Always challenged by your thoughtful posts, Gary. I am curious if you have ever listened to the song World of Wonders by Bruce Cockburn, a Canadian singer?
Kert, my friend, I would tell him to stay curiious, keep an open mind. share srories wit your his grandparents and lean in to love. OVIOUSLY there's much more. I wrote a letter to 11 of my 14 granchildren and there's a post on my site about that.
I have so many mixed emotions reading this, Gary. We only know one another through our writing but it’s been such a lovely privilege to get to know what I can of you, even this late in the game. I’m thankful to Substack for that. Without it, I would have missed reading your thoughtful reflections. There are a number of benefits to this platform, but surely connections such as this top the list. Thanks, my friend, for each and every word. ❤️
While I don't know you well, Gary, I was compelled to comment on your candor, your strength and your wisdom. I'd like to think, although I do not know, that it is a blessing to be able to have the time to say goodbye and feel what you are experiencing. Of late, I've lost friends with no warning, they are simply gone. Nothing ever said or seen again. No matter how life ends, I hope I do it as gracefully as you appear to be. Thank you for sharing where you are. ~J
I appreciate your thoughtful response and comment. YES it sees like a void not to have seen or said anything, certainly a challenge among many in these later years. Not everyone has the same levels of comfort and discomfort dealing with the this equation of life and death matters. I am all in favor or respect, sensitivity adding up to a good choices. Cultures matter too. Thanks, Janice.
It is not a balanced equation, is it, Gary? I appreciate uoubreminding me of options. I know you were passionate about living a great life full of positivity...I hope to pay that forward. You're welcome. Glad for the rather intimate connection. J
Gary, your exploration of this time, this becoming something...else, is beautiful in its candor. Thank you. As always, "we adjust what we can when we can with what we have where we are." Thank you and take good care.
Engage with me for a sec—I just thought of this following your reflections here, and seeing you’ve become an Elder/Sage to the rest of us. Gary, my daughter just gifted us with our first grandson. He’ll be 3 months old in a couple weeks. If you were to look at him, and considering your lived experience working with thousands of students, and then knowing the state of our world right now, what advice would you give him? What words of wisdom would you offer to him knowing the rest of his entire life is still before him?
Hey Gary...beautiful words from "this bony-assed boy". I could not agree more that our response to what is "all in our hands", and the wise old man story is a wonderful one. I sometimes think that our hands can be cupped in a receiving mode and held in prayer in an asking mode and a gratitude mode all in one. As I get older I find my hands more in prayer mode. Be as well as you can Gary. I forget the name of the zen master who in his much later years was asked how he was doing said..."I am really fine, my body on the other hand is not so great". You sound like a Master to me Gary. Bless you mate.🙏🏼
It IS in our hands now, and you are an inspiration as you live with wonder in this transition time. May you find new joys every day, and may the diminishment be as gentle as possible. What you are doing requires courage and also an open heart. You seem to have both, a huge blessing. May the blessings continue to buoy you like pillows for your bony butt!
What a lovely, thoughtful tale to tell. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for being so special. I send you love.
Always challenged by your thoughtful posts, Gary. I am curious if you have ever listened to the song World of Wonders by Bruce Cockburn, a Canadian singer?
Kert, my friend, I would tell him to stay curiious, keep an open mind. share srories wit your his grandparents and lean in to love. OVIOUSLY there's much more. I wrote a letter to 11 of my 14 granchildren and there's a post on my site about that.
I have so many mixed emotions reading this, Gary. We only know one another through our writing but it’s been such a lovely privilege to get to know what I can of you, even this late in the game. I’m thankful to Substack for that. Without it, I would have missed reading your thoughtful reflections. There are a number of benefits to this platform, but surely connections such as this top the list. Thanks, my friend, for each and every word. ❤️
While I don't know you well, Gary, I was compelled to comment on your candor, your strength and your wisdom. I'd like to think, although I do not know, that it is a blessing to be able to have the time to say goodbye and feel what you are experiencing. Of late, I've lost friends with no warning, they are simply gone. Nothing ever said or seen again. No matter how life ends, I hope I do it as gracefully as you appear to be. Thank you for sharing where you are. ~J
I appreciate your thoughtful response and comment. YES it sees like a void not to have seen or said anything, certainly a challenge among many in these later years. Not everyone has the same levels of comfort and discomfort dealing with the this equation of life and death matters. I am all in favor or respect, sensitivity adding up to a good choices. Cultures matter too. Thanks, Janice.
It is not a balanced equation, is it, Gary? I appreciate uoubreminding me of options. I know you were passionate about living a great life full of positivity...I hope to pay that forward. You're welcome. Glad for the rather intimate connection. J
Gary, your exploration of this time, this becoming something...else, is beautiful in its candor. Thank you. As always, "we adjust what we can when we can with what we have where we are." Thank you and take good care.
Yes.
To it all my friend. And beautiful.
Engage with me for a sec—I just thought of this following your reflections here, and seeing you’ve become an Elder/Sage to the rest of us. Gary, my daughter just gifted us with our first grandson. He’ll be 3 months old in a couple weeks. If you were to look at him, and considering your lived experience working with thousands of students, and then knowing the state of our world right now, what advice would you give him? What words of wisdom would you offer to him knowing the rest of his entire life is still before him?
Sending you love, my friend. As always, you are a font of wisdom and inspiration.
Gary is slowing down,
humbly, grateful, gracefully.
Does what’s in his hands.
Hey Gary...beautiful words from "this bony-assed boy". I could not agree more that our response to what is "all in our hands", and the wise old man story is a wonderful one. I sometimes think that our hands can be cupped in a receiving mode and held in prayer in an asking mode and a gratitude mode all in one. As I get older I find my hands more in prayer mode. Be as well as you can Gary. I forget the name of the zen master who in his much later years was asked how he was doing said..."I am really fine, my body on the other hand is not so great". You sound like a Master to me Gary. Bless you mate.🙏🏼
It IS in our hands now, and you are an inspiration as you live with wonder in this transition time. May you find new joys every day, and may the diminishment be as gentle as possible. What you are doing requires courage and also an open heart. You seem to have both, a huge blessing. May the blessings continue to buoy you like pillows for your bony butt!