Yes!!! A very masculine approach to life is making things happen...it has its place and it also takes toll. Allowing things to emerge is another way to approach life. It is not passive. Aristotle talked about three types of action- action to produce results, theoretical action to discover something new, and finally action just for the sake of taking the action with no attention on the outcome just on the action. I still like accomplishing things at age 75 and it's the way I accomplish them (do as little as possible) that matters to me most.
Thanks for this thoughtful reply, Alan. It reminds me so much of The Bhagavad Gita when Krishna tells Arjuna “Yours is the action alone, not the fruits of your action.” Your particular mind/body loves to accomplish- how wonderful! I know when I start to think I have to make something happen, it’s a pointer to focus on my actions and not the results. This often brings a lot of relief!
Great post! I like the alternate phrase (re gardening your own acre) of: NOT MY PIG, NOT MY FARM. Or, NOT MY MONKEY, NOT MY CIRCUS. (Always makes me giggle!)
And, regarding being the best emotional wreck we can be: when I was going thru a divorce in my first marriage, I learned from a mentor two things:
1. When in doubt, get really messy.
2. Just get through it. (Or, when you're in hell, keep walking.)
Yes!!! A very masculine approach to life is making things happen...it has its place and it also takes toll. Allowing things to emerge is another way to approach life. It is not passive. Aristotle talked about three types of action- action to produce results, theoretical action to discover something new, and finally action just for the sake of taking the action with no attention on the outcome just on the action. I still like accomplishing things at age 75 and it's the way I accomplish them (do as little as possible) that matters to me most.
Thanks for this thoughtful reply, Alan. It reminds me so much of The Bhagavad Gita when Krishna tells Arjuna “Yours is the action alone, not the fruits of your action.” Your particular mind/body loves to accomplish- how wonderful! I know when I start to think I have to make something happen, it’s a pointer to focus on my actions and not the results. This often brings a lot of relief!
Great post! I like the alternate phrase (re gardening your own acre) of: NOT MY PIG, NOT MY FARM. Or, NOT MY MONKEY, NOT MY CIRCUS. (Always makes me giggle!)
And, regarding being the best emotional wreck we can be: when I was going thru a divorce in my first marriage, I learned from a mentor two things:
1. When in doubt, get really messy.
2. Just get through it. (Or, when you're in hell, keep walking.)
And my favorite, of course, is WHO Cares?!
Keep writing. I love it.
Thank you, Erin! I love the two things to do. I can do them. Get really messy and just get through- check and check. WHO Cares? The best question.
Thanks for chiming in!
Beautiful and inspiring post.
Loving acceptance (of self and others and all-of-it"....) is a sweet place to be. A gift of these years. So well put! Now, back to the birds.
Thank you, Katharine. Enjoy the birds!