It is said that during Jesus' absence, where no texts explain where He was, He visited India. That’s where He learned Divine wisdom. He may have learned about the Buddha who ordered the world in 10 levels, of which Buddha-hood is the tenth and highest, divided in 6 lower worlds and 4 noble worlds, which are from the bottom up:

1. Hell

2. Hunger

3. Animality

4. Anger

5. Humanity also called Tranquility

6. Heaven, Rapture, which is the last of the lower worlds. Then come the noble worlds:

7. Learning

8. Realization (of what is learned)

9. Buddhisatva ( almost, or the path to Enlightenement), and the last, the highest state or world; Buddhahood; just like how Jesus was on many Occasions. And it is clear that only learning can start this liberation. Towards a peaceful 2002 I wish our island, with many liberated minds, celebrating life. I wish the clowns and the conmen, the tricksters and the thieves, the stubborn and the lame, the sleepers and the dreamers, the healers and the hunters, the rough riders and the tender gliders all a fantastic year, full of action towards the inner depth of the self.  With cultivation, with uplifting, lightening thoughts maybe we get enough people who think positive, and the roses will have no thorns, and nobody will pull the plug from the island so that it will not sink to the bottom of the sea.

The following story relates to the final solution for our problem with aliens, undesirables, unwanted foreigners and illegal’s: for 2001, follow the advice of an old gardener:

A certain person decided to start a flower garden. He prepared the soil and planted the seeds of many beautiful flowers. But when they came up his garden was not filled just with his chosen flowers, but also overrun with dandelions. He sought out advice from gardeners all over and tried every method known to get rid of them, but to no avail. Finally he walked all the way to the capital of the country to speak to the royal gardener of the King's palace. This wise old man had counseled many gardeners before and suggested a variety of remedies to expel the dandelions, but our person had tried them all. They sat together in silence for some time and finally the gardener looked at our person and said: "Well, then I suggest you learn to love them."

My women and girl friends love me already many years. They also know about each other. I take care of them as good as I can, and I am faithful to them. I am as honest as a judge, I never lie to them. I like you to tell me what you mean with those baser feelings you talk about, when you think a man doesn't understand what love between one man and one woman really means. Our love goes to the core, to the deepest point of our souls, we merge into one, we have known each other for many lifetimes and we know our love is forever. But our love is not restricted to one person only. That is not natural, dictated by dogmas, churches, laws and is nowhere in biological evolutionary natural life to be found. Of all animal species there are only two or three rare cases which are singled out by the advocates of marriage, who have singular unions, the other thousands have not. If two people voluntarily rest together all their lives, blessed are they, if they have enough love, tender care and attention for others as well, who are you to judge that or find them less than the two who are only restricted to each another? Jesus is my guide and His love was without restrictions, total and all encompassing. And baser feelings, what are they else than cuddling, holding each other, reaffirming the comfort of togetherness, making of a baby, bringing more love into the world? Today with AIDS protection and safety are first important, perhaps it doesn't lead to pregnancy, but apart from that, the physical part of loving is in no way any baser than a conversation, watching tv together or having a walk along the beach, dressing the kids, or what? If you think sex is no good, than how did you come into this world?? And what love does a woman deserve other than the love she gives? Love is a two way lane, and knows not possessiveness.

Here follow a few thoughts on the present madness in the world. Last Sunday the BBC reported that the USA secretary of state declares that Osama Bin Laden is running out of places to hide. Which I find most unlikely. As every army has physicians with it, OBL surely knows the same as the FBI who practices something called: witness protection program. Those criminals who betray their former buddies get a new face by plastic surgery, another name and nobody will ever find them again. Why should OBL not have done the same? It takes only a few weeks to grow a new beard over scars that a good surgeon can make almost invisible. It would not surprise me if OBL will never be found. Next is what I ask the good secretary; did he never hear the saying: “You can kill the man, but you can't kill his ideas”.

