^/> I loved that photo too. And you offer a great slant on the subject. Thank you Liara. Good to see you.

One related story was offered in a recent episode of Ghost Whisperer. A college student gave up work on a horror film project because her grades in Economic major were falling. And yet, for a large part of her life, she was living the life she thought other people wanted her to lead, not allowing her inner child to exert more influence on her choices. her dream, she finally realized, was to be a film director. She was initially oblivious to the signs. She eventually made a very positive life change, with a bit of a prompting from a ghost. Imagine how your life would change if you became aware of your greatest fears and faced them systematically.

Basically one loves to be called as good and doesnot want to get into the bad books of others. This division strays the individual from Truth. One need not be rude but can be firm. That is the subtle way of shifting gears and going smooth in our inner road.

As far as nature is concerned, it has nothing to do with control, but just acceptance and adapting that works the way.

As a form in any situation, i prefer to apply the logical mind to find a solution and then beyond that just surrender to existence.

Are control and power the same things? I’m not sure. Control is something you can try to take for yourself, whereas power is the attempt to control others – wiith or without their wills.

I guess that I seek to control that which I can over myself, with the understanding that mitigating factors will occasionally get in the way.

But power? I see power as “other-oriented.” I do not now, nor do I see myself ever wanting power over others.

As Lord Acton said, “Power corrupts…absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Maybe I’m missing the point, but that is what I can offer, based on my understanding of the complexities that you addressed.

Rita

^/> Barbara – so funny isnt it how the laws that actually govern the universe seem so odd to the mind. LET GO – HAVE MORE! Thanks for being here.

^/> Lance – Your musings and thoughts mirror mine too. Even too think differently, or grow in our consciousness means letting go…of what we know and default into and trusting that a new way that seems very unfamiliar will benefit us. Thanks for being so open!

^/> Gloria, YES that is it actually. Once we do figure that out, that the unexpected chaos is sure to bring us something better (although often different), letting go becomes preferable.

^/> Beth, wow. Power over or Power to…that is really good. You should post on that! PS. Being open in relationships is sometimes very scary for me. Being open to God…ah, that is a breath of fresh air.

^/> Simon – you just always have rich stuff to share. Well..I have to face that about me all the time too. Do I always use the turn signal on the car, or stop for pedestrians waiting to cross? I try, but I mess up. So do others. Is it moral to be polite? Well, some of us think it is showing respect, but if I am hung up on it, am I being anymore respectful to myself than that person was to me?

^/> Davina – it is Golden Zen after all.

^/> Beth – this is going to be a post for me in the near future. I have some thoughts to share that may prove very controversial but I think a very good discussion will follow. Thank you for asking the question…and stay tuned!

^/> Ari – thanks for sharing that. Everyone likes something different anyway, so by pleasing one, we dissapoint someone else…and whose to say their opinion about me has anything to do with my own reality in the first place? Thanks for coming by again. Good to see you.

^/> Evelyn- Well, I don’t know about that. If I read the headlines of any newspaper, or listen to the talk in the grocery line – it sure sounds like a lot of folks are focused on what they cannot control. Maybe they don’t recognize it though. Good to see you always!

Thank you for today’s great discussion everyone.
I look forward to hearing what tomorrow’s readers have to say.

Whether you like me or not.

Or whether anyone likes me or not.

I can try to be a nice person — sure. But still, I’m assuming that what is “nice” to me is nice to you, and that you’ll like me if I am nice to you. Lots of assumptions there.

I wrote more on that, here: http://ourbestversion.com/2008/07/the-folly-of-being-likable/

It was a scary realization, but now I’m at peace — one less thing to worry about!

ari

How bad does it have to be?