Thanksgiving Awareness

At our best, this day we shun petty and albeit deeply rooted personal limitations and gaze subjectively on our lives. In that moment, we risk seeing the bare truth that our life is in fact an abundant gift to which we are not entitled nor unworthy of - it is a gift, nonetheless.

We are blessed with this miracle of life and the people around us. I wish for you a Happy and Joyful day.


"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." 
-Albert Schweitzer

Happy Thanksgiving, Wikipedia Style


I started this post with the intent of reiterating the history and purpose of Thanksgiving in an effort to put the meaning of the holiday into perspective. In short, it is delightful to me that as a culture, humans across the world recognize the need to be grateful. There is power in gratitude.

Then I thought I'd do a post on gratitude in genreal and perhaps talk about the under tap resource of personal gratitude on a daily basis - complete with a few catchy sayings and games to play to harness thr 'attitude of gratitude.'

Then I went to Wikipedia - in an innocent search for some basic information on Thanksgiving and Gratitude... and I found this:



Which links to this: A personal appeal from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.

I had no idea that Wikipedia was NOT a stand alone, profit center until I got to thinking... there are no ads, no distractions. Just a pure information resource. I value the web and those who make it a productive and useful place. Wikipedia provides more information than any other single source on the web. It is the new (in terms of traditional history) encyclopedia.

So, use whatever evaluation process you require, but take a moment and consider saying "Thank You" to the providers of Wikipedia with a small donation. 

I hope your Thanksgiving is just that: a thanks giving time. Peace.

Another Poem - Relationships and Such



in these pretty things

in these pretty things
these broken fragments
of our dreams, hopes, courage
the light does sparkle
a bit

in these pretty things
these shattered shards
of our faith, ideas, will
the shimmers do run
on us

in these pretty things
these scattered particles
of you, me, us
the flickers of memories
are born

5 Week Class in 2011

For a long time (meaning more than 10 years) I've been trying to articulate an assortment of thoughts, ideas, and theories about one of the biggest challenges face in life: the ability to find and maintain joy.

I have put together some research and designed an interactive experience to share with others. The end result is that I have the privilege to offer a workshop over a five week period in the first part of 2011. I hope you'll feel free to drop over to the blog and Facebook Page - and perhaps, just perhaps - participate in the journey.

Now, I return you to the regularly scheduled blogging here at Kim' Korner.

Quotable

Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat.  - John Lehman

The Beginning of a Good Tale...



I stood in the gallery, surprised. The new “Rural Life” photo contest had caused me to leave my normally secluded life and travel to Charlotte, NC to view the collection of photography from across the state. I had been enjoying the various landscapes, pictures of freckled faced, overall clad youths and studies on various farm-life objects: plows, daisies growing in tin pots, wagon wheel sentinels on dirt drives. Then there it was; a black and white photograph of a too familiar road, that road. That road, eternally dark and damp, always leading out of town to the same house, the same now seldom remembered history. The story is all but gone as are those who where there, but I am thrown back tonight, to a time before. A time before I knew of malformed creatures and a darkness so completely void of light that it could seized your spirit in terror, a time when I was waiting beside that road...

Can You Do That?



It seems to me that I'm wired with a certain set of boundaries, a defined parameter that sets the limits between what I will and will not do. Don't get me wrong, I am capable of doing (and in fact have done) things that are wrong, destructive and thoughtless. It really isn't these extreme actions I'm thinking about here, but more those subtle actions that sap my strength and wear on me.

I don't do math very well - at least not for long periods. I am more right brain creative and living in thoughts and decisions that require deep and prolonged analytical processes affects me in a way that I can best describe as - well - pain.

I don't do tension and conflict. I can endure only so much of that stuff before I'm compelled to change it - or run from it. Yep. Give me a fight or flight situation and I'm more likely to fly...far...away.

I can do analytics and conflict and chaos even for a short time, but don't ask me to live in it...not for long.

So, this has me wondering... do we have some internal design that makes each of us more able to function in these and other areas? I think we all know this to be true - some are gifted in some areas. Some not, but in other areas. We each have a design, a value structure to our living and living too long or too intensely out side of that framework isn't good for us.

What is on your "I don't do that" list?

Chalk It Up - Poetry Between Us

A big creative nod to Nevine over at DREAMS, DELIRIUMS, AND OTHER MIND TALK for some creative inspiration and that explains this...


Chalk It Up

sometimes our love is like
chalk upon the sidewalk
secrets etched in broad daylight
proclaiming us
then
washed away in the evening shower
faded swirls await the new day
and dry to powder pale.

Garrison Keillor - Winston Salem, NC

Last evening I took advantage of a rare opportunity to enjoy one of the best story tellers of our generation, Garrison Keillor. The master of A Prairie Home Companion and troubadour of Lake Woebegone, Garrison Keillor knows how to weave a tale.

The Steven's Center was a delightful venue for the event. The stage front was set with a simple table, stool and microphone stand. Denise Franklin of our local public radio station, WFDD, offered a simple and respectful introduction of Mr. Keillor that set the stage complete with understated anticipation.

What followed was a well measured unleashing of humor, poignancy and inspiration as the baritone voice of Garrison sung and spoke story into our hearts. His humor was masterfully crafted right down to the black suit and white shirt that playfully gave way to a red tie, socks and sneakers: classic Keillor - refined and established tradition with a splattering of irreverence.

I had two take a ways this night: 1. Garrison's description of marriage as "A life time sentence to a relationship with your best informed critic." You have to love this. My wife and I looked at each other with instant agreement and bursting laughter. 2. The art of story is a dying art and if we lose this wonderful form of communication, if the digital snippets of media that bounce in and out of our awareness each day manage to capture so much of our attention that we no longer have the time or craving for the well turned phrase and a rambling illustration...then life will be diminished beyond reclamation.

If you have not had the pleasure of basking in the mastery of story as it is delivered - no, performed - by Garrison Keillor then reach out into this digital, instant gratification world and GET YOU SOME well paced, long rambling, heart stroking, laughter generating, life adoring STORY.

Still alive. So much to share... Soon!