Man oh man, somehow again your words strike just the right chord for the exactly what is going on on this side of the interweb ether. ❤️ Don’t know how you do it time and time again, but thank you, truly.
I don’t know that I have a full list of three, but as I’ve worked on returning to my daily practices this past month I keep coming back to: lead with love. Life is messy, we are human after all, and there will be missteps along the way. I genuinely believe if we operate from a place of love, compassion, and kindness that is felt and understood on some level, even when, perhaps especially when, these missteps happen. Perhaps it’s naive in its simplicity, but we humans are social creatures and we seek connection.
Ahh to strike a chord means it all. I hope the music it plays inside you is beautiful. I'm sure it is, as it's yours. Lead with love, could truly be the only one you ever need. What a perfect way forward.
I want to comment but struggle to put into words my beliefs. Maybe it's my fear of sounding stupid because I don't completely understand the assignment. Maybe I don't understand myself? Are we talking about beliefs or are we talking about what we need and want? How is that connected?
Humans are messy and make so many mistakes and hurt others. Sometimes on purpose, most of the time without knowing of the harm done.
Humans want to feel needed and understand their purpose in life.
We are ALL connected. All. We cannot lose sight of this, we must not. YOU, my friend, will never sound stupid, not here, not ever. You can answer any of my questions, on any of my posts, however YOU think to. However you're called to. There are never wrong answers here, nor are there assignments you can mess up. This whole place is a community to just spill out whatever is inside, and go forward feeling lighter. That's the whole point. :)
Thank you. Your words on a Sunday morning always preach more hope and direction into my mind than any light through a stained glass window. And this poem, “Typewriter Series #1584” is mesmerizing. I read it aloud ten times. Each time a different verse brought different focus to my mind. Like a ‘moving and emotional’ stream, such poetry can connect us to a place where the scene created is both captivating and fluid.
On the topic of being happy… I am sanguine at best. I believe in the pursuit of happiness, just not in the reality of its capture. Oh, please don’t misunderstand me, i believe it is the most worthy of missions in life. But given the reality of health, relationships, and expectations… it becomes our own burden to realize happiness in life. And as we age, this burden is laden with more and more experiences that teach us how little there is we can do for others if we don’t take care of ourselves. Such is the dichotomy of how elusive and brief true happiness can be. Or as Abraham Lincoln said; “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."
I believe, most of us choose our own reality of happiness and sadness. And not only should we not try to change that, I’m not sure it’s possible. A perfect world for every “Karen” who only sees things only their way, is imperfect to many others. And it’s funny what “norms” of society shift over time, while others remain the same. Of course, there are others with disabilities or misfortunes that fate has not blessed with such capability as to be able to choose their impressions of life. It is only to their care that we should be focused and judged. Reshaping your essay, here is my take:
To be compared with yonder light through window glass stained, means more than I can say. I never wanted anyone to feel I was sermonizing, but to be compared to it means that sometimes little words can feel bigger, and that matters. I also completely agree, that so many of us miss the truth that, as you so eloquently put it, "it becomes our own burden to realize happiness in life." This is what I get so worried about when I watch the generation we're currently raising. They do not see this, they do not believe this. They think it's owed to them.
Today is World Gratitude Day. Completely grateful for you, Tyler, and to this community. Thank you SO much.
... my core beliefs are simple and to the point:
1. Be Kind/Gracious ... [to yourself and others. "Do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence."]
2. Be Gentle ... ever so gentle
3. Be Aware ... [ this marries with being compassionate. By being aware, we can see what is before us and help to ease the suffering of others and self.]
That's it ... and the most important of these, for me, is kindness.
I am so grateful for YOU, for ALL of you. You make this place what it is, you always have, you always will. Thank you thank you thank you. For your number 2, it is one I have been working on every day of my life.
2. Love matters more than anything else. How we give it, how we receive it, how we love ourselves, how we use it to transform our lives. Take everything away, and the meaning of life will always be about love.
3. Community and connection is what will define our lives. Not what job we have, or the money we make, or the items we possess. Strip it all away, and life is about the people we surround ourselves with. We are nothing without good human connection.
4. Life is built on small acts of kindness. The little things are the big things.
I don't know if I could agree harder with number 1. Seriously. I am so often so upset by the absolute lack of presence I see around me. It physically hurts. Which sounds weird, but it's true. Thank you for all these.
