FootprintsintheWind.com

At the very least, we have to die to our old picture of being a productive member of society. Then we can birth a new picture of being a guardian of something larger than society, culture, even humanity.

:- Doug.

Footprints in the Wind^sm # 1689

Walking in the rain is of the essence of life.

Please pass it on.

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Human is wilder than we thought.

:- Doug.

Friend, meet us!

:- Doug.

What I am discovering is that it is meeting I must invite. Easily. No pushing. But doing the hard work of waiting it out of people. Waiting out his and her being. Continually inviting, but not necessarily with words: with my soft eyes. With my posture. Be. With. Model being with grandchildren.

:- Doug.

The task of the elder is to meet this Thou: here being and doing are one.

:- Doug.

Done to—or being-doing: this is the end of life question.

:- Doug.

If we see we elders are developing—or can be—toward what are we developing? Can we choose? Can we invent?

:- Doug.

I cannot push for relation—I can only open space, invite. Let my shoulders down, break open my heart. It won’t be the same each time, except for the difficulty—and ease.

:- Doug.

It takes relating: there is no question, technique, phrase.

:- Doug.

I don’t tell you how to decide. This is what I will do.

:- Doug.

So the meeting has to be being level. I will ask you. Reveal myself. I will ask you to go to why again.

:- Doug.

How are you taking responsibility for the world? We cannot clean the whole house in a moment. We must start somewhere: just this shelf, just this window.

:- Doug.

What is the conversation you want to have with the generations, both past and future? How have you contributed to where we are today—by either adding to it, or withholding yourself?

:- Doug.

It’s not just finding out something factual: we must meet.

:- Doug.

Relation is degrees
you and I are related
whoever you whoever I

:- Doug.

An elder can see patterns a middler misses.

:- Doug.

Lean in
So we hear one another breathe
We must move closer

:- Doug.

Come my children, let’s go to know-land and see what might lick us in the face!

Think about this thing. Notice how it makes you feel and how it seems to feel. Use all your senses, touch, taste, and smell included, to gather more about it. How might the world look to it, sound, smell, touch, taste? Imagine, imagine!

Know-place is bigger than we guessed.

:- Doug.

Beyond Do-Be-Do-Be-Do
to Be-Do-Be-Do-Be!

:- Doug.

Beginning elders are in the chrysalis.

:- Doug.

As an elder, your being is doing, your doing being.

You reach a point where you do not have to choose anymore between being and doing. The two converge. The former split now seems artificial. There are new dynamics at work. From around you, not called forth by you, nor even from within you, new power arises. It is lighter. You no longer pin the hopes of the world on what you do. You no longer seek to charm those about. You laugh with. You enjoy. Simply, you meet. Being to being.

:- Doug.

Mom does not have to go broke if Dad goes to the nursing home. She can buy things, she can loan things, she is in charge….

:- Doug.