posted March 22, 2009 07:32 AM         

Perfect, AG.

posted March 22, 2009 09:31 AM         

"People Who Need People"
Barbara Streisand

People,
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world

We're children needing other children
And yet letting our grown-up pride
Hide all the need inside
Acting more like children than children

Lovers
Are very special people
They're the luckiest people in the world
With one person,
One very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you are half now you're whole

No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People, people who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world.

With one person
One very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you are half now youre whole

posted March 22, 2009 09:31 AM         

"Unsung"
Helmet

Your contribution left unnoticed
Some association with an image
Just credit time for showing up again
Attention wandered
I'm left with it

Gone by sin
Too slowly
Can't pass it up
Then I thought
Nothing is right
I turned it off

To die unsung would really bring you down
Although wet eyes would never suit you
Walk through no archetypal suicide
Die young is far too boring these days

posted March 22, 2009 09:40 AM         

'Feel Just Like A Child'
Devendra Banhart

I feel just like a child
Well I feel just like a child
I feel just like a child
I feel just like a child
From my womb to my tomb
I guess I'll always be a child

Some people try and treat me like a man
Yeah some people try and treat me like a man
Well I guess they just don't understand
Yeah some people try and treat me like a man
They think I know sh-t
But that's just it
I'm a child

Well I need you to help me reach the door
And I need you to walk me to the store
And I need you to please explain the war
And I need you to heal me when I'm sore
You can tell by my smile
That I'm a child

And I need you to sit me on your lap
And I need you to make me take my nap
Could you first pull out a book and
Read me some of that
Cause I need you to make me take my nap

And I need you to recognize my friends
Cause they're there even though
You don't see them
They got their own chair, plate, and a seat
You know I won't touch my food
Unless they eat
From the roof to the floor
I crawl around some more
I'm a child

And I need you to help me blow my nose
And I need you to help me count my toes
And I need you to help me put on my clothes
And I need you to hide it when it shows
From being my daddy's sperm
To being packed in an urn
I'm a child

And when I steal you gotta
Smack me til I cry
Don't you stop til the tears run dry
See I was born thinking all under the sky
I didn't belong to a couple of old wise guys
From sucking on my mama's breast
To when they lay my soul to rest
I'm a child

posted March 22, 2009 10:00 AM         

I'm so glad that you're feeling better and thrilled to see that comfort you've given really did find its way back to you. I didn't doubt it for a minute. You made a solid investment.

Do not hoard treasures on earth where moths and rust corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where neither moths nor rust corrupt, nor thieves break in to steal. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

quote:

---

AG, those bible verses helped. I think I forget that it isn't all just new agey stuff... most of it is centuries old and there is a reason it is still around.

