Great piece for the new year! This line in particular got me thinking, maybe there’s a danger if taken too far.
“There’s something very calming about believing that nobody cares about what you do, that you could just be whatever you want to be.”
The danger may be that the personal importance of one’s responsibilities toward others in life may be diminished. That a sense of duty can and should be a powerful motivator. And that narcissism doesn’t have to accompany one’s awareness of their ability to make a difference in someone else’s life. That others may even be relying on you. You can provide for people humbly, especially when it involves sacrificing the endless possibilities to choose the path of responsibility.
You're absolutely right - this piece IS written for myself/from my own perspective, and personally, I struggle in the opposite direction 😅 I need more help getting over the fear of what the audience might think
Thank you, Miss Sherry. You're such a great writer who can help readers cope and let themselves know that everything is and will be fine and that life doesn't end there unless we let it. You made us realize that it's actually okay to feel all the ups and downs, because after all, we are all just human beings who wish to live our lives gracefully despite cruelty.
Because of you, I let myself transcend into a better person.
The late great author David McCullough once said the hardest part about being a biographer is getting the reader to keep in mind “that nothing was ever on track.” He continued, “Things could have gone any way at any point. As soon as you say ‘was,’ it seems to fix an event in the past. But nobody ever lived in the past, only in the present. The difference is that it was their present. They were just as alive and full of ambition, fear, hope, all the emotions of life. And just like us, they didn’t know how it would all turn out. The challenge is to get the reader beyond thinking that things had to be the way they turned out and to see the range of possibilities of how things could have been otherwise.”
Thanks for reading Tom! It brings me a sense of calm when I talk about myself in prophetic perfect tense :D (future events that are so certain to happen that they are referred to in the past tense as if they had already happened).
Never thought about biographies this way, but it makes perfect sense. And the idea of not thinking so much of yourself without degrading your self-worth is powerful and relieving.
Can’t stress enough how impactful your words are. ❤️🙌🏾
What a lovely exploration of the big picture, narrative perspective and how comforting it can be.
I like the balancing act. Courage and doubt, gratitude and ambition, letting go and receiving. Nice reminder that the existence of two opposites doesn't necessitate one to be wrong. Rather, they can both be helpful or valuable simultaneously.
Sherry, this is a wonderful piece that I'm reading as I first wake up. Dare I say, this is your best work so far.
I'm doing some dream practices at the moment. This often involves writing about my dreams... and sometimes, I'm a bit lazy about that, going straight for the coffee pot and the computer (like today).
But, the dream impressions left this morning were gratitude to my (departed) parents and joy having spent time with my sons family and some of their friends, in an idyllic camping ground next to the Pacific Ocean and it's waves.
The mood of your writing seemed to rhyme with this gratitude as I read it just now.. there's a great sense of humility and courage coming through in what I just read.
No doubt, there's some pattern recognition of my dream reflection too.
Have you ever read the phrase "The Eye with which I see God is the same Eye that God sees me?" That one carries weight and lasts a life time.
As does the etymology of the word Eye "ein" (אין) (Hebrew)- which can mean Fountain, amongst other things.
I heard this interpretation from the author Hubert Selby Junior who equated the word Eye with Projector.
YES Hubert... this experience is a co-creative relationship of seeing and being seen.
Thanks Sherry - I'm looking forward to carrying the mood you created and boosted for me into the day.
Wow thank you so much for your reflection and encouragement - Happy New Year, Ben!
I haven't heard of that phrase before (but I can visualize using that in a future article) :)
I don't know Hubert Selby Jr., but Freud said something similar about the eye-projector comparison, he talked about religion as a "projection" of what the psyche really wants (ie. wish-fulfilment). I don't fully agree with Freud but I thought this idea was fascinating (he wrote about this in "Future of an Illusion")
Great piece for the new year! This line in particular got me thinking, maybe there’s a danger if taken too far.
“There’s something very calming about believing that nobody cares about what you do, that you could just be whatever you want to be.”
The danger may be that the personal importance of one’s responsibilities toward others in life may be diminished. That a sense of duty can and should be a powerful motivator. And that narcissism doesn’t have to accompany one’s awareness of their ability to make a difference in someone else’s life. That others may even be relying on you. You can provide for people humbly, especially when it involves sacrificing the endless possibilities to choose the path of responsibility.
