By Father Alex - A lesson on Super Heroes

By Father Alex - Posted on 08 June 2011

I have to admit that I am a sucker for super hero movies. It's really not my fault...I am a product of a childhood loaded with G.I. Joe, Transformers, Superman, Space Ghost and the oft-forgotten Captain Caveman.

After taking in Thor and X-Men First Class in the past few weeks, I have come to realize just how much the "super" mentality has pervaded my generation. As I told our graduating Seniors at our Baccalaureate Mass a few weeks ago, at a certain point every super hero movie says to us, "You are not enough." No matter how smart we are or how talented we might be, unless we have a magic hammer or a mutant gene, we are not enough.

And yet there is something within us, at least many of us, that is attracted to this idea of being "super" in some way. Maybe we've overcome the desire to fly or have heat beams shoot out of our eyes, but there is likely still something in us that wants to be greater than we are now. The beautiful thing is that this is offered to us by Jesus, not in a super hero way, but in a human way. Christ takes us beyond ourselves into something larger. He exalts our humanity by taking our weakness and using it as an instrument for the sake of others.

As if this even needed to be said, priests are not super heroes. We are men who have been called by God to serve in an exceptional way. There are no super human powers that we possess. There is only Christ and our humanity. If we lack either of these priesthood is not possible.

There is no doubt that we are all called to something greater, something, perhaps, that is even beyond our own capacity. But, with Christ, we are enough. We have everything that we need to excel at being the people whom God has made us to be: not super heroes, but the crown of God's creation, with the full desire of our humanity.

Comment: I am posting this from my parish priest because I think it is well said. I think Fr. Alex makes a really superb statement here about the world and its expectations, and how that bleeds over into a child's sense that he cannot compete and he cannot be that "super hero." I always tell my students that super heroes don't exist, and they don't exist for a very real reason. That reason is that WE are to be those heroes and do what they do without all the so called power. All the power we need is the love given to us by our personhood and the example of love and care given to us by our parents and those who love us. Well said, Fr. Alex!

Wednesday's Wonder

lOVE THIS!

Never Argue with a Woman

One morning, the husband returns the boat to their
lakeside cottage after several hours of fishing
and decides to take a nap.

Although not familiar with the lake,
the wife decides to take the boat out.

She motors out a short distance, anchors,
puts her feet up,
and begins to read her book.

The peace and solitude are magnificent.

Along comes a Fish and Game Warden in his boat.

He pulls up alongside the woman and says,
'Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?'

'Reading a book,' she replies,
(thinking, 'Isn't that obvious?')

'You're in a Restricted Fishing Area,' he informs her.

'I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading.'

'Yes, but I see you have all the equipment.
For all I know you could start at any moment.
I'll have to take you in and write you up.'

'If you do that, I'll have to charge you
with sexual assault,' says the woman.

'But I haven't even touched you,'
says the Game Warden.

'That's true, but you have all the equipment.
For all I know you could start at any moment.'

'Have a nice day ma'am,' and he left.

MORAL:
Never argue with a woman who reads.

It's likely she can also think.

Tuesday's Teacher - Aloe Vera

By Mike Adams Naturalnews.com


The aloe vera miracle: A natural medicine for cancer, cholesterol, diabetes, inflammation, IBS, and other health conditions.

Comment: This has great possibilities!

I'm truly excited to be bringing you this information today about the miraculous healing abilities of aloe vera. First off, in case you don't know, let me emphasize that I don't sell aloe vera products of any kind, I haven't been paid to write this article, and I don't earn any commissions from the sale of any products mentioned here. I am, however, an enthusiastic supporter of natural medicine, and I personally grow and eat aloe vera plants in Tucson, Arizona.

In fact, my yard is an aloe farm, and each day before I make my superfood breakfast smoothie, I walk out to my yard, slice off an aloe vera leaf, thank the plant for granting me its healing medicine, then I fillet the leaf and drop the aloe vera gel into my blender. A few minutes later, I'm enjoying the most impressive medicinal herb that nature has ever created. (Click here to see the new PhotoTour showing step-by-step pictures of how to fillet aloe vera and remove the inner gel.)

When I say aloe vera is the most impressive medicinal herb invented by nature, I don't make that statement lightly. Of all the herbs I've ever studied -- and I've written thousands of articles on nutrition and disease prevention -- aloe vera is the most impressive herb of them all. (Garlic would be a close second.) There is nothing on this planet that offers the amazing variety of healing benefits granted by aloe vera. In a single plant, aloe vera offers potent, natural medicine that:

• Halts the growth of cancer tumors.
• Lowers high cholesterol.
• Repairs "sludge blood" and reverses "sticky blood".
• Boosts the oxygenation of your blood.
• Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain.
• Protects the body from oxidative stress.
• Prevents kidney stones and protects the body from oxalates in coffee and tea.
• Alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits.
• Cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and other digestive disorders.
• Reduces high blood pressure natural, by treating the cause, not just the symptoms.
• Nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glyconutrients.
• Accelerates healing from physical burns and radiation burns.
• Replaces dozens of first aid products, makes bandages and antibacterial sprays obsolete.
• Halts colon cancer, heals the intestines and lubricates the digestive tract.
• Ends constipation.
• Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics.
• Prevents and treats candida infections.
• Protects the kidneys from disease.
• Functions as nature's own "sports drink" for electrolyte balance, making common sports drinks obsolete.
• Boosts cardiovascular performance and physical endurance.
• Speeds recovery from injury or physical exertion.
• Hydrates the skin, accelerates skin repair.

Truly, there is nothing else that compares to the medicinal potential of aloe vera. And yet most people only know about the topical applications of aloe vera gel. They think it's only good for sunburns. In reality, aloe vera is useful for both external and internal use. In this article, I'll discuss both.

Journey with me to the desert

To understand why aloe vera is so important, come with me to the deserts of Arizona. There, you'll find an abundant diversity of plant life featuring impressive adaptations to living in a nearly water-free environment. Some of the trees, for example, have green bark and almost no leaves in order to reduce water loss. Small weeds have incredibly strong tap roots that thrust deep underground to find every last drop of moisture, and succulents have developed water storage techniques that capture water in an internal matrix of unique long-chain polysaccharides.

After a rain in the desert, you can actually watch the succulents swell to 130% their usual size as they take in water. During periods of drought, they slowly shrink back to normal as the excess water locked in their gel matrix is consumed.

