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Post by t-bob on May 18, 2020 12:16:29 GMT -5
As the weeks of this pandemic have turned into months it’s easy for the heart to sink.
There’s enough bad news to feed our anxieties and worst fears. In the face of so much hardship and uncertainty, it can feel naïve to hope. Yet the alternate seems even bleaker: giving up, feeling hopeless, or falling into despair—none of which is useful.
In times like these, we’re called to examine our understanding of hope, and to find a more grounded, reliable source of energy.
This is practical hope.
It’s a stable outlook that starts where we are, recognizes that we're not in control, and still chooses to engage. We assess not only the reality of what’s happening around us, but also our own internal resources and capacities. When we include both our external and internal reality, we can begin to respond effectively.
From all signs and predictions, we’re in this for the long haul.
Sure, we won’t be locked in our homes forever, but physical distancing, masks, and a certain level of hypervigilance around health and proximity are most likely here to stay for a while.
Instead of placing your hopes on “things going back to normal,” or berating yourself about what you “should be doing,” how would it be to ask yourself, “What’s possible right now?” What can you do today that will lift your spirits or orient you in a useful direction?
In this sense, practical hope is something that we do, more than something we have. It’s a way of engaging our hearts so that we align ourselves with what’s most important to us, and live in line with our values.
All of us have been called to change and adapt our lives during this pandemic. That begins by recognizing what is possible, and taking a small step in that direction. Then, regardless of the outcome, we can be at ease knowing that we’re acting with integrity and playing our small part.
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Post by coachdoc on May 18, 2020 15:04:19 GMT -5
As the weeks of this pandemic have turned into months it’s easy for the heart to sink. There’s enough bad news to feed our anxieties and worst fears. In the face of so much hardship and uncertainty, it can feel naïve to hope. Yet the alternate seems even bleaker: giving up, feeling hopeless, or falling into despair—none of which is useful. In times like these, we’re called to examine our understanding of hope, and to find a more grounded, reliable source of energy. This is practical hope. It’s a stable outlook that starts where we are, recognizes that we're not in control, and still chooses to engage. We assess not only the reality of what’s happening around us, but also our own internal resources and capacities. When we include both our external and internal reality, we can begin to respond effectively. From all signs and predictions, we’re in this for the long haul. Sure, we won’t be locked in our homes forever, but physical distancing, masks, and a certain level of hypervigilance around health and proximity are most likely here to stay for a while. Instead of placing your hopes on “things going back to normal,” or berating yourself about what you “should be doing,” how would it be to ask yourself, “What’s possible right now?” What can you do today that will lift your spirits or orient you in a useful direction? In this sense, practical hope is something that we do, more than something we have. It’s a way of engaging our hearts so that we align ourselves with what’s most important to us, and live in line with our values. All of us have been called to change and adapt our lives during this pandemic. That begins by recognizing what is possible, and taking a small step in that direction. Then, regardless of the outcome, we can be at ease knowing that we’re acting with integrity and playing our small part. This is an impressive post, Bob. All yours or interpreted from some teaching or another? Either way, I thank you for posting it. It reminded me of Norman Cousins Anatomy of an Illness. In it he posited 2 ideas that have stuck with me. There is no such thing as false hope. Hope does not depend on the outcome, it stands alone. The second was that laughter is the best medicine. He watched unending comedic movies the entire time he was healing from an illness, and felt that without them he would not have healed. |
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Post by james on May 18, 2020 15:39:00 GMT -5
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Post by t-bob on May 18, 2020 21:20:52 GMT -5
Doc & James
I actually do a little writing with reflections. I edit teacher’s essays.
I do a lot of “cut & paste”.
I listened with Norman Cousins a longtime 1960s. NC’s Sarah daughter was a girlfriend for a little bit. She was a really a hot one.
I’m read articles by Anne Lamont, Oliver Sacks and misc. I change things. It could be a little bit plagiarism. Sometimes people haven’t seen it. Most of the time now I don’t even say a word regarding the Writer.
No worries.
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Post by james on May 18, 2020 21:55:58 GMT -5
Ann and Oliver would be untroubled.
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Post by gbacklin on May 19, 2020 8:18:01 GMT -5
From day one of our lives, we are full of innocence. Everything is new and full of wonder. Our senses impatiently devour everything and we interpret and store all, with the result being our essence, our personalities. I once read a long time ago “We look at things, the way we look at things” place an architect, plumber, brick layer, homeowner and child in front of a house and ask them what they see.
Innocence is a precious gift that once lost can never be found again. A great musical lyric:
I am a simple man and I play a simple tune
I wish that I could see you once again across the room like the first time
The innocence we lose in life is like the loss of a loved one, never to experience again only remembered. As our civilization moves faster, it seems that innocence is no longer being sought out. It’s still there out there for discovery, but being replaced with bitterness.
When we begin to look with wonder upon things again, we revisit an old friend, and while the innocence we had is in the past, we can rediscover that thrill of a new path built upon the old.
This current state we all find ourselves in, is desperately trying to keep our focus on itself. Like the virus, it needs hosts to thrive. It spreads quickly through social media as well as other immediate sources and it’s easy to get caught up in it, but in the back of my mind there is still that child that is searching for the wonder.
I post this only here because this group has that ability to find that wonder. While we have all been around a while, we remember a simpler time, a more innocent time when doors remained unlocked, neighbors would come into our homes and borrow sugar when we were not there. The excitement of a bursting water balloon.
What does innocence and wonder feed on ? Imagination, plain and simple.
So in these trying times, I am working very hard to not let the chaos; some real, some manufactured, get to me. It’s not easy, but neither is starting to learn to play a new tune, starting to build a new instrument, but to address the need to let the imagination fuel the wonder, igniting the creativity, is what I plan to carry out.
As the following lyrics say:
Stepping off this dirty bus first time I understood
It's got to be the going not the getting there that's good
That's a thought for keeping if I could.
It's got to be the going not the getting there that's good.
I’m just grateful that I was around way back when, as that is what gives me hope for the future.
Now it’s time for me to step down and go play with some wood downstairs.
Thank you for letting me ramble !
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Post by TKennedy on May 19, 2020 8:29:04 GMT -5
Good stuff every one! In a time of much internet pontificating and duels at dawn with the choice of weapons being favored URL’s I thought this was timely. Can’t remember where I saw it but I have a weakness for the Jesuits.  4618DC88-B317-47ED-8236-6E9640E9E58D by Terence Kennedy, on Flickr |
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