YOU HAVE TO TRY
“Never stop. No matter how many failures. When you know you’re doing what you’re meant to do, you have to try.”
“Yes, he had his demons, but they never stopped him from searching for beauty. Because where you find beauty, you find inspiration. If, that is, you stay as determined as Vincent.”
If you have not yet watched the series “Ted Lasso”, stop what you are doing right now and start it; you will not regret it. I’m probably the last person on the planet who you might catch watching anything sports related, but this series is just so well written and the cast perfectly matched that, along with the personal life connections you will identify with along the way, it will go down as one of the best ever made in my opinion.
However good each episode is, two scenes in particular (both of which are in the same episode) got me all teary eyed - in a good way. In the scene shown here, Ted finds himself questioning his decisions that led him all the way to coaching an English football team. His family life is in a bit of chaos and he’s dealing with moments of paralyzing anxiety worrying about his son and his ex-wife. He goes out for a walk, deep in thought questioning whether or not coaching the team was the right call for him to have made when he waltzes into a Van Gogh exhibit. A docent walks up to him and the short, but profound one minute speech he gives Ted had me ugly crying.
“Never stop. No matter how many failures. When you know you’re doing what you’re meant to do, you have to try.”
ALL I WANT
“I know we can’t fix every ache inside us. But I shouldn’t have to pretend it’s not there either.”
“I know we can’t fix every ache inside us. But I shouldn’t have to pretend it’s not there either.”
EMERGENCE
“This above all: to thine own self be true.”
As the wise playwright once penned, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” The only way out is through and it’s in the process, painful as it may be sometimes, that we learn the valuable lessons most useful to navigate the labyrinth called life.
Blog post soon, as for now this is a project drawn from my own personal well, loaded with symbolic imagery navigating through the valleys and emerging anew on the other side.
THE BRIDGE
MOMENTS OF INSIGHT. AND MORE QUESTIONS.
This design has a multitude of meanings. A moment of insight, a surprising revelation, through a looking glass, different perspectives, and for me it represents crossing a threshold of new understanding which also presents more questions. Our curious nature peels more layers from the proverbial onion, knowing that we will never reach the center. But the joy is in the journey.
THE POWER OF A MOMENT
I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to share this special moment with my oldest daughter, Julie. It seems like just yesterday she was this tiny little baby I held in the hospital, mesmerized by such a beautiful and perfect little bundle wrapped in pink, she instantly had me wrapped around her little finger. In fact, I held her so much in the hospital that when we brought her home she refused to sleep in her bed, expecting to be held at all times. So I was so happy to have been able to hold her once again, although all grown up this time and beginning a new and exciting life journey with her now husband, Ty. I could not be more proud of her and excited for this new chapter she’s beginning.
Occasionally in life, there are moments where you are able to say a million words without saying any at all and this was one of those moments. I’m so thankful to be blessed with such a ray of sunshine and can’t wait to see what great things lie up ahead for you. You deserve every happiness in this life. Love you more than words can ever convey!
AS ABOVE SO BELOW
The observation that changes reality. On the smallest scale possible there lies a phenomenon that exists outside the constraints of even time itself and one that, quite possibly, has such profound implications it might just result in a paradigm shift. In a world that grows more and more contentious each day, perhaps it’s time to refocus and become more intentional with directing and manifesting that which we want for our future.
“The act of observation is an act of fact-creation.”
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”
In our day and age of exponential discoveries in science and technology, the unknown begins to become known more and more each day. But despite the advancements, there are areas that defy human understanding. No one really understands consciousness or even what it is fundamentally. Despite being able to see out further into space than ever before, we have barely even begun to scratch the surface. In fact, if the universe were the size of the ocean, the equivalent amount of what we have been able to observe would fit into a twelve ounce glass of water. And while we are discussing the ocean, you might be surprised to know that a vast amount of our own oceans have still not been explored. So it’s safe to say that there is still a lot we just don’t know. But sometimes, we are able to discover things that, although still cannot be scientifically explained, are a beautiful peek into the window of the profound mysteries of life itself. The quantum realm which science has only started to grasp, defies all explanation and operates by it’s own set of rules. But it does have some consistency to it’s randomness and the story that that consistency tells us is no less than astounding.
