The peace and joy dictionary G.

 THE SEEKING PEACE AND JOY DICTIONARY. — — G — — 

G is for ...

Garbage—Noun

Most “self-help” books will tell you. That you are carrying too much garbage around both material and  spiritual.  It seems. That some some “garbage is essential for seeking peace and joy, however keep it in the “junk drawer.”  Identify  it as something that isn’t useful right now and  needs to be placed aside so that it might be used later.  Eventually, you can learn whether or not you will find a lesson in the junk or use the meanings left over from  pieces of experiences  to build new meanings and wisdom.  Be aware that some garbage will need to be set aside for good at some point.  

to sum up...we will all have some garbage.  Some will be ours and some will be thrown out of someone else’s moving car/life and land in your yard.  If  you can put it in the junk drawer  because it might have a lesson left in it save it.a while and if not put it in the burn pile and light it up.  

Ghost  Noun

Some spirits seem to stick with us....some  carry with them  peace and joy as the memories around them  often create a smile.  I have  been blessed with some of the best ghosts ever.  Now not all memories are  happy and these haunt  me and others.  Like in those paranormal shows, seeking peace and joy works well if we can identify the ghost and have it move on.   

Another thought that comes to mind here is that sometimes we (as in I) wind up wandering around  not quite living  a full life and not quite  showing up for others.  So in a very real way I become the ghost in my own reality and in the lives of others  The times  we.experience that are the most scary I’d say —written on Halloween. 2020

Grape Nuts

Noun....I think

There are a lot of times when a person is seeking peace and joy and  the universe will present  grape nuts.  What?   You see there is this cereal called grape nuts.  I’ve seen  this breakfast  item and have never been able to find a grape or a nut in it.  I’ve seen grapes and I’ve  seen nuts and this name leaves me puzzled.  Maybe it is supposed to  taste like the combination...however if you are going. To make something taste like random objects of food  why not make Kelloggs Steak-beer flakes or General Mills Banana  Bunches of chocolate chips?   On the other hand you have to say  “good work” to the team who came up with something unique and said  “herew’s what we’ll call it.”  It sparks  some curiousity. And deserves  credit for that.  After all who looks for  what’s inside “Post-Dry  flat  grain with  bits of dried. Fruit?”   

So to summarize... not all names  fully define wht’s inside...which is important to remember because that applies to “Republivcan” and “Democrat” too.  Also, if you create something  be proud and name it something  that you like.  You don’t have to ask the world.  

Greasy Dog Vomit—

Noun.

When you woke up this morning did you expect to be reading about greasy dog vomit?  No me neither, however it fits in this  dictionary for two reasons.  While I am writing this  entry our family  pet has decided to provide the greasy dog vomit pop quiz.  Yep... one can. Think they are patient and think  they have gotten the dog to obey and the next few hours  will all go as planned..... however. Man plans and God. Laughs so I’m cleaning  up a very unexpected  mess.  Now is this. My fault...I don’t think so...is it the dog’s fault?....I don’t think so... Is it the. Faulty of  exercise and diet for the pup?...that’s pretty hard to say... 

Now I have never had to clean up a pile of  greasy dog vomit of this  magnitude and  so I had to improvise and  experiment.  I’m still going to have to  do a little detailing, and yet a fair solution presented itself and now I have  applied  the method needed to go forward.  ...Seeking Peace and joy is the process of finding new meanings in all situations and considering how they fit with a purpose.  If determining. A great way to clean up  greasy dog vomit is an unexpected adventure and if there are lessons  to be had then. Bring it on...or up..as the case may be.

Epilogue ...

Readers may wonder. Why “gratitude” wasn’t included.... well everyone know that it is marvelous to  be given and to grow gifts and. That many thanks are. In order...A lot of people  get unstuck in life by being aware of the things that are  full of grace in this universe...  

On the other hand the chance to ponder grape nuts and greasy dog vomit all in one day only comes on a full moon that is Hallloween and the night we turn. The clocks back—so be grateful and understanding if you will.   

Next up—we’ll be happy hollering  about Hills and Hurricanes...so H O P on board the H train tomorrow.  

