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The Matter of Motives
Living with others, there are hundreds of opportunities daily to be of service to someone else. I was reminded of this recently when I saw my neighbor running awkwardly behind her young son as he bravely joined the world of cycling without training wheels. We peel carrots for lunch bags that aren’t ours. Walk dogs and fill gas tanks that aren’t ours. Why? Somebody’s got to do it, right? Like mowing the yard. Or because it just needs to be done–like the laundry needing to be washed. Perhaps it is because people deserve to be honored. Even in simple ways. Consider that something as seemingly impersonal as shoveling snow or doing yard work has…
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Economy of the Heart
“If it doesn’t help, it hurts.” — from a discussion on photographic composition This fundamental economy of expression is true in other mediums as well. More words do not necessarily bring more value to written work. We appreciate Matisse and Picasso for their depth of communication through the use of a single line. This economy has a translation for action, too. How we spend our time matters. Economy of action suggests that right action is exactly enough. Each day we are faced with people and circumstances that demand our attention. We can avoid them temporarily, but they will not be ignored forever. Whether we are faced with an individual or an emotion, if…
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Listen…Do You Smell Something?
We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say. — Zeno of Citium, ancient Greek philosopher The world is full of voices. They come to us from our families, friends and co-workers. We are bombarded through social media, talk radio, and TV. The struggle is real in the Age of Distraction. If we aren’t intentional about what we are listening to, we can end up with the intellectual equivalent of a junk food diet and a very real headache at the end of the day. Many voices are just noise. Others have merit. Choosing which voice to listen to presents an endless challenge. The most difficult are those…
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Dogs and Humans
My husband, W, had a heart attack on New Year’s Eve. Thankfully, he’s recovering well after the miraculous procedure of inserting multiple stents into two arteries. We say he’s bionic now. What’s been interesting is how our dog, Roux, has responded to his convalescence. Roux prefers to lay next to W on the couch with his head resting on W’s leg. Or on the floor at W’s feet. We have taken to calling him a therapy dog. I know Roux is not unique in this nurturing trait. Reports abound of canines demonstrating unconditional love and companionship. There are movies showcasing heroic dogs in service to the military and law enforcement agencies. Or dogs who drag people…
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Humanness
“I’ve been around a long time and life still has a whole lot of surprises for me.” –Loretta Lynn We are busy. Our work is important. The household needs managing. We are taking care of our duties and responsibilities–going to the dentist, walking the dog, and saving for retirement. It is in the midst of these mundane activities that our lives unfold. With beauty and grace, life awakens us through moments of shared authenticity. People being authentically themselves do so unabashedly. Whatever the form the authenticity takes, it is done so without thought of an audience’s applause. It is simply one human being living their truth in the presence of others. This humanness is what makes us…
