Reaction Time

I used to feel a lot of anxiety about situations that seemed beyond my control. It was overwhelming. Recently, however, through the process of growing up and learning to relax, I've learned just how in control I really am.

Maybe I can't control what is going to happen to me when I step outside my door (especially when it involves other people) but there is one thing I can control- my reaction. It's been this strange liberating revelation for me- realizing that it's not what happens to me that matters, but how I react to it.

I can relax because I know I react well, with grace and class, to most situations. In the event of one where I won't react so well, I make sure that I communicate with the people around me if the situation can't be avoided.

This blog is a reaction to my life.
It's my choice to publicly react to the experiences of my life, both positive and negative.
Because it is so public, I'm also allowing you (my faithful reader/person who googled "Durkheim" or "strippers in Lawrence") to react to my experiences as well.

I value your reactions. I respect your reactions.
All I ask from you is that you do the same.
Thanks. =)

No Two Ways About It

I'm starting to think that I shouldn't have given fish up for Lent.
No, I haven't suddenly changed my mind about compassion towards living creatures, and no I didn't give in and go on an all night California roll bender.

However, I'm starting to think it would have been a better idea to give up my ambivalence for Lent. Maybe... ;-)

In all seriousness though, a complete stranger asked me today (in a completely pressure/judgment free situation) what I honestly believed, what my "spiritual beliefs and practices" are.

I hemmed and hawed for a moment before muttering something about being raised in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and studying Buddhism and seeing the validity of any honest quest and then I sort of made some vague reference to the "Ultimate Reality" and energy.

Wow Lindsey, is that really the best you could do?

You see, somewhere along the process of earning my degree in Religion and Philosophy and going off to graduate school I got so worried about people judging me for what I believe that I packed everything I might have held true into a box, locked it and sat on top of it. I think I lost the key.

So now here I am in this sort of suspended spiritual animation where I'm able to hold all these different conflicting ideas in my head and not do one damn thing about them. I don't judge, I don't believe, I just absorb. As a consequence of this amazing ambivalent juggling act I feel absolutely root-less. There's nothing holding me up.

I think this is definitely a major factor in the recent anxiety I've been experiencing. Sitting in class sometimes I really want to have an opinion, I really want to have some system of something to measure these new pieces of information against on a personal level.

I want to argue not for the sake of arguing but because I actually care about a belief or a cause.

It's a little bit scary thinking about unpacking the box since it's been so long since I've even really looked in there. But I think at this point in my life, at this point in my relationships, it's a necessary fear to face.

My act of compassion towards animals this Lenten season is not eating fish.
My act of compassion towards myself and everyone I interact with (especially you Mark) is reclaiming my roots, reclaiming health, reclaiming myself.

This isn't going to be easy, but sometimes the best things in life just aren't.