Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, June 30, 2018

B4

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 30, 2018 

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


The American Revolution: A History 
by Gordon S. Wood 

 A magnificent account of the revolution 
in arms and consciousness that gave birth to 
the American republic.When Lincoln sought 
to define the significance of the United States, 
he naturally looked back to the Revolution. 
He knew that the Revolution not only had 
legally created the United States, but also 
had produced all of the great hopes and 
values of the American people. Our noblest 
ideals and aspirations-our commitments to 
freedom, constitutionalism, the well-being 
of ordinary people, and equality-came out 
of the Revolutionary era. Lincoln saw as well 
that the Revolution had convinced Americans 
that they were a special people with a special 
destiny to lead the world toward liberty. The 
Revolution gave birth to whatever sense of 
nationhood and national purpose Americans 
have had.13 insignificant colonies 3000 miles 
from the centers of Western civilization 
fought off British rule to become, in fewer 
than 30 years, a huge, sprawling, republic of 
nearly 4 million citizens. 

Almost a Miracle: The American 
Victory in the War of Independence 
by John Ferling 

 In this gripping chronicle of America’s 
struggle for independence, award-winning 
historian John Ferling transports readers 
to the grim realities of that war, capturing 
an eight-year conflict filled with heroism, 
suffering, cowardice, betrayal, and fierce 
dedication.It was a war that America came 
much closer to losing than is now usually 
remembered. General Washington put it best 
when he said that the American victory was 
“little short of a standing miracle.”The book 
offers an illuminating portrait of America’s 
triumph, offering vivid descriptions of all 
the major engagements, from the first shots 
fired on Lexington Green to the surrender of 
General Cornwallis at Yorktown, revealing 
how these battles often hinged on intangibles 
such as leadership under fire, heroism, good 
fortune, blunders, tenacity, and surprise. 
Ferling paints portraits of the key figures 
in the war, including General Washington 
and other American officers and civilian leaders. Some 
do not always measure up to their iconic reputations, 
including Washington himself. The book also examines 
the many faceless men who soldiered, often for years on 
end, braving untold dangers and enduring abounding 
miseries. The author explains why they served and 
sacrificed, and sees them as the forgotten heroes who won 
American independence 

My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail 
and John Adams by Abigail Adams 
and John Adams 

 John and Abigail Adams 
corresponded throughout the war because 
John was so often away from home, in 
Congress or serving abroad as a diplomat.Their 
earliest letters, from the First Continental 
Congress in 1774 through the Declaration 
of Independence, make a unique record. 
Both Adamses were great correspondents, 
observant, tart and passionate. John’s 
prickliness and pomposity show through, 
subsumed by his intelligence and patriotism, 
while Abigail writes with the ardor of an 
American caught up in the cause and the 
anxiety of a wife and mother trying to hold 
it together on the home front. Her account 
of the Battle of Bunker Hill, which she could 
hear from the family house in Braintree, is a 
grim bulletin. “My bursting heart must find 
vent at my pen. . . . Almighty God, cover the 
heads of our countrymen, and be a shield to 
our dear friends. How [many have] fallen we 
know not — the constant roar of the cannon 
is so [distressing] that we cannot eat, drink or 
sleep.” 

The Men Who Lost America: British 
Leadership, the American Revolution 
and the Fate of the Empire by 
A.J.O’Shaughnessy 

 How did the British Empire lose 
the American colonies? Instead of being 
undermined by their leaders or military 
commanders, O’Shaughnessy focuses on 
the British side of the war to understand 
what ultimately undermined their campaign 
against the colonies. Not surprisingly, he 
discovers a fascinating story where internal 
British political and economic concerns, the 
doggedness of the revolutionaries, and the 
distance between Britain and the colonies 
slowly degraded the ability and the willingness 
of the British to continue fighting 

American Scripture: Making the 
Declaration of Independence by 
Pauline Maier 

 Maier’s book does a masterful job both explaining 
the origins of the Declaration of Independence and 
how the Second Continental Congress transformed 
itself into a national government. Maier’s book may be 
the best book about the Declaration of Independence. 
It is absolutely essential if you want to understand why 
the Declaration was created and what it was designed to 
accomplish.

PROTECTING THE 
FINANCIAL FUTURE 
OF YOUR CHILD WITH 
SPECIAL NEEDS 


It always surprises me to hear parents who have 
a child with special needs tell me that they were 
not aware of what they needed to do to ensure 
the future well-being and care of their child is 
properly handled. Or sometimes, they tell me 
they didn’t know they needed to do anything at 
all.