This is an area where we can see that the very nature of reality lines up with philosophy. On the smallest level possible, it has been repeatedly observed that subatomic particles behave in a random way, exhibiting all possible outcomes simultaneously (and outside even the constraints of time itself) until it is consciously observed at which point the waveform collapses into one state or another. Considering that particles themselves have no awareness, the only conclusion is that it is this “Observer Effect” which cannot be fully explained is the result of human interaction. Meaning that it is not until a human interaction happens that the wavelength of all possibilities collapses into a realistic course of action. That, to me, has to be one of the most impactful discoveries ever made. And shows that our conscious will can, in absolute fact, create reality and on the most fundamental realm of our existence. Since all things are made up of atoms, whose subatomic particles are exhibiting this behavior, it is imbedded into the very fiber of our being.
“We know what we are, but not what we may be.”
Imagine if we were able to tap into such potential. If people could really focus on it and not lose hope that the destinies with which they were infused with from their very beginning would materialize in due time. How might that change our world for the better? Often in icebreaker sessions or boardroom meetings people will ask you a hypothetical question, “If money were no object, what would you do?”. Usually some will answer with some trivial material wishes that come from a place of ego. However, more often than not, you will get an answer which comes from their very core. It bursts its way through the messiness of life, through the temporal political affiliations, bubbles past the brief roles that we cling to and reveals itself in such a succinct way. An internal gravitational pull, aligned with that which we all want for ourselves - which is to be able to use our natural gifts for the betterment of others. To make a difference in the world in some specific way.
The alarm bells ring out loudly in the background, the doomsday clock inches closer and closer to an inescapable midnight. With our blinders on and feeling comfy in our own self-made echo chambers we continue to march into the abyss, towing our children behind to inherit a bankrupt future and fight to survive in an environment that is so out of sync with modernity that it poisons rather than supports. There are no adults in charge. We are like latch-key kids who come home to an empty house and make their own dinner from the meal kit box of Chef Simply Daily Survival. It should be no surprise to any critical thinking person that our current institutions have failed us and they instead cast blame on various “others”, shrugging shoulders without answers and complain that it’s just too hard to fix what we certainly did not do, “but vote for me and I’ll be sure to make ‘said others’ pay.” Or perhaps “for a monthly fee of $19.99 we can provide you with some tiny material comforts to help you not fret over the worries of tomorrow.” The constant barrage of intentional distractions grows more and more intense each day.
What if, after all, we discovered a profound new level of control we have over our own destinies? When, instead of relenting control to the whims of fate, we take complete ownership of our course in life? Think about the things you might do if you realized the power of your intentionality and that your future is yours to claim, not dependent upon any other being than yourself. This is both an empowering and equally frightening concept. But I would always rather know and live in the truth than in some facade of a construct made to keep order and control. This realization is necessary in order for us to awaken and perhaps avoid our own extinction. And it should be abundantly clear that the status quo institutions are not the answer, but very often are part of the problem.
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
In another blog post a few years back, I referenced the term epistemic humility. The word epistemic means relating to knowledge or to the degree of its validation. Therefore, epistemic humility is having an appreciation for the fact that you don’t know and will never know everything there is to know. To quote the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare himself: “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” Those who claim to have complete knowledge with assuredness are foolish. But we do get pieces of the larger puzzle along the way which allow us to recalibrate and sometimes discover some profound elements to our reality that we can use to improve our lives.
This is not about some genie in a bottle who grants you whatever selfish material desire you want. Mountains will not start moving tomorrow nor will things simply appear out of thin air like magic. But if you quiet those growing distractions and spend some time focusing intentionally on what it is you were put here to accomplish and visualize exactly how you would feel as this version of yourself, which does not come from a place of ego but instead will always have some element of you making the world better than it would have been without you in it - we might just be surprised at what we are capable of doing.
Continue with the video below, which explains how the science from the above video greatly affects our own lives and how these concepts are affecting you right now whether you realize it or not.
(So Below, As Above)
connecting the quantum dots right to your own doorstep: the physics of possibility
Click Here for Additional Information
Video References:
Daily Science Minute Podcast. Dr. Quantum and the Double Slit Experiment, Cosmos: Possible Worlds (NatGeo)MOTIVATION MANIFESTED: QUANTUM PHYSICS, HOW TO BEND REALITY(VIA YT)DR. JOE DISPENZA: A WHOLE NEW LIFE IN A WHOLE NEW FUTURE (VIA YT)
OSHA NATIONAL BEAT THE heat contest SUBMISSION
Safety-Man is taking his message national with our submission to OSHA’s national competition!
