The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror.
And each will smile at the other’s welcome, and say sit here, eat.
You will love again the stranger who was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you all your life, whom you ignored for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, the photographs, the desperate notes.
Finding a space to be yourself Where you can be honest and at ease These spaces are hard to come by In a noisy world that creates dependence. Because people want to help And helping becomes controlling.
But a person’s space isn’t here to be controlled It’s an open space for listening, more than judging It’s a space that empowers Not divides based on finding imperfections to fix
It sees YOU And it empowers YOU as an individual. Rather than a piece of data in an end-game that is not about you.
Because they’re not really interested in you They’re interested in your label, to sell a sweater, news post, or politics What do you love? What’s bothering you? What was the best part of your day? These questions aren’t asked.
Honest questions require listening Rather than assumption. The space of existence is not based on assumption. The space is here for independence.
But the space has become toxic It’s become noisy and divisive The space has become muddled and emotional and impatient. But the solution is clear
You have a responsibility now: It’s time for you to create the space around you Others need that space, however small Because the larger space is compromised Filled with intentions and generalizations And confusion.
Instead of looking to that dysfunctional space We each need to create our own For our friends, and family, and neighborhoods. Because our country has become a place of outrage and anxiety
So now it’s up to YOU to provide that strength and stability. Your strength and stability helps others A solid place, of clarity A space of confidence
Creating a committee program to take care of your neighbor isn’t strength It’s moving responsibility from the person to the institution It is strange and unnatural It’s the opposite of personal strength. Instead of empowering you to control your own space It seeks to control everyone’s space.
Create your space This is our responsibility now. Carve it out with disciplined intent Carve it out with respect for yourself Because your space is most important. Your space puts up boundaries for you and those you love.
Finding a space to be yourself Where you can live Where you can be honest Without constant judgment Without superficial labels.
These spaces are hard to come by In a world that’s creating dependence. Because people want to help And helping becomes controlling.
Because mama bear wants to keep you safe.
But the space isn’t about safety. It’s an open space where people listen Not judge It’s a space that empowers It’s not here to eliminate risk.
The space is here to allow you to take risks.
It sees YOU, and not your group identity. The space is here to give us INDEPENDENCE.
But the space has become toxic It’s become noisy and divisive The space has become heavy and emotional and impatient.
But the solution is clear You have a responsibility now: It’s time for you to create the space around you For others
The larger space is compromised Filled with generalizations and blame In an effort to promote diversity It has promoted sameness, through equal outcomes.
It has forgotten the individual.
Instead of looking to that toxic space We each need to create our own For our friends, and family, and neighborhoods.
Now YOU must provide that strength and stability. Communicate that power which others can lean on A solid place, of clarity, and respect of individuals. A space of confidence that trusts people to make their own choices.
Finding a space to be yourself? That doesn’t work so well
Unplug from the toxic space. And create your own space instead.
The ego builds walls. The collective ego builds the biggest walls. Governments, tribes, and religions have a long history of war and conflict and divisiveness. When given more power, they claim they will protect us…that they will eliminate disparities and differences. That they will eliminate the “us and them”.
There is no such panacea through these collectives.
How to avoid this?
Stop seeking perfection through the ideology of a collective.
Start seeking improvement, through yourself and your community.
If you step into the arena
You take a risk
You tell her you love her,
her smile,
her laugh,
her butt.
You let her in
You reveal to her
when you’re hurt or lost.
And you don’t know
if she’ll buck you
If she’ll walk away…
If she’ll open herself to you.
But that adventure…
Together
riding the largest waves of emotion
and connection
and honesty…
That’s where it gets fun.
That’s a life.
That’s adventure.