Sitting here in the quiet of the August evening with only the song of the cicadas surrounding me, I wonder WHO are we?

The cicada  nymphs who have lived underground for seventeen years are maturing and sending out their love call–their tymbal muscles specifically honed to bring home their mate.  Early this morning, the birds were flocking and whistling their message to one another, announcing that there would be an early Fall.  The birds flock together for safety and protection. The ocean tide responds to the gravitational pull of the moon.  All of nature is present to their surroundings, while signaling to us to do the same.

We humans are calling out to each other for justice and dignity. We humans need each other, just like the flock of birds need one another for safety and protection.  Just like the ocean responds to the pulls of the moon, so are we pulled from the conflicts, injustice and battles around us.

“to BE…for this Yahweh created all…” Wisdom 1:14…

When I read these words, I think of the message James Foley  was trying to send to us. He died trying to expose the barbaric results of war and to elicit compassion from the human race…from all of us…that war must stop. Everywhere people are dying and suffering. We each have a right to BE.  I am also thinking of the racial tension in Ferguson, and the fact that it is 2014 and we are still so racist as a nation.  I think of the many horrible racist statements made against President Obama. I read them on Facebook and I think how can we, as a nation, survive when we have so little respect for the person chosen to lead our country?

When are we going to realize that we all have the same color of blood? We are all human beings who want to belong, to be productive, to offer life and receive life to and from each other.

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Additional information can be found about the cicada using the following links: 

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/question733.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/noisy-cicadas-come-back-to-life-after-years-underground

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/tides-wordd/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/government-threatened-foley-family-ransom-payments-mother-slain/story?id=25453963

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2754339/They-got-way-James-Foley-s-brother-backs-mother-attacking-Obama-administration-failure-save-photojournalist-beheaded-ISIS.html

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/marquette-professor-recalls-james-foley-as-bright-light-83661/

This photo is dedicated to James Foley, the American Journalist who died to alleviate the suffering of others.
“The Beauty of an Iris.”
Photo credit; Jane H. Johann, c. June 2014

 My heart goes out to the parents and family of James Foley.

* I realize it is now September, and the cicadas have stopped singing. However, I hope we continue to sing and live in hope and not give up!  The need for LOVE in this world is needed even more today!