Author: Dena Eakles

Enjoying Life. Plan on keeping it that way.

It’s Still Up To Us

In January, 2020, I wrote much of this in response to the saber rattling over Iran. And now the war hawks are at it again.

Our history is full of people who have championed peace and diplomacy over war. We have honored those people and those ideals. Yet time after time we have allowed lies and greed to lead us into endless and inhumane wars.

Recent flagrant disregard of international law has opened the door for retaliation and the escalation of death and destruction. Leaders toss around nuclear options as if we could all relocate to another planet.

The fumbling assertions and disagreements within the Trump administration demonstrate the dangerous incompetency at the helm.

This president continues the legacy of past presidents, which is to be led by those who make money on weapons and war. When they speak of protecting United States interests, they are speaking of oil. If we allow this escalation of war and the stealing of resources, we are complicit.

But make no mistake it is Congress who declares war, not the president. And it is the people of the United States who can still determine their collective history.

Therefore, it is imperative we stand for peace and diplomacy in whatever means is available. It’s also imperative that we end our financial ties to the industries of weapons and oil and stop funding Israel’s war machine. And to evangelicals hoping for fulfillment of prophecy, I say, “Snap out of it”. We need your kind hearts; we need your love of humanity. 

We must demonstrate to a world very uncertain of our motives but very certain of our ability to create chaos and death, that we, the people, are ready to change course.

It‘s still up to us.

There’s still time for peace.

photo from the Truthout article from January 8, 2020.

The Need for a Lifeline

Resistance to ICE in Los Angeles and elsewhere is uplifting. The decision to send National Guards and deploy Marines was predictable.  The authoritarian in chief and his allies leave no room for dissent. That has been proven for some time. Long before this moment, we have witnessed the government’s overreach by militarized police and national guard. This has been winding up for decades. Both parties enabled it.

The violence we are witnessing against the peaceful is not new. The removal of human beings, the stripping of human dignity, the forced separation of families is not new to our history or to human history.

And I suggest to you that we no longer have the luxury to ignore the reality before us. Israel and the United States have nearly destroyed international laws regarding civilian care. Enough with pretending it doesn’t matter or there is nothing to be done.

We are born and immediately given a name and with it a host of expectations. One of those expectations is that we are a self-contained unit destined for success or failure depending on our circumstances. We have been conditioned to accept this as “just the way it is”. 

Birth takes a mammoth effort. The effort we made to grasp that first breath was immense.  We demonstrated then, that we have the capacity to do the seemingly impossible.

It’s time we remember the power we hold and return to the wonder and the passion for living. That is our way out. 

There is no decree that says we must suffer and allow the suffering of others. This shunning of our gifts has not served us. That has been our choice. And now it’s time to choose differently.

Saturday, June 14. Stand for peace, freedom, community and love of all of our relations.

Celebrating PRIDE

I could appreciate not having the need for Pride Month. But here’s the reality: Pride came about through the blood and tears, suicides and murders of people like me. Human beings who in some cultures and throughout history were not regarded as “other”, not mistreated and ridiculed, but respected. In some cases we were even revered because we had the ability to see things differently. Maybe being different gave us a leg up on compassion and empathy. I don’t know.
But I know this. I have been on the planet now for seven decades and only for the first few of those years was I blissfully ignorant of the indifference I would be shown – if I “came out.” Once I understood, I hid.

What a horrible way to live this gift of life.
This is a sick symptom of an ignorant society forcing people to hide who they are. Sticking labels on love and dismissing individuality. 
The binary is again being forced upon us. Pride people are not binary people. We will never be binary people and I applaud youth waking up and challenging.

We are as much a part of the Grand Scheme as anyone else. And we will never be erased.

So while I wish there were no need to fly my flag, I’ll do it until my people are free. All my people. The heteros who cling to the status quo and miss out on our beauty; the allies who stand with us; but most importantly for the youth and for those yet to come – that they may be accepted and not need to rally together for the support and love that should have been there from the start.

Love yourself. Whoever you are. Leave no room for hate. 

Not Always As It Seems

Have you noticed round growths on oak trees? I had seen them a few years ago, and looked them up and promptly forgot what I read. Now they’re reappearing and since we’re trained to be alarmed by the unusual, I began reading up on them again. It turns out most authorities agree they are harmless, just unsightly. But unsightly is enough for many people to seek ways to eradicate them.

Apparently, insects and mostly non stinging wasps lay their eggs on the tree and these balls, or more reverently known as galls, develop like a cocoon to protect and to feed the larva. Once the insects mature and fly the coop, the galls dry and drop from the tree. That is, if human beings can wait that long. Most articles state galls are harmless and then give numerous methods of removal. Some include pesticides.

