Audience participation: Prepare yourself. Ready. and begin.
Recall one of the most beautiful landscapes you've been in. Or recall a lively and fun moment with a loved one. Can you remember the scents of the moment? the sights of the moment? what sounds your ears recorded? how you felt during it? what thoughts it conjured in you?
In moments that I want to capture and remember forever, or experiences during which I want to be fully present, I do Moment Grabbing.
My camera was stolen/lost three weeks into my Sudamerica trip. So I started memorizing scenes, landscapes, and experiences. People always say, "That's awful about your camera," and while yes, photos would be great, I'm somewhat grateful. Instead of a computer folder with hundreds of photos, I am filled and bursting with this beauty I memorized: of private lagoons and wild blackberry stained fingers, of volcanoes and mountain rivers, of the surprisingly un-awkward chatting between tangos, of musty wooden floors and dancing snapping fingers.
So next time you want to memorize a moment, or just be fully present in it, try this: silence yourself. let yourself fully understand that you are THERE. present. nowhere else. let your gaze rest on one aspect of the scene. memorize it. close your eyes to test yourself. stay there until it's perfectly real behind closed eyes. do this until all sights are captured. next close your eyes and memorize the smell. make a metaphor to help you describe it. let the noise hit you, let your body absorb it, and tuck it away. notice the emotions and thoughts that arise in you as you fully live in that one moment. then make sure you can mentally recreate it.
viola. you now have another piece of the world inside you.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
"It ended with the pork chops"
"#$%&!!!!" I moaned.
"Do you want to punch something?" my roommate asked.
"No. I want to do this," and I plopped down onto the hardwood floor in her doorway. "This is me defeated."
I had just worked over an hour on an important document, and it was deleted. My roommate came over and stretched out across the floor on her stomach, "This is my defeated posture." She has been fighting with the "the world is too big and messy to even attempt to fix it" problem that social work majors often face (and those of us who aren't social work majors, too). A third roomie walked in minutes later with a I'm-completely-drained expression. "Wanna show us your defeated posture?" I asked. She sprawled behind me in the hallway and leaned on my back. "I am tired. My friend didn't thank me for the pork chop dinner I made. And coffee is awful." She had just watched the documentary Black Gold at a Fair Trade House Party.
So we sat. Defeated.
And during our defeated-on-the-hardwood-floor time, we discussed how our education system is screwed up. We are taking FASCINATING classes, and have no time to process them. My Society & Religion class is incredibly stimulating. I could learn it so thoroughly if I had time to debate it with my friends over a cup of non-awful coffee. It's not an issue of time management, but an issue of having to take 15-18 hours of classes at the same time - each of them mind-boggling and challenging. And honestly, I've left most classes without retaining much. What IS college for? The diploma? I would like to think it deeply challenges and expands my intellect and view of the world (and it does, for sure.) but it has so much dormant potential!!!
Related to being defeated and growing, check this out: GENERATION Q
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E2D71E3DF933A25753C1A9619C8B63
It's been circulating among my friends... we're processing it... and what it means for us...
"Do you want to punch something?" my roommate asked.
"No. I want to do this," and I plopped down onto the hardwood floor in her doorway. "This is me defeated."
I had just worked over an hour on an important document, and it was deleted. My roommate came over and stretched out across the floor on her stomach, "This is my defeated posture." She has been fighting with the "the world is too big and messy to even attempt to fix it" problem that social work majors often face (and those of us who aren't social work majors, too). A third roomie walked in minutes later with a I'm-completely-drained expression. "Wanna show us your defeated posture?" I asked. She sprawled behind me in the hallway and leaned on my back. "I am tired. My friend didn't thank me for the pork chop dinner I made. And coffee is awful." She had just watched the documentary Black Gold at a Fair Trade House Party.
So we sat. Defeated.
And during our defeated-on-the-hardwood-floor time, we discussed how our education system is screwed up. We are taking FASCINATING classes, and have no time to process them. My Society & Religion class is incredibly stimulating. I could learn it so thoroughly if I had time to debate it with my friends over a cup of non-awful coffee. It's not an issue of time management, but an issue of having to take 15-18 hours of classes at the same time - each of them mind-boggling and challenging. And honestly, I've left most classes without retaining much. What IS college for? The diploma? I would like to think it deeply challenges and expands my intellect and view of the world (and it does, for sure.) but it has so much dormant potential!!!
Related to being defeated and growing, check this out: GENERATION Q
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E2D71E3DF933A25753C1A9619C8B63
It's been circulating among my friends... we're processing it... and what it means for us...
