the white pebble

Thanks for this, Hugh. A lot of times, it helps to bring a little perspective into our image-conscious existences.
Jason

Hugh:
I love that passage (in a lot of translations, it’s a white stone). Thanks for sharing.
A spiritually uplifting game to play is to inventory the passions and talents that you were given, and use that knowledge to try to figure out what the name on the stone could be. Once you gain that insight, that word — or name — is likely your life’s mission and purpose.
You seem to have discovered that mission. It would be cool if you could put it in one word, Hugh.
For example, my great joy is to set people free — intellectually, emotionally and physically — from the prisons they build for themselves, or are built for them, so they can be great at work and at life. This applies to my relationships, my work in my organization, etc. — and is consistent in application across all facets of my life.
I believe (I hope) my name — the person God thinks I am and, consequently, my mission — is Liberator.
I’d love to hear your thoughts…

Can a pebble’s color change as the light rises and then fades? From tan, to white and finally to pink.
I focus, then re-focus on the who am i, how i see me, how u see me and then that one moment arrives, allowing a moment of clarity. Thanks “gaping void” for the moment.
MikeToots
at tootaloosa

So true and proof that religion has lessons for even the staunchest of atheists.
Irrespective of one’s spirituality, the “real you” is also an existential question. We perceive ourselves through the filters of our 5 senses, which are pretty limited when appraising a person beyond the superficial.
Even on a superficial level, the most steadfast of us are prone to body-dysmorphia. Can anyone deny that at some point they’ve seen a photo of themselves that doesn’t correlate with what they see in the mirror?
Introspection is particularly flawed, the emotions we try to understand ironically distort our understanding of them. Paranoia being the best example.

i guess that’s why people love your work, or art in general. some philosopher (can’t remember which one at this point) called art the most individual expression of the most individual emotion.
many people, including myself, struggle sometimes to express themselves and like a white pebble, art can strike a chord that we didn’t know was there. it stops us in our tracks and makes us think about why this particular piece resonates so strongly within ourselves. it helps us to better understand who we are.

In Avot, Hillel stated “If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am not for others, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when?”

Great post Hugh!

Refreshing post.

Really nice post