Don’t forget to ask
that really important question
before you leave–

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

The main thing in life is to keep the main thing the main thing.*
Ryan Holiday

Fashioning a personal myth is not an exercise in narcissistic delusion, or a paranoid attempt tp establish oneself as God. Instead, defining the self through myth may be seen as an ongoing act of psychological and social responsibility.**
Dan McAdams

A myth comes to our aid,
Carrying us beyond ourselves
to others.

Whilst stories tend to follow
our lives, myths more often
lead with intent.

Their images of journey
and special-world^ language hold us to
our true Self.

What’s your main thing?
What’s your intention?
What’s your myth?

I have always thought of a myth as something that never was but is always happening.^

*Ryan Holiday’s Discipline Is Destiny;
**Dan McAdams’ The Stories We Live By;
^In Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, the protagonist crosses from the ordinary world into a special world of threat and challenge that is the making of them, identifying the boon for others they return with;
^^Jean Houston’s The Possible Human.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Meanings are useful, not true.*
Derek Sivers

“This might not be for you,” is a fine slogan.**
Seth Godin

Each finds their meaning–
Wrapped in myth,
They guide our lives, and,
Enriched with
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
generosity
faithfulness
gentleness and
self-control,
They may be useful
to others–
No pressure, though.^

*Derek Sivers’ Useful Not True;
**Seth Godin’s blog: For people who don’t care that much.
^Galatians 5:22-25.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

To my surprise, when I was given permission to doubt the factuality of my beliefs, I discovered their actual life-giving purpose.*
Brian McLaren

There’s a time for certainty
and a time for doubt–
How do you know this isn’t
a time to doubt?

*Brian McLaren’s Faith After Doubt.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

When you live a life of obligation it steals from your strengths. Wisdom allows you to harness your strength.*
Erwin McManus

Life is short.
Be good. Do good.
Love and be loved.
Try to leave the place better than you found it.
Do the right thing.
Right now.**
Ryan Holiday

Wrong people,
Wrong path,
Wrong cause,
Wrong self–

Right people,
Right path,
Right cause,
Right self–

More than enough,
A noble life,
Living obligation,
Bringing your alchemy–

*Erwin McManus’ The Way Of The Warrior;
**Ryan Holiday’s Right Thing, Right Now.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Contemplation is meeting as much reality as we can handle in its most simple and immediate form – without filters, judgements, or commentaries.*
Brian McLaren

Familiarity breeds love, not contempt.**
Edward Slingerland

Aw, but I like my shortcuts
to understanding and knowing;
Oh well, maybe getting lost
in something or someone
will have some benefit–

*Brian McLaren’s Faith After Doubt;
**Edward Slingerland’s Trying Not To Try.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Spirit needs form.
That was the giant truth I was feeling my way into.
Spirit needs form,
and form needs Spirit.
That was the other truth I was finding my way into.
Both are needed.*
Rob Bell

This may be the hardest of skills
I am learning:
That what comes new to me
and what prompts change for me
appearing in pictures or words
must become a first expression
and eventually an openness of form
urging more pictures and words–


*Rob Bell’s Everything Is Spiritual.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Shallow happy is pursuing pleasure.
Deep happy is pursuing fulfilment.*
Derek Sivers

When we lose our tolerance for discomfort, we lose joy.**
Brené Brown

Strange how happy starts me full and leaves me empty
whilst joy starts me empty and leaves me full–

*Derek Sivers’ How To Live;
**Brené Brown’s The Gifts Of Imperfection.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Great teachers set it up, and great students find the aha.* Sooner or later, we’re all self taught.**
Seth Godin

Use other people’s ideas.
Ideas are worth almost nothing.
Execution is everything…
Better to be filled with action than ideas.^^
Derek Sivers

To open ourselves up
to learning in body, heart, and soul
(as well as mind)
is one of the most
powerful things we can do.

*Seth Godin’s blog: Don’t steal the revelation;
**Seth Godin’s blog: Aha!;
^Derek Sivers’ How To Live.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

He had no notion of the preciousness of life – the fragility.  He had no idea how difficult, but essential, it is to love the world and to treat the world with mercy.  And like I said, he had no idea what was coming down the road.  He was entirely innocent of all that.*
Nick Cave

There is inherent sadness and tragedy in almost all situations: in our relationships, our mistakes, our failures large and small, and even our victories … grief and sadness are doorways to understanding life in a non egocentric way.**
Richard Rohr

I cringe when I think of some of what I did
or thought or said when I was younger
and what I avoided, too,
And I hope I’ll still be cringing in the future
when I think about now,
Meaning I’ll still be learning,
Becoming–

*Nick Cave’s Faith, Hope and Carnage; describing himself as a young man;
**Richard Rohr’s The Tears Of Things. 

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO