For the past few months, I've been a magnet for people who need someone to talk to, and I mean they really need attention, not just a one off conversation. Today, as I'm getting ready to go to church and examined my conscience, guilt had crept in.
It's not that I mind, it's just wearing me down. After reading this, I feel much better about it.
That is great to hear, Jeannie. I am never sure anyone wants these more reflective pieces. I started writing them because I quite like reading them myself. I also like memes and quotes that help uplift us. The Starfire Codes produces them regularly. That is whereI stole this one. You should subscribe if you haven't done so.
As for being a magnet for others and their woes. That reflects well on you. People must find you a good listener. However, you do need to withdraw even if just to recharge. That is not selfish, it is essential, especially if you have strong empathy for others. Walking a mile in their shoes is draining, especially for anyone for whom it comes naturally.
You will know when it is time to get back into the ring. So take a break and enjoy the time to yourself.
It ain't easy being human these days. What with robots and AI and all those convenient devices.
But we are human. All too human. It is difficult sometimes to remember that everything is transitory. That sounds bleak or negative, but I think the awareness of it matters. Children don't stay children forever, so enjoy the time you have together. That great job won't last, nor will anything else. That delicious meal will soon be gone so get stuck in.
I think the cyclical aspect should propel us to enjoy stuff all the more, and also to remember all the bad things don't last either.
Your post resonated with me. I've recently taken on a large... almost overwhelming project. I'm alternately filled with exuberance and confidence, and suddenly I stumble over literal blocks and despair that I will never finish. It's a Faustian endeavour. I can only keep on moving, as you say. Thanks for the inspiration.
The most important of endorsements. The HDAM community has always been close to my heart, at least for most of the twenty or so seconds I have known about it.
Hm. Control over how you interact with the world builds a false belief that you are the one in control, always, which is false: you are in control of yourself, not any outside force or factor.
With that false belief comes a sapping of the Will, and a destructive feeling that you are owed by the world certain results, outcomes and events.
Since the world does not comply, and you having lost your Will means you are unable to wrestle with yourself, you instead devolve into a mewling tantrum.
And since you do this together with others similarly afflicted, no matter the medium, this becomes your normal state of being.
Your being, self, soul becomes trapped in your internal version of the well Buffalo Bill puts his victims in, in 'The Silence of the Lambs'.
Chemicals may aid in the process, herbs or prescription drugs makes no difference, not to your mind when you use them to not feel the burden of not being able to ignore who and what you really are.
Most never attempt to change from that. Doing so is very much rebirth, but not as from a mother but as from Dr Frankenstein's table: you will forever live knowing what you could have been had you never had to fall in the well in the first place.
Bleak, but a bleakness that comes from experience.
And the fiction of "stabilising the climate" plays perfectly on that quest for the unattainable stasis which is being relentlessly inculcated in today's younger generations especially-though not exclusively. A good reminder to us all. Thank you.
It is a worry. Perfectionism is never about being perfect, it is about shame of being imperfect. I suspect that is at play too.
The antidote is to accept it is all imperfect. Any forward movement is fine. Good days and bad days. Flux is normal. There are many variations on the theme as you suggest.
As for climate, I suspect the narrative will be crushed by reality. Luxury beliefs are fine until you go hungry. Pronouns, trans issues, gay rights, misogyny. All will be destroyed by the poverty that is likely coming.
I find myself nodding in agreement and diving even deeper into possibilities when I read your posts. But THIS ONE. That's ME.
I resist the reality that I'm not consistent. My good habits should be easy to maintain, day after day, on repeat. I'm a coach, so there must be something wrong with me that my energy isn't consistent enough for me to always just do the thing. (How did I ever hold a demanding, full-time job for 38 years? I'm baffled. LOL.)
I'll be on social media, decide I don't like most of what I see, so what am I doing there? I'll deactivate my account, then come back. What if I miss something important?
I'll engage with specific formats and then decide they're not for me. And then I come back because that's what "everyone else is doing," and I need to be competitive or at least visible in that space.
You've just reframed this for me so that I can feel like it's natural and normal to ebb and flow. Sometimes I need more space around me. At other times, I prefer to be among more people. There are expectations in relationships, and I do honor them. But the "extras" have more room for flexibility.
I sometimes like to split my life into areas. Social, creative, health etc. When creative is not working I can go to the gym. I am always progressing then even if I am not writing the novel or doing some thing I thought I would.