The Peace and Joy Dictionary F

 THE SEEKING PEACE AND JOY DICTIONARY. — — F — — 

F if for ...

facts

Facts is a noun.  

Seeking peace and joy is a strange mix of seeking  facts and making meanings.  In our world today we often encounter a lot of facts presented in meanings that may not match ours and the result is  at best muddy and at worst offensive.  the trouble really comes when facts are used to create or become part of fallacies.  For  example:

All dogs have four legs.

All horses have four legs.

all dogs have a tail so if all horses have a tail they are going to take away your Medicare because, of course, dogs don’t have Medicare.  

Seriously it is important  to learn facts and see the universe as it presents  itself and then to be FLEXIBLE (another F word).  It is worth an effort not to only seek facts that already fit the narrative  or arguments we prefer as throwing away facts is the same as throwing  away possible solutions and ideas.  If you happen to run across a fact that doesn’t fit your story treat it like a hypothesis and test it out in several experiments and if it  holds up then  maybe your narrative needs to shift and you eventually will get comfortable with  revising the meanings you find and “peaceful transfers of power” will happen without  feeling anxious or uncertain.  

Fear. A Big Nasty Noun

This blog has  spent a lot of words on fear so the dictionary would refer you to  those earlier posts and sum them up by saying.  Seeking peace and joy is  fundamentally. A process of turning fear into curious adventure seeking.  Fear allows and encourages us to  remain uncertain, anxious, and to develop thoughts about possible  futures that are not peaceful or full of joy and it should be noted  NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!  there are things that can tear at your soul and hurt. Your body and your  body and soul will warn you about them even if you do not go through your day afraid.  One of the things that is most important to remember is that people who seek influence over you often use fear to  do so.  They tell you that you should be afraid of this or that and then they promise the solution or promise. That someone  else will cause the fear to become. Reality.  In short the are selling fear.  Beware  of those who sell fear as they rarely provide. A great deal  of light on the journey of seeking. Peace and joy.  On the other hand when you  come  upon someone frozen from fear be gentle and be part of the team that helps  them lay some fear aside.  Be part of someone else’s adventure and watch fear run away.

Forgiveness

A Noun

This will be a short entry  as a later blog will talk about it extensively —probably  right around thanksgiving— 

To sum it up quickly... forgiveness is a learned skill and  fits clearly in the “do unto others” pile of tools to use when seeking peace and joy.  Grudges are heavy and  like the saying goes holding on to a grudge is often like drinking poison. And waiting for the. Person being resented to get sick.  Forgiving. Others and yourself once you have learned the lessons.in an experience allows you to lay the heavy part down and carry the  light and wonderful parts forward.  People make  mistakes  and not forgiving  them is one  we (as in I) make all too often.

Fred Flinstone

Noun—Cartoon character

Seeking peace and joy is sometimes a process in realizing that we  have been channeling our inner Fred Flinstone.  Fred  sought  out the finer things in life and ways to get rich and very often  was oblivious  to the riches he already had in a good family  and great friend.  In most episodes Fred. Learned and changed. His ways in the end which is something we also could learn from.  Another thing we could learn from Fred is that  moving forward often  requires having your feet on the ground and pushing ahead.  Of course it would help is we had a car that rolled. If we just pushed with our feet and many very happy children still do...maybe there’s something to that?  Fred also teaches us that having one activity that we really enjoy can  help us find joy in everyday life.  For Fred this. Was  bowling and we all can find “bowling” for us if we are willing to stay curious  and experiment.  Learn from the Flinstone philosophy.

Well the will  

Yabadabba  do  it for today

G. I wonder what the letter will be. Next?

Peace And Joy dictionary E

 

THE SEEKING PEACE AND JOY DICTOINARY. — — E — —

 Writer’s note on the Letter E

A long, long, time ago when  I learned how to print—-you know when  you learned to print with that  three line-ruled paper that was really  thick and had enough pulp still in the paper to  harvest for a small fire if needed.  However you didn’t have to worry about the rough surface of the paper because you were using the  No. 1 pencil which was just. Slightly smaller around than a Louisville  slugger and had more lead in it than flint. Water or most the paint that  was chipping off the walls in our houses.  So anyway  when I was learning to print I believe  E was my favorite letter because  you only had to draw a little line over each of the  three guidelines and  open line down to connect them.  anyway I remember learning how to write it and I remember. Learning how to  make a Q and I could never get the tail right perhaps  because I’d never seen anything  like a dog or cow with a tail that straight.  Oh well forward we go...