You're absolutely right - this piece IS written for myself/from my own perspective, and personally, I struggle in the opposite direction 😅 I need more help getting over the fear of what the audience might think
The weight of perceived and manufactured responsibility can needlessly accumulate to an immense burden, no doubt!
Much needed. Wishing everyone a Happy New!
Thanks for reading! Happy 2024!
Just what I needed.
Glad :) Happy 2024!
Thanks for showing me a new perspective to look at myself and life's events. HNY!
Thanks for reading - Happy 2024!!
Thank you, Miss Sherry. You're such a great writer who can help readers cope and let themselves know that everything is and will be fine and that life doesn't end there unless we let it. You made us realize that it's actually okay to feel all the ups and downs, because after all, we are all just human beings who wish to live our lives gracefully despite cruelty.
Because of you, I let myself transcend into a better person.
Happy new year!
Thank you for your kind words. <3 It makes me feel warm knowing that you received my article this way — it's why I write in the first place!
Have a blessed 2024!!
This piece has wisdom & aspirations that I always believed in for myself from last year. Nice words & perfect timing 🤌 Happy New Year
Thanks for reading, Sanjivani. I hope your 2024 is filled with the courage to pursue those aspirations :)
I love this Sherry!
The late great author David McCullough once said the hardest part about being a biographer is getting the reader to keep in mind “that nothing was ever on track.” He continued, “Things could have gone any way at any point. As soon as you say ‘was,’ it seems to fix an event in the past. But nobody ever lived in the past, only in the present. The difference is that it was their present. They were just as alive and full of ambition, fear, hope, all the emotions of life. And just like us, they didn’t know how it would all turn out. The challenge is to get the reader beyond thinking that things had to be the way they turned out and to see the range of possibilities of how things could have been otherwise.”
Thanks for reading Tom! It brings me a sense of calm when I talk about myself in prophetic perfect tense :D (future events that are so certain to happen that they are referred to in the past tense as if they had already happened).
Powerful read. I really needed this.
Never thought about biographies this way, but it makes perfect sense. And the idea of not thinking so much of yourself without degrading your self-worth is powerful and relieving.
Can’t stress enough how impactful your words are. ❤️🙌🏾
Loved this read. It makes me think of enriched distances that is a theme I want to adopt for life.
Such a wonderful read 🌻 Thank you for sharing 🌻
What a lovely exploration of the big picture, narrative perspective and how comforting it can be.
I like the balancing act. Courage and doubt, gratitude and ambition, letting go and receiving. Nice reminder that the existence of two opposites doesn't necessitate one to be wrong. Rather, they can both be helpful or valuable simultaneously.
Thank you for your work!!
Thank you for your kind words!
This is so beautiful, i need to constantly read this every month
Blessed new year, Sherry! Thank you for bringing so much ✨ hope and love ✨ to us this new year xx
What a beautiful read. Thank you.
Thank you, Mike!
Sherry, this is a wonderful piece that I'm reading as I first wake up. Dare I say, this is your best work so far.
I'm doing some dream practices at the moment. This often involves writing about my dreams... and sometimes, I'm a bit lazy about that, going straight for the coffee pot and the computer (like today).
But, the dream impressions left this morning were gratitude to my (departed) parents and joy having spent time with my sons family and some of their friends, in an idyllic camping ground next to the Pacific Ocean and it's waves.
The mood of your writing seemed to rhyme with this gratitude as I read it just now.. there's a great sense of humility and courage coming through in what I just read.
No doubt, there's some pattern recognition of my dream reflection too.
Have you ever read the phrase "The Eye with which I see God is the same Eye that God sees me?" That one carries weight and lasts a life time.
As does the etymology of the word Eye "ein" (אין) (Hebrew)- which can mean Fountain, amongst other things.
I heard this interpretation from the author Hubert Selby Junior who equated the word Eye with Projector.
YES Hubert... this experience is a co-creative relationship of seeing and being seen.
Thanks Sherry - I'm looking forward to carrying the mood you created and boosted for me into the day.
Wow thank you so much for your reflection and encouragement - Happy New Year, Ben!
I haven't heard of that phrase before (but I can visualize using that in a future article) :)
I don't know Hubert Selby Jr., but Freud said something similar about the eye-projector comparison, he talked about religion as a "projection" of what the psyche really wants (ie. wish-fulfilment). I don't fully agree with Freud but I thought this idea was fascinating (he wrote about this in "Future of an Illusion")
Happy new year.
Cheers :)