Essays

The essays on this page were authored by Rick Rodington.

Einstein was correct about mystical experiences

In addition to Albert Einstein's theories of special and general relativity, I'm interested in his philosophical writings. I especially admire this insightful musing, "The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mystical. It is the power of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms – this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I belong to the rank of devoutly religious men."

My first mystical experience happened at age 12 in New York City. It involved a paranormal occurrence at the residence of my family physician, Dr. Orestes Russo, who was a devout Catholic. One day, during an intense discussion with someone about religion, the doctor passionately exclaimed, “God is mightier than the sword!” Suddenly, a noise came from a drinking glass on the table. Incredibly, cracks in the form of a star appeared in its base.

Word of this phenomenon caused a sensation among my relatives in Metropolitan New York. Everyone wanted to see the mysterious glass, which he kept on his desk at his home office. During a family medical visit, I was thrilled to examine it. 

Excluding the star, the medium-sized drinking glass was clear and plain. I spent several minutes carefully scrutinizing it. When glass breaks, the fractures usually extend through its entire depth. Not in this case, however. When I looked inside, I noticed that the surface of its base was undamaged. About 1/16 inch below the surface were five cracks that formed a pentagon-shaped star that was full-sized and perfectly symmetrical. Tilting the glass, I could see that the fractures were quite shallow, about 1/16 inch deep.  

For millennia, people have reported strange occurrences which happened when a loved one died. Scientists dismiss these reports as “anecdotal,” explaining they are based on personal observation, rather than systematic scientific evaluation. Dr. Russo’s death was associated with a second paranormal event. At the time, he was terminally ill at home. The doorbell had to be disconnected because too many concerned callers were ringing it. When he died, the bell mysteriously rang several times. This wonder caused another sensation among my relatives.

I’ve experienced precognitive dreams, three of which were remarkably accurate. The first two involved my brother and his wife, who didn’t think they would ever have children. For almost seven years, the couple remained childless. One night, I dreamed that my sister-in-law was pregnant and then gave birth to a boy. Amazingly, this actually came true. Three years later, I had a similar dream, except that a girl was born, which also came true. After that, I never had another natal dream, and the couple didn’t have another child. 

When my mother was terminally ill, I dreamed she was dead and I was in a room at a funeral home. An enormous, long cardboard box with no lid was set on a table. I walked over, peered inside and saw her corpse. I considered this dream to be absurd. However, on the morning of her cremation, the funeral home director escorted me and my sister into a room where I was astonished to see the same scene as in my dream. He led us to the open box containing her body and explained federal law requires that a person be cremated in a cardboard box.

My mother had one notable precognitive dream. Before a vacation in France, she dreamed of riding with family members on a blue metro train in Paris. At our destined stop, the doors closed before she and my sister could get out. This incident actually happened at the Louvre station. Surprisingly, the subway trains really were blue.

A cousin of mine had two dramatic clairvoyant experiences that involved life-threatening situations. One day, at an airport, she refused to board an airliner due to a strong sense of danger and changed her flight. Later, the other plane crashed. Although not everyone aboard was killed, it was a bad accident. Another time, because of a sense of foreboding, she unsuccessfully pleaded with her husband for them to visit his parents on a different day. They were then involved in an automobile accident, but fortunately sustained minor injuries, when a log fell off a truck and struck their car. 

Scientists say precognition violates the principle of causality, that an effect cannot occur before its cause. They assert it’s impossible for someone to predict the occurrence of an event which the person claims has already been determined. I believe otherwise. The details in my family’s precognitive dreams were too accurate to be considered coincidental, and my cousin’s clairvoyant experiences were extraordinary.

According to Einstein, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

This essay was posted on July 1, 2023.

Sister Cities celebrated  

By Rick Rodington and Shirley Estes 

Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between American and international communities. More than 2,000 of these alliances have been chartered worldwide. In the Williamsburg area, only Yorktown is a member of the network. Since 1990 it has been twinned with the little Mediterranean village of Port-Vendres in southeastern France. 

