<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
In a message dated 1/17/05 3:19:54 PM, 76066.515@compuserve.com writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE"></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
There has been over the years and across the continents a thread to many of<BR>
our conversations here about living in open space.<BR>
<BR>
A new year is a good time to examine our lives anew. What does living in<BR>
open space mean to you? How do you bring it to your daily life?<BR>
<BR>
:-Doug. Germann<BR>
Seeking people making community change.<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
<BR>
Hi, Doug,<BR>
<BR>
Living in open space.........hmmmmmmm. My immediate thought was to be in as much of an accepting frame of mind as I am now able, and to be conscious that it is not always so. I must add that "acceptance" and "accepting" means to me "consent to take in and consider". It is NOT agreement, which is a higher state of "consenting to do, or act on." I have found that separating those two words does wonders in staying out of useless controversies, arguments and fights.<BR>
<BR>
The second part, to be conscious about it all the time, and to be able to recognize when I am not in that state but rather in a resisting or rejecting state (which blinds one, for sure, to any other possibility except one's preconceived notions of reality) is, for me, a continuing practice or task. This not only applies to relationships, but also to my own self-perception. <BR>
<BR>
As a personal for instance, here I am already 67 years old. Egad!! How did I get here so fast??? There are a number of things I used to do with ease that I can either no longer do, or do but my body tells me by hurting at the end of a few hours of cutting, hauling, splitting and stacking wood, as an example. Also, seeing the sharp decline of my father, a former mountain of strength, is sobering (he's 94, still mentally here but physically very debilitated). How do I stay accepting of this process of aging, living as best I can---which is really pretty good for a 67 year old. Opening space for my own self and aging process each day---being thankful, grateful and conscious of what I can still do, for the good measure of health and strength I still have, rather than regretting what I can no longer do, or do as well. To me, that's living in an Open Space way, where the spirit can emerge as it will, leading one to new understandings of being human.<BR>
<BR>
That's what I think this evening. I may think more or differently after reading some of the replies which I hope others contribute. Good question, btw, thought provoking, for sure.<BR>
<BR>
Warmly,<BR>
<BR>
Paul Everett<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"></FONT></HTML>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist