What Might Happen Philosophy ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

This is a topic into which one could drill down for ages.  The journey, however, calls me in another direction.  What might happen does bear visiting from time to time.  We are too steeped in the philosophy of fear and a hedge mentality.  We are in danger of becoming so walled in by our what might happen thinking that we cannot see the value in our differences.

The idea that we can prevent wrong and harm by building hedges and walls is an exercise in self-delusion.   We can only find peace and quality of life in loving others without condition or exception.  We can only build a quality society if we treat everyone without fear. 

Yes, terrible things might happen.  There are people who wish to do evil and visit harm on others.  We cannot stop them with hedges.  We cannot legislate them out of existence.  The world will not become better through division and segregation.  I do not have to agree with everyone to find the beauty and value in every soul. 

I must not build hedges and I must find my way through those constructed by others.  I can crush any barrier with love and kindness.  I am required to love others and it is my privilege to do so.  When I invest my energy in that goal I find that my own hedges are trimmed and I can more readily see my way past the hedges of others.

Many bad things might and will happen.  Fear of that is not what works.  Fear of what might happen must not immobilize us into neglecting the needs of others.  It must not keep us from being good to each other.  Your company Dear Reader is always a part of the joy in my journey home.  Perhaps together we can turn our hedges into topiary that invites others to see who we are and understand our unique artistry.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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What Might Happen Philosophy ~ Fear of Failure

Greetings Dear Reader,

Fear is a mind killer.   It is a destroyer.  It hinders so many good things.  It prevents us from being our best.  Often it prevents us from even trying.  Fear is born out of the essence of what we imagine might happen.

That which we fear is born in the mind.  When we adopt a philosophy of fear we fail to love, to try, and to live.  We become frozen in that fear or worse we retreat into what we feel is safety.  Fear prevents us from becoming all that we are able to become. 

The only weapon that we have against fear is our mind.  How we think determines who we become.  If we allow fear to control our thoughts then we move based on false information.  What might happen, and usually never does become our reality. 

We must think.  We must allow love and truth to cast out our fear.  We must not imprison our better selves behind a hedge of fear.  It is not easy.  It is not without, well, fear.  It is vital.  It is necessary. 

I cannot fear that when I speak the truth in love the possible rejection.  I must not allow fear of failure to prevent me from doing my best.  I must not allow fear to hinder my pursuit of all that is good.  Hiding behind a hedge of fear will only consume my life and keep it from helping others.  That is no way to live.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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What Might Happen Philosophy ~ Withholding Help

Greetings Dear Reader,

Imagine for a moment that a young child comes up to you crying, bleeding, and asking for help.  What requirements do you put in place before you aid the child?  What do you demand in order to stop the bleeding and render assistance? 

If the answer is anything but “nothing” there is a problem.  We easily extrapolate this to the larger scale.  We are horrified at the idea of someone doing this to a child.  We do, however, do this daily to people who are out of sight.  We do it as a matter of course to those who we do not encounter. 

We base our rendering of aid in those who have need on what might happen if we help the wrong person.  We build a hedge around helping strangers because we are afraid we might accidentally help an enemy.   The difficulty is that we are required to love our enemies.  We are obligated to help those in need.  We are to do so sacrificially.

There will be those who take advantage of our trust.  Our kindness will be seen as weakness or abused.  We will be lied to and harmed by being good.  None of that mitigates the need to do so.  Nothing alleviates our obligation to love others and care for their needs.

There is no hedge we can build around the pain, need, and suffering of others that shields us from the fact that it is our responsibility to help.  All we can accomplish is to fail our fellow humans and hedge ourselves in from the vast joy that comes from giving.  The world is filled with opportunity to be good to others and we must not box out that opportunity based on what might happen.   That would fly in the face of the whole love your neighbor and your enemy and everyone idea.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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What Might Happen Philosophy ~ Advance Prejudice

Greetings Dear Reader,

If I step on your toes today I hope that you can understand that it is not my intent.  What I am intending to do is remind people who believe as I do that there is no room for judging others based on race or culture.  This is not an honest measure of a human.

When my children were young it was a household rule that when we described friends or classmates that we never do so by race.  They were required to describe personality and character.  They had to tell me about the interesting parts of the person.  The result is that my Sons hate racism in any form. 

The hedge we build with racism and a what might happen philosophy is very dangerous.  This includes judging others by skin color, culture, and regional practices.  We create this hedge on every side.  I have not found a race that does not participate in some form of pre-judication relative to others races. 

I love learning about cultural differences and experiences the uniqueness that others bring to the journey.  We engage in prejudice when we refuse to see the inherent value in diversity.  I am not required to like things that are different from what I like.  I am obligated to love and embrace the beauty in those differences. 

We all have hedges around our values and practices.  “Our way” is the right way in our minds unless we have trained our thoughts to embrace diversity in all its combinations.  There are things that are absolutely wrong.  Hedges based on race and culture are dangerous. 

I cannot call myself a Christ follower and hold prejudice against anyone.  I must always see past race and culture to the human that I am required to love.  I must see that every human is on the same journey back to the Father and that my love can ease that journey.  Most of the things that “might happen” based on race never do so building a hedge based on this is to build a hedge of lies.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

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Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

What Might Happen Philosophy ~ Indifferent Safety

Greetings Dear Reader,

The idea that we need to be safe on a personal, local, and national level is reasonable.  I must, however, consider the cost of that safety.  I must always weigh safety against sacrifice.  We must do some things to be safe in light of what might happen.  We wear seat belts in cars because there might be an accident.  That is reasonable.