Port-Vendres was chosen for several reasons. French weapons were shipped from there to our country during the American Revolution. The revolt ended with the British surrender after the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. French assistance was crucial in winning that battle and the war.

A monument in Port-Vendres honors American independence. It's the only one of its kind in France. In Yorktown, a similar monument honors the significant French contribution to our struggle for independence.

Yorktown and its twin share other details. Both are small coastal villages situated in strategic port locations with maritime industries, beautiful waterfronts, outdoor markets, renowned artists and warm, friendly people. Last year, residents of the two villages celebrated their 20-year alliance and reaffirmed their partnership, and 13 York residents visited Port-Vendres Sept. 15-20.

The delegation's tour included visits to local vineyards, a winery, and a Majorcan castle. They also visited a national park reclaimed from an abandoned dynamite factory owned by the Nobel family and the local middle school, where e-mail exchanges between York students and those of Port-Vendres were established.

The official day of celebration, Sept. 19, was distinguished by a special Catholic church service, a parade, a wreath-laying ceremony at the obelisk honoring American independence, speeches given by representatives of both communities, a proclamation of congratulations on behalf of the York Board of Supervisors, and a classical music concert.

Don Willis, chairman of the 20th Anniversary Committee, said when he returned from France, “I think the thing that really stood out and drove home the importance of this relationship was the reception we received the final day by the whole town. We all felt like conquering heroes as we paraded through town to applause, not only from people lining the streets but also from those looking out windows and sitting on rooftops...It was a very heartwarming, humbling experience.”

The citizen exchange reversed the next month, when eight Port-Vendres residents visited York County Oct. 17-21. They received a welcome presentation given by the York County Board of Supervisors' chairman Don Wiggins. Their visit centered around Yorktown Day festivities on the 19th that commemorated the British surrender in 1781. The guests took part in a parade to the Monument to Alliance and Victory and a wreath-laying ceremony. Later, they dined with locals at a Brunswick stew luncheon. 

The Port-Vendres delegation's tour included visits to Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, the Williamsburg Winery, Anheuser Busch, the Chrysler Museum of Art and Fort Monroe, which was built according to French blueprints. The anniversary celebration concluded on Oct. 20 with a dinner at Riverwalk Restaurant. 

Sister Cities Yorktown provides a social structure so those who admire French culture can network and participate in various events, such as citizen exchanges, Bastille Day French dinners, French cooking classes, and wine and champagne tastings, among others.

The organization is funded by contributions. No government funding is received. Annual membership dues are $25 for individuals, $40 for families. [Outdated information has been deleted. Donations are appreciated and may be sent to Debra Paulus, PO Box 735, Yorktown, VA 23692. Don Willis is Acting President of Sister Cities Yorktown. Email him at staff@sistercities yorktown.org. Additional details are available at Sister Cities Yorktown website and Facebook Page. Links are on the Home page.]

This essay was published in The Virginia Gazette on July 27, 2011. At the time, I was President of the Williamsburg French Club. Shirley Estes was President of Sister Cities Yorktown. 

Hellenic is open to all

The Williamsburg Hellenic Center held a Greek Festival from April 28 to May 1 on the grounds of its new building at 4900 Mooretown Road.  

This was the first festival at the beautiful center which opened last autumn. It was built  for fundraising to help finance construction of a church next door. I studied ancient Greek history and culture in college and thought it was fascinating, so I participated in the festival on April 30 and enjoyed tasting Greek cuisine and watching the costumed Greek dancers performing.  Everyone made me feel welcome.   

Bonnie Vautrot, director of sales at the Hellenic Center, explained that the Greek community is made up of dedicated, hard-working people, who believe in the continuation of their culture in this country. They are friendly, always smiling and willing to assist.

Vautrot manages the room rentals. There are banquet and conference facilities for weddings and for special and corporate events, including family reunions, birthdays, anniversaries, retirement parties, baptisms and holiday gatherings. A popular brunch buffet is served in the banquet hall every Sunday. An abundant variety of food is set out for diners to choose from.  More than 400 people dined there on Mother's Day.

