THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY – Chapter 5 (Day 5, Tuesday)
We awoke at Puerto Ayora on the south coast of Santa Cruz, and spent an unforgettable morning at Charles Darwin Research Center, followed by an afternoon in the highlands at an eco-tourism ranch full of tortoises and other wildlife.
For the whole album, with higher resolution photos and videos, click here.
An accidental metaphor ...
The fish market in Puerto Ayora - complete with pelicans and sea lions.
Scenes from the Charles Darwin Research Station:
In memory of Lonesome George ...
Averting extinction
Signs and displays and baby tortoise cribs ...
Scenes from Puerto Ayora
Why did the tortoise cross the road?
Visiting Rancho El Manzanillo
Notice the Darwin's finch riding on his back ...
Scenes from Puerto Ayora
A pelican from both sides now ...
Urban sea turtle at downtown dock ...
After dinner ... my computer repaired ... ahhh.
For more about my book, The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey, click here: https://fortresspress.com/thegalapagosislandsaspiritualjourney
For UK readers, the title is God Unbound: Theology in the Wild - available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1786222019
You'll find my photographs for each day here:
DAY 1: brianmclaren.net/galapagos1
DAY 2: brianmclaren.net/galapagos2
DAY 3: brianmclaren.net/galapagos3
DAY 4: brianmclaren.net/galapagos4
DAY 5: brianmclaren.net/galapagos5
DAY 6: brianmclaren.net/galapagos6
DAY 7: brianmclaren.net/galapagos7
DAY 8: brianmclaren.net/galapagos8
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THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY – CHAPTER 10. Ichtheology
For higher resolution photos, click here.
A black tip shark and spotted eagle ray from our last day in the Galapagos Islands ...
Cutthroat trout fro Wyoming ...
Trout live in the best neighborhoods ...
Redfish from Florida, where I live ...
Juvenile tarpon in the Everglades
Fishing buddies at Ring Lake Ranch, WY
For more about my book, The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey, click here: https://fortresspress.com/thegalapagosislandsaspiritualjourney
For UK readers, the title is God Unbound: Theology in the Wild – available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1786222019
You’ll find my photographs for each day here:
DAY 1: brianmclaren.net/galapagos1
DAY 2: brianmclaren.net/galapagos2
DAY 3: brianmclaren.net/galapagos3
DAY 4: brianmclaren.net/galapagos4
DAY 5: brianmclaren.net/galapagos5
DAY 6: brianmclaren.net/galapagos6
DAY 7: brianmclaren.net/galapagos7
DAY 8: brianmclaren.net/galapagos8
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THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY – Chapter 6 (Day 6, Wednesday)
We awoke on the south coast of Isabela and spent the morning snorkeling in a beautiful mangrove-lined bay. Then we visited the Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center where several rare tortoise varieties are being preserved. We ended the day enjoying the charming town of Puerto Villamil.
For the whole album of Day 6, including videos and higher resolution photos, click here.
Morning near Puerto Villamil.
This is my bench, thank you very much ...
White lichen ... black lava rocks.
Lava gull scavenging sea lion vomit, yellow warbler as a sea bird ...
Marine iguana studies ...
Transport inland ... an evolutionary transitional species between a tractor and a bus.
Flamingos ...
Tortoise breeding center
Tortoises rescued from volcanic eruption
Tortoise cribs
Chillin' in the pool
Stilt AKA Italian gentleman
Not a sign you see everywhere ...
The Catholic church in Puerto Villamil ...
Search on "Catholic Church Puerto Villamil" for more photographs of the church.
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The Six Commitments of Common Good Communication
My colleagues at Vote Common Good and I have drafted The Six Commitments of Common Good Communication to help people have needed conversations in a constructive way.
You can make your commitments public here:
The Six Commitments of Common Good Communication
We expressed these commitments in terms of values because we believe we will only learn to communicate deeply and honestly if we speak from the heart, not just the head, from level of values, not just opinions or arguments.
