A Humble Posture of Learning

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 21, 2019 in collaborating, Inspiration, Personal Values, Striving

November 21, 2019-

One of the things our parents instilled in my siblings and me is that it’s possible to learn from anyone. I took that as a dictum to listen and to draw lessons from what someone does, as well as what is said.

Jordan Peterson’s tenth rule for life is just that: “Learn from those who know what you don’t know.” Watching and listening is always a good thing, when combined with the ability to discern right from wrong. I can listen to someone describe how they snookered gullible people, in their old neighbourhood, and LEARN: 1). How not to let that person, or someone like him/her, take advantage of me; 2. How not to treat a gullible person. On the other hand, I can watch and listen, carefully, to a seasoned automobile engine mechanic demonstrate how to remove and replace the rings and valves of the engine, and maybe, given the right circumstances, perform the activity myself.

A Roma man, in Paris, after failing to con me into taking a ring that I had seen him drop on the sidewalk, decided to tell me of other tricks that his rivals, on the Right Bank of the Seine, might try on me. These tips came in handy, especially as when it started pouring rain, I only wanted to get back to my hotel. Yes, the scams included “Monsieur, look! My uncle is coming, with his pedicab!!” (There was no pedicab, as my Roma friend had told me there wouldn’t be. He had said that, if I looked on cue, two deft fingers would search my back pockets. As it happened, I had only a soiled handkerchief in my back right pocket, and nothing in my left, as my valuables were secure, elsewhere.)

One can also learn from observing others, and from overhearing them. I try to keep that to a polite minimum, but it has often been beneficial, so long as I don’t try to inject myself into their business, without cause.

The greater point is: None of us knows everything, and those who pretend as much, fool few outside of their own circle-if even them. Baha’u’llah prescribes adopting a humble posture of learning. It is that which leads me to read, to observe what goes on around my Home Base, to stay abreast of current events and to travel, when time avails itself.

The Conscious Step Away From An Abyss

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 20, 2019 in collaborating, distraction issues, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

November 20, 2019-

So, it now happens that, if I want to truly understand what Jordan Peterson is trying to say, in his Twelve Rules for Life, I will have to actually read his book. The reason is the depth of Rule 9. A simple synopsis is: Understand Your Dark Side. Know exactly that of which you are capable, and resolve not to do it.

Each of us has a dual nature, which is exactly why Christ endured 40 days of temptation and His Crucifixion. He wanted us to know that the path away from self-destruction lay totally in following the Teachings of the Divine, which derive, essentially, from the Golden Rule. Not only acts of goodness, but consciousness and dismissal of, the darkness within. Baha’u’llah endured the indignity of His tormentors, who included many within His own family, that we may see the two paths down which we might each go, and that we may choose the Path of Light.

I have had struggles, all throughout this life, and only after enduring Penny’s disease, vicariously- and as her caretaker; only after wrestling with left-over baggage, following her passing, and making a conscious decision to turn aside from the darkness, have I ended up in a place of Light. So, I get the gist of what Dr. Peterson speaks here. Seeing the dark, and teetering on the edge of it, is debilitating. Seeing the goodness, and nurturing it, sends the spirit soaring.

Workaday Hollywood, and The Slog

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 19, 2019 in collaborating, Community, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Travel

November 12, 2019, Indio-

Among my circle of family and friends, a half dozen or so live in and work around Hollywood, with a view towards making it in the film industry. I have a sense that each of them will make their mark; some being steady and modest successes and others rising to considerable fame. This is a harsh environment, both in terms of the level of competition and in the amount of stress that striving to entertain others produces. Then, there is all that comes with living in Los Angeles- Knowing how to adapt to high volumes of vehicular traffic and living among a lot of people with intense schedules and lifestyles. The same could be said of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta or Seattle; in fact, of any large city. Los Angeles, though, has The Allure; a generally mild climate and a goodly number of laid-back people, scattered among the intense crowd.