---

shhh not so loud. someone might hear you

~~~~~

Maybe compassion and sensitivity are more common then we're allowing? This thread is maybe evident of that? How we express that compassion differs - possibly that's the issue? We seem to feel more accepting of those that express sympathy in ways similiar to our own. Does offering something like "Maybe you should see a therapist?" prove someone heartless? Maybe that's all they had to give? Maybe its all they felt comfortable sharing? As with any gift, its the thought that counts.
I thought AG's post was wonderful and I don't for a minute doubt his sincere compassion for MM's situation, but someone might just as easily accused him of the great sin of offering advice. horrors! I don't know AG, but I've been here for several years and I've read enough of his posts to know that, given the situation, its his way to offer a few kind hearted and perfectly sensible suggestions. We all have different ways. Whether or not they gave stephen what he wanted at that moment notwithstanding, I'm not ready to think some of the earlier posters had any less compassion.

Why aren't they able to understand that sometimes all we need is someone to listen, sympathize, and just let us know that they care? Even if you are a complete stranger to them?

Purging certainly helps. At least temporarily. Sometimes you don't need anyone to try to "fix it", you just need someone to patiently hear you out. I find that giving the other guy a heads up by explaining that before they - quite naturally, I think - go into advice mode helps out a lot. Someone very close to me. who I know cares, is a "fixer". Its just how they operate. Its their way.

I'm really happy the thread turned out well

posted March 22, 2009 01:58 PM         

I can make my own distinctions between:

"new age" mumbo-jumbo

"new age" bastardizations of ancient wisdom

"new age" presentations of ancient wisdom

"new age" wisdom that really is original and helpful

and simple truths which have meaning,
but were never intended to be used as stones,
just to throw at people in order to test their agility,
and show off our ability to throw stones

What could be easier than throwing cliches at me,
just because they so clearly do not resemble me,
and then blaming me for their lack of resemblance to me?

Its a rigged game.

I humble myself,
or exalt the truth,
and, in many people's eyes,
that makes me an easy target.

Dont you see how selectively (and subjectively) everyone chooses the ancient wisdom?

Its all about making them look good for being well, and making me look bad for being wounded, lol.

Try learning the meaning of these, while you are at it:

"The Devil can quote scripture to his purpose."

"One man's medicine is another man's poison."

"Is it easier to say to the sick, Thy sins be forgiven thee;
or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?"

"Forgive them, for they know not what they do."

posted March 22, 2009 02:18 PM         

And I apologized to the people I was rude to in those rare instances.

The advice that irked me isnt the advice that says "Have you tried therapy? Did it help?"
But the advice that says, "Jesus, man. Get in therapy, for chrissake. Do something! Don't just whine about it."

The advice that tries to tell me what I know, and what I can do,
when i am telling you I dont know it, and I can't do it.

posted March 22, 2009 02:23 PM         

And it is not even that the wisdom is wrong.
In many cases, it is the new agey fashion of presenting it,
in this simplistic, this-is-going-to-solve-everything-
or-something-must-be-very-wrong-with-your-ascention-process
way of talking down to every person who is in any kind of distress.

That kind of dum-a$$ jargon is the stuff that needs to go.

Pluto is out of Sagittarius and in Capricorn, baby.

Let's all try to lose the self-righteous tone a little,
and dig a bit deeper into the realities of the situation.

over and out

posted March 22, 2009 02:59 PM         

good thing I'm not one of those sensitive fragile water sign types, huh?

quote:

---

Let's all try to lose the self-righteous tone a little,
and dig a bit deeper into the realities of the situation.

---

I'm trying, sweetie. Believe me, I'm trying.

posted March 22, 2009 09:38 PM         

quote:

---

Judge and sting as you see fit

---

I may not do it with the style and grace
that you and juni are so practiced in,
but I do my best, TINK.

posted March 22, 2009 09:49 PM         

quote:

---

I may not do it with the style and grace
that you and juni are so practiced in,
but I do my best, TINK.

---

posted March 22, 2009 09:54 PM         

quote:

---

If you think I've attacked someone

---

umm... didnt I just say "I wasnt talking about you" ??

I dont lie about stuff like that. Do you?

quote:

---

c'mon you've got a better stinger than that, my friend. warming up?

---

I wasnt trying to break the skin.

posted March 22, 2009 10:05 PM         

And you did personally address me in the gauntlet post.

No, I'm not looking for a fight. I'm sick, I'm overtired and I can't sleep, I'm trying to read a really good book about Frederich II and the Crusades and I can't concentrate so I've been distracting myself with the computer all night wandering about various websites such as our beloved LL. Point being, I'm weak so its conceivable you might be able to take me. No mudpits tonight.

quote:

---

I wasnt trying to break the skin.

---

ah. style and grace.

posted March 22, 2009 10:20 PM         

But maybe thats why you are so feisty tonight?

quote:

---

I said "If you think ..."

---

Yes, you did. Do you need me to repeat my response?

quote:

---

style and grace

---

Nice try.

The difference:

I "judge" when people are being judgmental.

You and juni judge everything, lol.

I do it directly, openly, and frankly.

You and juni do it in a snobby, backhanded way.

I wasnt going to go into this stuff, TINK.

I havent seen you around lately,
and you were being fairly well behaved,
so I didnt want to dig this stuff up.

posted March 22, 2009 10:51 PM         

quote:

---

I wasnt going to go into this stuff, TINK.

---

Oh please of course you were. It makes you feel better. Glad to be of service. I think that's you're cue to tell me I'm a bully or insincere or something. Why do you feel so insulted?

I'll take you at your word.

well-behaved??? So, I've fallen out of line and into disfavor yet again and you, with your infinite compassion and sense of righteousness are going to try to knock me down a few pegs? darn. But you're not going to get anywhere insulting my intelligence. Try something else.

posted March 22, 2009 10:56 PM         

Is this fun for you?

You know you can p*ss me off.

Just keep poking me with that stick.

I'll be back to my usual self in no time.

The self you usually bring out of me, that is.

Just keep poking, and watch me come to life.

I'll bite your f-cking arm off, if that's what you're after.

Why are you doing this, seriously?

Why is this amusing for you?

Can't you just leave it alone?

You want to make peace, TINK?

Let's make peace.

Or you want to screw around some more?

What exactly is this about for you?