I signed up for daily readings sent from Inward/Outward, from the
Doing Who I Am
Parker Palmer
If I try to be or do something noble that has nothing to do with who I am, I may look good to others and to myself for a while. But the fact that I am exceeding my limits will eventually have consequences. I will distort myself, the other, and our relationship---and may end up doing more damage than if I had never set out to do this particular “good.” When I try to do something that is not in my nature or the nature of the relationship, way will close behind me.... When the gift I give to the other is integral to my own nature, when it comes from a place of organic reality within me, it will renew itself---and me---even as I give it away.
Source: Let Your Life Speak
6 comments:
good morning Kate -- first of all, apologies for ranting yesterday (I shall pause, close eyes, repeat until further notice: "not about me, not about me, not about me, not about me..."). I'm so glad you're getting inward/outward, I am too and had just read Parker Palmer when I came to your blog, AAAHHHH deja vu, again. I have that book actually, and it's great, and I don't need to read it again, can I send it to you? Anybody who makes the change you just made deserves a prezzie, I think... (my children are silently begging you to say yes)
CR -- you didn't mention it today, but don't those complaints about "too many baptisms" increase exponentially when we don't know the babies? "They don't even COME here, and we'll never see them again ...."
Well, we sure won't if we refuse to baptize their babies.
No apologies necessary. What you call now a rant was, in fact, you saying some very sweet things about me. Thank you for them. And, thank you for offering the book. I'd love to read it. If you e-mail me at katemorningstar@msn.com, I'll give you my snail mail address.
I like Inward/Outward, too. Thanks for spreading the word about it. Parker Palmer says some wise things, and I always resonate with him for many reasons, especially that he suffered from depression, like I do/did.
I love this quote. I think it takes a while to really absorb the truth of this, and to believe that it is actually okay, and a good thing, to be who you are (I don't mean you personally!).
Thank you for this great reminder.
Do you know Parker Palmer's story about going on an "Outward Bound" event?
I don't, CR -- will you tell it to us? My place, or yours?
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