Today we need to "stand in the light", whatever that means to each of us. We need to be seen as we are, without judging or criticism or the attacks we see on social media. We need to have courage and kindness and give our gifts to the world, whatever they are. These are a few words from a song, "Stand in the Light", by Jordan Smith, with the lyrics and video below. It is an inspirational song that is relevant in today's challenging times.
One of the inspiring experiences in my life was singing with the Mile Hi Church choir, a tribe of about 80 souls dedicated to singing songs of inspiration.This video of the song "Stand in the Light" shown below, was from November 2017, a month before I moved to Mexico and became an expat. I was "never looking back as I was walking away". Here's the lyrics:
Stand in the light and be seen as we are Didn't I tell you I hear what you say? Never look back as you're walking away Carry the music, the memories and keep them inside You Laugh every day Don't stop those tears from falling down
This is who I am inside This is who I am, I'm not going to hide 'Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far To stand in the light and be seen as we are To stand in the light and be seen as we are
With courage and kindness hold onto your faith You get what you give and it's never too late To reach for the branch and climb up leaving sadness behind You Fight hard for love We can never give enough
This is who I am inside This is who I am, I'm not going to hide 'Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far Stand in the Light and be seen as we are.
Hola, and good morning from Mexico ! (or whatever time of day it is for you). I'm listening to some very nice jazz from an album Esmiralda by Moeckel Schurmann Quartet. I first heard of them when a song of theirs was played on on Radio Swiss Jazz, a commercial free jazz station that has an app for my iphone. I did a search in my Amazon Music and found the album.
The purpose of this 5 minute writing challenge is to do something that you may not have done before. (Excluding social media posting - and your 5 minute writing is private -no one is going to read it).
To experience your own writing can be like a dance. Maybe it is a poem, or a narrative, or random thoughts and feelings that come up in the moment. It is intended to be a sort of stream of consciousness. Don't let your mind get in the way of just flowing with the words.
Maybe write about your experience of 2020, and what has been difficult to express on social media or even to best friends. This can also be a therapeutic experience, a release of energy that may not have been expressed yet.
And when you are done be grateful that you have completed the exercise. If you did not go the full five minutes no worries.
Maybe you have some new ideas or insights that came out.
Notice any resistance to continuing, and holding you back from completing this.
You decide whether you will write freehand with a pen or on a Word doc. You decide what to write about or to just let it flow. You decide to stop before five minutes are up or go longer. No rules, just suggestions.
The challenge is 1) to accept the challenge ! 2) if you can commit to five minutes non-stop 3) if it makes a difference in your life experience, if even for a few moments in the day
Here are some examples of my own writing with a timer for five minutes.
1) I just started my timer and am listening to nice jazz......I especially like the rolling bass in a jazz trio......however my very favorite is jazz piano....those two combined are sweet to listen to.......also with a muted trumpet and some basic percussion. Vocal jazz with music can be inspiring depending on what your tastes are or your preferences I'm thinking of Diana Krall Live in Paris) Just glanced at the time and there is 2 min 48 seconds left so I keep on ...this year 2020 has been crazy.....on many levels.......we have learned so much about a new experience of a pandemic, about the negative manipulation of media, divisiveness and polarization to the point of losing friendships, esoteric hidden agendas and corruption.....the threat of technology using us instead of being used exclusively as a tool......the possibility of an alien agenda........basically, much of what was hidden or unknown coming to light.......and that can be shocking and my 5 minutes are up.
2) In April 2020 right when the pandemic and lockdowns were most intense, I went to China and hung out with some locals in the rural areas, learned about an interesting spiritual group - the Fulan Gong - that practices meditation and Qi Gong and that has millions of followers, and a farmer who stood up to the CCP - Chinese Communist party and sued them in a collective group action against unfair taxation. Yes, it was only in a book yet after reading it I felt like I had traveled there and was interacting with these three heroes whose stories were described in detail by the Pultitzer Prize winning author. Of course the issue that we have is not with the Chinese people, but with the Chinese government, Chinese Communist Party, and their abuse of human rights, how they handled the virus, what is their agenda for controlling the world through advanced AI and technology that has been weaponized?
In this one above I caught myself doing some quick corrections of typos or spelling.....the writing is not private as it will be if you accept the challenge and try it.
3) I just started watching the documentary The Social Dilemma, and after only twenty minutes into the 90 minute length I am in a state of mild shock and anger. Partial spoiler - Yes I knew that Facebook and tech companies can have "your data" to use in a type of survey to determine advertising ideas etc. I did not realize how closely they monitor me with every click, comment, like, or browsing history in Google. What was a realty check was not that social media was a tool for better connection but also that we were the tools for advertising goals. Engineers fine tune the algorithms to manipulate and try to control and persuade us so that we act and engage even subconsciously without even knowing we are being manipulated. The documentary is a must watch for everyone who uses Facebook. It's on Netflix.
So whether you decide to accept the 5 minute writing challenge or not, I hope that you are safe and healthy, and strong in this challenging time.
I never know who reads these blog posts so if you read this can you send me a message on Messenger with feedback? Or whatsapp.? Carpe diem - seize the day. Make your life extraordinary. The "Carpe Diem" scene from Dead Poets Society with Robin Williams :