It is these succulents we're interested in here, and it's only the inner gel that we're focused on, because this inner gel has medicinal properties you'd be surprised to learn. For starters, there's the fact that all succulents have self-repairing abilities. They don't simply store water in a giant internal "water tank" that leaks out if torn or punctured: Their internal gel repairs any cut or tear by automatically shrinking the wound and creating a new water-tight seal. This gel matrix is comprised of hundreds of different phytochemicals that not only store water and repair injury; they also grant notable medicinal effects to humans who consume them.

Until now, there was only one good way to get aloe vera gel: Grow it yourself. I've done that for years, and when I'm making a smoothie, I often cut a large aloe vera leaf out of my yard, slice off the thick green skin of the leaf, and drop the large gel piece into a blender. You can see how this works in the aloe vera PhotoTour. The piece of aloe vera gel you see in the last picture is what I ate.

The reason I'm writing about aloe vera now is because a company I know here in Arizona called Good Cause Wellness (www.GoodCauseWellness.com) has launched a line of low-temperature dried aloe vera & berry products that you can use as ingredients in any smoothie. It's the next best thing to growing your own fresh aloe vera leaves. It's a high-grade, pesticide-free, highly concentrated aloe vera gel powder (just the gel, not the leaf) available in two mixtures: Aloe Vera + Raspberry Powder and Aloe Vera + Blueberry Powder. This makes aloe vera gel available to everyone, not just those who live in the desert.

You see, until now, I've been a strong proponent of the health benefits of aloe vera, but I had no advice for teaching others how to take the product. The typical aloe vera liquids available in retail are very weak, and some contain almost no aloe vera juice whatsoever. Many are mixed with food thickeners to make them look like a gel, but most have been heated, destroying a significant portion of their healing effects. This new aloe vera gel powder is the best form of aloe vera I've seen yet, and it's in a convenient format that's perfect for using in your own smoothies.

I'll talk more about the products in a different article. Here, I'd like to focus on the substantial health benefits of aloe vera to let you see just why I'm so excited about the medicinal applications of this miracle plant.

Health benefits of aloe vera gel

What I'm about to offer here are my own opinion statements about aloe vera's healing benefits. It's interesting that if I were selling aloe vera myself, I could never make these true statements because the FDA would seize my inventory and shut me down for "selling unapproved drugs." But I'm not in the aloe vera business, I'm in the business of helping people heal, and I will not censor the truth about the healing powers of aloe vera merely to appease a corrupt Food and Drug Administration that continues to censor and oppress information about the healing benefits of natural medicine.

Here's what I know about aloe vera's health benefits:

Aloe vera boosts immune function and destroys cancer tumors
Scientific research shows strong immunomodulatory and antitumour properties for aloe vera polysaccharides. That means the gel helps boosts immune system function while destroying cancer tumors. One study published in International Immunopharmacology (1995) showed that aloe vera polysaccharides exhibited potent macrophage-activating activities including producing increased volumes of nitric oxide (which has antitumor potential).

Click here to read more studies about aloe vera and cancer (Google Scholar).

Personally, I believe that anyone wishing to prevent or cure cancer should seriously investigate aloe vera as part of their recipe for eliminating cancer for life. I wouldn't rely solely on aloe vera, especially since there are dozens of cancer cures that are now well known in naturopathic medicine. Combining the right herbs (like cat's claw), superfoods (like spirulina), advanced therapies (like intravenous vitamin C), oxygen therapy and other modalities will give you the best results when battling any form of cancer. Work with a naturopathic physician to learn more.

Aloe vera halts inflammation
Using aloe topically is well known to ease inflammation of joints, reducing arthritis pain. But aloe can also be used internally, reducing inflammation throughout the body from the inside out. People who drink aloe vera for two weeks typically begin to experience a significant reduction of inflammation symptoms.

For a list of studies and references, click here.

Aloe vera enhances skin health
Aloe is one of the most widely-used ingredients in high-grade skin care products. There's a reason for that: It's great medicine for the skin! Aloe soothes the skin, hydrates it, nourishes it and accelerates the regeneration of new skin tissue. (In fact, simply removing the gel from a living aloe vera leaf and placing the raw gel on your face is far superior to even the most expensive eye cream or skin care product on the market.) And while most people are only familiar with using aloe vera externally, aloe also enhances skin health when used internally. Drink more aloe and your skin glows!

Click here for scientific studies and references.

Aloe vera stabilizes blood sugar in diabetics
Diabetic patients who take aloe vera for 3 months experience a significant drop in fasting blood sugar levels. They also exhibit lower cholesterol levels and slight improvements in total cholesterol. Numerous clinical studies have been published that demonstrate aloe vera's antidiabetic properties.

Diabetics are also likely to benefit strongly from aloe vera's blood enhancements (see below). Since aloe reverses "sludge blood" and boosts circulation to extremities, diabetics suffering from peripheral neuropathy (hands and feet going numb) are likely to benefit strongly from aloe vera supplements.

Click here for more science on aloe vera and diabetes.

Aloe vera lowers cholesterol and triglycerides
When used internally, aloe vera gel improves the quality of the blood and helps rebalance the blood chemistry in a way that lowers cholesterol and total triglycerides (in people with elevated levels). When you consider that blueberries are also powerful cholesterol-lowering medicines, you realize why the Good Cause Wellness Aloe Vera + Blueberry product is such a smart idea: Both ingredients lower high cholesterol! Plus, this is far safer than using statin drugs, which have extremely harmful negative side effects while depleting the body of nutrients such as CoQ10.

My advice to anyone on statin drugs is to strongly consider using high doses of aloe vera + blueberries to safety transition off statin drugs (all under the supervision of a naturopathic physician, of course). Aloe vera won't kill you like statin drugs can, either. Aloe is completely safe to eat like a food. Given the cholesterol benefits of aloe and blueberries, statin drugs are actually obsolete. There are natural alternatives that are far safer, less expensive and more effective. Aloe vera is one of them.

Click here to read more articles on aloe vera and cholesterol.

Aloe vera relieves joint and muscle pain
This effect is directly related to the inflammation factor mentioned above. It works when used both internally and externally. Essentially, aloe reduces overall inflammation. Of course, is you continue eating a pro-inflammatory diet (red meat, milk, sugar, white flour, fried foods etc.) then you'll never get rid of all your inflammation with aloe alone, but aloe can help ease your pain while you transition to a healthier lifestyle that eliminates the inflammation for good!

Aloe vera amplifies the antioxidant effects of vitamins
This is an especially interesting effect of aloe: It makes vitamin C, vitamin E and other antioxidants work better! It actually potentiates antioxidants, probably due to its effect on enhancing blood quality and allowing the blood to more effectively transport oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells. In fact, it is my belief that aloe vera makes everything nutritious work better due to its blood-enhancing effects. If I'm right about that, it means aloe can potentiate anti-cancer herbs, too, helping them more effectively target tumors.

Aloe vera actually contains advanced biochemical technology that the drug companies can only help to understand someday. This technology was built by nature, and it's 100% compatible with the human body. All you have to do to experience this technology for yourself is eat aloe vera gel!

Aloe vera cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and Celiac disease Polysaccharides in the aloe vera plant have curative effects on numerous digestive disorders. The Internet is a storehouse of information and testimonials about aloe vera curing IBS, ulcers, Crohn's disease and other disorders of the digestive tract. This is one of the best-known applications of aloe vera gel.

Taking aloe certainly isn't a magic bullet cure, of course. It won't reverse your disease after drinking one glass of aloe vera gel. It needs to be used regularly. Most people report positive results in 3 - 30 days, depending on the condition.

Aloe vera contains acemannan, a natural immune booster
There's research being done now on the anti-cancer effects of acemannan, a phytonutrient found in aloe vera. In one study, dogs and cats undergoing radiation for cancer were given acemannan as an adjunctive therapy. Not only did the tumors shrink more in the acemannan-treated group, but post-treatment survival was significantly extended. Click here for an abstact on the study.

Google Scholar lists hundreds of links exploring the anti-cancer effects of acemannan. If you browse the studies, you'll realize that acemannan from aloe vera accelerates the destruction of cancer tumors, improves survival time and results in far better recovery from toxic cancer treatments. One study shown here demonstrates that acemannan increases cells' production of nitric oxide (NO), an anti-cancer chemical strongly associated with the shrinking of cancer tumors. Essentially, the more nitric oxide you produce (to a point), the less cancer you have, and acemannan increases the production of nitric oxide. Although this particular research was focused on chickens, the same effect has also been observed in humans.

Throw out your toxic first aid kid: Aloe vera makes everything else obsolete

Aloe vera is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. This fact is well known by not just herbalists around the world, but also by anyone with even a hint of common sense. If aloe vera gel wasn't antibacterial, then any little nick or scrape of the aloe plant would result in the whole thing being eaten up by bacteria. Aloe has to be antibacterial simply to survive in the wild! Otherwise, the moist, nutrient-rich gel would be a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

Aloe vera makes most first aid kits obsolete. You can get rid of all those silly, toxic first aid sprays (antibacteria sprays, lotions, bandages, etc.) and just replace them all with aloe vera. I've been known to pack small chunks of aloe vera gel inside wounds that ultimately healed with zero scarring. As the aloe vera dries, it actually contracts, pulling the wound shut and keeping it completely free of dangerous bacteria. Plus, it provides nourishment to the wound tissue itself. It's also perfect for use on animals, because if they lick the wound, they won't be licking the toxic chemicals found in most first aid products.

Now, I don't mean to imply that aloe vera is a replacement for an emergency room. If you chopped off your finger in a shop accident, you can't just glue it back together with aloe vera gel. Or if your daugher ripped a gash in her leg on a swing set accident, she's probably still going to need stiches, but before you get to the emergency room, aloe vera gel can protect the wound and set the stage for accelerated healing.

Aloe is so useful, in fact, that I take a leaf with me every time I go hiking. It's my portable first aid kit, and when you have aloe, you hardly need anything else. It treats cuts, scrapes, burns, bites, stings, punctures, sprains, sunburns and even bruises. And as a bonus, if you're dying of thirst, you can eat the gel for its water content. An entire multi-billion dollar industry in chemical first aid products and synthetic skin care products is made obsolete by aloe vera. That's why I hope Alan Friedman, the founder of Good Cause Wellness, will soon offer a pure aloe vera gel without any other ingredients. That way, it could be used both as a food supplement AND as a first-aid product.

Aloe vera as a natural food preservative
A thin layer of aloe vera gel can be used as a natural food preservative, eliminating the need for chemical preservatives. Research conducted by Daniel Valero, Ph.D., of the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante, Spain, showed that a thin layer of aloe vera gel was highly effective in preserving foods. For the experiment, they dipped table grapes into an aloe vera gel, then stored them at refrigerator temperatures. Untreated table graped went bad in 7 days, but the grapes dipped in aloe vera stayed fresh and tast for as astonishing 35 days! Click here to read the ScienceDaily article on this.

Because of this remarkable ability, aloe vera gel could revolutionize food safety around the world. Dipping fruits and vegetables in aloe vera gel would eliminate e.coli, preserve freshness, and greatly extend shelf life. So why isn't anybody doing this with aloe? Probably because, once again, aloe vera gel can't be patented. And it's easier and cheaper for food companies to simply add synthetic chemicals to foods than to switch to something safe and natural.

But that doesn't mean you can't do this yourself! Soon, a pure aloe vera gel product (with no added flavors) will likely be made available at Good Cause Wellness (www.GoodCauseWellness.com) . You can simply mix some powder with purified water to make your own gel, then dip fruits and vegetables in the gel yourself. Apples, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, peaches, potatoes, grapes and many other food items can be preserved in this way. And when you're done dipping produce in the gel, you can either drink the gel in a smoothie or put it on your skin as a skin rejuvenation treatment. None of the aloe goes to waste, and your fruits and vegetables will last far longer! (This is especially useful for organic produce, which tends to ripen more quickly.)

Aloe vera extends lifespan
A study on rats showed aloe vera extends lifespan by 10 percent. The abstract on this study, shown here, explains the following:

A summary of results are as follows: Aloe ingestion, both crude and processed, was shown to extend (10%) average life span and slow the mortality rate doubling time. Also, several beneficial effects from aloe ingestion on age-related disease were found: Group 2 and 3 showed a lower incidence of atrial thrombosis than Group 1. Furthermore, Group 2 showed a significantly lower incidence of fatal chronic nephropathy and occurrence of multiple causes of death compared to the control group. All groups ingesting aloe showed a slightly lower incidence of fatal leukemia. Moreover, no adverse, toxic effects were found with the ingestion of aloe vera.

