A quick hello and a poem
Hello, my friends! Life these days has been rich and busy, and full of weird adventures. I’m teaching a 2-day course on negotiation next month, and pitching in some time with an interesting start-up, and working on making new connections in my new community. I just joined a gym and signed up for strength training, as a way to meet people and also because I know lifting heavy things is good for me. And somewhere along the way, I have totally forgotten about writing, so I am hereby renewing my commitment to engage in creative work.
I’m going to keep this short, but I do want to share a poem that I wrote today. (I know, ugh, poetry, bleh.) There are many things about the state of the world that are pretty terrifying, and there are some things that are very hopeful too. There are ways that we talk to each other within cultures, and ways that we fail to listen across cultures, and occasionally there are ways that we manage to bridge to a new understanding. And all of those things are the aggregate of small choices that every one of us makes each day. Drop by drop, step by step, brick by brick, we all shape the world.
No one will make you
be kinder
be more charitable
give generously
be daring
buy less stuff
fix things you already have
challenge what you think you know
listen to others (really listen)
let go of resentment
let go of expectation
love yourself
love the sunshine
love the rain.
These things belong to you alone.
And on them the world depends.
