valuable and different from person to person. I believe Alex heard every word we said.”
Danny said “Hmmmmm” as he was wiping his tears.
I was 40 years old when I stopped some very bad habits. One of my beliefs is that I had and continue to have help from the spiritual realm in my life.
This is not “the truth”; it is simply a belief I hold that provides some comfort day in and day out. I do pray and meditate. These days, this is one of my prayers:
“Lord, give us this day our daily toilet paper. Amen”
So far it has worked well as long as I do my part and stand in line, 6ft from anyone, at Trader Joe’s.
Here’ the thoughts on TP:
When is the last time you stayed in a squatting position for an hour or more?
For thousands of years people existed without toilet paper and still enjoyed cleanliness. People also did not have chairs or a sedentary way of life. Without chairs or toilets and with a fully functioning pelvis these folks could squat for hours. Our pelvis is set up to be much more mobile than any of us utilize in our lifestyle today.
When a dog or cat or any animal goes to eliminate they hunch their back way up, allow their pelvic structure to open a bit and their anus protrudes out to release and pinch it off. Unless a creature is sick they are able to remain relatively clean.
Our ancestors enjoyed this same kind of ability.
The US Marines are trained to be very frugal with everything when “in the field”. 4 squares of toilet paper are allowed for each use. And we wash our hands with dirt sometimes. Hoorah.
As a young man I grew up hunting and fishing a lot. When hunting out in the woods it was not uncommon to get so relaxed that the urge to move my bowels was triggered. My best friend Loren and I would hunt regularly. Loren’s Mom noticed that our long-sleeved shirts often had the front pocket ripped off. This is much more comfortable than dried or even fresh leaves to wipe with.
Those of us old enough to know what an “Out House” is also remember using The Sears Roebuck Home Catalogue for reading and wiping. No need to worry about clogging up the plumbing in an Out House.
Before the advent of modern toilet paper many different materials were used for the same purposes. Different materials were used depending upon the country, weather conditions, social customs and status.
People used leaves, grass, ferns, corn cobs, maize, fruit skins, seashells, stone, sand, moss, snow and water. The simplest way was physical use of one’s hand. Wealthy people usually used wool, lace or hemp. And then buried it all.
I believe we are doing just fine and will get through this whole thing smarter, wiser and more grateful with an abundance of TP
Peace everyone……I love you a lot and miss the touch and contact.
Dr. Jim
Hellerwork Structural Integration
