I still remember being told by someone I’d known loosely in an academic setting, “You’re going to great things.”
I remember the look in his teacherly eyes and how they held my puzzled gaze. “What sorts of things?” I wanted to ask. I figured I should take the compliment as it was, and figure what sorts of things on my own.
Recently, the country station 98.3 turned Christian. There has been a recent surge in Christian music in Pittsburgh. Flipping through channels, I heard this song… “The Words I Would Say.”
“Be strong in the Lord.
Never give up hope.
You’re going to do great things, I already know.
God’s got his hand on you, so don’t live life in fear.
Forgive and forget, but don’t forget why you’re here.
Take your time and pray.
Thank God for each day.”
If you take out the references to God, the song is less powerful, but still works.
I got to thinking about what it means for someone to genuinely have faith in you. You can provide people with an education and tools for success, but empowering someone even in the periphery of your life to dream bigger than what exists immediately in front of them requires something more.
Living with purpose is different than living with goals.
Perhaps having faith in someone, a human connection, creates a greater sense of purpose in that individual. That sense of purpose in turn leads that person to do greater things than he or she imagined because in this case, the goal isn’t the driving force. The journey, living curious and inspired day to day, is the driving force and the goal is just the result.
http://learningfromdogs.com/2009/09/22/passion-word/#more-1166
Sunday, September 27, 2009
On Selfish Ambition
I was prompted to go to church for the first time in a long time. Is it wrong to rip a page out of the church missalette? They just throw them out at the end of every month, anyways…
“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy…without inconstancy or insincerity.” Thessalonians 2
(the verse number is still attached to the missalette, sitting in some empty pew)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The New York Times Magaizine features the article, "What Sort of Exercise Can Make You Smarter?" http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/what-sort-of-exercise-can-make-you-smarter/
An experiment was conducted in which they forced mice to get off their asses to run on minitreadmills and swim water mazes (which, I admit, does bother me in some little way).
Throughout the experiment, they allowed some of the mice to run inside their rodent wheels, "an activity most mice enjoy."
For the other mice, they increased the speed and duration of their runs on their minature treadmills.
After forcing some mice to "endure unpleasant stimulus" aka exercise and graciously allowing the others hang out on their superfun rodent wheels, they tested their skill and memory.
The treadmill mice proved smarter. The result of the experiment and others simmilar is that performing aerobic positively activity affects your brain.
The science: "'...Various growth factors must be carried from the periphery of the body into the brain to start a molecular cascade their' creating new neurons and brain connections." The dramatic blood flow caused by aerobic activity is a main cause. With non-aerobic activities such as weightlifting, however, the growth factors stay in the muscles and do not go to the brain.
The mice that were forced to physically push themselves improved their bodies and their minds.
I'll always remember an interview I heard somewhere along the way with Matthew McConaughey. When asked about how he stays fit, he replied "I like to break a sweat everyday."(I once repeated that in a job interview, when asked about training for marathons. Note, probably best not to quote Matthew McConaughey during a job interview).
These days, it can be a big deal to take the steps, park near the end of the lot, or walk an extra few blocks rather than bus it all of the way. And while all of that is helpful (not to mention sometimes a reflection of character, proving yourself not lazy) it is important to set aside time to sweat. If nothing else, it might make for a better shower and you can quote Matthew McConaughey at will.
An experiment was conducted in which they forced mice to get off their asses to run on minitreadmills and swim water mazes (which, I admit, does bother me in some little way).
Throughout the experiment, they allowed some of the mice to run inside their rodent wheels, "an activity most mice enjoy."
For the other mice, they increased the speed and duration of their runs on their minature treadmills.
After forcing some mice to "endure unpleasant stimulus" aka exercise and graciously allowing the others hang out on their superfun rodent wheels, they tested their skill and memory.
The treadmill mice proved smarter. The result of the experiment and others simmilar is that performing aerobic positively activity affects your brain.
The science: "'...Various growth factors must be carried from the periphery of the body into the brain to start a molecular cascade their' creating new neurons and brain connections." The dramatic blood flow caused by aerobic activity is a main cause. With non-aerobic activities such as weightlifting, however, the growth factors stay in the muscles and do not go to the brain.
The mice that were forced to physically push themselves improved their bodies and their minds.
I'll always remember an interview I heard somewhere along the way with Matthew McConaughey. When asked about how he stays fit, he replied "I like to break a sweat everyday."(I once repeated that in a job interview, when asked about training for marathons. Note, probably best not to quote Matthew McConaughey during a job interview).
These days, it can be a big deal to take the steps, park near the end of the lot, or walk an extra few blocks rather than bus it all of the way. And while all of that is helpful (not to mention sometimes a reflection of character, proving yourself not lazy) it is important to set aside time to sweat. If nothing else, it might make for a better shower and you can quote Matthew McConaughey at will.
Friday, September 18, 2009
If you're not crazy, you're boring.
The back of every Kashi cereal box suggests that you eat healthy (specifically, lots of Kashi products), be fit, and practice yoga.
At first, I was sort of struck that Kashi was promoting yoga. But then, less so.
Those ladies with their yoga mats sticking out of their excessively large bags and those men on the bus with their mats strapped to their high adventure backpacks (Nalgene bottles hooked at every possible location) are probably the people who shell out the extra dollar for Kashi, rather than settle for Cheerios.
At first, I was sort of struck that Kashi was promoting yoga. But then, less so.
Those ladies with their yoga mats sticking out of their excessively large bags and those men on the bus with their mats strapped to their high adventure backpacks (Nalgene bottles hooked at every possible location) are probably the people who shell out the extra dollar for Kashi, rather than settle for Cheerios.
I am one of those people, sort of.
I run marathons. I do yoga. I own dumbbells and one of those large exercise balls. I buy Kashi cereal and choose my other foods based on protein, fiber and then calories.
I believe in living well. There is a popular shirt sold at marathons. "I run so that I can eat chocolate cake." Mine might say "I run so that I can eat chocolate cake, drink pumpkin spice lattes by morning and red wine by night." That is living well.
I'm going to explore the relation between the physical body and spirituality as an individual, in various religious contexts, and in popular culture in my blog this semester.
I attended Catholic school for twelve years, choosing to study at a catholic university for my first year of college. I transferred after one year. Studying in Rome, I found a strangely similar disconnect between the grandeur of the buildings, the stature of the pope, the sentiments of the Romans, and God.
I believe (well, I know) that life is brilliant. Life is bigger than I can imagine, and so my problems are smaller than I can imagine. But I often wonder about the relationship between religion and God, or faith, the goodness.. whatever you'd like to call it.
I plan to talk a lot about being healthy (for example which vegetables are substantially better for you when they are cooked, rather than raw) living strong, having hope, and finding peace in a world where the real news is often the funniest (possibly most terrifying) thing going.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)