It is all movement. The unthinking have this as a great advantage. But for those who hesitate, we can get lost in the plan.
Perhaps the most succinct version is this, the map is not the terrain. There are multiple ways to get there.
So true! My dad always says, “The only constant is change.”
Clinging to fixed beliefs creates comfortable illusions of the ego trying to anchor itself in certainty and control. But higher truth is something else entirely. It doesn’t bend to opinion or circumstance. It is timeless. What changes is our capacity to perceive it.
Embracing uncertainty is part of that journey. It humbles us. It loosens the ego’s grip and invites a posture of curiosity, wonder, and faith that keeps us centered in life’s mysteries. The unknown isn’t something to fear—it’s where deeper understanding begins.
They say all that is good such as true love, true beauty, true art, and true grace endures precisely because it transcends the ego. That’s what makes it rare—it asks everything from you and for false parts of you to die. To live the good life is to grow in discernment, to recognize the absurdity of ego-centered living, and to emerge with a clarity so deep that everything is filtered through the lens of true spirit.
That, I believe, is the meaning of life, even in a world where evil still exists. And I know this to be true because I’ve faced great adversity and still emerged full of life, fueled by a relentless pursuit of uncertainty. 🤘
What a great comment. You are correct.Embrace uncertainty. It really is the only constant.
Conquering our fear of the unknown is critical, although challenging. But like the cyclical nature of change it is a process, and a long one at that. It never ends but is worth the effort.
Running towards uncertainty to find out what is there is a superpower. That is what changes a life, changes a world.
That's so true. Too many times, the fear of change or of the unknown keeps us in a situation that we know we've outgrown or is bringing us down. Change is scary, even good change.
I feel like you wrote this for me today! Thanks!
For the past few months, I've been a magnet for people who need someone to talk to, and I mean they really need attention, not just a one off conversation. Today, as I'm getting ready to go to church and examined my conscience, guilt had crept in.
It's not that I mind, it's just wearing me down. After reading this, I feel much better about it.
That is great to hear, Jeannie. I am never sure anyone wants these more reflective pieces. I started writing them because I quite like reading them myself. I also like memes and quotes that help uplift us. The Starfire Codes produces them regularly. That is whereI stole this one. You should subscribe if you haven't done so.
As for being a magnet for others and their woes. That reflects well on you. People must find you a good listener. However, you do need to withdraw even if just to recharge. That is not selfish, it is essential, especially if you have strong empathy for others. Walking a mile in their shoes is draining, especially for anyone for whom it comes naturally.
You will know when it is time to get back into the ring. So take a break and enjoy the time to yourself.
I really enjoy everything you write, and always get something out of it. On your suggestion I have subscribed to Starfire Codes.
Sometimes, God talks to us through other people, and I really felt like this was for me! It was just what I needed.
Excellent on both counts. Glad you like it.
This is a wonderful reminder and clear perspective for how to be a human in the crazy ups and downs of life. Thank you.
It ain't easy being human these days. What with robots and AI and all those convenient devices.
But we are human. All too human. It is difficult sometimes to remember that everything is transitory. That sounds bleak or negative, but I think the awareness of it matters. Children don't stay children forever, so enjoy the time you have together. That great job won't last, nor will anything else. That delicious meal will soon be gone so get stuck in.
I think the cyclical aspect should propel us to enjoy stuff all the more, and also to remember all the bad things don't last either.
Thanks for reading. Glad you liked it.
Your post resonated with me. I've recently taken on a large... almost overwhelming project. I'm alternately filled with exuberance and confidence, and suddenly I stumble over literal blocks and despair that I will never finish. It's a Faustian endeavour. I can only keep on moving, as you say. Thanks for the inspiration.
Absolutely. Keep at it and remember the cycle is perfectly normal.
Glad you liked it.
As a Heraclitian Daoist Animist Monist, I endorse this message.
The most important of endorsements. The HDAM community has always been close to my heart, at least for most of the twenty or so seconds I have known about it.
:0
Hm. Control over how you interact with the world builds a false belief that you are the one in control, always, which is false: you are in control of yourself, not any outside force or factor.
With that false belief comes a sapping of the Will, and a destructive feeling that you are owed by the world certain results, outcomes and events.
