The Space Between
In several of my recent posts, I refer frequently to the 'space between' our thoughts and 'things' and our subsequent reactions to these things. The question here is how do these internal spaces interact with and influence the outer spaces of our lives? The answer lies within the intentions behind our thoughts...How we direct our internal thoughts translates to what plays out before us externally...This is how we serve as portals for change.
This magical space is where we get to play director and 'take a knee' to contemplate our choices. The act of taking pause moves us immediately from a 'reactive state' governed by the chaotic unconscious, to that of an 'active state' of conscious choice. In other words, do we wish to create consciously or unconsciously the outcome of our circumstances?
Pascal is a masterful wordsmith, weaving an interesting tale of three balloons, (of which he refers to as 'siblings') on a freedom flight as they rise above the surface of the earth. Ironically, one of the balloon siblings becomes entangled in electrical wires as the other two watch helplessly from above. And sure enough, another becomes entangled as well. The surviving sibling continues to rise ever higher, powerless to save his brother and sister.
Distraught by the loss of his siblings, he strains to hear the last message being delivered by his dying sister..."Promise me you will never stop starting."
After reading this piece for the first time, I had a strange feeling of 'distress'...Initially, I thought it just a 'reaction' to the balloon siblings loss...However, shortly thereafter the meaning came bubbling to the surface like gangbusters from much deeper within the familial well. What happened next was such a profound moment of change for me in my relationship with my younger brother that I felt compelled to share with Pascal just how powerful an impact his story had on me.
Dear Pascal,
After reading this piece for the first time I found myself feeling exasperated by the 'balloon sibs caught on a wire'...Shortly thereafter, I got a text message from my younger brother telling me he had just been fired from his job. My first reaction to this was surprise as he and I rarely speak...I am not tolerant of his mood swings and despicable behavior when he is angry, so I have all but shut him out of my life...I had warned him repeatedly over the years that his brutal behavior would one day cost him something he loved....in this case his job.
Initially, I wanted to send him back a big " I TOLD YOU SO!" But instead, for some reason I went back to your post, (took a knee here) and read it again, this time while listening to the music embedded at the end of your article. Then something magical happened...For the first time in years my heart felt for him...I realized he didn't need my judgement now...He knew what he had done wrong and even admitted it to me in his message...He told me I was right and he wished he had listened...This was my opportunity to change my bitter relationship with him as he was reaching out to me.
The messages I sent back were full of encouragement and uplifting thoughts...(These feelings were evoked while I was listening to the music in your post) and I was able to have compassion for his loss, as he has suffered many as a result of his behavior in relationships...especially towards women. Now he was turning to me, a woman he has had a rocky relationship with for years...In my last comment to him I said, "Never stop being willing to start over."
Thank you Pascal..
for the perfect message wrapped in a beautiful musical package;-)
This story provides the perfect example of how we can create change in the outer landscape of our lives by being 'aware' in the moments we are triggered that we have a choice. My initial reaction to Pascals story was one of distress for a sibling that seemed to 'float away' on his own path to self-destruction.
In taking pause with my response and meditating on my direction, (in this case, taking another look at Pascals story and changing its impact by incorporating the musical accompaniment he so graciously embedded in its content), I was able to shift my mood from one of remorse to that of revelation in terms of changing the direction of my thoughts and rewrite my way to a new relationship with my younger brother by consciously choosing to encourage him rather than condemn him.
The most crucial element in every decision we make is the question we should all be asking ourselves before we engage in any interaction...Do we want to continue on the path of recycling the same energy in relation to whatever it is we are facing, or do we want to create new opportunities by always being willing to start over? You get to decide;-)
Articles from Cyndi wilkins
View blogAs soon as our children are old enough to understand, we teach them not to talk to strangers. Be war ...
Dedicated to my friend and 'Mom yet to beBee' ...Deb 🐝 Helfrich...Who takes the ingredients of a goo ...
"Every song we sing is a transference of energy to the world around us. Our lives therefore, are an ...