If my national security endangers the lives of the innocent then is it worth defending?  I am not sure where that line is but I know that I am required to sacrifice for the wellbeing of others.  I cannot justify letting others suffer because of what someone might do.

On the personal level, I cannot withhold doing good for others because of what they might do or become.  They are responsible for what they do with what they are given.  It is my obligation to do what is right and good.  The Father will sort out the rest. 

I cannot meter my doing what is right based on what others might do in response.  It is my obligation and privilege to do good no matter the behavior of others.  I need only look at what Christ did in response to the things we do to understand this principle on a personal level.  I cannot adopt a philosophy of refusal to help based on others actions.  That is not following in faith.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

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Kids BLOG

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Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

What Might Happen Philosophy ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I was struck the other day by how many things we do because of what might happen.  From insurance to forbidding bare feet we create laws and systems based on what could happen or what has happened.  I am concerned that we are building an illusion of control that takes the place of faith and following.

I am not saying that insurance is a bad thing.  Rather, it is a good thing that we pay for and hope to never need.  What I do need to ponder is what the line is.  If I base my life philosophy on what bad thing might happen then I am in danger.  I cannot live by faith if I do not.

As I walk through this I want examine things both social and political that are also matters of faith.  I want to make sure that I am not limiting my compassion and love because of what people might do.  The idea of hedging against harm is good but the replacement of faith is not.  This will be brief but I hope your conversation extends it Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

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Kids BLOG

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Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Say Something ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Some time ago I started my “please share my table” practice when I am alone at coffee shops.  I have made several new friends and enjoyed the company of some single serving friendships.  I have even had two people make it clear that they were going to sit at my table but I should not talk to them.  They were in the midst of a very quiet but heated argument over car usage.

The thing that stands out relative to this particular series is the number of people who stop to tell me how nice it is that I have the sign out.  It is curious because it is so passive but people are so surprised by it.  It is nice because people take the time to comment on it. 

I benefit from their kindness in saying something but the overall impact is that I am surprised that they see it as so uncommon.  It is courteous to the shop owner.  It is courteous to the other customers.  Where has our sense of human kindness gone?

My challenge to you Dear Reader is the one I give to myself every day.  Do not let a day pass without saying something kind to someone.  Moreover, I endeavor to make it something that is unexpected or out of the ordinary.  Say something kind.  Say something positive.  Put more good words into the world.  There is enough of the other.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Say Something ~ Children

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the things that stands out that should not is when children are polite.  It used to be that children were taught to be polite.  They were not allowed be rude, rush around in shops, and generate mayhem.  I apologize if this sounds too old-fashioned for you but these things matter.

When children are polite to me in public I always thank them for being polite.  I almost always seek out their parents and thank them as well.  I tell them that I do not often encounter this and how grateful I am for it. 

I do not think we need to return to the attitudes and insincerity of Victorian “polite society”.  I do feel that we need to be much politer than we are.  We see it in children and admire it.  We could benefit from a society where common courtesy was much more common. 

Just as I am surprised by the politeness of children I have noticed that people are surprised when I am polite to them.  Saying please, thank you, and being polite should be common.  If I hope to represent Christ then I must involve this very simple practice at all times.  If I want children to be polite I must set the example.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Say Something ~ Compliments

Greetings Dear Reader,

My Daughter, Christmas has a practice that I love.  When we are out and about she will see someone in something she really likes.  Or she will notice a hairstyle on someone that appeals to her. 

She will politely approach the person and compliment him or her on the item, the hairstyle, or the look.  I have seen so many faces light up to her kind words.  She has even made a friend or two from the practice. 

What she infuses into those lives cannot be measured.  For a moment, however, we can see the smile, the gratitude, and bridge between two strangers.  There is true magic in those moments.  When I get to witness it the magic reaches me.  She raises my spirits.  I see the love of Christ in my Daughter’s actions.

I have found ways to adopt this practice realizing that I must be more careful to assure that the space is safe for the strangers I approach.  Still the risk is always worth it.  Saying something kind to recognize a person’s efforts to look nice is a good thing.  It is not what matters most and should not be our focus. 

Still the unexpected kindness of strangers is a great way to build bridges and create space for peace.  Say something.  Tell people when they look nice.   Be kind to others when they do not expect it.  You may never know what difference you make but I know it makes a difference.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Say Something ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Recently my eldest Son has been posting positive practical challenges on his social media.  They have been a great inspiration to me.  I am sure they are helping others as well. 

I hear all the time about the negativity that is a common thread in the world.  We see it in the news, our social feeds, and in public all too often.  The sea of negativity seems to be casting a pall everywhere.

I want to spend a day or three pondering how to be more proactive at inserting positive things into the world.  I wish to focus on the practical and situational.  I desire to be sure that I am armed to fight the negative.

You are welcome with me in every moment of the journey Dear Reader.  In this part you are dearly desired.  I want you to be with me as we choose how to cleanse the waters muddied by the refuse of a disheartened world.  As always, your comments and questions are precious to me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)