One thing I’ve learned from life so far
Well for one thing blogging is easy when other people do most of my thinking for me and I learn to shut up and listen.
This week our MYsocial regular Wednesday “Together” discussion was on the theme: One Thing I’ve learned from life so far. Here’s my take on some of the things people came up with. As always we looked for areas of agreement, and these were important ones for most of us:
Learn to really listen to other people. I admit I started that one. I didn’t say in the session, but an early lesson from my distant youth was an outdoor festival where I was doing a comedy acrobatics and philosophy act. Yes, strange but true. A group of Hell’s Angels started cutting up rough with me about this, as well they might, until their big scary leader said “Shut up and listen, you might learn something”. Been an inspiration to me ever since to learn to shut up, listen and maybe learn something. All in our Together group agreed that actually listening – rather than missing a lot of what’s being said because you’re doing the usual things like thinking up what you’d say in return – takes some doing, but… if we don’t mentally shut up and listen we cut ourselves out of too much understanding and learning.
Love your neighbour as yourself. This ran through a lot of what we were all coming up with. Neighbour as my self. Realising that this is actually true. Good religion meets good science. We don’t exist at all separate from each other. It takes everybody, our whole society including all our differences, our whole world, for me to be me. Love my neighbour as myself? Nothing else makes sense. My neighbour is myself.
Don’t worry about trivia or things beyond our control. Worrying about all the little things doesn’t make them better, just makes a life of worry. Likewise even big things beyond our control. Take them as they come, and act when there’s a way to act that is in our control. Notice how much kindness there actually is around, appreciate the excitement of riding it all.
Keep it simple: Pay attention to what is, here and now.
Learn to ask for help: Not so easy if you’re used to being the helper or always tried to do without it, but really important.
If you want to make a better world start at home, with yourself. “Drive your own train” as one of us said. Get past learned things that divide us: race, sex roles, selfishness….
All great stuff, innit? Can’t believe how much I’m learning from this group. It’s called “Together” and it’s every Wednesday at 2pm on the MYsocial calendar. Join us.