As someone who’s not willing to sacrifice benefit for unsightly, I kept reading until I found a delightful article on these galls, of which there are many types. This article did not even hint at removal. In fact, it talked about the fun to be had with the galls once they drop. It even explained an interesting human use for the galls. It seems some clever wench about the 4th Century AD found a way to make ink from the gall, combining its acid with iron sulfate and gum Arabic. This amazing discovery was used in the writing of the first Bible and continued on to be used in the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Even the original United States Postal Service used it until replacing gall ink with chemicals.

What can be learned here? Let’s forego premature evaluation based on appearance and stop losing our collective memory to superficiality and looking good. Wisdom, it’s in our DNA. Dig a little.

A Powerful Human Trait

They say most domesticated sheep live between 10 and 12 years. Apparently, my sheep were never given the memo. I’ve had quite a few live to be eighteen. A lot happens in eighteen years. And although you may not speak the same language you share a common bond and understanding. So it happened that one of my old girls was down and barely breathing. It seemed the weight of her wool might have been a contributing factor, so we began shearing her. At first it wasn’t clear if we were doing much good, but as we finished, she attempted to get up. That was the first real sign of engagement. A little hay, a little corn, a little kelp and some water has to be followed by defecation and pee. That much I have learned about sheep. 

She was rocked and massaged and coaxed and pushed until she stood. Shakily at first, but the light in her eyes told us she was in there and up for the fight. Walking took a bit more time, but gradually she made her way out of the barn. She wanted to be with the other sheep. That longing for companionship is something we all share. 

It’s a delicate balance to know how much to do and when to hold back. You must pay close attention and not force your will. You must find the patience and the perseverance to ignore the voice that tells you “It’s useless” or “I can’t do another thing.”

Because in that ‘one other thing’ that you do, you may finally see the turning point. 

Compassion is a powerful human trait with tremendous rewards. It’s not born of pity; it is a dignified response to the acknowledgement of life. Cultivate it.

Suffering Beyond Description

We can end war if we choose. Choose peace.

The Promise of Spring

It’s a magnificent spring. Just enough rain and warmth to make the apple blossoms pop and the hum of happy bees fills the air. The lilacs seem to be more fragrant and the flowers are jubilantly beginning their display. I saw my first fawn this year chasing their mama and mushrooms are emerging from their slumber. Nature has a way of reminding us what is important when we pay attention.

It’s easy these days to be sidetracked by the endless attacks on goodwill, but I don’t think it’s wise to forget the renewal of spring as discontent continues to spread. It’s the resilience spring teaches that is needed now. It’s the wonder of life and of the seasons, which we know will come and go and come again. Yes, the deer may visit the garden and if not the deer, the rabbits or groundhogs will feast on everything we plant. Well thankfully not everything! But it does seem no matter how high the fence, someone gets in. Gardening is not for the weak of heart. There is no certainty. Learning to live in uncertainty is an art and a practice. Last year’s June frost took out the tomatoes we planted, but friends shared their extra plants with us and all went well.

Now, regardless of what comes, this is our moment to drink in the promise that is spring.

There is a healthy fear that gives warning and there is a paralyzing fear that weaken us. We are not meant for paralyzing fear. We are meant to be emergent. We are meant to be creative. We must be undaunted by forces that would rock our gardens and our lives. 

I will always believe there are more people wanting peace than the alternative. I have been witness to it. Let us find one another. Let us help one another. Let us model the best of what humanity can be. 

It is still ours to create this beautiful garden.

Finding One Another

As luck would have it, our well went out this week. Not a good thing anytime. This was a particularly bad time. We called a reliable friend who recommended a reliable friend. The recommended reliable friend came and not only set the well right, he explained that the well had been dug too deep. We had paid for that “too deep” nearly ten years ago. And of course, there is no warranty on a well from those who put it in.

This gentle man explained a lot of things about the water table, the well, the pump, and the electricity. He was happy to do it. I was happy to learn. He shared valuable information that will help direct our course here. When we parted, we parted as friends and the appreciation for one another was genuine.

It is getting clear to me that there are two types of people on the earth right now. 

There are human beings who have dignity and respect for other human beings. And there are others who are not fully human. Not a judgment, just an observation. And that’s why we are in the pickle we are in. Another observation. The government of Israel is starving Palestinians.

It’s now a full blown, openly discussed genocide. 

There are two types of people: human beings who care and are trying to help and the others who are not fully human. Right now, non-humans are winning.

We’ve handed the reins to the not fully human. And unless and until we take back those reins, we’re in for quite a ride.

For those who believe we are here to suffer, please rethink this. And if you choose suffering, perhaps you could leave the rest of us to the peace we know is possible.

*******************

Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha has won the Pulitzer Prize. “I can’t celebrate while Gaza is starving.”

You can listen to my conversation with Mosab Abu Toha on Changing the Narrative.

