Not all, but part. We do not make all of reality. Granted. But we do make a part of it as we make up a part of it, as we must. The worst parts, the spoiled elements of a dish that is otherwise sound and otherwise good, wholly sound and wholly good. How are we given to realize this, the stain we leave on the whole of things? By our desires, by how fundamental our desires are to us, by how our desires are always for something else than what the world has to offer us, in reality, in all its splendorous reality. By the fact, the intractable fact, that our wishes are so often dashed, fundamentally dashed if it weren’t for our being able to accommodate ourselves to less than we set out for. Once one of these wishes, these desires, these ideals is revealed to be a sham, they all are, they all fall into the same vortex with the first example. We see, at once, a terrifying At Once, how they are all figments of our rather paltry, pathetic, impatient and weak imagination. It would be impossible to turn back to the meal life offers at its banquet, to become connoisseurs of living flesh and living tastes, if it weren’t for life’s being so indelicately satisfying; we would sooner lose our taste and all our appetite than eat again! When everything goes our way, how difficult it is to be hungry! So we must thank life for its throwing us a bone–at a curve! We must thank it despite our lack of constitution to digest what it throws our way!
Love the Dust 
“We do not make all of reality. Granted. But we do make a part of it as we make up a part of it, as we must. ” so true
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Hey hey! It is wonderful to hear from you. I do truly feel that every part is wholly good. Thank you for being–a part of it all.
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We are makers of our own destiny
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Weave, forever weave. Hey, Paula!
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this is from the a.k.a grandfather of Gestalt Fritz Perls:
“I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, And you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I; If by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful. If not, it can’t be helped.”
He also said:
” If I just do my thing and you do yours, We stand in danger of losing each other And ourselves.”
I don’t know if that is helpful to you, but it shouldn’t hurt…
And I don’t mean to say we should stay connected for fear of losing ourselves and the rest of the planet. I mean, I would thank you for your recent follow and your likes, but the whole “paltry, pathetic, impatient and weak imagination” thing would suggest you think I am a sham…
And That’s the part where I don’t care what you think, right? figments. fragments.
So fucking Compose yourself. Find your fucking joy.
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In one fell swoop
The world was made new
By a teardrop from a bodhisattva’s eye
Of joy unspeakable
Now here we are
Floating together or drenched
Or drowning in joy
Our deepest wishes utterly fulfilled
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That might be true…
But I would posit to you, according to the lore, that the role of the Bodhisattva is to go willingly into hell believing all souls are worth retrieval. She would not drown them or become swept up in their drama. She is a proverbial life raft. she is compassion not “passion” so…
not to argue with you, I certainly wish you true joy…
Thank you for your forum.
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I will always cherish being reminded of the vows of the bodhi beings.
The gratitude goes in the ten directions. Thank you, too.
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Oh, did I remind you of the vows?
Yes, you do seem more impressed by words than action.
Your exploration of philosophy is truly DUMBfounding.
Good for you keeping a gratitude journal…
The reality of what buddhist monks have done to women and girls globally is hushed rape.
I am done with your silly forum.
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Huzzah!
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DUMBfounding! Hilarious use of capital letters!
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Why don’t you go “execute” some grace now. You’re better at spelling that word.
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There’s really no telling whether you are saying I spell Grace well–or Execute.
https://wp.me/perQ08-av
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There is a double meaning to the word execute. Way you use your words, slaughters the word grace. Spelling words isn’t comprehension. You like to throw “grace” around as a word. You lack grace.
But then why am I bothering to explain to you when you aren’t even trying?
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Hey, wonder. I understand the double meaning of execute. I am not bothered by my execution of certain words, the way you are. Yes, I believe grace to be united with nihilism in some way. The thought grew on its own in my heart, as well as through a dialogue with John Caputo, especially his works Against Ethics and The Weakness of God. I set out to explore that.
Please, it would be a boon to both of us, I feel, if you would point out just what is so worthy of condemnation in my use of the term grace. The ad hominem is tiresome. Where is this graceless hack?
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By now, you have forgotten the first post of mine you “liked” and I will hold that against you. Go find it Richard. It answers your question. And it’s none of your business why grace is a dirty word in my house. I’m not going to let you in on it so you feel privy to some sense of slander. Maybe you care less ly walked in on something when you tapped my site.
