“In Built to Last, Collins and Porras coined the phrase Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG) to describe how visionary organizations drive boldly toward their aspirations based on their core values” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). In order to be successful at what you do in life you must love what you are doing. You must set goals for yourself to accomplish and make your dreams become a reality. Success Built to Last states that “to set big hairy audacious goals requires a certain level of unreasonable confidence” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). You have to be able to put your whole self into what you want to accomplish and mean it. You have to know that there will be times of failure and be able to pick yourself up and keep moving forward.
“A true BHAG is clear and compelling and serves as a unifying focal point of effort- often creating immense team spirit” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). A goal that you set out to accomplish should be so compelling and meaningful that it will outlive you; the creator of the goal. I hope that one day I will have such a strong passion for a cause that it compels me to make it my life. I want to be able to make differences in peoples lives that need it. I will one day in the future set many big hairy audacious goals and will not stop until I successfully reach those goals.
People want to know your connection to your goal and your honesty behind it. “Your behavior has to match your words, and your words should take the form of personal stories rather than clever quotes from heroes you’ve never met. For anyone to give a damn about what you’re recruiting them to do, people want to know the skin you have in the game” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). Personally I would want to know how or why someone is drawn to a certain goal or vision in life.
“Martin Luther King, Jr., anchored his life’s purpose and inspired the world with his indelible dream. By brilliantly articulating his audacious goal and steadfastly living his values, King, with a compelling clarity of vision led a transformation of humanity’s perception of what was possible” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). Martin Luther King, Jr. is an inspiration to all of us. He truly created a BHAG and stuck with it until the end of his life. He changed the world as we knew it.
“BHAGs don’t just become valuable for the first time when they are achieved- their first value is in defining the journey. it’s what happens to you along the way that matters- how you are changing as you change the world” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). With everything in life the journey is half of the battle. The journey makes us stronger and wiser and helps us to accomplish our goals that we set out to do. I feel as though the journey is something we can look back on and learn from
References:
Porras, J. , Emery, S. , Thompson, M. (2007). Success Built To Last: Creating A Life That Matters. Penguin Group Inc. New York, New York.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Keep Calm and Carry On
Rebecca Jayne Grundy died at her home on August 6’th, 2073 at 6:17pm of natural causes. She was 86 years of age. Rebecca lived in Big Sky, Montana since the age of 35. She was originally from Taunton, Massachusetts and was born on October 3’rd, 1986 at Morton Hospital Medical Center. Her Parents were George Waterman McCabe JR and Patricia Ann Courcy McCabe. She has one brother, Denis McCabe of Taunton Massachusetts, and two sisters Meghan Debarros of Lakeville Massachusetts, and Molly Blake of Berkley California. Rebecca leaves behind a husband, Aaron William Grundy, two sons, Aaron William Grundy JR, and Nolan Raymond Grundy, and two daughters, Annabelle Mae Grundy, and Lucy Ava Grundy.
Rebecca graduated from University of Phoenix with a Doctorate in Psychology. She went on to run her own practice in Montana for 40 years. She was very highly recommended. Rebecca regularly volunteered at her church, local soup kitchens, and for her children’s schools. She held a seat on the town committee board and enjoyed her involvement thoroughly.
Rebecca loved to paint, garden, and read as well as sew. During her spare time you could find her in her crafts studio working on one project or another. Another spot you could find her was on her hammock reading a great book with a glass of iced tea.
Visiting hours will be held at Half Moon Funeral home on August 8’th from 4pm-8pm. The funeral services will be held at Hill Point Chapel on August 9’th at 10am and cemetery service and burial after mass.
Rebecca would of liked the money that would have been spent on flowers donated to The American Cancer Society. It was very dear to her heart and she would of greatly appreciated it.
Rebecca graduated from University of Phoenix with a Doctorate in Psychology. She went on to run her own practice in Montana for 40 years. She was very highly recommended. Rebecca regularly volunteered at her church, local soup kitchens, and for her children’s schools. She held a seat on the town committee board and enjoyed her involvement thoroughly.
Rebecca loved to paint, garden, and read as well as sew. During her spare time you could find her in her crafts studio working on one project or another. Another spot you could find her was on her hammock reading a great book with a glass of iced tea.
Rebecca would of liked the money that would have been spent on flowers donated to The American Cancer Society. It was very dear to her heart and she would of greatly appreciated it.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Funeral
It’s really hard to plan out every aspect of your funeral when you’re 24 years old. Having to think about all the things you want and don’t want to take place is tough. It really makes you put things in your life into perspective and helps you realize what really matters to you.
