Child of the universe

[hummingwolf]

Max Ehrmann--
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Stephen Crane--
A man said to the universe,
"Sir, I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."

Which of course ignores the possibility that the universe, even if completely devoid of any sense of obligation, may in fact love its offspring anyway.

Which of course wouldn't mean that the universe is unfolding as it should, for even those who love us can treat us badly. Perhaps it is those who love us most who damage us most efficiently.

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

wow. you have quoted my fellow hoosier, max ehrmann, whom i love for the touchy-feely desiderata [g], but you've put a spin on him & stephen crane i never thought of. hey, let's ditch philosophy and take off with that circus! i want to learn to walk a tightrope. :)

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

i want to learn to walk a tightrope. :)

You mean you don't already do that on a daily basis? Huh.

I never was good at walking tightropes. My father used to joke that people who referred to Librans as "well-balanced" had obviously never met me...

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

>You mean you don't already do that on a daily basis? Huh.

excellent point! yes, in fact.... :D

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Thought so. :-)

[wiltinwickwitch.livejournal.com]

-speaking as one who is suddenly confused all over again by my universe (ie my family), I thought I would get up out of bed and post some musings here tonight; but what you've said here just puts it so much better than I ever could; I'll just post a link
thanks
love and blessed be
xxxxxxx

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Family's such a confusing part of the universe sometimes. Sorry you've had such troubles with yours, but glad that this post resonated somehow.

Re:

[wiltinwickwitch.livejournal.com]

Well - I'm sure I've been a trouble to them, too!
but my resolution in future is; no more troubles. Or at least - avoid the obvious situations...!
thanks again
love and blessed be
xxxx

[blue-by-you.livejournal.com]

THIS is briiliant, C - and I love Stephen Crane.

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I need to read s'more Stephen Crane myself, methinks.

[skygypsy.livejournal.com]

of course those who love us most can damage us most. b/c we have allowed them closest to our hearts than anyone else. hopefully the loved ones you speak of are not, however, INTENTIONALLY harming you.

a fan unfolds only one way: out. there is no right or wrong way. only the way.

and whether or not the universe feels responsibility for my happiness, good health, or good fortune, is irrelevant to my state of existence. ultimately, we must all take responsibility for our own happiness... health, i know, can feel futilely immune to our sincere efforts at self-care... but maybe the lesson is in finding happiness within a state of unbalance. then we are truly free.

/me now bombards you with some of my fave quotes:

"A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."
-Dogen

"Wisdom is ofttimes nearer when we stoop, than when we soar." -William Wordsworth

"Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all." -Hellen Keller

"The sun shines not on us, but in us." -John Muir

"Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, wakes. -C.G.Jung


"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -R.W.Emerson

"Jesus said: 'The kingdom of heaven is within you.' " -Luke 17:21

"In this body, in this town of Spirit, there is a little house shaped like a lotus, and in that house there is a little space....There is as much in that little space within the heart, as there is in the whole world outside. Heaven, earth, fire, wind, sun, moon, lightning, stars; whatever is and whatever is not, everything is there....That space is the home of Spirit." -Chhandogya Upanishad VIII/I

I had more to add but got sidetracked by HUNGER. later toots. don't wallow in pessimism too long... don't worry bout optimism either, i'm lacking that too these days... but try to appease the anxiety with inner faith...

oh, i remember, a friend always used to tell me when things seemed absolutley horrible, to remember that everything cycles. so there's a point where it HAS to get better, just by nature. that doesn't even need faith.

*hugs*

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Erm, you seem to have misunderstood a bit (not that I blame you, given the latest e-mails I've written!). This post had nothing to do with my mood--I wasn't particularly unhappy, anxious, or pessimistic when I wrote it. What I posted was sparked by the two quotes I'd run across. I was just letting my mind wander around the quotes, thinking of things the passages left out. I do that sometimes, no matter what kind of mood I'm in. :-)

[skygypsy.livejournal.com]

*oooooops*
*blushes*

but oh good *phew* (i should've figured from the mood=anthropomorphic...but then the circus music threw me off... ;) )

well.. save those for a rainy day then... or throw em back at me.. heh.

i did wonder if maybe i wasn't getting it, but u know me by now, when i doubt, spew: hugs! love! comfort! encouragement! be positive!!! love yourself! peace on earth! rock on! and more from my personal potpourri of perky platitudes ;)

and when all else fails, say 'fuck it' and eat chocolate. ( i wonder if that would fit on a bumper sticker... hmm... imagine how many pmsing women would buy those!!)


-from a fellow unbalanced libra (those scales justice holds are NOT level... balance is a myth. just like blind justice... but, heh, trying to achieve unrealistic ideals *does* fit me pretty accurately! ;) )
*hee*

now i'm curious about this crane dude... any reading recommendations??

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Okay, I have *got* to write an entry about that dang circus tent one of these days. Not today, though... sometime when I've had sleep.

Don't be embarrassed, hon--hugs are always appreciated. As is chocolate. :-)

I don't have any reading recommendations myself, I just need to go to the library sometime soon and see what's there. Assuming my magpie-like eye doesn't convince me to pick up 7 other books before I even *get* to Stephen Crane.