Okay I think these would be mine!! (Very unlike me, I just instantly wrote what I first felt,I didn't really think about it and analyze it before sharing.)
1. Sonder -- the realization that every other human is living a life just as complex as your own, with joy, sorrow, success, struggle, and everything in between.
2. Because of core belief #1, we should all lead with kindness. Full stop.
3. Returning to a matriarchal mindset/society. (And no, that doesn't mean just replacing the old white men with women. It means decentering greed and profit for the few. It means centering community, connection, and children because they are our future. It means caring for the earth, for nature. It means being in it together, instead of in it to tear others down so we may rise up. It means leading with empathy and compassion. It means death of the scarcity mindset and knowing there is enough for everyone, if we conduct ourselves thusly.)
In kindergarten, I would distill the school rules down to a three goal Venn diagram which all other expectations could fall within:
Be Responsible
Be Respectful
Be Ready to Learn
As a teacher my expectations also alliterate:
Stay courageous,
curious,
and most of all,
stay kind.
All six, both student and teacher behavioral goals are my overarching religion. We are all both teacher and student. To continuously teach and learn how to love, thats why we are here.
Maybe I’ll write an ABC book one day. Maybe I already have? I believe I turned in an over-the/top fully alliterative ABC book on character growth for a behavior management class in grad school. Sigh
Man oh man, somehow again your words strike just the right chord for the exactly what is going on on this side of the interweb ether. ❤️ Don’t know how you do it time and time again, but thank you, truly.
I don’t know that I have a full list of three, but as I’ve worked on returning to my daily practices this past month I keep coming back to: lead with love. Life is messy, we are human after all, and there will be missteps along the way. I genuinely believe if we operate from a place of love, compassion, and kindness that is felt and understood on some level, even when, perhaps especially when, these missteps happen. Perhaps it’s naive in its simplicity, but we humans are social creatures and we seek connection.
Ahh to strike a chord means it all. I hope the music it plays inside you is beautiful. I'm sure it is, as it's yours. Lead with love, could truly be the only one you ever need. What a perfect way forward.
I want to comment but struggle to put into words my beliefs. Maybe it's my fear of sounding stupid because I don't completely understand the assignment. Maybe I don't understand myself? Are we talking about beliefs or are we talking about what we need and want? How is that connected?
Humans are messy and make so many mistakes and hurt others. Sometimes on purpose, most of the time without knowing of the harm done.
Humans want to feel needed and understand their purpose in life.
We're all connected. (One)
We are one, out of many.
We are ALL connected. All. We cannot lose sight of this, we must not. YOU, my friend, will never sound stupid, not here, not ever. You can answer any of my questions, on any of my posts, however YOU think to. However you're called to. There are never wrong answers here, nor are there assignments you can mess up. This whole place is a community to just spill out whatever is inside, and go forward feeling lighter. That's the whole point. :)
Thank you. 💜
Thank you. Your words on a Sunday morning always preach more hope and direction into my mind than any light through a stained glass window. And this poem, “Typewriter Series #1584” is mesmerizing. I read it aloud ten times. Each time a different verse brought different focus to my mind. Like a ‘moving and emotional’ stream, such poetry can connect us to a place where the scene created is both captivating and fluid.
On the topic of being happy… I am sanguine at best. I believe in the pursuit of happiness, just not in the reality of its capture. Oh, please don’t misunderstand me, i believe it is the most worthy of missions in life. But given the reality of health, relationships, and expectations… it becomes our own burden to realize happiness in life. And as we age, this burden is laden with more and more experiences that teach us how little there is we can do for others if we don’t take care of ourselves. Such is the dichotomy of how elusive and brief true happiness can be. Or as Abraham Lincoln said; “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."
I believe, most of us choose our own reality of happiness and sadness. And not only should we not try to change that, I’m not sure it’s possible. A perfect world for every “Karen” who only sees things only their way, is imperfect to many others. And it’s funny what “norms” of society shift over time, while others remain the same. Of course, there are others with disabilities or misfortunes that fate has not blessed with such capability as to be able to choose their impressions of life. It is only to their care that we should be focused and judged. Reshaping your essay, here is my take:
Sanguine
We learn over time;
Only to be good; to do good.