"Nephropathy" simply means kidney disorders, by the way. So this is explaining that aloe vera reduces kidney disease and other causes of death. It also demonstrated a lower rate of leukemia, which is an interesting finding given that so many children today still eat hot dogs laced with cancer-causing sodium nitrite (a chemical added by junk food companies to turn the meat red), and sodium nitrite causes leukemia and brain tumors, among other cancers. You can read more about the dangers of sodium nitrite by clicking here.

Aloe vera ends acid reflux disease
Acid reflux isn't really a disease. The drug companies just call it that to convince everyone that they need to take medications to ease the symptoms. But in reality, all you probably need is aloe vera. Drink aloe vera gel on a regular basis, and your heartburn symptoms will usually vanish within a few days. Of course, it would also help if you'd stop eating fried foods and processed foods.

Aloe vera heals radiation burns from radiation cancer treatments
For those cancer treatment victims who have been maimed by radiotherapy treatments (which don't cure cancer, by the way: the treatments are largely a medical hoax), applying aloe vera topically to the radiation area will rapidly accelerate the healing response. Consuming aloe vera internally will also help heal radiation burns. Of course, it's smarter to avoid radiation in the first place, since the procedure actually causes cancer just like mammograms do.

A complete discussion of the fraud in modern cancer treatments would require another article entirely, but the short version is that the cancer industry has no interest whatsoever in actually curing or preventing cancer and, instead, generates windfall profits through ongoing cancer treatments that only harm or kill patients. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery for cancer are largely medical frauds, and mammography is actually an insidious recruiting system that scares women into unnecessary treatments for cancers they often don't even have. (The rate of false positives is shockingly high, and mammography has been scientifically proven to harm 10 women for every one woman that it helps.)

If you undergo such barbaric procedures, note that using aloe vera (both internally and externally) can greatly improve your results by protecting you from the treatment itself. Of course, modern oncologists are simultaneously so arrogant and ignorant that they will insist you take nothing that might "interfere" with their poisons, which is why people who foolishly believe in modern oncology are rapidly removing themselves from the human gene pool.

You'll find the research on aloe vera and radiation by clicking here. The abstract states:

Radiomodifying effects of the leaf extract of Aloe vera were observed on the testes of Swiss albino mice at 50 and 100 mg/kg dose levels. This extract was non-toxic when injected up to 800 mg/kg, and significant enhancement in survival time of the irradiated group was observed. In addition, treatment reduced radiation-induced damage to germ cells and loss in body weight.

Got that? The key concepts here are "significant enhancement in survival time" (the mice lived longer), and a reduction in radiation-induced damage to germ cells, meaning that the DNA in your sperm remains more intact. That's a good thing unless you really want to have mutant children someday or have an unnatural desire to watch your genitals shrivel and die (another side effect from radiation therapy).

Aloe vera cures gum disease
Want a simple, effective cure for gum disease? It's easy: Just sprinkle some of this aloe vera powder on your toothbrush before brushing. The aloe vera powder actually heals gums and eliminates gum disease.

Merely drinking the aloe also helps heal your gums: Just swish the liquid around your mouth a few times before each swallow. You'll be bathing your gums in healing aloe gel, and they'll begin to heal rapidly. Even severe cases of gum disease can be completely cured in a matter of weeks using aloe vera gel. (By the way, most people with gum disease are also chronically deficient in vitamin D, so if you boost your vitamin D intake while treating your gums with aloe vera gel, your results will be greatly accelerated!)

Aloe vera heals burns, cuts and scrapes
When used externally, aloe is the best wound dressing ever discovered, far exceeding the capability of even the most advanced emergency room wound dressings. It works by simultaneously sealing the wound while attracting an increased flow of blood to the wound, acclerating wound healing. Aloe has been known to heal third-degree burn victims with no scarring and to restore burned skin that would have normally died. Every emergency room in every hospital around the world should have aloe vera on hand, but they'd rather stock chemical medicines than far more effective aloe vera gel from nature (you can't patent aloe vera gel, so there's no profit incentive).

Aloe vera gel is extremely effective in wound care. Large chunks of aloe vera gel can literally be packed inside wounds such as gunshot wounds or tissue tears. Placed directly on or in the wound, it kills bacteria, prevents infection and actually nourishes the traumatized tissues while sealing the wound against outside infection. Nothing beats aloe for emergency trauma medicine. If the U.S. military had any sense, they'd be carrying aloe vera leaves around to treat soldiers suffering from shrapnel wounds and explosion burns.

Aloe vera saves animals and human from severe hemorrhagic shock (blood loss)

Here's a fascinating use of phytonutrients found in aloe vera. I've talked about this in previous articles but never discussed it in detail until now. It turns out that special polymers found in aloe vera gel have the ability to potentiate the oxygen carrying capacity of blood.

What do I mean by that? I mean that aloe vera gel turns sludgy, oxygen-depleted blood into smooth-flowing oxygen-rich blood! It's being used experimentally right now by the U.S. military to save the lives of soldiers who have lost enormous amounts of blood from battlefield injuries. The original research was done on rats (see below) by unethical researchers who kill rats for a living. They bled out the rats, removing up to 3.15mL of blood per 100g of rat body weight (which is a huge amount of blood when you consider the small size of the rats), then tried to resuscitate them by injecting a polymer made from aloe vera. The study showed phenomenal improvements in the resuscitation, blood pressure and survival in the group receiving the aloe vera polymer.

What it means is that the aloe vera made the remaining blood work better. And this was done in rats who, believe it or not, have far healthier diets than the average U.S. consumer. By using aloe vera in humans, the improvement in the "sludge blood" found in most U.S. adults would be nothing less than astonishing. Drug companies, of course, want to isolate some chemical found in aloe vera and turn it into a patentable drug. But that's entirely unnecessary. Just eat aloe vera gel and you get the benefits. Besides, the benefits are not due to one isolated chemical, they're made possible by a symphony of supporting phytonutrients. That's something that all the minds in western pharmaceutical science today still can't understand: the synergy of healing compounds from nature.

Aloe vera gel is one of my own secrets to strong athletic performance. People who know me at the gym call me a "cardio machine." They even gave me a nickname in Capoeira that means "The Machine." Because at age 38, I'm out-performing twenty years olds. One of my secrets is simply that I frequeuntly eat raw aloe vera gel. It makes my blood carry more oxygen to enhance the function of my tissues and organs. That gives me a strong "oxygen advantage" over everyone else, because almost nobody else eats aloe vera (they're too closed minded to even consider the possibility of what it might do for them). So while others are eating poisonous foods and taking toxic drugs, I'm eating nutrient-dense superfoods and taking aloe vera.

