Leaves of Change

This photo was taken by Sensei Susan Perry of Musubi Dojo and the Aiko Institute. The original was part of a wonderful exhibit of her work in 2007 at Some Crust bakery in Claremont. She is also the director of Budo Zen Art, which has a fantastic collection of brush stroke artwork. I am privileged to own one of her calligraphy works.

This photo contains a message about our times that I reflect on often. She took the photo at a temple in Japan, where the person was dutifully clearing the walkway of the brilliantly colored leaves of fall. About the time of sensei's exhibit, I heard a story on National Public Radio about a town in New England that was considering a ban on leaf blowers.

Many of the residents of the town shared their loathing of the noise of the machines, which shattered the peace and quiet of each morning as crews of gardeners used them to remove the trees' abundant fall offerings from the well-manicured properties they maintained. Others complained of the way the leaf-blowing devices' two-stroke engines filled the air with a pungent odor of scorched motor oil and unburned gasoline.

The owners of one of the gardening companies railed against a suggestion that his crews be prohibited from using the machines. He spoke of the prohibitive costs of moving so many leaves in any other manner. He laughed and said, incredulously, "What am I supposed to do, have my crews rake the leaves? Are we supposed to go back in time?"

His response spoke volumes about what the industrial revolution has done to us, and to our world. We have replaced any possible appreciation for the natural world with a need to overcome it with machines in the most expeditious and "cost-effective" way possible.

The person in this photo is obviously not in a hurry. At first glance, the project they have undertaken appears impossible: With every stroke of the broom, there will be more leaves. So, why bother? Why not fire up a leaf blower?

Could it be that the act of sweeping the leaves is reason enough? Could this person actually take pleasure -- or gain insight into themselves and the world around them -- by understanding how the rhythm of life around them is exemplified by the motion of the broom? Could the sound of the broom's bristles moving the leaves be soothing and peaceful? Could this person see in each leaf the perfection of nature through its symmetry and color, and feel a connection to the tree from which it came? Could it be that the amount of time it takes is less important than the experience one has during that time?

I would trade the peacefulness of this approach to that of a machine any day.

Overturning the Tables of the Money Changers

When I opened my local newspaper the week of Thanksgiving, I couldn't believe what I saw. Attached to the front page was this colorful JCPenney post-it note describing how I could be among the first to shop for Christmas and get all the great deals by being at the local store -- at freaking 4 a.m.!

At first, I was offended that they would think I was so stupid and so gullible to want to march with the rest of the lemmings to their store to buy a boatload of stuff for Christmas. "Come early, or all the really good stuff will be gone!" Some marketing genius probably won an award for this promotion, but I think its creator should be pilloried. After a while, I realized we are a nation of lemmings and there was probably a line forming at JCPenney at that very moment. And some idiot journalist was covering it.

The post-it piece was so thoughtfully planned in red and green -- the Christmas colors of holly, pine trees, Santa's suit and candy canes. And the ultimate Christmas symbol -- money, which has become the real "reason for the season." Every year, we hear the same report in the news: "Retail store owners fear the sluggish sales that economists are projecting for this holiday season will spell doom for their businesses. If that happens, your life will be ruined, too. So, get out there and buy some stuff! Lots of stuff. Take a year (or five) to pay for it if you must; but, damn it, get out there and buy lots of stuff! Our way of life depends on it!"

Jesus is rolling in his grave and dreaming of the days when it was much more simple: He only had to overturn the tables of a few money changers in the temple to make his point. Today, it's tens of thousands of retail outlets and a culture built on the principle of consume, then discard, then consume some more. A lot more.

Davidson Communications

Dean and I have launched a new consulting enterprise Davidson Communications. We're currently working on a project for the Bicycle Commuter Coalition of the Inland Empire. Check out our website and if you need the help of a couple of communications pros, fill out the online request form.

High Frontier Honor Guard

Chris has been chosen to serve on the High Frontier Honor Guard, which serves portions of Colorado and Kansas. It's an amazing honor for him to be chosen and represent the president of the United States as a member of this elite team. He'll perform Honor Guard duty one week per month for a year. Way to go, Chris!

Myths of Our Time

Some common myths we live with today:

• A car can be considered beautiful
• It's possible to win a war on terror
• It's better to drive than to walk or ride a bike
• Leaf blowers are necessary
• Meat is essential to our diet
• Time can be wasted, or lost
• Water is better if it's packaged in plastic bottles
• Growing hemp to produce the myriad products it is capable of will lead the world down a perilous path toward heroin addiction
• McDonald's, Coca Cola, WalMart and their ilk need to expand into international markets
• We need more highways
• We need more housing and commercial development
• We need to find more oil
• We need an economy that relies on the production of material goods to continue to grow
• One person's god can be better or different from another's person's god
• Religious faith can justify hatred or violence
• A TV series that celebrates a serial killer is OK
• A movie that shows consensual sex is not OK
• Heterosexuality is normal; anything else is not
• Everyone has the same opportunity to succeed in a capitalist society
• A wall between the U.S. and Mexico will stop poor people from seeking a better life
• Ann Coulter can be considered beautiful

Kingpin

From the cartoon strip Kingpin by Dean Davidson

The Art of Peace

As soon as you concern yourself with the "good" and "bad" of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. Testing, competing with and criticizing others will weaken and defeat you.

One does not need buildings, money, power or status to practice the art of peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.

The divine does not like to be shut up in a building. The divine likes to be out in the open. It is right here within this very body. Each of us is a miniature universe, a living shrine.

-- Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei, founder of Aikido (pictured above)

The Essence of Tao

Book One - I

The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way;
The name that can be named
Is not the constant name.
The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;
The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.
Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe its secrets;
But allow yourself to have desires in order to observe its manifestations.
These two are the same
But diverge in name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery -
The gateway of the manifold secrets.

Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching (translation by D.C. Lau)

Launch!

On Thursday, Oct. 12, 2007, an Atlas 5 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral and carried the first Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft into orbit above earth. Shortly after launch, contact was made with the next-generation communications satellite, one of which is equivalent to the entire fleet of vehicles currently circling our globe. Guess who is working in the heart of the operation that manages these mission-critical space vehicles. Yep, none other than USAF Airman First Class Christopher Ross Davidson. Yep, his dad is proud.

Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now

On Leadership

Book One - XVII

The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.
Next comes the ruler they love and praise;
Next comes the one they fear;
Next comes the one with which they take liberties.
When there is not enough faith, there is lack of good faith.
Hesitant, he does not utter words lightly.
When his task is accomplished and his work done
The people all say, "It happened to us naturally."

-- Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching (translation by D.C. Lau)

Typographer

My son Dean Davidson is a graphic designer living in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, and he has a penchant for typography. He likes to create it, use it in his design work and lay down metal versions to print with. He created Cambie while he was a student at Art Center College of Design. Check it out: It's a beautiful font. While you're at it, check out his portfolio, too. If you need a talented designer, give him a call!

Worldchanging

I enjoyed the opportunity to meet author/futurist/visionary Bruce Sterling when he visited Harvey Mudd College (HMC) in October 2006. During his talk (which is available in the video archive at HMC), he held up a copy of the book "Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century" and said, "Buy three copies of this book: One for yourself, one for someone 14 years older than you and one for someone 14 years younger." He wrote the introduction and Al Gore wrote the forward. Sterling also calls worldchanging.com the most important website on the planet. While I didn't adhere to his 14-year recommendation, I have given several copies of the book to my friends. Changing the world depends on you and me, so get the book, read it and get to work! "Valorize the extremes!"