So much wisdom here, Renee. It reminded me of The Prophet, by Gibran. Are you familiar with that book? Here's an excerpt from what he says about marriage:
"Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music."
He speaks about friendship, love, children, work, everything really:
Thank you, Terry. Interesting you should mention The Prophet as just last week I found the book in my bookshelf and I took it out to read it. I will take both my seeing of it and your mentioning of it as evidence it is meant for me to read.
I love the quote you pulled from it....genius really.
Renee this post moved me deeply. I have been feeling paranoid and disturbed lately due the ugliness of the world, the economy is falling, people are openly practising financial fraud, heinous crimes are being committed in wake of daylight. I don’t feel safe anymore but yet I feel like to wake up and be a better person every day. With a little help , we shall make it. Let’s do it together. Thank you for this beautiful work.
It never fails to shake me how much the human world is fraught with ugliness. And to realize the ugliness is all unnecessary makes me deeply frustrated in my core. I always remind myself there are millions of warmhearted, kind people and, yes, we all need to join hands and lift up the human realm to our beautiful potential, starting with ourselves. As you beautifully wrote, "to wake up and be a better person every day."
This one hit me in the gut. My door is not only shut; it is locked and sealed around the edges, with a door wedged under the handle. Sigh. Thank you for your amazing words that remind us that we are not alone and that we are all wrestling with much the same challenges.
I'm often right there with you these last few years. As I read your words it dawned on me that when we find ourselves with sealed doors we could open it for our animal friends, as that counts, profoundly so. Life is definitely not an easy journey...full of complexities and contradictory emotions.
The disconnection is real. It's strange to think how boundaries have changed over the last few years. There was a fear of letting anyone near deeply engrained in everyone globally, and now we're returning to normal at such a pace it feels jarring at times. It's it safe? Are the boundaries of others still further than my own?
Not only are the boundaries further and less predictable, so are the emotions and reactions. The space between us all has destabilized our mental and social stability. We need and crave a return to normalcy, but normalcy eludes us.
Your words of wisdom are inspiring and encouraging. Yes, things are different. Yes, wee can get through this. Now it's the time to create the new norms we hope to see. By being brave with kindness, and intentionally compassionate with our interactions we are setting the new standard.
So well stated, Phia. True about Covid erasing norms and now we are all jumbled up, desperate to find balance again. I love how you say, "being brave with kindness and intentionally compassionate." Because being kind at times takes courage for we have to be authentic and kind to ourselves to be genuinely kind to others.
So much wisdom here, Renee. It reminded me of The Prophet, by Gibran. Are you familiar with that book? Here's an excerpt from what he says about marriage:
"Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music."
He speaks about friendship, love, children, work, everything really:
http://www.katsandogz.com/gibran/
Thank you, Terry. Interesting you should mention The Prophet as just last week I found the book in my bookshelf and I took it out to read it. I will take both my seeing of it and your mentioning of it as evidence it is meant for me to read.
I love the quote you pulled from it....genius really.
I'd have been surprised if you DIDN'T have it on your bookshelves! Yes, you are definitely being told 😂
Hehe I'll start reading tonight!
Renee this post moved me deeply. I have been feeling paranoid and disturbed lately due the ugliness of the world, the economy is falling, people are openly practising financial fraud, heinous crimes are being committed in wake of daylight. I don’t feel safe anymore but yet I feel like to wake up and be a better person every day. With a little help , we shall make it. Let’s do it together. Thank you for this beautiful work.
It never fails to shake me how much the human world is fraught with ugliness. And to realize the ugliness is all unnecessary makes me deeply frustrated in my core. I always remind myself there are millions of warmhearted, kind people and, yes, we all need to join hands and lift up the human realm to our beautiful potential, starting with ourselves. As you beautifully wrote, "to wake up and be a better person every day."
This one hit me in the gut. My door is not only shut; it is locked and sealed around the edges, with a door wedged under the handle. Sigh. Thank you for your amazing words that remind us that we are not alone and that we are all wrestling with much the same challenges.
I'm often right there with you these last few years. As I read your words it dawned on me that when we find ourselves with sealed doors we could open it for our animal friends, as that counts, profoundly so. Life is definitely not an easy journey...full of complexities and contradictory emotions.
" In essence, we become like water, soft and powerful, able to sculpt a canyon." I'm holding onto this thought.🧡
Thank you, Alice. I hope the thought rumbles in your belly to keep the flame of inspiration alive. :)
The disconnection is real. It's strange to think how boundaries have changed over the last few years. There was a fear of letting anyone near deeply engrained in everyone globally, and now we're returning to normal at such a pace it feels jarring at times. It's it safe? Are the boundaries of others still further than my own?
Not only are the boundaries further and less predictable, so are the emotions and reactions. The space between us all has destabilized our mental and social stability. We need and crave a return to normalcy, but normalcy eludes us.
Your words of wisdom are inspiring and encouraging. Yes, things are different. Yes, wee can get through this. Now it's the time to create the new norms we hope to see. By being brave with kindness, and intentionally compassionate with our interactions we are setting the new standard.
So well stated, Phia. True about Covid erasing norms and now we are all jumbled up, desperate to find balance again. I love how you say, "being brave with kindness and intentionally compassionate." Because being kind at times takes courage for we have to be authentic and kind to ourselves to be genuinely kind to others.
I always love how your words are precise and soft and true all at the same time, particularly in this essay.
Thank you, Rachel. And thank you for taking the time to read or listen. When my words resonate with others it makes writing to share worthwhile.