Even if ever the evil OBL is found and killed, would that stop terrorism? It is naive to think so, a five year old's level of thinking. The only way to stop terrorism is to share the wealth and luxuries of the rich countries with the poor ragamuffins who now hold a grudge too strong to fight with bombs and bullets. Shower them with TV's, cellphones, fridges, cars and other luxuries. That may turn their attention away from stingers, kalasnikofs and land mines. From the time of Alexander the Great, the travels of Marco Polo, the Russians and English, no nation has ever succeeded in submitting   Afghanistan. It may have its origin in the way the men treat their women. Without any love or respect they perhaps rape their woman folks instead  of making what we call love. The offspring of such union with violence may itself be violent and without any knowledge of love, resulting in soldiers, fighters, bandits, in fact terrorists. If the present powers succeed in forming a new government in Afghanistan, I think it paramount to make sure the women get protection, more say in ruling the place and guarantees against bad treatment. In a few generations we may then have brought peace to that part of the world. Remains the other pockets of discontent    where one needs to  upgrade living standards, until poverty is gone and terrorism will be faded out of fashion.

The helicopter is a nuisance. People asked me to write what follows here. There is anger under the population about the flying thing. One lady who has made herself a private sunbathing spot and walled in her poolside was angered by the helicopter hanging right over her looking at her as she covered her modesty. She feels her privacy infringed upon. The children from St. Peters school got the scare of their life on Monday when the helicopter hang for one whole hour over their school and came so low that they had to run away from the blast.

Another man told me that he feels that he cannot park his car, which is one of a kind, behind the place of his secret lover no more. Other guys told me that they do not want their car to be seen parked at certain clubs. Another said it was OK with him, when he wants to shoot his neighbors' dog, he will do it when the noise maker comes, and nobody will hear the shot. Again another, this one a professional pilot himself, tells me that the eye in the sky costs 500 dollar per hour. It is 5 hours in operation per day. And every 100 hours it needs servicing at considerable cost as well. The young inexperienced pilots, perverts as the lady from the beginning of the story can confirm, are just making hours to build up the amount they need for a commercial license.

The economist in the group sees no other explanation than that the police must have sold confiscated drugs in order to pay 2500 dollars per day for this thing. The tourist gets the impression that more crime happens here than in Miami were there are no helicopters sweeping Overhead all day. He was saying that this was the last time he came this way o In plain English: the thing is very bad for tourism. And when it hangs in a valley, the sound reverberates double loud and keeps those who need their siesta from sleeping. These were the things I overheard lately from just a few people.

I myself say that the helicopter can be useful in case a car chase is in progress. And if rentals have their numbers painted on the roof in big letters, stolen cars can be found back from the sky. For the rest that flying eye should stay out of the beautiful Sint Maarten sky. What good has it done so far? Nothing anybody could think of. On behalf of the people that I heard, I ask the head of police Mr. Richards to explain the benefit against the damage the helicopter does. And have it grounded until it can be of help.

Tell me which way to go. I have in my life met a number of young women who went into a relationship with me. I always thought them freedom, independent, and equality. They used to be shy, withdrawn, submissive and sweet. In a couple of years they became bold, outgoing and dominating. With the result that they went their own way, took their own apartment, take men only for the pleasure of the money and a short time of physical relief for the sexual urge. Now I am all alone and as I’m growing older, the women have less or no interest in me. How stupid I was, to teach them girls to be free like me, or what do you say. How do I get a woman now that I get older? I’m always in love with them, their differences attract me so much, only together do I experience life fully, and with a female I feel that God exists. Alone I feel inadequate and useless, as if God has no more interest in me.

