Sunday Musings – August 18, 2019
The light arrives slowly as the earth we inhabit turns to allow the sun’s light and heat to blanket this part of the world in which I currently reside. Of course, as we here experience light and heat other parts of the world necessarily experience increasing darkness and cold. As I sat at the kitchen table with the window on the storm door open earlier this morning I heard all the sounds of the creatures which are each contributing their part to insuring that the whole works. Again, I am reminded of the freedom and the responsibility each of us has to do our part to honor all of the parts of the universe. I read an editorial this morning positing an argument against renewal energy because it might raise the price of energy. The author neglected to mention the price of not using renewal energy. Long term I suspect, even if those of us who have more than we need share more freely with those who have less than they need, the cost of renewal energy will be much less. I read another editorial arguing against gun control. The argument seems to center around two indisputable facts: (1) people and not guns kill and (2) if mass murderers truly wanted to kill a lot of people they would make more of an effort to obtain and use one of the 638,000 machine guns in the United States. The author also argues that it makes sense that people want the AR clones since it is relatively inexpensive and a very reliable weapon. The author does not mention if there are reliable statistics indicating how often individuals provide more food for their families by using the AR clone. I also read and greatly appreciated Maria Popova blog, “Brain Pickings” in which she discussed and draws upon the wisdom of others to discuss our consanguinity with the universe”. She reminds us of a poem by Wendell Berry poem, “Questionnaire” and James Baldwin’s quote, “It is always much easier (because it has seemed much safer) to give a name to the evil without than to locate the terror within”. She draws not only on her own wisdom but the wisdom of many others in all her blogs. ( I highlyt advise the reader of this blog to subscribe to her blog. One’s life will be much richer because of doing so.)
Once again all the creatures – even some humans – remind me of what Marie Popova is terming the consanguinity with the universe. I am fond of reminding myself and others that every action I take (active or passive) affects the entire universe(s). I also often think about the fact that each of us can serve as leaders or mentors in either showing how some behavior contributes to the unbalancing of all systems and the larger system which is the universe or we can serve as leaders or mentors in doing our small part in creating or maintaining balance . In my mind other words or concepts for balance are justice and equanimity.
All of us are leaders. Sometimes we are positive leaders and sometimes we are negative leaders. Sometimes we are passive leaders and sometimes we are active leaders. Some of are very public leaders with a lot of influence and some lead from a small pond whose ripples may not be on the evening news or even become a viral twitter post. All leadership positions are important to the working of the whole. Yet when we act as a collective such as when we act as the United States we have more immediate and profound influence. One the best arguments for reducing the use of negative force – the use of guns and the weapons which are designed to kill – is to force ourselves as a nation – a collective – to show that it is possible to create a more just world through the use of peaceful methods – by focusing on what we have in common and not being intentional in creating an artificial other. When we develop, support and use renewal energy or use one last plastic bag or straw we are demonstrating our interdependence on all other life forms and all parts of the universe. This is leadership attesting to the fact that we are one; that we are all us; that there is no them.
I am not suggesting that leadership should or needs be negative, self-righteous, or “heavy”. It can be quietly powerful and respectful of the terror which we all share; of the fear which causes many of us to fear the loss of fossil fuel related jobs, less reliance on military type power and less denial that life is, at best, very brief.
Indeed it is not the pyramids we leave behind that count but the dance of joyful interdependence.
Written August 18, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
The light arrives slowly as the earth we inhabit turns to allow the sun’s light and heat to blanket this part of the world in which I currently reside. Of course, as we here experience light and heat other parts of the world necessarily experience increasing darkness and cold. As I sat at the kitchen table with the window on the storm door open earlier this morning I heard all the sounds of the creatures which are each contributing their part to insuring that the whole works. Again, I am reminded of the freedom and the responsibility each of us has to do our part to honor all of the parts of the universe. I read an editorial this morning positing an argument against renewal energy because it might raise the price of energy. The author neglected to mention the price of not using renewal energy. Long term I suspect, even if those of us who have more than we need share more freely with those who have less than they need, the cost of renewal energy will be much less. I read another editorial arguing against gun control. The argument seems to center around two indisputable facts: (1) people and not guns kill and (2) if mass murderers truly wanted to kill a lot of people they would make more of an effort to obtain and use one of the 638,000 machine guns in the United States. The author also argues that it makes sense that people want the AR clones since it is relatively inexpensive and a very reliable weapon. The author does not mention if there are reliable statistics indicating how often individuals provide more food for their families by using the AR clone. I also read and greatly appreciated Maria Popova blog, “Brain Pickings” in which she discussed and draws upon the wisdom of others to discuss our consanguinity with the universe”. She reminds us of a poem by Wendell Berry poem, “Questionnaire” and James Baldwin’s quote, “It is always much easier (because it has seemed much safer) to give a name to the evil without than to locate the terror within”. She draws not only on her own wisdom but the wisdom of many others in all her blogs. ( I highlyt advise the reader of this blog to subscribe to her blog. One’s life will be much richer because of doing so.)
Once again all the creatures – even some humans – remind me of what Marie Popova is terming the consanguinity with the universe. I am fond of reminding myself and others that every action I take (active or passive) affects the entire universe(s). I also often think about the fact that each of us can serve as leaders or mentors in either showing how some behavior contributes to the unbalancing of all systems and the larger system which is the universe or we can serve as leaders or mentors in doing our small part in creating or maintaining balance . In my mind other words or concepts for balance are justice and equanimity.
All of us are leaders. Sometimes we are positive leaders and sometimes we are negative leaders. Sometimes we are passive leaders and sometimes we are active leaders. Some of are very public leaders with a lot of influence and some lead from a small pond whose ripples may not be on the evening news or even become a viral twitter post. All leadership positions are important to the working of the whole. Yet when we act as a collective such as when we act as the United States we have more immediate and profound influence. One the best arguments for reducing the use of negative force – the use of guns and the weapons which are designed to kill – is to force ourselves as a nation – a collective – to show that it is possible to create a more just world through the use of peaceful methods – by focusing on what we have in common and not being intentional in creating an artificial other. When we develop, support and use renewal energy or use one last plastic bag or straw we are demonstrating our interdependence on all other life forms and all parts of the universe. This is leadership attesting to the fact that we are one; that we are all us; that there is no them.
I am not suggesting that leadership should or needs be negative, self-righteous, or “heavy”. It can be quietly powerful and respectful of the terror which we all share; of the fear which causes many of us to fear the loss of fossil fuel related jobs, less reliance on military type power and less denial that life is, at best, very brief.
Indeed it is not the pyramids we leave behind that count but the dance of joyful interdependence.
Written August 18, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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