Related professionals
You may be interested in these jobs
-
Master Clinician
Found in: Jooble US O C2 - 2 days ago
Thriveworks Marblehead, MA, United Stateswith any questions or concerns. Thriveworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our people are our most valuable assets. We embrace and encourage differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, re ...
-
Server/Bartender
Found in: One Red Cent US C2 - 2 days ago
Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau Wisconsin Dells, United StatesServers, Bartenders: needed to fill a wide variety of shifts throughout our operating hours of 11 am to 12 Midnight. Experience is preferred but not necessary. Hourly pay depends on position and experience. · We offer employee meal discounts · Also for full time-year round staff, ...
-
Anesthesiologist - Full Time
Found in: Jooble US O C2 - 1 day ago
MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society Reading, PA, United States Full timeSt Joseph Medical Group · Work Type : Full Time · Shift : Varied · Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Berks County, Pennsylvania is seeking a TEE Certified Anesthesiologist with Cardiac experience to join our team. You'll join an outstanding team at our 204-bed state- ...
Comments
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #33
Cyndi wilkins That is a hard truth ... in our humanness the tenancy is to "only do good to those who do good to you" or approve you (what's not to love?) To love what is unlovely seems a supernatural ... even Divine act The miracle & manifestation of such LOVE that came to mind as I write is that of Jesus Christ as he hung on the cross "Father forgive them ... they do not know what they are doing" ~ Jesus I have a hard time with rude drivers and unkind, selfish ... thoughtless people ... have to work through these with grace and remind myself Whose I am ... who I belong to ;~) God has His work cut out in me ... but I have learned to be willing and desirous of His work ;~) Randall Burns our now quiet "Chef" I hope you are getting much deserved rest ;~) I'm going to have a flavor-filled "apple" for lunch ;~)
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #32
Yes Dear Fay Vietmeier...and “Love means loving the unlovable – or it is no virtue at all.”
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #31
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #30
Cyndi wilkins Randall Burns 2-26-20: I do thank you Cyndi for your wisdom & good wit ... I would love to be expanding this conversation over a glass of great wine ... and conch salad prepared by our wonderful “Chef” ... and watching the sun set. Now that might become a “devilish tug of war” ... worst case scenario someone gets thrown in the pool ;~) From my perspective … “iron sharpens iron” this means good conversion … not assured agreement... This is how we learn ... stretch our thinking ... and grow Its “OK” to disagree ... just not be “disagreeable” … which will not happen here ... for we are sweet bees ;~) “Sharing beliefs” is something we all do ... “imposing” them would be WRONG. Now as I type an example comes to mind: “A great chef once said” “The ultimate truth is like the flavor of an apple which you can’t see with the eye or hear with the ear. The only way to experience it is to put the teachings into practice. Once you taste it, you are no longer in any doubt about its flavor and you do not have to ask anyone else. The problem is solved.” ~ Ajahn Chan I mentioned to Randall that there is a correlation between writing and cooking There is also a correlation between faith and cooking (which is what the quote by Chan reminded me of) ... I have “tasted” Truth ... and it, like good food nourishes & strengthens ... and it is “sweet like honey” In recent decades I have experienced spiritual growth by putting those “teachings into practice” I’m living the flavor of the “apple” ;~) (part 1)
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #29
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #28
Randall Burns
4 years ago #27
Thank You for your response Fay Vietmeier The only thing that I can say is if that works for you then I am happy for you, truly. But I do not agree with it; just my opinion...
