I adore reading your "blog." Thanks for the work you do and for the support you give to all of us. Most all your subjects resonate deeply and remind me of things i already know & practice and i need that!

It's a subtle and empowering shift in thinking to stop being victimized by the unique circumstances that make up our individual lives and to instead be open to them as teachers of wisdom and strength. It takes a lot of faith and courage to talk ourselves down from negatively-charged emotional states by saying, "This is an opportunity for me to practice ______", the blank being one of the many character traits, ie. patience, humility, compassion, etc., that take a lot of conscious effort to polish.

Not many of us are born and raised knowing how to play nice with others or how to see the beauty in life. The luckiest of us have good role models as teachers, and all of us, in an ideal world, would at least make an effort to be the best people we're all capable of being.

It's tempting for me to become disheartened occasionally by the lack of effort I sometimes find in others and can begin feeling as though I'm standing on the side-lines of a world-wide protest, some sort of staunch refusal to participate in evolution of self and humanity, and I allow this negative view to catapult me into becoming a hypocrite of my own efforts to spread love and peace, which is my worst fear and ugliest trait, which in turn makes me want to stick my face in my glass "half-full" of water that I try to carry around with me and put myself out of my misery ;)

It's refreshing to so consistently find encouragement through your blog, and I appreciate your writing so very much. I also appreciate the humility you demonstrate as shown in your response to Leslie, as it's vital for the most influential of teachers to also remain open to being a student, but please know that you offer this world a lot not a "little", and you deserve to give yourself credit for your talent and dedication to the transformative arts.

I went back and reread the blog that you referenced, "The Only Constant is Change", and it, too, was beautiful. Thank you. It reminded me of the most beautiful and bittersweet poem that I recently came accross, and I'd like to share it: "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost.

"Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
so dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."

This might have been my favorite out of everything you've written.
...aside from holding space, that was important.

We should start a club and call it,
"Post it's for Peace... of Mind"

CC

This is a very interesting exercise. I did it for a few minutes and can see how it will bring a new level of awareness. I really enjoy your blog and the learning experiences I garner from your writing. But mostly I wanted to say I am sorry for your loss.