E is for...

Ear.... Noun

In seeking peace and joy Ione can  use an ear to listen. To others and  really hear the words of encouragement. They offer.  You can  hear the gift a musician has to offer.  While you. May hear a  person crying and if you are on a plane it may be a baby, you can also hear  the sound of children playing and laughing and that reminds you that curiousity and imagination opens up an entire universe of  joyful  possibilities.  Ears are also cool because  you can hang nice jewelry that expresses  a myriad. Of emotions from your ears.  Ears work with other parts of. Your face like your mouth  when you enter into a great conversation and with your nose to hold. Those awesome shades on.  Tomorrow  make a list of the first ten sounds you like and have heard  today.  You might  start with the sound of your coffee pot  getting your go-juice ready.  You might hear your pet cat purr.  You might  pour  milk into the cereal  and hear snap crackle. Pop (or that might be  my knees—sorry).  Whatever it is ...pick out ten great sounds and say thanks for your ears.  

EDSEL..

Edsel   Is a noun... a car that was a big. Flop for the ford company.  Now here’s a perfect example. Of how  someone tried to make someone else happy. By  doing something that did not really. Add to the greater good.  The whole project  was a big ego carnival and quite frankly a failure.  Now Ford  didn’t go belly-up from the mistake and  kept working to remain  a vibrant  industrial concern.  As a side note... I don’t know what. The car was like...but let’s face it Edsel?   Someone should have asked  “Really would buy a Chevy Ralph or a Dodge Betty?   How many times have you seen a Cadillac Julie cruising  down the highway?  

In short it is okay to be self aware and to believe in yourself, however if you  are going to put yourself  out there as something someone should  admire... let the person. Driving put their  imprint on  the experience.  By the way... what have you named any of your cars... and not that name  you call it when it’s minus 8 and  you walk out to see the dome  light  very dim.... 

empty ...

Empty is a state of Being wo—not a sate of being verb although you can empty things like your head or bank account.  Empty is an important. Word in the peace and joy dictionary  because  sometimes you must empty all your past. Burdens. From the sack you carry around and yet at other times your heart and soul feel empty.   You now other people can get to feeling empty too and  so you need to let them know. You have an. A and. An H for them... What’s that you say?  If they  have. The e m  —-then add you a then use their  T and throw in your H and then end up with  the y and you both have empathy.  Empathy is  really a key component when walking with someone else to seek some peace and joy together.  It is the fuel to get. One or more people off “empty.” 

Experiment

Noun and Verb...or happy requirement?  If you’ve read any portion of this blog. Then. The importance of experiments  should be somewhat evident.  When you are seeking  new  hope, new joys, new experiences, and new meanings then trying new experiments is a great tool.  Approach an old situation in  a new way and see what happens.  Approach a new situation  and use your best  gifts and see what happens.  Try a new dance step, use a new color of. Socks or nail polish.  Try  pancakes  with chocolate syrup.  If you are seeking peace and joy experimenting is a process you can use to  keep seeking and recording what works and extending it with endless possibilities.  To experiment is to  say “this might not work and yet we will learn from it.”  

Well speaking. Of an E word...

That is 

ENOUGH

  For now...  Tomorrow I’m going to get the 

F out

The Seeking peace And Joy dictionary D

 

THE SEEKING PEACE AND JOY DICTIONARY.  — — D — — 

Sometimes you’ve got to lighten up.  Today’s entries  seem to indicate today is one of those days....