Eight additional rooms are used for small meetings or as classrooms. There also is a Greek School where classes are conducted three days a week in the late afternoons and evenings.  These classes primarily provide a cultural, adjunct education for children and adults. Eva Zestos is the instructor.

Today there is no Greek Orthodox Church in greater Williamsburg, but a website for the Hellenic Center and future church states: “After two years of planning, a dozen core families in Williamsburg petitioned the New Jersey Archdiocese for permission to start a new parish. His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos gave approval for Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Williamsburg, and construction on its accompanying community center broke ground on Mooretown Road in York County on June 21, 2009.”

No date has been set for the groundbreaking consecration ceremony.  That will happen when enough funds have been acquired. For the time being, parishioners of St. Demetrios still must travel to Newport News to attend church services.  

The Hellenic Center was planned as a community center, and it is important to emphasize that the center is open to all.  The room rentals, Sunday brunch and the semiannual festivals are helping to fund the church building. The next Greek Festival is scheduled to take place in October. Let's help to make it successful.

Members of the Williamsburg French Club are going to dine at the Sunday brunch on May 22 as a special event for our group, and anyone interested in the club is welcome to join us there.  

[Outdated  details have been deleted. Information about St. Demetrios Church and the Hellenic Center are available at https://www.stdemva.com/. The church's Facebook Page is at https://www.facebook.com/StDemetriosGreekOrthodoxChurch?fref=ts.]

This essay was published in The Virginia Gazette on May 21, 2011.  I was identified as the founder and President of the Williamsburg French Club, which is now defunct. The club's website was converted to the Historic Triangle Francophiles site in 2021. A link is on the Home page.

Learn about your community

Last May, I graduated from the sixth class of the James City County Leadership Development Academy. I hoped to learn more about my community, become more involved in it, develop my leadership skills, and meet others who shared my goals.

In 1993, Iris Lynch, of the James City Office of Community Services and John McCrimmon, executive director of the Williamsburg-James City Community Action Agency, established this program. 

Participants must live or work in the county. Other residents of our area may be accepted on a space-available basis. There's a $25 fee, and members meet on nine Saturday mornings.

Meetings are held at various county locations where services are delivered. This helps newcomers become familiarized with James City. At each location, there is a tour of the facility and an explanation of the functions that take place there before the session begins. 

The program's mission is to "expand the leadership capacity available to James City from all segments of the county and to strengthen citizen involvement." This is achieved by "conducting an educational and skill development program that builds leadership competencies, broadens knowledge, fosters working partnerships, and inspires members to assume leadership roles in the community."

The program provides opportunities for participants to gain skills in areas such as leadership, effective presentations, teamwork, problem-solving, partnering, communication and motivation techniques.

The program also provides "civic education that fosters understanding of governmental structure and processes, key issues and critical challenges facing the county." Lectures, discussion groups, small group activities and a community service activity help participants develop leadership capabilities. Sessions are taught by civic and business leaders, government workers and human service professionals.

Members are required to attend a meeting of a policy-setting or advisory community group. McCrimmon said that he wanted us to have some exposure to a body that has actual decision-making power. He suggested that if we had a comment or question, perhaps we might address the government body during its official meeting.

We were told not to go to sessions of the Board of Supervisors or City Council. Anything we could say to elected officials during the public comment period would have no impact. Citizens cannot make a difference in our community by trying to influence elected officials. They simply do not listen to the public, we were informed. However, comments made to a government board or commission would be taken far more seriously. Hence, citizens can more readily foster change at a level below that of the politicians.

I attended a session of the Williamsburg Architectural Review Board. Several times during the meeting, I was graciously asked if I had anything to say. At the end, I made a few comments. Later, I went to a session of the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission. I had been told beforehand by the chairman that I would not be allowed to speak at the meeting. Unlike the ARB, arts commissioners are not used to citizen attendance.

Another requirement is participation in a community service activity. I chose First Night Williamsburg 1999. I worked for two of its committees, Marketing and Production. I was allowed to attend several First Night board meetings as an observer. The sessions and the work were interesting. Unfortunately, there are still too many people in the Historic Triangle who have never heard of this superb, non-alcoholic New Year's Eve celebration of the performing arts.

