Cracks in Concrete - November 14th

 “I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so fuckin' heroic.”

George Carlin

Thoughts: There are lots of tufts of grass and flowers growing in cracks in the concrete. They are the stories of kindness, empathy, caring and sharing that are everywhere around us if we stop focusing on the anger, hate and violence that is attempting to pave over our world.

We can widen the cracks by practicing everyday kindness. We don't need to understand what is happening in the world to make a decision to stand for our values then stretch ourselves in that direction like a tiny plant stretching towards the sunlight. Imagine a tiny clump of seedling growing slowly into a forest.

The Day After

 "Whatever anyone does or says, for my part I'm bound to the good... In the same way
an emerald or gold or purple might always proclaim: 'whatever anyone does or says, I must be what I am and show my true colours" 

Marcus Aurelius

"Our job today and tomorrow is the same as it’s always been—to be good, to be wise, to stand up for what’s right, to resist what is wrong and evil. Nothing changes that. Nothing exempts us from that. Nothing prevents us from doing that."

Ryan Holiday

Both the above quotes are from the Daily Stoic.

Thoughts: Our job is to be our best selves. To be aware where and when we get caught in drama and emotion and choose to shrug it off and remain true to what we know in our hearts. 

Kindness, respect, and empathy are infinitely more powerful than blame, hate and violence.

And if we can't find the truth in the present time, read history. Over time patterns repeat, over time even the whitewash of perspective tarnishes.

Cheers

Jeanne

Future - October 10th

 “The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”

Howard Zinn, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times

Good things and remember

 “There are four good things worth practicing. Being kind toward everything alive. Staying level and steady. Feeling happy for any creature anywhere that is happy. And remembering that any suffering is also yours.”

Richard Powers, Bewilderment

Barbra

 

"I just don't want to be hampered by my own limitations."

Barbra Streisand

Thoughts: What would we do if we believe we have no limitations??

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
Albert Einstein

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
Henry David Thoreau

fear less - August 15th

 "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

Marie Curie

Strength - August 1st

  "As soon as people decide to confront a problem, they realize that they are far more capable than they thought they were" 

Paulo Coelho

Thoughts:  

Kamala Harris

To inspire a generation to believe that it is possible to achieve anything with hard work, determination, and integrity is a legacy that will have more impact than asserting strength through wars, economic goals and domination.

No matter what challenges, bullying and nastiness she will face in this race for US President and democracy I will hope that she continues to believe and trust in herself and stay strong!

"You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only defense."

Bob Marley

Good Ideas - August 8th

 "Your time is better spent championing good ideas than tearing down bad ones ..."

James Clear

Thoughts: This means sometimes we need to look hard for something good to champion, but there is always something ... the good only seems obscure because the bad gets so much press.

"... Don’t waste time explaining why bad ideas are bad. You are simply fanning the flame of ignorance and stupidity. The best thing that can happen to a bad idea is that it is forgotten. The best thing that can happen to a good idea is that it is shared. It makes me think of Tyler Cowen’s quote,
“Spend as little time as possible talking about how other people are wrong.”
Feed the good ideas and let bad ideas die of starvation."

Quoted from: https://jamesclear.com/why-facts-dont-change-minds

Rights - July 25th

 "Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do."

Potter Stewart

Thoughts: We need more of this kind of thinking in this world today!

Align hope

 “But human beings are not machines, and however powerful the pressure to conform, they sometimes are so moved by what they see as injustice that they dare to declare their independence. In that historical possibility lies hope.”

Howard Zinn, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times

Words of hope from Howard Zinn

 

Practicing

 

Project

 "All of us are working on the same project. Some consciously,with understanding; some without knowing it. Some of us work in one way, and some in others. And those who complain and try to obstruct and thwart things... the world needs them too." 

Marcus Aurelius

"The world needs these types for many reasons... a diversity of opinion is, in the aggregate, better than homogeneity. 

Also, the obnoxious and the shameless and the evil do more for us than we think. They remind us what virtue is and give us something to struggle against. They prevent us from getting complacent and illustrate the terrible costs of being like them.

We can fight against them and denounce what they represent, but it's a fantasy to think they can be made to disappear. They serve a purpose and make us stronger through their adversity."

Ryan Holiday; the Daily Stoic Meditations 2022

Two giraffes were walking down the road

 One giraffe said to the other giraffe "... "

Do!

 “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion"

Paulo Coelho

Thoughts: It's never too late to stop talking and do ...  and interesting how opinions can grow

Unreasonable reason

 “When you ask, “Why do we do it this way?” and the only answer is “Because that’s how it’s always been done,” that rule deserves another look.”

Will Guidara, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect

Thoughts: this is an 'I want to read book'. I've not got it yet but I will!

Competition to strive for

 "The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort."

Colin Powell

"A successful competition for me is always going out there and putting 100 percent into whatever I'm doing. It's not always winning. People, I think, mistake that it's just winning. Sometimes it could be, but for me, it's hitting the best sets I can, gaining confidence, and having a good time and having fun."
Simone Biles

(Simone Arianne Biles Owens is an American artistic gymnast. With a total of 37 Olympic and World Championship medals, she is the most decorated gymnast in history, and she is widely considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. Wikipedia.)

Thoughts: If life is a competition and there always have to be winners and losers how do we take control of our happiness? (Assuming that being defined as a 'loser' is bad and no one wants to be this.)

The way I see it the only sustainable way to be content in our skin is to win our own self respect.

And I'm really not sure if there are ways of winning self respect other than putting above average effort and 100 percent into whatever we are choosing to do; whether anyone see it or not, whether it gets us more money or friends or awards or victories or wins any competition outside of making us become a better version of ourselves. If we do this, I expect, our choices will become more reflective of what we value and we will have purpose.

I think we are all happier with purpose.

Integrity - what don't we need

 "If you are ever tempted to look for outside approval, realize that you have compromised your integrity. If you need a witness, be your own."

Epictetus  

We can look to nature for examples of integrity

Heaven

 

Nothing goes far

 "To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves. Nothing is often a good thing to say, and always a clever thing to say."

Will Durant



Thoughts: We waste a lot of words and energy talking about what politicians, religions, other groups and individuals, and even people in our circles do wrong.

Would it not be more productive to think/talk about what people are doing right and start there?

Would it not be more honest to forget comparing and just try to always do our best as we understand it?

Would it not make our lives more useful if we accepted that it is not helpful to speak ill of others?

Speaking ill of others, regardless of how acceptable it is or how much we feel someone deserves it serves no purpose other than for us to sound and feel superior, widen the gaps of understanding and obscure our chances of listening or understanding.

While I may not agree with all the opinions in Will Durant's book "Fallen Leaves - Last words on; Life, Love, War, and God" I appreciate the entertaining discussions of alternate views and thoughts he shares while coming to his conclusions and I understand why he arrives at them. 

Cheers
Jeanne