Random daily affirmation...

I was in the middle of copying stuff, today, when I randomly happened upon a book of daily affirmations that someone had left in the copy room...

And I equally randomly open up the book to a quotation/story that is so true, I just had to chuckle:):)...

"May 21

Dear friend, theory is all grey,
And the golden tree of life is green.
-Goethe

Marcus, a gifted psychologist, is also a full professor at a major state university. For twenty-five years he has studied, taught, and written about the workings of the human psyche. Few experts are as well grounded for up to date in their field as Marcus is.
Yet Marcus's own life is in conflict. His stomach tells him so. In spite of all his credentials and qualifications, he has long-term gut-level issues that aren't relieved by research or study. For all his knowledge, he still stews in a cauldron of unresolved anger. Marcus knows enough to write a book about repressed anger and its effects, but his repressed anger continues to be a mysterious source of misery.
If life were a theory, Marcus' analytical skills could certainly unite to untie his own knots. But life isn't a theory, and principles aren't the same thing as practices. Until Marcus the man, not Marcus the professor, begins to personally apply what he knows in theory, his knowledge will do his students a lot more good than it will him. Knowing isn't doing, and it's doing that makes the difference.

I realize that healthy living has more to do with behavior than theory."

I know quite a few people like Marcus:):)...

I have a good friend who always complains about his stomach woes who should think a little bit about why Marcus has stomach issues of his own, if my friend wants some insight into why his stomach problems always persist...Marcus' problems as my friend's are almost identical, really...unresolved anger, I think, is my friend's middle name:):)...

I have a few advisors and professors, in particular -- one, especially, in particular -- who really fit the description for Marcus:):)...

My best professors were always the folks who understood their field and life, better, in practice...not just in theory...Jeannie Tramill was my favorite professor in grad school, for just this reason:):)...

And whether in theory or in practice...unresolved anger and fear and hate are the most serious impediments to human progress...sometimes in more serious ways...genocide being a classic example of unresolved anger and fear and hate...and sometimes in still serious but less serious ways...our repressed desires for revenge and exacting pain on others to satisfy a desire to hurt others that is never and can never be satisfied...

It's one of my proudest feelings in life, I think...that I'm both a pretty great theorist and a pretty great practicing teacher, as well, I think...and a pretty great guy who's stomach bothers him, some, when he thinks about it:):)...but a lot less than most, I'm sure...my anger and pain and the rest gets resolved fairly regularly...and it makes for a much more satisfying and authentic life, I think...meaning...more than most...what you see is, generally, what you get, with me...not something that I can so of most people, necessarily...though most people are still pretty good folks...which folks' might understand, better, if they knew more of much less decent and good folks in the world...

When I think about it...it's that constantly upset stomach...that I'm surprised my friend is constantly bullshitting himself about most...like it doesn't mean anything...and like it has nothing to do with how much he holds onto all the bad shit in life...just never nearly enough interested in doing the hard work to release himself from it and all the pain it causes him...

I can't think of a sadder life, really...

So much to share...I love being a teacher...I'm a pretty outstanding one, if I can say so myself:)...

The Eisenhower Eagles ladies' 7th and 8th grade basketball clobbered the Central Middle School ladies' 7th and 8th grade teams, 21-2 and 29-1, respectively:):)...

I better get home:):)...I'm getting hungry:):)...and I've got some cleaning to do:):)...

Love,
Ben