And so you liked up my blog tho huh? Your face is a huge entitled column in my notifications. You seem to think a lot of your big feet stepping all over mine.
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I remember the post very clearly, and will continue remembering it. Yours is a voice that I was drawn to, even though it is quite starkly different than mine. It is strange that you think that piece should forever change my thoughts on grace or how I execute it.
I think you you are powerful in your pieces, and only wished to let them dig into me. I don’t know where I am heading when I read others’ pieces, but I love difference.
I do not want to get in your way. If I visit your page again, before it might become restricted, I will simply read and save them, not “like” them.
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It’s odd having to explain this to you. My post contained a conversation-lecture video placing grace in a deeper context. My voice was a mere introduction. I don’t believe you watched it or digested a thing. I am not asking you to forever change your thoughts. I am telling you you are infinitely shallow.
I don’t know what you want from me other than a sounding board and something to feed your vanity.
You were directed to my site by someone who cares about what I am doing. I am sorry it didn’t turn out to be a true connection for either of us. I am not lonely.
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You did not have to explain this to me. The post is clearly an introduction, with a link to a video. That’s the internet. I am familiar with it.
There can only be some vague hatred in the heart of one who calls another infinitely shallow after twenty days with him. Online no less. You create a shadow of me, then abuse the shadow. Now that’s Gestalt!
I thought I cared about what you were doing. You allow no room for engagement. Some, further than me from you in heart and ideas, will take a greater time to transform; you do not allow it. It seems you want the video lecture (or conversation) to get people into group think with you at a moment’s notice. This is unfair, and belligerent.
How do you know the people (there were two of them) who directed me to your site cared about you and your work? How could you possibly know that?
I have no general claims to make about your character, as I have not seen you in the flesh. I am a gay black man. I have been beaten by the police (my jaw was broken, my life changed) and jailed by the police for nothing. I was raised by a grandmother who wished most of all that I kowtow to no gods, especially a cruel God who wants to see me and my kin oppressed.
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What are you talking about? I wasn’t counting the days online with you, but I know we didn’t spend days doing anything.
What it “seems” like to you isn’t happening. I don’t try to hive mind people. I put most of my posts in the form of a question. I don’t tell people what to think or how to think. I also present information by other people (teachers and writers) to grant access to their ideas and critical thinking and try to provide larger context. I’m intent on recovering the spirit of the enslaved girl who became the first African American published poet (only known as) Phillis Wheatley because they stole her name and her whole person. I wrote a poem once…
I’m sorry you have suffered police brutality. I am sorry I hurt your feelings. I don’t hate you at all. Accusing me of having hatred in my heart, only means you are projecting your feelings onto me. I did not understand you or your intentions. I still don’t.
But I think you are a warm and loving person who deserves to be loved.
You are not in my shadow. I am not casting shade.
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You are a remarkable and beautiful human being. I can sense that. This message meant a lot to me.
You are right, there is some silly projecting happening on my end. I am glad that the spaces of the world have people like you in them. Whether it was your intention or not, you got me to pause in a special way, and take account of my heart.
There is nothing greater a voice can do but to try to save the voiceless. Just a thought that came to me when I thought of your aim to find and save Phillis Wheatley. The erasure of our names is a cataclysm. Malcom X’ed out his name to remind himself and show us how lost we are.
I am truly sorry. I hope that today in particular is good for you. Love
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You have nothing to apologize for. You’re cool. And I was rude. But so… I just realized a bunch of comments went to spam. I had no idea. I didn’t see many of yours until now. I can’t understand the order of them very well and will have to go to the posts to see what you even wrote about. The robot never sorts out my spam correctly. wtf?
btw You are the love Richard.
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Likewise to the whole of the above. Including the spam. I felt a fool when I saw your messages in spam. I thought, “I haven’t even been responding to all of what this person said to me!” Yep, it just makes no sense how half of our messages are recognized as legitimate, while the other is not. I thought we were in the Brave New World!
You are the love, too.
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https://wp.me/perQ08-gd
Remember it well…still like it, too.
In fact, two others goaded me to read the piece after I had already read it. So, it will be hard to…forget!
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What a polished stone
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