Kindness and Respect

 Going Mental  1 Response »
Mar 112024
 

I’m in a bit of a post-travels slump. The weather isn’t helping as it is pouring rain as I type this now. It has been a little chilly, though not overly so, but the rain 🌧️🌧️ and thunderstorms β›ˆοΈβ›ˆοΈ and wind πŸ’¨πŸ’¨ have not been inspiring. 😟

Although it is likely to sound spoiled of me to complain about the weather after having been away on travels for three weeks, I am doing it anyway! πŸ€ͺ We had thought that by now we would have escaped most of the bad weather as we are indeed “fair-weather” people. Apparently, this is the tail end of spring’s entrance and we are hoping for sunnier skies soon. β˜€οΈ

So, keeping with the doom and gloom theme – today’s post is about the use of words and tone.

There are any number of quotes or song lyrics about how words can be weapons. While some people use them freely without thought or care, others take so much time to consider each one before speaking or sharing. Somewhere in the middle, as is the case for most things in life, is the balance of expressing ourselves adequately yet with consideration on how they might be received.

In this day and age of being told that it is not for us to worry about how others respond to what we say or do, the need for taking responsibility in affecting the response has been shirked away as “not my problem”. However, imagine how just the simple tone of statements can be received in such different ways. Then, add on all the nuances of meanings behind words that vary person to person and see the complication of communication. So, why make it even harder or worse by being unkind from the beginning?

Kindness in heart. Kindness in intention. Kindness in gestures. Kindness in words.

This should be our starting point for all conversations. Follow this with the feeling of respect and I can guarantee that even the most contentious of discussions can be had without belittling, dismissing, or hurting the other person’s feelings or sense of identity.

It is really no wonder that our world is in a constant state of tension, anger, and frustration. Humans have lost the art of kindness and respect yet crave it to the point that it is commanded rather than demanded through presence and etiquette. These days, I feel very old or of another world. Social and personal standards are dropping, but if I express my lamentations of it I am seen as the odd-ball. So, I have started to withdraw from society and others.

Unfortunately, this is not working for me either. Now that we are back home and returning to our regular lives, I am finding that I need to adjust my strategy in building a lifestyle that is fulfilling. I’ve let myself carry on limiting beliefs; thus limiting my chances at experiences, friendships, and who knows what else.

Therefore, I am determined to break out of my self-created box. With my own words of kindness and respect, I hope that I can create a bit of sunshine in the rainy and stormy lives of others as well as my own. πŸ₯°

~T πŸ”₯πŸ‰β™‹οΈ

Beauty or Folly of Man

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Aug 162022
 

People are a strange lot. I often wonder what other life forms think of these Earth crawlers as I am both amazed and dismayed by my fellow humans.

While I maintain my spiritual beliefs, my greatest faith remains in the power of mankind to have the potential to create the awesome and also total destruction. If one ever needs further proof in the balance of yin and yang, I recommend spending some time studying their fellow humans.

I sit writing this in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, which borders the Uffizi Galleries where the statue of David resides. Here, in this town, Michelangelo created one of the most beautiful representations of the human form in the early 16th century. Over five centuries later, we see a diverse collection of forms that are considered attractive in the eye of a beholder.

People ramble en masse taking in the remnants of the past in whatever form suits them. Some appreciate through the lens of their cameras. Some learn in group tours following the crowd and flag of their guide. Some singularly wander with eyes toward the heavens unaware of what is below. Some pass by with their heads down not caring about the footsteps of those before.

Yet, what I find dissonant is the idea that some among those who walk by carry the souls of Michelangelo and other artists, inspirers of the future, or whatever new idea takes us into the next century.

While the β€œold” version of me wants to lament at the changed times and suggest there is a lack of appreciation for the beauty that has survived the centuries, the more open-minded part of me is excited and awaits what new beauty shall come forth.

Still, as I consider the state of the world and watch the individuals who stumble by, I question whether my faith is misplaced or if I just need to be a bit more patient for humanity to reveal its highest potential.

~T πŸ”₯πŸ‰β™‹οΈ

Pondering the Human Condition

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Jun 092022
 

Humans are a strange breed of creatures that despite their ability to self-reflect and capacity for advanced cognitive activity tend to not behave much better than animals in packs. Humanity as a whole, when collectively-minded, have the awe-inspiring capacity to achieve greatness beyond the imagination. I mean, the temples and tombs of Luxor and Aswan are proof of this – unless you believe it was aliens.

Yet, whenever new social circles are created there is always the sniffing of butts, tests of the masculine energies (applies to women and men), and dancing around each other to find their positioning in the matrix of newly formed threads that connect us with each other. Observing this ritual from the sidelines is always entertaining and sometimes frustrating.

The past week gave me a great deal to ponder and process as I was forced to interact with both familiar and unfamiliar humans.

So, I will save my revelations for another post as I am still in the processing phase, but now that I know I will have a period of time to regroup I imagine the thoughts shall be flowing in no time. πŸ˜€

~T πŸ”₯πŸ‰β™‹οΈ

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)