|
[04 Nov 2009|10:09pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Kings of Convenience - Toxic Girl |
] |
A series of events have prompted me to be careful with my thoughts and words. It sort of all goes back to the idea that "we are all the same, and connected" and it also sort of follows the concept of treating one another with kindness and respect. The golden rule, if you will.
Long story short, I've just been making an effort recently to think about the things I find fault in other people for, and every time so far, I've found the same faults in myself after really thinking it through. Introspection does that I guess.
I'm trying to learn to love people. Sometimes it feels like a really long process.
|
|
|
[24 Oct 2009|12:30am] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Pedro the Lion - A Mind of Her Own |
] |
I sort of had a life changing experience by accident the other day. As I was chasing my dog around on the porch trying to throw her into the pool, I finally managed to grab her and toss her in. You see, she'd gotten her back filthy by rubbing up against the underside of a car, and the original solution was to shampoo her and hose her off. Since she objected to the hose, the plan evolved into getting the soap off any way possible. So I scooped her up into my arms kicking and writhing, and into the pool she went.
I then looked into a solemn and helpless pair of eyes that pitifully pleaded with me for help, and simultaneously questioned my motives for subjecting her to such ill treatment.
I've been a lot nicer to her lately, and even my mom has noticed the difference in my attitude.
One might say that it's more compassionate. I think I realized watching her struggle to stay afloat that we don't understand each other. She's just living her life the best way she knows how. And so am I. And expecting her to know better than to lick the floor and follow me around the kitchen when I'm cooking or eating, or refraining from scratching her itchy back on the bottom of a car is just as unnatural for her as wanting a full time job, or buying useless things I don't need, or wearing deodorant is for me.
We're both stuck in a world we don't belong in. And we're both doing the best we know how.
|
|
| From "Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers" |
[20 Oct 2009|12:41am] |
"Mother Teresa was once asked in an interview, 'What do you say when you pray?" She replied, "Nothing, I just listen." So then the reporter asked, "Well then, what does God say to you?" Her answer: "Nothing much, He just listens."
- Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
|
|
|
[15 Oct 2009|12:19am] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Pedro the Lion - A Simple Plan |
] |
They say you can't make everyone happy.
They're right.
All you can do is your best.
|
|
|
[11 Oct 2009|05:03pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Dead Prez - "They" Schools |
] |
|
|
|
[11 Oct 2009|02:50pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
The Nylons - Face in the Crowd |
] |
|
|
|
[15 Sep 2009|10:30am] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number Two |
] |
This is ( awesome. )
|
|
|
[14 Sep 2009|12:34am] |
| [ |
music |
| |
The Coup - My Favorite Mutiny |
] |
I'm happy with my life. I'm learning a lot about me every day.
I've been thinking a lot about grace lately.
I hope that I can learn to practice grace in the way that I understand it to exist. I know for sure that I'm light years from where I started.
|
|
|
[11 Jul 2009|05:04pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Michael Jackson - Ghosts |
] |
This will be a serious update.
As may or may not be apparent, I've done my fair share of growing and evolving over the course of my life and in particular the past five years or so.
Upon my graduation from High School, I had a very vague idea of what I wanted out of my life and what I wanted to make of it. My primary concern was worthy on the surface level at least. I remember talking to those few people who I was close to at the time and assuring them that whatever I did with my life, it would be for the benefit of others. Simply put, I wanted to help the world.
So here we are at a different milestone. I'm a recent graduate of the University of Florida. I now possess a Bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Religion. And no, I don't want to teach, but thanks for asking. I do however, still sort of want to fix the world. I want to help out where it's needed. I want to do the best I can with what I have to make things better for those around me. So how does that count as an evolution?
Well, I'm still working on humility, which is one of the biggest things I learned I need help with over the trajectory of growth that is the last five years of my life.
I've always wanted to help others, persay. But I think what I'm learning recently is that my reasoning was backwards. I was in love with my image of helping others rather than being in love with the loving itself. I loved the way that it would make me look and seem. And yes, I wanted to help people, but I also wanted those around me to see me helping people. And now, looking back on it, I'm ashamed my reasoning. Not to say that I've solved the problem and that I'm now selfless and perfect in helping and loving others. It's possible, even that the ability to selflessly love is something that I'll never achieve, but it is something that I'm striving for every day.
Over the past five years I've also met some of the most amazing people one could ever hope to encounter over the course of one simple human life on earth. From Florida to Canada to Nogales, to New Orleans and everywhere in between I've encountered people who have changed my outlook, my perspective, my sense of what it is to be alive here and now in a way that has truly changed me as a person.
These people and experiences have changed me for the better, and I'm truly grateful for everything that has happened to me and everyone who has been a part of it.
Did I grow a lot over the past five years? Absolutely.
Am I where I need to be yet? Absolutely not.
But you can bet I'm working on it.
|
|
|
[28 Jun 2009|09:14pm] |
This is the most amazing website I've ever seen.
Serious update coming soon.
|
|
|
[26 May 2009|05:05pm] |
|
|
|
[26 May 2009|10:42am] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Ratatat - Kennedy |
] |
Courtesy of the Jesus Manifesto, and Mark Twain.
Happy Memorial Day.
|
|
|
[23 May 2009|05:27pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Belle & Sebastian - Expectations |
] |
It seems I've neglected my online journal almost entirely.
Maybe I'll take it up again, but no promises. Things are seemingly pretty good. I'm officially a graduate of the University of Florida. Currently my plan is to stay in Gainesville for a year or two and get myself excited about the prospect of embracing a new lifestyle.
I'm playing keyboards for a local band that is absolutely fantastic (they're called Redboy) and I'm working on a solo/side-project with my siblings that I call the Family Band. We're planning on putting out an album this summer.
I'm also going to Nova Scotia with the family, and doing some work in New Orleans. Then I'm hopefully getting a more full-time job come fall.
No complaints. Just keeping on living.
|
|
|
[24 Jan 2009|05:14pm] |
|
|
|
[18 Dec 2008|12:59am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 excited |
] |
I have tickets available if you want them. =)
|
|
|
[29 Nov 2008|08:52pm] |
Meet the family band.
Here's their music video:
|
|
|
[24 Nov 2008|01:40pm] |
This weekend I attended the mass vigil and protest of the School of the Americas (now known as WHINSEC).
The experience was extremely moving, and extremely hopeful. As one of over 20,000 people against the terrorist and torture training activities taking place on the military base in Fort Benning, it was amazing to find so many people doing so many great things from all over the country, and even across our borders.
In related news, Father Roy Bourgeois, the founder of the School of the Americas Watch (SOAW), which puts on and leads the protest, is facing excommunication from the Catholic Church.
Here's the more in depth analysis of the situation courtesy of and interview with Father Roy himself on Democracy Now!:
Vatican Threatens to Excommunicate Catholic Priest for Supporting Ordination of Women into Priesthood
The issue seems pretty clear to me.
There are high hopes of the SOA closing this year, and hopefully along with it could come the news that Father Bourgeois will be pardoned and cause some well needed change in the church as well.
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
thatjugglerguy's journal