Being and Somethingness

In a wonderful book, On Becoming Fearless in Love, Work and Life, Arianna Huffington subtitles a section "Being and Somethingness." She writes:

"When we tap into the truth that we are spiritual as well as material beings, we are then able to distinguish between our transient day-to-day concerns and that which is eternal and immutable. Understanding which is which helps us overcome our fears, not just our fears of God and dying but our fear of loss."

Taking the section name from Being and Nothingness by the great Jean Paul Sartre, Huffington replaces nothingness with somethingness. Sartre wrote profoundly and prolifically about existentialism, the unexplainable nature of humans in an isolated hostile existence, and ontology, the study of being.

Of Sartre's ouevre, which I have read quite extensively, here is one of my favorite quotes, which belies belief in nothingness. He writes:

"That God does not exist, I cannot deny; that my whole being cries out for God I cannot forget."

Being Albert Einstein

Einstein did not see everything as ordinary which enabled him to see the extraordinary intrinsic quality of things, the display of grand simplicity.

Einstein sought to understand the mind of God and in doing so discovered the excellence of what to Him was ordinary.

In this sense, Einstein's discoveries, achieved mainly through observation, became ordinary. This is the essence of innovation and design.

Being Imaginative

There is a reason why movies will never match the technicolor of the mind. There is no greater creativity or innovation than what we ourselves create while reading or daydreaming. Imagine.

Being a Giver IV

Today I heard a great story. The kids who attend Ron Clark Academy, a private school in one of Atlanta's poorest neighborhoods, was given an unsolicited gift of $365,000 by Oprah Winfrey. To hear the founder of the school open the envelope, read the letter, and then pick up the check that had fallen to the ground was so heartwarming.

Let's all be better at giving this year. I have vowed to do just that. We need not give money alone. Let's make an effort to give of our time and knowledge to others. Let's help someone else achieve their dreams. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Let's show our love one each other by giving.

Being a Psychopath III

The selection of Roland Burris by Governor Blagojevich raises the all-important question of ethics and the law. While Mr. Burris may not be guilty of any wrongdoing ascribed to the governor, there is this question of the law and ethics, not to mention that past attempts to be elected have failed.

Although there may not be a legal justification for not seating Mr. Burris, there is certainly an ethical one caused by Governor Blagojevich. Is the law ever unethical and who decides when the law has become such? History shows that laws can be unjust and unethical, as it is we ourselves who write and implement them. We are not infalliable.

My gut reaction in the Blagojevich/Burris case is that Mr. Burris should not be seated. This is not something that should be litigated. I am not only concerned here about the letter of the law but the spirit of the law too. Ethically, Mr. Burris perhaps should not have even accepted such an invitation by disgraced Governor Blagojevich. But I shutter to think of what may happen if we disregard the law in favor of politics or opinions.

What do you think?

Being Bold

"Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute;
What can you do, or dream you can do, begin it:
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."

--Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Begin it today!

Being an Overcomer II

Many of us are wondering how we got over last year.

Keep the faith! The best is yet to come!

Happy New Year!