D is for 

Dance

Seeking Peace and Joy is a dance and we all can do it.   We can  listen to the music of the universe and the world around. Us and find the most pleasant. Ways to move given the rhythms we encounter.  Sure we can all get in a line and dance together, and yet at times we can improvise do the craziest things with our spirit and body and feel great.  Sure sometimes we are going to  make others laugh and yet at other times we are going to moon walk, spin and make others smile.  The point is really that seeking peace and joy means listening and channeling those  sounds of life into motions that you can share with others. Or when needed. You can just dance  around in your house experimenting with  new moves and relearning old ones.  Also. Dancing is more fun than standing still and that’s true for seeking peace and joy too.

Dating—Well that’s a noun and a verb and something you do with carbon.  This entry is not an advice column  about something romantic—if you want that go to twitter.  In seeking peace and joy maybe  the suggestion is to date yourself everyone now and then.... No ...don’t go showing your age... just  treat yourself in the same way you might treat a date.  Let’s say. That every now and then you treated your own life with  curiousity about how you really feel and leant your dreams might be?  Take time to  find out and remember the interesting little facts that make you  a unique  person.  Try to remember with  some effort what  your favorite  colors and foods are and take the effort to fill your life with those simple pleasures from time to time.  Take the time to really listen to matters of the heart.  

Doughnuts or Donuts

This is a noun.  Historically  it is unclear  when and where  donuts  originated.  Does it really matter—probably not.  So  it is with seeking peace and joy either  by yourself or with others—it doesn’t really matter. Where and when it  starts.  There are claims that the first  donuts with holes were  produced in 1847.  Why is this significant?  Well if hypos eat a donut  straight across you will come to a place where there is  a void—where there is a place that seems blank.  Now you have a chance to reflect on  how good the donut  is going and  how much  coffee you are going to need to dunk the  rest of the donut in.  It’s a food with. A built in break!  On the other  hand if you  take the long. Way around and don’t worry  about getting right to the other side bite after  bite is someting delicious.  maybe in life if we don’t  worry about  getting  everywhere fast in a straight line there will be rewards with every bite.  Now we may run into nuts or coconut and that might not be our favorite, but on the other hand you might  run into some tasty sprinkles.  

So the next time you. Bite into one of the 10 Billion donuts we  have in the U.S. each year to celebrate  one of the four  types of donuts that have a national day....  know that seeking peace and joy takes many varieties and different. Folks will have  different ways of  enjoying it.  Sometimes it is simple with just some powdered sugar and sometimes it has some fancy  fillings and toppings.  —but there are a number of  combinations that can make  your day a bit brighter.  

Dream

A noun and verb—Mostly  in seeking. Peace and joy it is  important to dream often.  That is to say—let your creative. Visioning  run just a little wild.  It has been said that if you  do the same things  in the same ways you will get the same  outcomes and  to expect  anything different is folly.  So conjuring up multiple paths and multiple ideas is probably. Helpful and healthy.  It’s also been said that the best way to have a great idea is to have  a lot of ideas and one of them might turn out  to be brilliant.  Dreaming  is the process  by which we can generate possible actions and meanings and in seeking peace and joy and sharing. Our dreams we create marvelous adventures.  

Well this is D for Done for now and I am. E for excited to come back soon with the next entry

The seeking peace and joy dictionary C

 

THE SEEKING PEACE AND JOY DICTIONARY.  C.  

C IS FOR 

CARING —

Caring is, of course, another one of those gerunds .  You know an action word taking the role of a noun.  Caring is the first step in so many  efforts to seek peace and joy.  In order to think about  moving or changing from where one is caring must come first.  The lucky thing is  caring can be for oneself or for someone else  and it still becomes a step in the right direction and it doesn’t have to be a this or that or zero sum thing.  You seer caring. Of any sort is the  enemy of apathy.  If twe had a big box of “emotional lego” it would be great to have a lot of blocks labeled caring in it.  The cool part about caring is that caring shared is often caring  returned so much like negative  emotions and actions caring  often creates a chain reaction of caring.  On the other hand when  seeking peace and joy we often think that peace is an exercise in avoiding  conflict.  In order to avoid  conflict we  (as in I) will sometimes resort to saying I don’t care about one thing or another.  However, the thing is if I really didn’t care there would be no conflict to begin with so if you don’t care you usually are completely unaware of something.  for example I don’t care about  the average  length of time. It takes for 19 people to brush their teeth.  Now that I’m thinking about that. I saw a commercial  for a Bluetooth. Equipped. Toothbrush.  No kidding...you connect this. With your  smart phone and it tracks your  brushing .  Now I’m not sure this  is necessary or  even advisable as  it means we probably will have our phone near the sink and toilet and most phones can’t swim.  

