LIFE IS GOOD!

Monday, October 28, 2013

LIFE IS GOOD!

LIFE IS GOOD!

By

Francis William Bessler

October 28^th, 2013

Paradise Valley

 The last time I visited “Paradise Valley,” it was called “Hidden Valley.” I wonder if it has changed since May of 2000, when a dear friend named Koko and I last visited it. Hidden Valley/Paradise Valley is a clothing optional naturalist resort located some 60 miles or so northeast of Atlanta, Georgia, down a Highway 400 and then off a Road 136 a few miles south of a little town called Dawsonville. When I lived in Georgia from 1981 – 2001, I visited Hidden Valley a good bit – being the naturalist I am. In fact, I spent the summer of 1984 as a resident of Hidden Valley as a bit of a caretaker of the yards.

“Hidden Valley” was a good name for this place years ago because it was “hidden” off the road with no signs indicating where it was. You just had to know where it was to get to it. I suppose many of the members preferred that it was “hidden” because it was like a “secret society” in a way – and some (though not all) of the members did not want it to be known that they belonged to such a society. To some degree, it was a kind of hush-hush thing – if you know what I mean; although it was a family oriented, all are welcome, type of organization. As a divorced single at the time when I was a caretaker of the yard, only a few singles were allowed to join – for fear that singles would turn a family oriented venue into a raunchy singles sex club.

After that first year of 1984, however, I have only visited that which was called “Hidden Valley” a number of times without actually keeping up an initial membership. My last visit, as I mentioned, was with a friend named Koko in May of 2000. Koko was in her late ‘40s as I was in my late ‘50s. Since moving to Wyoming in early 2002, I have lost contact with friend, Koko, but I will always have memories of our being far more open as naturalists than many who attended Hidden Valley. Koko was about as free a spirit as I have ever known. She danced around on the grounds and wanted me to video her – which I was most willing to do.

When Koko and I visited in May of 2000, however, management was changing. The old management never discouraged me from videoing at all; but the new management warned me that all videoing was discouraged because someone might get caught on video that did not want to be included; but Koko and I were not part of those who were afraid we might be seen – or perhaps afraid of being videoed or pictured as we really are.

In fact, I have long loved going natural as I am for the camera – be that camera my own or belonging to someone else. I have long ago given up any kind of notion that I am not good as I am; and I believe only those can do bad to others who do not accept their own goodness. I believe that “doing bad” is only an expression of “feeling bad” about oneself and then transferring those “hurt feelings” to being willing to hurt others. Kindness, on the other hand, is only “feeling good” about oneself – and then being willing to share that sense of esteem and comfort with others as if those others are only an extension of oneself.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not claiming I think I am any more photogenic than anyone else. I certainly am not. I am only claiming that I believe being photogenic – or attractive in any cultural sense – should not be much of a factor in anyone’s embrace of him or herself; and it is really an issue of self-embrace or self-acceptance that should move anyone to join a naturalist community such as Hidden Valley; but as it is with such as Hidden Valley, ideally it should be everywhere on the face of this Earth.

Indeed, if such as Hidden Valley were not treated as “secret societies” and the members of such communities were invited to march proudly down the main streets of the world, that freedom that many of the Hidden Valley types claim only for themselves would be extended to the peoples of the world in general; and then maybe, just maybe, people would realize they should not hide themselves and that this Earth really is a Paradise just waiting to happen.

Paradise Valley – No Longer Hidden

So, Hidden Valley is no longer a “hidden” one. It is now “Paradise Valley.” I must say the name change suits me. I am hoping as I write this that during this visit with my daughter, Melissa, I can persuade her to take me to the new Paradise Valley – and maybe roam about there as in the good ole days; but whether that happens or not, I think it is good to know that wherever I am, it should be Paradise. I should not have to “go anywhere” to find Paradise. I should be able to find it wherever I am.

Just think about it for a moment, if you will. What does almost everyone dream about when they ponder Paradise? It is essentially a “place of worth.” Right? Does not everyone who thinks about Paradise agree that it is a place of worth where everyone is equally worthy and no one is left out? OK. Let us make Paradise on Earth. Why not? If an essential character of it is believing it is a place of worth, then why not recognize the Earth is a place of worth and that everyone and everything on Earth are equally worthy? If it is as simple as that, why not make it happen?

But then there’s the issue about “private parts.” Isn’t there? Many would not visit a Paradise Valley and go about naked because they think their “private parts” would unsettle them and make them uneasy. Alright! Change your perspective and get rid of your “private parts.” Consider them “public parts” – and presto, no more concern about having to show your “private parts.”

In truth, none of us have any such thing as “private parts” because what we all have is the same – in general. Oh, my “public parts” might vary a bit from yours – but only in size. My hands are a different size than yours too – but are my hands considered to be “private parts”?

The good thing about such places as Paradise Valley – or one of the good things about it – is that they tend to put to rest concern about “private parts.” When all go naked, no one has any such thing. We look at each other and see differences, but we don’t see “private parts.” Only those obsessed with thinking they are different insist that their parts make them different; but thinking so or not, no one is really different – in that which really matters. Are they?

