The Worm's World

Bio

2012-02-16T16:09:00.001-08:00

Paul Beaulieu is an officer with American Mensa, where he serves the Greater Phoenix group in coordinating their membership. Additionally, he dedicates time as a passionate advocate for the health of gifted children and adults. Paul's voracious curiosity about the nature of all things drives his diverse interests in Biology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics, Behavioral Economics, Language and more. His resulting multifarious perspectives are evidenced though both poetry and philosophy. He enjoys exploring life and the world with his wife and four daughters, hearing the stories of other people’s experiences, and writing about his own.

2012-02-12T07:34:00.001-08:00

I would like to think that I was actually able to create a shared experience in the mind. I wish it was within my power to do so. But I wonder. When I look at others it seems that they can have that type of connection, that union of selves that takes them from being strangers to being known by one another.

When I hear them speak, I can see their hearts, their experiences and I feel that I can understand. I ask them questions to confirm that understanding and they usually say, “Yes! That is exactly what I am thinking/feeling/saying.” But when I tell them of my life, my experiences, my thoughts, they look at me in such a way as to let me know that, in some core way, I am a stranger. I believe that they think they are being kind and edifying me by saying how far above themselves they feel I am and that I have “a lot to offer” (I actually heard this twice this week). However, their types of complements only serve to illustrate the distance. “You live on the mountain top.” “Things are so beautiful where you live.” “You see things so differently that I do. I wish I could do that.” They often speak as if I were some sort of god; I do not want to be a god! I want to have a shared life.

An abridged story:
When I was 18 years old I decided to make a motorcycle trip from Phoenix to Washington in the month of March. I was ill prepared for the weather but I managed to make my way up Joseph City, Utah where I stayed the night, and then pushed on through the rain to Boise, Idaho the next morning. In Boise it began to snow. The flakes were the size of silver dollars! I had never seen such a thing and I knew that my motorcycle journey had ended. So I rented a 20’U-Haul (the smallest truck they had) and loaded the bike in the back. I drove south. The snow kept coming down and 1’ long horizontal icicles formed on my side mirrors. I was dazzled. I was alone. I slept in the truck that night and then pushed on through the now 2’ of snow that covered the ground. Around 9 in the morning I stopped the truck and stepped out. My senses were instantly intoxicated with what I was seeing. I was in a flat area somewhere in Utah and the snow covered everything on the ground. There was no snow falling, just a gentle, yet biting breeze and a completely grey sky, covered smooth with high clouds. The snow and the clouds were the same color, there was no horizon, there was no up or down, closeness or farness, here or there. It was incredible! And I was alone. I thought to myself, “No matter how well I can explain this in words, no one will ever be able to share this experience with me.” I realized that I wanted to share those experiences with someone.

I thought that having someone with me on those journeys would facilitate that sharing, so I invited others along. But I learned that they could be standing right next to me, having the same tangible experience, and not be able to share the moment.

*

There was a dove sitting on my chimney this morning. As I sat near the fireplace writing this, she shared her song with me. I wonder if she knew I could hear it. I wonder where she is now.

2012-02-10T12:42:00.001-08:00

Have you ever been on the open ocean at night, looked over the side of the ship and seen the nebulous apparitions of bioluminescence beneath the otherwise black waves? It was during the voyage from Seattle to Naknek, Alaska that I first beheld this wonder. I would go out every night and watch the soft green glow appear and then disappear in the wake. This visitation with the ocean spirits continued until we reached a land where there was only day and twilight. From then on, the overbearing nature of the sun forced the ghosts back into the shadows of the sea.

On a late night fourteen years later, and three months ago, I was on a plane flying from Ft. Worth to Laredo. The cramped quarters and heavy drone of the engines kept chasing sleep away from my eyes. So they peered out the window across a sea of billowy clouds which was unbroken from horizon to horizon. Beneath those clouds there must have been towns or cities scattered across the immense country, for I could see the ghostly glow of light which was laboring to push itself through the floating mazes of prisms and mirrors.

Somewhere deep within me, the soft glow of memory brought that beautiful sea nymph to the surface of my mind once again. We caught each other’s gaze and exchanged that tender, knowing smile that is only shared by lovers who, though fate spun them only a few moments together, forever enjoy the un-blemishing token of their the time they shared.

