22 Comments

Seems we always find goodness up close and personal. The news media, unfortunately, needs to keep tweaking the disaster part of our still-evolving frontal cortex.

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Yesterday was the first really lovely spring day here in Minnesota. Walking around the pond in the park below my window, everyone and I mean everyone, smiled and said hello. It really felt good.

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That’s what Oswego is like on he first spring day—everyone outside—smiling, sweeping, celebrating…

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Thought-provoking observation. It is kind of unsettling to receive a spontaneous, unexpected acknowledge of one’s goodness. But it’s also a gift to be cherished. Lovely story from a lovely person. Thanks.

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I had a thought today that maybe we need to find ways to acknowledge the world's goodness. Not sure what that would look like, but it startled me when I thought about it.

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I loved what I read as shy expressions of daily mysticism, and since it is a mystery, I felt that you‘d gotten to the heart or the meat (thinly sliced for sandwiches) of it, with your everyday experiences of expressing appreciation and love.

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Reading this in St. Louis Park! Travel may be the greatest mystery of all.....suddenly (or rather after a long day on the plane) back on my balcony overlooking "our pond."

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I love that you could find the words for this experience. I am still trying but your piece tells me it is possible and I should keep trying.

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My suggestion would be not to try too hard. Let it be about allowing instead of effforting. Let me know if that sounds like nonsense or if it means something.

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This piece is breathgiving. Your choice of words, your determination to keep your finger on the pulse of something as essential and yet inevitably diminished by whatever words we use is Herculean. Kindness and goodness radiate in realms of the heart and in experiences that transcend description. I read somewhere that the Dalai Lama, when asked what his religion is, replied “My religion is KINDNESS.” Those words speak volumes… And so do yours. Thank you.

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Thank you, Minx, for recognizing the sweet struggle of trying to put words to something you know is beyond the realm of language. That might just be my life's work.

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Once again, Susie, thank you! Sometimes experiences really do need words - for the speaker and the listener. Too often - in our dim/confusing times - the unsaid is unknown to both (as least as an act of loving attention).

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That's yet another aspect of this situation that I hadn't thought of, Signe. The whole issue of miscommunication creates so much suffering.

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The language of spirituality ... doesn’t hold a candle to the experience.

And yet your language gets close, dear Susie. Thank you for your beautiful mirror to goodness and humanity. This essay brings G-d-tears...

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Thank you for watering our garden with your tears, Jinks.

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Oh - that's why! I never understood this before - but so true! you wrote:

"People do not know what to do when someone else recognizes their goodness. It makes them feel naked, exposed. It makes them feel that their protective coating has rubbed off. "

What an uplifting post today, Susie. Thank you so much. So needed.

Love,

Pam

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Thanks, Pam. People seem to be more uncomfortable with their profound goodness than with their all-too-human indiscretions. Maybe there are more than 36 lamed vavniks.

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indeed, there may be!

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You are an inspiration, girl!

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It's all a dialogue, or a multilogue, if that's a word.

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Just so beautiful!! It’s your heart — more aware from experience of the love that swirls around there and in every other molecule of the space between us and around us — that makes the difference! And just saying what IS true, what you see so clearly, multiplies the magic!! And the joy!

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Thank you, Mary. Thinking of your golden hair and how it shines down on so many people.

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