Well after a long glorious summer of travel, maybe too much the kiddo is back in school. During the summer I spent several days helping my friends at the Tibetan Buddhist Temple with projects. I used to call it volunteering but they’ve become friends and it feels disingenuous to call it that anymore.
With the cooler days I’ve ventured out into the mountains and discovered some absolutely divine alpine landscapes, berry patches, and even some leftover snow from last season to ski.
On the technology front I got a new computer. After putting in a pre-order back in the Spring my Framework Laptop 12 arrived just as my MacBook Pro bit the dust. I ordered the DIY one and got to install some of the hardware and keyboard myself. I am running Linux Mint on it too. So, far I’m loving it and can’t wait for them to release the stylus!
On the writing front I’ve published several chapters over the summer. I just released chapter 23 of Asi. It’s definitely one of the most, if not the most dark chapter in the whole saga. Definitely a lot of inner turmoil while I hemmed and hawed about publishing it…
On a side note I came across this comment on Reddit and thought it was pretty much on point as I’ve been feeling pretty disgusted with the crap happening in our country and world right now. It was a good reminder that while the world may seem absolutely horrible right now and families and communities are shattered we have everything we need for happiness within each of us. Focus on that.
One of the problems with our overly connected world today is we are all feeling more and more like we need the world to validate us. Social media places tremendous pressure on us to seek approval from others. This can be in small ways or big ways.
And, sadly, the people who make you think you need their approval have more power than ever before because social media gives them the ability to reach you directly, on a mass scale.
But the truth is, no one needs to validate you. You do not need anyone's approval. Not even your own.
You are letting others dictate your world for you. You are living and dying by their approval of what you care about and, ultimately, yourself. You are living in a world that's outside of yourself, instead of inside you.
Inside, you are whole. You have all that you need. You always have, and you always will. What we hate about ourselves is perception. Fear. Often placed inside us by others in the first place.
You do not need validation or approval to be at peace. No one else decides that for you.
The President wants you to be angry, and fearful, because of his words and actions. This is what he WANTS, because he, too, allows himself to fall victim to the words and actions of others that he feels persecuted or angered by. He, and people like him, seek to make themselves feel better, to feel like they have "won," by perpetuating the same thing back on those they hate.
By allowing him to pull you into his world and make you suffer, you are letting him dictate your world and your worth and ultimately, how you feel.
Take back your world. No one, NO ONE, needs to give it to you, and that even includes the people you agree with. You must take time to focus on you, to sit with yourself and begin to learn what it means to have compassion for YOU, to love yourself COMPLETELY, and to allow yourself to have PEACE.
No matter what is going on around us, we always deserve peace. Any moment can be our moment of peace. If we deny ourselves that, even if there are things we must work towards, we will destroy ourselves.
Love this Isaac! Your adventures both solo and with your son are inspiring! As is the publishing of more chapters, especially knowing you had to push through to make it happen.
That quote is perfectly stated and beyond timely. Thank you for sharing your life, your heart and your wisdom with the world,one word at a time.😊