This entry could go on forever—which true caring can do when it is passed along, however, there’s a lot more of the alphabet to  traverse so  we’ll wrap this up with a mantra  we can use in seeking. Peace and joy and using caring to do so.  

Become Aware—Dare to Care—Share Here and there and everywhere.

Connect

We live in a world where  we have realized the power of connection for our machines (see above  to notice your toothbrush may be connected to  your iPhone and tell it you need more Colgate soon.). Your insurance company is probably connected to your pharmacy which is connected to  your doctor who is connected with  big pharma and they are connected to your congress person’s wallet.   This brings me  to a short humorous interlude.  

A robber  approaches a man is a suit in Washington D.C.   The thief  says to the  well-dressed  man...”Give me  all your money.”  The  “victim” says ..... “IHow dare you  rob me...I’m  a member of congress.”   The robber  tilts his head and replies...”In that. Case give me all my money.”    anyway back to connection.

Seeking Peace and Joy almost always  means engaging in change and this is rarely  a solo activity (see the butterfly effect).  In other words in order for change to happen or for anyone to  pursue. A purpose that reflects. One’s beliefs it takes the efforts of more than one person.  so  after connecting with. Your gifts and their uses , the next step is finding others who share  those. Beliefs or similar purposes.  the thing to note about connection is that  it is not likely  that any one person will connect with any other person on everything at all levels because  if that were the case there would be some cloning going on.  the important. Point. Here is that we can  connect with a lot of people on one level and a few people on many. Levels.  Like caring—connection is a sharing of energy and you will use some every time you connect with someone and you are likely to get some back.  Like caring the energy flow is not an exact. Science.  The exchange rate  fluctuates. Like the  price of books on Amazon.  

Social media is  a “connections cafeteria where you can pick and choose a lot of things like how many connections you will  make, the strength of those connections etc.  You can find out how and where your comfort  zone works and experience the with it a bit.  While  social media can be a learning lab, it is probably worth noting that. The people you connect with are called different things on social media and  these labels matter.  Some of my good friends and some of my best friends are on facebook and  facebook calls some of the others friends where  I would. Call them “people I’d accept  free beer from” if they had such a category.  LinkedIn  calls people. “Connections,” however, infers these folks are “professional” connections.  Well I won’t share  quotes from the Buddha  or Carlin with some of those folks so I’d rather stick with friends.  Now Twitter.... calls your. “Connections” followers....Followers?  Really?  Sometimes. It seems. Like this is an invitation  for “I hope you like me” behavior.  that seems to put the  personal responsibility  of seeking peace and joy in the hands of  someone else and rewards on this platform seem to be all about  image and ego rather than real sharing... Shouting not sharing .  

There will be more about connection in the “networking”. Entry.

Crayons

This is a noun.  Crayons usually C R A Y O L A  BRANDare a set of tools that are underused by most adults.  You ever notice that. Drawings  done in crayon are very expressive  yet simple.  Often when I am reading something long and complex I. Wonder what this. Would look like if we had a rule that all official. Correspondence and contracts had to be  written in crayon?  First of all it might be more fun to fill out insurance forms in aquamarine or sky blue.  Of course  you might have just as much fun filling out medical history in pink or  sunflower —if you. Had access to the 64 oak with the sharpener  built in the box.  D. Of course the world.would be just fine with only the  jumbo sized eight  color box.  The thinks about thinking about peace. And joy in te3rms of. Crayons is that  not every color. Has to be our favorite and still we don’t  discount the value of. A color and don’t get  all bent out of shape if someone likes fubrick red  a little more than purple.  Imagine if politics were a box of crayons..... maybe it would be okay if we had more than two and tried to convince  everyone  that it was okay rather than to force all kids to pick one color and draw the world  in that color.  Oh and imagine that we don’t have. To judge crayons. By their color... we don’t have to assume  lime green  ones are lazy and orange ones are better at doing math.... 