Let in the Light

There’s a crack and the light is beginning to pour through. You can see it on the streets as more people realize the need to be visible. You can read it on social media as people are finding their voice. The hands-off rallies and gatherings have been peaceful, joyful events. They’ve become reunions of a sort. Reunions of the human family. Carrying signs that reflect the diversity of our woundedness and of our concerns, we greet one another in recognition of our mutual humanity. 

Some people have never thought of Trans rights or Palestinian liberation. Some have not considered a world without Immigrants. Some are fearful as their safety nets are being ripped away. Some are terrified by the brutality they witness from ICE agents or vigilantes turning racism into sport. People come to the rallies to learn, to make connections and, in some way, to say, “No more”.  Most importantly, we find we’re not alone.

Everyone who shows up wants to see a better day. That is our commonality.

May first is the international celebration of the working class. Each year Milwaukee’s Voces de la Frontera hosts a march and rally called A Day Without Immigrants. This year will be no exception. However, it is hoped that more white faces will buffer those who are made vulnerable due to the rhetoric and imposition of power. And let us not stop there. Let us continue to put ourselves on the line for our relatives of color. Let us confront the racism we have been steeped in, so that we can witness its end. Some of us are coming to the recognition this is not a game. There are no sides in humanity.

We are in this together and it’s time to let the light back in.

photo of Milwaukee May Day 2025 by Brandon Roost of Roost Photography / Milwaukee Wedding Collective

Capacity to Care

Of all the lessons I’ve ever learned, I’m grateful to those who demonstrated kindness and instilled a love for all of humanity within me. In my young life, Christian values had more to do with love and loving, rather than sin and fear of retribution. I could grow my capacity to care. And it felt good.

At a very young age, I learned about the kindness of St. Francis of Assisi, and participated in ripping sheets into bandages to send to leper colonies. It was empowering. And while the concepts of service to humanity or to the divine have transformed within me over the years, I know that the capacity to love and to care is something that can and should be practiced. The heart is indeed a muscle that can be stretched and can grow into a powerful resource. That is my anchor.

When the Pope chose the name of Francis, I hoped he would herald back a time when greed didn’t have such a hold on our lives. He didn’t disappoint. I don’t practice a faith, the hypocrisy is too much for me, but I was grateful as Pope Francis attempted to steer the ship back to the values of humanity that I hold in high regard. This is not meant to be a salute to Francis, but a salute to the qualities of human kind that we shared and that need to be uplifted now. 

Today, we’re steeped in judgement on ourselves and others. We use it as a mile marker to determine our place in the arbitrary hierarchy we believe God has made for us. From the perspective of Love, this is a ridiculous grid to live by. 

No two things can occupy the same space at the same time. Be occupied by Love.

Pope Francis and his capacity for care of Palestinians.

Stop the Madness

I ventured out to a field where I had planted twenty tamarack saplings. I only found half alive, but you never know, after winter sometimes things awaken again. So, I’ll wait and hope. 

I wanted to tell you all about the miracle that is Spring. I wanted to speak of rebirth, and resilience, of awakening from dormancy and of new life. And then I saw a video posted on Alt National Park Service of white vigilante men, possibly ICE, no names, no badges, no warrant, smashing a car window of a terrified husband and wife who were waiting inside. The couple videoed the entire episode – we must all do that these days – and you could hear them asking in Spanish to wait for their lawyer. You could hear their fear and as the unknown men smashed the window of the car they were sitting in. This is state sanctioned terrorism.

The husband was taken to an undisclosed location. His wife is here as an asylum seeker. Her husband is in the process of becoming a legal resident. They have one child. May he be reunited with his family, but given the reckless lawlessness that has taken over our country, no one can be certain justice will prevail.

Due process mans nothing to this administration as they claim to do the bidding of MAGA voters.

So, this is what you, MAGA champions, overwhelmingly voted for? Trump declared a mandate, but that is a lie, and it is the lie shoved in our face every time Rubio and Vance get to a microphone. Less than 50% voted for either Trump or Harris. The largest percent of eligible voters did not vote. That should tell us something.

You, who claim MAGA allegiance, voted to give the authoritarian free rein over the entire nation. How long will it take for families and communities to mend from this harm cascading all around us? How long will you allow this administration to continue unchecked?

You think your prayers and righteousness will cover it? God gave you free will. Use it. You have been duped. Admit it. Your husbands, fathers, and sons and even daughters are caught in this downward spiral of hatred, racism, homophobia and greed. What good are your prayers, if you have no voice to say, “Stop this madness.”  I pity your lack of courage and I am ashamed for your cruelty. Wake up while there is still time.

And to those choosing anger and blame and not recognizing we have all allowed this regrettable moment, it is time to reconsider. Righting this ship will take the majority of us. United. Let’s find a way.