Does the universe owe you anything?

A man said to the universe:

"Sir I exist!"

"However," replied the universe,

"The fact has not created in me

A sense of obligation."

~ Stephen Crane ~

I tend to agree with this poem.  The evidence is all around us.  The universe does not seem to take a personal interest in our individual lives.  Whatever universal creative intelligence exists, be it energy, be it god, 'it' does not seem to 'feel' any obligation to intervene in the personal existence of humans, countries or the planet.  No intervention from on high has saved dying and starving babies in third world countries.  No intervention from on high is preventing global warming and the melting of our polar ice caps.  What happens during our mortal existence, and to the planet seems to be pretty much in our own hands. 

It is a bitter pill to swallow - to contemplate that there may be no big daddy 'up' in the sky watching over us and feeling obliged to protect us.  It is also a bitter pill - to recognize that we are not special - and that truthfully nothing, on a universal, planetary or individual scale is owed to us and no ultimate rescuer will intervene on our behalf.  We all long for 'someone to watch over me', as the old song says. 

One of the 'givens' of human existence is that we are ultimately alone.  No one can experience your wounds for you.  No one can step in and face illness or death for you.  No one can learn for you.  No one can grow and develop for you.  No one can or will step in and face the realities of ageing in your place.  You must do all these things on your own.  This is an existential given.  

We must also come to terms with our basic aloneness in facing the realities of life on planet earth.  Many of us try to escape this bitter pill by numbing ourselves with substances, distractions, material possessions or busyness so that we do not have to experience our basic aloneness.  Many of us turn to magical thinking or religion to soothe our fears of being alone to confront life.  We comfort ourselves with religions' soothing beliefs and promises of a rescuer and a heavenly, immortal reward.  Recoil as we many from the harsh reality of our ultimate aloneness, sooner or later we have to face it.  Better to come to terms with it now than on one's deathbed, is what I have concluded.  If there is another form of life, after we face death, what a delightful surprise that will be!

How do you feel about Stephen Crane's above assertion? Do you believe the universe owes you anything? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic!

Mixed Media Painting entitled "Nebula" by Bonnie Zieman, 2009

Afternote:   After reading the comments, most seem to agree with Stephen Crane's statement and my existential stance.  Generally, I think we comment where we agree or relate to the post and abstain from commenting where we do not.  However, I would really love to hear all points of view, and will, of course, even if I don't agree, treat them with respect.  I value diversity and am honoured by the time and energy you invest in commenting.  All perspectives are sought and welcomed here.

Extracting the Value from a Life of Constraint

(Quotation on an original acrylic painting by Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

As I share information in posts from time to time about my previous life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, it feels important that the posts not end up as some sort of rant or pity party.  I do not feel sorry for myself, nor do I want you to feel sorry for me.  I had a good life in many ways as a child and I have a life I treasure now.  I do not want to 'whine' as Epictetus says above.  I simply want to tell my story.  I am choosing to share details about a previously constricted life and how I found the will to brake free, in the hope that it might help others who feel similarly constrained.

I just finished and enjoyed Andre Agassi's memoir, "Open:  An Autobiography".    After listening to him promote the book, my interest was piqued by his admission that although he excelled at what he did, he had always hated tennis.  He hated it because it was not a life he chose, but rather a life imposed upon him by his father, much as my life as a proselytizing Jehovah's Witness was imposed on me by my mother.  Agassi retired from tennis, much as I 'retired' from the Jehovah's Witness sect - bruised, limping, exhausted but also with much of value that serves his life now - a life of HIS choosing. 

I relate to the fact that because of his father's obsession with tennis, Andre never had the education he desired.  That was one of the big losses for me too.  I was denied the education I craved (and deserved, as does any adolescent).  Jehovah's Witnesses do not forbid higher education, but they do strongly discourage it suggesting that "a devoted follower of Christ would surely want to be preaching the kingdom message in these pre-Armageddon times rather than seeking advancement in this wicked system of things".  They know that anyone who attends university will open their eyes, expand their minds, sharpen their critical thinking skills and quickly exit the religion.  

Just as Agassi made up for past losses by opening his own school for disadvantaged children, I  have made up for past losses by being getting the education and degrees I wanted, as an adult.  He built a school upon his exit from tennis.  I went to school (university) upon my exit from the sect.

