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"Gospel: “Love one another,” says Jesus. That means loving people, not judging them. That means bearing with them when we disagree with them, not attacking them at the slightest hint of a difference of opinion on church teaching. That means giving them the benefit of the doubt, not jumping down their throats when you think they’ve made a mistake. That means assuming that they too love God and the church, just like you do, maybe even more. That means hoping the best for them, not damning them if you think that they’re not “orthodox.” What’s more, “Love one another” doesn’t mean saying, “I love you so very much that I must tell you what a terrible Catholic you are, and how very much in error you are, and how you should just leave the church because you’re not a true believer like I am (because, of course, I can see within your soul).” Yes, one of the Spiritual Works of Mercy is to “Admonish the Sinner,” but that presumes an actual love, a heartfelt love, for the person, and most of the admonishing that is done these days seems suffused instead with hate. All of the Spiritual Works of Mercy—and the Corporal Works, too—are useless without love. Love one another. Leave the judging to Jesus."
Fr. James Martin, SJ (via davidberlekamp)
be original, or don't bother.: I am a lover of words, and while I often stumble over them in speech,...
I am a lover of words, and while I often stumble over them in speech, I can write without doubt, and my thoughts sort themselves. Often I spend too much time, mulling over the usage of a word, selecting the proper one that perfectly depicts the constant whirring behind my eyes. Have you ever noticed that? I am a lover of words, but I have learned through time that they can be deceiving. Words can be uttered without meaning, repeated until they lose truth, and twisted in ways that only the heart feels the pain. Words become empty, drained, lifeless even as they leave the lips. I am a lover of words, but I am a believer of actions. (Source: tidesofneptune, via burningmuse)
(Source: efron-flores)
You’re probably going to be seeing a lot more about fitness on this blog, hope you don’t mind. ;) The little, half-assed changes simply aren’t enough any more. It’s time for a big change. Time to make health a priority.
It’s just.. time.
(Source: bombshellbegins, via forthesakeofpretty)
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about communication and the fluidity of language. It’s a basic truth that every word holds a marginally different meaning to each person. But I think too often we assume that the way we define a word is consistent across the board. Well, maybe that’s true of a word’s denotation (ie - the dictionary definition), but it certainly doesn’t take into account the connotation that colors every piece of our vocabulary, sometimes without our own awareness. Add in a person’s tone of voice and body language, and the dictionary definition of what a person says plays a very small role in the actuality of what he/she communicating.
When we become too rigid in our perception of language, we aren’t really being true to the nature of it. Instead of working with the nature of language, we’re working against it. And as a result of this swimming upstream, miscommunication ensues. I can deliver the most eloquent speech known to man, but if my audience has no idea what I’m saying, then what’s the point? If my aim is simply to create a beautiful cadence of syllables and intonation, then I suppose I’ve accomplished my goal. But if I’m aiming for communication with another person, then I missed the mark.
We have to remember to keep our audience in mind and check in with the other person’s interpretation of what’s being said. If it doesn’t match what you’re trying to communicate, approach from a different angle, maybe. Paraphrase; use synonyms, comparisons, metaphors. Try out a different tone of voice. Search for what words seem to hold conflicting definitions between the two of you, and clarify what the term means to you. Abolish assumptions and aim instead for clarity. You shouldn’t need to change the content of what you’re trying to say, just adjust our vocabulary and language to fit the situation.
The thing that baffles me is that the advice in the above paragraph seems to me very basic communication skills. And yet, so often I encounter people who are so convinced of their own, apparently flawless delivery of speech that any miscommunication is deemed the result of error in interpretation. Sure, interpretation plays a large role - someone on the receiving end is equally responsible to actively participate in the communication process. But that’s the issue here. Communication is a two-way street. If you’re not getting your point across, it’s likely just as much of your fault as it is the fault of the other person. Communication is a dynamic process, and it is only successful when both parties are actively engaged and, more importantly, willing to adjust their own perspectives enough to consider the perspective of the other.
Unless of course, you don’t actually want to use your communication as a way to connect with another human being. If that’s the case, then by all means, the rigidity should suit your ambitions well. If not - stop being so convinced of your own rightness and be humble enough to be flexible in your speech. Trust me, you’ll get much further in your goal.
This simply reminds me how much I can’t wait for summer. And vacation. July couldn’t come fast enough :)
Editor’s Note: This is a lovely thought.
And then there’s this. This is another one of my favourite past times. Preferably when the sun isn’t too hot- when it’s rising or setting, with cigarettes, and coffee, or beer.
This time, I prefer to be alone. I immerse myself in nature. I pay attention to the wind caressing the grass, the forms of the clouds and how they move, the warmth on my skin, the dampness beneath my back.
I like to watch the trees sway, and think about all the complex processes taking place at the same time.
I think of the generations gone by- I wonder how kings and peasants must have felt, peering at the same sky, appreciating what a joy it is to be alive, what remarkable, precious treasure.
Is it summer yet?
The Five Year Engagement was fluffy, funny, and wonderful. Parts of the middle were a bit mellow-dramatic, but overall, it’s a pretty solid romantic comedy. One of the best I’ve seen in years, actually!
Plus, I just love Emily Blunt. And how Jason Segel’s eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles. But that’s just me. ;)
(Source: fuckyeahpeoplewelove)
The definition of irony? Smashing windows of Downtown Seattle’s Nike store while wearing their freaking product. Very smooth, Mr. “Protester.” Very smooth.
ps - Niketown was one of the major targets on May 1st. This particular picture isn’t the Nike store however. The irony extends to the group as a whole :). In this man’s defense, maybe he’s only against banks, and fully supports corporate brands such as Nike. But I doubt it.
Hipster Racism?
Rather than offer my own jumbled thoughts on the matter, I’ll direct you to one of the best articles I’ve read in a while. I found myself fully supporting certain statements, dismissing others, and simply taking in most of it — but I will certainly say it’s a well-written, provocative article. You won’t be sorry you joined in on the discussion! ”We are all kind of bizarrely cavalier and careless these days, throwing our most deeply-considered morals under the bus for the sake of a few cheap jokes. It’s weird, and we owe the world a little more critical thinking … It’s all tied up with the deliberately obtuse people who conflate ‘freedom of speech’ with ‘immunity from criticism.’” -Lindy West, “A Complete Guide To Hipster Racism”
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“If one has failed to develop curiosity and interest in the early years, it is a good idea to acquire them now, before it is too late to improve the quality of life.
To do so is fairly easy in principle, but more difficult in practice. Yet it is sure worth trying. The first step is to develop the habit of doing whatever needs to be done with concentrated attention, with skill rather than inertia. Even the most routine tasks, like washing dishes, dressing, or mowing the lawn become more rewarding if we approach them with the care it would take to make a work of art. The next step is to transfer some psychic energy each day from tasks that we don’t like doing, or from passive leisure, into something we never did before, or something we enjoy doing but don’t do often enough because it seems too much trouble. There are literally millions of potentially interesting things in the world to see, to do, to learn about. But they don’t become actually interesting until we devote attention to them.”
"― Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Finding Flow: The Psychology Of Engagement With Everyday Life (via justbesplendid)