Penny and I visited Hollywood, in the Spring of 1986, heading straight for the Walk of Fame, after having spent a day in Disneyland and the following evening at Knotts Berry Farm. This was our only trip to LA. All other California visits focused on San Diego, Santa Cruz and, once, Santa Barbara. Since she’s been gone, I’ve been in the LA area a few times, but today was my first visit back to Hollywood. This time, the Walk of Fame was not on the agenda. My purpose was a visit with one of the above-mentioned aspirants in my circle, who is one of my son’s best friends, and the venue was a small eatery on Hollywood Boulevard: Division 3.

As you can see, Hollywood, as it exists for many people who live there, is rather densely built, with parking at a high premium. All manner of people are out and about. I initially parked about a half-mile away, near a Catholic school, well off the main drag. When I.P. arrived, we walked up to my parking spot and he told me of better, closer spaces. So, Elantra ended up about two blocks south of Hollywood and Bronson.

Back at Division 3, we enjoyed about 2 1/2 hours of conversation, catching up on all that transpired since Aram had last visited Phoenix, about four years ago. As it happened, that was the length of time that the harried restaurant chef needed to fill our order. Hollywood establishments frequently get slammed with large, spur-of-the-moment orders, especially at lunch time. The fare was worth it, as neither of us happened to be in much of a rush. One touching moment was a homeless man, seemingly a bit confused, asking me where Michael J. Fox was. I told him Mr. Fox was off working for Parkinson’s research, which made him feel better. IP and I got in our Hollywood, 2019 photos. (That’s my camera case, on my right hip, BTW.)

The meet-up ended all too soon, and I was off on the last part of this LA adventure: The Slog. Hollywood-to-Rossmore-to-Wilshire-to-Crenshaw-to- I-10 was pretty much a breeze. LA to Palm Desert was far less so. It was 3:15, when I merged onto my moving home, for the next four hours. What is comforting about The Slog is that, as in Chicago and New York, people have worked it out. Public Enemy # One would be anyone who causes an accident; things are hard enough as it is. We were family in anonymity, keeping watch for those who were moving slower or faster than the majority. No one, in my scrum, was injured or inconvenienced, and by 7:15, I was in Palm Desert, stopping to visit Bill Tracey’s crew at the third branch of Bill’s Pizza. It is a large, spacious and very welcoming edifice, off Highway 111.

The Slog is hardly something in which I will be partaking, frequently. It is an ungainly use of energy, time and space, necessary, for the foreseeable future-but crying out for alternatives. Surface roads help out some; yet mass transit and more regional urban villages need to be a greater part of the mix.

I am stopped for the night, at Western Sands Motel, in this easternmost edge of LA’s Metro Extension. Tomorrow, I head back to Home Base and preparations for what may turn into an early winter-snow is part of the forecast, next week and the week after.

The Wilshire Finger Points East

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 18, 2019 in collaborating, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Social, Travel

November 12, 2019, Santa Monica-

There are any number of iconic streets across the country, and in the Los Angeles area, in particular. U.S. Route 66 ends (or begins) here, a scant few blocks from where I stood just moments ago. Several of the streets around this quadrant are enshrined in my childhood memory, albeit from TV ( Sunset Boulevard and Strip remain in the Long-Term Bank, thanks to Edd “Kookie” Byrnes, who was the king of smooth). Route 66 itself was the province of George Maharis (“Buzz Murdock”, Kookie’s heir apparent).

It is Wilshire Boulevard, though, which has the most cachet- It starts here, overlooking the beach and hosts some of LA’s great museums. Wilshire leads the visitor to UCLA’s turnoff, to Hollywood and, eventually, to Koreatown.

At its western terminus, St. Monica herself is the traffic icon, standing between Wilshire and the long drop down a steep cliff.

I chose to walk, from the far end of Third Avenue’s Promenade, to this overlook.

So, the true glory of Santa Monica, these days, lies in how the city is making itself pedestrian-friendly. Third Street Promenade, like other urban pioneering efforts, is a well-planned and relaxing venue for people, of all walks of life, to re-center themselves. My first order of business, after checking out of Rest Haven, was to find breakfast. That matter was resolved by Santa Monica’s branch of LA’s Le Pain Quotidien. Mini-pancakes and cafe au lait sufficed, as there will be a lunch meet-up with a family friend later on, in Hollywood. LPQ is my kind of spot, though, with a long communal table that goes against the “keep away from my turf” ethic that is so prevalent in many American establishments. Strangers here are truly “friends you haven’t met.”

