First of all, see my comments today at BeliefNets http://beyondblue.com link about the article of quotes on how to achieve a more peaceful world. As you will NOT be surprised, I am old enough and wise enough to know how much I need to work on peace within myself. Specifically, today I am concentrating very hard on talking to nature, friends, my pets as I “walk” along WITH them (not OVER them or UNDER them!!) in a softer, more contemplative manner. Today, Tuesday of this fourth week of 5-day-a-week posting, is about:
SOFTNESS (with shape, with definition, with intentional acceptance of other’s quirks!)
CONTEMPLATION-BEFORE-SPEAKING (with appropriate body language showing attentiveness)
MODULATED SPEECH (focused, self-monitored with finger-to-ear canal:will explain later)
AFFIRMATION (of self and others but not necessarily every idea from either!)
GENTLENESS(with strength of very type well-tapped and utilized)
I started my outside-the-homeplace day today by popping into my church office to confirm spelling of father’s name in bulletin, as I am supplying fresh plants (as alar flowers) in celebration of his birthday(on Halloween, no less!). I requested those present to give me a moment of feedback of my finger-to-ear-canal technique for monitoring my voice volume and intonation. They gave me smiling support and encouragement. This, soon after noticing how my naughtiest puppy responded quite positively to a whispered “command” beside her ear.
Now I am remembering all the times I was cautioned to “settle down and go to sleep” as a child. How much better that was put into action when I whispered a favorite song or nursery rhyme to myself as I grew sleepier and sleepier! Indeed, sleeping poetry does indeed walk you into the land of your dreams. And guess what? I am not a bit too old for such techniques to calm me down, cause me to regroup when I grow too loud, too verbose(at first just inside my own head) over any number of issues I passionately care about!
So I continue through this day stepping on my own hopscotch squares of “shush”, “wait–listen!” “o-ver th-e rain-bow” to the metrics of “going by woods on a snowy evening”. NOT Skakespeare’s lines about “First, kill all the lawyers.” and only once or twise to the beat of “on into the valley of death rode the ten thousand”!!!! Yes, I DO need the psychic energy I get from galloping about into situations of others’ conflicts sometimes. But maybe, just maybe I will remember today to “put on the full armor of righteousness”; which, in my case, is to stop, listen, think, empathize, put the finger to my ear canal FIRST, MIDDLE, and LAST!!
granbee 
Nov 22, 2011 @ 09:12:04
“AFFIRMATION (of self and others but not necessarily every idea from either!)” my mom always told me that people like to be heard… so be the one to hear them. let them know you care. Even if you don’t agree, listen! hear them all the way out!
As a chatty little girl, she was basically telling me to be quite (so i thought)… but in the years since, i’ve realized there was a deeper message to what she was saying. Everyone has ideas, & most people enjoy sharing theirs. Listening & then reaffirming the good parts, or complimenting people is a great way to show you care about them & what they think. & we really should care about everyone.
(sry this is so long.) i really like your blog. thanks for coming onto mine & sharing it with me. I’m excited to come back & explore more of this over time! thanks!
Nov 23, 2011 @ 04:03:31
Thank you, unwrittentruth for sharing about youself as a “chatty little girl”! I am apparently in good company! Yes, I was discussing just this morning with someone how important it is to acknowledge and affirm others as people as we listen carefully to them, ESPECIALLY when we are diametrically opposed to them! Somewhere within a long-winded, emotion-packed, skewed speech by that person will be at least one tiny thread of truth. That thread can be used to unwind that person, help them relax, and start to relate back to YOU as a real person!