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Fate

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Fate –

I was listening to an incarcerated man speak about his children last week; “This is my life. It is what I’ve always wanted. Not jail but respect. To get the respect I had to do things which would take me to jail. When my boy grows up if this is the life he lives I will respect him and we’ll rule the jail together.” To hear him hurt my heart. He had decided there was a certain path he, and his family, had no choice to follow to achieve his goal; respect. He didn’t realize it but he was talking about fate.

The dictionary defines fate; “the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.” For this man, the family he was born into, the house he grew up in, the neighborhood he roamed as an adolescent, the laws and societal norms he broke to fit in, powers beyond his control, all came together to put him on the path of being incarcerated. It was his fate and the presumably the fate of his children as well.

Wisdom tells us there are two circles; a large one and a small one. The large one is the things we cannot control; events, tragedies, positive occurrences and negative influences, most of life fits in this circle. The smaller circle are things we can control; choices, habits, reactions, responses to the negative influences and the positive occurrences. There is much out of control and life can seem overwhelming and chaotic. How do we find the right path in a world full of greed, hate, and evil? How do we know what’s right when a lot of things seem headed in the wrong direction? Or, are we fated to walk a certain path because of where we were born and to whom, grew up, genetics, role models?

The power to choose, to react, respond to the life that is given to us is great. It cannot stop tragedies, events, life from happening but it can decide how these things which are out of our control impact us. Life seems easier for some than others. Privilege is real. However, it doesn’t define us unless we allow it to set our course.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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The Question of Freedom

Jul 4

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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The Question of Freedom –

This morning a question was asked by a friend; “What are you celebrating this July 4th?” My answer was; “I’m not sure.” The easy answer is freedom, but freedom from what? I feel like we live in a time of disillusion and division. People are losing their right to express themselves no matter where their theology, political allegiances or cultural upbringing. We have become an intolerant and shaming nation. Those who are different, not like us, don’t share our beliefs and convictions, we condemn without either side given the chance to express ideas and discuss. Instead, we see different as a threat and label them as unworthy to be an American.

What does it mean to be free? What does it mean to be a patriot? What does it mean to be nationalistic? At one point in our history, being a patriot was speaking out against the government when it stepped over the line and into people’s lives, didn’t treat everyone (EVERYONE) as equal, needed to be put back in its place. We have exchanged our right as citizens of America and traded it in for members of a political party. We are republicans and democrats, conservatives and progressives, commoners and elites. Both sides claim they’re under attack, true Americans, and those outside of their political persuasions as “destroying our country!” The hate, vitriol, attacks, insults, spewed by both parties and their followers is heartbreaking and stomach turning.

So, what am I celebrating this July 4th? The freedom to write this without fear. Another question is; “What am I mourning this July 4th?” The loss of civility, being one people, allowing politics to define who we are, our neighbor is, and what being an American means.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #allegiances, #allowing, #American, #Americanmeans, #attacks, #beingapatriot, #blessings, #bluestates, #Bothsides, #celebrating, #citizens, #claim, #commoners, #condemn, #conservatives, #convictions, #cultural, #define, #democrats, #destroyingourcountry, #different, #discuss, #disillusion, #division, #elites, #exchanged, #express, #expressthemselves, #fear, #freedom, #giventhechance, #government, #happyjuly4th, #hate, #heartbreaking, #ideas, #insults, #intolerant, #july4, #July4th, #label, #liveinatimeof, #losingtheirright, #lossofcivility, #members, #mourning, #nation, #nationalistic, #neededtobeputbackinitsplace, #neighbor, #notlikeus, #onepeople, #patriot, #peakingoutagainst, #political, #politicalparty, #politicalpersuasions, #progressives, #question, #QuestionofFreedom, #redstates, #Republicans, #right, #shaming, #shareourbeliefs, #spewed, #steppedovertheline, #stomachturning, #theology, #thewannabesaint.com, #threat, #traded, #treateveryoneasequal, #trueAmericans, #underattack, #unworthy, #upbringing, #Vitriol, @BrianLoging, Free, History, Politics

Hate

Jan 21

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Hate –

I listened to a conversation this week where the person told another, to their face, that they hated them. “I hated you when you left,” they said. “It took a long time to not hate you anymore.” It was an honest and startling admission. Most times people are adept at not showing the person they hate their true feelings.

It left me with a question; “Have I ever, in my life, hated someone?” I define hate; as the inability to see the good in someone. As I reflected on the question a person came to mind. If I’ve ever hated someone, according to my definition, this man fit the criteria. I had the hardest time seeing the good, the light, the benefit of his existence, the unique expression of God in him. It was, at times, impossible to not be suspicious of his motives, think of the worst outcome of his decisions, belittle his beliefs and talents. Then, one day, ranting in my head about something he had done the question came from out of the blue; “Can you see any good in this man?” My mind stopped dead in its tracks. The answer was “no, I couldn’t.” It was then I realized the problem wasn’t him it was me.

I’d love to post about how this moment fixed everything but it didn’t. However, it did give me a new way of looking at this person and my role in the frustration, anxiety, and chaos within me. It took me a long time to forgive the hurt and betrayal he had caused but I began focusing on what was going on inside of me instead of what someone was doing on the outside. This made all the difference.

“You will never see God until you can see Him in every next face you see.” #SaintMotherTeresa

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Might Be

Jan 11

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Might Be –

One of the greatest senses we can develop is that of self-awareness. It’s the discipline of being able to look into an existential mirror and see who we really are, no delusion or illusion. We can see ourselves, the good and the not so good, discover what we do well and what needs to be improved.

Most live in a constant state of denial of who they are and/or who they should be. They allow others, culture, reputation, ego, the false self to define them. If we are not self-aware the world has a limitless number of fake identities to slap on us. If we aren’t careful we can settle for these alter-egos and never take off the masks too many wear for a lifetime.

Letting go of who we’ve always thought we should be isn’t easy. There is pain involved on the journey of self-discovery. However, if we dare, the challenges and difficulties can be overcome, the illusions and delusions shattered, and we become what most dare not hope for; at peace.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Contemplative, Wisdom

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Tags: #able, #allow, #alter, #alter-egos, #blessings, #careful, #challenges, #constant, #dare, #define, #delusion, #delusions, #denial, #develop, #difficulties, #discipline, #discover, #easy, #ego, #egos, #existential, #fake, #false, #falseself, #good, #greatest, #hope, #identities, #illusion, #illusions, #improved, #involved, #journey, #lettinggo, #lifetime, #limitless, #masks, #MightBe, #mirror, #notsogood, #overcome, #pain, #reputation, #self, #self-aware, #self-awareness, #self-discovery, #senses, #settle, #shattered, #slap, #state, #wear, Culture, Peace, World

No Other Choice

Nov 20

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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No Other Choice –

I was greeted today by one of the fathers in my Incarcerated Father’s Class by a resident with a nasty looking black eye. We emphasize choice in this class. Our motto is; “Good choices make good men, and good men make good fathers.” I asked the owner of the shiner what happened and he said he was in a fight. I then asked; “Did you make a good choice?” His answer was yes. He explained sometimes you have no other choice.

I couldn’t argue with him. It would be nice if the world was black and white, clear negative and positives, defined good choices and bad. However, the world offers us a lot of grays. There are times when the choice of going one way or another doesn’t exist. You go forward, with your best intentions and wisdom and hope it works out.

These can be our best or worst moments. They certainly define us or scar us for life. When life doesn’t offer any options, no other choices, we hold our breath and cautiously step into an uncertain future.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: # moments, #answer, #argue, #best, #blackandwhite, #blessings, #cautiously, #certainly, #choices, #clear, #define, #defined, #exist, #explained, #fight, #forward, #Future, #going, #good, #goodchoice, #grays, #hope, #intentions, #life, #nice, #nootherchoice, #offer, #offers, #oneway, #options, #owner, #positives, #scar, #step, #times, #uncertain, #wisdom, #worst, breath, Negative, Works, World

Labels

Jul 20

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Labels –

I was speaking with someone the other day about personalities, quirks, how people behave, why and how we label someone as “__________” and then put them in the cupboards of our mind as if who and what they are have been discovered.

I once interviewed for a job and part of the process was taking a personality test. The label put on me by the test seemed to fit but the more I looked at who I was, the more it seemed not applicable. What’s interesting was the interviewee gave me the job and told me his personality type. However, the longer I worked under him the more certain I became that he had mislabeled himself. Perhaps neither of us were correct but it cemented in my mind how we can label others or ourselves and think the labels tell us more than what only true connection and relationships reveal.

The person I was talking with earlier this week had placed a label on himself long ago and assumed it was a negative trait. I explained to him that most of our traits are neutral and mean a certain way we think or do things. “Don’t let a label define who you are or what you become,” I told him.

Good advice for us all.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Mindfulness

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Tags: #define, #knowothers, #knowourselves, #label, #labels, #positive, #reveal, #seeourselves, #selfawareness, #think, Negative

TheWannabeSaint.com

…..a place for sojourners on this spiritual path called life

Blog Archives

Fate

The Question of Freedom

Hate

Might Be

No Other Choice

Labels

Brian Loging, OSBO

@BrianLoging

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…..a place for sojourners on this spiritual path called life

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Fate

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The Question of Freedom

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Hate

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Might Be

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No Other Choice

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Brian Loging, OSBO

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