Living Will and Last Wishes:
A living will is a legal document that states your wishes regarding your future health care if you become incapable of doing so. The document is used by those who want to express their feelings about the withholding or the withdrawal of life sustaining treatment that prolongs the process of dying. A living will states that you either want medical treatment to keep you alive or you do not. I would choose to decline medical treatment that will keep me alive if I am unconscious and there is no reasonable prospect that I will ever be conscious again or I am near death from an illness or injury with no reasonable prospect of recovery. I personally would rather die than be hooked up to monitors and tubes if there wasn’t a definite answer that I would recover and be able to function.
A living will also states two options which are as follows. I wish to live out my last days at home rather than in a hospital, if it does not jeopardize the chance of my recovery to a meaningful and conscious life and does not impose an undue on my family. I would choose this option when filling out my living will. I would much rather be in the comfort of my own home rather than in a dreary, sad hospital when I'm about to pass on. The other option stated on the living will which I would also choose is if upon death, any of my tissues or organs would be of value for transplantation, therapy, advancement of medical or dental science, research, or other medical, educational or scientific purpose, I freely give permission to the donation of such tissue or organs. I feel like if I’m dead and don’t need this organs and or tissues anymore someone that could benefit from them should have them.
I went online and looked at the Five Wishes document. I found it to be very comforting. I had never heard of it before. I Chose my boyfriend who I know I will marry to be my Health Care Agent, which was wish number 1. The second wish is the kind of medical treatment that I want and don’t want. I want to have life support so my loved ones can come say goodbye. I do not want life support if I have severe and permanent brain damage and was not expected to recover, if it has been started I want it stopped. If I am in a coma and not expected to wake up or recover I do not want life support. The third wish is how comfortable I want to be. I do not want to be in pain. I want my doctor to give me enough medicine to relieve my pain, even if that means I will be drowsy or sleep more than I would otherwise. If I show signs of depression, nausea, shortness of breath, or hallucinations, I want my care givers to do whatever they can to help me. I want my lips and mouth kept moist to stop dryness. I wish to have religious readings and well loved poems read around when I am near death. I wish to know about options for Hospice care to provide medical, emotional, and spiritual care for me and my loved ones. Wish number four is how I want people to treat me. I want to have people with me when possible. I
want someone to be with me when it seems that death ma come at anytime. i wish to have others by my side praying for me when possible. I wish to have the members of my faith community told that I am sick and asked to pray for me. I wish to be cared for with kindness and cheerfulness and not sadness. I wish to have pictures of my loved one’s in my room and near my bed. I want to die in my home, if that can be done. Finally wish number five is what I want my loved ones to know. I wish to have my family and friends know that I love them. I wish to be forgiven for the times I have hurt my family, friends, and others. I wish to have my family and friends and others know that I forgive them for when they may have hurt me in life. I wish for my family and friends to know that I do not fear death itself. I think that it is not the end, but a new beginning for me. I wish for all of my family members to make peace with each other before my death, if they can. I wish for my family and friends to think about what I was like before I became seriously ill. I want them to remember me in this way after my death. I wish for my family and friends and caregivers to respect my wishes even if they don’t agree with them.
Hospice is a philosophy and type of care that provides comprehensive, loving support for people with life-limiting illnesses that have progressed beyond a doctor's expectation of cure. Hospice care includes effective pain management techniques, called "palliative care" or "comfort care," to enable people to be as free from pain as possible. Hospice care helps people to live with dignity, in comfort and peace, surrounded by their loved ones, as they approach the end of their lives. I think that if I were on my last leg of life and there was no chance of me getting better that I would want to take advantage of the Hospice services provided. I would want to spend my last weeks with my loved ones in my own home.
Euthanasia is the process of painlessly helping a terminally ill person to die. Known also as assisted suicide or mercy killing, euthanasia is illegal for humans in the United States. Generally, euthanasia is performed by lethal injection, using the same drugs as those on death row are executed. I do not agree with euthanasia. I look at it as somewhat of suicide and I do not agree.
“The Lord gives, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21 When I think of death I always think of this verse from the book of Job. It’s very true, God made this world and everything in it and he chooses when he takes these things back. Including loved ones. I admit when a loved one of mine gets sick or may be facing death I get extremely upset but then I think to myself that God is taking them for a reason and they will be happy and at peace.
The Funeral:
I would want an open casket at my funeral. I want this because I would want my family and friends to be able to see me one last time. I know I would want to see my loved one, one more time. I would want a church service to be held at my church which is Saint Jacques in Taunton. I wouldn’t want sad or depressing music that they usually play at funerals. I would want happy and upbeat music like CCR and The Beatles. I know it may
be a little unconventional but that’s what I would want. I found a poem after my grampa passed that I would want to be read at my funeral. It’s titled Death Is Nothing At All and is as follows: I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you, whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well. I don’t want my family and friends to be sad about my death. I want them to remember all the fun times that we had together and keep those happy thought in their heads.