Andre Agassi's memoir illustrates another thing I learned to be true:  there is tremendous value to be extracted from an imposed, provisional life that you may be required to lead by culture, religion or family.  Extract the value, and move on from there.  It is possible.  It is exciting.  It can be extremely rewarding.  Andre and I are living proof!

(I realize it could seem presumptuous of me to compare myself to Andre Agassi because of all his accomplishments on the world stage.  Forgive my hubris - I just found so many ways I related to his predicament as a young person that I could not resist making the link.)

". . . these shapes that spring from nothing . . ."

(Photograph by Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

Five Senses

Now my five senses

gather into a meaning

all acts, all presences;

and as a lily gathers

the elements together,

in me this dark and shining,

that stillness and that moving,

these shapes that spring from nothing,

become a rhythm that dances,

a pure design.

While I'm in my five senses

they send me spinning

all sounds and silences,

all shape and colour

as thread for that weaver,

whose web within me growing

follows beyond my knowing

some pattern sprung from nothing-

a rhythm that dances

and is not mine.

~ Judith Wright ~

(These shapes, in this painting par moi BMZ, "sprang from nothing" in June, 2009)

feel good, friday photos

It has been a dark, damp and dreary week in the Northeast. As I scrolled through collages I have made, I found that this group of yellow flowers brightened my spirits and infused me with a bit of energy. Hope they accomplish the same for you.


In Canada we are not 'blessed' (from my point of view it might be more accurate to say cursed) with the ominous sounding Black Friday.  If any of you are out there fighting your way to find bargains I hope you find your way back to the 'safety' and comfort of home soon.  For everyone:  May you have a sunny, love-filled weekend.



 

Thankful For An Ordinary Life

 

The Pleasures of Ordinary Life

I've had my share of necessary losses,

Of dreams I know no longer can come true.

I'm done now with the whys and the becauses.

It's time to make things good, not just make do.

It's time to stop complaining and pursue

The pleasures of an ordinary life.

I used to rail against my compromises.

I yearned for the wild music, the swift race.

But happiness arrived in new disguises:

Sun lighting a child's hair. A friend's embrace.

Slow dancing in a safe and quiet place.

The pleasures of an ordinary life.

I'll have no trumpets, triumphs, trails of glory.

It seems the woman I've turned out to be

Is not the heroine of some grand story.

But I have learned to find the poetry

In what my hands can touch, my eyes can see.

The pleasures of an ordinary life.

Young fantasies of magic and of mystery

Are over. But they really can't compete

With all we've built together: A long history.

Connections that help render us complete.

Ties that hold and heal us. And the sweet,

Sweet pleasures of an ordinary life.

~ Judith Viorst ~

A Happy Thanksgiving to all my American Friends!

my former life hanging out on street corners

Some of you may have learned, from previous posts, that I was raised as a member of the sect known as Jehovah's Witnesses.  While they are mainly known for their door-to-door proselytizing and their refusal of blood transfusions, there is obviously much more involved in being a J.W. than that.  Witnesses live strictly by a literal (fundamentalist) interpretation of the Bible.  This results in them being mainly moral, honest citizens, but does make for a lot of other archaic rules by which they guide all their behaviours.

It has been over thirty years since I made my exit from their ranks, so while I want to talk about some of the things I was required to believe and do as a child, teenager, and young adult, remember that I do not know if the same requirements are still in effect.  I have a lovely family of J.W.'s that live across the way from me, and seeing them go about their activities, I would guess that they live their lives pretty much as I was required to, back in the mid 50's, 60's and early 70's.

I was a reluctant witness at a very young age - and in my last years in their midst, a quietly hostile one.  Once I had my first child and knew I would be required to raise her in the same way that I had found so oppressive, I got out.  (Not easy, and many repercussions, but I did it.)  Fortunately, my husband followed me out, and we are still happily together and happily FREE!

Here is a list off the top of my head of things we were NOT allowed to do if we wanted to continue as a Jehovah's Witness in 'good standing'.  We could not:

*  celebrate our own or anyone else's birthday (a 'pagan' festivity)
*  celebrate Christmas or New Year's Day  (really celebrations of the winter solstice and as such 'pagan')
*  celebrate Easter, Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc. etc.