 If that’s you, and you have a child with special 
needs at home, this article is for you. And if you 
have friends or family who have a child with 
special needs, please share this article with them.

Every parent who has a child with special needs 
MUST understand what’s needed to provide for 
the emotional, physical, and financial needs of 
their child, if and when something happens to 
them. 

Naming Guardians

Of course, the first and most critical step in 
ensuring the well-being and care of your child 
with special needs’ future is to name both short 
and long-term legal guardians to take custody 
of and care of your child, in the event of your 
death or incapacity. And as you well know, 
this responsibility doesn’t end at age 18, if 
your child will not grow into an adult who can 
independently care for him or herself.

 While we understand this lifetime 
responsibility probably feels overwhelming, 
we’ve been told repeatedly by parents that 
naming legal guardians in writing and knowing 
their child will be cared for in the way they want, 
by the people they want, creates immense relief. 

 Beyond naming a guardian, you’ll also need to 
provide financial resources to allow your child to 
live out his or her life in the manner you desire. 
This is where things can get tricky for children 
with special needs. In fact, it may seem like a 
“Catch-22” situation. You want to leave your 
child enough money to afford the support they 
need to live a comfortable life. Yet, if you leave 
money directly to a person with special needs, 
you risk disqualifying him or her for government 
benefits.

Special Needs Trusts

 Fortunately, the government allows assets to 
be held in what’s known as a “special needs trust” 
to provide supplemental financial resources for a 
physically, mentally, or developmentally disabled 
child without affecting his or her eligibility for 
public healthcare and income assistance benefits. 

 However, the rules for such trusts are 
complicated and can vary greatly between 
different states, so a comprehensive special 
needs trust needs to be properly structured and 
appropriate for your child’s specific situation.

 There are two ways to set up a special needs 
trust. In certain situations, we build it into your 
revocable living trust, and it will arise, or spring 
up, upon your death. From there, assets that are 
held in your revocable living trust will be used to 
fund your child’s special needs trust.

 In other cases, we can set up a special needs 
trust that acts as a vehicle for receiving and 
holding assets for your child now. This makes 
sense if you have parents or other relatives who 
want to give your child with special needs gifts 
sooner rather than later. 

 Once the trust is funded, it’s the trustee’s job to 
use its funds to support the beneficiary without 
jeopardizing eligibility for government benefits. 
To handle this properly, the trustee must have 
a thorough understanding of how eligibility 
for such benefits works and stay current with 
the law. The trustee is also required to pay 
the beneficiary’s taxes, keep detailed records, 
invest trust property, and stay current with the 
beneficiary’s needs. 

 If you need help creating a special needs trust 
for your child, contact us. We can develop a 
sustainable living plan for your child with special 
needs that will provide her or him with the 
financial means they need to live a full life, while 
preserving their access to government benefits. 

 Dedicated to empowering your family, 
building your wealth and defining your legacy,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a 
mission to help parents protect what they love most. 
His office is located at 55 Auburn Avenue, Sierra 
Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an appointment to 
sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your family by calling 
626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for 
more information.


All Things By Jeff Brown

AWARENESS

by Nathan Gill 

You are Consciousness. You are that in which all 
appears. World, body, thoughts – all appear in you. 
You are not to be found as separate from anything. 
You are the source and appearance of all that is . 
You need not go anywhere or do anything for this 
to be obvious. It is the most obvious thing. You 
are always overlooking it, taking it for granted. 
All appears in awareness, ordinary awareness 
now, which is the ground of all that is, including 
this present experience. Simple awareness is the 
common factor to all experience. Just see that you 
are simply present. See that all arises and falls in 
present awareness. People pass, clouds are going by, 
conversations are going on, thoughts appear. All 
unfolds in present awareness. Within awareness, 
you are appearing to yourself as everything. People, 
thoughts, worlds, universes, life, death – all take 
place in you. Identification as an ordinary human 
individual takes place in you. You are the source 
and appearance of all. All experience appears in the 
real “I” which is awareness. There is only the present 
appearance of everything in and as awareness. 
Any ‘enlightenment’ experience is merely another 
modification of experience in awareness. You need 
not attempt any transcendence or annihilation 
of individuality, ego, or anything else. All of that 
appears in ordinary awareness. This experience 
now, however ordinary or extraordinary, is the 
content of awareness. Nothing whatsoever needs 
to change, there is nothing to get or realise. 
You are Consciousness, aware and appearing 
as everything. There is awareness right now – 
whatever the content. Awareness and content. 
Ocean and waves. The ebb and flow of life. This is 
it now. You are it. 

