My Story, Your Story

Do you have a story about how things are? How all things are?

I had a story about Mr. McWilliams who owned the used clothing store in my home town when I was a kid. He always seemed grumpy and upset whenever we were in there and I made up this whole monologue about his disliking children, poor children, his being upset whenever we were in there. I found out later in life that he was very fearful that we wouldn't like the quality of his goods, that he was actually very good with kids.

What's our story about our patients, our relatives, people we meet? Do we construct how people are based on their clothing or facial expression? What's the phenomenon that's actually present? Can we actually be in the presence of another without drawing down some experiences from the past and make a construction of them without benefit of the present facts? Can we listen and hear them, look and see them, as they actually are right here, right now?

5,500 steps, 161 lbs

It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. - Agnes Repplier