From workshop Maryland 1978<\/p>\n
(Bob, yesterday when you were talking about an occupation is what I have and making a contribution is what I do.\u00a0 If I\u2019m alone in a field and walking and enjoying the experience, am I doing or am I having?)<\/p>\n
You\u2019re doing at that moment–and you are having.\u00a0 Usually they go together.\u00a0 You are doing what you wanted to do at that moment\u2014just take a walk out to the beautiful sunny field with flowers and trees.<\/p>\n
(But I\u2019m not making a contribution.)<\/p>\n
Oh yes you are.\u00a0 You\u2019re enjoying yourself and that radiates hundreds of miles, ok?\u00a0 And you also have a very desirable state of being.\u00a0 You have a natural state of your being.\u00a0 You see, basically, always when we are \u201cdoing\u201d, the \u201chaving\u201d is a byproduct.<\/p>\n
Now, had you gone out to be sure you\u2019d \u201chave\u201d a good feeling; you\u2019d be so busy watching to see if you were that you wouldn\u2019t see the flowers.<\/p>\n
(Right.)<\/p>\n
So we always start with \u201cdoing\u201d, but automatically or as a byproduct, we \u201chave\u201d.\u00a0 So if you went out just to take a walk, we\u2019ll say, and enjoy getting out of the house and being out in the open; the byproduct is you have a wonderful feeling, ok?\u00a0 That radiates far away, so it does many things for many people and you are contributing to \u201cLife\u201d–especially you.<\/p>\n
An experience:<\/p>\n
Today I went to play piano at a nursing home.\u00a0 Since my sight is limited, I only see the shapes of people.\u00a0 I was unable to find anyone in charge to ask them to bring people to me; and everyone was wandering around carrying out their duties.<\/p>\n
My PA was set up for me, and so I sat at the piano and started playing happy rags, boogies and classics.\u00a0 I threw in a couple of sing-a-longs; but there was no response, so I didn\u2019t know \u201cwhat was going on\u201d.\u00a0 I felt ignored and the inner complaining began.<\/p>\n
I observed the inner turmoil and complaints, but ignored them and thought \u201cso what!”\u00a0 The not I\u2019s told me to quit that job, it wasn\u2019t any fun, why waste my time, and on and on.<\/p>\n
I still remembered that my partner, X, \u00a0is always with me no matter what.\u00a0 Then I remembered \u201cthe walk\u201d.\u00a0 So I continued to enjoy what I was playing and singing and kept radiating.<\/p>\n
After about half an hour had elapsed, the activities director came by and told me that everyone was enjoying it.\u00a0 Whew!\u00a0 That made me feel a little better and I told her that since I couldn\u2019t see the audience I had become discouraged.\u00a0 With no feedback, I was beginning to wonder if anyone even knew I was there.<\/p>\n
Pretty soon two sweet ladies in their wheelchairs came close and said they were enjoying it.\u00a0 I was getting somewhat stiff from sitting so I stood up and did an action song and walked around the room.\u00a0 Two daughters were there, each visiting a parent; and they were very enthusiastic about how my performance and the music \u00a0was affecting their loved ones.<\/p>\n
Then as I was leaving and walking down the corridor, a man in a wheel chair said he had been in his room, but he had listened to \u00a0the music and loved it.\u00a0 And to my amazement, even one of the aids walked by me with enthusiasm and energy and told me how much she had enjoyed it.<\/p>\n
So the radiating out a good mood IS a very powerful thing to \u201cdo\u201d; and has far reaching effects that perhaps we\u2019ll never even know of–but I\u2019m reminded that the effort is well worth it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From workshop Maryland 1978 (Bob, yesterday when you were talking about an occupation is what I have and making a contribution is what I do.\u00a0 If I\u2019m alone in a field and walking and enjoying the experience, am I doing … Continue reading