There are so many people out there who never consider nuance. I've said over and over, that most everything is painted with shades of gray and we all exist on a scale where we evolve from hour to hour, and day to day.
Somebody once said "everybody want's to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die to get there." It's interesting to contemplate the faces we present to others around us. For my entire life, I've been told I have a "good heart." However, underneath this good heart, is something else that most people never know about, and would be surprised if they did know. I've turned what should be a bitter cup into a sweet one, but the echoes remain. So I can understand the winds that might buffer a person, very well.
Yes, I guess I was born with a bit more empathy than others, but much of that came from a lot of pain, such that empathy becomes even more precious when it's denied to you. Example: If someone locked you in a box and reduced your air supply, each breath you take afterwards, will mean that much more, and never be taken for granted.
The other thing your post made me think about, is access to information. Alex Haley, the author of Roots once said: "When an old person dies, it's like a library burning." When we distance ourselves from unconventional people, we also cut ourselves off from information and learned experiences. You can't learn anything if you're not listening. Some of my most important life lessons were gleaned from people such as these. Excellent post. Please keep sharing.
Somebody once said "everybody want's to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die to get there." It's interesting to contemplate the faces we present to others around us. For my entire life, I've been told I have a "good heart." However, underneath this good heart, is something else that most people never know about, and would be surprised if they did know. I've turned what should be a bitter cup into a sweet one, but the echoes remain. So I can understand the winds that might buffer a person, very well.
Yes, I guess I was born with a bit more empathy than others, but much of that came from a lot of pain, such that empathy becomes even more precious when it's denied to you. Example: If someone locked you in a box and reduced your air supply, each breath you take afterwards, will mean that much more, and never be taken for granted.
The other thing your post made me think about, is access to information. Alex Haley, the author of Roots once said: "When an old person dies, it's like a library burning." When we distance ourselves from unconventional people, we also cut ourselves off from information and learned experiences. You can't learn anything if you're not listening. Some of my most important life lessons were gleaned from people such as these. Excellent post. Please keep sharing.
What a thoughtful comment! I don't recall ever hearing the quote you mentioned, about an old person dying...such truth. Yesterday I was guided to begin networking and there was immediate confirmation after the action that I took in that regard. For a while there though, I distanced myself from many. There was so much noise and I needed to go inward and listen to myself...to my emotional guidance system, my needs, etc... I'm excited to reopen to the public so to speak. Now with a stronger sense of discernment and greater awareness.
I think we all need that quiet space from time to time, so that we can resume our path forward refreshed and reinvigorated. If I recall correctly, that quote is from an interview he gave while a passenger on a cargo ship. Turns out Alex Haley loved taking trips on them as the cabins provided a peaceful environment for him to write. That quote has always stayed with me, as I was raised mostly by older people, and learned so much from them. It always reminded me of the burning of The Library of Alexandria. The "library burning" part, is a reference to the knowledge lost when wise elders pass on, unless that knowledge is passed on to the next generation.
Yes, it made sense right away. Perhaps, in our future we'll place a higher value on their wisdom and experience.
As @evernoticethat said, that time of solitude is necessary sometimes. I too went through something of the sort for the past two years, but now it's time to bloom! Thank you for stopping by and for your own thoughtful comment!
@drrune , it was my pleasure. 🙂 You are the first "favorite" I have added on PeakD. I look forward to reading more about your 'bloom'. 😉
Awesome comment! Thank you so much. Yes! There's a lot of history behind a person's current actions and character, most of it is completely unknown even to that person, so there's no honest way to judge others because, as you say, we lack access to the information. I'm always checking my environment for information, it's an effortless thing to me at this point, even strangers can offer essential pieces of data if one's listening.
One again, thank you for the wonderful comment! Blessings!