Sunday musings – September 1, 2019
Responding to “the truth” or non-negotiable decrees
Here in the Eastern Daylight Savings Time Zone in the United States it is September 1, 2019. The date is based on the Gregorian calendar adopted in 1852 following a decree by Pope Gregory XIII. It is easy when we used a guide or measurement on a daily basis to forget that how we measure our days, months and years is based on what we call a calendar which is not used by all countries or in all universes. We have also divided the world into time Zones. Here in this time zone in the United States it is 8:14 am. In Sydney Australia it is 10:14 p.m..
Given the way my wandering mind works I thought of the history of the Gregorian calendar and the time zones as I was reviewing the days since last Sunday. Today I am particularly focused on how often I make a statement which infers or outright proclaims “the truth” as opposed to a truth. It often seems to me that other people – you know, other people – often decree the truth as a basis for attempting to direct my actions or telling me what is permissible. Yet, if I am to be honest, I do the very same thing. I may often respond to a decreed truth by loudly proclaiming, “The eternal truth is that there is no eternal truth.” I have, thus, responded by contradicting myself in one short sentence.
There are, of course, some very personal truths such as “I perceive. I understand this to be the …I hear you saying. It is raining. Hurricane Dorian is currently headed for …Brail marked Lego blocks allow sight impaired or blind individuals to build/create. Spell check may function differently for Britain’s than it does those in the United States.” There are many truths based on the current understanding of science or scientific research in all areas. There are also truth based on religious beliefs as well as those who may have “second sight.” History has few, if any, eternal truths other than basic ones such as “So and so died in the battle of ….” This sentence does not say anything about the circumstances of how he died, why he died, or what his death did or did not accomplish. Even our scientific understanding of the concept of death is changing.
This week my spiritual intention was to do my very best to listen to what mother earth has to say, to listen to what other humans are saying, to pay attention to what young children intuitively know and what I once must have known. The most difficult part of living this intention is to quiet my mind and be present without giving in the urge to argue various versions of the truth or to argue that there are levels of truths. I am well aware that I do not have “the truths” but I continue to suggest that I do by arguing with others rather than just listening. A simple example is that a good friend suggested that she thinks we are spending too much time and energy on the “political correctness of language”. One of her example was ‘manhole covers’. I did not just listen. I felt compelled to point out to this very educated woman and good friend that there is a history of sexism which has piece by piece been designed to keep females in an unequal relationship with males. Manhole cover is a tiny piece of this whole. Yet, merely changing the name of these covers is not going to change the reality of the relationship of males and females. From my standpoint acknowledging the systemic history of sexism is important. Yet, I suspect what my friend was saying was that I need to demonstrate that I am shredding the sexist thinking and behavior I have internalized by respectfully listening to her. I did not do that well. This spiritual growth, even when the intention sounds simple, requires a lot of acceptance of one’s humanness, a determination to keep moving forward, love and a good sense of humor.
Another week. Another opportunity!
Written September 1, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Responding to “the truth” or non-negotiable decrees
Here in the Eastern Daylight Savings Time Zone in the United States it is September 1, 2019. The date is based on the Gregorian calendar adopted in 1852 following a decree by Pope Gregory XIII. It is easy when we used a guide or measurement on a daily basis to forget that how we measure our days, months and years is based on what we call a calendar which is not used by all countries or in all universes. We have also divided the world into time Zones. Here in this time zone in the United States it is 8:14 am. In Sydney Australia it is 10:14 p.m..
Given the way my wandering mind works I thought of the history of the Gregorian calendar and the time zones as I was reviewing the days since last Sunday. Today I am particularly focused on how often I make a statement which infers or outright proclaims “the truth” as opposed to a truth. It often seems to me that other people – you know, other people – often decree the truth as a basis for attempting to direct my actions or telling me what is permissible. Yet, if I am to be honest, I do the very same thing. I may often respond to a decreed truth by loudly proclaiming, “The eternal truth is that there is no eternal truth.” I have, thus, responded by contradicting myself in one short sentence.
There are, of course, some very personal truths such as “I perceive. I understand this to be the …I hear you saying. It is raining. Hurricane Dorian is currently headed for …Brail marked Lego blocks allow sight impaired or blind individuals to build/create. Spell check may function differently for Britain’s than it does those in the United States.” There are many truths based on the current understanding of science or scientific research in all areas. There are also truth based on religious beliefs as well as those who may have “second sight.” History has few, if any, eternal truths other than basic ones such as “So and so died in the battle of ….” This sentence does not say anything about the circumstances of how he died, why he died, or what his death did or did not accomplish. Even our scientific understanding of the concept of death is changing.
This week my spiritual intention was to do my very best to listen to what mother earth has to say, to listen to what other humans are saying, to pay attention to what young children intuitively know and what I once must have known. The most difficult part of living this intention is to quiet my mind and be present without giving in the urge to argue various versions of the truth or to argue that there are levels of truths. I am well aware that I do not have “the truths” but I continue to suggest that I do by arguing with others rather than just listening. A simple example is that a good friend suggested that she thinks we are spending too much time and energy on the “political correctness of language”. One of her example was ‘manhole covers’. I did not just listen. I felt compelled to point out to this very educated woman and good friend that there is a history of sexism which has piece by piece been designed to keep females in an unequal relationship with males. Manhole cover is a tiny piece of this whole. Yet, merely changing the name of these covers is not going to change the reality of the relationship of males and females. From my standpoint acknowledging the systemic history of sexism is important. Yet, I suspect what my friend was saying was that I need to demonstrate that I am shredding the sexist thinking and behavior I have internalized by respectfully listening to her. I did not do that well. This spiritual growth, even when the intention sounds simple, requires a lot of acceptance of one’s humanness, a determination to keep moving forward, love and a good sense of humor.
Another week. Another opportunity!
Written September 1, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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