Choosing our heroes

[wellred]

As we move across life's path, each of us regardless of age, must strip away historical baggage and discover first our inner soul and the the true core of those we love. As a man, it is tempting for me to go it alone. Experience has informed and shaped, often with great painful blows, to travel with a good measure of caution. Yet I have learned that there are people awaiting the opportunity to be our net and unknown heroes with guidance that polishes our soul.

I would like to share the words of Bertrand Russell, one of my heroes, because I believe his thoughts are fitting for all mankind, but especially in this case for the bisexual community. Let's choose our heroes with dilberation and determination.

Bertrand Russell

“Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a great ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair.

I have sought love, first, because it brings ecstasy – ecstasy so great that I would often have sacrificed all the rest of life for a few hours of joy. I have sought it, next, because it relieves loneliness – that terrible loneliness in which one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold unfathomable lifeless abyss. I have sought it finally, because of love I have seen, in a mystic miniature, the prefiguring vision of the heaven that saints and poets have imagined. This what I sought, and though it might seem to good for human life, this is what—at last – I have found.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have wished to understand the hearts of men. I have wished to know why the stars shine. And I have tried to apprehend the Pythagorean power by which number holds sway above the flux. A little of this, but not much, I have achieved.

Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens. But always pit brought me back to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a burden on their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make a mockery of what human life should be. I long to alleviate this evil, but I cannot, and I too suffer.

This has been my life. I have found it worth living, and would gladly live it again if the chance were offered.”

[mikey3000]

Very nice. And I'd like to share too, though I don't know who the author is.



~~THE AWAKENING~~

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...
when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity,
you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere
the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.
And, like a child quieting down after a tantrum,
your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice,
you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world
through new eyes.

~~ This is your awakening ~~

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to
change. or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over
the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of
you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there
aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that
any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you...and in the
process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not
everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you
are ... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and
opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing
yourself...and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of
self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they
did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you
can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what
they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's
not always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself...
and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of
self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people
as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human
frailties...and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world
around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been
ingrained into your psyche.

And you begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about
how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh,
what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you
should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live,
who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and
what you owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And
you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really
stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you
begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should
never have bought into to begin with ... and in the process you learn to
go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that
there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop
maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix. You
learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the
outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the
foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save
the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the
importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry
and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love,
when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at
relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.
And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside,
smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that
feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK....and that it is your right to
want things and to ask for the things you want ... and that sometimes it
is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with
love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to
care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced
diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn
that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time
to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul.

So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the
most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve...and that
much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and
that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward
making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve
success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone...and that it's OK
to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear
is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself.

You learn to step right into and through your fears because you
know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to
give away the right to live life on your own terms.

And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living
under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair,
you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things
happen to unsuspecting, good people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn
that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just
life happening.

And you learn to deal with 'control' in its most primal state - the ego.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment
must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of
you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you
are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple
things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the
earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running
water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself
and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever
settle for less than your heart's desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to
the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and
to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God empowering your life,
You take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the
life you want to live as best you can.

~~Author Unknown~~

[onewhocares]

Both are wonderful expressions of the beauty of language.

Belle

[Falling Leaves]

The connecting of two souls is one of life's most precious gifts...one often awakens the other.....thank you wellred and mikey for sharing these words today....

[DuckiesDarling]

Beautiful prose and I completely agree with the opening poster that experience is how we learn and grow.

Unfortunately, life lessons that are painful are often the ones we learn from best. Each and every day we encounter people that for good or bad have an influence on our life even for a moment. It's why years later you can recall as you are dealing with your own child in public the frustration you felt when you were held up by a mother trying to deal with a tired child in the middle of a bank line.

Things come back to you in the blink of an eye, the way something tasted, the smell of flowers you finally had a chance to stop and smell. And they remind us that no matter how painful life can be it is always beautiful.

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

Let's choose our heroes with dilberation and determination.

I'm afraid my heros arent as beautiful and as poetic, but they hold a special place in my heart. My heros are my Veterans, and my Fore-Fathers of the T'salagi Nations. My Veterans I will get around to closer to 4th of July and Veterans Day and Memorial day.....:}

My Fore-Fathers believed in the simplistic life, where everyone was free to life as the great Creator Meant for them to, each in their own way, each happy with the life they made for themselves and their families. They lived simply, they lived with their hearts, and minds and eyes wide open, seeing all of the beauty that the Creator gave them; and could see good in all things. Life was an slower, gentier time, and it could be wonderful if your heart was open. Beauty abound everywhere, if your eyes could see it for what it really was. Peace of mind was theirs because they believed in love, and they believed in freedom.

Nothing was taken for granted; a sunset, a waterfall, animals playing in the summer sun. A falling star, a gentle warm breeze. Wild flowers blooming in the fields, a babbling stream. A majestic mountain, all of the creatures Creator placed on this earth. A kiss shared under Mother Moon, or a day under Father Sun. Nothing was taken for granted, it was given for a purpose and meant to be seen and had.
Hard work was a duty and pleasure and it benefited all, so complaining wasnt allowed.

Life was wonderful, and it is true about a whole village raising a child. Elders and children were revered, because one symbolized the past, the other the future of the tribes. The People looked after each other, cared deeply for all in their tribe. Younger looked after the Elders, everyone took turns helping out someone who was ill or injured. And when it was time for a tribe member to die, all grieved for that loss.