The effect is so powerful that I'm fairly certain as soon as professional athletes figure this out, they're going to start doping with aloe vera gel. They'll cycle farther, swim faster and recover more quickly from any physical exercise. Aloe vera gel turns normal blood into super-oxygenated blood. But you have to eat a lot of it. I blend up an entire leaf (a piece of gel about the size of my forearm) in a smoothie and drink that. You can't expect huge benefits from taking tiny nibbles of aloe vera. You have to make it part of your diet. Eat it like food.

Click here for the PubMed abstract on this study.

Reducing stroke and heart attacks

Now, if you know anything about the cause of strokes and heart attacks, you realize that enhancing the quality of the blood will have a significant impact on reducing heart attacks and strokes. To my knowledge, there aren't any strong studies measuring this effect yet, but I have no doubt there will be in time. Eating aloe vera is like adding an all-natural non-stick additive to your blood flow. It stops blood cells from clumping together, which is part of what causes a stroke.

Dark-field microscopy is a technique for viewing live human blood vessels. As with any truly useful technology for preventing disease without drugs and surgery, it's been censored and oppressed by the medical establishment, but what's interesting about dark-field microscopy is that it shows the form and structure of your blood cells. You can actually see how your blood cells are shaped and whether they clump together. Most people's blood cells clump together because they live on a disease-inducing diet of fried foods, homogenized dairy fats, saturated animal fats, hydrogenated oils and other deadly foods. These massive clumps of blood cells slow bloodflow and can ultimately get lodged in the capillaries of the circulatory system, blocking off nutrients and oxygen to tissues and brain cells. Aloe vera, on the other hand, causes sticky blood to become "unsticky blood," making it flow like it should -- one blood cell at a time -- so that oxygen and nutrients can reach every last organ and cell in your body.

The fact that aloe vera can reverse "sludge blood" while allowing the blood to carry more oxygen means that it will quite obviously reduce heart attacks and strokes. In fact, it will also reduce high blood pressure because part of the reason blood pressure is so high in some people is because their blood has turned into a thick, viscious liquid that flows like molasses. Basic physics tells you that a thicker liquid will take more pressure to pump through any system. By reducing the viscosity and making the bood flow in a more frictionless manner, blood pressure is automatically lowered.

There are many other benefits that come from eating aloe vera gel, too, such as increased blood flow to the brain, which might mean a reduction in Alzheimer's progression, improved learning, enhanced memory and better cognitive function. These benefits have yet to be proven in studies, but just because the studies haven't been done doesn't mean the aloe isn't already providing these benefits to those who take it. Since there's no money to be made from studing aloe vera, the science will lag behind reality by several decades. Most of the best healing benefits of herbs remain unstudied because there's no profit motive to fund such studies. So don't expect scientists to be leaping at the opportunity to "prove" that aloe vera has all these health benefits. Just eat it yourself and observe your own health improvements. You get the benefits regardless of whether a journal has published statistics about those benefits.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/021858.html#ixzz1O3whYeaY

Monday's Tattler

Good morning! Short week ahead - no Friday school or Monday (July 4) school. It's summer break.

This week is bridge week, and we will be swimming on Tuesday and going up to the lake at Boonville on Wednesday. It's a great little place for kids. There is also a little country zoo up there. Hoping to stop for ice cream on the way back from the lake.

Just a reminder, if you have not read the handbook, it's not too late. I was re-vamping the handbook last night when I realized all the things that parents forget or don't know are in the handbook.

New handbooks will be out in July.

Big baked ham today for lunch with baked beans, strawberries, bananas and grapes.

Beginning to take in the summer produce now. Please visit our little garden with the kids.

Have a great week.

Sunday's Plate - Question about Water

Question of the Day from World's Healthiest Foods:

Is it ok to drink water in plastic bottles?

We do not recommend water that is packaged in plastic - even the hard polycarbonate plastic that is popular in 5-gallon jugs that can be taken home and used with a water stand. The reason for our recommendation is migration of plastic compounds, including BPA. Even at room temperature, a very small amount of the plastic in the water container will migrate into the water and increase certain health risks. In some cases, the degree of risk here is very, very small (although more and more concern has been given recently to the hormonal impact BPA may have, especially on children). Nevertheless, since we drink (or should be drinking) water every single day of every single year, any amount of risk here seems worth preventing. Even though glass containers are very inconvenient and more easily broken, we believe that the additional trouble here is worthwhile in terms of health.

Saturday's Secret ... Introducing the Koobli

Finally something to address the mess of taking care of young children. This is a backwards smock like apron that has long protective sleeves, is light weight and will cover nearly any work clothes while mom or provider is caring for a child.

koobli™ is a unisex cover-up garment designed to protect your clothing from life’s unpredictable spills and messes. Made from soft, supple, strong 100% micro polyester suede, koobli™ is lightweight and easy to slip on and pull off — use it to cover work outfits, suits, uniforms, gowns, etc. Tough enough for multiple wearings yet disposable when necessary, koobli™'s simple, sensible and functional design makes it a must-have for busy parents and caregivers.

They are available at Toys R Us and many other fine stores. Google them for the nearest place to buy. You can also go on line at www.koobli.com/ to order one.

• What is a koobli™?

koobli™ is an easy-to-wear, unisex garment that protects your clothes from the spills and stains associated with mealtime, playtime and other household chore-related messes. It's simple to put on and fits comfortably over your shirt or blouse, dress or suit.

• Why do I need a koobli™?

If you’ve ever been all ready for work or dressed up for an event or a night out, fed your kids and then noticed a huge stain on your suit from a food item or spit-up, you need a koobli™. If you’ve ruined your nicer casual clothing while playing with your kids, watering plants, feeding animals, putting oil in your car, or cooking and cleaning, you need a koobli™.

• What are the main advantages/benefits of wearing a koobli™?

Wearing this innovative common-sense product will save laundry and dry cleaning costs and allow you to spend more quality, stress-free time with your children. It is a product solely dedicated to protecting clothes from spills, stains, dirt and other messes, and is much more practical than wearing a smock, apron, oversized men's shirt or waiting to get dressed for work or an outing at the very last minute.

• When should I use a koobli™?

Any time there is potential for a mess—and you want to stay clean—use a koobli™. Besides mealtimes with kids, koobli™ can be worn while working on arts & crafts projects, eating in the car, feeding your turtle, cleaning a fish tank, watering plants, cooking….the possibilities are endless!