So to sum up... seeking peace and.joy is made easier by thinking in terms of crayons.  You can find a lot of ways to explore creativity.  You don’t have to judge people for making other choices.  They encourage you to keep simple things simple.  Everyone can have their own box, yet they are relatively easy to share.  

Creativity

Creativity is a noun.... It is the process of  viewing and  building something  in a new or inventive way.  It is the reframing and representing  ideas in a way that is inspiring to the creator and to the audience even if it’s an audience of  aone.  Creativity is  part of the experimenting actins are  necessary for hope and change.  One of the tricky parts about creativity is. The act of experiencing someone else’s  creativity.  We may truly not like what someone is creating and yet we have the choice to shut others down  and discourage them from creating or. We can encourage the  creative process without  connecting with the producgt.  for example, opera  singers show and refle3ct a great deal of musical creativity and I admire it.  On the other hand I’d rather listen to a cat getting sucked into a vacuum cleaner for an hour than listen  to opera for more than 10 seconds.  

In short, creativity is at the heart of change and seeking peace and joy  means changing experiences and the ways we view and think about them.  Exploring  the creative efforts of others and. Doing creative stuff on our own is a springboard  in the process of  seeking peace and  joy... In fact  I’ve often thought  that instead of  “seeking” peace and joy. This blog should have been called. “Creating  Peace and Joy because  peace and joy is something. We work at  creating not something we hunt down.....

Well ... there are countless  more  “C” words that might be highlighted and yet I’ve “c”o sun Ed  enough of your time and attention for one sitting... so I’ll be. “D”—lighted  to  be back next time  with  the Divine. Letter. D

The seeking peace and joy dictionary B

 

THE SEEKING  PEACE AND JOY DICTIONARY    B

— — —  B. — — —

B is for...

Being—

In this instance being. Is going to  be highlighted as  something we are...like a human and spiritual being and. A state of awareness such as being in the moment.  So let’s look at  being  in the sense of human... 

“Being” human means we have a body to experience and maintain.  In seeking peace and joy it is tempting to work on ignoring our body and focusing on the “mind.”  Unfortunately until we develop ESP and telekinesis  our body is how we connect with  our real world circumstances and other beings.   

Maybe  looking at your body  in the same way a musician looks at his or her instrument is one way to understand  the importance  of your body in. Seeking peace and joy.  Your  “human being is  the channel through which you can express  many of. Your beliefs (see below) and explore your universe.  Your body presents changes over time and gives your spirit  a lot of experiences to ponder.  Since  many people have similar bodies we can build shared. Experiences  like living through a pandemic or having  a tooth ache.  On a more positive note we can know what it’s like to  taste a.really good meal or have a mighty fine kiss.  Sometimes we would like to ignore our “human nature” or conquer it somehow rather than looking at  our body as a way of gathering physical experiences and performing  behavioral. Experiments.  In seeking peace and  joy it might be more  valuable to let the exploring  happen and enjoy most of it throughout the course of  a life.  In the end your Human being will break because everybody’s does, however, try not to forget the gifts. It has given along the way.

Your spiritual being

So I’ve been known to say the main thing your body does is carry your spirit around.  If your body is the hardware  then your spirit it your operating  system.  If your body is the instrument then  your spirit is the musical composition and the conductor.  If your body is the car then your spirit is the driver.  The  spiritual being has far fewer constraints that the physical being  so being aware of your mindset is important in seeking peace and joy.  For now, we will leave the “spiritual” discussion for the letter. S.

An alternate. Way of thinking about  being is “existing in the current time in the current sapce where your body is.  Seeking peace and joy often seems to mean being somewhere with someone and being in the moment.  So it is the state of connection  with your experiences whether they are  “solo” or with. Another  soul.  

