Following through on this theme of duality; what not to do
and what to do, I got to thinking about my last article, Gandhi’s Gift, and how
Gandhi’s words have served as inspiration for the “new” New Horizons’ Small “Zones
of Peace” Project (circa 2006). (‘Old”New Horizons was formed in 1980.)
These musings got me to wondering about the other side of
the coin; if not “violence and deceit,” what then?
We do best to begin by carving out territories or zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won’t be used.
Well what then, if not violence
and deceit?
Violence and deceit, to be enacted,
require a cutting off from caring, concern and connection. (Groder’s tale of
the “Experiment Not To Do” as I recounted it on our new blog site, Exploring YourDark Side: The Adventure Of A Lifetime, illustrates cutting-off at the extreme.)
This past year I developed a
formula as an antithesis for cutting-off that I named the “The Lean In Legacy Template.” As a
formalized alternative to cutting-off it has come to be recognized, discussed
and applied by my associates. These days they are more and more likely to
realize that the simple prescription of “leaning in” serves as a remedy for the
poison of toxic polarization.
(Of course, not all polarizing is
toxic, nor is all withdrawal. Polarization can be healthy when it serves to illuminate divergent
views, attitudes, perspectives and so forth – and – from this prompts creative
solutions.)
As time goes on these associates
of mine have also started to explore the actual mechanics of my “Lean In Legacy Template” more thoroughly.
This brought me to conversing with
my collaborator, Sue, today about how a corollary to the “template” might be that
--
Storytelling is an essential
aspect of the richness and – sometimes, even wonder -- that“ leaning in” can
create. This is especially so if
“leaning-in can be extended to its further reaches.
Sharing a few stories of our own
as Sue and I generally do, we were both surprised we hadn’t realized before
that the message of storytelling being a path to peace which I have written of
numerous times on this site illustrates this sumptuousness and delight.
Another article I wrote, Hidden beneath our masks: It’s About The Humanity, following the death of
Whitney Houston, helps articulate the abundance accrued by telling our stories,
person to person.
Why hadn’t I remembered that one,
written almost three years ago?
So Anastasia The Super Sleuth Says
(reminding both myself and you) --
Find someone – anyone – and take a
long enough pause in your rushing about, today or tomorrow, to hear someone
else’s story and share one of your own.
Then notice how much your life is
enhanced.
It’s so darn simple. Why hadn’t I
realized it before?
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