• How should I clean it?

We suggest the following:

1. Machine wash cold using the Gentle/Delicate cycle
2. Wash with like colors with only non-chlorine bleach
3. Tumble dry low, cool iron

• From what material is the koobli™ made?

Made from non-toxic 100% micro polyester woven suede, the koobli™ is water- and stain-resistant and flame-retardant. It is soft, cozy and extremely comfortable.

• Can I reuse my koobli™?

Absolutely. We designed koobli™ as a reusable garment that can be worn numerous times for a variety of purposes.

• Are there different colors and sizes?

Yes. You can purchase a koobli™ in either blueberry or cherry. There are two Unisex sizes available in each color—small/medium and large/extra large. See FAQs for measurements.

• Where can I buy a koobli™?

Click here for a fast and easy PayPal purchase process. In the near future we will be adding links to a variety of online retailers as well as several retail outlets.

• What is the return policy?

Unopened and unused items in their original packaging may be returned and refunded within 30 days after receipt of the merchandise.

• Where are the koobli™ produced?

koobli™ are made in China at a factory that is subject to strict quality control and high testing standards. koobli™'s are safe and non-toxic.

• What does the word “koobli™” mean?

While the word "koobli™" has no real meaning, there is a real story behind the name. As a child, Erin had a soft and cozy "blankie" that she carried everywhere. Erin's made-up name for her protective piece of fabric was "koobli™," and we thought that using this same name for our soft protective garment made perfect sense.

Friday's Tattler

We had a nice day traveling to see the big cats at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center. It was about a 2.5 hour trip by bus. Kids were great. It was cooler than we thought it would be, and everyone of us could have used a sweater. It was sprinkling when we arrived, but it cleared up rather quickly.

We toured about 100 big animals and asked lots of questions. Because of the weather, the cats were very active and actually charged the fences. We learned a lot about big cats. We especially learned that they are not suitable as house cats!

We ate lunch at a little old park on the top of a hill about two miles from the cats. We were going to stop for ice cream, but it was too late and it was too chilly. But we intend to save that for Wednesday next after going to the big pond at Scales.

Speaking with Sense and Sensibility by Judy Lyden

I'm not a political person. Quite frankly, with the exception of the life issue, I really find politics a lot of hysteria and poor form. But occasionally, I will enter a political discussion just to keep my mind from going tink. Last week, I entered such a discussion and found I was able to hold my own quite easily against a barrage of name calling, false accusations, outrageous claims, excuses and finally that "I know better than you, so I'll just lecture you calling you by name." I laughed out loud. I am rarely moved by poor discussion skills, bullying, and assumptions.

As I plodded along, I remembered three things: ideas backed by facts, kindness first, and statements that are objective and always calm. I thought back to a time when I wanted a very poor teacher fired. She had been particularly unkind to children who were not Caucasian, had a grammar pattern so low there is no comparison, and did not know that Dr. Seuss rhymed. I had been saddled with this stellar young person long enough, and during a discussion with my principal, I remembered those three things: ideas backed by facts, kindness first, and statements that are objective and always calm, and it was enough to send her into a fit of anger that did the job for me. No possible argument was going to get this one fired, so I let kindness do it for me.

As I thought about my recent quasi political discussion and the cheeky young dingbat who was fired, I began to ponder the idea of encouraging children to begin to speak, to answer in class, to respond to a question, to think before blurting in such a manner that the ability to speak publicly and well will stay with them all of their lives. If one begins at three or four to respond out loud, clearly, with the best reason he can muster - every time to the best of his or her ability, it will surely become a habit. That really needs to be the goal of anyone working with very young children.

If teachers can get children to listen and understand, the next step is to use their reasoning to respond. Now it's true that cognition may not allow every child to think properly at three or four or even five or six, but practice makes perfect. It is said that the "age of reason" is age seven years. I have heard children make very intelligent statements far earlier than seven, so it's worth a try.

Here's a conversation with a three year old that happened last week: "Miss Molly, I'm not sure I like you calling me Dill Pickles."

"Well," asked Miss Molly, "What would you like me to call you?"

"Mac and cheese," said the curly headed little cracker jack child of my deepest affections.

"How about just 'Cheese?' asked Miss Molly.

The child grinned with joy. He HAD to have thought this whole thing through, execute it with language skills, and make himself and his desires known in a brief and concise way. He is three.

The problem with most conversations with young children is that they offer one word and then make the adult guess what it is that they want. Complete sentences please. "I want to know what it is and what it is doing." That will make a complete sentence.

That's the form, now this is the idea to be put into form: When they are gathered as a group, the teacher asks a very interesting question that will immediately bring interest to most of the group. Several children will raise their hands to respond. When the responder is chosen, the teacher must help him sort out his thoughts to create a concise and splendid answer in a nice voice and be able to proudly continue with the next question. No one word answers, no ummms, no nose picking, no sucking fifty fingers or turning to the next child-just a nice couple of words that can be formed into a thought. And every question well constructed, and every answer perfected. Lots of talking, lots of thinking, and lots of laughter to keep the interest high.

So one of these days, I will get back to you with how it all worked.

Wednesday's Wonder Continued

More little gems to ponder:

Tuesday's Teacher - Drop in Private Education

Published Online: May 26, 2011

Includes correction(s): May 26, 2011

Report Charts Enrollment Drop in Private Schools

By Sarah D. Sparks

Student enrollment in private, religious schools has taken a sharp dip since the economic downturn, as district and public charter school enrollments continue to climb, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s latest “Condition of Education” report.

Private school enrollment fell from a high of 6.3 million students in the 2001-2002 school year to 5.5 million in 2009-2010, according to figures released this morning by the National Center for Education Statistics, which produces the annual statistical compendium. “It’s been slight declines, and then all of a sudden this year [2009-2010] they lost 500,000 kids,” said Jack Buckley, the NCES commissioner.

Overall, private schools served about 10 percent of the nation’s kindergarten through 12th-grade students in 2009-2010, down from a high of 12 percent in 1996. During the same period, public school enrollment increased by 2.1 million students, to 49.3 million students, from 2001 to 2009.

That dip was driven by enrollment decreases in Catholic parish and diocese schools—they lost 148,000 students that year and 510,000 altogether since 2002—as well as from schools designated by NCES statisticians as conservative Christian schools, which lost 146,000 students, and other religious-affiliated schools, which saw an 11,000-student decline that year.

