Archive for 2009

give ‘em a break: everyday love and assumptions

“I don’t know what you’re going through.”

This is a mantra that I take to the streets with me. It comes in particular handy when someone races ahead of me in traffic, or butts in front of me in line, or doesn’t return my “hello” when passing by.
“I don’t know what you’re going through.”

It’s an instant dissolver for feeling pissed off and put out – an amazing equalizer of judgment. A magical mind-stretcher that makes me wonder if someone…

…is on their way to a chemo treatment
…just got off a plane from the red eye from Chicago
…is newly pregnant
…is heart broken, clinically depressed, or weathering the darkest night of their soul
…is on their way to pick up their kid who fell off the monkey bars at school
…is wondering how they’re going to make the rent or save their business
“I don’t know what you’re going through.”

Because I don’t. And sometimes, most often, suspending assumptions is a marvelous act of compassion. Because who knows where some has come from when they cross your path.

 

start where you are: pema chodron

I've given away at least a dozen copies of this book. I've given away my last tattered treasured copy, saying, "You must have this, go now." And then gone out immediately to replace my copy because my book shelf feels anemic without it. Needless to say, Pema Chodron's Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living, would be one of my stranded-on-an-island book picks.

The heart of the book is Buddhist mind training "slogans."
Divine dictums like:

• Examine the nature of unborn awareness.
• Don't ponder others.
• Abandon any hope of fruition.
• All activities should be done with one intention.
• Don't expect applause.

As Chodron puts it, "The basic notion is that we can make friends with what we reject, what we see as 'bad' in ourselves and in other people. At the same time, we could learn to be generous with what we cherish, what we see as 'good'. If we begin to live this way, something in us that may have been buried for a long time begins to ripen."

Juicy cosmic fruit.

 

fontstruct: design your own type

FontStruct is a free font-building tool. Be still my heart! One of my creative goals this year is to design my very own typeface. This is my idea of a killer app. Typography freaks unite.

 

kiva: be a microlender

I love Kiva. My $50 bucks is currently helping two groups of women, one in Uganda and one in Cambodia to build their businesses. When the money is re-paid, I'll re-loan it to new entrepreneurs.

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holy hot

 

The Creative Family, Amanda Blake Soule

for aspiring creative mamas

 

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