The casket doesn’t really matter to me. I found one online that I found interesting. It looks so cushioned and comfortable. Not that I will know the difference anyway.
Solid Bronze Caskets are constructed of the highest quality 32 Oz. or 48 Oz. Solid Bronze material with finishes of the highest quality. Bronze Caskets are the choice to a number of families because of its superiority in strength, durability and its natural non-rusting quality. Papavero Funeral Home has a variety of Solid Bronze Caskets to choose from in our showroom, ranging in style, color and price. I visited the Papavero Funeral Home website and found this. I can only imagine how expensive it is. Either way the casket doesn’t really matter to me.
I don’t want people to spend a lot of money on flower arrangements which are just going to die in a couple days. I would rather have my loved ones and friends take the money they would of spent on flowers and donate it to The Cancer Research Foundation Of America. Cancer has taken many loved one’s away from me and I hope and pray that one day they will find a cure for this awful disease.
Disposal:
I would want to be buried at Saint Joseph’s Cemetery in Taunton. My aunt, uncle, and grampa are all buried there. I want a simple headstone with a cross and flowers engraved on it. something like this:
I like the Celtic cross and four leaf clovers, it’s very me.
Living Will and Last Wishes:
A living will is a legal document that states your wishes regarding your future health care if you become incapable of doing so. The document is used by those who want to express their feelings about the withholding or the withdrawal of life sustaining treatment that prolongs the process of dying. A living will states that you either want medical treatment to keep you alive or you do not. I would choose to decline medical treatment that will keep me alive if I am unconscious and there is no reasonable prospect that I will ever be conscious again or I am near death from an illness or injury with no reasonable prospect of recovery. I personally would rather die than be hooked up to monitors and tubes if there wasn’t a definite answer that I would recover and be able to function.
A living will also states two options which are as follows. I wish to live out my last days at home rather than in a hospital, if it does not jeopardize the chance of my recovery to a meaningful and conscious life and does not impose an undue on my family. I would choose this option when filling out my living will. I would much rather be in the comfort of my own home rather than in a dreary, sad hospital when I'm about to pass on. The other option stated on the living will which I would also choose is if upon death, any of my tissues or organs would be of value for transplantation, therapy, advancement of medical or dental science, research, or other medical, educational or scientific purpose, I freely give permission to the donation of such tissue or organs. I feel like if I’m dead and don’t need this organs and or tissues anymore someone that could benefit from them should have them.
I went online and looked at the Five Wishes document. I found it to be very comforting. I had never heard of it before. I Chose my boyfriend who I know I will marry to be my Health Care Agent, which was wish number 1. The second wish is the kind of medical treatment that I want and don’t want. I want to have life support so my loved ones can come say goodbye. I do not want life support if I have severe and permanent brain damage and was not expected to recover, if it has been started I want it stopped. If I am in a coma and not expected to wake up or recover I do not want life support. The third wish is how comfortable I want to be. I do not want to be in pain. I want my doctor to give me enough medicine to relieve my pain, even if that means I will be drowsy or sleep more than I would otherwise. If I show signs of depression, nausea, shortness of breath, or hallucinations, I want my care givers to do whatever they can to help me. I want my lips and mouth kept moist to stop dryness. I wish to have religious readings and well loved poems read around when I am near death. I wish to know about options for Hospice care to provide medical, emotional, and spiritual care for me and my loved ones. Wish number four is how I want people to treat me. I want to have people with me when possible. I
want someone to be with me when it seems that death ma come at anytime. i wish to have others by my side praying for me when possible. I wish to have the members of my faith community told that I am sick and asked to pray for me. I wish to be cared for with kindness and cheerfulness and not sadness. I wish to have pictures of my loved one’s in my room and near my bed. I want to die in my home, if that can be done. Finally wish number five is what I want my loved ones to know. I wish to have my family and friends know that I love them. I wish to be forgiven for the times I have hurt my family, friends, and others. I wish to have my family and friends and others know that I forgive them for when they may have hurt me in life. I wish for my family and friends to know that I do not fear death itself. I think that it is not the end, but a new beginning for me. I wish for all of my family members to make peace with each other before my death, if they can. I wish for my family and friends to think about what I was like before I became seriously ill. I want them to remember me in this way after my death. I wish for my family and friends and caregivers to respect my wishes even if they don’t agree with them.
Hospice is a philosophy and type of care that provides comprehensive, loving support for people with life-limiting illnesses that have progressed beyond a doctor's expectation of cure. Hospice care includes effective pain management techniques, called "palliative care" or "comfort care," to enable people to be as free from pain as possible. Hospice care helps people to live with dignity, in comfort and peace, surrounded by their loved ones, as they approach the end of their lives. I think that if I were on my last leg of life and there was no chance of me getting better that I would want to take advantage of the Hospice services provided. I would want to spend my last weeks with my loved ones in my own home.
