Tag Archives: change

My party grew by One.

Posted on by
Reply
Daily writing prompt
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
View all responses

If I had that power to do one thing that substantial and everlasting, I sincerely doubt I would be sitting at a kitchen table here in Wisconsin. There would definitely be an altitude correction. Seeing the sun rise as it is this morning is a loving reminder of that and our role here today. I am perfectly fine letting Him hoist that celestial light so that we can begin the day and try to do our best.

Now I do have the capacity to change one thing. For the pusposes of this instant, it could be considered law.

Perspective needs to shift though. The view cannot be focused entirely inward. For the purposes of reflection, discernment and repentance you will need to invest the time, effort and intention within, so as to have an honest understanding of the law you allow to govern your thoughts, words and deeds without. For abiding by the wrong statutes can definitely bring harm to you and those all around you.

Abiding by decrees determined to place me above you, or me first you and you last, I am right and you are wrong, I know everyting but you don’t and I have everything under control will eventually lead to revolt. A deeply personal insurrection that walls you off from all “threats” and acts to bring complete isolation. Enabling you to allegedly “live” in your own decrepitly selfish city-state. One party. One person. One vote.

Big ego.

During a recent, ongoing convention, I assumed the podium as usual, pounded the gravel and filibustered with all the nonsense I could muster to convince my party to keep going down this path of destruction. One voice whispered from the back. Hidden. An utterance I had noticed on more than one occassion, but chose to ignore. As I became enveloped in a forlorn sense of fatigue, despair and aloneness, the wall began to came down.

Finally.

I realized that I didn’t have to assign myself a place of honor, be first in anything or even be right. I admitted that I had much to learn and no control whatsover. Except when it came to choosing to let go. I retired the gavel. Listening to that all loving delegate, convinced me to close my book and open another. Not simply to change my law of life. But to declare my independence. Rewrite my constitution.

Together.

My party grew by One.

Not from this.

Posted on by
1
Daily writing prompt
Do you need a break? From what?
View all responses

This one is a wee bit complicated. So this may be short and sweet, long and arduous, or “just right”. No clue. Well, here goes….

Recently, I came to several conclusions, literally and figuratively. Whoops.

At this moment, I am incapable of correctly starting the next phrase with “…from the former perspective” or “..in the latter view..” when it comes to a conclusion. Must have missed that day in etymology. Sorry. But I digress….

Let’s just say that for most of my time here on earth, I had been unable understand my value. Know my worth. Grasp my abilities and talents. I have pretty much always allowed myself to be defined. And perhaps worst of all, sought confirmation of all of these inadequacies – and more – through others. This conclusion, that I enabled others to validate me has now become the other conclusion.

Adios my friend.

Taking a break from heinously breaking myself down into a shattered collection of fragments, pieces and chunks. A shambles of what I was meant to be. Concluding that part of my life. Finito.

And since I now have this amazing collection of Mark Legos, I can build something I never once imagined.

Piece by piece. Bit by bit. Moment by moment. An opportunity I have been given that arrived precisely when I most needed it.

Grace.

As my new foundation begins to takes shape, for once, I am fully present. I build to a different voice.

I cannot imagine what is gonna go into the first floor. And I have no clue how many more stories or outbuildings will be added after that. No bother. I just love this kind of building. I trust it will be just what has always been needed. It will be everyhing it is meant to be when all is said and done.

Then finally, so will I.

Do I need a break?

Not from this.

Sure am glad I did.

Posted on by
Reply

It is comforting how the gospels and the reflections offered reflect the present moment and circumstance. Perhaps there are days when they require a deeper level of discernment. But then again, they can appear on the marquis, lights ablaze, drawing one to step in and see what it is He is showing.

Bishop Barron as a wonderful way of cutting to the chase. Breaking down thoughts and words conceptualized and spoken hundreds, if not thousands of years ago, into the raw essence of their devotional meaning. Truly a gift in my estimation in that things can become obscured from their honest intention, whether by accident or design.

Today, we are called to change our hearts and behaviors.

As the Bishop so shared: “St. Augustine defines sin as incurvatus in se—that means ‘caved in around oneself.’ To be in sin is to be ‘caved in’ around the ego and its narrow concerns.” I then went a little further and found “incurvatus in se” referred to as being “curved in on oneself”. Being self-absorbed to the extent that focus, desire and effort is consumed entirely to the benefit of oneself, to the abandonment of others.

Speaking from experience, a level of this degree of self-absorption can lead to a wide and debilitating array of negative consequences. Among them perpetual, scathing self-analysis, life-long score-keeping, an affinity and affection for deception and additional, destructive modes of ensuring a gathering isolation. Upon some ongoing, in depth discernment, discussion and reflection, I can say for certain, that being “caved in” or “curved in on one self” hits the nail on the head.

So following the Latin route given to me today, a better path would be “excurvatus ex se”. In other words, approaching life curved outward. With an open, honest and receptive focus on others and God. Ceding that quest for internal control brings with it serenity and genuine peace. Something that can create a level of affirmation never quite known before.

With that newfound perspective comes that same wish for others.

Not born of the self absorbed confines of an incurvatus ego and judgement. But rather a true outward excurvatus perspective of what it is really all about; others.

Not because I say so.

But simply because it is.

Took me quite a while to finally get geometry.

Sure am glad I did.