Yearly Archives: 2006

John Cali

Those of you in my generation will remember that wonderful writer and news journalist, Charles Kuralt. He literally covered the world in a career spanning several decades.

Charles was a keen observer of world events and, more importantly, of human nature. He reported on and wrote about the entire spectrum of human experience, from the horrors of war to the ordinary everyday pleasures of life.

There was a common thread running through almost everything Charles reported and wrote about — the power and beauty of the human spirit.… Read more

John Cali

Recently we’ve had a fair number of people coming to us because they’re feeling stuck in their lives. They often point to something or someone from the past as the cause. It could be a past lifetime, or the past of this lifetime. Two common threads running through all this are wounded relationships and forgiveness (or the lack of it).

A friend wrote a few weeks ago about some challenges in her life. I was struck by one thing she said — a therapist told her she was unconsciously harboring hateful feelings toward a certain family member.… Read more

John Cali

Most mornings I jog up in the foothills just south of my house. There’s a narrow paved trail winding through the silvery sagebrush on the shores of several small sparkling lakes. Up there, I can see the whole valley below me, from the gently rounded Big Horn Mountains on the east to the raw rugged peaks of the Absaroka Mountains on the west. Between the two ranges is a vast, almost empty expanse, populated mostly by wild creatures and just a few humans.… Read more

John Cali

A few weeks ago, my good friend Jim and I were discussing money. Jim (not his real name) soon started talking about his investments.

He was complaining about his investments fluctuating so much over the years. And he started focusing on several times when they had plummeted — like September 11, 2001. Jim said he lost many thousands of dollars that fateful day.

“But,” I replied, “look at all the money you’ve made over the years. You started out with virtually nothing, and now you’re a millionaire!”… Read more

John Cali

A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a rather interesting motivational message someone had emailed her. I really liked part of what it said, especially this:

What happens to you is not as important as your reaction to what is happening to you.

Great concept! I totally agree with it.

But it also said something else I thought was strange for a motivational writer:

All your growth will depend on your activity. Your strength and growth will come only through continuous effort and struggle.… Read more

John Cali

The other day my car needed some minor maintenance. So I went to see Joe, my trusty mechanic. He runs a small car repair shop in my little town, and has a well deserved reputation as a skilled and honest workman.

As Joe popped the hood of my car to look at the engine, he looked directly at me and said, “You know, John, I just had a heart attack a few days ago.” He’s relatively young and in reasonably good shape.… Read more

John Cali

The other day I read an interview with a well known public figure (who shall remain nameless). During the interview, he suggested a way to solve all the world’s problems and create peace on earth. First, the United States should use its military forces to conquer other countries. And second, those countries should then be converted to Christianity.

Obviously, this person is a “conservative right-winger.” But there are equally overzealous “liberal left wingers” among us.

Whether they be right, left — or middle — you know the type of people I’m talking about.… Read more

John Cali

A couple days ago, I went to Frank’s Barber Shop for my regular haircut. A visit to Frank’s is always a fun adventure.

A few years ago, Spirit and I did a newsletter article called Down at Frank’s Barber Shop about the first time I ever visited Frank. Here’s part of what I said in that article:

When I walked in, Frank, busily cutting hair, paused and gave me a big smile and a friendly greeting. He was a trim, obviously fit .… Read more

John Cali

Last week a friend sent me an article on solitude. So I asked Spirit if we could do a newsletter on the subject. The answer, as usual, was “Sure.”

In our modern world, we often define ourselves in terms of our relationships, with one exception.

The exception? Our relationship with ourselves.

It’s ironic, for that is the most important human relationship any of us will ever have. That relationship defines our relationship to God/Goddess/Great Spirit — whatever you call that divine energy of our source.… Read more

John Cali

When I was a student pilot many years ago, one of the greatest challenges I faced was trusting the airplane. Then, a bit later when I became a flight instructor myself, I saw many of my students facing the same challenge.

As a pilot, you obviously cannot always see where you’re going — when you’re flying through clouds, for example. When you have no visual references, you’re literally flying blind. And if you value your life and the lives of your passengers, you must trust the airplane and what its instruments are telling you.… Read more

John Cali

Lately, I’ve been vividly reminded of the ever-changing seasons of our lives — changes in the lives of friends and family, and also in my own.

Eight days ago, a dear friend lost her beloved dog after 13 years together.

Late last year, my sister’s husband died after nearly 30 years together.

We saw both these changes gradually coming. But that didn’t make them easier.

Last week, another friend wrote me that her husband had just died suddenly, unexpectedly.… Read more

John Cali

One of my favorite singing groups is Riders In the Sky. For those of you not familiar with them, they’re a foursome of multi-talented Western music writers, singers, and musicians. Formed in 1977, the group is still going strong. I used to listen to their radio show every week. I’d still be doing it, but they’re not available in my part of Wyoming.

Anyway, one of the group’s hallmarks is their amazing sense of humor. They really know how to have fun!… Read more

John Cali

Remember that old song, Doing It My Way, Frank Sinatra used to sing?

