Remarkable article. Truly, I could speak to you about so many aspects and sub aspects of this one. On one hand we have those stages and ladder we must traverse within ourselves , on the other hand we have to engage "other" who are not necessarily on the same stage as ourselves. Even if they are on the same stage, communication can still be difficult and is something that must be overcome for a meaningful relationship. Sometimes this can be achieved, other times not so much. I am having a situation similar to yours with an uncle who is an alcoholic, a topic I may write on soon. Which brings me to this that you said:
"But I don't think that's accurate. I think he already has chosen, and the only moral action left to me, the only moral action I can do, to him, is respecting his choice."
I find myself thinking similar about my uncle. At what point do we find peace with the choices and lives of those around us when we disagree significantly with those choices? Where is the line between "going along" and rejection? I do not know what your answer is, to be honest, neither do I know my own. What I can say, what has given me some element of peace, I have turned it over to God. Perhaps grace and mercy can work its magic where my prodding and support falls short.
With all of that being said, from other writings of yours as well as this, I can tell this weighs heavy on you.. and Christmas is days away. It is difficult when we pass an older loved one, particularly a parent, on the ladder. However you decide to handle this, I do hope you can find a measure of peace. Merry Christmas Randy.
I think in a general sense, the key is understanding that you can't make decisions for other people, and live in such a way where your door is always open, but not try to trick or force anyone to walk through it. Merry Christmas
Brilliant as always, Randy.. I pray your situation becomes better...
As far as the 4th to last paragraph, I guess that can also be defined as the aesthete predominating and so you get blamed for something that you aren't quite in control of and so someone else is able to hide from their true view of themselves. Quite unfortunate...
The story of Christ first appears as tragedy, and than as comedy. He dies, pathetic, torturously, on the cross. But in the end, He rises up again, and marries the church. Comedy. Each of us have to do this if we wish to live, first love our lives as a tragedy, and than as comedy.
I was recently advised to start doing religious art, due to my love for it being to the point that I would be willing to undergo sacrifices because of it. That it would be a good way to glorify God.
One of my favourite pieces of art, is of Mother Mary, the babe Jesus in her hands. And she is looking down at Him with joy and contentment. The baby Jesus is looking back up at her, with His own childlike love of his mother.
Because my mother suffered from madness from when I was young, I never really had a mother, not in the truer sense of the world. But since becoming Catholic, I found myself being drawn to Mother Mary, more and more. In the end Jesus provides us with what we need, He takes care of everything. We just need to surrender ourselves to Him.
It's true that you, the child, are sacrificing yourself for your parents by indulging their aesthetic gratification. But you can't forget that, even if your parents weren't great parents, they sacrificed themselves for you, with the expectation that you would sacrifice yourself for your own children. I don't want to be rude at this time of year, but the honest truth is that you are sacrificing yourself for your parents and not for your own children. You're always going to sacrifice yourself for something, and you've chosen it to be for your parents. That's your life, that's your choice, and that's on you.
I correct myself -- that's your life as of today, as of this Christmas. Tomorrow could be different; next Christmas could be different. That's your choice, and that's on you.
Thanks for sharing. We all have a lot to learn. I don’t have an accurate picture of what stage I’m in. I sometimes feel like I’ve confronted and moved past the aesthetic but I don’t think I’m there yet.
Life update
Things went better than expected and your worries about me spassing out where not realised, and thank you for worrying about me.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding
Fwiw I think you've spoken the truth, and I'll pray for you and your family
Thank you
nothing makes me feel as inadequate a man as the egg report
This is not exactly what I was hoping for
there, you did it again
Remarkable article. Truly, I could speak to you about so many aspects and sub aspects of this one. On one hand we have those stages and ladder we must traverse within ourselves , on the other hand we have to engage "other" who are not necessarily on the same stage as ourselves. Even if they are on the same stage, communication can still be difficult and is something that must be overcome for a meaningful relationship. Sometimes this can be achieved, other times not so much. I am having a situation similar to yours with an uncle who is an alcoholic, a topic I may write on soon. Which brings me to this that you said:
"But I don't think that's accurate. I think he already has chosen, and the only moral action left to me, the only moral action I can do, to him, is respecting his choice."
I find myself thinking similar about my uncle. At what point do we find peace with the choices and lives of those around us when we disagree significantly with those choices? Where is the line between "going along" and rejection? I do not know what your answer is, to be honest, neither do I know my own. What I can say, what has given me some element of peace, I have turned it over to God. Perhaps grace and mercy can work its magic where my prodding and support falls short.
With all of that being said, from other writings of yours as well as this, I can tell this weighs heavy on you.. and Christmas is days away. It is difficult when we pass an older loved one, particularly a parent, on the ladder. However you decide to handle this, I do hope you can find a measure of peace. Merry Christmas Randy.
-Josh
I think in a general sense, the key is understanding that you can't make decisions for other people, and live in such a way where your door is always open, but not try to trick or force anyone to walk through it. Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas Randy I love you
Brilliant as always, Randy.. I pray your situation becomes better...
As far as the 4th to last paragraph, I guess that can also be defined as the aesthete predominating and so you get blamed for something that you aren't quite in control of and so someone else is able to hide from their true view of themselves. Quite unfortunate...
The story of Christ first appears as tragedy, and than as comedy. He dies, pathetic, torturously, on the cross. But in the end, He rises up again, and marries the church. Comedy. Each of us have to do this if we wish to live, first love our lives as a tragedy, and than as comedy.
I was recently advised to start doing religious art, due to my love for it being to the point that I would be willing to undergo sacrifices because of it. That it would be a good way to glorify God.
One of my favourite pieces of art, is of Mother Mary, the babe Jesus in her hands. And she is looking down at Him with joy and contentment. The baby Jesus is looking back up at her, with His own childlike love of his mother.
Because my mother suffered from madness from when I was young, I never really had a mother, not in the truer sense of the world. But since becoming Catholic, I found myself being drawn to Mother Mary, more and more. In the end Jesus provides us with what we need, He takes care of everything. We just need to surrender ourselves to Him.
It's true that you, the child, are sacrificing yourself for your parents by indulging their aesthetic gratification. But you can't forget that, even if your parents weren't great parents, they sacrificed themselves for you, with the expectation that you would sacrifice yourself for your own children. I don't want to be rude at this time of year, but the honest truth is that you are sacrificing yourself for your parents and not for your own children. You're always going to sacrifice yourself for something, and you've chosen it to be for your parents. That's your life, that's your choice, and that's on you.
I correct myself -- that's your life as of today, as of this Christmas. Tomorrow could be different; next Christmas could be different. That's your choice, and that's on you.
Thanks for sharing. We all have a lot to learn. I don’t have an accurate picture of what stage I’m in. I sometimes feel like I’ve confronted and moved past the aesthetic but I don’t think I’m there yet.