Euthanasia is the process of painlessly helping a terminally ill person to die. Known also as assisted suicide or mercy killing, euthanasia is illegal for humans in the United States. Generally, euthanasia is performed by lethal injection, using the same drugs as those on death row are executed. I do not agree with euthanasia. I look at it as somewhat of suicide and I do not agree.
“The Lord gives, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21 When I think of death I always think of this verse from the book of Job. It’s very true, God made this world and everything in it and he chooses when he takes these things back. Including loved ones. I admit when a loved one of mine gets sick or may be facing death I get extremely upset but then I think to myself that God is taking them for a reason and they will be happy and at peace.
The Funeral:
I would want an open casket at my funeral. I want this because I would want my family and friends to be able to see me one last time. I know I would want to see my loved one, one more time. I would want a church service to be held at my church which is Saint Jacques in Taunton. I wouldn’t want sad or depressing music that they usually play at funerals. I would want happy and upbeat music like CCR and The Beatles. I know it may
be a little unconventional but that’s what I would want. I found a poem after my grampa passed that I would want to be read at my funeral. It’s titled Death Is Nothing At All and is as follows: I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you, whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well. I don’t want my family and friends to be sad about my death. I want them to remember all the fun times that we had together and keep those happy thought in their heads.
The casket doesn’t really matter to me. I found one online that I found interesting. It looks so cushioned and comfortable. Not that I will know the difference anyway.
Solid Bronze Caskets are constructed of the highest quality 32 Oz. or 48 Oz. Solid Bronze material with finishes of the highest quality. Bronze Caskets are the choice to a number of families because of its superiority in strength, durability and its natural non-rusting quality. Papavero Funeral Home has a variety of Solid Bronze Caskets to choose from in our showroom, ranging in style, color and price. I visited the Papavero Funeral Home website and found this. I can only imagine how expensive it is. Either way the casket doesn’t really matter to me.
I don’t want people to spend a lot of money on flower arrangements which are just going to die in a couple days. I would rather have my loved ones and friends take the money they would of spent on flowers and donate it to The Cancer Research Foundation Of America. Cancer has taken many loved one’s away from me and I hope and pray that one day they will find a cure for this awful disease.
Disposal:
I would want to be buried at Saint Joseph’s Cemetery in Taunton. My aunt, uncle, and grampa are all buried there. I want a simple headstone with a cross and flowers engraved on it. something like this:
I like the Celtic cross and four leaf clovers, it’s very me.
I found it really sobering to plan my own funeral. I don't fear death or dying. I know I will go to Heaven and I know I will be at complete peace and harmony. I enjoyed this project.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Mayflower Hill Cemetery
I visited Mayflower Hill Cemetery. It is located at 235 Broadway Street, Taunton Massachusetts. The cemetery is right up the street from the city dump, which to me is a downfall. There is also a gas station, Dunkin Donuts and pharmacy surrounding the cemetery. The cemetery is very large, it is 54.53 acres. There are approximately 5,000 plots in the cemetery. The Mayflower Hill Cemetery was established in the 1800's.
The City of Taunton runs the Mayflower Hill Cemetery. The Taunton Department of Public Works maintains the cemetery.
The cemetery’s landscape is very well kept. The layout of the cemetery is neat, I got a peaceful, calming feeling while I was there. There is room for mare graves, I’m not sure how many more graves will fit.
There is a main office when you first enter the cemetery. It looks like a house, it’s white with green shutters. Every time I have been to this cemetery I have never actually seen anyone in the main office. There is also a maintenance building. I’m assuming that’s where equipment for the upkeep of the cemetery is stored.
There are a lot of fancy, intricate tombstones and artwork at the Mayflower Hill Cemetery. There was one grave in particular that I loved. It was a Celtic cross filled with beautiful flowers. The name on this grave was Hubbard.
There was one grave that had a rabbit on it, I found it interesting. I wonder why the family chose a rabbit??
There was a grave with a smooth, shiny, flat front and the back looked like rocks glued together. I thought it was really neat.
There was this one grave with such intricate carvings. It was a picture of the open road with a camper and two acoustic guitars. It was absolutely beautiful. Graves like this give you a little bit of an idea of what the person was like. The grave read Tavares and underneath read "Sky Travis".
There was a tomb looking sculpture and inside there were graves and grass and a tree. It was surrounded by shady trees and a little cobblestone walk way. The tomb read Leonard and was dated 1879. It was in amazing condition.
As I was wondering around the cemetery I stumbled upon this statue dedicated to veterans. There was no particular war that the statue was dedicated to.The statue was surrounded by four cannons.
There were many decorations on many of the graves. A lot with flowers and little trinkets from family and friends. Some graves are decorated for every holiday, which I find to be extremely comforting.