The Safety-Man series has taken off since we first started this episodic series at the first of this year! I just finished submitting an entry into OSHA’s National Beat the Heat Contest to raise awareness about the dangers of heat exhaustion. Our submission has four components, the main one being Safety-Man Episode 7 which we dedicated to this project submission. Additionally, there are free downloadable posters for organizations to post throughout their facility and direct people to our third component: www.truevaluesafetyman.com (the domain name which we now own). The last component is on the poster below and throughout the video which is a logo with an easy to remember acronym to help people easily recall the symptoms of heat exhaustion in the event they find themselves getting too hot.
FREE DOWNLOADABLE POSTER
There are six categories in the contest: most innovative, most creative, strongest message, best Non-English entry, highlighting indoor heat hazards, and highlighting young workers. Winners will be announced mid-July. The awards are a congratulatory plaque and coin from OSHA, but the most valuable prize will be the national exposure as the winners will be posted on OSHA’s website and in their newsletters. The national exposure would be amazing, but regardless of the outcome I’m happy with what we created and it’s an effective communication tool that drives home the message of safety in an engaging way. This project, along with all of the episodic series, is the result of hours upon hours of additional work on top of my regular duties which meant a lot of late nights and working from home in the evenings and on weekends. I’m so grateful to have the ability and support from my employer to create these media tools. It’s a rare thing to have such talented and committed people come together at just the right time with the potential to generate phenomenal content with a solid message!
To see additional Safety-Man episodes, go to Media Productions from the menu or check out the new dedicated website at www.truevaluesafetyman.com!
PRECARIOUS UNCHARTED WATERS
The further you travel out on a limb, the greater things become uncertain. But the reward is worth the risk.
POSTER DESIGN WITH MARK TWAIN QUOTE FOR MY OFFICE
The quote above is very appropriate to explain my outlook this past year. There have been a lot of exciting changes recently that are, quite honestly, a mixed bag of emotions. Last year, with the release of an Orientation Video I did for work, things really picked up momentum and the projects just kept coming one after another. I now have so much content that it has needed its own internal Sharepoint page. Thus True Value Corsicana Media began and it has mostly had a positive reception. It has grown into something larger than anticipated and for that I am extremely grateful. I have had a lot of support behind the effort, and am humbled. The word appreciative seems so insignificant of a word to express my gratitude. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag though and I guess it is true that when you start to get aligned with your calling in life, the hits will start coming. There’s been some heavy hearted situations on a personal level recently. I am thankful that at in general, I have a great workplace. The mix of being both shockingly disappointed and eternally grateful both at the same time! It’s such a weird place to be in and experience. I won’t go into much detail other than that at this time but I at the end of the day I’m thankful for every kind word and gesture from others, because where I’m sitting which feels like the end of a branch at the very top of a tree, the boost from those acts mean substantially more than ever before. It keeps me going and drives me forward. Because without it, the things that have felt like lead weights placed on me would certainly break the branch I’m balancing so precariously on. This thing has taken on wings and has spread its reach. However, the bigger something becomes the more exposure to misinterpretation and it is also a risk. One which I really hope pays off in the end. That being said, this past week we celebrated the 40th Anniversary and it went fantastically, I don’t think it could have been much better. Below is the video I put together from the event along with the artwork I designed for the 40th anniversary. To say this was time consuming is quite an understatement. This was a long and arduous labor of gratitude that I’m pleased with how it turned out. Overall, I am humbled and grateful for this journey thus far. It helps sustain me as I’m faced with some hard to swallow life changes coming up. But my overall thought process is this: it is not lost on me the realization that this is a very rare circumstance I find myself in. Especially with some of the support that have had come my way that literally leaves me speechless in humility. So I will ride this wave as long as I can and I’ll be thankful for it either way.
40th Anniversary Celebration
Legacy Wall Design for the 40th Anniversary
True Qualities Poster Series (now hanging on display in our Red Room)
THE CROSS
Love will always find a way
To anyone else this is just your ordinary cross necklace, but to me this is a reminder of my Grandmother. My mom’s mom, Bettye was a gem of a woman who loved her family fiercely and had a special place in her heart for her grandchildren.
