Letting go
As is my habit, I listened to the podcast of On Being with host Krista Tippett this morning. Her conversation partner this week is Ross Gay and the subject of their conversation is “Tending Joy and Practicing Delight”. (Ross Gas of Professor of English at Indiana University and author of a book of essays, The Book of Delights and a poetry collection Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude.
Professor Gay says that “Joy is when alienation goes away.” He talks about the fact that we are all going to die; that we have this shared knowledge and experience in common.
At this time when Mother Nature is reminding us that we are not in charge; that no matter what we do or do not do, visitors such as Covid-19 show up; that no matter what we do or do not do at some point our very brief life dance will end. We know that the greatest power we have is to let go of all the barriers we erected to separate us from each other. In fact we have erected barriers within ourselves. Just yesterday I was talking with young man about the fact that when he talks to others there is this very wise man who emerges; a man who often offers tender, wise advice to others but who withholds both the tenderness and the wisdom from himself. His alienation is a disconnection within himself which, in turn, keeps him from connecting at a deep level with others. He and I both know that part of the reason for this is the illusion that one can avoid deep grief, but of course, when we avoid deep grief, we avoid deep joy. When we avoid those emotions which form the core of who we are we are alienated from and within ourselves keeping us alienated from others and the rest of the universe. This leaves us with us without the capacity to dance. Dance is always a connection. Any art form is a deep connection. The notes of our voice or a musical instrument only become music when we are brave enough to connect the notes to the core of who are as humans – our emotions.
We know, of course, we are all going to die and that this life dance is very brief. We can also trust, as Ram Dass suggested, that dying is like taking off a too tight shoe. It is not a big deal. Yet, I am not suggesting that we just allow the Coronavirus- Covid-19 to kill us. No. We need to treat people and, if possible, help each other heal. We need to look for a vaccine and for medication which effectively destroys or neutralizes the virus once it has taken over one’s favorite chair. At the same time, let’s remind ourselves and each other that dying is not the big deal. The big deal is when we fail to let go of resentments, judgements, false pride and all those barriers we have erected to alienate ourselves from parts of ourselves, each other, and all of nature. The big deal is when we fail to allow delight to set alongside of grief. The big deal is when we refuse to drink in the new life – all the sounds and colors – of spring.
I urge the reader of this bog to claim joy today; to claim delight today. I urge the reader of this blog to face death with a commitment to delight. After all we are not dead at this moment. Nothing, except death, can silence our dance.
Yes, let’s do practice social distancing, hand washing and cleaning of potentially contaminated surfaces. Let’s do avoid being exposed to Covid-19 or exposing others. Simultaneously, let’s fall in love with all of who we are; with the flowers and new life of spring; with the fact that we are all, as Ram Dass also suggested, walking each other home.
Written March 27, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
As is my habit, I listened to the podcast of On Being with host Krista Tippett this morning. Her conversation partner this week is Ross Gay and the subject of their conversation is “Tending Joy and Practicing Delight”. (Ross Gas of Professor of English at Indiana University and author of a book of essays, The Book of Delights and a poetry collection Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude.
Professor Gay says that “Joy is when alienation goes away.” He talks about the fact that we are all going to die; that we have this shared knowledge and experience in common.
At this time when Mother Nature is reminding us that we are not in charge; that no matter what we do or do not do, visitors such as Covid-19 show up; that no matter what we do or do not do at some point our very brief life dance will end. We know that the greatest power we have is to let go of all the barriers we erected to separate us from each other. In fact we have erected barriers within ourselves. Just yesterday I was talking with young man about the fact that when he talks to others there is this very wise man who emerges; a man who often offers tender, wise advice to others but who withholds both the tenderness and the wisdom from himself. His alienation is a disconnection within himself which, in turn, keeps him from connecting at a deep level with others. He and I both know that part of the reason for this is the illusion that one can avoid deep grief, but of course, when we avoid deep grief, we avoid deep joy. When we avoid those emotions which form the core of who we are we are alienated from and within ourselves keeping us alienated from others and the rest of the universe. This leaves us with us without the capacity to dance. Dance is always a connection. Any art form is a deep connection. The notes of our voice or a musical instrument only become music when we are brave enough to connect the notes to the core of who are as humans – our emotions.
We know, of course, we are all going to die and that this life dance is very brief. We can also trust, as Ram Dass suggested, that dying is like taking off a too tight shoe. It is not a big deal. Yet, I am not suggesting that we just allow the Coronavirus- Covid-19 to kill us. No. We need to treat people and, if possible, help each other heal. We need to look for a vaccine and for medication which effectively destroys or neutralizes the virus once it has taken over one’s favorite chair. At the same time, let’s remind ourselves and each other that dying is not the big deal. The big deal is when we fail to let go of resentments, judgements, false pride and all those barriers we have erected to alienate ourselves from parts of ourselves, each other, and all of nature. The big deal is when we fail to allow delight to set alongside of grief. The big deal is when we refuse to drink in the new life – all the sounds and colors – of spring.
I urge the reader of this bog to claim joy today; to claim delight today. I urge the reader of this blog to face death with a commitment to delight. After all we are not dead at this moment. Nothing, except death, can silence our dance.
Yes, let’s do practice social distancing, hand washing and cleaning of potentially contaminated surfaces. Let’s do avoid being exposed to Covid-19 or exposing others. Simultaneously, let’s fall in love with all of who we are; with the flowers and new life of spring; with the fact that we are all, as Ram Dass also suggested, walking each other home.
Written March 27, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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