By contrast, enrollment in independent and nonreligious private schools held steady over the same time period. Nonsectarian schools decreased by only about 67,000, to 1.25 million students, from 2001-02 to 2009-10. Unaffiliated, religious-themed schools actually increased slightly in the same period, from 688,000 to 823,000, though they lost 50,000 students between 2007-08 and 2009-10.

Experts say a perfect storm of broad demographic changes, economic woes, and increasing competition from public charter schools may underlie the decrease.

Patrick F. Bassett, the president of the National Association of Independent Schools, in Washington, said all private schools have taken a hit in the recent economic downturn, but religious schools’ social mission, to serve primarily poor and underserved students, made them uniquely vulnerable.

While private school tuition typically rises 2 to 3 percentage points above inflation each year, schools instead have been simply keeping pace with inflation, Mr. Bassett said. Yet overall, private schools have seen 15 to 20 percent increases in both requests for and awarding of financial aid to students in the last two years.

“We’ve maintained enrollments, but we’ve done that by significantly increasing financial aid—for all schools, in every setting,” Mr. Bassett said. “As long as we still have capacity, it’s the airline empty-seats approach; if you have seats, you discount the tuition.”

Private School Enrollment

The "Condition of Education 2011" finds that the percentage of students enrolling in private schools, while declining since 2011-02, dropped significantly between 2007-08 and 2009-10.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics

In comparison, Catholic and other religious schools have less room to stretch their budgets, he said. The schools are more likely than independent private schools to be located in poor, inner-city neighborhoods, and they have a higher percentage of students already receiving free or reduced-price tuition.

According to the National Catholic Educational Association in Arlington, Va., average tuition at Catholic schools is $3,383 per year for elementary and $8,787 per year for secondary schools, which are considered at the low end of average private school tuition. Moreover, “we very rarely charge parents the total cost of education,” said Karen M. Ristau, NCEA’S president. But, she added, even discounts weren’t always enough as family budgets have started getting tight. “Tuition isn’t going to come to mind when food is more important,” Ms. Ristau said.

Rising Competition

At the same time, rising numbers of public charter schools may be poised to take over the educational niche that religious private schools vacate. The “Condition of Education 2011” report found the number of charter students has skyrocketed from just over 571,000 in 2001-2002 to more than 1.4 million in 2008-2009, the most recent year for which data is available. Nationwide, 57.5 percent of charter elementary schools and 56.4 percent of charter secondary schools operate in urban areas that many religious schools have also traditionally served. There have even been a few struggling parochial schools that chose to convert to charter schools when threatened with closure by the religious organization with which they were affiliated, such as the Hellenic Classical Charter School in Brooklyn, New York, which opened in 2005 on the campus of a former Greek Orthodox school.

A study released in March by the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Columbia University, Teachers College, found that in Michigan, at least, competition from charter elementary schools did tend to “crowd out” nearby Catholic schools and private schools in terms of lowering student enrollment, but enrollment declined in Catholic schools near charters only by 1.19 percent each year.

Ms. Ristau said she is unsurprised at the rising popularity of charter schools, but said she believes declines in private school enrollment trace to broader student demographic shifts. The NCES report projects that by the 2020-21 school year, much of the West will see 5 percent to 20 percent increases in student enrollment, with states like Nevada, Arizona, and Texas showing greater-than 20 percent rises, while New England and the Midwest, where many Catholic schools have historically been located, will see low growth or even decreases in students.

NCEA internal studies found that this year, Catholic school enrollment declines are starting to level off, Ms. Ristau said, in part because Catholic schools are starting to open up in some of those regions with rising student populations.

“We don’t want to turn away parents and we are devoted to staying in the inner cities where we can,” she said. Parishes are merging or closing many schools on the East Coast and along the Rust Belt, but opening 143 new schools, particularly in the South and West, “where people are moving and we see more people with an interest in Catholic education.”

That makes sense, Mr. Buckley said. “If you look back to the [data] by regions, it’s in the South and West that you see growth in kids, period,” Mr. Buckley said. “If I were locating a school, I’d be moving out of these areas and going to where the kids are. It seems reasonable.”

He also noted that private school enrollment declines seem to be larger at the elementary and middle level. “You see people taking their kids out of elementary and middle school but then leaving the kids in private schools for high school,” Mr. Buckley said. “If you want to budget your kids’ private school money, parents might be looking to college and focusing on [private] high school, but that’s speculation on my part; there’s nothing directly in the data on that.”

Private Colleges in Focus

Private education in general was a bigger focus of the federal report this year, as NCES analysts also produced a special study of student enrollment and progress in private for-profit colleges.

Researchers found undergraduate enrollment in higher education increased by 4.4 million students from 2000 to 2009, including a big spike in enrollment at for-profit degree programs, which represented 27 percent of the increase, or 1.2 million students.

For-profit private schools have had the fastest growth in awarding degrees at all education levels, from associate to master’s degrees. Yet when it comes to student graduation rates, “an interesting split” emerges, according to Mr. Buckley. For four-year degree programs, private nonprofit colleges have the highest graduation rate—65 percent, compared to 55 percent for public colleges and only 22 percent for for-profit private schools.

Yet when it comes to two-year programs, the situation is reversed: For-profit colleges graduate 58 percent of students in two-year degree programs, well above the 48 percent at nonprofit private colleges and 21 percent at public colleges.

“Most people would guess the first part, but not the second,” Mr. Buckley said.

Monday's Tattler

This week we will be talking about big cats, swimming on Tuesday and Wednesday, and going to the Feline Refuge in Brazil, Indiana. It's about a two hour bus ride.

This week parents will need to fill out some new paperwork for the USDACCF Program.

We will be doing a "Chicken" drive for the big cats. If you have it in your heart, please bring a dead chicken to school and let your child put it in the big freezer in the kitchen. Turkeys and other game birds are also welcomed. This is very greatly appreciated by our hosts. You can find the website by clicking HERE.

We will leave school about 9:00 a.m. and return by 4:30.

Please remember to sun screen your children every morning.

Looking forward to the week!

Sunday's Plate - Flaxmilk

Here is some information Flaxmilk, a brand new non-dairy product that has the health benefits of Flax and as much calcium as cow's milk.
It's great for kids -- especially those that are sensitive to dairy.

