Because to take away a man’s freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person. (Madeline L’Engle)
If you can’t control your peanut butter, you can’t control your life. (Calvin and Hobbes)
Nary a single flake of snow. No perfect chair yet. Big box store monstrosity together, but doesn’t work. Could be a right discouragin’ morning were I to let it, but . . . The cup of coffee I have cradled in my hands feels pleasantly warm, and the aroma of French Roast can’t be beat. The house is hushed, with no animals shouting for attention or Friskies yet. I am anticipating the comfort of coffee and scones with a friend later this morning. And the lights of the Christmas tree shine steadily down on me in the darkened house.
It’s a cocoon of peace and warmth, and I’m so grateful for this moment. It is often difficult to hold onto that peace later on in the day when some of the horrors of the world seem so omnipresent, and it can become so easy to let guilt intrude over being safe and warm and well-fed when so many suffer.
But I know that my task is to live the life that I have been given with as much courage and consciousness and generosity as I can. And so I breathe in an awareness of the pain, and breathe out loving compassion, and a determination to do what I can where it is given to me to act.
Sounds kinda sanctimonious, but it is at least something to which to aspire . . . But a little plaque in my kitchen helps me keep my control fantasies in proportion: This killing them with kindness is taking longer than expected. After all, we gotta keep a sense of humor and perspective in our arrogant assumptions of knowing what is best for others.
Ah, control fantasies. Born of anxiety, and boogers for us to live with. And for our nearest and dearest to live with! If only others would believe and act as I think they should, what a better world this would be. Jawohl!
It always makes me smile when I realize my initials are (at least for the last 13 years) HA. Ha, ha. It sorta deflates my arrogant assumptions that I know best, and does away with any sense of control or omnipotence, and puts me in my place in the scheme of things.
So for yet another morning, I have subdued my urges to control the world. I truly know nothing. Back to chair searches, warm coffee, the anticipation of snow sometime this winter . . . And maybe throw in some kindness along the way, altho’ it truly is taking longer than expected.
Ha. Ha.