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Friday, November 16, 2007

Tribute


This piece pays tribute to people who have pushed forward through pain and suffering again and again, and in the process have become genuine and compassionate. These words are bandied about a lot, but I find they are rare. Genuine is being true to who you are (which means you have to find who you are and face yourself), and that doesn't mean doing whatever you like to whomever you like. It means respecting who you are and extending that respect to others. Compassion -- ah, how difficult that is...because you have to stop comparing or seeing through your own narrow optic, but extend that vision to see others in their own context, not yours.


I had a conversation with a close friend of mine about this subject, how there are people who say they are this or that and yet behave in the opposite way ........ and she pointed out that many people embrace these ideas intellectually but not in their heart or practice because it's too difficult.


I think about these things because I need to know the world I'm living in, and I need to be genuine, to be true to myself. The alternative is feeling hollow, never satisfied, always wanting from outside of myself. And that is not an option for me. Whenever I feel despair or disappointment coming on, I remember that I have not come this far to jump off a cliff!


Be well, be happy, be safe.


10 comments:

  1. you know, colette, i hav never met a day that 'gee, it could be worse. i could be pregnant!' didn't make instantly better. :)

    trudge through the mires, you fellow girls. chocolate is on the other side.

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  2. you sound alot like me.. sometimes, I feel like jumping of a cliff too. but I don't...

    I strive to find who I am and to face myself and I strive to be compassionate, kind, gentle and loving towards myself and others.. and I trudge through life learning, falling, picking myself up and starting over... then I realize that I must continue to be gentle with myself....

    this is a wonderful, wonderful post from a wonderful wonderful angel in my life, thankyou xoxoxo

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  3. ps - oh and I love the shoes, if they were real, I would want to wear them, the colour is perfect for me right now.. bright and brilliant for summer.. espradilles is what you call them I think?

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  4. Deep, wonderful thoughts...mirrored by your artwork too. Thanks for this post Colette. We all really appreciate you.

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  5. Wise words, my friend and lovely art. xo

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  6. thank you for YOU and your wisdom...compassion is your middle name. Love, J

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  7. Your words are beautiful and the art is wonderful.

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  8. Hi darling,just popping in to say hi,Think that maybe tomorrow I will start decorating for Christmas holidays and getting menu ready for Thanksgiving.having a wonderful quilt,feeling great weekend.xxoo

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  9. Will be giving this away in a drawing on Dec .10th darlings so come leave y'alls blog for the drawing,it had some papers from magazine and vintage mica. Got some of my decorating up,will finish up this week.xxoo to all.

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  10. Some days it's easy to be who I am, then another day, I wonder: Is this really me?
    Walking these roads, one foot in front of the other, is part of my 8and many other's) life, so I loved this tribute, this piece.
    Thanks for showing it and writing so good about it.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate each and every one of you.