Beliefs

In so many ways. Seeking peace and joy is the process of bringing. Your internal and external  experiences into line with the assumptions and wisdom you  hold  about the world you occupy.  When this happens “you are who you are” in a manner of speaking.  While beliefs are  so important , we (as in I) find them  to be buried under things we do and say.  We don’t take them out and examine them  for cracks or broken parts very  often.  So... what can happen  then is. We develop conflicting beliefs such as  “I believe that  I can do most anything I put my mind to... and I have a set of special gifts that the universe is calling me to develop and use.  Beliefs dictate. The range of. Our choices and thus drive  the experiences we have and the meanings we can give them.   We often use our beliefs to constrain the acceptable  meanings we wish others to give to any set of experiences.  In short, seeking peace and joy means we  use and attempt to impose bliefs on experiences—both ours and everyone else’s.  If a person is. Willing to act in accordance with beliefs and admit it there. Seems to be an easier path to understanding that person and if a person is willing to examine and change a belief  due to growth or changing. Circumstances there is a real possibility  of increasing empathy and the number of  ways to explore  peace and joy with others.  

Brotherhood (or Sisterhood)

This. Is a noun and  indicates a group of connected  beings.  Brotherhood  is an agreement that we share some experiences and beliefs and our willing. To work on some purposes or some type of growth together.  It  means supporting each other  and having the support of others.  Giving and  receiving  brotherhood can be a critical. Part of seeking peace and joy in  a complex and changing world.  Brotherhoods are a playground. Within which you develop things like playfulness and trust.  When you are experiencing brotherhood you. Are more likely to face  uncertainty with  less fear because “somebody has your back.”  

Butterfly effect

Most folks have seen  how when a butterfly moves its wings somewhere it creates a gigantic  impact somewhere else in the world.  In seeking  peace and joy a belief in the butterfly effect means that  one can change in little ways to have a large impact.  Sending a person a quick good morning can indeed  help make it a good morning and having a good morning can lead to  a smile that leads to  a compromise on a conflict that has been a sore spot for years.  In short, the little things. We are  willing to  engage in can matter.  Oh  and before we go worrying so much about what might happen when we move our wings...the dictionary will cover fear in a few days.  

Okay that’s deep enough for today...

C

You tomorrow

The seeking peace and joy dictionary. A.

 THE SSEEKING PEACE AND JOY DICTIONARY

For Better or worse this blog has  been flowing through my fingers for just about four weeks shy of two years.  Several ideas  on how to celebrate this milestone have  floated in one. Ear and out the other (that’s why  I wear headphones al lot—something’s got to hold  things between my ears long enough to process.

Well... since I use the. Blog as a way to think about  events and their meanings it dawned on me that  a series of meanings would be a good way to  honor the two year run.   And what do we often call a book full of meanings?  

A DICTIONARY 

So over the next 26 entries this blog will offer some wordsa and offer some meanings that might be considered in what  will be called... 

The “Probably Should be extremely” Abridged  Seeking Peace and Joy Dictionary...

Now  each letter will only have a few entries—my name isn’t Webster.  

So let. Us begin what will be an interesting 26 entry  extravaganza.  

————  A  ————-

A is for  

Acceptance— Acceptance  is often labeled  as being a noun.  Sometimes it’s  also  identified  as a state of being like hot or cold...  Well in a word.... NONSENSE!   Acceptance  is an action verb used  as a noun which. Makes it a gerund.—-like swimming or running. .  It is something  we work hard at and what we need to accept changes  constantly (including. Accepting  change).  In seeking  peace and joy we engage in accepting  change, in accepting new ideas, in accepting loss, in accepting growth and in accepting  constantly shifting  skill sets and relationships.  Since we all spend so much time  inn the act of acceptance seeking peace and joy means  working on it ourselves and  sharing  our processes and experiences. With others.

Awareness- 

 This is a noun or a state of being.  Oh and it’s a gift since when we  become aware  in the present we don’t have to. Carry around things from. Our past or speculate on multiple possible futures.  No we  don’t have to clutter up the air when we are fully aware because  our senses and our spirit will be fully engaged  in gathering  wonderful data that we can make meaning from and create the stories we will share with others.  Awareness  is like striking. Water in the  middle of the desert.  Being aware means being open to real world possibilities including  the signs we need to understand others and to connect with them along the journey.  It allowed us to participate in purposes that transcend us individually.  

