thinking thursday.

November 17, 2011 in Uncategorized

(Tess, third grade school photo)

[mind]

I'm keenly interested in education, and found this article fascinating: What if the key to success was failure?

You'll reach new heights if you learn to embrace the occasional tumble.

[body]

7 foods the experts won't eat. Are you eating them?

My cousin Karen posted a link to this article on Facebook, and it got me thinking: Do you have a health care directive? I don't. And I need one.

A literacy of curves: "…apart from inquiry, apart from the praxis, individuals cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other."

Simple, and beautiful.

This will be on my Thanksgiving menu. Oh, my, yes.

And by the way, have you ever roasted red grapes? They are amazing: Carefully toss grapes with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook at 450 on a parchment-lined pan for 10 minutes. Thanks to Marilyn Maciel for that new flavor sensation!

[soul]

Taking as much mindfulness as you can stand: "thoughts are innocent, as Byron Katie might say. Suffering begins when we start to be impressed by them, believe them, take them personally." Ironically, I'm going to be impressed by this thought, believe it, and take it personally.

Susan Piver is out to bring meditation to the world. She's helping me start a one-minute meditation practice soon because she asked a group of us to write down how long we thought we could meditate every day and then add one minute to that number. After my addition, I came up with "one." Join her Open Heart Project. See the meditation videos she's creating, including this one that changed everything for me last week: "Who would you be without that thought?" I knew immediately the answer to that question: I would be happy, and free.

Words to ponder: When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. -Victor Frankl

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

4 comments to " thinking thursday. "


Michele

November 18, 2011 AT 8:14AM

I love all the links in this post… food for thought. Also, I hadn’t seen the site, Wake Up World; so, that found its way into my Google Reader subscriptions.

And I’m so glad you encouraged people to make their health care directives. This is so important, and people often don’t consider it. Doing it gives you some control at a time when you can’t decide for yourself, and it removes the burden of decision-making from your family. In that respect, it’s a gift for them as much as a tool for you to make your own decisions.

I recently volunteered during pro bono week to do simple wills, POAs, and advance directives for local first responders, and it was one of the most rewarding professional experiences I’ve had. It feels so good to know that people went away with something that will help ease things for them if disaster or illness strikes.

Sally

November 18, 2011 AT 10:25AM

That’s why I love sports. Meg (a week younger than Tess) plays soccer. Before this season, she and her friends won every game. So far this fall, they’ve won 3, lost 2 and tied one. That disappointment is extremely important, I think.

Quiddity

November 20, 2011 AT 9:39AM

I’m in the process of perusing all the links in this post and am finding much encouragement, inspiration and food for thought. I’m finding the same in “Life is a Verb” and want to say a fervent thank you!

Lila

November 20, 2011 AT 10:01PM

Great article on education! I read the whole thing and it made me think about our failed KIPP attempt in Asheville, and how hard it is to work in the school system when you see how ineffective we are with kids who need the most help. It’s why I retired early. I’m glad you are doing the work you do in Hastings. Here’s hoping you guys can figure it out.