Chapter 2 seems to be a favorite among us! Miller's thoughts about his own self-absorbtion resonated with me; living in a house full of mirrors that causes him to see nothing but himself at every turn. So much time thinking about and reassuring himself and not leaving much room in his heart and mind for anyone else.
Self-absorbtion is another of those time wasters that Malady talks about (the passage she noted also caught my attention). A lot of my own time is spent thinking about trying to be a good person that I end up spending comparatively little time actually being good.
What we've read so far in Blue Like Jazz makes me reconsider what it really means to find peace in my life. I've realized that I spend so much time using self-reflection as a protective cocoon for myself that I spend less time engaging the world in a meaningful way. It's ironic because making a difference in the lives of others is the whole point of self-reflection. As I overheard my wife say recently, "You're cheating the world if you don't become all that you know you're capable of."
So here's what I'm adding for Lent: every month I will sign up for two classes, charitable functions, or some other activity that makes me get out of the house to work with and think about someone else for a few hours. It's measurable and I'm pretty sure I can do it.
Here's to making that a permanent condition.
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2 comments:
That sounds like a great Lenten activity! I think it can be hard to find that balance between working on yourself and contributing to the lives of others. We have to do both but it isn't always easy.
Amen, sister!
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