Since the world does not comply, and you having lost your Will means you are unable to wrestle with yourself, you instead devolve into a mewling tantrum.
And since you do this together with others similarly afflicted, no matter the medium, this becomes your normal state of being.
Your being, self, soul becomes trapped in your internal version of the well Buffalo Bill puts his victims in, in 'The Silence of the Lambs'.
Chemicals may aid in the process, herbs or prescription drugs makes no difference, not to your mind when you use them to not feel the burden of not being able to ignore who and what you really are.
Most never attempt to change from that. Doing so is very much rebirth, but not as from a mother but as from Dr Frankenstein's table: you will forever live knowing what you could have been had you never had to fall in the well in the first place.
Bleak, but a bleakness that comes from experience.
Nothing wrong with some bleakness. Especially if you are Swedish, lol.
I like the cycle because it is normal. It is not static. It is not stagnation.
The world is, the world is. Love and life are deep.
Indeed they are.
And the fiction of "stabilising the climate" plays perfectly on that quest for the unattainable stasis which is being relentlessly inculcated in today's younger generations especially-though not exclusively. A good reminder to us all. Thank you.
It is a worry. Perfectionism is never about being perfect, it is about shame of being imperfect. I suspect that is at play too.
The antidote is to accept it is all imperfect. Any forward movement is fine. Good days and bad days. Flux is normal. There are many variations on the theme as you suggest.
As for climate, I suspect the narrative will be crushed by reality. Luxury beliefs are fine until you go hungry. Pronouns, trans issues, gay rights, misogyny. All will be destroyed by the poverty that is likely coming.
I find myself nodding in agreement and diving even deeper into possibilities when I read your posts. But THIS ONE. That's ME.
I resist the reality that I'm not consistent. My good habits should be easy to maintain, day after day, on repeat. I'm a coach, so there must be something wrong with me that my energy isn't consistent enough for me to always just do the thing. (How did I ever hold a demanding, full-time job for 38 years? I'm baffled. LOL.)
I'll be on social media, decide I don't like most of what I see, so what am I doing there? I'll deactivate my account, then come back. What if I miss something important?
I'll engage with specific formats and then decide they're not for me. And then I come back because that's what "everyone else is doing," and I need to be competitive or at least visible in that space.
You've just reframed this for me so that I can feel like it's natural and normal to ebb and flow. Sometimes I need more space around me. At other times, I prefer to be among more people. There are expectations in relationships, and I do honor them. But the "extras" have more room for flexibility.
I sometimes like to split my life into areas. Social, creative, health etc. When creative is not working I can go to the gym. I am always progressing then even if I am not writing the novel or doing some thing I thought I would.
It is all movement. The unthinking have this as a great advantage. But for those who hesitate, we can get lost in the plan.
Perhaps the most succinct version is this, the map is not the terrain. There are multiple ways to get there.
So true! My dad always says, “The only constant is change.”
Clinging to fixed beliefs creates comfortable illusions of the ego trying to anchor itself in certainty and control. But higher truth is something else entirely. It doesn’t bend to opinion or circumstance. It is timeless. What changes is our capacity to perceive it.
Embracing uncertainty is part of that journey. It humbles us. It loosens the ego’s grip and invites a posture of curiosity, wonder, and faith that keeps us centered in life’s mysteries. The unknown isn’t something to fear—it’s where deeper understanding begins.
They say all that is good such as true love, true beauty, true art, and true grace endures precisely because it transcends the ego. That’s what makes it rare—it asks everything from you and for false parts of you to die. To live the good life is to grow in discernment, to recognize the absurdity of ego-centered living, and to emerge with a clarity so deep that everything is filtered through the lens of true spirit.
That, I believe, is the meaning of life, even in a world where evil still exists. And I know this to be true because I’ve faced great adversity and still emerged full of life, fueled by a relentless pursuit of uncertainty. 🤘
What a great comment. You are correct.Embrace uncertainty. It really is the only constant.
Conquering our fear of the unknown is critical, although challenging. But like the cyclical nature of change it is a process, and a long one at that. It never ends but is worth the effort.
Running towards uncertainty to find out what is there is a superpower. That is what changes a life, changes a world.
That's so true. Too many times, the fear of change or of the unknown keeps us in a situation that we know we've outgrown or is bringing us down. Change is scary, even good change.
Maybe that's what "A leap of faith" is all about.