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Dorky, adjusted, high diving me
There's so much intense movement within me... I can't follow it or express it well... so in typical me-style blog, little things about life I've figured out and one or two of lo mas profundo (the more deep things):
**DORKY ACADEMIC THOUGHTS
I'm working on this huge senior history research paper, and two thoughts have sprung from it: #1. I am SUCH a digital generation kid. TODAY was the first day of my life that I used a card catalog. I learned at age 21 years, 10 months, and 14 days how to use a card catalog. Incredible. #2. I don't know if you have opinions on Census data, but to encourage you: fill out the 2010 Census!! As fully as possible. I am using 1920 and 30 Census data, and it. is. amazing. I'm convinced they are a gift to historians and to humanity!! *laugh.
**Being CREATIVE
Head's up for the year: thought-space is going to be filled with the exploration of creativity as a concept, and my creativity. While reflecting this past week, I thought of creative venues that I had as a kid, but left to the side in the past decade. When I realized I could still explore them and live in them, I instantly felt this freedom and confidence. It was as if the walls around me took a few steps back. And I'm working on demolishing those walls.
**ADJUSTMENT
Not until this past week have I finally re-adjusted (mostly) to U.S. living, and to the reality that my life is HERE now. It took me TEN WEEKS. That's ridiculous. That's what it took to adjust INTO Buenos Aires, a place I had never ever been before. Transitions fascinate me.
**SCARY THOUGHT
Do any of you have a list of all the things you've ever been excited to do during your lifetime? And is it an ACTION list? I've been slowly compiling this list in my head for years now, and I'm getting close to writing it down. But I'm scared. Because I know that once my list becomes concrete, material, my life is never going to be... Well, it's just going to be crazy. And fun. And risky. And colorful. Why would I be scared about that? I don't know *shrug. But it's intimidating. It's like when I told all my friends in sixth grade (I wasn't the young daredevil child) I would go off the high dive; I knew once I climbed that ladder, I had to do it. Ready....
I'll let you know when I say the g-word. It's not yet...
**DORKY ACADEMIC THOUGHTS
I'm working on this huge senior history research paper, and two thoughts have sprung from it: #1. I am SUCH a digital generation kid. TODAY was the first day of my life that I used a card catalog. I learned at age 21 years, 10 months, and 14 days how to use a card catalog. Incredible. #2. I don't know if you have opinions on Census data, but to encourage you: fill out the 2010 Census!! As fully as possible. I am using 1920 and 30 Census data, and it. is. amazing. I'm convinced they are a gift to historians and to humanity!! *laugh.
**Being CREATIVE
Head's up for the year: thought-space is going to be filled with the exploration of creativity as a concept, and my creativity. While reflecting this past week, I thought of creative venues that I had as a kid, but left to the side in the past decade. When I realized I could still explore them and live in them, I instantly felt this freedom and confidence. It was as if the walls around me took a few steps back. And I'm working on demolishing those walls.
**ADJUSTMENT
Not until this past week have I finally re-adjusted (mostly) to U.S. living, and to the reality that my life is HERE now. It took me TEN WEEKS. That's ridiculous. That's what it took to adjust INTO Buenos Aires, a place I had never ever been before. Transitions fascinate me.
**SCARY THOUGHT
Do any of you have a list of all the things you've ever been excited to do during your lifetime? And is it an ACTION list? I've been slowly compiling this list in my head for years now, and I'm getting close to writing it down. But I'm scared. Because I know that once my list becomes concrete, material, my life is never going to be... Well, it's just going to be crazy. And fun. And risky. And colorful. Why would I be scared about that? I don't know *shrug. But it's intimidating. It's like when I told all my friends in sixth grade (I wasn't the young daredevil child) I would go off the high dive; I knew once I climbed that ladder, I had to do it. Ready....
I'll let you know when I say the g-word. It's not yet...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Sacred Newness
Thoughts from recent life moments:
** In my Religion and Society class, we're discussing the difference between the sacred and the profane. While lying in the sun, which had colored Lake Michigan a bright turquoise, I realized that much of my outlook on life stems from my very blurred opinions of sacred/profane; I think almost every part of "the profane" has elements of the sacred. Whether that's correct or not, I like it. It makes living more beautiful.
** Thought on being bilingual: it's so fun to have two different language/thought/concept libraries to choose from!! Except when I can't express one concept into another language... haha!
** Tonight I was with a friend who described coming back as entering a "new reality." It's true. And that's why it's so strange: it's the same reality I left, but it's suddenly turned new! Another friend once said, "Megan, it's like re-meeting every one, every situation. Really, we should re-meet people each time we see them, to acknowledge the space in which they have grown." I'm doing a lot of re-meeting, re-entry, and newness.
** While away, I lived at the edge of my potential each day. In a way, life is sooo much easier here than it was there -- I am not exhausted by speaking, listening, or being constantly stimulated by a different culture. Sometimes I want the daily, normal things to liven up! *laugh.
** In my Religion and Society class, we're discussing the difference between the sacred and the profane. While lying in the sun, which had colored Lake Michigan a bright turquoise, I realized that much of my outlook on life stems from my very blurred opinions of sacred/profane; I think almost every part of "the profane" has elements of the sacred. Whether that's correct or not, I like it. It makes living more beautiful.
