When I hear the word “breathe” my mind immediately conjures up a variety of images; the subtle and innocent sounds of a new born baby softly breathing as she sleeps in her mother’s arms, a runner sucking air as he gives it all he’s got, a child as she cries while hyperventilating and struggling to settle down, or even the necessary yet natural involuntary act of just breathing. But the image I am most drawn to is that of the overworked, weary, and bedraggled person taking a deep breath and then letting it all out with that long overdue exhale. This understanding of “breathe” takes me away from the hustle and bustle, the worries, the time commitments, and everything else in competition with “breathe”. It places me on Corona’s white sandy beach where staring through a clear beer bottle into the aqua blue ocean wins the competition for my time.
I find it interesting how closely these images can follow the pattern of our daily lives: innocent and child like, working passionately, frustrated with anxiety and fear, or even the necessary yet redundant tasks each day requires. Take all of this, push it out of your mind, take a deep breath, let it all out and “breathe”.
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Friday, October 27, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Mankind
Words without action are empty:
(I will leave the topic of: "Actions without thought are dangerous" to The Sadness of Sophistication)
I am presently going through a time of rediscovering this truth and how pervasive it is in American society. It seems in EVERY aspect of our lives we are being confronted by this principle. Is it really a principle? I was recently reminded of this while in discussion with a group of friends about certain confidential issues. I most easily and immediately noticed the grace and good motives of all in the discussion, but I left with a sinking feeling. Some ideals are wonderful. In fact, I become light, happy and nearly giddy when I see solutions with potential for greatness, but words will always remain static without persistent and disciplined action.
It is interesting how the geniuses behind action work in order to achieve action from others. I smiled as I watched clips from a recent Oprah show (I know). It was Bono, Oprah, and Kanye West pitching the new "Project (RED)" fighting AIDS in Africa campaign. Kanye points out that he bought his Motorola Cell phone because he thought it was a cool looking phone, and then he realized that it supported the fight against Aids. He really does have a servant's heart. Well I suppose we can never know for sure, but is consumerism the only way that our society knows how to serve? I understand we can tithe/give to our local churches and feel we have done our part. Or give a ten spot to the homeless man holding a cup half full while begging near the John Hancock. But do we care enough to give our time and money regularly to those in need (individuals with faces). Do we suffer for our fellow man?
Allow me to generalize and say that: I believe our society gives impersonally to organizations and gives just enough to achieve a checkmark or at least achieve the joy of ignorance.
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV (Book Five, Chapter 4 - Rebellion)
"I must make an admission," Ivan began. "I never could understand how it's possible to love one's neighbors. In my opinion, it is precisely on's neighbors that one cannot possibly love. Perhaps if they weren't so nigh . . . I read sometime, somewhere about 'John the Merciful' (some saint) that when a hungry and frozen passerby came to him and asked to be made warm, he lay down with him in bed, embraced him, and began breathing into his mouth, which was foul and festering with some terrible disease. I'm convinced that he did it with the strain of a lie, out of love enforced by duty, one of self imposed penance. If we're to come to love a man, the man himself should stay hidden, because as soon as he shows his face--love vanishes."
"The elder Zosima has spoken of that more than once," Alyosha remarked. "He also says that a man's face often prevents many people, who are as yet inexperienced in love, from loving him. But there is still much love in mankind, almost like Christ's love, I know that, Ivan . . ."
"Well, I don't know it yet, and I cannot understand it, nor can a numberless multitude of other people along with me. The question is whether this comes from bad qualities in people, or is inherent in their nature."
(I will leave the topic of: "Actions without thought are dangerous" to The Sadness of Sophistication)
I am presently going through a time of rediscovering this truth and how pervasive it is in American society. It seems in EVERY aspect of our lives we are being confronted by this principle. Is it really a principle? I was recently reminded of this while in discussion with a group of friends about certain confidential issues. I most easily and immediately noticed the grace and good motives of all in the discussion, but I left with a sinking feeling. Some ideals are wonderful. In fact, I become light, happy and nearly giddy when I see solutions with potential for greatness, but words will always remain static without persistent and disciplined action.
It is interesting how the geniuses behind action work in order to achieve action from others. I smiled as I watched clips from a recent Oprah show (I know). It was Bono, Oprah, and Kanye West pitching the new "Project (RED)" fighting AIDS in Africa campaign. Kanye points out that he bought his Motorola Cell phone because he thought it was a cool looking phone, and then he realized that it supported the fight against Aids. He really does have a servant's heart. Well I suppose we can never know for sure, but is consumerism the only way that our society knows how to serve? I understand we can tithe/give to our local churches and feel we have done our part. Or give a ten spot to the homeless man holding a cup half full while begging near the John Hancock. But do we care enough to give our time and money regularly to those in need (individuals with faces). Do we suffer for our fellow man?
Allow me to generalize and say that: I believe our society gives impersonally to organizations and gives just enough to achieve a checkmark or at least achieve the joy of ignorance.
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV (Book Five, Chapter 4 - Rebellion)
"I must make an admission," Ivan began. "I never could understand how it's possible to love one's neighbors. In my opinion, it is precisely on's neighbors that one cannot possibly love. Perhaps if they weren't so nigh . . . I read sometime, somewhere about 'John the Merciful' (some saint) that when a hungry and frozen passerby came to him and asked to be made warm, he lay down with him in bed, embraced him, and began breathing into his mouth, which was foul and festering with some terrible disease. I'm convinced that he did it with the strain of a lie, out of love enforced by duty, one of self imposed penance. If we're to come to love a man, the man himself should stay hidden, because as soon as he shows his face--love vanishes."
"The elder Zosima has spoken of that more than once," Alyosha remarked. "He also says that a man's face often prevents many people, who are as yet inexperienced in love, from loving him. But there is still much love in mankind, almost like Christ's love, I know that, Ivan . . ."
"Well, I don't know it yet, and I cannot understand it, nor can a numberless multitude of other people along with me. The question is whether this comes from bad qualities in people, or is inherent in their nature."
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