Happy Friday, friends! Somehow I had an oddly busy week - though some of that was simply recovery work from a half marathon I wasn't properly prepared for - but, here we are, still plodding along...
What are five things that've been on my mind???
1. BACK TO SCHOOL
The picture above is where we began our day today. Our school-age grandchildren attend private schools. One is in high school, and the boys attend the school associated with this church. Today was "grandparents day"! We began with a chapel service here, then took an underground tunnel across the street to their classrooms (yes, there is an underground tunnel in downtown Fort Wayne!). We each spent half the morning in each of the boys' classes. It was interesting getting to interact with their friends and teachers. The oldest has 11 kids in his class (he is one of only three caucasian students), and the younger has 18 in his class. I am always a little nervous going to grandparents day because 1) it feels just like 'going-back-to-school'... and I'm still afraid of getting in trouble; and 2) the principal here freaks me out (but the pastor of the church is always super nice!). Anyway, it went fine and I enjoyed it!
Also, I believe our son started teaching at his new school this week. It's a small liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minnesota. He is still finishing up with some work at the seminary he has been teaching at the past couple years, but will eventually solely be teaching here. According to his sister, liberal arts college students are an entirely different animal than seminary students! :)
2. LEARNING AI
Yes, it's true... I have dabbed my toes in Ai world (I am hanging my head). I have SO MANY ethical reservations about all things Ai: what it will do to our world environmentally, emotionally, and intellectually. Yet, I don't know if I had a moment of panic over being left behind, or I simply decided maybe I should look into it a bit. At any rate, I started reading The Neuron newsletter, and they offer this Intro to ChatGPT course for free (supposedly it is normally $199). The 47 modules took me over three hours to get through... But it was really pretty interesting! So, I've been messing around a bit with not only ChatGPT, but some other apps (are they bots?) as well. I still feel weird about it, so please don't tell anyone...
3. TRANSCENDING TO JOY
Maybe I can blame it on Richard Beck! ;) I've just a few pages left in his fantastic little book The Shape of Joy: The Transformative Power of Moving Beyond Yourself. The way he blends psychology and spirituality - without it seeming too psychological or spiritual - really drew me in. The stories are great, but the big idea is even better! The other day he posted this as his new "elevator pitch" for the book:
"Our mental health has become self-referential. We're trapped within ourselves. And left alone, the mind poisons itself. Freud was wrong. The research on mindfulness, gratitude, awe, and humility all tell the same story: We need to get out of our heads."
That's what transcendence is: getting out of our heads (moving beyond ourselves). Honestly, I wouldn't even call it a "mental health" book, but more a "how-the-hell-do-we-survive" book. I like it!
4. COLBERT'S FAITH STORY
"A skinny twenty-two-year-old was freezing in Chicago one November day in 1986. It was 10o. A recent college graduate, he was depressed and had lost fifty pounds. A few years earlier his father and brother had died in a crash. He kept going to Mass for a while, but he had become an atheist. He was angry and certain God didn’t exist..."
Maybe the best thing I read all week was this post from Andy Unedited: "We Never Know Who We're Talking To." It's not long, and if you only click one link today, THAT is the one to click. Whether you like Stephen Colbert or not, it is worth a read! And if you have a little more time and want to dive deeper, this Youtube clip has an in-depth interview where he shares the story (if you click the "more" button it breaks down the sections). Good stuff... and, God, bless Colbert!
5. A QUOTE
"Healing requires telling a better story about myself. Given what has happened to me, what new story do I need to tell about my life? Finding this new story is how you make your way back into the light...
...For joy to become a transcendent emotion, our concerns must be found beyond ourselves, and our stories create this possibility."
- Richard Beck, The Shape of Joy, p.138
* * * * *
Yeah, sorry-not-sorry, the quote is a bit of a tease to read the book. Or at least move beyond yourself. And, I know, life is already chaotic, full, and we're all tired... But what if that's the problem: all we seem to think about is how chaotic, full, and tired we are? What's a new story you could be a part of?
Maybe start by opening up ChatGPT and simply asking it: "What new story could I be a part of?" If you don't like the options, hit the "try again" button at the bottom until it comes up with something that piques your interest.
Or... maybe your life is great. I hope it is! Even if it's not right now... I hope it gets better!
Peace (out, and in)
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