In this newsletter, we’ve spoken before of Seth.

Now who is Seth, and what does he have to do with Frank Sinatra? Well, hang on and we’ll explain.

Seth’s a wise old spirit, channeled for many years by Jane Roberts. As a result of Jane’s and her husband Rob Butts’ wonderful work, there is now a wealth of Seth material in the form of books and other published information.… Read more

John Cali

We’ve had an interesting discussion this past week or so at our discussion group. One of our members asked the question, “Did Jesus exist?” In other words, was he real, just a myth, or some combination of the two?

This reminds me of that wonderful movie, Miracle on 34th Street. For those of you who’ve never seen it, the movie asks the question, “Does Santa Claus really exist?”

At the end of the movie, the answer to that question was: “It doesn’t really matter.”… Read more

John Cali

I’ve lived alone most of my adult life. And so the subject of “one” interests me a lot, as I’ sure it does many of you. Can one person, alone, be as powerful as a group?

I completely support the idea of people banding together, for example, in group meditations, in prayer gatherings, in healing work. However, in my work with Spirit over the years, I’ve noticed many people feel they must band together to be effective. They don’t understand the power of one.… Read more

John Cali

I grew up in Western New York State, just a few miles from Niagara Falls. Known sometimes as one of “The Seven Forgotten Natural Wonders of the World,” the falls are a magnificent sight to behold.

There was one place on the walkways in the park where you could stand directly over the falls, just inches away, and feel all that incredible energy in the huge thundering torrent of white water. It’s something you never forget.

Despite living so close to Niagara Falls, I never saw it until I was a young adult.… Read more

John Cali

As I’ve been reminded lately, there are several people among my close family and friends who are terrified of flying. You probably also know someone like that.

Most of them cannot understand why I love flying so much. And they understand even less how I could have been a professional pilot for so many years. Defying death, as they saw it, almost daily.

Yet nothing “bad” ever happened to me. I had no fear of flying then. Nor do I now.… Read more

John Cali

Robert Frost has always been one of my favorite poets. And one of my favorite Frost poems is The Road Not Taken.

Here are some excerpts from that poem:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could . . .
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.… Read more

John Cali

The other day, my friend Joe was at my house helping me with some minor household repairs. Since he owns eight rental houses, he’s good at that sort of thing. I’m not.

After we finished, Joe told me of a conversation he’d recently had with his brother Pete. Pete asked Joe how everything was going at his rental properties. “Fine,” Joe replied. “Couldn’t be better. We have good people renting from us, and, lately, no maintenance problems at all.… Read more

John Cali

The other day, my friend Joe was at my house helping me with some minor household repairs. Since he owns eight rental houses, he’s good at that sort of thing. I’m not.

After we finished, Joe told me of a conversation he’d recently had with his brother Pete. Pete asked Joe how everything was going at his rental properties. “Fine,” Joe replied. “Couldn’t be better. We have good people renting from us, and, lately, no maintenance problems at all.… Read more

John Cali

Strange sounding title, isn’t it? Most of you probably agree you create your future now, by the choices you make in this present moment. But how can you create your past now?

My mother and her sister, only about a year and a half apart in age, grew to adulthood in the same house with the same parents and siblings. (All are dead now.)

My mother’s memories of her childhood were warm and happy. My aunt’s were not.

My mother adored her parents and saw them as kind, caring, and loving.… Read more

John Cali

Strange sounding title, isn’t it? Most of you probably agree you create your future now, by the choices you make in this present moment. But how can you create your past now?

My mother and her sister, only about a year and a half apart in age, grew to adulthood in the same house with the same parents and siblings. (All are dead now.)

My mother’s memories of her childhood were warm and happy. My aunt’s were not.

My mother adored her parents and saw them as kind, caring, and loving.… Read more

John Cali

Since today is Valentine’s Day, I thought we’d talk about relationships. Fascinating and often baffling subject, isn’t it?

Recently, several of my close, years-long personal relationships have faded and gotten lost in the mists of time. There were no big fights. Nobody got mad at anybody. There was just a quiet drifting in different directions.

None of these were romantic relationships. But Valentine’s Day is not just about lovers — it’s about us all in relationships of love with each other.… Read more

John Cali

Since today is Valentine’s Day, I thought we’d talk about relationships. Fascinating and often baffling subject, isn’t it?

Recently, several of my close, years-long personal relationships have faded and gotten lost in the mists of time. There were no big fights. Nobody got mad at anybody. There was just a quiet drifting in different directions.

None of these were romantic relationships. But Valentine’s Day is not just about lovers — it’s about us all in relationships of love with each other.… Read more

John Cali

The other day while I was grocery shopping, I spied an item I’d never seen in the store. It was one of my favorite Italian cheeses. So I bought a piece.

When I got home, I read the small print on the label. It said:

Firm smooth body . . . will sharpen with age.

What a great metaphor, I thought, for the way some humans age, and probably the way most of us would like to.

As I get older, I’ve found my memory and my body are in better shape than when I was younger.… Read more