You have hopes and dreams, just like me.
You have anxieties and fears, just like me.
You have known suffering, just like me.
You wish to be happy, just like me
~ Monique Valcour, A 10-Minute Meditation to Help You Solve Conflicts at Work
Read full essay here.
Photo: Things That Make Me Smile
We wait for the phone to ring.
Every Sunday.
For the obligatory college briefing call.
(As long as you feed from the trough, you’ll call home on Sunday. Non-negotiable.)
Rachel jabbering. Eric tight lipped…leaking information on a need-to-know basis.
Not last night.
Big day for me on Tuesday Dad.
I forgot it’s his 20th birthday.
You forgot right?
Of course not.
Of course you did.
You know that I’m leaving for El Salvador on Saturday.
I’ll be taking vitals…blood pressure, temperature…and recording it.
Dad, I’ve been told there will be thousands, all waiting for medical care.
We’ll be readying patients for the doctors and dentists.
And then feeding homeless at night.
I’m dressing for work this morning.
I check the weather app. -5° F with wind chill.
How many children are huddled and shivering in the cold? Hungry. A soda can and not much else in the fridge for breakfast. Not in El Salvador. Here. Right here.
I shudder.
I reach for a t-shirt. Folded. Stacked. Clean. White.
I’m drawn to the label. I squint to read the small print.
XL 100% Pima Cotton. Machine wash warm with like colors. Only non-chlorine bleach if needed. Tumble Dry Low. Warm Iron if needed. Made in Bangladesh.
Made in Bangladesh.
Image Credit
Epictetus (AD 55–135) was a Greek sage and philosopher. He was born a slave in present day Turkey, and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece for the rest of his life. Philosophy, Epictetus taught, is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are determined by fate, and are thus beyond our control; we should accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline. Suffering occurs from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or from neglecting what is within our power. As part of the universal city that is the universe, it is our duty to care for all our fellow men. Those who follow these precepts will achieve happiness and peace of mind. (Source: Wiki)
Love this…hypnotized by it…but not sure that I fully grasped the story line. Van Gogh and his illnesses have been on my mind from posts earlier in the week. (9/21-a and 9/21-b). All interpretations welcome.
Good Sunday morning.
A Winged Victory For The Sullen – Requiem For The Static King Part One (Official Video) from Erased Tapes on Vimeo.
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Agustin is from Siguatepeque, Honduras. He was born “lame with his right leg shorter than his left.” He was later struck with polio leaving him severely disabled from the legs down. He dreamed of being a pilot but because of his disability, he couldn’t fly. He turned his energy to building his own helicopter largely from parts found at the trash dumps. He started building in 1958. He is still pursuing his dream today more than one-half a century later with his helicopter still under construction.
His Minister: “I don’t know what he’s paying for his helicopter in the ultimate sense. I think he’s paid a lot for that helicopter. I think he’s paid an awful lot. You might say what has he gotten out of it? I don’t know. Maybe its kept him alive. Maybe its been able to conquer loneliness. Maybe its been able to conquer poverty.”
Agustin later in the story explains: “The problem is that everything is incredible and people just don’t accept it.”
This video is beautiful. Sad. Touching. And inspiring.
And, yes, Agustin, we are blessed. And everything is incredible. And often times we take it for granted.
Good Sunday morning.
Everything is Incredible from Tyler Bastian on Vimeo.
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“I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that – I don’t mind people being happy – but the idea that everything we do is part of the pursuit of happiness seems to me a really dangerous idea and has led to a contemporary disease in Western society, which is fear of sadness. It’s a really odd thing that we’re now seeing people saying “write down 3 things that made you happy today before you go to sleep”, and “cheer up” and “happiness is our birthright” and so on. We’re kind of teaching our kids that happiness is the default position – it’s rubbish. Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don’t teach us much. Everyone says we grow through pain and then as soon as they experience pain they say “Quick! Move on! Cheer up!” I’d like just for a year to have a moratorium on the word “happiness” and to replace it with the word “wholeness”. Ask yourself “is this contributing to my wholeness?” and if you’re having a bad day, it is.”
This quote was inspired (and not in a positive way) by my recent readings of an shockingly large number of children and adults being medicated for a variety of reasons ranging from serious disorders like chronic depression to anxiety, ADD and academic performance. Sad and disturbing. (This coming from a man who can barely choke down a Bayer aspirin without feeling guilt wash over me.)
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More info on: Nisargadatta Maharaj
Quote Source: spycnsweet
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