Members of our group suggested to Lynch and McCrimmon that one of our favorite sessions— creating a vision— take place earlier on in the program in future classes. We felt that visioning is so important that it should be covered sooner.

Kelly Morton, of the James City Human Resources Department, was the presenter at our vision session. She explored what is a vision, why a vision is important, and the difference between a vision, a mission statement, and a goal. We looked at the process for creating a vision and discussed a personal vision and a vision for the future of James City.

We further recommended that some kind of internship be established for future leadership class graduates. Perhaps they might be allowed to sit on local  government boards, with non-voting, observer status. McCrimmon replied that he would have to discuss this with James City administrator Sandy Wanner.

The next James City County Leadership Development class is scheduled Sept. 11, at the Human Services Center on Olde Towne Road. Call 229-9332 for information. 

This essay was published in The Virginia Gazette on September 6, 1999. The paragraph about elected officials does not reflect my viewpoint. Politicians do pay attention to the opinions of citizens who are very intelligent, well-educated, imaginative, and who manifest a keen comprehension of issues that are pertinent to the relevant governmental body. Citizens' comments should be unbiased and based on common sense, reason and logic.

Getting all fired up about the academy

Last November, I graduated from the fourth James City County Citizen Fire Academy. I've always been interested in what firefighters do because I lived directly across the street from a firehouse in New York City during the first six years of my life. There I witnessed a blaze that had erupted a few doors from my house. Two adults died in the fire.

The eight-week program was free and open to citizens of the Historic Triangle who were at least 18 years old. There's one academy each year, and enrollment is limited to 15 citizens. Senior Firefighter Medic Miles Pettengell is the director.

The goal is to "provide our citizens with an understanding of the fire department's mission and the role they play in it" and to "demonstrate essential functions of the fire department."  

James City County is the only locality in Virginia that has a citizen fire academy. It's one of only about 20 communities nationwide that have this program. 

In 1995, Capt. Kim Johnson and Senior Firefighter Medic John Black read about a citizen academy in Orlando, Fla. They suggested to James City County Fire Chief Richard Miller that the fire department establish an academy here. Miller agreed, and Johnson directed the first three academies.

Miller was the presenter at our first class. He said many people think firemen just put out fires. Actually, 70% of the calls to the James City Fire Department are for emergency medical services. The county firemen also do confined space, trench, structural collapse, high angle and water rescues. They respond to accidents involving hazardous materials, do fire and life hazard inspections and conduct training.

The fire marshal's office enforces the fire code and carries out fire and arson investigations. There's also a Federal Emergency Management Agency team. Team members respond to disasters statewide and internationally. There are only 26 of these task forces nationwide.

It's better to be proactive than reactive, i.e., to prevent fires from occurring in the first place. Miller talked about wanting us to learn the citizen's role in public safety and his desire to educate us on what the fire department can and cannot do.

We were taught many basics that firefighters learn in their academy. We were allowed to handle all of the firefighting and rescue equipment and toured the trucks, rescue vehicles, and the boat that is used for water rescues. These hands-on experiences were fun and made the program very interesting. 

For some of the lessons and the ride-along, we had to wear turnout gear, consisting of a protective coat and pants, a helmet, T-shirt, suspenders, boots and gloves. During two lessons, we also had to wear the cumbersome breathing apparatus. 

There's a maximum of six minutes in which to begin resuscitation for a heart attack victim. After this, survival is doubtful. That's why knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is crucial in saving lives.

We were trained in CPR, and the Heimlich maneuver and taught to look, listen and feel. Then we were certified as CPR and emergency cardiac care providers. 

The program included two Saturday practical sessions. The first was a vehicle extrication lesson. We were shown how to operate the tools that firemen employ to rescue accident victims trapped in vehicles. Two old cars were provided, and we used the tools on the cars.

The Holmatro spreader, commonly known as the Jaws of Life, is very powerful. I carefully popped off a car door with it.

The other practical session was a fire suppression lesson. To use a fire extinguisher, you pull the pin out, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the trigger, and spray in a sweeping motion, standing eight feet away. You use an extinguisher only for a small fire. If the blaze is too big, call 911. Always back away facing a fire. Don't turn your back on it until you're at a safe distance.

