fwd back delete :D

Hello everyone!
"This whole ‘blog’ thing really trips me out sometimes!"I mean, I love the concept of being able to share thoughts, feelings, and experiences in this, but it is challenging for a few reasons.

One, I write everything by hand, so this whole computer world is a realm I find challenging to relate to and through.

On top of that, there is not a huge feedback loop. It’s like I am speaking into an abyss and praying that I am making some kind of sense that has some relevance to people’s lives. Conversations involve more than one person, so having a semi-conversation through a blog is a bit like being in a conversation where one person is really intent on being heard and seems to have forgotten that other people might have something they would like to share too.

I believe that everyone needs to be sharing with everyone in their lives, and I am sometimes concerned that we turn too often to computers and televisions for our communication. I think we need to turn OFF our televisions (including computer screens) and go out into our communities and tell-a-vision—share with each other, including people we don’t know, and follow our words up with actions.

Now, I am not saying that I want you to stop tuning into our website for information, inspiration, and connection. I am truly grateful to all of you who are a part of our circle, and I am really happy to know our website is serving you in some way in your life and in your service to the world we all share! I just know that all tools have the potential to separate us instead of connecting us.

I guess one of the great things about this blog for you is that if you don’t really like my latest ramblings, you can be free of them with one click of a button. And imagine if our whole world was like that. Imagine if any time we did not like a particular conversation, we could just push a button and “Whoosh!” it would disappear. What would our life be like then? Our relationships? Our work? Wow! How would we grow, learn, and transform if everything we did and said could either be disappeared or added to a “favorites” list to go back to over and over again just by the click of a button?

If you are still reading this, then you haven’t clicked “the button” yet.

So, let’s try something new together between now and the next blog entry. Let’s be really present and mindful to all the ways we have of “pushing the button” to delete people we come in contact with and conversations we have in out lives that we don’t like, agree with, or find interesting enough.

I can tell you already that one of the ways I have of pushing the button is I have a mind like a rabbit. It will run in a million different directions if I don’t stay very present with the person and interaction. Really, I push ALL KINDS of buttons when I am not being present—“back,” “forward,” “delete,” “search.” Geeeez! I’m getting worn out just thinking about it.

Here are some specific questions to think on and respond to, although of course, you are not limited to these. What are the ways you "push buttons" in conversations with people-- especially people you find challenging? What do you do when you are upset or uninterested with a person or conversation? Do you do
or say something outwardly in these moments or do you have a way-- like I do --that is internal? How does it make you feel when others say or do things to you
that are "deleting" or jumping over you ("forward arrow") or acting like you have not entered a conversation or experience at all ("back arrow")? In being present with yourself with this in conversation, what do you see about yourself, and what ways and ideas do you have for being mindful and present, even in challenging situations?

Those are just some ideas. I look forward to hearing what you all come up with.

Love,

neha :)