Thursday, August 1, 2013

Look for the Light!



A friend of mine asked me: "So what did you find attractive in X? He did not seem to have been your "type."

I thought of my past "special relationships" and tried to form an image of what might have possibly been my "type."  I failed.

"I liked what I had sensed of X's spirit," I told my friend.

A video I had once seen (link available below) came to my mind. The video was of writer-photographer Karen Walrond  speaking before a TED-talk conference.

Here's my brief summary of what she said:

We connect with each other through what we find familiar. But if we restrict ourselves to only the familiar we stunt our growth and even contribute to societal ills like racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.  We are unable to relate to others because they don't vote, pray and love the way we do. They are different.

In our inability to resonate with others, we deny ourselves the power of diversity and the ability to build stronger communities based on different ideas and ideologies.

To find connection, we look for the light,  much like  photographers study light before taking a picture.  Light, which we all have and changes according to how we see it, illuminates our "beautiful different."  

Find the light in everyone and everything and especially in how we differ.



Link to Karen Walrond's TED event talk:




- ARIEL MURPHY

8 comments:

  1. Wonderful - Have had Karen Walrond's TED talk on my YouTube Favorites Playlist for quite awhile now :-)

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    1. Thanks Peter! I'm glad you like Karen Walrond's TED talk! I play it every now and then to remind myself to look for the light. :)

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  2. Great meditation, Ariel! Good to be reminded of my blind spots.

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    1. Good to be reminded of my own blind spots as well Paul! Thank you for your comment.

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    1. Thank you Ricardo for reading and commenting. I am in gratitude! Peace, love and light to you!

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  4. A great reminder. Sometimes it's very difficult to truly pay attention to people that you done really like. Listening and looking for the light can be enlightening.

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    1. Yes looking for the light is enlightening. :) Thank you for your comment Mary. Appreciate it.

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