*  make mother's day cards (or father's day), or participate in valentine card exchanges at school, or Christmas gift exchanges, or even draw things having to do with religious holidays in art class, or sing Xmas carols in music class, etc. etc.

*  stand in class when the national anthem was played (we are for God's kingdom, not worldly, secular ones)

*  participate when 'opposers of the true God, Jehovah'  recited The Lord's Prayer (the Bible says not to participate in worship with unbelievers)

*  have close associations or friends who were not Witnesses ('bad associations spoil good habits')

*  participate in school dances, school clubs, sports teams or extracurricular activities

*  read other religious literature
*  read books or go to movies that glorified sex or violence.

*  tell off colour jokes, swear or curse.

*  wear mini-skirts when they were the rage

*  eat meat products that contained blood or take vaccinations that might contain blood
*  pursue a higher education, as Bible study and the door-to-door activities should take precedence

Most of the things we were NOT allowed to do served the purpose of keeping us isolated - away from anyone who could question our beliefs or show us a better way.  Isolation is a basic ploy of cults.  They also tried to keep us from reading any material that would portray the religion in a poor light.Of course, they found Bible texts that seemed to back up their dictates, but the primary purpose was to keep us apart without too much influence from the outside world.

We were expected to:

*  prepare for, attend and participate at 5 meetings each week at the Kingdom Hall
*  study their publications and be prepared to answer questions about what we read at their meetings

*  speak to people at their doors from a young age, trying to 'interest them in the good news of God's     kingdom' (sell the Watchtower and Awake magazines)
*  go from door-to-door on Christmas Day and New Year's morning - because we should never pass up an opportunity to spread the good news of God's soon-to-arrive kingdom
*  go door-to-door as much as I could during summer vacations from school
*  prepare our little speeches for the door-to-door ministry, with Bible texts to back up our assertions
*  agree, support all the doctrines and never ask questions
* believe that if we did all they told us we would be rewarded by surviving the always imminent Battle of Armageddon (where God would destroy all the wicked non-believers), and living forever on a paradise earth.  (Only a few selected ones would receive a heavenly reward - the rest of us would live forever here on earth.) 


There was so much more demanded and disallowed, but the above abbreviated lists give you a sense of the life I led as a child and teenager, as did anyone raised as a Jehovah's Witness.  My mother was a friendly, extrovert who loved going door-to-door and engaging people in discussions about religion and the Bible.  I was a rather introverted child for whom the same 'witnessing' activities were torture.  I did not want to disappoint my mother, however, and realizing I had no choice but to tag along, I soon learned how to be a good little actress and play the role of dutiful devotee.  At that age, if my mother was happy, I was happy.  There is a price to pay for being untrue to oneself.  But I did not know this at the time.

The Witness leaders would have their followers advertise their big summer conventions by walking up and down streets handing out invitations to their discourses.  Way back when, they had you wear placards (like big Bristol board signs) that were attached by string and hung over your shoulders covering your front and your back.  They displayed the title of the discourse, the time and announced it was free.   They were, of course, designed for adults to wear.  But my mother wanting to impress 'the elders' and do something different, had me, as a little tyke, wear these big placards.  I'm sure she must have adjusted the placards for my size, but the Bristol board pushed my chin up and by the time our walking and handing out invitations was through, my chin would be bleeding from paper cuts.  I wonder if there was blood dripping down the placard, right over the announcement of God's soon-to-arrive kingdom?

This picture of an old car (1949?) has what looks like the kind of 'placard' I describe above, stuck on the back of the car.  Years after this picture was taken, I would have one similar hanging down my front, and one hanging down my back - doing free advertising for their public discourses trying to lure people away from their religions to the 'the one and only truth'.

Witnesses used to stand at busy street corners to hand out their tracts, magazines, etc.  I remember the cloth bags we had, to hold our supply of tracts, that you see in the picture here.  My mother took me along when I was just a toddler.  She had me all dressed up in a pretty dress and my curly blonde locks attracted attention and smiles (probably smiles of pity).  My mother was proud of me and tried to get me to hand out invitations to the Witness discourses to people walking by.  After doing this for a while one day, she bought me a pack of grape gum to keep me quiet while she finished handing out her quota of literature.  People kept looking and smiling and my mother says she was just so proud of her dutiful, little daughter that was drawing all this good attention to our God Jehovah by her good conduct!  Finally she took a look down to discover I had put the entire package of grape gum in my mouth and purple saliva was drooling down my chin, onto my dress, leaving a disgusting stain.  She quickly packed up her bag and took us home.  Not the kind of advertisement she wanted for Jehovah's kingdom message!