THE SIX COMMITMENTS OF COMMON GOOD COMMUNICATION
I am committed to the six values of Common Good Communication:
EXAMPLE
CURIOSITY
CLARITY
DECENCY
FAIRNESS
PERSISTENCE.
1. EXAMPLE: I will demonstrate integrity and lead by example in my communication, in public and in private. When I fall short, I’ll admit it, apologize, and reaffirm my commitment to lead by example.
2. CURIOSITY: I will show uncommon curiosity by asking honest questions, staying open to new information, seeking to understand others as I would want to be understood, and listening with empathy.
3. CLARITY: I won’t hold back, speak half truths, be intentionally vague, or attempt to deceive. I will self-report my feelings and my underlying values whenever possible.
4. DECENCY: I will strive to show genuine courtesy toward everyone, especially when we disagree. I will not mock, call names, or dehumanize any person or group. I will establish and uphold ground rules for respectful conversation whenever possible.
5. FAIRNESS: I will practice basic fairness in these five ways:
- I won't compare my side’s best with the other side’s worst.
- I will not assume the worst motives in my opponents.
- I will acknowledge the upsides and downsides of all positions.
- I will praise my counterparts when they deserve it, and challenge my allies when they deserve it.
- I will notice who isn’t at the table, and I will do my part to be sure they are included and heard.
6. PERSISTENCE: I expect this work to be hard and I know we will make mistakes. I will stay in the room with difference, be resilient after failure, never giving up and always seeking the common good.
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Here’s how you can make use of these guidelines in an informal conversation among friends and family:
1. Read the commitments out loud and ask for a verbal commitment to them.
2. Allow any member of the conversation to call a “time out” to express concern that one of the commitments is not being upheld.
3. The person or people in question can apologize or simply recommit to the guideline going forward.
4. At the end of the conversation, you can evaluate how the process went, review what you learned, and celebrate what went right.
In a more formal setting, a moderator could take the role of reading the commitments, calling time outs when necessary, inviting participants to comment on their experience of upholding the commitments, and then thanking the participants for doing so.
In online conversations, the site host can serve as moderator, linking to the commitments (Vote Common Good), and inviting participants to remind one another of the commitments as necessary.
It’s going to take time, time and a lot of hard work, to help more and more people learn to communicate across difference. But the alternative is to let ourselves descend into conflict, division, hatred, and violence. So the hard work will be worth it, and we’ll become more mature individuals and communities in the process.
[Special thanks to Rachel McLaren (University of Iowa), Christy Berghoef and Katie Paris (of Vote Common Good), David Kim (of Love-Driven Politics Collective), and Jim Henderson (of The Three Practices) for their direct and indirect help with this document.]
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THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY – Chapter 2 (Day 2, Saturday)
After a night voyage, we awoke on the northwest coast of Isabela at Vicente Roca where we saw mola mola, snorkeled, and observed unique Galapagos wildlife below and above the sea. Then we went to Fernandina for a trip highlight for me.
You'll find the complete album from Day 2 here.
Here are the Vicente Rocks:
Getting ready to drop backwards into the water
Sally Lightfoot crab:
Walking on volcanic rocks
A marine iguana basking ... and unafraid of humans.
Billy telling us about iguana city:
Where do the iguanas end and the lava rocks begin?
Hanging out on the beach with my reptilian cousins
A galapagos hawk drops in for lunch (and misses it)
Lava lizard on ... lava.
Flightless cormorant on nest
Texture of driftwood on black volcanic sand
Baby marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs
For more about my book, The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey, click here: https://fortresspress.com/thegalapagosislandsaspiritualjourney
For UK readers, the title is God Unbound: Theology in the Wild - available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1786222019
You'll find my photographs for each day here:
DAY 1: brianmclaren.net/galapagos1
DAY 2: brianmclaren.net/galapagos2
DAY 3: brianmclaren.net/galapagos3
DAY 4: brianmclaren.net/galapagos4
DAY 5: brianmclaren.net/galapagos5
DAY 6: brianmclaren.net/galapagos6
DAY 7: brianmclaren.net/galapagos7
DAY 8: brianmclaren.net/galapagos8
0 Comments2 Minutes