life, thoughts

Lessons from the Leaves and a few Friends

Lori

My fellow bloggers . . . you are amazing. To all of you who read and commented on my post, Too Much Darkness, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your comments soothed my soul.

The comments got me thinking deeper. I could feel that all of you felt as I do, hurt down to the core for what is happening in our society (terrorizing attacks), but you knew better how to move on. I was stuck in place.

My blog’s most common theme is to look in inward for answers to anything outward that is troubling. So, I asked myself, why am I so driven to find answers about the Las Vegas tragedy? Why can’t I move forward?

Hello, my name is Lori, and I’m a control freak.

I longed to help the victims. My way of helping was to solve the mystery. Figuring out why something happened is the path to finding out how to prevent it from happening again. Not to mention, the victims deserve the truth about what they experienced. Instead, they were told they didn’t see and hear what they saw and heard.

Of course, we had more terror attacks after Vegas, in different ways, but all terrorizing. Still, the other attacks were not only solved, but the perpetrators have been fully vetted, and then some. Vegas still has many missing pieces, and the news has completely gone silent on that particular attack. I eventually found some unreported answers that helped me understand the basics of what happened in Vegas, but there are still pieces missing. With introspection, I learned that even though I figured out some of what happened, it doesn’t change the past. Nor am I in control of using those answers to fix the problem. The powers-that-be are in control.Your kind comments have helped to remind me that it’s okay not to always be in control. Sometimes we’ve just gotta let things fall where they may. I can’t stop the leaves from making a mess of my yard, but it will eventually be cleared away.

On a lighter note, I took one of those ridiculous tests on facebook. If even a silly game can figure me out, I think I may be in need of some meds. Heh. The only part it got wrong is the part I crossed out.

Your mind works like the philosopher
Rene Descartes
French philosopher Descartes is considered to have founded the school of modern Western philosophy. A rational moralist who viewed ethics as a science, he is most famous for his statement, ‘I think therefore I am.’ Like Descartes, you are quiet and contained, preferring to be alone conducting research or formulating theories than out partying. Your analytical mind loves to reason out explanations for unsolved mysteries and scientific enigmas, and your solutions are often unique and creative.

Thank you to my blogging friends Andrea, Anneli, Annika, Carrie, D. Wallace, Jill, L. Marie, Laura, S.D.

Published by Lori

Observer, thinker, learner, analyzer, and author. Love dogs. Enjoy cooking, laughing and spiritual centering.

40 thoughts on “Lessons from the Leaves and a few Friends”

  1. Pingback: Curiosity, Challenge and Acceptance – Lori's Lane

  5. It is really hard to find the goodness in these times, when we are constantly inundated by so much bad news. Maybe that’s why I work with children, because they help me remind there is goodness everywhere, one just has to squint to see it through all the swill that surrounds us daily. And thanks for the mention, blogging friends are the best!!!!

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  6. Lori. Beautiful, thoughtful remarks, and it is obvious you have touched many hearts by saying them “outloud”. I think there are lessons for each of us, beyond the horror, what can we do to make a difference? These events call us to participate in making the world better, whatever that means or looks like, so that those who perpetrate violence don’t become the winners. Rumi said, “The answer is in your question.”

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  7. I think what got to me was how quickly it just fell off the media radar. It was just dropped, and when you are use to the same stories going on forever, stories that really don’t need to be rehashed, to have one so important, so big, just fall off, is kind of shocking.

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    1. I know, right? This is the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, and they go over so many other stories relentlessly. It just blew my mind. I researched and found a lot of things the media did not report. People should know about them, but they’d rather remain asleep. I must admit, it is scary to learn the truth. It must be why people aren’t demanding more.

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  8. Lori, thank you for the lovely mention and I’m glad if we can all help…I’ve found so much comfort, support and encouragement here on WP! Sometimes we just have to accept it’s beyond our control and work with what is within our control and where we can make a difference. I love the quote, particularly the line about ‘love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally’!! That’s how to live!! 😃❤️

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  9. I love that quote, Lori.
    It’s so easy to get caught up in the brokenness, isn’t it? We all do sometimes.

    I took a walk this morning, admiring the frosted leaves on the ground. They reminded me to be present in the moment. Not always easy. But necessary.