We were shown how to lay fire hoses, connect them to a hydrant, and charge them with water. We each took turns operating two lines of different diameters. They were heavier than you'd think. Water is heavy.

We had to hold the hoses tightly when we operated them, especially the wider one, because of the powerful pressure. If you drop the line, it can whip up and down, and the nozzle could hit you in the head and kill you. We then learned how to decouple, drain and repack the hoses on the fire engines.

The last part of the session involved putting on the airpack and doing a two-room search in simulated fire conditions. We had to enter a building at the training center, two at a time, search in non-toxic smoke for a 150-pound dummy, and drag it out.

When I went in, I was disoriented and unable to see a thing. It was frightening. I felt vulnerable. I had to crawl on my knees, feel the wall on left side of the rooms with one hand and use my other hand to search. Firefighters use this method to search for trapped people.

I spent 24 hours at James City Fire Station 3 and rode in an ambulance with Pettengell and Firefighter Greg Johnson on the EMS calls. On one call, we transported a hemorrhaging 79-year-old man from a retirement home to the hospital. Another call was for a small arson fire that had already been doused by Station 2 firemen. 

The most important call was for a 72-year-old woman experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. When we arrived at the house, she had no pulse. Her pacemaker was making her heart beat so fast that her heart couldn't pump blood through her body. 

Pettengell, Johnson and I were soon joined by Senior Firefighter Medic Laurie Catlett. They administered oxygen and a drug that stopped the patient's heart for one second, then restarted it at a slower rate. Her chest pains subsided. 

The woman asked why a fire engine had responded to the call. As Miller had told us earlier, people always ask this question.

The main reason is personnel. Only two medics ride in an ambulance. At least two people ride in an engine, one of whom must be a medic. Four people are needed to respond to an EMS call. The other reason is equipment. Like an ambulance, a fire engine carries a drug box, oxygen, a defibrillator, and a heart monitor. Both vehicles are always sent together on advanced life support calls. 

As the fourth member of the rescue squad, I helped to carry equipment on the EMS calls. I realized the importance of a four-person team as I returned the drug box to the ambulance. We transported the patient to the hospital, and later, Pettengell and Catlett said that we had saved the woman's life.

At our graduation, Miller delivered the keynote address. He spoke about how fortunate our community is to have a topnotch fire department and a citizen fire academy. Miller explained the importance of the academy and expressed his desire that the concept spread throughout the nation.

The James City Fire Department is working with several graduates to form a Citizen Fire Academy Alumni organization. A spring picnic is planned as the first event.

This essay was published in The Virginia Gazette on February 6, 1999. Firefighter Greg Johnson didn't have the term "Medic" in his title because he was a medic trainee. I rode in the fire engine driven by Senior Firefighter Medic Laurie Catlett only on the one fire call. She was part of our four-person EMS rescue squad during that 24-hour shift. After the publication of this  essay, Chief Richard Miller was honored by the Board of Supervisors with a vocational excellence award.

Police team with community

I recently graduated from the seventh James City Citizen Police Academy. I became interested in the academy because I'm the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator at a new development in Williamsburg. I thought it would help me strengthen the Neighborhood Watch program and give me a better understanding of what the police do.

The Citizen Police Academy began in England in 1977 as an outreach to get citizens more involved with the police and to hopefully form a partnership with them in order to reduce crime. The first citizen academy in this country took place in Orlando in 1985, and the concept has slowly spread throughout America.

James City started its academy in 1994. The director is Lt. Diane Clarcq. There are two academies each year. The program is free and up to 18 citizens are accepted.

At our first class, Clarcq and James City Police Chief Robert Key spoke. Key said that over the years, the police have lost touch with the people they serve. "You know better than the police what's going on in your neighborhood." He said that crime isn't a police problem–it's a community problem. Citizens and police must work together.

Police need to be a part of the neighborhood and know the people. Key talked about trust, truth, ethics and values. Trust is crucial to police officers. 