"At those who come to my grave with flowers, I can but laugh, those ignorant, unheeding what you please, who think I bear some relation to this stone and do not know I am in those flowers, and these."
My grampa passed away two years ago and I still continue to bring a flower on every holiday and his birthday. I do this not because I think his spirit still resides with his body underground, but because to me it shows respect.
The oldest grave with decoration was from 1882. The grave belongs to a little girl named Pearl Frenen. Born August 21,1878 died March 26, 1882. Pearl was four years old when she died. The grave is a sculpture of her favorite rocking chair and reads “her vacant chair.” The story about this grave is as follows: This little girl did everything her mother asked of her and one day when her mother had to go outside and hang clothes on the line she told Pearl to stay in her chair and not to get up from the chair until she returned. The chair was in the living room near their fireplace and something caught and set the house on fire. Pearl never moved from her chair because she didn’t want to disobey her mother. Pearl's mother couldn't get to her and she died in the fire.
As I was exploring the cemetery there were a few graves that were husband and wife and family all together. I thought that was very nice and comforting that these families were all laid to rest with each other.
There is a veteran’s section with hundreds of metal circles with numbers on them.I found this to be very in-personable and depressing. Here lay people that fought for our country and freedom and all they get for remembrance are tiny metal circles with a number on them. It was unsettling to me.
There was also a section with a stone pillar which read “little hearts at rest” and two benches on either side. This wasn’t a specific section for children’s graves. Just a child’s grave in general.I didn't feel sad when I saw this, instead I felt at ease.
The oldest grave I found was Reverend James Taylor born March 5, 1797 and died December 6, 1860.This grave was covered in moss but still in excellent condition for it's age. I thought it was really neat looking.
The newest grave I was able to find was that of Michael J. Moreau. Born February 29, 1976 and died May 31, 2006. His grave had a Red Sox emblem on it and newly placed flowers. All of the most recent graves were located toward the back of the cemetery.
I think that Mayflower Hill Cemetery is very well kept and maintained. I grew up down the street from this cemetery and my mom used to run there when I was younger so I'm pretty familiar with it. I would like to be buried in a Catholic cemetery so I wouldn't consider being buried at Mayflower Hill.
To me this cemetery shows that we respect our deceased. We bring flowers, gifts, and memories to a loved ones grave. Personally, I visit my grampa's and aunt's graves as much as I can. Sometimes I'll bring a flower other times just my thoughts. I feel content after visiting a loved ones grave. Maybe that is selfish on my part but it puts my heart at ease when I do so. Even though that person isn't there talking back to me I feel as though they are listening and watching down on me. I don't find cemeteries creepy or uncomfortable at all. If anything I find the, relaxing and calming.
"Well then as I said at the beginning, if a man has trained himself throughout his life to live in a state as close as possible to death, would it not be ridiculous for him to be distressed when death comes to him? The initial thought of death makes me sad but it is a natural part of life. I terribly miss loved one's that I have lost but I know in my heart that they are all in a better, happier, more peaceful place looking down over me.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Life is a companion of death, death is the beginning of life
Chinese attitudes towards creation and death are much different that what we are familiar with. “One theme that emerges in this text is that answers to death-related questions are often found in a culture’s creation stories” (Kramer, 1988). In American culture you either believe that God created us or that we evolved from monkeys. For the Chinese culture there are many versions of creation. One is as follows: “There was something formless yet complete, that existed before heaven and earth; without sound, without substance, dependent on nothing, unchanging, all pervading, unfailing. One may think of it as the mother of all things under heaven. Its true name we don’t know; “way” is the by-name that we give it” (Kramer, 1988).
The Chinese culture believe in the way (Tao) and its virtue (Te). The Chinese believe the Tao is formless yet formed, silent and void, and can also be called the mother of all things. It is so interesting for me to read about other cultures and what they believe, compared to what we believe. The book states “Many images have been given to depict the Tao, the way, that which generates itself, mother of the universe, the nature of nature. Over and over again, it is referred to as the flowing of water which subtly, non-aggressively, rhythmically, streams around all obstacles. Ultimately, the Tao is a mirror in which one discovers one’s own, original harmonious nature”. What I get from this quote is that the Chinese are extremely intuitive to nature and discovering one’s self through exploration.
The book goes on to talk about the relationship between Yang and Yin. “Creation occurs at the moment of the separation of being into Yang and Yin: In the beginning there was the unity of Yang-Yi (light-darkness, heat-cold, dry-moist). when the subtle went upward, and the gross downward, when heavens formed from the subtle , and earth from the gross, then there was and is now Yang and Yin (active and receptive, male and female). From the harmonious interaction of Yang and Yin come the seasons and all of earth’s products. Yang produces fire whose subtlest parts formed the sun; Yin produced water whose subtlest parts formed the moon. The sun’s interaction with the moon produced the stars which fill heaven, just as rivers and dust fill earth. When Yang combines with Yin, all creatures are produced. In these two is the All ( Tai Chi)” (Kramer,1988). I found this story particularly interesting because I have seen the Yin-Yang symbol many times and never really knew what it meant. To read that it is a version of creation for the Chinese is so interesting to me. I went on to read that the Yin and the Yang each have many different meanings. For instance the Yang is male and the Yin is female, also the Yang is life and the Yin is death.
