THE FORCE WAS WITH ME-AND CAN BE WITH YOU—THE TRIP CONTINUES...
WELL... this more or less concludes the “Trip Back Trilogy”. Now there have been lot’s of trilogies in recent memory...or my recent memory... Back to the Future...not bad... Lord of the Rings—originally 6 books following the Hobit—Hunger Games... and The Matrix—no need for the second and third and speaking of no need....Star Wars? You see the original three movies were enough...well maybe. Not enough money, not enough merchandise, not enough in-home sales? AnywayI’m calling theStar Wars thing a trilogy because it suits my purposes here—mainly that I want to use the “force” as an acronym for the final part of my recent trip and some thoughts related to peace and joy and the seeking of it. So buckle into your land speeder young Jedi...and let the”force” be with you.
So as always when leaving behind family and being aware that time takes no prisoners I say my “see you laters”—and good-byes and roll to the depot where the train is on time and headed North toward the city of big shoulders. This nickname for Chicago makes me wonder what tag lines might go with other cities if they were body parts? California kinda looks like a “slightly bent elbow and Michigan looks like a hand in a mitten and Florida....well this. Is a PG rated blog so maybe this segment stops here.
Anyway headed to Chicago and getting there on time I had some time to sit and think waiting. For the Blue Water Express? In some ways my thoughts slid back and forth between the moment and days of yore and things that happened long ago in places far far away and reminded me that parts of my existence happen in very different universes or at least strange separated galaxies.
So as I’m sitting in the Union Station and getting on the red cap cart to go to the train for the final part of my trip the cart driver says hold on we’re going to hyperdrive...Now he’s weaving a cart that is 3 feet wide through a space that is four feet wide, dark and has cement pillars in it so I’m thinking asteroid field... and well we made it just fine so while exiting the millennium golf cart I said thanks and “may be the force be with you.” This guy smiles and says “gotta trust the power of the force” and snickers a bit.
So I climb aboard the train and start thinking about my “force”. The Force I try to trust that will be with my always... and here is the sum of these reflections that were solidified on my journey ...to date.
F is for Friends...
I have friends in all types of galaxies from my “home” town to the East and the Left Coast. There are folks who read this and listen to the sister podcast who call 14 or 15 countries home... I consider you “friends” in some odd sense so one thing that guides. Me and provides energy is the learning I get from and do with all of you...you are part of my force.
O is for Opportunities/Obbstacles.
Now a lot of self-help folks say we “should” consider obstacles opportunities,yet in my world obstacles define decision points while opportunities are the product of solo and joint creative efforts. Every day I stumble upon, look for, and sometimes act upon Opportunities to create communities and cultures. That adds to the energy I contribute to the force.
R is for Rigid
Somehow I have avoided the temptation and perhaps the need to become rigid. Maybe it’s luck—maybe it’s comfort with ambiguity. What I have concluded is that if I have not become rigid by now it’s not going to happen and while “rigid ness” doesn’t add to the energy in the force the dead ends that it promotes have rarely darkened my door and I’m grateful.
C is for Curiosity
Being relentlessly curious has added much to my process of seeking peace and joy, my quest for questions, and my gusto for growth. I have been guided to the stance that curiosity and love have more power than fear and hate where change is concerned and curiosity fuels action for me.
E is for Empathy
This trip placed a cavalcade of characters and contexts before me and exposed a broad range of contexts where it became fruitful to expand empathy when possible. Some people along this and other journeys are stuck because they experience extreme empathy and overlook that this empathy cannot change the course of those who choose not to change. There were some who just couldn’t extend a little more empathy... For me... I learned to monitor my empathy a little more closely and to be more forceful in reminding others that the power of love is more important than the love of power.
Well... that was the trip... and with this post my blog will hit the 20,000 view/download mark...now that’s quite a trip for me...
Thanks to you all...I’m sure. Some of you have enjoyed reading just about. As much as I have enjoyed writing and yes
AS THE SAGA CONTINUES...
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
No comments:
Post a Comment