Archive for April, 2019
Privilege
Each week I go on a hunt for a word for this blog. After several years, it has become more challenging and more interesting.
This week’s word, privilege, opened up a broad vista of variation and intensity. Privilege is an advantage, a special right or an immunity bestowed upon certain people, groups of people or corporations. It is also something seen as a rare opportunity which brings a particular pleasure.
Examples of different kinds of privilege are: racial, social status, wealth, gender, attractiveness, thinness, age, intellectual, sexual, physical ability, religious and political.
The NCCJ (National Conference for Community and Justice, nccj.org), defines privilege as, “Unearned access to resources (social power) that are only readily available to some people because of their social group membership; an advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by one societal group above and beyond the common advantage of all other groups. Privilege is often invisible to those who have it.”
“Human rights are not a privilege granted by the few, they are a liberty entitled to all, and human rights, by definition, include the rights of all humans, those in the dawn of life, the dusk of life, or the shadows of life.” ~Kay Granger
As I plunged deeper into various aspects of privilege, I discovered The Happy Philosopher and his astute blog, The Messy Truth About Privilege, Nov.21, 2017. It is a compelling read. To fully appreciate his quote, “Remember, there is almost nothing that is black and white in this world, only beautiful colors and endless shades of gray. Savor the nuance.”, one must read his blog.
I found these two quotes which stood out because of their likeness to one another.
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” ~Joseph Campbell
“I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” ~Viola Davis
Both Campbell and Davis were and are very accomplished and respected in their chosen careers.
I love the spontaneous repetition and resonant energy of these quotes. Like beacons on the journey to the authentic self, they remind me of the gracious privilege that is my path, ‘a rare opportunity which brings a particular pleasure.’
Blessings!
Brief
…describes today’s blog-post. As I prioritize through the overwhelm I wrote about last week, this week’s posting is brief. Sifting through a group of quotes, the following spoke to me; resonating at deeper levels of growth.
This week I invite you to meditate upon it, digest it…perhaps discovering a resonance within.
“It’s virtue to be growing through your life rather than going through your life. The object is not to change other people or situations; it is to do the inner work they stimulate.” ~Wally Amos
Blessings!
Overwhelmed
Feeling overwhelmed? This week for the first time in a very long while I experienced feelings of being overwhelmed. I felt inundated by the sheer volume of tasks, chores, duties, and responsibilities that were spilling off my enormously full plate.
…to feel completely overcome in mind and or emotion, to feel forcefully overpowered; to have our emotions affected in a very potent way; this is the essence of overwhelm.
“If I feel strongly about anything, I get overwhelmed with emotion.” ~Emma Stone
Caroline Kennedy said, “When you’re going through something whether it’s a wonderful thing like having a child or a sad thing like losing somebody, you often feel like ‘Oh my God, I’m so overwhelmed: I’m dealing with this huge thing on my own.’ In fact, poetry’s a nice reminder that, no, everybody goes through it. These are universal experiences.”
To allow a state of being overwhelmed to continue and grow out of all reasonable proportion, is to collapse under the weight, and become unable to move through the process.
Acknowledging being overwhelmed allows for clarity. Clarity then gives the ability to prioritize. Prioritization leads to focus. No longer looking at the enormity of the tasks at hand, we then can take one moment, one step, one hour, one day at a time; moving from overwhelm to empowerment, execution and completion, with a minimal amount of angst and stress. The most expeditious way of moving out of feeling overwhelmed.
“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” ~Timber Hawkeye
As Caroline Kennedy pointed out, we all go through these periods, it is a universal truth. Fully engaging our spiritual, emotional and physical support, guides us through our darkest moments as well as our blindingly brilliant moments; the peaks and the chasms that are part of life’s experience.
“Getting knocked down in life is a given. Getting up and moving forward is a choice.” ~Zig Ziglar
Blessings!
Tact
Tact is a key practice in psychospiritual development and maturity. Tact requires an understanding of others; their ideas, beliefs, opinions and feelings. It aids in effective communication, especially when dealing with difficult or delicate situations.
“Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.” ~Isaac Newton
The tactful use of words requires a judicious use of sensitivity, discernment, subtlety, skill, prudence and diplomacy. To attain fluency requires practice and good judgment. Applicable to all relationships, tactful dialogue improves communication and builds mutual respect.
“Don’t flatter yourselves that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. On the contrary, the nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
None of us will ever achieve perfection in the fullness of tactful expression. Emotional triggers are not always containable by the artful use of this powerful skill. However, commitment to daily practice as part of our spiritual discipline, will produce a high yield of authentic communication, self-esteem and inner peace.
“Tact is the intelligence of the heart.” ~Anonymous
Blessings!