So that is a peek into the life I led as a child.  I was never physically mistreated in any way, but I now know I paid a heavy price for my involvement with this sect.  It was a kind of forced psychological and spiritual captivity and my mind/body/spirit balked at it from a very young age.  I could not let anyone know this, however.  All my friends and relatives were Jehovah's Witnesses.  Jehovah's Witnesses banish and shun anyone who defects.  I admired and loved all my family and friends, though I secretly did not espouse all their beliefs.  There was no where to go.  Besides, I attended their huge assemblies such as the one at Yankee Stadium in New York City, and as I looked out at the thousands and thousands of  devoted followers of Jehovah, I could only think there was something wrong with or bad about me because I did not want to be there.  How could I turn against God, family, and the powerful persuasion of all these enthusiastic, adult believers?

(This is a photo of a convention held in 1953 at Yankee Stadium in New York City)

C.S. Lewis said:
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims

 may be the most oppressive.

It would be better to live under robber barons
than under omnipotent moral busybodies...

those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end

for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

Witnesses become moral and religious 'busybodies' not only with the approval of their own conscience as C.S. Lewis states above, but also feeling they do it at God's behest and with God's approval.  And so my young life was governed by a sincere, passionate woman who really believed she was doing God's revealed will, and doing the best possible thing any parent could for their children, by raising them as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Do you have to achieve and succeed to be happy?

Thich Nhat Hanh answers a question about the desire for success:

My desire for achievement has led to much suffering. No matter what I do, it never feels like it's enough. How can I make peace with myself? 

"The quality of your action depends on the quality of your being. Suppose you’re eager to offer happiness, to make someone happy. That’s a good thing to do. But if you’re not happy, then you can’t do that. In order to make another person happy, you have to be happy yourself. So there’s a link between doing and being. If you don’t succeed in being, you can’t succeed in doing. If you don’t feel that you’re on the right path, happiness isn’t possible. This is true for everyone; if you don’t know where you’re going, you suffer. It’s very important to realize your path and see your true way.


"Happiness means feeling you are on the right path every moment. You don’t need to arrive at the end of the path in order to be happy. The right path refers to the very concrete ways you live your life in every moment. In Buddhism, we speak of the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. It’s possible for us to live the Noble Eightfold Path every moment of our daily lives. That not only makes us happy, it makes people around us happy. If you practice the path, you become very pleasant, very fresh, and very compassionate.


"Look at the tree in the front yard. The tree doesn’t seem to be doing anything. It stands there, vigorous, fresh, and beautiful, and everyone profits from it. That’s the miracle of being. If a tree were less than a tree, all of us would be in trouble. But if a tree is just a real tree, then there’s hope and joy. That’s why if you can be yourself, that is already action. Action is based on nonaction; action is being."

From “Answers from the Heart” ©2009 by Thich Nhat Hanh
(Photograph by Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

Macros of 'Black Knight' Delphiniums

These are macro shots of the tiny flowers that make up a delphinium bloom.  They were taken back in August of this year, and though summer has gone, I think they are still worthy of a feature here.  I hope they brighten your day.

(Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

(Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

(Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

This is the way of it

The phone rang its special ring that signals a long distance call.  A dear friend from France.  Third sentence informed of a sudden, unanticipated death.  I did not know him well.  Matters not.  It still shocks, pains, sobers.  Tenth sentence told of the diagnosis of cancer in the dead man's thirty-something daughter.  Beyond the sorrow, I was struck by how, in the last few years, death seems to hover.  This poem dripped out with the tears.

What?

Her last breath?

She could not hold on?

He fought the good fight?

It won't be long?

He was only . . .?

How?

Why?

Breathe?

Now?  How?

I am

Breathing. Trying.

Gasping.  Grasping.

Holding 
reluctantly

this bitter pill.

A heavy stone

That won't go down.

It won't!  I won't.

Okay . . . I will.

And so

life and earth

offer

a foretaste

of what will be

Yes, I know . . .

it will be

but surely not for me

or mine
yet.

