Saturday, November 20, 2010

A Night With My Secret Boyfriend



Last night, I spent a couple of hours with my secret boyfriend. It's so secret, even he doesn't know. I have had a crush on him since I was ... quite young. He has always struck me as someone who, despite the outer trappings, has a vibrant inner life. There are qualities that seem to rise out of him that bespeak a kindness and innate goodness. You may have guessed his identity by now, photographs splashed all over my room and all:  HRH Prince Charles, the future King. I know, whoda thunk it?  He may not be the handsomest chap on the planet, but he cares about people and all life on planet Earth, and he wants to save the world. What's not to like?  Oh, yes, there was that thing with Diana. But, laying all judgment aside, what he offers the world has great value.

I repeat: what he offers the world has great value.




Sometime in the very early evening, I got the message to turn on the television. I don't get that message too often, so I listened. There was Brian Williams doing a preview of two shows scheduled for later. First, an interview, "Prince Charles: The Man Who Will Be King," followed by HRH new film, "Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World," in which he talks about ways in which we can protect planet Earth while creating an entirely new economy. He's been talking about this for a long time and even did a wonderful book and film on it many years ago. But did we listen?  I think we all know the answer to that. The good news is, it's not too late. Well, Charles, and a whole bunch of us commoners, hope that it isn't. Commoners, as in folks with common ground, that ground being the planet Earth.




I enjoyed the hour-long interview, but it was the film which followed that reaffirmed him as my Secret Boyfriend. Well, not so secret anymore. I hope you can handle this bit of information. I promise there will be no stalking involved, just quietly cheering him on and finding ways I can incorporate more of his ideas into my daily life.




The thing I especially like about him is that he doesn't just talk about it. He walks the talk. Organic farming is a way of life for him, and he is encouraging all of us to follow suit. Yes, he has a gardener, but that does not negate his point. He feels the world economy could be completely revitalized if we started understanding that nature offers us all that we need in the way of renewable energy and other resources, in an ongoing symbiotic relationship where everyone's needs are met - and he does mean everyone - and nature doesn't suffer at our hands. Around the world he is involved in projects that point to this as a very real possibility. It's happening for some already and he hopes it will become a movement. He states,  "We cannot sustain our human economy without sustaining nature's economy."




Did you have a chance to watch it?

I loved the part of the Cajun farmer in Louisiana who is now doing organic farming. And seemed very happy about it. At the end of his segment he said, with a smile,  "You'd think me and the prince went to school together ... but we didn't."  Then a really big smile.  It was so sweet, and his love of what he does was so apparent. He knows he's part of something that matters.

There were segments in India and Indonesia, all pointing to ways in which people are introducing these ideas into their lives and their villages and it's making a very real difference. I was torn between taking notes and just becoming enmeshed in what I was viewing. I finally set my notebook down and just watched and listened.




A woman in India who is leading the movement there, talked about the nine seeds she planted, representing nine planets. She feels this goes beyond our planet and includes a cosmic view in her vision of the possibilities. That struck a deep chord with me. Anything that talks about protecting our planet should include a universal vision, seems to me.

The other aspect to Charles that I've always been drawn to is his spirituality. He's looked into many of the world's religious traditions and those that are not so traditional. Although the program last night didn't go into it very much, he's a believer in alternative methods of healing, including spiritual healing. He talks of, "our interconnectedness with nature and a world beyond the material."


He's also an artist, with watercolor as his usual medium, including the two here, above and below.




Another aspect of his life that the film did not cover, is that several years ago he created a project in which an English village was built that did not allow cars on the brick streets. Houses, shops and such, all within walking or bicycling distance. It's a complete, self-contained, self-sustained village, not unlike the old English colonial villages, but a tad more upscale. Just a tad. Last night, he said he's been accused of being a dilettante. Call him what you will, this man has not sat idly by, twirling his sceptre.

And that's all I'll say about that.

Those two hours with Charles last night just flew by. I had such a good time. It may sound way too idealistic, but I hope the world starts listening. I think he has something to say, something to show us. Hope has kicked in again, just when it was starting to wane. Thank you, Your Highness. And I do mean Your Highness. Something we can all aspire to. Our higher selves, with a higher purpose.










Alas and alack, these are not my personal photographs. I borrowed them all from The Great, All-knowing Google.

21 comments:

  1. What an excellent overview of the video and Charles' perspectives. 15, 20 years ago, I think, some people dismissed his preoccupations as peripheral. Today the social pendulum is swinging in his direction and people realize the importance of his appeals.

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  2. Thank you for bringing this Teresa, I'm sure he would be glad if he saw this. I like him too because of his deep and true involvement in the future of the world.
    Grethe

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  3. Another great post. When I was a kid I thought I'd probably marry Prince Charles. But it didn't happen. I just lived too far away.