Key said that police must be dedicated, courteous and use minimal force to make arrests. Police work isn't just protection and prevention. It's also about community involvement, about improving the quality of life. 

During the next 10 weeks, we were taught many basics that police officers learn in their academy. Officer Orlando Caraballo gave a presentation on community policing. He defined it as an "organization-wide philosophy and management approach that promotes community, government and police partnership, proactive problem-solving, and community engagement to address the causes of crime, fear of crime and other community issues."

Today the emphasis is getting the officers out of their patrol cars, walking around, talking to people and getting to know them and their neighborhoods. This is called the "Community Era" by the police. It started in the 1980s and continues today. 

Caraballo spoke about the community partnership process that involves government- community-police. The objective is "to expand the area in which all three groups collaborate." The second part of the community partnership process is represented as a circle: community contact leads to communication leads to trust. The old motto, "We do it for the community" has become "We do it with the community."

Police spend 30% of their time on crime and 70% on social problems. That's why community policing is results-orientated and emphasizes proactive problem-solving and policing. The police value sharing information. Citizens unite to form active community groups and become active partners with the police to solve problems. The focus is on quality of life. 

Recently the James City Police Department started an alumni association for all academy graduates. There will be a Christmas party on Dec. 14 for alumni and their families. A Citizen Police Academy Alumni Committee has started and will meet Jan. 12. Elections of officers takes place in March. 

This essay was published in The Virginia Gazette on December 13, 1997. I did my required ride-along with James City Officer Brad Rinehimer. The Williamsburg Police Department established a Police Chief's Citizen Advisory Committee in the summer of 2021. The initial meetings were patterned on the Citizen Police Academy program.

Involvement builds community 

If neighborhoods and citizens get stronger and better informed, we can build a better community. 

That was the gist of the welcoming remarks ceremony at the James City-Williamsburg conference, "Neighborhoods: The Fabric of our Community," held at James Blair Middle School in March. Williamsburg Mayor Gil Granger said, "In warm, wonderful Williamsburg," we  have many opportunities to make our community even better. And he is right.

According to area citizens, who were concerned about the cutting of too many trees and the recent accidental clearing of the wrong land, citizens must pay attention. There must be a system to alert people to things that are happening, and citizens  must take responsibility for what's going on around them.

Worry over what the developers are doing to our environment was the major concern expressed at the panel discussion with James City Administrator Sanford Wanner,  Williamsburg City Manager Jackson Tuttle and York County Administrator Danny Stuck.

One speaker said that there should be a listing of everything that's going on. People want to be informed, especially on development issues. Another individual asked what measures are being taken to protect areas that are being developed. He said that developers should be made to fix any damage they incur.

Concern about being properly informed was reiterated over and over again. The panelists urged participants to get involved and look at the issues. Call the government officials in your jurisdiction. Citizens do have an impact on changing things, they asserted. 

Making neighborhoods better places to live is about consideration, unity and working together. Get involved in civic activities-get involved in a cause. 

Williamsburg Councilman George Genakos spoke about being a good citizen. He suggested reaching out to people and making a difference one person at a time. He suggested that people go door-to-door and participate in community meetings regularly. Make diversity a strength.

Genakos called for an active community and suggested field trips with your neighbors. He urged citizens to be positive influences in the communities. He also suggested that interested people serve on leadership councils.

Some 268 people from 45 neighborhoods attended. These are some of the points that were stressed:

• Establish a community center.

• Establish a  neighborhood newsletter.

• Get together to discuss problems.

• Take responsibility for the neighborhood.

• Make a difference in your community.

• Learn the power that concerned citizens have.

• You can drive drugs out of your  neighborhood if everyone cooperates.

• Get involved in activities.

• Be inclusive when organizing.

• Be neighborly.                  

This essay was published in The Virginia Gazette on April 9, 1997. That year, the annual James City County-Williamsburg Neighborhoods Conference was held on March 8. At the event, Don Janderup was Master of Ceremony. At the time, he was President of the Skipwith Farms Civic Association and the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator. Janderup was a member of the 1997 conference's Fundraising Committee. I was on the Publicity Committee.