Heartbeats

whisper

"Yes, sweetheart

for you and yours.

Sooner or later."

Inhale.  Exhale.

Recycle.

Return.

Reconstitute.
Rest.

Mind balks

Heart knows and holds

Body accedes

Soul sits

Life serves life

Always making way

for new life

This is the way of it

Don't fight the inevitable

Embrace life as life presents itself.

LIVE NOW

Until you don't.

This is the way of it.

Fearing Paris

photograph from travelzones.net

Fearing Paris

Suppose that what you fear

could be trapped,

and held in Paris.

Then you would have

the courage to go

everywhere in the world.

All the directions of the compass

open to you,

except the degrees east or west

of true north

that lead to Paris.

Still, you wouldn't dare

put your toes

smack dab on the city limit line.

You're not really willing

to stand on a mountainside

miles away,

and watch the Paris lights

come up at night.

Just to be on the safe side

you decide to stay completely

out of France.

But then danger

seems too close

even to those boundaries,

and you feel

the timid part of you

covering the whole globe again.

You need the kind of friend

who learns your secret and says,

"See Paris first".

~~Marsha Truman Cooper~~

Photographs of Sunny Spain

It's a dreary November day here in the NorthEast, and while sorting and editing photos I came across my daughter her partner's photographs taken in Spain last Spring, 2009.  I have their permission to publish them here.  The ones I have chosen are a few street scenes, buildings, archways found in Seville, Grenada and Cordoba in the south.  Join me on a leisurely stroll through narrow streets in warm, sunny Spain . . . 

Charter for Compassion, TED.com

I'm sure most of you are aware of the wonderful website, TED.  If not, do check it out to discover exciting people and ideas that will inspire and motivate you.  TED has just completed a "Charter of Compassion" at the behest of author Karen Armstrong (The Battle for God;  A History of God;  Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths;  Buddha . . .).  To introduce you to The Charter of Compassion, I quote from TED.com in the rest of this post:


" . . . TED Prize winner Karen Armstrong's wish is realized as the Charter for Compassion officially launches...    http://charterforcompassion.org/  (Click on this link to add your name to The Charter for Compassion.  You can read its 4 short paragraphs below.)

This is a document created by thousands of people around the world. It is capable of enabling a new dialog between the major religions and between religious and nonreligious people.  

Karen's wish was that TED should create and propagate the Charter. That's where we need your help. Email your friends, and do whatever you can on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. We would love to see thousands affirm the Charter. It's truly an idea worth spreading."   http://www.ted.com//

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION

A call to bring the world together…

"The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.


We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.


We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community."

(Photographs by Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, 2009)

AFTERNOTE I:  
From a few of your comments I see that some of you are not familiar with TED.com.  You have been missing something beyond great.  But it is not too late.  You must discover TED.

What is TED?  The best answer is to visit http://www.ted.com/.

TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading, cutting edge thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design — three broad subject areas. And in fact, TED has moved beyond those three categories, showcasing ideas from a wide range of disciplines. Attendees have called it “the ultimate brain spa”.  The audience is as diverse as are the ideas — CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists — almost as extraordinary as the presenters, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono. However, it is most often people I have never heard of who give the talks that excite me the most.  Don't miss out on http://www.TED.com!

AFTERNOTE II:

Bonnie,

Thank you for affirming the Charter for Compassion.
Help spread the Charter more broadly by sharing it with your community: http://charterforcompassion.org/share
Engage in compassionate action: http://charterforcompassion.org/act
Sincerely,
The Charter for Compassion

Paintings & photographs donated to raise $$$ for cancer research

As some of you may know, from reading earlier posts, my daughter was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumour in her bronchial tube in 2008.  Last November she underwent major thoracic surgery and the tumour was successfully removed and her lung saved.  (I made 3 posts about the diagnosis and ensuing surgery and the effects on our lives in early July, 2009.  The first post is entitled, "cancer - my daughter - WHAT???".  You can find it in my archives.)

Carcinoid tumours are a rare form of neuroendocrine cancer with some peculiar properties.  Being related to the neuroendocrine system, they can emit hormones that cause problems (infections, high blood pressure, allergies, blood sugar fluctuations, etc. etc.) in other organs not even close to the tumour site.