“Life is the companion of death, death is the beginning of life. Who understands their workings? Man’s life is a coming together of breath. If it comes together, there is life; if it scatters, there is death. And if life and death are companions to each other, then what is there for us to be anxious about?” (Kramer, 1988) I found this quote to explain the Chinese and their attitudes towards life and death. I think that people are so scared of death that they forget to live. If you spend your whole life worrying about death and what happens after you leave the earth then you will miss out on life itself.
References:
Kramer, K. (1988) The Sacred Art Of Dying. Paulist Press, New York.
The Chinese culture believe in the way (Tao) and its virtue (Te). The Chinese believe the Tao is formless yet formed, silent and void, and can also be called the mother of all things. It is so interesting for me to read about other cultures and what they believe, compared to what we believe. The book states “Many images have been given to depict the Tao, the way, that which generates itself, mother of the universe, the nature of nature. Over and over again, it is referred to as the flowing of water which subtly, non-aggressively, rhythmically, streams around all obstacles. Ultimately, the Tao is a mirror in which one discovers one’s own, original harmonious nature”. What I get from this quote is that the Chinese are extremely intuitive to nature and discovering one’s self through exploration.
The book goes on to talk about the relationship between Yang and Yin. “Creation occurs at the moment of the separation of being into Yang and Yin: In the beginning there was the unity of Yang-Yi (light-darkness, heat-cold, dry-moist). when the subtle went upward, and the gross downward, when heavens formed from the subtle , and earth from the gross, then there was and is now Yang and Yin (active and receptive, male and female). From the harmonious interaction of Yang and Yin come the seasons and all of earth’s products. Yang produces fire whose subtlest parts formed the sun; Yin produced water whose subtlest parts formed the moon. The sun’s interaction with the moon produced the stars which fill heaven, just as rivers and dust fill earth. When Yang combines with Yin, all creatures are produced. In these two is the All ( Tai Chi)” (Kramer,1988). I found this story particularly interesting because I have seen the Yin-Yang symbol many times and never really knew what it meant. To read that it is a version of creation for the Chinese is so interesting to me. I went on to read that the Yin and the Yang each have many different meanings. For instance the Yang is male and the Yin is female, also the Yang is life and the Yin is death.
“Life is the companion of death, death is the beginning of life. Who understands their workings? Man’s life is a coming together of breath. If it comes together, there is life; if it scatters, there is death. And if life and death are companions to each other, then what is there for us to be anxious about?” (Kramer, 1988) I found this quote to explain the Chinese and their attitudes towards life and death. I think that people are so scared of death that they forget to live. If you spend your whole life worrying about death and what happens after you leave the earth then you will miss out on life itself.
References:
Kramer, K. (1988) The Sacred Art Of Dying. Paulist Press, New York.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Death is nothing at all
It is really hard to think about having only twenty four hours left on
this earth. If that were the case and I in fact only had one day left to live I would spend it with my boyfriend Aaron. Aaron has inspired me in so many aspects of my life and I am forever grateful to him. I consider Aaron to be a part of my family and truly love him with all of my heart. I would spend my last day with Aaron because he is not only my soul mate but best friend. We can have fun doing anything and always make each other laugh while doing it. He balances me out perfectly, and I really feel like God put us together for a reason.
It’s hard to think about how you would spend your last day alive. It really makes you put things into perspective and think about what is important to you. “When you visualize your possessions and relationships from the perspective of being dead, hopefully, you’ll find people and things you actually do care about” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). This quote rings so true to me. You can’t take anything with you when you die and if you look at everything you have from the perspective of not being alive, it changes how you feel about some things.
There is a place called profile rock in Assonet, MA that my boyfriend and I love to go to. The trails and foliage are so beautiful and peaceful. There is a huge rock you can climb up and the top is kind of a flat surface, which is cool because after you conquer climbing the rock you can relax and look out at the beautiful view. During my last day alive I would bring Aaron there so we could explore trails that we had never been on and just take in the nature all around us. I would bring a picnic basket full of our favorite foods so that once we reached the top we could enjoy a good meal and relax atop the rock with the sun beating down on us.
