It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion;
it is easy in solitude to live after our own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
At a time when there are so many diverse opinions being proffered in the world and those opinions are causing so much trouble (terrorism, American politics, religious conflicts), I am drawn to Emerson’s quote.
We, humans, are an opinionated bunch! On most topics, there are as many ideas as there are people. As we live in neighborhoods, communities, nations and organizations, we confront the collision of those differing ideas every day. At work, in coffee shops, at church, even at the dinner table — people disagree with us.
“This is where I get most of my negative thinking done.”
New Yorker cartoon of a woman showing buyers her home office
Economically and environmentally, for Americans the past three years have been difficult, at best. Even those whose jobs were secure and finances healthy have felt the impact: government cuts to essential programs, neighbors who had to sell their homes, friends who were unemployed, new carcinogens and ever worsening global warming. Worst of all, the nightly news reminds us how bad things are. All that in addition to our personal challenges.
In times like these, optimism is hard to summon. The cartoon I quoted above is not far from the truth — we often get so trapped in worrying that we can’t do Good Work! (more…)
As small children, our first experiences of the world beyond our families were at school – and even before that, on the way to school. Carrying our lunch box or our book bag, some of us walked through our neighborhood with our parents or friends. Others rode their bikes. Many of us boarded a big yellow school bus. A few of us were driven to school in cars.
What do you remember about walking or riding to school? (more…)
“Don’t discourage anyone who is making progress, no matter how slow.” Plato
This has been one of those weeks when I have been busy all week, but the stack of unfinished projects on my desk suggests otherwise. While I had every intention of completing the items on my to-do list, I set many of them aside to do other things. I took on new commitments and attended important events. Mostly, I gave time to relationships and met several new friends, so it has been a good week. (more…)
You buy new software and are trying to install it, and the screen says there is a problem with your computer.
It’s time to finally get your insurance and finances in order…again.
A family member is having trouble coping and needs assistance.
Situations like these are part of everyday life for most of us. We know the problem, but the answer is much more complicated. In fact, we’re not even sure where to start!
The good news is that we don’t have to come up with a solution all by ourselves. (more…)
This weekend I went to see the new movie based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. It follows a young woman’s classic New Age search for personal fulfillment, as she leaves her angst-ridden marriage, takes-then-leaves a lover and travels alone to Italy, India and Bali. Along the way, she re-examines her ideas about the pleasure of food, the way to enlightenment and the difficulties of relationships.
While enjoying the story, I left the movie theater struck the character’s self absorption and by our general American sense of dissatisfaction, including about religion. (more…)
“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”
John F. Kennedy
This summer marks the fifteenth year my husband and I have lived in our home. It seems like just yesterday we were moving in and finding a place for everything. Our adult children were just youngsters then, excited about their new rooms and big shady yard. As we carried in a steady stream of boxes, they ran in and out, claiming this space as their own. On that first day, I remember my husband Mike and I embracing in the middle of our living room, imagining the memories we would make here, so much of our family’s future stretching out in front of us. (more…)
All lovely things will have an ending - Carl Aiken
As a storyteller, I know that at the close of a story, listeners expect to hear some version of “The End.” Movie watchers are the same way; we wait to leave the theater, until those words scroll across the screen.
Endings happen in our real lives too: a day comes when it is time to move on, to make a change, to leave the theater of a place, a job or even a relationship. But change isn’t easy! It takes courage to end a chapter in our personal story!
What about you — in some area of your life, do you need to say to yourself: The End?
When We Have Courage, Endings Can Be a Blessing!
For More Ideas for InSpired Living, Visit InSpiritry.com
If you have young people in your life, you know what makes the last week of May special: it is the end of the school year. University students have finished their exams, high school students are handing in final projects and elementary students are enjoying relay days and field trips. In classrooms everywhere, there is excitement in the air: for the next twelve weeks, no homework!
And it’s not just the kids who are excited. Parents are happy too. (more…)
The 2010 Winter Olympic Games have given spectators plenty of drama and delight, as we have watched the world’s athletes compete for gold, silver, bronze and sometimes just the priviledge of being a competitor on the world stage. While the distance of television can’t match the excitement of actually being in the crowd, those of us who have tuned in each evening have shared some amazing moments. (more…)
