Liz Esquirol

Strong and Soft

As the Buddhist saying goes, “Have a strong back and a soft front.”

Love it. Strong and soft. Yin and yang. A combination of riches.

It’s such a powerful dogma. To me, it simply means we can be strong and open at the same time. One does not have to preclude the other, as we so often believe in the West. We think if you are showing strength, you cannot show vulnerability. We have a fear that if we are open and unguarded of heart, we are fragile and weak. But this is not true. Why can’t we possess both qualities – as a means of completeness, as a way to reinforce all that we are?

We need a strong back to hold us upright, to brace us physically and emotionally for whatever comes our way. In concert with that strength, we need to be pliable, flexible in our fronts, so that if a storm does come blowing through, it will not shatter us into pieces. Remaining open to the world – undefended if you will – brings us opportunities that we may never see, should we barricade ourselves in fear and doubt.

Strong and soft. Like a wonderful bed. – BB

Encourage

HK

Back in 4th grade, in an English textbook, I read about Helen Keller.

I was amazed.

It was the first time I had heard of her and her story. This child born healthy, contracted a disease which left her deaf and blind by the age of 19 months. What chance did she have for a normal life? None by most of our standards. And yet she persevered.

Here was a woman…a child really, that fought through adversity…with every strike in the book against her, and grew into a successful author, lecturer and political activist. She graduated from Radcliffe of all places – becoming the first deaf and blind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.

The movie “The Miracle Worker” was an eye-opening portrayal of the darkness Helen endured. It was beyond my young mind’s comprehension. I was perhaps 10 years old and had no reference for such a human plight. I didn’t personally know anyone who was blind or deaf…and if I had, I’m sure I would’ve been afraid of them, as so many of us are by things we don’t quite understand.

What was it like to live in darkness? Without sound? It was, in my imagination, the worst kind of prison. How does one communicate? Or feel inside? I had no idea.

Back then, I called Helen my idol. I suspect I didn’t really understand what I was saying. It wasn’t that I wanted to “be her” – I just had this immense respect for her courage and rise above it all attitude…and I was awe-struck by it. It blew my blossoming mind that this was possible…that people could beat that which held them down, that they could create a good life out of the ashes of illness and darkness.

This quote of Helen’s is one of my personal favorites:

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.

It speaks to what I believe to be true about life….it is either daring or it is nothing. Life is not secure – and believing it is so – is nothing short of delusion. We are meant to experience the good and bad that life has to offer – Helen has certainly taught me that.

Although she’s been gone for some time now, I hope Helen’s story lives on in today’s 4th grade textbooks for children to read about – so that future generations can understand and appreciate their good fortune simply by looking up and seeing the blue sky. – BB

Two Cents Tuesday

Edit, People, Edit

It’s Two Cents Tuesday…

Editing has gotten a bad rap.

As a writer, and someone interested in the written word as a fulfilling means of communication, one may think it strange I believe in the power of editing. The ability to be precise and concise in ones writing is the number one rule in many a wordsmiths handbook….even the prolific Stephen King touts the unspoken golden rule – brevity.

Our society is a full pendulum swing away from editing itself…between Facebook, Twitter and cell phones, we let it all ‘hang out’. We say anything we please – without fear, without care. And yes, there is something bold in that…powerful….but also very short-sighted, and for lack of a better word, stupid.

I do look up to people who speak their mind – who are honest and forthright – who say what they think and feel. It is very brave. When spoken eloquently, the truth or opinion of truth, can change people…much as Martin Luther King Jr. did when he spoke his ‘dream’ to the world.

And then there is someone like Mark Twain, who had his autobiography published (in volumes, no less) 100 years after his death. Twain, one of the most famous authors of our time, had an ability to be both biting and sentimental when he spoke his beliefs. Apparently he left tons of material behind, in a memoir type fashion, that was to be compiled and published a century after his death….some say to protect those he wrote about (as he obviously didn’t want to edit his material) and others say it was a grand PR move. Whatever the reason, Mr. Twain did not mince nor edit his meaty words.

So why do I believe in editing so strongly? Because it is often in our best interest. We do it on a daily basis whether we realize it or not. We edit what we say to our boss (how many times have we’ve bitten our tongue?), what we say to our loved ones, or even strangers. We all know saying what you really feel is not always best at the moment you’re feeling it – although the reverse argument has its validity. It’s more of a “think” before you speak, before you post/tweet/text, philosophy I believe in. And what could it hurt? Does a re-read of an email or report or letter ever cause any harm? No…but the public publishing can. As the expression goes, some things are better left unsaid.

Our forefathers edited the Declaration of Independence before they signed it, didn’t they? The laws of our society are such that although we’ve penned our right to free speech, we should also understand that with that freedom comes responsibility…to each other. Speaking out, demonstrating, blogging are great venues of expression and sharing – but they should be tempered with humility and compassion…for others viewpoints and belief systems. So many people abuse the right of free speech as a means to promote their own personal agendas which creates an unhealthy society, mired in the mentality of “me”.

Our modern social media environment has allowed us to become more global than we ever imagined – and as technology continues to expand and advance, so too will each of our reaches. What you put out in the world – in print or video – will become part of your history, your story to tell. Say what you feel, what you think, what you believe…but always keep one thing in mind…learn to edit.

Edit. It begins with E…and I love E. – BB

(That was probably more like my 31 Cents worth…perhaps I need to take my own advice and edit.)

Quotables

Which One Are You?

“Some drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle.” – Woody Allen

So which one are you? A guzzler or a gargler?

Knowledge is an awesome thing. One of the big reasons I created Buddha Balboa was my insatiable thirst for knowledge. I’m incredibly curious…about everything. (Well maybe not nuclear science or the inner workings of sanitation – no disrespect to either field intended.) My goal is to impart simple wisdom – and ideas to ponder – so that we may better understand ourselves and others as we venture through our lives.

It’s impossible to drink in everything we encounter (I sometimes feel there is only so much brain real estate available), so it is up to us to pick and choose what is important – do we guzzle or do we gargle? The river is deep. Stay hydrated. – BB