Someone needs to lose some weight. Another needs to be more meticulous. Yet another is not thoughtful enough.
We spend most of our time observing the lack of others. But what of our own? They are admittedly difficult to admit.
Yet, we must do so because we cringe when someone else points them out. Haven’t we done the same?
So how do we accept the mirror view of ourselves? Ownership of our flaws is a start., as is listening to suggestions. We’ve to be honest about and reflect on them.
Everyone has an interesting backstory to tell, and it is usually so compelling that it must remain a secret from everyone else. And it is this backstory that sometimes prevents us from progressing. Family woes. Relationship worries. Academic stress. Work-related drama. We each have a lot to let go of.
Doing so is a tall order, but we can begin by acknowledging the sores in our hearts and challenging negative thoughts. Forgiving ourselves and others is crucial, as is setting boundaries.
Being caught in the middle of any conflict is unenviable. People on both sides of it expect us to empathize with their viewpoints and take their sides. How do we walk the tightrope and remain in the white light of neutrality?
It requires tact,diplomacy, and dedication to fairness, all of which are not easy to attain if everyone has strong, conflicting opinions about a situation. It requires a fair consideration of all perspectives. One must draw clear boundaries as well.
The white light of neutrality is difficult to see, but we must strive to remain in it. Enjoy these free verses.
An near-accident involving my new puppy this morning led to this post. The little dog had escaped from her harness and run onto the road, nearly getting run over. Thankfully, she’s safe and sound.
But it brings to mind that we have to prepare for the unexpected. No matter how secure I thought the harness was, the dog still managed to escape it. I still have to make sure that she’s never too close to the road.
Staying informed is essential. I should have made sure to check the harness once I neared the road. Contingencies would have helped; I should have brought her to the park instead of the bike path which was nearer my home. Practicing problem solving skills would help. She’ll need more reinforcement of the sit and stay commands.
THe whirlpool of unexpected circumstances may be difficult to manage, but we can tame it. Enjoy these cinquains.
Providence teaches us that we must put others before ourselves, and work towards the greater good. None of us will argue that the greater good is an absolute necessity, given the state of the world these days.
However, is the greater good always greater? We think of utopian societies that have failed and become dystopian. We think of well-intentioned government polices that have become dysfunctional.
On a personal level, we think of our kind intentions for others that have come to naught because their perspectives have been ignored. Perhaps the intention is simply not sustainable. Perhaps it doesn’t fit the need at the time. Perhaps it’s simply inflexible.
Just some muses. Enjoy this sonnet on the sunflower, a common symbol of working towards the greater good.
We spend most of our time trying to attain one goal or another, only to find them being upended by things that are out of our control (or anyone else’s, for that matter). While we do achieve our aims, much of our lives is a question mark.
We want to get that question mark erased. We want our questions answered but the answers don’t come most of the time. Uncertainty is the hallmark of life.
How do we deal with it? We try to accept what we cannot control (difficult), stay focused on what we can manage and develop as much resilience as we can (again, difficult but what must be done).
Like everything else, marriage has fluctuations – lulls of calm, periods of bliss, and occasions of woe. The two peas in a pod will remain, but must take pains not to become separated.
Telling half-truths is human; there are things that we will keep from people for credible reasons. But a lie is a lie – one may be doing so by omitting the truth.
As a teacher of teens, I find extracting the truth from them (usually about homework) a challenge. It requires clear communication, objectivity, probing when necessary and being direct.
The two-faced Roman deity, Janus, is a perfect symbol of someone who tells half-truths. And we know how to relate to him.
Challenges are a part and parcel of life. Of course, we sometimes wish that we needn’t have to clear them. Sadly, they aren’t so easy to be rid of.
I have found that it’s easier to embrace them than to avoid them- they have a knack for catching up with you. One has to jump over certain hurdles: they don’t just disappear. Of course, they block the way.
Approaching challenges sometimes requires taking a step back and assessing them. What are they? Can we break them down? Is there more than one way to handle them? Can we get some help?
The Getting Literal Writing Alcove 