Years before she passed away in 2006, she had hers and my grandfather’s wedding bands melted down and made into a few of these crosses specifically for us grandkids.
It was a nice gesture at the time, but I did not fully appreciate it until after she was gone. I don’t really wear any chains or jewelry of any kind, but every time I would pull it out it was a reminder of her love and thoughtfulness.
About 10 years or so ago, the cross went missing. There was a lot of turmoil in my life at the time and after searching high and low I realized it was gone: lost in one of many moves and I had to come to terms with the fact that I would not see it again. I would occasionally search the house looking again but never was able to locate it.
Since then, I have bounced back from some pretty tough situations. However, the past few months I have dealt with issues on an unprecedented scale and to say it’s been a struggle is an understatement. My life has been turned upside down and I’m struggling to come to terms with how things are turning out. One of the things I picked up from my grandmother was her optimism and to keep in mind that there is always a way through anything life throws at you. But it’s been tough. This is pretty hopeless.
My oldest daughter, Julie was unable to come visit for Christmas but we decided that I would drive down in early January to see her. I didn’t really have any money for presents, but I really wanted to get her a record player. She had mentioned it earlier in the year and it’s something I know she would like. I found one and brought it home to wrap. I got down the wrapping paper and decided I’d add some ribbon and a bow (being extra lol). As I was digging through the box, inside one of the bags of ribbon I spotted something shiny. When I pulled it out, there was the cross! Mind you: countless holidays, birthdays, and events had passed over the years with me getting in this box. I’m certain I had even checked it when I was trying to find it. I firmly believe that I was meant to find this at such a time as this.
I was speechless and I just sat on the bed and cried for a bit. During one of the toughest seasons of my life, my grandma was reaching out to tell me she loves me and was sending me a hug in a way. I can’t convey what this simple thing meant. It’s only the second time since her passing that I truly felt her presence. I’ve tried to tell this story a couple times but I can’t even make it through the whole retelling.
Interestingly enough, she had these crosses made for us but she was not a church goer - however over time I’ve realized that she was more spiritually connected than most I’ve known. I think she was put off by the institutional church and understandably so. She didn’t have to sit in a pew because she lived out her faith regularly. As I’ve gotten older I empathize with her even more. I’ve been loved by the church and I’ve been equally burned by the church (institutionally speaking). Biblically, we are each the church and how we treat others in the world around us speaks volumes about the state of our hearts. There are some wonderful gems of people in and outside of the church and then there are some ugly hearts glaring self-righteously from their pew who think that their commandment keeping has earned them some heavenly VIP status. But this wasn’t meant to be a sermon, so I digress.
Thank you mema (as she was called) for loving me even when you aren’t around physically. I hope that I might make at least half as much positive impact on the world around me as you did during your lifetime. You were one of the good ones we lost way too soon. Love you and when I hold this cross I will be giving you a hug back.
good bones
This place could be beautiful, right? You could make this place beautiful.
This place could be beautiful, right? You could make this place beautiful.
I first read the poem Good Bones by Maggie Smith a couple years ago and I was instantly intrigued. The precarious tension between all that is good and beautiful in the world and all that is terrible in the world is difficult to reconcile. But it’s where we live - at least most of us anyway. Those in positions of privilege with the ability to do something have a responsibility to at least try. Some do, although many do not. But then this world belongs to them if were being honest. The myth that in America you can be and do anything you want is seldom realized and those who attain the dream usually have to compromise some value along the way to the detriment of others. So I will pass on that. Hard work can get you to a decent living until those in positions of power demand their share. I realize this is a pessimistic view of the world but it’s the truth from where I sit. Optimism is delusion and gets you nowhere, that has unfortunately been burned out of me. One thing I cannot and will not have taken from me is empathy. It’s been a wake up call to realize it’s lacking so much these days. I have been blessed and surprised from kind acts of others. These are the salt of the earth. But beware of those who make blanket statements. This is a way of dismissing the problem so as not to ruin our brunch time. I do think that many people are partly jaded from the overwhelming despair throughout the world. It’s hard to recenter or even know where to begin. But we have to. The alternative is to give up but then at that point what is it all for anyway? The last line of the poem encapsulates the entirety of the message: “This place could be beautiful, right? You could make this place beautiful.” Yes we can. As a wise professor once stated: “Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to help mom wash the dishes.” Change is made in our own sphere of influence, one kind act at a time.
santa caught!