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  4. Paul, Thank you. It does seem to be changing, moving in this direction more and more every day.

    Grethe, Yes, his "deep and true involvement." He knows what's at stake.

    Linda, Yeah, that darn distance thing can kill any budding romance... :)

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  5. I just wandered by your post by way of Marilyn over at Magpie Tales. I had a feeling these two specials (and I do mean specials) were what you wrote about, and I was not disappointed. What a unique writing style you have. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

    I, too, watched both of these programs last night and wondered if I was alone. I see I was not and here you are with this wonderful review. Can you imagine, Prince Charles was already actively championing the environmen and caring about our planet some thirty years ago, with all the world seeming to think him eccentric? I know he has a gardner, or several, but, I do get the sense that he does go out and get his hands dirty, don't you agree?

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  6. Hello! I'm so glad you stopped by. Thank you, so much. Yes, I agree. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Literally. Those are not just photo opps, but real views of who he is, I believe. He seems to be involved at all levels of his projects. Again, thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment. I look forward to checking out your own blog.

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  7. Another wonderful post Teresa. So many did think that Prince Charles' views were eccentric but he was just so much ahead of most of us. This year has been one of learning for me - I too am aware of "our interconnectedness with nature and a world beyond the material", I feel this very strongly.

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  8. This is wonderful TeresaE. How I love your writing and this is dear to my heart. I admire HRH too. He seems to me in one way the end of a royal era.. not marrying the one he loved.. nowadays he would have..and how that would have changed history.. but he is quite the mystic with his feet deep in the earth. Thank you.

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  9. Marilyn, Thank you! It's been a year of learning for me, as well, on many different levels. The interconnectedness of all things: Life continually reveals new opportunities to see and experience it.

    Joan, Thank you for your lovely comments. It must have been so difficult to make the expected choice rather than the one your heart wanted to make. How wonderful that he and Camilla now have a life together. Acknowledging that she may be Queen was quite surprising to some and so good of him to show his allegiance to her. That's my take on it anyway. A "mystic with his feet deep in the earth." Lovely, and exactly so.

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  10. Teresa, Goodness, what a dashing and debonaire secret love you have. He certainly has evolved as a person, hasn't he? I was not always a fan and was bothered by what happened between he and Princess Dianna but we have to beleive things work out for the best...Take good care!

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  11. I am a huge, huge fan of Prince Charles. He's a true steward of the earth and I respect him so much. I have his book of watercolors and it's wonderful.

    Much to my chagrin, I couldn't watch either show and am hoping to find it online or scheduled, again. So glad to know it was that good.

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  12. Tracy, Thank you for visiting my blog. I think being a person of royalty must be very difficult. I love that he speaks out about the things that matter and his life has become a fine example of service to others. I look forward to visiting your blog!

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  13. What a surprise who your secret boyfriend is, who would have thought. Organics was big back in my hippie days, I guess it's coming back around, rightfully so, because much of the food at the grocery nowadays isn't worth eating, thankfully I just found a CSA here to join. Well said.

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  14. Cheryl, Oh, I'm jealous, his book of watercolors. I'll have to check it out next Barnes and Noble visit. I would imagine it will be repeated, or found online. I think you'll like it.

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  15. Hi Linda! Is a CSA a cooperative? We have a few here. They offer some nice options. Thanks for stopping by!

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  16. I just loved this posting, Teresa. I, too, greatly admire Prince Charles, notwithstanding the issues that the tabloid press appears to be occupied with. He has a great vision for the future in a time when vision among politicians and leaders is almost nonexistent. Unfortunately, I missed the film. I am now going to see if I can find somewhere to access it. Thanks again. This was such an inspirational piece, one that will move many of us to learn more.

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  17. George, Thank you. I appreciate your taking the time to stop by, read and comment. Visionaries among our leadership are few and far between, as you say, almost non-existent. Perhaps that is all changing.... The more people become aware, the "tipping point" will be realized and great good will emerge. It all starts with ourselves. Again, thank you for visiting.

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  18. I'm glad he involved himself in this work and took it to high levels. The fact that he didn't become king at an early age has meant he needed to find a purpose, and he's done that very well. (When he was a youngster, people speculated that there was something wrong with him because he always had bangs covering what seemed to be a very low forehead. Being in the public eye = not always fun.

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  19. Nancy, I agree. He was meant to find his life purpose and a perfect one it is. The public eye, plus a life based on expectation and ritual set down through the ages. Has to be tough. Thanks for commenting.

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  20. Teresa -- I too admire Charles for his earth passion. He has been involved with it for so long. Also, his sense of humor is wonderful. Great post. Don't have a TV so I guess it was nice to read your post about the recent interview. -- barbara

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  21. I'm so glad I was able to share this with you, Barbara. He's such a fine man, and, yes, a good sense of humor.

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