    Liked by 3 people

  11. I’m so glad that you are sorting this out in your head and heart, Lori. These events certainly do make us feel out of control and they break our hearts with their senseless cruelty. I love the Knost quote! What a beautiful sentiment. Many blessings and much peace to you. ❤

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    1. Thank you so much, DWP. You are so right about these tragedies making us feel out of control. I appreciate you sharing your encouragement and kind blessings. Blessings to you as well.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. What a great quote by Knost! Thanks for the shout out, Lori. I’m also a control freak, but not when it comes to things that are out of my control, like the behavior of others. If I did, I’d be a basket case! 🙂

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    1. Hi Jill. I long gave up trying to control the behavior of others in my life, but this particular tragedy had me longing to do something. I can’t explain the drive and don’t know why it infiltrated me so. Since I did find some answers that were not reported by the media, I’ve realized it’s time to let go. Those answers seem to have given
      me a sense of balance about the situation.

      Glad you liked that Knost quote. I found it deep inside my archives and knew I needed to hear it. I share what I need to learn.

      Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Thanks so much for the mention, Lori. While I don’t necessarily share the same thoughts on the Las Vegas shooting, I understand the dark feeling too much negative news and social media can bring to us. And as you so eloquently put, we can’t control it so we need to find ways to counter it. Except for a few exceptions, I now skim right past anything political in my social media newsfeeds. Though I’ve always enjoyed pragmatic and courteous political discussions, I’ve learned those are unlikely to happen online. I’ll save it for my dinner table. 😊

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    1. I know what you mean, Carrie. It was definitely not courteous political discussion. I had to weed through a jungle of hatred, anger, name-calling, and pointing fingers to find some answers. Since I found some things that the media did not report, it cleared some questions up for me. I suppose it was worth it to bring me some sense of peace and balance about the situation, but I don’t intend to search back in that jungle anytime soon. I’m glad to be back in the land of blogging.

      Thanks for sharing your views.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Keep up the positive thoughts and don’t try to put all the world’s problems on yourself. We all do our little bit to help make it a better world as much as we are able. Beyond that, we have to accept that there are some things we can’t change.

    Liked by 3 people

        1. Yes, I’m familiar with the 12 steps, being that there are addicts in the family. And of course, then there are we control freaks in such a dynamic. I’m a work in progress, but happy with the progress so far . . .

          Thanks for reading about my “addiction.” Stopped by your blog and saw that you’ve spent some time in Vegas. Hope you’re adjusting to TN. My husband and I have spent many vacations there. We love it.

          Have a great weekend.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. TN has grown on me over the last 11 years, though I must admit it has been slow growth for this California girl. Spouse and I still need to get out of our little niche in east TN to visit some of the surrounding states which are so much closer than it seemed the neighboring states were when we lived in So Cal. Meanwhile, if you and yours ever make it to “the Secret City” of Oak Ridge, I’d be happy to give you a personal tour, especially since I have gained a little experience in that department since retiring here.

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  15. Lori, I am glad you have been able to find some inner peace despite your distress. We are all suffering to one degree or another from the lack of stability and, all too often, from the lack of kindness in this world. Thank you so much for the inspiring yet sobering quote at the end of your post. Let us all go out and do what good we can in this beloved world of ours. Happy day!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You’re right, it does appear to be a lack of kindness these days. You know, it seems it’s the nasty who are the loudest, and the kind people are really the majority. We just don’t know it.

      Thank you for the kind comment, Ann.

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  16. Yes! I’ve started my own “campaign” to TALK with those “strangers” I encounter . . . I did it yesterday. In a bank line. At a gas station. And it was refreshingly connecting! We have more in common with those souls around us than we realize. But I believe it’s up to each one of us to begin the conversation, and start opening our worlds to “close encounters of the human kind” :)) Dawn

    https://journalofdawn.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/deep-philosophical-three-minute-conversations/

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    1. That is the best way, Dawn, connect face-to-face. My grandma used to talk to people (strangers) whenever and wherever we were out in public. She’d include them with us as if they were part of our family, and I picked up the same habit. I usually talk to strangers, too. On twitter, I had just been digging for answers to the tragedy and ran into the wrong crowd.

      Thank you for sharing.

      Liked by 3 people

        1. Yeah, she used to take me to the Italian store with her and talk Italian to the owners while I ate Greek olives out of a barrel. LOL

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