These are just a few of what LPQ offers.

The long row does have its share of kitsch, in the form of dinosauria. At least, it’s imaginative kitsch.

Bella, another signature cafe, would have been my breakfast choice, had not LPQ stared me in the face, when I first left the parking garage.

Walking towards the beach overlook, I was captivated by a small boy, who was re-arranging these chess pieces, under his mother’s watchful eyes. I sat a few rows away and pondered his “strategy”. For a four-year-old, the little guy was doing quite well.

Such is life, in one of Los Angeles’ most eclectic satellite communities. Now, it is time for me to head to yet another of those: Hollywood.

Fulfilling vs. Expedient

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 11, 2019 in collaborating, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Striving

November 11, 2019, Santa Monica-

A few days ago, back at Home Base, I found that some javelinas had knocked over a couple of neighbours’ trashcans. Although it was early morning and I was in relaxation mode, there was the element of “We don’t have to live like this”, which has long been my mantra, with regard to tolerating a squalid environment. I went outside and picked up the entire mess.

Jordan Peterson’s seventh rule for living is “Do what is fulfilling, instead of what is expedient”. My mother never let us slide, when it was time to get a task, chore or school assignment done. God knows, there were plenty of times when I would have loved to hang loose and slack off. It is a blessing that I never got away with it.

Many times, people have said to me that I do things “the hard way”. Mostly, if I do such things, it is so I can remember how to do them properly, the next time. As for not being necessarily expedient, I have found that cutting corners almost always returns to haunt me. It’s better to go the extra mile, the first time.

That is also the way of the veteran, whose service rarely, if ever, allowed for expediency.

Likability is Contagious

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 7, 2019 in children, collaborating, Community, Family, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Striving

November 7, 2019-

When I was a child, I was not “picked” for a team until last, most of the time, because of my relative lack of coordination. I was, however, not an unpopular person, mainly because everyone was welcome in my yard, and in my sandbox. The disputes I had with some neighbourhood kids were never permanent. I was taught that I was not the center of the Universe.

Jordan Peterson entitles his fifth rule for life “Don’t Let Your Kids Behave in A Way That Makes You Dislike Them”. He notes that many parents vehemently deny that they could ever dislike their children. I was not one of those. When our son did something that was distasteful or reprehensible, I thought to myself that it would be remiss of me, as a father, to gloss over it. So, I corrected him and established the lesson, that what his mother and I found unlikable, other people would also be inclined to take umbrage.

In seeing what he did that was unlikable, I also had to face myself, and look to see if I was also behaving the same way. Penny was good at making me take account for my flaws, and vice versa. We helped one another shed a fair amount of baggage, and after her passing, I had to shed a lot more-sometimes with the unwanted help of online critics but most often with my one-on-one self-critiques.

Today, he is largely a self-starter, and has weathered quite a few storms-many of which were not of his own making. He has many friends and has found a wonderful woman, with whom to build a life. None of this would have happened, had he been saddled with laissez-faire parents and absent extended family. Penny’s parents were present, every step of the way, and my siblings took their avuncular duties seriously.

Dr. Peterson has thus encapsulated the need of the human being for constructive criticism, as well as praise, when it is warranted; that we innately have a need for boundaries to be set, as a way to know that we are in a safe environment. There is no finer gift that a parent can bestow upon a child.

The True Standard

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 5, 2019 in collaborating, distraction issues, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving

November 5, 2019-

Returning to Jordan Peterson’s “Twelve Rules for Life”, #4 states “Compare Your Present Self Only to Your Past Self, not to Anyone Else.”

As social animals, we so often give other human beings far too much credit, for perfection or superiority. I’ve heard from so many: “It’s cold and lonely, on the pedestal.”

