Monday, August 28, 2006

Random Blurp

Its amazing how incredibly appreciated a little kindness, honesty, trustworthiness… basically any small but direct application of the virtues we are asked to incorporate into our lives… how incredibly far we can go in applying them. It seems too ridiculously simple. And in my naïveté’s(sp) (innocence maybe?... well... nahh... immaturity?... maybe...) I always, even this far into my life, assume that the virtues were basically the default mode for those I am surrounded by… that this is what most use and operate with as a base and that there were a rogue few who didn’t. The reality is that it is the rogue few that who do and most don’t for the most part… This is how it seems to me anyway... maybe it's just jaded filters I have have developed… And I am constantly in awe how we people respond to these virtues applied, how immediate the response is... It's also really interesting to see how awkward things can become right at the point where someone realizes that some virtue is being applied to them… they react semi defensively… "don’t go out of your way", "no rush", "don’t worry about me", etc… Or a suspicious mode kicks in… "he’s being nice… what does he want?" … and atleast for me the moment gets awkward… and it's those moments when I pray and hope that I can keep acting in the same way, that I won't disappoint them as well as letting myself down ... I tell myself the best thing is to just keep going… executing in the same way and show, demonstrate, exemplify, embody, illustrate, and make obvious the motives of the act... and well... sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But again, it seems so ridiculously simple... apply the virtues in our dealings with others and with ourselves and everything will glide... And yet I keeping asking myself, why is it so foreign or strange a concept? Why aren't we talking more about it? Why aren't our conversations filled with new ways of applying these concepts? Is the weather really that important? Ok, I am rambling... sorry but I just started a new job a couple of months ago and I am in the throws of establishing new relationships and connections. It's just so interesting to watch this process... both within me and other's reactions... And now with those random thoughts come some random pics

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your focus on a number of levels. You are sensitive to the needs of others and possibly more so than average. And the ability to put yourself in another's shoes, so to speak, coupled with true kindness pushes you to act on anothers behalf. How is it then that so many respond with suspicion or even embarrassment?

Doesn't this stem from childhood when we are taught not to talk to strangers (an urban child's survival tactic)? Then we learn about making friends out of strangers, and how people need each other (or a society would never form). So, do we decide to approach others thinking "I trust you until you prove yourself untrustworthy." Or do we think, "I don't know you so I don't trust you. But maybe you'll prove to be trustworthy."

It's unfortunate that the first sentiment isn't the predominant one. After getting *****! over a couple times by a so-called friend, one tends to approach others warily and suspect that there's an ulterior motive behind a simple act of kindness and consideration.

My belief is that the closer one gets to operating from a love of the gift of life, and a true connection from the heart to its creator, the more one is able to see through self absorption and power games. We overlook those flaws of human nature because we know that they were put there by a flawed human mind which we also own. As we learn to see ourselves in others (the Self in others), we learn to treat others as we would be treated.

But the world grows smaller and the population of strangers rubs up against each other more and more, each competing with the rest for a piece of bread. The world concurrently grows toward a worship of the golden calf of promise of wealth and abundance showered on the masses by a powerful benevolent one.

So the world divides.
So the people seek comfort from anywhere it can be found.
So many choose a path of creature comforts, ignoring the soul.
So others become seekers of a truth beyond the physical.
So others lead by offering service.
In this way, I believe "The meek shall inherit the earth."
(though we definitely aren't there yet)

Anonymous said...

Mom said:

I thougt Aryn summed it up very well in the first paragraph. Funny, it seems all my kids have this sensitive spot where social connections are concerned. Awareness is almost always painful unfortunately, but far better than unawareness. Moderation in our reactions is probably key. And something your grandfather said that has always stuck with me - "always assume that people like you".