Comments on: Important Questions http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/ Sun, 27 May 2007 17:56:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: littlesoulatthebigtable http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-7 littlesoulatthebigtable Sun, 27 May 2007 17:56:32 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-7 Thanks for the comment, Marilyn. I think you definetly captured the positive aspect of appreciating what we have in our lives and living in the moment. But I think that the story of Poto-lamo is also a cautionary tale, at least it is for me. It reminds me that contrary to the American Dream, I can't have it all. Somethings are mutually exclusive like selling as many onions as you can vs. enjoying life and selling enough without destroying relationships and a life-style of real value. I struggle with my desire to live out the gospel. The story reminds to challenge some of the un-challenged definitions I have inherited from our culture in order to shed some light on my blind-spots. How much is "enough?" Am I moving too fast and missing people because my internal drive to justify myself says that I have work a certain way? I don't, but to "earn a living" and "contributing" means... I don't know if this makes sense. I'll keep blaming the pain meds as I recovery from lithotripsy. I definitely want to have peace and appreciation for the blessings right in front of me. I definetly don't want to go on auto-pilot when it comes to challenging what is important and what success and quality of life means. Peace Thanks for the comment, Marilyn. I think you definetly captured the positive aspect of appreciating what we have in our lives and living in the moment. But I think that the story of Poto-lamo is also a cautionary tale, at least it is for me.

It reminds me that contrary to the American Dream, I can’t have it all. Somethings are mutually exclusive like selling as many onions as you can vs. enjoying life and selling enough without destroying relationships and a life-style of real value.

I struggle with my desire to live out the gospel. The story reminds to challenge some of the un-challenged definitions I have inherited from our culture in order to shed some light on my blind-spots. How much is “enough?” Am I moving too fast and missing people because my internal drive to justify myself says that I have work a certain way? I don’t, but to “earn a living” and “contributing” means…

I don’t know if this makes sense. I’ll keep blaming the pain meds as I recovery from lithotripsy.

I definitely want to have peace and appreciation for the blessings right in front of me. I definetly don’t want to go on auto-pilot when it comes to challenging what is important and what success and quality of life means.

Peace

]]> By: Marilyn http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-6 Marilyn Thu, 24 May 2007 13:40:17 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-6 OK, you are probably right. You should not be writing while on medication. However, your point is not missed- at least I don't think so. The things that are right in front of us, right now, those simple things that seeminlgy look unimportant because they are so routine or taken for granted are the important things. So many of us complicate our lives with striving to attain or achieve something to make us feel more "important" or "worthy". What many of us are doing right now, really is enough. Being good human beings to our neighbors, our friends and our family; enjoying the simple things- do you really stop and smell the roses or do you pass by, say how pretty they are and keep moving on. Is that really experiencing the moment? There are so many wonderful things we are graced with, the opportunity to be present, to have hope. Even if you are sad right now, you should be thankful for that, because you have the ability to feel. If you know what it feels like to be sad, then you also know what it feels like to be happy. That is a great thing. The future is wonderful to think about, but somehow, someway, we need to really get back to focusing on the present. Look around you. What is happening in front of you or in you right now? Embrace it. OK, you are probably right. You should not be writing while on medication. However, your point is not missed- at least I don’t think so. The things that are right in front of us, right now, those simple things that seeminlgy look unimportant because they are so routine or taken for granted are the important things. So many of us complicate our lives with striving to attain or achieve something to make us feel more “important” or “worthy”. What many of us are doing right now, really is enough. Being good human beings to our neighbors, our friends and our family; enjoying the simple things- do you really stop and smell the roses or do you pass by, say how pretty they are and keep moving on. Is that really experiencing the moment? There are so many wonderful things we are graced with, the opportunity to be present, to have hope. Even if you are sad right now, you should be thankful for that, because you have the ability to feel. If you know what it feels like to be sad, then you also know what it feels like to be happy. That is a great thing. The future is wonderful to think about, but somehow, someway, we need to really get back to focusing on the present. Look around you. What is happening in front of you or in you right now? Embrace it.

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