EDITOR'S COMMENTS

     These days I feel hopeful. The current political situation gives me hope. The Bush Administration is under serious attack from all sides for lying, cheating and otherwise being immoral. Maybe my fellow Americans can be conscious and do the right thing.

These days I feel hopeful. My life, especially with the recent birth of our third son fills me with great hope. Our family's future looks bright. Hope is in the air. May I live long and prosper for these boys.

      I especially hope that the folks who have contributed to The Caldron these past four years have been reading my writings with as much pleasure as I have gained from reading theirs.


      The contributors to this issue of The Caldron have all appeared in previous issues. Together, we are becoming a regular writing crew with, of course, newcomers always welcome.

      There is Partha Majumder - still writing his interesting, thought provoking, and emotionally moving stories.

      There is Samuel Beast - a rich and lush writer. Everything he writes is blessed with beauty and insight.

      There is Richard Fein - sharing more of his wonderful poetry. This is the first time he has appeared in The Caldron since the 2003 winter issue. We are glad to have him back with us.

      There is Aspen Marks - sharing more of her seeds of wisdom, gathered from her years of birthing and raising three wonderful boys and birthing and growing beautiful and nourishing plants in her gardens.

      And then there is me - sharing myself again, this time with a very old story of mine, called "The King and the Fool," one that I wrote over forty years ago. I have just now come to understand its ending, now that I have lived to that point of the story in my own life.


      In addition, as always there is "BeHereNow," featuring once again several articles about the increasingly immediate threat of global warming and the self-serving response to it by our incompetent and unconscious governmental leaders.

      Then, again as always, there is "Wisdom's Corner" - this time focusing upon meditation and its powerful and beneficial effects upon our bodies.

      Enjoy.

     Eugene Marks, Editor