After profile rock I would want to visit my family. Family is so important to me and Aaron knows that and would want to go spend time with them. We would sit around and talk about our lives and all of the funny and not so funny things that we have all been through together. I can’t imagine not being close with my family and being able to talk to them about anything. My family is my foundation and mean the world to me. Shortly after my grandpa passed away my grandma found a great poem about death that made all of us feel a little more at peace with his passing. The poem is titled Death is nothing at all by Henry Scott Holland. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you, whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well. This poem got me through a lot after my grandpa passed.
Aaron and I love to be outdoors. During my last day alive I would like to take a camping trip with him. There is a campground off of the Kagamangus Highway called Jigger Johnson. This campground is beautiful and is hidden in the gorgeous White Mountains. We would spend our time there hiking, kayaking, and relaxing around a campfire. Aaron and me both love to be outside and enjoy nature, we enjoy the little things in life that others may take for granted.
I feel like a lot of people just go through life doing what they feel others want them to do. “If popular culture had its way, our lives would be dedicated to the relentless pursuit of things we are told we can’t live without- as if it was actually true that things go better with coke, $200 sneakers, cool clothes, and personality dialysis, plus a new, different, and better wife, husband, lover, friend, and co worker” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). I feel like people don’t appreciate what they have as much as what they want. Materialistic thing do not make you happy and can not be taken with you when you die and it’s sad because some people don’t realize it until it’s too late.
Death used to scare me, even just hearing the word frightened me. Ever since starting this class I have begun to change the way I look at things in my life. Even though we’ve just begun to delve into the class I am really grateful that I have the opportunity to see life in a whole new light. “Just as life depends on the interaction of four basic elements- earth, water, fire, and air, plus ether- the process of dying begins with the dissolution of these elements” ( Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). This quote talks about how we leave this world just as we came into it. Death is a part of life and everyone is forced to deal with it in one way or another, whether we like it or not.
References:
Porras, J. , Emery, S. , Thompson, M. (2007). Success Built To Last: Creating A Life That Matters. Penguin Group Inc. New York, New York.
Kramer, K. (1988) The Sacred Art Of Dying. Paulist Press, New York.
this earth. If that were the case and I in fact only had one day left to live I would spend it with my boyfriend Aaron. Aaron has inspired me in so many aspects of my life and I am forever grateful to him. I consider Aaron to be a part of my family and truly love him with all of my heart. I would spend my last day with Aaron because he is not only my soul mate but best friend. We can have fun doing anything and always make each other laugh while doing it. He balances me out perfectly, and I really feel like God put us together for a reason.
It’s hard to think about how you would spend your last day alive. It really makes you put things into perspective and think about what is important to you. “When you visualize your possessions and relationships from the perspective of being dead, hopefully, you’ll find people and things you actually do care about” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). This quote rings so true to me. You can’t take anything with you when you die and if you look at everything you have from the perspective of not being alive, it changes how you feel about some things.
There is a place called profile rock in Assonet, MA that my boyfriend and I love to go to. The trails and foliage are so beautiful and peaceful. There is a huge rock you can climb up and the top is kind of a flat surface, which is cool because after you conquer climbing the rock you can relax and look out at the beautiful view. During my last day alive I would bring Aaron there so we could explore trails that we had never been on and just take in the nature all around us. I would bring a picnic basket full of our favorite foods so that once we reached the top we could enjoy a good meal and relax atop the rock with the sun beating down on us.
After profile rock I would want to visit my family. Family is so important to me and Aaron knows that and would want to go spend time with them. We would sit around and talk about our lives and all of the funny and not so funny things that we have all been through together. I can’t imagine not being close with my family and being able to talk to them about anything. My family is my foundation and mean the world to me. Shortly after my grandpa passed away my grandma found a great poem about death that made all of us feel a little more at peace with his passing. The poem is titled Death is nothing at all by Henry Scott Holland. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you, whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well. This poem got me through a lot after my grandpa passed.
Aaron and I love to be outdoors. During my last day alive I would like to take a camping trip with him. There is a campground off of the Kagamangus Highway called Jigger Johnson. This campground is beautiful and is hidden in the gorgeous White Mountains. We would spend our time there hiking, kayaking, and relaxing around a campfire. Aaron and me both love to be outside and enjoy nature, we enjoy the little things in life that others may take for granted.
I feel like a lot of people just go through life doing what they feel others want them to do. “If popular culture had its way, our lives would be dedicated to the relentless pursuit of things we are told we can’t live without- as if it was actually true that things go better with coke, $200 sneakers, cool clothes, and personality dialysis, plus a new, different, and better wife, husband, lover, friend, and co worker” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). I feel like people don’t appreciate what they have as much as what they want. Materialistic thing do not make you happy and can not be taken with you when you die and it’s sad because some people don’t realize it until it’s too late.