2012-01-12T16:50:00.001-08:00

What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence, a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and the need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it. - Herbert Simon, recipient of the Nobel Memorial prize in economics and the A.M. Turing award, “Nobel Prize of computer science”

Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means." –- Koichi Kawana, Architect and Designer

Quotes

2012-01-12T16:26:00.001-08:00

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." - C.S. Lewis from "The Great Divorce"

This is when it matters most. I know you are tired. It's easy to lead when you're strong. But now is when you lead us. Right now! Can you give me four more downs? I just need four more downs.
Four more. "Facing the Giants"

"We must go back to our Bibles. The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church. He is to love her as Christ loved the Church--read on--and gave his life for her (Ephesians 5:25). This headship, then, is most fully embodied not in the husband we should all wish to be but in him whose marriage is most like a crucifixion; whose wife receives most and gives least, is most unworthy of him, is--in her own mere nature--least lovable. The chrism of this terrible coronation is to be seen not in the joys of any man's marriage but in its sorrows, in the sickness and sufferings of a good wife or the faults of a bad one, in his unwearying (never paraded) care or his inexhaustible forgiveness; forgiveness, not acquiescence. As Christ sees in the flawed, proud, fanatical or lukewarm Church on earth that Bride who will one day be without spot or wrinkle, and labours to produce the latter, so the husband whose headship is Christ-like (and he is allowed no other sort) never despairs. He is a King Cophetua who after twenty years still hopes that the beggar-girl will one day learn to speak the truth and wash behind her ears.

To say this is not to say that there is any virtue or wisdom in making a marriage that involves such misery. There is no wisdom or virtue in seeking unnecessary martyrdom or deliberately courting persecution; yet it is, none the less, the persecuted or martyred Christian in whom the pattern of the Master is most unambiguously realised. So, in these terrible marriages, once they have come about, the "headship" of the husband, if only he can sustain it, is most Christ-like.

The sternest feminist need not grudge my sex the crown offered to it either the Pagan or in the Christian mystery. For the one is of paper and the other is of thorns. The real danger is not that husbands may grasp the latter too eagerly; but that they will allow or compel their wives to usurp it." - C.S. Lewis from "The Four Loves"

2008-06-29T08:02:00.001-07:00

A sermon must always do at least one thing; point the hearers to Christ.

An answer is not a good answer unless it moves someone closer to Jesus.

2008-06-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

To have all you want, want no more then what you have.

The Lady and the Scale

2008-06-05T07:51:00.001-07:00

"This scale is broken! It’s not reading my weight, it’s reading my I.Q."

Daddy & Sami

2008-03-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

Daddy: "Sami, why do you have to dress all fancy for church?"

Sami: "So I can spin."
_____________

Sami: "Daddy, will you please put on my shoes."

Daddy: "Yes."

Mom: "Sami, you know how to put on your shoe."

Sami: "Yes, but I want Daddy too."

Eli: "Sami, you just want to sit on Daddy's lap."

Samara: "Yep, 'cause I want snuggles."

We Made a Phone Call to Nigeria

2007-12-17T20:03:00.000-08:00

Today my wife called me at work to inquire, "Did you call someone in Nigeria?"

I thought about it then replied, "No."

"Well we have a $3 charge on our phone bill for a call to Nigeria," says the wife.

"I don't know," is all I can say.

Later she calls me back. She explains that she has put an international call block on our phone. Sounds good to me. But I am curious so I ask, "Why did you put the block on?"

She explains, "I think I know who made the call. The number was 0003456789."

The baby Blue girl strikes again!

Unmanly Event #1 - Christmas Family Pictures

2007-12-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Family Pictures

I have not yet met the man who would go to have his picture taken if not required by law or woman. I recently went with my wife and four daughters to have our Christmas pictures taken; out of love for my wife. It was just the mayhem I have come to expect from previous experiences. Here is the scene…

My gorgeous wife rounds up my four beautiful daughters and we all drive down to the mall. Upon entering the studio we discover that one of the photographers has called in sick so there will be a slight delay. One and a half hours later, we would have our turn. In the mean time, we dress the girls in their stockings and dresses then try to keep them from destroying their clothes. My wife does their hair and then my daughters undo their hair. The wife gets frustrated. I get left to watch the kids while my wife goes to talk with an old friend from church. The kids get anxious and start to argue. They get into the photographers stuff. “Stop that!”

My eighteen month old decides the mall area is more interesting then the studio and decides to leave. She thinks mom chasing her is even more fun!

By the way, it’s Monday night. I am missing football for this? That is when I started thinking about how I could make this place a little more appealing to men. First of all I would add a couple of big flat screen TV’s with the game on. Then they need to add a contained child care area where the kids can play. A micro brewery would be nice too.

Back in the real world we got our turn in front of the camera. The photographer puts us into position, then the girls move out of position. Mom and dad put them back in position. The girls move out of position. “Sit still,” “Sit down,” “Look at the camera,” “Quit looking at your sister,” “Stay on the table.” Baby starts fussing. Photographer starts making baby sounds and waves a big fuzzy wand. Baby smiles. Pop! goes the camera and we have the picture. Hoorah!

Picture looks great and we go home.