I must admit that it would be a lot easier to live in this world if we all were exactly the same; but that is not the way it is. Is it? We are not all exactly the same. If I were an exact replica of you in terms of man size – if you are a man – then we would not be obsessed with one of us having a “private part” larger (or smaller) than the other. Would we? Sometimes I wish we were all the same in every way because I like easy; and it would be so much easier to live peacefully if we were really all the same in every dimension.

But again, wishing will not make it so. Will it? We are different and we need to deal with our differences and not let those differences be reason for conflict between us. In the end, I am not making me; and you are not making you. Nature is our parent – not ourselves. So, let no one of us take credit or assume blame for what we are. Just consider our differences as varieties within Nature – and let it go at that; but in spite of our having to deal with differences in size or firmness or color between us, let us strive to attain PARADISE ON EARTH.

Varieties in Nature

But Thank God we are not the same in every way. I am reminded of a verse in THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE that has Jesus commenting on that issue. In the first verse of that gospel, we find Jesus saying thus: Matter gave birth to passion that is without form, because it comes from what is contrary to nature, and then confusion arose in the whole body. That is why I told you, be of good courage. And if you are discouraged, be encouraged in the presence of the diversity of forms in nature.

It is interesting, I think, that one would offer that passion is somewhat of an “unnatural” expression in terms of it being something “without form”; but it is something to consider. Perhaps we should not allow our “passions” to derail us from seeing the truth in Nature – and our being part of a wondrous Nature. According to this quote, our “passions” tend to confuse us, but we should overlook those passions and “be of good courage.” But if we are discouraged, what should we do? We should be encouraged in the presence of the diversity of forms in nature.

Does that not make sense to you? It does to me – regardless of who may have said it. We should pay attention to the many varieties in Nature to find peace in this world – and one of those “varieties” is ourselves – and each of us within our own Humanity. So, don’t look at yourself and moan about being different than another. Look at yourself and “be encouraged” about how you “vary” from another human being. Love yourself for what you are because what you are reflects a “variety” in Nature. You are the only you in the world. Why not be proud of “your contribution” of your unique self? It makes sense to me. Does it to you?

Then the author of THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE continues with the following: When the blessed one said this, he greeted all of them and said, “Peace be with you. Receive my peace. Be careful that no one leads you astray by saying, ‘Look here’ or ‘Look there.’ The child of humanity is within you. Follow that. Those who seek it will find it. Go and preach the good news of the kingdom. Do not lay down any rules other than what I have given you, and do not establish law, as the lawgiver did, or you will be bound by it.” When he said this, he left them.

Child of Humanity

The above quote has been a comfort to me ever since I found THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE in late 2004. I have commented about THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE in other of my writings – and I encourage anyone interested to review and research those writings as found in the OUT IN THE OPEN writings feature of my website (especially, Volume 7) – as well as my submission of the gospel itself as a feature of my website that I entitle THOMAS & MARY HANDBOOK. Check it out as you will, but I think the notion of “child of humanity” says it all. Jesus says we should follow the “child of humanity” within us and not let others who think our lives should be more complicated than that “lead us astray” with laws about this or that, intended to constrain us or threaten us with going to Hell or some such.

The notion of “child of humanity” is totally positive. It is a declaration of what I am and you are – not what we are “supposed to be” that is other than what we are. There is no “do this and you will become that” in the notion. There is no “don’t do this and you won’t become that” in the notion. It is a term free of law and regulation from something or someone outside us. Look toward the child of humanity within us, Jesus said, and you will find the Kingdom. The notion of “child of humanity” is what Jesus called “the good news of the kingdom.”

Personally, when I hear the term “child of humanity,” I do not hear “child of civilization.” I hear “naked child, natural child” – not “clothed child.” I hear innocent child, not child of guilt; and I know that as I see the child of my vision, I should treat myself. I think life should be as simple as that because it makes no sense to me that it should be more complicated than that – simply because if an Infinite God is truly everywhere, everywhere and everything should be equally sacred. That would have to include me – and you. Right?

And so it is with the folks at my former Hidden Valley – and hopefully the “new” Paradise Valley of mention in this article. Children are precious at Paradise Valley – and none of them have “private parts” to be demonized or commanded by out of control adults. If you want to see how it should be, in my opinion, go to the likes of Paradise Valley and review for yourself – as long as you go out of a sincere curiosity and not with intent to degrade what you see or what is there.

Thank God, there are Paradise Valleys in this world because they are exhibits of how it should be in the rest of the world; but let us never believe we need a Paradise Valley to find Paradise in our own life – and lives.

Let me leave you with a song about Paradise as I see it that I wrote in March of 2006. I call it PARADISE, PARADISE. I hope you like it. I encourage everyone to visit the likes of Georgia’s PARADISE VALLEY (northeast of Atlanta) or Colorado’s MOUNTAIN AIR RANCH (southwest of Denver) and VALLEY VIEW (in southern Colo.) – three naturalist resort sites I have personally visited. Be encouraged to visit one of these three – or wherever there is a facility like them; but again, let us all find Paradise right where we are and not go seeking it somewhere outside the “child of humanity” within us all.  OK?

Thanks! (FWB)

            Until next time, Adieu!

Your Bella Vita host,

Will Bessler

(Francis William Bessler)