Much to think about here. M’s quip about the border plants really made me chuckle.
And what you said about what we aren’t, the world isn’t either. There is definitely a responsibility for us to model what we want to see. Unfortunately, we can’t change the people that don’t see it that way and are modeling a world that is uninhabitable and non-sustainable. But we each can do our part.
Thank you precious Auntie and his quip makes ME chuckle years later too.
You have played a healing role in my life modeling kindness and beauty for as long as I've been alive. Thank you for this and for all you do every day to bring about love in a world that needs so much more of it. ❤️
Love this!! Have been thinking a lot about the power of the both/and ethic lately. Thank you for communicating it so beautifully and bringing your lived experience!
Thank you Bri, means so much, especially since I hold your writing in such high esteem. The both/and ethic is a powerful one and I appreciate that it's come into your realm lately as well. Leaning into it really changes things, doesn't it? Look forward to continuing to trade notes and thoughts.
So much resonance here. Both/and has been core for me for years. Hard to identify just now, but there's something in this piece that ignites a desire to see the responsibility you talk about toward the end as "welcome news." And "what we are, the world is" and your inversion of that, as a kind of call to both being and action. Anyway, thanks for this. It's gonna stay with me today.
What you wrote, Jeff, mirrored what it FELT LIKE writing it. Something was calling me in exactly the ways you described. Thank you for your lovely comments, including the both/and reference to being and action. I love that.
This sparked a reflection, about the very act of writing that made this piece feel visceral.
I.e writing is only important to the extent that it makes you happy. the appeal is that it is difficult to do and incrementally rewarding. any importance bestowed upon your work beyond this is artificial and degrades it.
there is no correlation between technical skill and wisdom. the only thing you learn from reading fiction is how to write fiction. the only thing you learn from reading poetry is how to write poetry. the rabbit holes are infinite and go nowhere, so they consume a lot of time.
Wow, yes. Yes yes yes. "Writing is only important to the extent that it makes you happy. the appeal is that it is difficult to do and incrementally rewarding. any importance bestowed upon your work beyond this is artificial and degrades it."
"we cannot heal the Earth without healing ourselves; we cannot protect the Earth without protecting ourselves." It's truly no wonder the world is out of wack, when we ourselves are often so out of wack. Thank you for calling attention to this!
This means so much to me, thank you for saying so. And I need a good infusion of the middle path myself this week so your comment encouraged me to double down.
The “border plants” metaphor landed first for me. A perfect image for the ways we center our fears and perform at the edges.
But what echoed deeper was the termite and elephant symbiosis. The reminder that the balance of life comes not from striving toward sameness, but from living fully into our form, side by side.
And the só alegria section stopped me. Not as a concept, but as a lived instruction. That joy, real joy, is not the absence of sorrow, but a way of being that breathes through grief.
That image of the Huni Kuin cultivating joy under smoke-filled skies felt like something ancient and essential. Not something to read. Something to become.
This heartfelt and powerful response struck a deep chord in me, and on a day where I really needed to be reminded of the wisdom of so alegria. Thank you for reading, responding, and inhabiting this wisdom. I'm truly grateful. Your last line above is so beautiful.
"Because as Krishnamurti astutely observes: “what we are, the world is.” What may be the more pressing point for humanity right now, I can’t help but lament, is that what we aren’t, the world isn’t." Love these wise words!
You're making such an important point, Stephanie, that taking care of ourselves and Mother Earth goes hand in hand. When we accept the ups and downs in life, we open the door to change and growth. There's something really powerful about finding harmony where differences meet. I've just written 'truth is a pathless land' in my journal. Thank you for sharing your words, wit and wisdom.
Much to think about here. M’s quip about the border plants really made me chuckle.
And what you said about what we aren’t, the world isn’t either. There is definitely a responsibility for us to model what we want to see. Unfortunately, we can’t change the people that don’t see it that way and are modeling a world that is uninhabitable and non-sustainable. But we each can do our part.
Thank you for the beautiful part you play !
Thank you precious Auntie and his quip makes ME chuckle years later too.
You have played a healing role in my life modeling kindness and beauty for as long as I've been alive. Thank you for this and for all you do every day to bring about love in a world that needs so much more of it. ❤️
Love this!! Have been thinking a lot about the power of the both/and ethic lately. Thank you for communicating it so beautifully and bringing your lived experience!
