Rumi -Written in the 15th Century

This being human is a guest house,

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows

who violently sweep your house

empty of furniture.

Still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

--Rumi

Transferred from an old blog - here were the responses:

jinksy said...: Is that where my laughter comes from?! Look out - you'll get sprayed!; September 23, 2009 at 11:11:00 AM CDT
Renee said...: Sydney, thank you for always caring about what is going on with me. And for loving Sheldon too.

Love Renee xoxo; September 25, 2009 at 9:49:00 PM CDT
Laurie said...: funny that I found this today, the day I need to read it.

Thank you!; October 7, 2009 at 1:27:00 PM CDT

Comments

JUST DO IT: National Novel Writing Month

November is National Novel Writing month. Did you know that?

I want to encourage people who are thinking of doing NANO to do it. It's described as "a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30... for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel." (more on the NANO website) And I will add - or writing anything, and meeting others who are doing the same. I've been contacted by a few writing friends who are hesitant so I want anyone else out there to know:
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Principles of Adult Behavior" - John Perry Barlow

A must read, a fine checklist. Pass it around at the office :)

1. Be patient. No matter what.
2. Don’t badmouth: Assign responsibility, not blame. Say nothing of another you wouldn’t say to him or her.
3. Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you.
4. Expand your sense of the possible.
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6. Expect no more of anyone than you can deliver yourself.
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13. Never lie to anyone for any reason.
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Eulogy for Albert Joseph

Editors Note: The italics are an intro, the eulogy itself is below the photos.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

In the early hours of Saturday, March 22, my father passed away, at home, in his own bed, from natural causes. He was not struggling. He didn't cry out or look scared. We didn't know it would be his last day.

He had looked a little more lackluster earlier that evening as my sister was visiting him at our house. Yet his vitals were normal, so he was put to bed. By 3:00 AM his caregivers said he was breathing heavily, so they propped him up on his pillows hoping to create some relief. His pulse was good at 69... And yet, he took one big breath and then, no more.

Don't we all wish to go under our own roof, free of wires and tubes! For that much, and that he is no longer in the state that he had been in, I'm very grateful.

Photo by Joannah Merriman

For the previous five years he'd suffered from a multitude of conditions that happen to the body when it gets old. In the fi…

IsThisThingOn?

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