Sunday Musings. January 6, 2019
I awoke thinking about power on this first Sunday of the new year. This may be, in part, because it is the new year. It may be, in part , because I watched a movie last evening about political power – its use and misuse. It may be, in part. related to being reminded by Maria Popova’s “Brain Pickings” newsletter of my life long appreciation of the power of books; the ideas and connections I experience through reading. It may be, in part, related to the On Being podcast this week of the conversation between the host Krista Tippett and Maira Kalman, the visual storyteller and her unashamed willingness to fall in love many times each day. Whether it is trees, animals, people or ideas she experiences a passionate connection many times a day. Although many people think of falling in love as restricted to a romantic connection, for some of us falling in love seems related to the lack of barriers to a connection with all of nature. Even as I was listening to this podcast yesterday I was acutely aware of being in love with the ability to exercise: of feeling delighted to see my young gym friend whose name I do not know whose heart is larger than his considerable muscle; of seeing N from my former gym home; of seeing B whose, along with his wife, support many in the community who need a second chance; of feeling the brisk air on this winter morning; air which gently tickles my skin.
Power for me is not politics, career, bank account, or sexual connection. Of course, I would like to see a different balance of power politically, economically and in all areas of our lives. I would like to better understand why electing a party with only 3.25 percent of the vote in some countries allows military power to be dominant; why it is so difficult for us humans to accept that when one of us suffers we all suffer; of why some of us have all of our basic needs met on a regular basis while many others cannot feed or otherwise care for themselves and their families.
Power for me Is about the power of a now deceased friend to claim an enjoyment of the beauty of nature even as he faced the fact that he could not keep his family safe. Power is about the magical arrival of the knowledge at age 28 that I could not control how others responded to me but I could make the choice to love others unconditionally. Power is coming to terms with the fact that I cannot control my feelings but I do not have to allow feelings to determine my reality or, more accurately, the reality to which I will attend. Just because a voice in my head has negative thoughts does not mean that I have to allow them to dictate my life dance for the hour, the day or longer.
When listening to a CD of Pema Chodron, the Buddhist nun, I was reminded of the term tender heart. It is possible to allow a tender heart to open to both pain and joy. In the midst of pain there is always the joy of loving support; of connecting with another human being; of bearing witness to the dance of the tree which does not allow other trees or even us humans to discount its trueness or to shut off its supply of air or the sun. As far as we know no other living part of creation, except humans, applies dualities to itself or the events which touch it.
We have the power to fall in love even in our darkest moments. My friend V says as she prepared to bury her second husband, “Aren’t I lucky to have had six whole weeks of marriage to this man!”. This did not stop the flow of tears. V was in love with the man with whom she had six whole weeks and had a tender heart open to the current moment. She would fall in love many more times in the course of the next few years; in love with playing music on her organ; with the pie she just baked; with the pool stick in its leather case she used to learn to play pool with a young man she met when he was visiting his grandfather at the retirement home.
No matter how I am feeling or what negative voices in my head visit, I can decide to open my heart to love. Every time I do I fall in love many times each day even while grieving the fact that many of us humans allow the power of fear to stifle the power of love.
Written January 6, 2019
I awoke thinking about power on this first Sunday of the new year. This may be, in part, because it is the new year. It may be, in part , because I watched a movie last evening about political power – its use and misuse. It may be, in part. related to being reminded by Maria Popova’s “Brain Pickings” newsletter of my life long appreciation of the power of books; the ideas and connections I experience through reading. It may be, in part, related to the On Being podcast this week of the conversation between the host Krista Tippett and Maira Kalman, the visual storyteller and her unashamed willingness to fall in love many times each day. Whether it is trees, animals, people or ideas she experiences a passionate connection many times a day. Although many people think of falling in love as restricted to a romantic connection, for some of us falling in love seems related to the lack of barriers to a connection with all of nature. Even as I was listening to this podcast yesterday I was acutely aware of being in love with the ability to exercise: of feeling delighted to see my young gym friend whose name I do not know whose heart is larger than his considerable muscle; of seeing N from my former gym home; of seeing B whose, along with his wife, support many in the community who need a second chance; of feeling the brisk air on this winter morning; air which gently tickles my skin.
Power for me is not politics, career, bank account, or sexual connection. Of course, I would like to see a different balance of power politically, economically and in all areas of our lives. I would like to better understand why electing a party with only 3.25 percent of the vote in some countries allows military power to be dominant; why it is so difficult for us humans to accept that when one of us suffers we all suffer; of why some of us have all of our basic needs met on a regular basis while many others cannot feed or otherwise care for themselves and their families.
Power for me Is about the power of a now deceased friend to claim an enjoyment of the beauty of nature even as he faced the fact that he could not keep his family safe. Power is about the magical arrival of the knowledge at age 28 that I could not control how others responded to me but I could make the choice to love others unconditionally. Power is coming to terms with the fact that I cannot control my feelings but I do not have to allow feelings to determine my reality or, more accurately, the reality to which I will attend. Just because a voice in my head has negative thoughts does not mean that I have to allow them to dictate my life dance for the hour, the day or longer.
When listening to a CD of Pema Chodron, the Buddhist nun, I was reminded of the term tender heart. It is possible to allow a tender heart to open to both pain and joy. In the midst of pain there is always the joy of loving support; of connecting with another human being; of bearing witness to the dance of the tree which does not allow other trees or even us humans to discount its trueness or to shut off its supply of air or the sun. As far as we know no other living part of creation, except humans, applies dualities to itself or the events which touch it.
We have the power to fall in love even in our darkest moments. My friend V says as she prepared to bury her second husband, “Aren’t I lucky to have had six whole weeks of marriage to this man!”. This did not stop the flow of tears. V was in love with the man with whom she had six whole weeks and had a tender heart open to the current moment. She would fall in love many more times in the course of the next few years; in love with playing music on her organ; with the pie she just baked; with the pool stick in its leather case she used to learn to play pool with a young man she met when he was visiting his grandfather at the retirement home.
No matter how I am feeling or what negative voices in my head visit, I can decide to open my heart to love. Every time I do I fall in love many times each day even while grieving the fact that many of us humans allow the power of fear to stifle the power of love.
Written January 6, 2019
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