9 Comments

What a beautiful way to start the day. Your writing is glorious. That’s the best word I have right now for it. And also that photo of Baz made me want to create a studio for myself again. I’ve had them before, but not for a long time. To be surrounded by the images and objects that bring meaning to your wor and remind you of who you are. wow.

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Thank you, Schuyler. Yes, I was so struck by the beauty of Baz's room. A space with so much life. Hoping you can create such a space for yourself.

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I remember well your story on Baz when you first published it on cowbird.com. It is as powerful now as it was then and fits nicely into this segment of Fragments. I appreciated so much about this section, and your writing, particularly this passage: "the way for me to navigate this strange experience was simply to 'live in its question' without trying to collapse or define it."

Thank you. As always. I look forward to catching up with your interview on Stoa.

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Thank you, Geoff. Yes, it's a story I've told a couple other times in the past. Interesting how stories can take on new meanings for us as we move through different life contexts.

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It's interesting to me that very early this morning I had the strangest dream. I was in some type of aircraft, maybe not an airplane, but something like those pods that sent William Shatner to the edge of space. The situation was one of uncertainty filled with tension. There were three other people in that pod and we were already aloft. Suddenly one of the pod members flicked on a switch. It was a detonation button with a timer. We were all going to be blown to bits shortly. My immediate reaction was to be expected, not having been prepared for this moment. But within a few seconds I accepted what was to come and just closed my eyes to try to find some peace. "It's all coming to an end now," I thought, the calm part of me gaining on the fear.

I woke up, a bit startled. In a short while I will be rolling out of bed. Another day in a world that seems to be changing all around me. Becoming very different from the one I have always known.

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Thank you, Roland. Your dream reminds me of a wonderful Chogyam Trungpa quote: "The bad news is, we're falling through the air, nothing to hang onto, no parachute. The good news is, there's no ground."

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That's a wonderful way to look at this. Thank you for your creative insight(s).

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Makes me want to revisit Roger's - On Becoming A Person. Thanks for putting this and yourself out there ... which is the whole point of teaching, being authentic and realizing it is about shared learning and a shared journey, not the sage on the stage. My motto has always been "when one teaches, two learn". Professional development (I've been a teacher educator for decades) is always primarily about self-growth, personal growth. I'll share your story about Baz with my community. It's beautiful.

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Thank you so much, David. Best wishes to you in your teaching.

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