Friday, January 15, 2016

Day #744

January 14, 2016

One more piece of wisdom to share from Tuesdays with Morrie:
“People are only mean when they're threatened[...]and that's what our culture does.” “And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself.”
This is referring in part to advertising and such that tells us we do not have enough, so we need to buy more, do more, be more. It’s a focus on scarcity that threatens our way of life and security, and thereby makes us suspicious, critical, skeptical, and feeds the fear that if you have, and I don’t, I must take what you have so that I’m not inferior or lacking. And we become mean.

I must say, the book contains a lot of wisdom spoken in a very short amount of time. And here is one more (my final, honestly! for the book is done, but I hope the learning sticks with me!!): “Death ends a life, not a relationship.”

Oh, so true. Whether our relationships are good and healthy, or tenuous and challenging, every relationship becomes a part of who we are - for our forever! The death of someone does not stop the tapes that run in our head. And while that can be a good - and a bad thing - perhaps it can help us in this way: how can the “tapes” that we are a part of recording in someone’s head be the most helpful? In other words, how can we be intentional in doing things that serve to build-up, not tear down, someone else (I’m particularly thinking of children)?

And finally, there is great hope that because relationships become a part of who we are forever, when death parts us from those we love, it does not mean they are lost to us. Their memories live on in us, and through us, and we honor them because of that.

Blessings.

PS This really is a helpful book, and one I recommend. But, there are probably some sighs of relief that I’m finished reading it. :-)

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