On the night of 24 September I got robbed in my own house by two masked men, armed with a gun and a machete around midnight. Bound hand and feet, after they left, I could free my feet later and get to the neighbors who freed my hands and called the police, who came, but not immediately, 40 minutes later. There is no distance on this island greater than 20 minutes. However, the two officers saw the mess the gangsters left behind and the next day I filed a report. Although i knew and gave to tne Detectives the name of the female accomplice who was scheduled to fly out of the country 2 days later, she was not stopped for interrogation. On the night of 20 October a car, Daihatsu Feroza (6146 ZA 971) pulled up behind my house at 11pm and when I went out to see, it turned and sped away. I followed with the car of Linda which I used that day. It went dangerously fast, overtaking every car in front, and I only got close at the Texaco gas station where I saw the two occupants. One with a slight moustache, both light brown complexion both under thirty years of age. On the front window of the car was the word "DEATHROW ' in huge letters. That same night at 12:30 that car came up my drive again. I then called the police who would send a patrol car to investigate. The Feroza left as soon as I had put on lights in order to use the telephone. This Sunday morning at 4:30 the same Feroza drove up my road again, and parked a small distance away. I saw it put its lights off standing there. I called 542 2222. No one picked up the phone at the police station. I tried 911. No one answered that number. I tried 5 times both numbers, while the Feroza stood there menacing, waiting. I put as little light as possible. Then I called 5426001 the fire department. Someone answered the phone at once. I explained the situation. The fireman said he would run over to the police station in order to find out why they did not answer. That made me wait in Lear. I called the ambulance department on 542 2211. Mr. Hamilton answered the phone at once. After explainingthe situation he raised the police station on his wireless, the communication system amongst the emergency services. After he spoke to the police he told me to call 911 again. And yes, I then got a policeman on the line. By then the Feroza car slowly drove down my road.

The Occupants had seen me put on the lights and knew I was awake. The police man told me that he was all alone, no patrol car was on the road, two colleges had reported sick, there was nobody to help. It was a night for gangsters, police is simply not here. I then asked if I could get permission to have a gun; I must be able to defend myself. It is not allowed for a citizen to own a gun, however, in a case like mine, it is better to be alive in jail for shooting a gangster than to be dead and robbed by the same. I ask our head of police governor Richards to beef up his force. As it is now it is a gangster’s paradise.

The title is from the first story that Simmel ever wrote. It is a heartwarming story that brings honor to those good people that manage to make a park from a garbage heap. It is easy to destroy, to pollute, to litter. But to restore, to cultivate and to create is another story. The few people that plant seeds, that water seedlings and protect young bushes with supports and tender care, they are the ones that I play the fanfare for. To garden makes one a better person  There where now is bare earth, brown grass and dull green grub can be colorful flowers and fruitrees, pumpkin and lemon grass.

Respect to the man who bends down and touches the earth and makes the plants grow. The bananas the palm trees, they only need a kind word in passing, and they will give of their fruits indiscrimatory to whoever is hungry. Let the plant world be our guide in living our  life. See the tree, it does not go anywhere but with its roots goes down to find water and with its head goes up to find the heavens. It does not get angry when something goes wrong , it waits patiently. All it wants to do is give. To grow its fruits and give. The tree dances in the wind or stands quietly awaiting the rain. And all it wants to do is give. The plantworld is the source of food for all others. All animals that eat other animals eat plants. How strong is the bull, from eating grass., how swift the antelopes that eats but grass. Be like a plant, powerful and patient, and the agony of the ratrace will disappear from you. The plantworld is not the lowest on the scale of evolution, it is the highest. Exactly because it does not fight, it does not destroy; it is the highest form of development. It was first in its most simple and primitive form, from wich all the other life forms developed. Is it then not the most high? To be that from which all else comes?

Without it no animal or human would ever have come on this planet. So, hail to people that care for plants, that plant them where ever they can. If politicians and penpushers and those that race around all day would give a little more attention to the plants,oh how wonderfull would Sint Maarten be. To make this place green and colorful is possible. Carefull water management, not much else is required. Think: does not most if not all medicine comes from the plantworld? All food, direct or indirect? And if you cannot paint or sculpt, or sing or create anything or if you are a servant, you can always plant a seed, plant a tree that will be still there when you yourself is long gone. To do something for your country, for those that come after you, plant a tree. Remember the ancient Chinese saying: If you want to be happy for a day, roast a pig, if you want to be happy for a week, get new clothes, if you want to be happy for a year, get a new lover, if you want to be happy for the rest of your life, start a garden.