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PSA! I just love the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. They are doing wonderful things throughout our community, country and world. I dream of the day when conflict resolution and peacebuilding are the norm instead of division, polarization, mass incarceration, our antiquated, insane, highly illogical, fiscally irresponsible legal system, and also ongoing conflict and issues in families, which I have also sadly been suffering from the past couple years as well as in my community. I am really trying to work on inner peace and self-love so that I can be the change that I dream of in our community, world and even in my family, although this does not necessarily come naturally to me due to my upbringing and also conditioning. There is a better way and greater good that I would like to believe that we are evolving towards, however, and I am trying my best to be a genuine, positive, optimistic, peaceful person myself. "Community conflict continues to drive animosity, polarization, and violence that we can see in our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, families, and relationships. Currently, when a local conflict occurs, the options for recourse are predominantly limited to those offered by the civil and criminal justice system which may be difficult, expensive, time-consuming, and disempowering, and lack the ability to offer a response that addresses the conflict in a holistic, human-centered way. Furthermore, conflicts that are personal in nature are often neglected by these approaches altogether and left entirely unaddressed. While conflict happens, our response is up to us. The Conflict Solution Hub is a new, innovative way of providing the tools, resources, strategies, and spaces necessary to address conflict comprehensively and appropriately." https://www.centerforpeacebuilding.org/conflict-solution-hub  Happy birthday to my older brother, Christopher Robert Predny, who was born 55 years ago today in Gainesville, Florida to Faye and Robert Predny. He departed this world in 2005, and it is so hard to believe that it has been 20 years now this June. I wanted to share these photos of Chris on this website as I have shared them on social media previously, but since I have been on an extended hiatus from that medium, I thought I would share them with you all here. Also, since it has been so long, many people might not know the incredible story of my amazingly resilient brother who survived a very tragic accident when he was 11 years old as he was hit by a truck while we were riding bikes. He suffered severe brain damage as a result, and it was honestly a miracle that he lived. I was with him when this happened, and it has always haunted me, although I feel that I have finally healed from the devastating impact this has had on me for most my life (for the most part :). Chris's accident had a profound impact on our family in immeasurable ways. Our lives were forever changed, but it was honestly in mostly positive ways in spite of the numerous challenges over the years. Chris was such a stubborn soul and a born fighter. It was incredible not only that he survived but also thrived and touched countless lives by teaching them that you truly cannot judge a book by its cover or a young man by his disabilities and physical deformities. My parents also showed the world that a family could have a somewhat normal and even beautiful existence in spite of a tragedy. It was definitely not always easy and there was also much pain and suffering, but overall, we had a very beautiful and amazing life with Christopher as you can see from the photos below. I am eternally grateful to Chris as thanks to him and my family, I have had a wonderful life thus far with a wealth of experiences and many cherished memories with him and my family. I have also been able to travel and see some beautiful places and focus on doing artwork and such the past 20 years as he left me with an inheritance that afforded me the ability and flexibility to do these things, which has been such an incredible gift. I also was able to purchase my lovely home and property thanks to him in many ways. I actually spent the last of my Chris money on the wetlands parcel, which is why it has been so meaningful and significant to me, and I suppose it is why there has been such chaos and trauma involved in it in many ways- due to the historic trauma of it all, perhaps? I am not quite sure of the reason why, but I do believe that there is a higher power looking out for me (and sometimes testing me ;) and that there must be reasons for all the madness, especially since there have been so many sparkly silver linings as well. Hopefully I can manifest more peace in my life, community and family in the near future, especially since I am feeling much more inner peace and self-love these days. I genuinely feel that I am at a huge turning point in my life where I am able to finally heal from the deepest wounds related to my childhood trauma and Chris's accident, although I am sure that I will always be a work in progress in many ways :). Lastly, it is honestly quite heartbreaking to have already lost not only one, but now two siblings in addition to my father. To lose Mary a couple years ago was truly the darkest time ever for me, not just to lose her, but to suffer from so much loss in my family already is very sad and painful. Thank you so much to everyone who has been there for me, especially the past few years. I am so incredibly grateful to have a handful of dear friends, kind, thoughtful neighbors and all my furry and feathered friends here on Tuscawilla, as well as the rest of the beautiful flora and fauna that I am surrounded by. Thank you for reading and for caring. Love you. Love, Me. |
Me: LPArchives
August 2025
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