So, I have made it my business to measure my progress, compared to where I was-six months ago, twenty, thirty or forty years ago. Then (1970), I hid from my peers. Now, I am in the world, but not of it. Then (1977), I found solace in the bottle. Now, I find peace and tranquility in service, in meditation and in standing up for the downtrodden. Then (1982), I handed out money on demand. Now, I contribute reasonably, without caving in to every demanding voice or thrust-out hand. Then (1981), I viewed different people with different lenses. Now, every human being is seen in the light of their character. Then, (1954-1986), I looked upon myself as essentially unworthy of love, as damaged goods. Now, I am proud of what I have achieved, no matter what others might view as inadequate. Then, (until 2010), I saw myself as a frequent victim of “politicians”, “the Elite”, “the Establishment”. Now, I see those in positions of power as basically living out their own life plan, without seeing myself as a pawn on their chessboard. Then, (prior to 2012), I had no idea why I behaved atypically, so often. Now, I know I have a place on the Autism/Asperger’s spectrum-and that’s okay.

The only true standard we have is our own life.

Random Observations, on A Quiet Sunday

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 3, 2019 in collaborating, distraction issues, impediments, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual

November 3, 2019-

I see that my recent posts have led quite a few people to delete my site. All the best, but my writing is, first and foremost, sharing my thoughts, not pandering to yours. If I have ten followers left, so be it.

People who stand up for themselves very often have to get past the trolls and pundits. I notice that, in the current presidential campaign. Anyone who crosses the Establishment is attacked as “weird”. That will never change their truth.

We had a great day, yesterday, as 65 people observed the Bicentenary of the Birth of al-Bab, at Prescott Senior Center.

I heard a Roman Catholic say, this morning, that all Muslims should be killed. The Quran mentions Jesus, in a reverent way, countless times-and more often than the New Testament. Fighting extremism is one thing, blind genocide, quite another. By the way, anyone interested in mass slaughter, of any population, will have to include me among their victims. God willing, I’d be standing in front. (Yes, that includes Christians being persecuted by Muslims and Hindus. Wrong is wrong.)

The most important thing facing me, this month, is setting up a safe, comfortable place for my daughter-in-law, who will be here for several weeks in December, while her husband is separated from the Regular Navy. Happily, he will have six years of Reserve duty, to help them get established in civilian life.

The Spiral

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 2, 2019 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Matters of Faith, Spiritual, Striving

November 2, 2019-

The day wound around, on a gradual upswing. There being no Farmers’ Market today, I found my way to a special event: Highland Nature Center’s Holiday Bazaar. There, I found a booth where two young boys were selling some interesting, and well-made craft items, whilst being cheerfully coached by their father. I bought a lavender cold pack, which is good for 30-40 uses. Another booth had knit caps, for women and girls, so I bought one for a friend’s 3-year -old daughter. Finally, some graphic artists had a booth, where I found a lovely “Welcome to Our Home” placard, as an advance gift for a couple who’ll be married next weekend.

With that, it was off to the preparation for our public observance of al-Bab’s Bicentenary. A goodly crew of us set up an exquisite setting, at Prescott’s Senior Center, and all told, we had 65 people who attended all, or part, of the festivities. It was a quality program, and I was glad to help several people feel at home, from a skittish woman who could barely relax, to a visitor, who was a friend of the hymn singer, and was happy to visit with the singer and his wife, if only for a short time. The spiral continued upward.

We were done with clean-up by 5 p.m., but where is my cell phone? I retraced my steps, found no phone, let the janitor of the hall know to look out for it, and left to take care of a couple, more urgent errands. The errands done, a friend tipped me off that the event hall was still open, for an evening event. So, back to the Center I went, and with the night janitor leading the way, I went to the back stage area, where I’d eaten a snack, out of sight of my satiated friends, towards the end of the set-up.

It was the night janitor who spotted my phone, neatly camouflaged, as it was monochromatic with the stereo speaker on which I’d set it, during said snack. The day thus ended with yet another upward spiral.

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A Sagittarian Seeker

Sharing a life of inner and outer journeys

Category Archives: collaborating

A Humble Posture of Learning

The Conscious Step Away From An Abyss

Fulfilling vs. Expedient

The Spiral

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