Tag Archives: growth

“Anything can be.”

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“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

When my kids became the focal point of a prompt a day or so ago, memories of books we read together returned. Some I recall were authored by Shel Silverstein, favorites because the poetically humorous poems and stories. I ventured around a little to stir up some smiles and happened upon what he said above.

Part of it reminded me of how I described independence as they grew up. I had them envision being on this great open field, with a fence line way off in the distance. The boundary was there solely for their protection. Provided they thought, spoke and acted according to the rules they were raised under, they could run that field all over. They were entrusted with that level of independence.

The fence, as I said, was for their protection. If I sensed they are getting close, we might have a chat to discuss the need to respect that boundary. Did not want any harm to come their way. Once they were of a certain age, then they could leave it or move it. That was their responsibility then. It seemed to work. They all have their lives, their loves and are thriving.

And then, when I read this, the mention of the “impossibles, the wont’s and the never haves” struck another chord. The one orchestrated to sing the praises about being what you were meant to be, embracing the mission of life and finding your purpose. Never to set them on top of others. Just apart, and only in the sense that they were free to find themselves. That there was no boundary to their exploration.

That the fence had been taken down.

Mr Silverstein was spot on.

“Anything can happen, child.”

“Anything can be.”

My party grew by One.

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Daily writing prompt
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
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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.

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Daily writing prompt
Do you need a break? From what?
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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.

Circumstance

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“Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will affect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance. “   – James Allen

A truly keen insight. 

Thought, habit and circumstance. A pattern of interconnected consequence which creates a lasting resonance.  Entirely and utterly accountable to you alone.  And in certain respects, this pattern of interconnected consequence reveals how your character becomes woven directly into a  pursuit of excellence.

As you make your way along this path, it would be prudent to honestly discern and conduct an assessment oneself.

What pattern of thoughts tend to hold you back? Is it fear? Of beginning? That it somehow isn’t within you to start?

Or, is it the commitment once started ? That it is too much for you to see it through. To finish?

Perhaps it is more about the unknown. The possible, undesirable outcome that dogs you. The daunting spectres of disappointment. Discouragement. Disapproval. Defeat.

Maybe it is the fickleness of change. A need for security. The inability to trust. An aversion to honesty or criticism. Selfishness. Arrogance. Ego.

Misperceptions about the call for your leadership ?

Misconceptions about its demands for constant, unrelenting accountability, presence and effort?

Despite your efforts at concealment and containment, your thoughts rarely remain secret. 

Your thoughts and doubts are traitors. By word or deed, they make their way to the surface. 

A little here.  A little there.

Soon, all at once, you become an open book.  No longer private, your thoughts can come to govern each habit, control every action, impede any achievement and prohibit excellence, all in a very public manner.

Alter your thoughts from doubt to possibility and then you can alter your trajectory. 

So let the transformation begin.

Once thoughts crystallize into genuinely positive, productive and permanent habits, they will soon enjoin the effort to form your circumstance. A radical alteration of ones thoughts transforms the essence of ones life.

Circumstance becomes a product of habit.

And the outcome mirrors ones thoughts.

Sure am glad I did.

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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.