** Thought on being bilingual: it's so fun to have two different language/thought/concept libraries to choose from!! Except when I can't express one concept into another language... haha!
** Tonight I was with a friend who described coming back as entering a "new reality." It's true. And that's why it's so strange: it's the same reality I left, but it's suddenly turned new! Another friend once said, "Megan, it's like re-meeting every one, every situation. Really, we should re-meet people each time we see them, to acknowledge the space in which they have grown." I'm doing a lot of re-meeting, re-entry, and newness.
** While away, I lived at the edge of my potential each day. In a way, life is sooo much easier here than it was there -- I am not exhausted by speaking, listening, or being constantly stimulated by a different culture. Sometimes I want the daily, normal things to liven up! *laugh.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Beginning anew...
My blog is going through an early-life crisis: although the intention of my blog was not to write about travel, the bulk of my writing has been inspired by the past seven months of life abroad and my re-entry into the States. However, now that life has returned to “normal” (o lo que sea), I’ve had a difficult time deciding whether or not to continue blogging. Here are my issues: Who am I that I should put my life and thoughts up for the world to read? Why should I expect that people want to read my thoughts? I don’t offer a space for controversial discussions about politics, religion, etc. (I think those things should instead be discussed at dinner tables and parties!) I don’t want to enter the crowd of people “searching for intimacy in any form possible,” as I read in some TIME magazine. I've been stuck.
After speaking with a few people who know me very well and who are very straightforward (great attributes for people who help guide my life), I’ve decided to continue and let the blog develop as it will. I’ve loved writing; I’ve loved having an outlet for writing; and having this space motivates me to write better than I would in my own journals. And I like that. Regardless of whether this is read or not.
So. Let us continue with the games of life. And with the words they stir and incite…
After speaking with a few people who know me very well and who are very straightforward (great attributes for people who help guide my life), I’ve decided to continue and let the blog develop as it will. I’ve loved writing; I’ve loved having an outlet for writing; and having this space motivates me to write better than I would in my own journals. And I like that. Regardless of whether this is read or not.
So. Let us continue with the games of life. And with the words they stir and incite…
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Seeking space...
Discoveries of the week:
** My superhero weakness is laughter. So if you want to defeat my physical strength, make me laugh really hard. I’ll be done.
** Growing up, saying “I’m bored” was the same as cussing. Mom told us it was a ridiculous word. I like that. She recognized that “boredom” was only space filled with potential creative inspiration. Some of my favorite, most beautiful, and fun moments have been born in boredom.
** Beautiful quote from C.G. Jung: “Self-knowledge. To this question there is a positive answer only when the individual is willing to fulfill the demands of rigorous self-examination and self-knowledge. If he does this, he will not only discover some important truths about himself but will also have gained a psychological advantage: he will have succeeded in deeming himself worthy of serious attention and sympathetic interest. He will have set his hand, as it were, to a declaration of his own human dignity…”
** I’ve been thinking a lot about space. Let me explain: I think each individual carries this essence that can be, in a way, felt. And this essence holds a person’s own greatness. And it takes up space. (That’s the only way I can express it…) Multiple times in life I’ve felt suffocated, like I had no space to let my greatness be… great. The other night, during a long conversation with a friend, I was reminded of all that I am, of all my dreams, and of all that I am capable. I left feeling empowered. confident. hopeful. And free. I want to do that -- to more intentionally speak with others so as to recognize their greatness, and to help them become aware of the space they have to be great.
** My superhero weakness is laughter. So if you want to defeat my physical strength, make me laugh really hard. I’ll be done.
** Growing up, saying “I’m bored” was the same as cussing. Mom told us it was a ridiculous word. I like that. She recognized that “boredom” was only space filled with potential creative inspiration. Some of my favorite, most beautiful, and fun moments have been born in boredom.
** Beautiful quote from C.G. Jung: “Self-knowledge. To this question there is a positive answer only when the individual is willing to fulfill the demands of rigorous self-examination and self-knowledge. If he does this, he will not only discover some important truths about himself but will also have gained a psychological advantage: he will have succeeded in deeming himself worthy of serious attention and sympathetic interest. He will have set his hand, as it were, to a declaration of his own human dignity…”
** I’ve been thinking a lot about space. Let me explain: I think each individual carries this essence that can be, in a way, felt. And this essence holds a person’s own greatness. And it takes up space. (That’s the only way I can express it…) Multiple times in life I’ve felt suffocated, like I had no space to let my greatness be… great. The other night, during a long conversation with a friend, I was reminded of all that I am, of all my dreams, and of all that I am capable. I left feeling empowered. confident. hopeful. And free. I want to do that -- to more intentionally speak with others so as to recognize their greatness, and to help them become aware of the space they have to be great.
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