(thanks a lot google.) anyway, the question was haunting because it was impossible to get out of my head! fast forward a few days from the initial click and i get presented with a bit of a dare to post my own wdydwyd self-portrait from isaac (the guy in the photo) and he would in turn share his most impactful excerpt on joy + how that joy's manifested in his own life. (the topic of joy is in response to the work i'm doing for hopelab's joy campaign.) it seemed like an intriguing trade!!
so this weekend while bike camping up to samuel p taylor, i thought it'd be fun to invite my biking buddy kristen to participate (...as well as whoever else we'd meet along the way)! here are the folks who we asked to play, including kristen:
(from left to right)
bc / 24 / farmers market stall employee
jim / 37 / marin community farm stands organizer
paul / 33 / artist, illustrator, cyclist
scott / 58 / sand sculptor, artist
kristen / 26 / flight attendent, climber, up-for-adventure gal pal
(from left to right)
bc / 24 / farmers market stall employee
jim / 37 / marin community farm stands organizer
paul / 33 / artist, illustrator, cyclist
scott / 58 / sand sculptor, artist
kristen / 26 / flight attendent, climber, up-for-adventure gal pal
you know what surprised me?
bc, jim, and scott had immediate responses when presented with the question! they didn't hesitate at all. i was inspired by their clarity and confidence in the moment.
and then there's my response to wdydwyd. i had a few statements that resonate true for me right now, but the one below is most befitting since one of my intentions this year is to live in the reality that i am beloved. in this particular journey, i've noticed that the gift is two-fold: i've been able to believe not just in my own belovedness, but also enter into others' belovedness (both of which which can be challenging at times).
i'm finding that to see oneself and to see another as beloved might be one of the most motivating reasons to be kind, tender and vulnerable, to show grace and to practice integrity, to commit and pursue, to speak truth, to be open to changing, to delight and to choose to love...
so why do i do what i do? because i love being changed by:
(ps. this photo was taken on a tree stump with a timer. apparently, i missed my head and stood about 12" from being in focus - a lovely recipe for an interesting photo!)
thank you isaac for challenging me to act on my curiosity & to reflect on this simple, yet profound question.
bc, jim, and scott had immediate responses when presented with the question! they didn't hesitate at all. i was inspired by their clarity and confidence in the moment.
and then there's my response to wdydwyd. i had a few statements that resonate true for me right now, but the one below is most befitting since one of my intentions this year is to live in the reality that i am beloved. in this particular journey, i've noticed that the gift is two-fold: i've been able to believe not just in my own belovedness, but also enter into others' belovedness (both of which which can be challenging at times).
i'm finding that to see oneself and to see another as beloved might be one of the most motivating reasons to be kind, tender and vulnerable, to show grace and to practice integrity, to commit and pursue, to speak truth, to be open to changing, to delight and to choose to love...
so why do i do what i do? because i love being changed by:
(ps. this photo was taken on a tree stump with a timer. apparently, i missed my head and stood about 12" from being in focus - a lovely recipe for an interesting photo!)
thank you isaac for challenging me to act on my curiosity & to reflect on this simple, yet profound question.
Posts
This is wonderful Liz. It relates to mine, I think... but more to the point. Permanence is one of the concepts that helps me keep people's real worth close to my heart. For example I have 7 humble community health workers who barely speak english trying to get my help with a basic problem charging their phones, and I have one articulate, demanding boss man at a partner organization who expects my attention right now. Each is beloved and deserves a reasonable share of my time, but the one who acts most entitled because of all the stupid material things, the one who is loudest or most powerful will sap all of my time unless I stay grounded. The boss man is most important to the immediate success of the program. When I remembering the meekest person at the fringe of our work, their soul at least will outlive any institution I could support or even observe in one lifetime, it helps me remember that they deserve my time. Even if it means I risk missing a deadline with a 'big man'. Really it's just a thought trick that helps me remember they too are beloved. I wish it were easier to just get that without having to take a deep breath and think about it.
ReplyDeleteA question. If you had done a wdydwyd portrait each year for the last few years, how frequently would the text have changed?
And the way you write makes me feel embarrassed about the turgid professional bio I lazily copied & pasted beneath my wdydwyd portrait. Have to rework that.
I love this idea and Scott's response!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post and concept. The funny thing is when I saw "wdydwyd" the first thing I made up in my head was "what did you do with your day?" Not as profound a question, but helpful to me in a different way. Mary Oliver has that beautiful question–What is your plan for your one wild and precious life? "What did you do with your day" feels like a way to consider how I'm spending that wonderful and limited time on a daily level.
ReplyDeleteIf you asked me wdydwyd I would reply, "to give and spread love"
ReplyDeletelovely post my friend!