My daughter came through her difficult surgery with flying colours and is living her life as normally as possible, albeit with frequent visits to a variety of specialists and with frequent tests.  She has benefitted greatly from her involvement with the Carcinoid NeuroEndocrine Tumour Society of Canada, and is currently helping organize their Montreal 2009 Conference.  Doctors from all over the world will be in attendance as will many neuro-endocrine cancer patients.

There will be a silent auction at the conference to raise money for research into this insidious form of cancer.

I have donated two of my paintings and two of my photographs - published with this post.  Unfortunately, the photographs of the paintings are not the best - they do look good 'in person'.  I hope they attract bidders at the conference who will be generous with their funds for this worthy cause.

Carcinoid NeuroEndocrine Tumour Society Canada

Montreal 2009 Conference on NeuroEndocrine Cancers

November 14 & 15, 2009

Building towards a cure for Neuroendocrine Tumours and Cancers through Research, Education, Awareness and Support.

The Montreal Conference for our NET Patient and Medical community

Our theme for this conference is:

The Case for Research, Education, and the Expert Team.

Conference Learning Objectives:

•Explore diagnosis and treatment options, medically, surgically, and through targeted nuclear and radiotherapeutic options, for patients suspected of having neuroendocrine tumours.

•Examine fundamental and clinical research aimed at understanding the causes of, and possible therapies for, neuroendocrine malignancies.

•Recognize the benefits of a team model approach to health care and the collaborative interaction between health care professionals and patients in the assessment and treatment of NeuroEndocrine malignancies.

I would call you . . .

If I discovered

a magic carpet

of ruby leaves,

waiting

in the middle

of nowhere,

I would call you

to come

and make

a hide-away 

in it

with me.

And there

we'd breathe

until

soft white drops

caressed 

our skin

telling us

it was time,

to

pack up

 ruby-red memories

and go.

Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman

(photograph by www.fabulousnature.com)

"Remembrances"

"Summers pleasures they are gone like to visions every one

And the cloudy days of autumn and of winter cometh on.

I tried to call them back but unbidden they are gone

Far away from heart and eye and for ever far away."

"Remembrances"

John Clare, 1793-1864

For those gone too soon in the spring or summer of their years.  We, too, 'tried to call them back', but 'unbidden they are gone' and 'for ever far away'.

Photographs by Bonnie MacEwan-Zieman, Original Art Studio

. . . and I am that too . . .

This post was previously published back in June when I first started blogging.  I have reworked it slightly and am republishing it for those of you who may have missed it.

This is a simple, yet ever so effective thought to use to stop critical or judgmental thinking about others.

In case you cannot read the text on my art print, it says: "When you notice yourself judging another, take a moment to contemplate the following phrase: . . . . . and I am that too . . ."

If you are like me (when you first try out this "technique") your first reaction might be "I am NOT that too!" But if you think a while and are flexible with your thinking you will invariably find a way to see that you have behaviors that are similar to those you judge.

Then the exciting challenge is to reclaim your projection and work in the only realm where you have any real power - on yourself.

Judgments used to be an almost default defensive position for me. Using this simple, gentle phrase with myself has helped me to be less critical and to finally understand that the person I judged the most was myself. I could not deal with that, so I projected my judgments on those around me. What an unskillful way to live! I knew there had to be a better way, and this tender Buddhist thought has become a treasured tool.

Oh, not to be forgotten, this technique also works in reverse for the fine qualities in ourselves that we deny! E.g. Think of someone you really admire and name the qualities you most admire . . . . . then say to yourself, "And I Am That Too . . . . ".  This can help you reclaim qualities and talents you have, that you have not developed or are not owning. Let me know if you try it and how it works for you.

what lies within

Dear Delwyn from A Hazy Moon has informed me that the quote above is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Can you smell the rain?

Here are some wet, mossy tree trunks and a leaf drooping from the weight of water on its back.  I took these photographs in late August of this year, as the sun reappeared after a heavy downpour.   The verse after the photos is by George Herbert.  I must give a nod to Friko of Friko's Musings for nudging my mind to call up this verse (which I hope aptly compliments the images) after reading her post today.

And now in age I bud again,

After so many deaths I live and write;

I once more smell the dew and rain,

And relish versing.

George Herbert

English Poet, 1593-1633