But what does “good” mean?
Hard work’s no problem;
Resentment and jealousy…
Those just wear me out!
What does happy mean?
It’s not us just feeling good.
More to “not be tired”?
Sorrow is not changed,
By how much we worry now.
Only action will.
When we leave this place;
No one wants a bigger mess
Than when they started…
It has been long said:
“We are blessed to be less stressed.”
This each day I pray.
To those given much;
Much of them is expected…
Luke 12:48.
To be compared with yonder light through window glass stained, means more than I can say. I never wanted anyone to feel I was sermonizing, but to be compared to it means that sometimes little words can feel bigger, and that matters. I also completely agree, that so many of us miss the truth that, as you so eloquently put it, "it becomes our own burden to realize happiness in life." This is what I get so worried about when I watch the generation we're currently raising. They do not see this, they do not believe this. They think it's owed to them.
Still we press on. You're spot on as usual.
Today is World Gratitude Day. Completely grateful for you, Tyler, and to this community. Thank you SO much.
... my core beliefs are simple and to the point:
1. Be Kind/Gracious ... [to yourself and others. "Do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence."]
2. Be Gentle ... ever so gentle
3. Be Aware ... [ this marries with being compassionate. By being aware, we can see what is before us and help to ease the suffering of others and self.]
That's it ... and the most important of these, for me, is kindness.
I am so grateful for YOU, for ALL of you. You make this place what it is, you always have, you always will. Thank you thank you thank you. For your number 2, it is one I have been working on every day of my life.
1. Presence is the root of everything.
2. Love matters more than anything else. How we give it, how we receive it, how we love ourselves, how we use it to transform our lives. Take everything away, and the meaning of life will always be about love.
3. Community and connection is what will define our lives. Not what job we have, or the money we make, or the items we possess. Strip it all away, and life is about the people we surround ourselves with. We are nothing without good human connection.
4. Life is built on small acts of kindness. The little things are the big things.
I don't know if I could agree harder with number 1. Seriously. I am so often so upset by the absolute lack of presence I see around me. It physically hurts. Which sounds weird, but it's true. Thank you for all these.
Okay I think these would be mine!! (Very unlike me, I just instantly wrote what I first felt,I didn't really think about it and analyze it before sharing.)
1. Sonder -- the realization that every other human is living a life just as complex as your own, with joy, sorrow, success, struggle, and everything in between.
2. Because of core belief #1, we should all lead with kindness. Full stop.
3. Returning to a matriarchal mindset/society. (And no, that doesn't mean just replacing the old white men with women. It means decentering greed and profit for the few. It means centering community, connection, and children because they are our future. It means caring for the earth, for nature. It means being in it together, instead of in it to tear others down so we may rise up. It means leading with empathy and compassion. It means death of the scarcity mindset and knowing there is enough for everyone, if we conduct ourselves thusly.)
I think you need to write first, think second, more often. This is magical, all of it, all the way through. You are an inspiration.
Thank you, Tyler! ✨
Be kind
Love hard
Help others
Be a giver
Believe in good
It really is that easy.
It really, really is. Somehow, no one seems to understand these days. :( You're magic.
Beautiful! Thank you.
Ok here's my 3 (without a lot of thought...)
1 Care for your body, heart and mind as if they are your dearest friends.
2. Practice kind, curious, embodied awareness of yourself and others in balance, best u can.
3. Love and be loved.
Jen, I absolutely love all 3 of these. 3, made me tear up.
In kindergarten, I would distill the school rules down to a three goal Venn diagram which all other expectations could fall within:
Be Responsible
Be Respectful
Be Ready to Learn
As a teacher my expectations also alliterate:
Stay courageous,
curious,
and most of all,
stay kind.
All six, both student and teacher behavioral goals are my overarching religion. We are all both teacher and student. To continuously teach and learn how to love, thats why we are here.
Maybe I’ll write an ABC book one day. Maybe I already have? I believe I turned in an over-the/top fully alliterative ABC book on character growth for a behavior management class in grad school. Sigh
All pale in comparison to:
Live Justly
Love Mercy
Walk humbly
Micah 6:8
1) Alliteration is always the answer. B) Your religion is a perfect one.