Here comes that elephant again

Published on July 12, 2005 By dharmagrl In Misc

I wrote an article a while back about some blind men and an elephant.

The moral of the story was that sometimes things aren't really what they seem, that you may think something is one way.....but then your eyes are opened and you see it for what it really is.

I saw some more of the elephant today. I saw a LOT more of the elephant today.

The older I get, the more aware I am of the changes I experience. When situations happen that change my point of view, I tend to have epiphanies rather than subtle nuances. I'm more a flash of bright light revelation kind of chick than I am a nudge nudge d'ya get what I mean girl.

I had a blinding flash today. A couple of them, actually.

I realized that I'm more liberal than I am conservative. I realized that I honestly think that homosexuality is okay. I realized that I cannot, no matter how hard I try or how much I want to me....I simply cannot call myself a christian or believe in the christian version of the divine. I realized that yes, I do believe in a divine being, a force more powerful than all of us. I don't know what to call it, but I can feel it - and have felt it in the past couple of weeks.

I realized that for every looney luddite leftie there is a raging radical rightie who honestly believes that those on their side of the spectrum can do no wrong. I realized that for every laid back member of the united church of christ who walks the walk of tolerance and love there is an uptight homophobic who talks a good game but has hatred, not love, in their heart.

I realized that I am afraid of more things than I like to admit, and I realized that I need to quit fighting myself and let myself be who I truly am.

I saw another elephant today. This one I'm not likely to forget.....

Comments

Danny Bassette

on Jul 13, 2005

Run away, run away, the elephant will step on us, flee in terror.

drmiler

on Jul 13, 2005

Just shoot the damn thing!

ParaTed2k

on Jul 13, 2005

I realized that I'm more liberal than I am conservative.

That would kind of depend on if you consider liberals more caring than conservatives... Are you feeding the elephant, or are you holding events to tell others they should be ashamed of themselves for letting the elephant starve? ;~D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joking aside, I can't say I agree with everything you decided in your epiphany, but I'm glad to hear you had one and that you're willing to take a look at yourself as a result.

dharmagrl

on Jul 13, 2005

Run away, run away, the elephant will step on us, flee in terror.

Har har.

Just shoot the damn thing!

I knew you'd say somehting like that...

That would kind of depend on if you consider liberals more caring than conservatives...

When I say that I'm more liberal than I am conservative, I mean that my thoughts and feelings fall in line with those of the liberal side of the political spectrum rather than the conservative. It doesn't mean that I'm placing myself in anyone's camp because I think that both sides are full of poo sometimes.

I can't say I agree with everything you decided in your epiphany, but I'm glad to hear you had one and that you're willing to take a look at yourself as a result.

I know that you don't agree with it, and some of it pains me to admit as well. But I can't, Ted, I pretend to be something that I'm not. I can try and imporive myself yes, but there's a huge difference between trying to imporve yourself and denying who you are and what you're about.

When you realize that you needn't label yourself at all you will finally have seen the entire elephant

See my response to Ted for explanation. Actually, you inspired a fair bit of this epiphany. You said something to me once about not denying my true self....so here I am, doing just that.

drmiler

on Jul 13, 2005

Run away, run away, the elephant will step on us, flee in terror.

Har har.

Just shoot the damn thing!

I knew you'd say somehting like that...

That would kind of depend on if you consider liberals more caring than conservatives...

When I say that I'm more liberal than I am conservative, I mean that my thoughts and feelings fall in line with those of the liberal side of the political spectrum rather than the conservative. It doesn't mean that I'm placing myself in anyone's camp because I think that both sides are full of poo sometimes.

I can't say I agree with everything you decided in your epiphany, but I'm glad to hear you had one and that you're willing to take a look at yourself as a result.

I know that you don't agree with it, and some of it pains me to admit as well. But I can't, Ted, I pretend to be something that I'm not. I can try and imporive myself yes, but there's a huge difference between trying to imporve yourself and denying who you are and what you're about.

When you realize that you needn't label yourself at all you will finally have seen the entire elephant

See my response to Ted for explanation. Actually, you inspired a fair bit of this epiphany. You said something to me once about not denying my true self....so here I am, doing just that.

Just as long as it isn't some wierd color like, I dunno....."pink".

dharmagrl

on Jul 13, 2005

Just as long as it isn't some wierd color like, I dunno....."pink".

No, its not pink. It's just a regular old elephant....

ParaTed2k

on Jul 13, 2005

No, its not pink. It's just a regular old elephant....

Oh, like Red, White and Blue? ;~D

Dr Guy

on Jul 13, 2005

As long as you are tolerant of the views of others, you can call yourself a radical staidist. It will not matter to what you really beleive.

dharmagrl

on Jul 13, 2005

Oh, like Red, White and Blue? ;~D

Nope, just gray and wrinkly.

As long as you are tolerant of the views of others, you can call yourself a radical staidist. It will not matter to what you really beleive.

I try, but sometimes......it's hard. I manage to get a 'it's your opinion and you're entitled to it' out, but that's about all I can manage.

Moderateman

on Jul 13, 2005

the best thing about being human is change, we must change, it's like it's encoded in our dna.

foreverserenity

on Jul 13, 2005

That's quite an epiphany Dharma. It's funny I've had a few of my own lately. It's always good to look at yourself and realise who you really are.

Dr Guy

on Jul 13, 2005

I try, but sometimes......it's hard. I manage to get a 'it's your opinion and you're entitled to it' out, but that's about all I can manage.

I think you do very well. It was not meant as a criticism of you, but more as an observation of you.

dharmagrl

on Jul 13, 2005

the best thing about being human is change, we must change, it's like it's encoded in our dna.

Yeah, the evolution of self....I kind of like it, to be honest.

~serenades her~

CHANGES
(David Bowie)

Aww, thank you! I was listening to that the other day...."ch ch ch ch changes......". Good stuff!

It's always good to look at yourself and realise who you really are.

I like it. I find out things about myself that I never knew before.

I think you do very well. It was not meant as a criticism of you, but more as an observation of you.

I didn't take it as one, and thank you.

dynamaso

on Jul 13, 2005

Dharma,

I've been collecting elephants for years. I have about 60 of them, in all shapes, colours and sizes. They bring me peace and joy. I hope your 'elephant' does the same for you.

LW - 'Changes' is one of my all-time favourite songs. Bowie is a genius...

Cheers,

Maso

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