Check out 

Peter Dills on our 

Food Page in 

Section A

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

THE MISSING PAGE

Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual

WISDOM & COURAGE


There’s a lovely prayer I use often, “God grant me the serenity to 
accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I 
can, and the wisdom to the know the difference.” It’s such a complete 
picture and remedy for almost any trouble. The words courage and 
wisdom always have an impact. Both play a huge role in our progress 
as yogis on the path. There are many who practice yoga solely for the 
the physical benefits; but most practitioners do seek the opportunity 
for greater development that yoga offers.

 My teacher Yogarupa Rod Stryker, states, “the single hardest yoga 
practice is the same for everyone. It’s called change.” Evolving and 
transforming isn’t easy and nor is the path always clear. Courage is an 
essential ingredient in not only implementing change, but sustaining 
the effort. Remember, courage is not fearlessness, it’s taking actions 
in the face of fear. You may have had to summon the courage to attend your first yoga class, or chose to 
take a risk that benefitted the greater good. There are many experiences of courage in life, big and small. 

 What we fall back upon is wisdom and resolve. Wisdom comes from many sources: pivotal texts, wise 
and truthful people, and straight from divinity. Often, it’s the inner wisdom that provides the clarity and 
stamina we need to proceed forward. There’s no comfort quite like knowing we’re on the right path in 
the midst of challenging circumstances. As courage and wisdom become cornerstones of practice, self-
empowerment follows. 

 Explore your yoga practice on the mat and through self inquiry. You’ll most likely uncover courage and 
wisdom you did not know you possessed. Please contact me today to learn more about the sacred practice 
of Yoga: keely@keelytotten.com or visit my website: www.keelytotten.com. 

 

Namaste,

Keely Totten, Yoga & Meditation Teacher, 

Torch Bearer of Courage

 


Lori A. Harris

PARTNER IN BELIEVING

Solid Rocket Boosters are the primary propulsion force on a vehicle used for 
human spaceflight and provide the majority of a space shuttle’s thrust during the 
first two minutes of flight. Boosters give the energy to overcome gravity and exit 
the earth’s atmosphere. Putting a man on the moon and returning him safely to 
land was the dream of the 1960’s American space program. Having a coach and 
mentor believe in you and hold your vision is your rocket fuel for transformation. 

When I was young, most of my friends were old, much older than myself. In 
college, I made friends with the Black professors at other universities near my 
school. I would show up out of nowhere, without warning to hang out; they were 
very kind and put up with my unexpected visits. I just wanted to know more 
about the world and life; I was hungry. I wanted more knowledge, experience, and freedom. I was 
curious about art, politics, and I wanted to travel, to see the world. Becoming a traveler seemed like an 
impossible dream until I met Jack. He was my first mentor and coach. 

 Throughout history artists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and dreamers have needed someone in their 
corner to believe in them and to keep them from becoming discouraged. When you aspire to do 
something that you have never done before it can be frightening. It is natural to have doubts and fears, 
without support, your doubts can be like quicksand. A partner in believing is the rocket booster that 
can bust through the forces that seem to be holding you back. 

 Having someone that can hold your dream when things seem impossible to you is essential. Jack 
was my someone. He listened to me. I told him all of my secret hopes, fears, and my biggest dreams. 
He saw something in me that I couldn’t see myself. He believed in me; he was my partner in believing. 
I remember Jack saying to me with conviction, “you will see the world.” I didn’t know how it could 
happen, but I believed in his belief. Not long after his proclamation, I took my first trip outside the 
country and I have been traveling ever since. With Jack’s encouragement, I soared and did impossible 
things. Now I delight in supporting people in their dreams. Do you have someone with whom you can 
share your truth? Is there someone that holds your vision when you feel discouraged? Is there someone 
that delights in your success and still believes in you when you fail? All you need is one. 

 Having a partner in believing is rocket fuel. If you are tired of trying to go it alone or don’t know 
where to start, schedule a free strategy session, I would love to help you get started on your next 
adventure. 

 Lori is a lawyer and coach. You can learn more and schedule a free session at www.LoriAHarris.com


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