Death used to scare me, even just hearing the word frightened me. Ever since starting this class I have begun to change the way I look at things in my life. Even though we’ve just begun to delve into the class I am really grateful that I have the opportunity to see life in a whole new light. “Just as life depends on the interaction of four basic elements- earth, water, fire, and air, plus ether- the process of dying begins with the dissolution of these elements” ( Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). This quote talks about how we leave this world just as we came into it. Death is a part of life and everyone is forced to deal with it in one way or another, whether we like it or not.
References:
Porras, J. , Emery, S. , Thompson, M. (2007). Success Built To Last: Creating A Life That Matters. Penguin Group Inc. New York, New York.
Kramer, K. (1988) The Sacred Art Of Dying. Paulist Press, New York.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Reach for success
What struck me most during this weeks readings was the story about Richard Branson. “Struggling with dyslexia for years, it had become painfully obvious to Rickie that he would be lucky to graduate from high school. So like many kids who suffer academic humiliation, he had hoped to go to college on an athletic scholarship” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). Richard played rugby in high school and tore his knee one day during a game. His future plans to graduate with an athletic scholarship imploded.
Richard never went to college. One of Richard’s headmasters said, “I predict that you will either go to prison or become a millionaire.” Richard did in fact go to prison for a brief period of time for dodging customs selling records. After serving time, “Rickie reconsidered what mattered to him, which helped him change the way he thought about his circumstances” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). I think that really says a lot about a person. Being able to change your life around and make the best of what you have.
Richard dedicated the next two decades of his life to becoming an expert in rock music and partying. At age sixteen Richard dropped out of high school and started a British magazine called Student. Having great confidence and ambition really does pay off. If you’re like Richard, you know what you want and are willing to fight all odds to succeed, you will. “As his passion for entertainment, wild parties, and building relationships around music launched his team onto the bleeding edge of pop culture. What had been a behavior problem in high school had become his genius as a shamless promoter” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). Giving your all to what you love doing will pay off in the end, as Richard proves to us.
At age twenty Richard founded a mail-order record company, then a record shop and also a recording studio- all under the name Virgin. He had learned to use his dyslexia as an asset: forcing and new ideas to be made compellingly simple so he could decode them. “Richard Branson had become a man whose name was synonymous with the hippest musical acts” (Porras, Emery & Thompson,2007). Richard Branson is an idol for all of us. Having trouble throughout high school and going above and beyond to overcome his dyslexia and using it for good to start a major record label and become a millionaire.
"Their passions create meaning in their lives that is nothing short of a lifelong obsession from which they seek no escape" (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). I feel like this is so true. Loving what you do is so important in life. Going through life with meaning and such strong passions about something is necessary in order to be successful. I'm so thankful that I have a job that I adore. When I leave work each day I truly feel like I enriched someone's life that day, and that is a great feeling. I hope everyone can experience that feeling at some point in their lives.
References:
Porras, J., Emery, S. & Thompson, M. (2007(. Success Built To Last: Creating A Life That Matters. New York: Penguin Group.
Richard never went to college. One of Richard’s headmasters said, “I predict that you will either go to prison or become a millionaire.” Richard did in fact go to prison for a brief period of time for dodging customs selling records. After serving time, “Rickie reconsidered what mattered to him, which helped him change the way he thought about his circumstances” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). I think that really says a lot about a person. Being able to change your life around and make the best of what you have.
Richard dedicated the next two decades of his life to becoming an expert in rock music and partying. At age sixteen Richard dropped out of high school and started a British magazine called Student. Having great confidence and ambition really does pay off. If you’re like Richard, you know what you want and are willing to fight all odds to succeed, you will. “As his passion for entertainment, wild parties, and building relationships around music launched his team onto the bleeding edge of pop culture. What had been a behavior problem in high school had become his genius as a shamless promoter” (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). Giving your all to what you love doing will pay off in the end, as Richard proves to us.
At age twenty Richard founded a mail-order record company, then a record shop and also a recording studio- all under the name Virgin. He had learned to use his dyslexia as an asset: forcing and new ideas to be made compellingly simple so he could decode them. “Richard Branson had become a man whose name was synonymous with the hippest musical acts” (Porras, Emery & Thompson,2007). Richard Branson is an idol for all of us. Having trouble throughout high school and going above and beyond to overcome his dyslexia and using it for good to start a major record label and become a millionaire.
"Their passions create meaning in their lives that is nothing short of a lifelong obsession from which they seek no escape" (Porras, Emery & Thompson, 2007). I feel like this is so true. Loving what you do is so important in life. Going through life with meaning and such strong passions about something is necessary in order to be successful. I'm so thankful that I have a job that I adore. When I leave work each day I truly feel like I enriched someone's life that day, and that is a great feeling. I hope everyone can experience that feeling at some point in their lives.
References:
Porras, J., Emery, S. & Thompson, M. (2007(. Success Built To Last: Creating A Life That Matters. New York: Penguin Group.
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