Anxiety—

The universe likes to whip all kinds of twist is and turns into our walk  of life and when we come across the challenges then we can experience anxiety.   In seeking peace and joy it is  sometimes  possible and positive if we  look. Not at this dictionary, but delve into the Peace and Joy thesaurus.  What do we see  listed under. “Anxiety?”  Well  “anticipation  of change and growth” is one entry.  Oh and recognizing  opportunities for experimenting with new actions is another entry.  So anxiety is anticipation and recognition and so maybe anxiety shines a light  on the  path of growth?

And  finally for the A section—

astonishment —

Seeking peace and  joy means leaving room  to explore. And adopt a  stance of childlike  astonishment  with regard to all the various natural and intellectual  gems we might come across each day.  We can pleasantly marvel at the complexity of our human  bodies and the taste of chocolate, or a new song or dance.  We can truly be thrilled  and seeking out things. That astonishisn’t that  difficult if we expect  to gather input and  construct or create alternative. Earnings for even the routine  circumstances in many days.  for example be astonished. That the human hand has 27 bones and yet  most babies master  relatively  complicated movements  way before  they speak their first word.  How cool is that?

Well... that’s enough for today.  The dictionary will 

 B

Back tomorrow .

What does the early worm get?

 

WHAT DOES THE EARLY WORM GET?

Once reaches a certain age you’ve  heard  a whole bunch of messages either in  plain English (what’s an oxymoron) or in the form of cute little proverbial sayings such as 

“The early bird catches the worm”

These  sayings. Have a meaning that most people  understand, however, maybe it’s worth pushing these. Claims a little and forming some interesting. Questions.  Exploring  the mysteries  is often rich ground  for seekers of peace and joy so let’s have a look shall we?

What does the early worm get?

Now if the early bird. Gets the worm what does the “early worm” get?  Why are there any early worms at all if  they are. Going to be breakfast for some eager sparrow?   Maybe worms don’t care.  After all in an acre of  soil there can be upwards of a million earthworms.  Oh and  there are  around 6,000 kinds of earthworms ranging from  about a quarter inch long to some tropical varieties. That are  almost ten feet long.  Now if our. Native worms were. 3 yards long I’d sure3 avoid. Opening. That can. Of worms, however  in our part of the world the big ones are about  10 to 14 inches long at most.  Anyway back to why would a worm be out of the ground in the morning?   sex.  You see the one major life activity worms  do out of the ground is get it on.  Now here’s something you didn’t. Probably know about  worm hanky—panky.  Worms come complete with both. Sets of reproductive equipment so they are  male and female.   This is probably great for  the continuation. And evolution. Of the creature, yet it sort of takes the thrill out of these trendy gender reveal parties I would think.   So... what does this have to do with peace and joy?

You see sometimes you may pursue  something that  is all well and good and still be a victim of misfortune.  If you happen to  be doing exactly what. You want and when you want to do it you may think that will make you happy.  Well watch out for the early bird...and know  that even if things turn out  horrible it’s not always all about you.  

So should you try to always be the “early bird?”

Well... I’ve noticed that very few people. Fill up their bird feeders till early afternoon or at least  mid-morning.  Therefore  as a bird you could get up early and try to pull a worm out of the ground and deal  with a creature  that is  relatively large and wriggles....or.... you can fly  six feet off the ground over  to my front yard and eat specially formulated d bird  food  while sitting under  the protection of a roof that covers a mini-tiki bar hanging  right out there in the open.   No hopping around the grass.  No worrying about the stray cats.  The late bird seems to have found something okay too.  

Now what’s that got to do with  peace and joy?

Just because  a bunch of people encourage you to be the early bird...it doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for everyone and if the timing is right to be the late bird you can  get what you need and invite  all your friends to the party at the tiki bar.  We are not all meant to be the early bird and nor are we destined to be the worm—although sometimes we will be.    If we see look for peace and joy sometimes it is easier to have  and to give  than we might ever imagine.  

The big take away here is  that getting caught in one mindset and expecting everyone to make that mindset to work for them—-well that can make peace and joy difficult.... 

SSo.when seeking  peace and joy perhaps trying out a variety of perspectives is not a  bad path.