Santa’s a show off aparently
We set out a video to try and catch Santa. We caught him alright - I guess he realized we were filming him because he came back. I didn’t realize he was such a show off!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Chrysalis
We are transformed not by destroying all of who we once were. Rather, we become a masterpiece because of the situations we learned from and developing the characteristics that were always within tucked tightly under the surface waiting for the chrysalis of change to mold us into something truly unique and remarkable.
Metamorphosis: So often anthropomorphized into the symbol of rebirth or renewal in our lives. While it is true that the caterpillar that shrouds itself in a chrysalis does eventually emerge as a beautiful winged butterfly, for the longest time no one actually knew what happened during that pupate stage. What changes are occurring inside it to result in such a dramatic transformation? If you were to interrupt that cycle before it’s complete and cut open a chrysalis, all you would find is a bunch of goo inside. A biological soup of what was the caterpillar. Seemingly no order to it whatsoever. So how does that goo assemble into one of nature’s most beautiful creations?
Experiments have been conducted on caterpillars where they were forced to associate a certain odor with pain until they were able to observe the odor as something they must avoid.[1] Everytime the odor was introduced, the caterpillars were given a short, mild shock and would try to get as far away from it as possible. The time eventually arrived when the caterpillars formed their chrysalis’ and the scientists waited as the natural process ran it’s course. Once the butterflies emerged from their shrouds, they would re-introduce the odor to see if it remembered. And in fact, they did – the butterflies quickly identified the odor and flew away from it. Therefore, while the appearance of the caterpillar had drastically changed into the butterfly, it obviously still retains at least a small part of itself and the life it once knew. Somewhere contained within that goo, has to be part of the caterpillar that lives on.
It has also been discovered that if you were to slice open a caterpillar prior to the chrysalis stage, you would find parts of what will eventually become the butterfly. The antennae, the structure for the wings, the legs, and so on. The caterpillar just keeps these parts held tightly within itself. The physical process itself is less rebirth and more about transformation.
All of this presents us with a question: what part of my future self is within me today already just waiting for the right time to spread it’s proverbial wings and fly?
We all get trapped into a certain way of thinking about ourselves and others. Characteristics that were observed within us that we can’t escape. All of us change as years go by and new life experiences teach us more and more about ourselves and the world around us. I am certainly not the same person I was in my teens or my twenties or even my thirties. “We get stuck within stories about ourselves and who we are that don’t respect the fact that we are capable of change. One of the kindest things we can do for ourselves is to shake off an old story [narrative] about ourselves, a story that maybe fit us several years ago but doesn’t define us now.” – Mala Gaonkar[2]
There’s a lot of truth in “all old things are passed away and all has become new”. But instead, we should reframe that into, “what within me today is an area that I want to change or improve about myself?” You have inside you right now all that you will need to become the person you want to be. It’s just a process of trying to identify it and develop it. We should be careful not to stereotype others and to realize that everyone changes over time. Sometimes life deals you a losing hand, but just like in playing cards the next round is a fresh start and you learn from those tough times exponentially more than you do when things go your way. Navigating through this labyrinth of life is not all rainbows and butterflies. The greatest thing we could do for ourselves and for others is to listen and exercise some empathy. There seems to be a growing lack of it in the world today. By viewing things only through a black and white lens, you’ll miss all of the shades of gray and vivid colors that are all around you.
When an artist is painting on a canvas and does not like the progress and wants to start over, he does not throw out the canvas. Instead, he creates a new painting over the old. The masterpiece it becomes would not exist were it not for the previous versions underneath it. Even the scientific principle that “matter can neither be created, nor destroyed; it can only change form” applies here as well. We are transformed not by destroying all of who we once were. Rather, we become a masterpiece because of the situations we learned from and developing the characteristics that were always within tucked tightly under the surface waiting for the chrysalis of change to mold us into something truly unique and remarkable.
[1] Radiolab: Black Box (Originally 2014, Re-released October 21, 2022)
[2] The Theater of David Byrne’s Mind; presented by Radiolab, (released October 7, 2022)
Marvel Youth
Right when Epic was wrapping up, I was asked to direct their youth play which was two Marvel one act plays. Squirrel Girl I had not heard of but she’s got a great attitude and the kids were great – it was very cute. Then we did Hammered: a Thor and Loki play - the cast was talented and they all did a great job! Even my girls were able to be a part and they enjoyed it as well as expanding out of their comfort zones. I’m glad I got to be a part!