The surviving members of that family were well taken care of and watched over. Minor scuffles were handled by a Chief and the rest of the Elders in the tribe, and these scuffles were few and not too major. Punishment was rare, because strife was unnessary and unneeded.
Children learned respect for All living things and all peoples. A sense of honor was taught at a very early age, and was adhered to always. You respected people, animals, and peoples' possessions. Life without honor didnt mean very much. Back then...

Bountiful times were shared by all, and no one went without. When a man and woman united, the whole tribe celebrated. Babies were a cause for a Huge celebration, for life was sacred, and that child would be the responcibility of the whole tribe. You were blessed by the Creator. All pulled together and held tight, even against formidible odds.

Life was beautiful and as it should be...until it was changed forever by people wanting to impose Their ways of life upon a society that had already been in place for Centuries. It was forever, unrepairedly, changed. The old ways were replaced and forgotten, They couldnt hear their own hearts speaking to them anymore for their own language was beaten out of the young people, and a new belief system was ingrained in their young minds and hearts, thus hatred was learned for the first time.....Hate closed off the minds and they could no longer see what had once been. Eventually the old ways were forgotten and ignored, but some of us remembered the teachings of our Grandfathers, or Grandmothers. We hold it tightly within our hearts and minds and forever there it shall remain. :}

My Heros are those who chose to live life as it was Meant to be, Free and Beautiful, and enriched with honor and Love. :}
Cat, T'salagi Cherokee Tribe

[Long Duck Dong]

my heroes are not famous, or well known... many of them will never have their name said or spoken...... they are nameless and will remain nameless...... but they are my heroes.....

they are the people, the native american indians, the aboriginals, the celtics, the scots.... those that are quiet and understood the simple truth....

* we can not own that which doesn't belong to us, we can only leave it for our children and our childrens children, for it is the earth upon what we walk and live, without it we can not live, yet it can live without us *

* I go walkabout, to see what can be seen, to touch what can be touched, to hear what can be heard, and to sit with the spirits of our ancestors, for they have gone walkabout in the dreamtime and return to talk to us thru the land and the whisper of trees "

* we are many and we are few, we are all and we are one, brother and father, sister and mother, hand bound and honour bound, do not fight them for their food, their land, their people, for you are taking from your own people "

" for scotland, for freedom, be true to who you are, wear your tartan with pride and never cast it to the ground nor let it be taken from you, the colours of your clan speak of your family and kin, dishonor your tartan and you dishonour yourself, your clan and scotland... stand sure, stand true, for scotland, for freedom "

[Canticle]

The connecting of two souls is one of life's most precious gifts...one often awakens the other.....thank you wellred and mikey for sharing these words today....

Those words are so true FL and wellred an mikey, did indeed post some beaufiful words.

[darkeyes]

"We are no more than the guardians of this, our mother earth, Frankie. Care for her and care for her children."

My Granpa in his last letter to me. :)

[Canticle]

"We are no more than the guardians of this, our mother earth, Frankie. Care for her and care for her children."

My Granpa in his last letter to me. :)

What a wonderful thing for your grandfather to write. He was obviously, a very wise and sensible man, with a great deal of love for his Grand Daughter.

I don't have heroes, or heroines. Very often, if we put someone upon such a pedestal, we end up very disappointed, when they let us, or others, down. Most people who get called heroic, would say that they were merely saying, or doing, what was expected of them. So, I always use the word ''respect.'' It conveys far more about what I feel about people and yet, those people, whom I may respect, could well be called heroic, in many ways.

As the years go by, I respect my father, more and more. He did nothing heroic, as would be termed heroic, but he was a loving father and cared about others. In other words, he was a good man and if push came to shove, he'd have bent over backwards for his children.....and he did. I have no words of his, to quote, just the memory of a good and kind man, liked and respected by all who knew him.

There is one woman I hold in high esteem. A woman from my village, who died 9 years ago from cancer. It was not until, a very few weeks, before her death, that she stopped functioning, upon a daily basis, as she had always done.

She was a nurse by profession and had been married and had two young daughters. The husband was always unfaithful and eventually left and this woman was left, to pay the mortgage and keep her children.

When she became unwell, with an unusual type of tumour upon her lung, she kept on working. Then she had the lung removed and shilst she was in hospital and recovering, we mothers rallied around and shared collecting her daughters from school. When she had recovered enough, she actually returned to work, as a nurse. Though it was obvious to many, that she was not well enough and we guessed that she was not going to live, it was a part she was playing, upon a stage, so that her children and family, did not know how ill she was.

I once said to her, '' Do you think, that you should have returned to work, so soon.'' Her answer ''Wellll, you just have to get on with things, don't you?''

She lived long enough, to divorce her husband, but not long enough to get him, to sign his half of their joint property, one he had hardly paid a penny towards, over to her. She wanted the proceeds, of the sale, of the property, to be put in trust for her daughters.

She lived long enough to spend another Christmas and birthdays with the girls, long enough to let her close family know (and boy, what a great family they are), that she was dying, long enough to earn the love and respect of all, who knew her.

She was 41 when she died, but she seemed so much younger. She is still missed and she always will be. A very brave woman. So if I have any words to quote, they will be hers.

''Wellll, you just have to get on with things, don't you?''

[Canticle]

Some words from the Dalai Lama


We have bigger houses
and smaller families;
more convenience, but less time.

We have degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicine, but less healthiness.

We have been all the way to
the moon and back, but have trouble
crossing the street to
meet the new neighbour.

We built more computers to hold more information
to produce more copies than ever,
but have less communication.

We have become long on quantity,
but short on quality.

These are times of fast foods,
and slow digestion;
tall man and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.

It is a time when there is much in the window,
and nothing in the room.

- The XIVth Dalai Lama