Excentric

Always thought Cape Cod was the only other place on the lower 48 that I could call home besides Sedona. Actually, I live in Cornville, zip code EIEIO. Wouldn't have it any other way. Left Virginia Beach more than 21 years ago. When I talk with friends or family back east I tell them about being stuck in traffic here, which means I had to stop for a cow, quail, roadrunner, feasting raven or some other form of life to clear the road. That hasn't changed in 21 years. Truly, open space is Arizona's greatest asset. Most of the people that come here get that. They go about their lives, tryng to make ends meet and appreciating what nature has to offer. Some, mostly big city folk, who think building and growing Sedona to suit their needs (the things they left behind) want to destroy it all. They usually end up running for some kind of political office. Those who think they can improve on nature have their heads stuck so far up their egos that they will never get it.

On the subject of egos and nature, I feel compelled to address a topic of considerable consternation along the highway connecting Sedona to Cottonwood.  A 40+foot statue has been erected by the Dahn Yoga owner, Ilchee Lee. While the area has proven time and tme again to be one of religious and spiritual tolerance, the blonde-haired, porcelain-white faced, Asain-eyed statue has a large group of citizens up in arms. Personally, I celebrate the tloerance and diversity of the area, but I believe the size of the statue calls into question its representation. The structure is called Mago, wich is supposed to represent Mother Earth or Mother Nature. Either way, a dedication to Gaia of such magnitude begs the question why it would be placed in a location that would block the red rock views and natural beauty created by Nature. The conflict bothers me. I feel the statue should have been about 4-feet tall and representative of the Native American Mother Earth. While they do have a giant Kokopelli, I wonder if they realize he represents not only seasonal changes, music, dancing and fertility, but, according to some of my Native friends, his Cassanova michief led Kokopelli to detach his penis and send it down the river to "have his way" with the innocent young maidens who were bathing in the stream. Older depictions showed more of a phallus, long and erect. Catholic priests cut it off and put a sash or cloth around future depictions while Christianizing the Indians.

So now, Kokopelli and Mago share park space alongside Harubang statues, and seven statues representing Jesus Christ, Buddha, Mother Mary, Confucius, Socrates, Dahn Guhn, and Chief Seattle. People of other faiths have commented on the lack of representation of their diety's icon. One even wrote to complain that there wasn't a Torah or the Ten Commandments, as followers of Judaism don't really have any icons. So, it seems many don't want anything there, some want everything there, some don't care what's there, some want the hair color changed, and I want something that actually represents Mother Earth - something that allows me to view and appreciate the original Mother Earth and not a giant piece of clay.

In all fairness, the crosses in the steeples in the Catholic church across the raod are taller, so tall, in fact, I can see Alaska from there.

That's all for now . . .