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Finding Wisdom in the Darndest Places...


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1 hour ago, smac97 said:

A few days ago my wife attended the funeral of a dear friend who passed away.  She was an excellent pianist and vocalist.  She was a wife.  Mother of five.  A genuinely kind and decent and giving person. 

After seven years of fighting cancer, she went calmly.  So I've been musing a bit about that.  I have found some gems of wisdom in the darndest places.

Plato asked "Must not all things at the last be swallowed up in death?"  Well, yes.  But...

1. The Wisdom of Ghostbusters:

"See you on the other side, Ray."

Laconic.  Matter of fact.  This is not the end.  Our friend will see her husband and children again.  On the other side.

2. The Wisdom of Harry Potter:

"He then greeted Death as an old friend and went with him gladly, departing this life, as equals."

Death is not to be feared.  Rather, it is to be understood.  Our friend had plenty of time to see death coming, but she was not afraid.  In the end she "went with him gladly."

3. The Wisdom of Gandalf

Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
Pippin: What? Gandalf? See what?
Gandalf: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: Well, that isn't so bad.
Gandalf: No. No, it isn't.

Indeed.  My wife attended the funeral and said goodye to her friend.  She was an excellent pianist and vocalist.  She was a wife.  Mother of five.  She went calmly.  She knew.  This is not the end.  Death is not to be feared.  It is just another path.

"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"  (1 Cor. 15:54-55)

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."  (2 Nephi 31:20).

Who would've thought I would find solace in the words of Paul, Nephi and the Savior, but also some insights from Venkman, Beedle the Bard, and Gandalf?  🙂

So where are the "darndest places" you have found wisdom?

-Smac

I once briefly talked to a homeless man and he said the same sun that shone when the earth began is the same one that shines today, I have no clue if that is true but one wonders🤔

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I help coordinate a mid-week “Come Follow Me” study group for residents of an old folks home in our stake. 

During our lesson This past week, someone quoted what she said is a scripture: “I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.” 

I’ve heard that before. I knew it is not scriptural, and I highly doubted any Church leader said it. So I surreptitiously Googled it on my iPhone while the lesson was going on. 

Who do you think said it? It was Mae West, the iconic Hollywood sex symbol of the early 20th century. 

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20 minutes ago, rodheadlee said:

 

Just plain THE BEST.  Love this!!

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Almost 20 years ago I was watching this video when the spirit of the Lord began to rest upon me. It continued to grow for hours:

 

If someone had told me that an animated video would have prepared me to receive one of the most dramatic revelations I have ever received, I would have laughed....

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1 hour ago, mfbukowski said:

....A good reason to study all wisdom traditions.

If we can learn from Ghost Busters, Harry Potter and Tolkien, what would happen if we actually studied other religions and their scriptures and philosophies and other ways of seeing the world?

 

Hey, what about Mae West?

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6 minutes ago, Judd said:

 

That was a great sketch!

I'm old enough to remember very clearly the "Paul is dead" hysteria. I was in junior high school at the time, and the creepiness of it scared me so badly, I had to sleep with the light on.

As a retired journalist, I have interviewed countless individuals. I have just enough social anxiety that I was always afraid I would come off as an interviewer sounding like Chris Farley.

 

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15 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

That was a great sketch!

I'm old enough to remember very clearly the "Paul is dead" hysteria. I was in junior high school at the time, and the creepiness of it scared me so badly, I had to sleep with the light on.

As a retired journalist, I have interviewed countless individuals. I have just enough social anxiety that I was always afraid I would come off as an interviewer sounding like Chris Farley.

 

If only more journalists could be like Chris Farley! He is the funniest guy. I didn't appreciate his comedy enough while he was alive. 

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2 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

....A good reason to study all wisdom traditions.

If we can learn from Ghost Busters, Harry Potter and Tolkien, what would happen if we actually studied other religions and their scriptures and philosophies and other ways of seeing the world?

 

A mix of interest and boredom if my experience is any indication.

I found the Koran to be a repetitious slog when I read the whole thing though I have heard it recited in Arabic and it sounds much more poetic and beautiful. I have a hard time not seeing Islam as Christianity with all the difficult stuff yanked out. 

Some of Taoism’s stories amused me and I appreciate the emphasis on spontaneity and the like but I found the philosophy behind it lacking.

I read some Hindu texts but any religion that needs an abusive tiered caste system is way off. I have not looked much into Jainism but I like it better then Hinduism.

Buddhism seems to me to be a desire to slip into subhumanity. Desire is the root of suffering but it is also the root of joy. Buddhism is cynical about their relative volume to each other and I kind of agree in this world. Not willing to give up desire even if it does cause pain.

Zoroastrianism I enjoyed.

I like some pagan myth stories. Particularly fond of Norse myth and hate how white nationalism and other racists have coopted it.

Sikhs I have read too little about but like what I did read.

Confucianism I found dull and it struck me as a philosophy for aristocrats only. Did not seem universal to me.

Picked up a lot of Judaism studying my own faith. I like some of the Kabbalah stories though I am not going to start believing in Lilith.

 

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Forrest Gump?

"Lahf is lahk a box a choclits.  Ya never know what yer gonna git."