INTRODUCING FLAXMILK --
THE FIRST ALL NATURAL NON DAIRY MILK PRODUCT MADE FROM FLAX OIL

--Nutrition Breakthrough Lets Health Conscious Consumers
Drink In the Benefits of Omega 3s --

Goodrich, North Dakota – A truly innovative product in the field of nutrition, brand new Flaxmilk is the first and only all-natural, dairy-free milk product made from cold-pressed flax oil. Several scientific studies have found evidence that ingesting flax on a daily basis may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Flaxmilk is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids known for their heart-healthy benefits. A daily glass of Flaxmilk is a simple and delicious way to help prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer. The perfect companion to whole grain cereal or as a dairy-free substitute in recipes, one eight ounce serving of Flaxmilk is only 50 calories and provides as much calcium as cow’s milk with zero cholesterol and zero trans fat. In addition, Flaxmilk is completely plant-based and enriched with Vitamins A, D, and B12.

A study published in the 2006 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology stated that sources of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids including flaxseed and flaxseed oil had remarkable cardioprotective effects and consumption of these food sources should be increased in the diet to decrease cardiovascular disease risk significantly.

What’s more, according to Eco Chef and cookbook author Bryan Au, “Flaxmilk is not only as good tasting as it is good for you, but is great for making smoothies, desserts, puddings, ice creams, and sauces for those who wish to eat a gluten-free, lactose free, raw or vegan diet.”

Flaxmilk is made by Flax USA, Inc., a company operated by the Stober family, who are fifth generation farmers in North Dakota. Flax USA was founded in 2001 to market Golden Omega Flax Seed, a non GMO flax seed that is 100% natural and grown on the Stobers’ 1600 acre farm. To insure the highest quality in making Flaxmilk, only the best flax seed is used.

“I started Flax USA to make it easier and tastier for consumers to add flax to their daily diets and reap the multitude of health benefits,” says Stephanie Stober, president and owner of Flax USA. “In addition to the full line of omega 3 flax products that we market, including flax seed, flax oil and pet food, we were excited to be the first to produce 100% natural Flaxmilk so that all consumers, adults and children, could enjoy a lactose-free, dairy free, soy-free, gluten-free milk product derived from flax.”

Flaxmilk comes in original and vanilla flavors and is sold in ½ gallon containers at Wal-Mart stores across the country for $2.98. For more information on Flaxmilk, visit www.flaxusa.com.

Saturday's Alexander

Here's a great book by Jennifer Fosberry with pictures by Mike Litwin. It's a fantastic book, quite frankly, because it presents a possibility for great teachable moments.

The little boy keeps telling his dad that he is any number of wonderful heroes. These heroes present all kinds of teaching possibilities for the modern classroom. They present homework, independent study, and a lot of fun for the class.

I plan to use this book this summer with my fifty little kids and budding readers. Hopefully, the children will like what they find when they investigate people like Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Edison, and Chief Joseph. There are lots more.

It's a book every home needs. It's available through Amazon.

Friday's Tattler

We had a great time! Pictures to follow this week. Kids were well behaved for the most part. Trip was long...

Thursday's Thought

Terry sent this to me. I agree wholeheartedly. Life is not about self but about others. Read on.

Over the past few weeks, America’s colleges have sent another class of graduates off into the world. These graduates possess something of inestimable value. Nearly every sensible middle-aged person would give away all their money to be able to go back to age 22 and begin adulthood anew.

Josh Haner/The New York Times

David Brooks

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But, especially this year, one is conscious of the many ways in which this year’s graduating class has been ill served by their elders. They enter a bad job market, the hangover from decades of excessive borrowing. They inherit a ruinous federal debt.

More important, their lives have been perversely structured. This year’s graduates are members of the most supervised generation in American history. Through their childhoods and teenage years, they have been monitored, tutored, coached and honed to an unprecedented degree.

Yet upon graduation they will enter a world that is unprecedentedly wide open and unstructured. Most of them will not quickly get married, buy a home and have kids, as previous generations did. Instead, they will confront amazingly diverse job markets, social landscapes and lifestyle niches. Most will spend a decade wandering from job to job and clique to clique, searching for a role.

No one would design a system of extreme supervision to prepare people for a decade of extreme openness. But this is exactly what has emerged in modern America. College students are raised in an environment that demands one set of navigational skills, and they are then cast out into a different environment requiring a different set of skills, which they have to figure out on their own.

Worst of all, they are sent off into this world with the whole baby-boomer theology ringing in their ears. If you sample some of the commencement addresses being broadcast on C-Span these days, you see that many graduates are told to: Follow your passion, chart your own course, march to the beat of your own drummer, follow your dreams and find yourself. This is the litany of expressive individualism, which is still the dominant note in American culture.

But, of course, this mantra misleads on nearly every front.

College grads are often sent out into the world amid rapturous talk of limitless possibilities. But this talk is of no help to the central business of adulthood, finding serious things to tie yourself down to. The successful young adult is beginning to make sacred commitments — to a spouse, a community and calling — yet mostly hears about freedom and autonomy.

Today’s graduates are also told to find their passion and then pursue their dreams. The implication is that they should find themselves first and then go off and live their quest. But, of course, very few people at age 22 or 24 can take an inward journey and come out having discovered a developed self.

Most successful young people don’t look inside and then plan a life. They look outside and find a problem, which summons their life. A relative suffers from Alzheimer’s and a young woman feels called to help cure that disease. A young man works under a miserable boss and must develop management skills so his department can function. Another young woman finds herself confronted by an opportunity she never thought of in a job category she never imagined. This wasn’t in her plans, but this is where she can make her contribution.

Most people don’t form a self and then lead a life. They are called by a problem, and the self is constructed gradually by their calling.

The graduates are also told to pursue happiness and joy. But, of course, when you read a biography of someone you admire, it’s rarely the things that made them happy that compel your admiration. It’s the things they did to court unhappiness — the things they did that were arduous and miserable, which sometimes cost them friends and aroused hatred. It’s excellence, not happiness, that we admire most.

Finally, graduates are told to be independent-minded and to express their inner spirit. But, of course, doing your job well often means suppressing yourself. As Atul Gawande mentioned during his countercultural address last week at Harvard Medical School, being a good doctor often means being part of a team, following the rules of an institution, going down a regimented checklist.

Today’s grads enter a cultural climate that preaches the self as the center of a life. But, of course, as they age, they’ll discover that the tasks of a life are at the center. Fulfillment is a byproduct of how people engage their tasks, and can’t be pursued directly. Most of us are egotistical and most are self-concerned most of the time, but it’s nonetheless true that life comes to a point only in those moments when the self dissolves into some task. The purpose in life is not to find yourself. It’s to lose yourself.