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #26
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #25
Randall Burns (part 2) I love that: “Jesus came from the Father full of grace & truth” … he established a New Covenant with man by what he accomplished on the cross … not “fire & brimstone” but Grace ;~) (Colossians & Hebrews declares the Supremacy of Jesus Christ-His fulfillment of the Law) This sets Christianity apart: Only Jesus Christ proclaimed that he would be killed/crucified … and then bodily be resurrected. This was witnessed and the account of those testimonies is recorded by historians and in the New Testament … this is historically Truth … the intent of following Christ is relationship with God … not adhering to “religion” (which is purely of man & should be avoided at all cost) (Cyndi wilkins said) & I agree: "there is good & evil in each person" … We choose moment by moment ... day by day which spirit to cooperate with: good of evil (the white wolf or the black wolf) … and again the spirit we feed dominates In the struggle between good & evil this is how the the “devil” who resides “within” … the evil one, the devil can “enter” a person and they become a vessel to accomplish evil … a person can knowingly or unknowingly cooperate with an evil force (be that Satan himself or one at his beck & call “Where there is an evil will there is an evil way” https://www.bebee.com/producer/@fay-vietmeier-pennsylvania/where-there-is-an-evil-will-there-is-an-evil-way
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #24
Randall Burns I agree with Oscar Wilde “The truth is rarely pure & never simple” "The Christian claim is: Nothing explains the facts better than an All-powerful, All-knowing, Omnipresent God creating the universe and sending Jesus to spread his message. This is about as remarkable a claim as could be stated, and yet it is tossed out lightly. Christians seem to imagine that "God did it" is as plausible as the natural explanation that stories grow with the retelling. The Christian has the burden of proof, and it's an enormous burden given this enormous claim." ~C. S. Lewis You make very good points Randall: each deserves a worthy answer … book have been written about these points … for this conversation brevity is a challenge … “Words written by man … interpreted by other men … removed by thousands of years … interpreted over and over from different languages … how can we even begin to assume what the original context really was … My initial response is a faith response … “all Scripture is God-breathed” … yes written by human vessels under the influence of the Holy Spirit History bears out: God’s Word has been not only been protected for thousands of years & preserved … even to this day Yes, there are many translations … different languages … but the essence of Truth remains … and remains relevant today … this is Providential (it would take decades of study to truly examine & compare translations: Hebrew, Greek) I too believe “we all have a chance for redemption” I agree there are many paths but there is only ONE Way to God … through Christ Everything in the Old Testament … points to Jesus Christ Christ had to fulfill all the prophesies that were made about Him ... which He did part 1
Randall Burns
4 years ago #23
Hi Fay Vietmeier I'm pondering your comments here and I must chime in to offer my perspective. I value and respect everyone's opinion and there is no other feeling in the world like having "faith". I'm familiar with the bible, I have read it and many "interpretations" of it and it is in the "interpretations" that is the crux of the problem; words written by man, interpreted by other men, removed by thousands of years, interpreted over and over from different languages; how can we even begin to assume what the original context really was? Makes for very interesting conversation though. As I said the "devil" is within us, it is part of us but even that definition is a stretch considering it's a description of our deeper more nebulous aspect of ourselves. I believe that we ALL have a chance for redemption. We are all on different paths traveling towards the same destination, (some maybe further advanced than others but that's Karma). I don't believe in all of the "Fire & Brimstone", the vengeful/wrathful reality doesn't ring true to me. What I believe is that each of us must heal, nurture and teach ourselves, and we will find peace. Here's an excerpt from one of my articles in which I state; "... I am utterly powerless and yet nothing can touch me, totally vulnerable but there is nothing for me to defend. My spirit is flying with the absolute freedom of my creation, expression and performance...". There is nothing outside of me that has caused me to achieve this blissful state... Can you imagine what kind of world we would be living in if everyone was in this frame of mind? No thought of war, hate, punishment, envy, ignorance, vengeance, etc. I'm reminded of John Lennon's song "Imagine"
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #22
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #21
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #20
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #19
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #18
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #17