Thank you Bri, means so much, especially since I hold your writing in such high esteem. The both/and ethic is a powerful one and I appreciate that it's come into your realm lately as well. Leaning into it really changes things, doesn't it? Look forward to continuing to trade notes and thoughts.
Bell rings true to form,
beyond duels, dualities.
Meet at waterhole.
...
To center center,
the core no longer hidden.
Essential, essence.
...
Wow, woe, life’s fused twins.
Center hallowed, not hollow.
Dancing mandala.
Wow, breathtaking!! So appreciate your support and poetic lens on life Marisol.❤️
So much resonance here. Both/and has been core for me for years. Hard to identify just now, but there's something in this piece that ignites a desire to see the responsibility you talk about toward the end as "welcome news." And "what we are, the world is" and your inversion of that, as a kind of call to both being and action. Anyway, thanks for this. It's gonna stay with me today.
What you wrote, Jeff, mirrored what it FELT LIKE writing it. Something was calling me in exactly the ways you described. Thank you for your lovely comments, including the both/and reference to being and action. I love that.
Brava! This writing took me through so many emotions. And I will be thinking about “my part” in a different way, now. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
So appreciate your eternal support PQP. I feel like our conversations often mirror what I write (or vice versa). ❤️
This sparked a reflection, about the very act of writing that made this piece feel visceral.
I.e writing is only important to the extent that it makes you happy. the appeal is that it is difficult to do and incrementally rewarding. any importance bestowed upon your work beyond this is artificial and degrades it.
there is no correlation between technical skill and wisdom. the only thing you learn from reading fiction is how to write fiction. the only thing you learn from reading poetry is how to write poetry. the rabbit holes are infinite and go nowhere, so they consume a lot of time.
Great write, Stephanie
Wow, yes. Yes yes yes. "Writing is only important to the extent that it makes you happy. the appeal is that it is difficult to do and incrementally rewarding. any importance bestowed upon your work beyond this is artificial and degrades it."
Ah, there is so much to love here; reading it both quieted me and stirred my desire to act - thank you for this both/and. 💚
"we cannot heal the Earth without healing ourselves; we cannot protect the Earth without protecting ourselves." It's truly no wonder the world is out of wack, when we ourselves are often so out of wack. Thank you for calling attention to this!
AMEN to that JF, amen. Thank you for being the antidote to that every day. ❤
Rereading this today—so insightful.
This means so much to me, thank you for saying so. And I need a good infusion of the middle path myself this week so your comment encouraged me to double down.
Thank YOU, Stephanie. May the rest of your week bring peace!
The “border plants” metaphor landed first for me. A perfect image for the ways we center our fears and perform at the edges.
But what echoed deeper was the termite and elephant symbiosis. The reminder that the balance of life comes not from striving toward sameness, but from living fully into our form, side by side.
And the só alegria section stopped me. Not as a concept, but as a lived instruction. That joy, real joy, is not the absence of sorrow, but a way of being that breathes through grief.
That image of the Huni Kuin cultivating joy under smoke-filled skies felt like something ancient and essential. Not something to read. Something to become.
Thank you for tending to all this with such care.
This heartfelt and powerful response struck a deep chord in me, and on a day where I really needed to be reminded of the wisdom of so alegria. Thank you for reading, responding, and inhabiting this wisdom. I'm truly grateful. Your last line above is so beautiful.
"Because as Krishnamurti astutely observes: “what we are, the world is.” What may be the more pressing point for humanity right now, I can’t help but lament, is that what we aren’t, the world isn’t." Love these wise words!
Beautiful writing, Stephanie! I'm all about both/and as you know 😄 you explore the concept beautifully here.
"We but mirror the world... If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change." ~ Mahatma Gandhi Sigh, I only wish!
You're making such an important point, Stephanie, that taking care of ourselves and Mother Earth goes hand in hand. When we accept the ups and downs in life, we open the door to change and growth. There's something really powerful about finding harmony where differences meet. I've just written 'truth is a pathless land' in my journal. Thank you for sharing your words, wit and wisdom.
Thank you Stephanie as always. I will search my soul and try harder to meet at the waterhole, before it is no more.
Beautifully said. Dialectical thinking helps me a lot in so many situations and conflicts.