"Mama always said that dyin' is just a part of life."  (I actually quoted that one at my brother's funeral.)

 

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19 hours ago, rodheadlee said:

 

One of my favorite songs from the LotR.

But I do believe I know why the white gulls call.  They are just about to steal your tomato sandwich.

Edited by Stargazer
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16 hours ago, The Nehor said:

I have not looked much into Jainism but I like it better then Hinduism.

Well, at least your wardrobe expenses would be minimal.

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On 8/9/2019 at 8:51 PM, smac97 said:

So where are the "darndest places" you have found wisdom?

-Smac

 
All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Redefine happiness
Another 40, 000 coming everyday, We can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Love of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn't go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared, saying don't be afraid
Come on baby, and she had no fear
And she ran to him, then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodby, she had become like they are
She had taken his hand, she had become like they are

Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
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57 minutes ago, Analytics said:
 
All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Redefine happiness
Another 40, 000 coming everyday, We can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Love of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn't go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared, saying don't be afraid
Come on baby, and she had no fear
And she ran to him, then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodby, she had become like they are
She had taken his hand, she had become like they are

Come on baby, don't fear the reaper

But is there enough cowbell? I don’t think I saw a single cowbell in that whole video. 

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Often times my clients. Here and there as cautionary tales, but also those who shine and become living examples of truth or goodness. I remember one lady after struggling through some traumas and coming to a better peace about them stated that she guessed she needed the pains to know the good and basically quoted a verse in 2 Nephi. Knowing that she was LDS I mentioned it, assuming she’d read it and was connecting it to her life. She hadn’t, but her life experience became its own testament of it. 

Beyond that, random books. A different client recommended i read this book called “how to be sick” which takes buddhist principles and applies it to chronic illness. I’m not chronically ill, but I ended up enjoying the audible read of it. One thing i’ve used currently when i’m getting overwhelmed in a moment is to take an observer approach and  just name what’s actually happening. So instead of, say, getting flustered about a child who won’t be soothed. I say to myself “woman tending a crying child”...it strangely works in calming me. I also like the activity of 5 minutes of doing absolutely nothing. I try that particularly while breastfeeding to turn off the ever present distractions towards the present moment. 

Call the midwife also has sweet messages. 

And when in doubt, google. 😋

 

With luv, 

BD

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This thread needs more My Little Pony.  Let's spice it up with a treatise on repentance and redemption, heavy on the transformative power of the atonement of Christ.  And how the need to endure to the end stays a thing even after being born again and washed clean in the blood:

The song is about self-absorbed and stuck up character who keeps trying to attain recognition by one-upping her enemy, and keeps losing.  Her enemy keeps offering a hand of friendship, which she finally accepts.  And although she managed a certain redemption in this life, she still struggles with a lifetime of bad habits, some undesirable personality traits, and the after-effect that being a jerk for most of her life has left on everyone who knows her.

(posting for a friend)

Edited by LoudmouthMormon
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12 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

This thread needs more My Little Pony.  Let's spice it up with a treatise on repentance and redemption, heavy on the transformative power of the atonement of Christ.  And how the need to endure to the end stays a thing even after being born again and washed clean in the blood:

The song is about self-absorbed and stuck up character who keeps trying to attain recognition by one-upping her enemy, and keeps losing.  Her enemy keeps offering a hand of friendship, which she finally accepts.  And although she managed a certain redemption in this life, she still struggles with a lifetime of bad habits, some undesirable personality traits, and the after-effect that being a jerk for most of her life has left on everyone who knows her.

(posting for a friend)

That show is surprisingly funny and good. I babysit my nieces and watch it with them sometimes. That said I prefer Ninjago and DuckTales.

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1 hour ago, BlueDreams said:

Often times my clients. Here and there as cautionary tales, but also those who shine and become living examples of truth or goodness. I remember one lady after struggling through some traumas and coming to a better peace about them stated that she guessed she needed the pains to know the good and basically quoted a verse in 2 Nephi. Knowing that she was LDS I mentioned it, assuming she’d read it and was connecting it to her life. She hadn’t, but her life experience became its own testament of it. 

Beyond that, random books. A different client recommended i read this book called “how to be sick” which takes buddhist principles and applies it to chronic illness. I’m not chronically ill, but I ended up enjoying the audible read of it. One thing i’ve used currently when i’m getting overwhelmed in a moment is to take an observer approach and  just name what’s actually happening. So instead of, say, getting flustered about a child who won’t be soothed. I say to myself “woman tending a crying child”...it strangely works in calming me. I also like the activity of 5 minutes of doing absolutely nothing. I try that particularly while breastfeeding to turn off the ever present distractions towards the present moment. 

Call the midwife also has sweet messages. 

And when in doubt, google. 😋

 

With luv, 

BD

I have tried that technique of dispassion. Helped me the other night when it was past 3 AM and I could not find an escaped sugar glider and was irrationally worried she had gotten outside. I viewed it as someone searching and thought what my advice would be and followed it. Stop looking, turn off lights, and see if she comes out. A few minutes later I was walking around in the house and she wandered up, climbed my leg, and perched on my shoulder. Still have no idea where she was hiding.

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