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #16
I had not seen that post previously Randall Burns....and find it no coincidence that we essentially said the exact same thing with a few variations in words...Great minds think a like;-)
Randall Burns
4 years ago #15
#14 Awww shucks Cyndi wilkins , you're going to make me blush. LMAO!!! Thank you for your kind sentiments. Speaking of the Devil here's a couple of excerpts from one of my posts, (I don't think you've seen this one Cyndi, but both you and Fay Vietmeier may find it entertaining); " ...In closing I would like to remind everyone that the Devil was once an Angel and although he's fallen from grace even he has a chance for redemption, as we ALL do..." "...I believe in "The Yin & Yang" of life and in order to have the divine within us, we must also include the Devil; you can't have one without the other, embrace them both..." https://www.bebee.com/producer/@randall-burns/god-sends-meat-and-the-devil-sends-cooks
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #14
Something compels me to play 'Devil's advocate' here and remind us all that he is an 'Angel' in disguise...Cleverly taking on the role of temptation to challenge our beliefs...I remember you commenting about God having a sense of humor;-) Good and evil exist as one entity...There is good and evil in everyone...The difference is in the character we choose to play in each lifetime. Some may wrestle with this thought, but many who 'do evil things' feel no remorse in doing so...It is a part of their 'contract' so to speak...To play the evil villian is the experience of the world they have come to play out. I'm so glad you have enjoyed Dr. Alexanders books and referred them on as well...A fascinating story indeed...I loved the piece by Randall Burns as well... He is an extraordinary writer and one of my very favorite 'bees'...
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #13
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #12
Fay Vietmeier...Your comment reminds me of a book I used to read to my daughter every evening at bedtime...It was called 'The Kissing Hand' ...written by the lovely author Audrey Penn... It's message is exactly what you were teaching your son...about trying to understand the mindset of a 'bully' as being a misguided soul. True... it is not always successful to befriend a 'bully'...However, only other bullies will remain in 'the group'...Birds of a feather;-) My daughter experienced a different side of the 'bully factor' in being excluded from the 'girl groups' that begin forming very early on these days...Lordy, I saw it emerging in Kindergarten! What I encouraged her to do was to form her own alliances with the others that were also castaways from 'the cool kids'...and as it turned out, many of them were formerly associated with these 'clicks' and set packing for one reason or another. There was only one condition for membership...Everyone was welcome so long as kindness and inclusion was always demonstrated...Break that oath and you were again a 'castaway'.... Dear Fay....You know I do not believe in coincidence;-)
Fay Vietmeier
4 years ago #11
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #10
Thank goodness the world is more patient with us than we are ourselves Randall Burns;-)
Randall Burns
4 years ago #9
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #8
The 'magic' of this piece for me was in the 'mind-shift of the music' Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman, beBee Brand Ambassador...The impact was extraordinary, not only mentally but physically as well...I'm glad to have had the presence of mind to go back and re-read the piece while plugging in my headphones for the musical accompaniment...I love U2...Gave me goosebumps;-)
Ken Boddie
4 years ago #7
I guess you’re hoping for the former but preparing for the latter, Cyndi.
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #6
Oh boy does this ever speak volumes for me Ken Boddie! My little brother (not so little anymore at about 220 lbs) has always been the guy to complain that the world has 'done him wrong'...SOOOO exhausting is his childish behavior in expecting me and my other two sisters to continually bail him out of his self imposed messes. I flew off his radar years ago when I flat out refused to tolerate his demanding behavior. However, this interaction was different...The fact that he even reached out to me in the first place was a shocker...And then he proceeds to tell me I was right and he took full responsibility for his actions...So either he is beginning to see the err of his ways, or he's gearing up to ask for $$$...I suspect the latter but we'll see;-)
Ken Boddie
4 years ago #5
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #4
I must agree here my friend CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit..."You don’t need to ruminate in disappointment for how long you spent not realizing there was more to life than you assumed. The point is that you figured it out eventually." The point is the best version of ones own reality is anything that feels true in the moment;-)
CityVP Manjit
4 years ago #3
Cyndi wilkins
4 years ago #2
You shine like a 'spotlight' in a sky full of stars Pascal Derrien...Your humility is very endearing;-)
Pascal Derrien
4 years ago #1