My life has been really busy these days, but I cannot complain, because in all cases, I feel like the things I am involved in have meaning and therefore, I continue to grow as a person.
Last night, Barry and I and my two good friends Mary and Ger went to see Gregg Braden.
To be honest, I was not familiar with Gregg, but the people that brought him to the Maritimes are the same people who brought Deepak Chopra last year, so I thought it was worth checking out.
I was glad I went.
I'm not going to bore you with a long description of the nature of his talk; I'm sure his books would give you a much better explanation than I ever could.
But what he talked about - the chaotic times we are living in and our increasing difficulty in managing the pace of change and the changes to our world (socially, politically, environmentally, personally) - was just what I needed to hear.
I don't know about you, but where I live, there is a sense of doom and gloom these days. The way things were will likely never come again. We must change. We must cope with the change.
Last night, Gregg Braden gave the audience some tools to help with that and some hope and peace.
So, besides the crick in my neck this morning from turning around constantly to chat with Mary and Ger in the back seat, I feel like my load has been lightened a bit. We all need that, don't we?
And speaking of Mary, she has a wonderful piece published over at Senior Living Mag, titled "Confessions of a Zoomer". A really fun read!
And because peace is personal to all of us, here's what peace looked like to me this morning:
In honour of Indy and his teddy, let's have a:
Teddy Bear
Pour ingredients into a stainless steel shaker over ice, and shake until completely cold. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass, and serve
Now I happen to love root beer, so this is right up my alley! Have no idea if my liquor store has root beer schnaps, but I think I could improve with my favourite root beer:
I hope you all have a peaceful day to day and a lovely weekend!
Stay safe out there!
xoxo wendy
Hello Wendy,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if the presentation given by Gregg Braden last night would have been echoing our own thoughts precisely. And, clearly you found a resonance with his ideas too. We often say that it is the humanity of things which is being lost these days. The lack of personal contact, the inhuman pace of change, the lack of empathy between people.....we could go on. So, there seems to be a constant searching for something rather than an appreciation of the potential which is inside us all. Therein lies true happiness we believe.
It looks as if your dog has got it absolutely right. Simple pleasures, they really are the best!
Jane and Lance - I could not have said it any better! Bravo!
DeleteHaven't heard of this chap, but will check him out on your recommendation. I am enjoying my relative state of UNbusyness; my days are pretty full as are many evenings, but compared to my past I am loafing big time. Love it. I've returned to spending much of my time in nature, even volunteering teaching kiddies about estuaries and marshes. Birdwatching. (and disaster relief planning, but that's the non-peaceful part).
ReplyDeleteFor a glimpse of a long past-??simpler time-- check out today's WSJ>Life and Culture>The Making of Whole Lotta Love. Music geeks will appreciate the text, but the 5 minute video is all late 60's. There was still the draft and 'Nam, political assassinations, etc., but then there was Robert Plant's hair.
Lane, we bow to Robert Plant!
DeleteOh am off to look it up right now!
DeleteTabitha, you must see this.
DeleteGreat video, so relieved it played here, so often these links don't work in Europe.
DeleteWe seem to look back in time with rose colored glasses thinking they were simpler when really, like Lane mentions, every time had it's issues...inequality being the big one for me. I always thought one old when they become resistant to change. And one a bit sad if they are so busy they can't make time for family and friends. I work to live not live to work. I can easily say no without a pinch of guilt. And unfortunately, I have had to let relationships fade because I just couldn't pick up the slack for those that were " just so busy".
ReplyDeleteOh I don't look back at the past with rose-coloured glasses. Actually, I am more concerned about the environment and the fact that we can feed the whole world, but haven't figured out to get the food to them. So, no, I actually love change and find it invigorating, it is the current system I need to work to make it better!
DeleteIt is interesting because part of me was thinking the same thing especially with the news over here at the moment which is more depressing than usual...Part of me wants to say not to look back but we live in such an unusual time in history. I was talking to a friend who is an economist and he was telling me that with all our advancements we are definitely heading back to Victorian times economically. I know they say a change is as good as a rest but right now I am not too sure. But I would like a rest more than a change if truth be told!
ReplyDeleteWell that was one of the issues that he talked about last night. He was very hopeful, but it will take a movement from the people to protect the planet and share the wealth..
DeleteYou should come back to your ancestral home, we are nation of dour, naysayers and have been since the Picts/Celts and Vikings fought it out!
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not believe that times are harder/darker these days, I do think that there is too much of a focus on personal happiness and being fulfilled, these things were never a focus for past generations.
If I have made you think that's what last night was about, it was most definitely NOT. No, it was about the environment, the techno change and the cyclical nature of society to repeat its same mistakes. So no, was not about personal happiness at all, but about finding ways to cope with the change so that you can be part of the solutions and it was a really great evening!
DeleteMan has always had to deal with change in whatever form, granted the internet makes life more frenetic if you don't step away but I do think we are so so fortunate to be alive at this time in history.
DeleteOh, I have never seen your pup before. How adorable! There is nothing that makes me feel better than my pets.
ReplyDeletehttp://pets.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-pets-improve-your-health
An aside, and sorry to sidetrack: I must say, though, I have decided that it is not worthwhile (for us, at least) to have a pet that would be happier in its natural environment. My son had a pet frog for a bit but Froggy came to a bizarre death, and after thinking for several months about whether to get a new one, I came to my own uninformed conclusion that it seems an unfulfilling life for a frog to be a aquariumed pet. ???
Audrey - I hear you! And Indy doesn't know he is a dog, so I think he has no desire to run in a Nepalese pack of Llasas!
DeleteWhat a lovely photo. I've had to withdraw from the news as I can't bear the doomsaying. I am hoping for happy easterners when I swing your general way (to PEI) this summer. I'd love to leave the gloom in Ontario. I'll check out Gregg's book. I'm all for the positive!!
ReplyDeleteJen consider dropping in on way through - we are 4 min from highway and have to go through here to there. Kids can have quick swin while we drink a glass of wine!
ReplyDeleteWendy, this is something I constantly think about as I am unable to quiet my mind (I have always been this way). I practiced yoga with a dear friend and that kept me grounded in my teens, but when I immigrated to the US, I could never quite enjoy a lot of the things I did back home. At home, peace meant taking a minute to share a cup of tea with a neighbor, nodding your head and stopping to chat and so forth (and yes, I lived in a huge city!) There seems to be such a general sense of restlessness in the US I have acclimated to which, added to my own tireless thinking makes me feel somewhat in despair. My friends are the only ones who can make me forget, but alas, after college we scattered all over the world and we rarely get to see each other face to face. And as you know, my work depends on online/book research and writing which can be quite lonely. I haven't quite figured out how to balance this aspect (and I've been here in the States for over a decade!) but Indy with his Teddy is a great start. Thank you for sharing that picture.
ReplyDeleteChange in the right direction is good. Now, can we all agree on what that is?