Epic Proportions
I’m returning to the theatre this June joining an amazingly talented cast as we present the production: Epic Proportions. This will be my first time performing with the Warehouse Living Arts Center in Corsicana, TX. I’ll be playing the role of Shel, one of the production crew as well as one of the gladiators. Production synopsis from the WLAC website:
EPIC PROPORTIONS is set in the 1930s and tells the story of two brothers, Benny and Phil, who go to the Arizona desert to be extras in the huge Biblical epic Exeunt Omnes (think Ben Hur, 10 Commandments style epics). Things move very quickly in this riotous comedy and before you know it, Phil is directing the movie, and Benny is starring in it. To complicate matters further they both fall in love with Louise, the assistant director in charge of the extras. Along the way there are gladiator battles, the Ten Plagues and a cast of thousands portrayed by a handful of other actors.
Performance dates are:
Evening Shows: June 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11 @ 7:30pm
Matinee Show: June 12 @ 2:30pm
Reservations open April 25th for Season Ticket Holders; May 9th for the General Public.
Visit the WLAC website for more information and to reserve your tickets: https://www.thewlac.com/epic-proportions.html
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
UPDATE:
The play was an amazing experience and one I will be repeating often! The performances were great and despite the chaos of life and the struggles we encountered, everyone pulled it off and we made a great show!
Legacy
True greatness does not always resemble the five piece suit in the corner office – rather is found in the selfless acts of love to a friend or neighbor, discovering your purpose and using your god given talents, embracing your true identity and living it out in honesty toward yourself, and the joy of seeing your children: having observed how you navigated these, have themselves recognized the greatness within them.
Epistemic Humility
Anyone who knows me knows that I love podcasts. In fact, I frequently find myself frequently relating conversations to a recently listened to podcast. A few days ago, I was listening to a podcast where the host was interviewing Megan Phelps-Roper, who was once closely tied to the toxic Westboro Baptist Church. She is the granddaughter of the late founder, Fred Phelps. Her story was quite interesting. While still deeply involved in the church, she became active on twitter on behalf of the institution and it was through people she met online who took the time to hear her out and share their own stories that convinced her she was not where she ought to be. She eventually found the courage to break free from the church and move away from its negative and oppressive atmosphere. She now spends her time sharing her story and attempting to make amends with those she once hurt. A phrase was mentioned in her story that really struck me. The phrase was epistemic humility. The word epistemic means relating to knowledge or to the degree of its validation. Therefore, epistemic humility is having an appreciation for the fact that you don’t know and will never know everything there is to know. Many of the problems we face today stem from a lack of this understanding. People are so eager to share their viewpoint, which in their eyes is the only correct viewpoint, without taking the time to listen to others. Spreading disinformation that makes us feel good just because it aligns with our point of view without researching the facts. We lack understanding because we don’t take the time to empathize and listen to the experiences of others. The more that science reveals of the universe, the more mysteries it uncovers, prompting more questions to be answered. Human beings once thought the sun revolved around the earth. Then we learned about not only our own solar system but have discovered a plethora of exoplanets circling distant systems among the billions of known stars in the billion of galaxies. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Many scriptural misinterpretations happen when the Bible is taken literally and without the context in which it was meant during the time it was written. While there is most certainly a wealth of knowledge found in scripture, we can not ignore the book of nature that is laid out before our very eyes. True followers of Christ would understand that the gist of the Bible is love and if you are closed off to your fellow human beings because of some misinterpreted text then you’ve completely missed the point of why God placed us here to begin with. The joy of life is found in our differences. In loving those who God places in our path regardless of skin color, nationality, social standing, dialect, or who they were born being. Epistemic humility is understanding our finite knowledge as human beings. I don’t think God intended any of us to ever claim we have arrived or have complete understanding of all things. Otherwise he wouldn’t have made such an insanely complex universe. I think that the day we are able to meet our creator we will all be in awe of all that we did NOT know. We have only scratched the surface of understanding. So, my takeaway from all of this is to stay humble, love others, be kind, realize that you will never know all things so don’t even pretend to have all the answers. Take time to listen – I mean really listen – and empathize with others. I guarantee you will find so many hidden blessings you never even realized were there had you been closed minded. This is love.
