Tommy - what a treat. So neat that you took us inside you and let us roll around with your thoughts. Emotional. Vulnerable. Real.
I loved this: “The recipe lied.” I couldn’t help but think of those times when I’m writing that my muse serves up something so perfect, so delightful, and so unique to the world. That came to mind when I read those three words. I bet no one else has ever written, “the recipe lied”. I hope you smiled when your wrote it.
Then what showed up for me, your reader, is that the recipe always lies, because the recipe is always written by someone else, and all of life is cooking from scratch, from our unique selves and how we meet the world. We all have one recipe and we figure it out as we go.
I never would have seen this perspective in this unique way, if it weren’t for your three words, written halfway around the world from where I live. ❤️.
Wow, James. Thank you for reading & leaving such a beautiful reflection.
I’m pretty staggered by this comment. I love how you took three words that resonated and extrapolated your own meaning and significance from them. It brought a huge smile to my face to see.
I try to plant these seeds of meaning in what I write and it’s so cool to see you find one and really sprout it into something much more beautiful.
“All of life is cooking from scratch” sounds like a potential future essay for you :)
If you want to start thinking about God beyond the Jordan Peterson biblical interpretation for him, I urge you to read Alija Izetbegovic's book "Between East and West".. It has transformed my life and how I think about God in general.. I bet it will do the same for you.. It's as much philosophical as it is psychological/social study of many aspects of our lives.. Good luck in your journey!
Thanks for the recommendation Abdulrahman. I’m sure it’s excellent if it’s coming from you!
Appreciate it. Added to my list :)
Joseph Campbell also has been fascinating. He was a keen student of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, and seemed to believe in God but didn’t subscribe to any one religion. One of the first I’d read, along with Rilke, who critiqued Christianity from a very intellectual viewpoint.
Oh then you'll like Alija Izetbegovic's rhetoric for sure.
If you want more of that prennialism movement from an Islamic perspective, Seyyed Hossein Nasr (George Washington professor, but more like a philosopher/scholar) has some fascinating readings. He's got a beautiful book I think you'll specifically like called "Man and Nature", in which I think he was one of the first I've read for who argued for protecting nature from a religious POV. His book was published in the 70s.. Beautiful book as well!
I should be writing my newsletter, but instead I'm reading your's, but oddly enough, I don't feel I'm procrastinating, because what I'll write after reading this will be so much better.
I've always enjoyed your stories, Tommy, but you're getting insanely good.
You're touching peoples hearts and minds, and you're making me want to double down on this style of personal writing. It's a bit of "imitate, than innovate", but I'm sure you won't mind! 😜🙏💪
Danny, thank you so much for your kind words. Really. Today was one of those days where I wonder why I write at all and this comment meant a lot.
I still see so many of the flaws in my own work but I appreciate you noticing how much time & energy I’ve been investing at improving my writing. Hard to tell if you’re improving sometimes or just standing still.
Can’t wait to read more of your essays :) like I’ve said before, always impressed with how you continue to grow as a writer
Now that would be quite a long chat!😆we would have to bring my tent.. check out the west Cork beaches, which I swear, are strikingly beautiful, and talk about that time we were turned on to that book ‘Between East and West’..which I can’t wait to get my hands on!
Thanks for including that poem by William Martin. I absolutely love this concluding idea that "the extraordinary will take care of itself" when you're committed to being, and helping your kids to be, ordinary good and present humans. Stellar poem.
Thanks Rick! It was one of those poems I read a few years ago and I've returned to several times, unable to forget it. I'm far away from being a parent, and can only speak about it in ideas instead of lived experience, but I love the idea of letting your child explore their own innate curiosity instead of placing expectations on them to follow a certain path or be a certain way.
Appreciate your note! Hope you had a splendid weekend :)
Tommy - what a treat. So neat that you took us inside you and let us roll around with your thoughts. Emotional. Vulnerable. Real.
I loved this: “The recipe lied.” I couldn’t help but think of those times when I’m writing that my muse serves up something so perfect, so delightful, and so unique to the world. That came to mind when I read those three words. I bet no one else has ever written, “the recipe lied”. I hope you smiled when your wrote it.
Then what showed up for me, your reader, is that the recipe always lies, because the recipe is always written by someone else, and all of life is cooking from scratch, from our unique selves and how we meet the world. We all have one recipe and we figure it out as we go.
I never would have seen this perspective in this unique way, if it weren’t for your three words, written halfway around the world from where I live. ❤️.
Thank you. 🙏
Wow, James. Thank you for reading & leaving such a beautiful reflection.
I’m pretty staggered by this comment. I love how you took three words that resonated and extrapolated your own meaning and significance from them. It brought a huge smile to my face to see.
I try to plant these seeds of meaning in what I write and it’s so cool to see you find one and really sprout it into something much more beautiful.
“All of life is cooking from scratch” sounds like a potential future essay for you :)
Thank you again. This honestly made my day.
If you want to start thinking about God beyond the Jordan Peterson biblical interpretation for him, I urge you to read Alija Izetbegovic's book "Between East and West".. It has transformed my life and how I think about God in general.. I bet it will do the same for you.. It's as much philosophical as it is psychological/social study of many aspects of our lives.. Good luck in your journey!
Thanks for the recommendation Abdulrahman. I’m sure it’s excellent if it’s coming from you!
Appreciate it. Added to my list :)
Joseph Campbell also has been fascinating. He was a keen student of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, and seemed to believe in God but didn’t subscribe to any one religion. One of the first I’d read, along with Rilke, who critiqued Christianity from a very intellectual viewpoint.
Oh then you'll like Alija Izetbegovic's rhetoric for sure.
If you want more of that prennialism movement from an Islamic perspective, Seyyed Hossein Nasr (George Washington professor, but more like a philosopher/scholar) has some fascinating readings. He's got a beautiful book I think you'll specifically like called "Man and Nature", in which I think he was one of the first I've read for who argued for protecting nature from a religious POV. His book was published in the 70s.. Beautiful book as well!
I should be writing my newsletter, but instead I'm reading your's, but oddly enough, I don't feel I'm procrastinating, because what I'll write after reading this will be so much better.
I've always enjoyed your stories, Tommy, but you're getting insanely good.
You're touching peoples hearts and minds, and you're making me want to double down on this style of personal writing. It's a bit of "imitate, than innovate", but I'm sure you won't mind! 😜🙏💪
Danny, thank you so much for your kind words. Really. Today was one of those days where I wonder why I write at all and this comment meant a lot.
I still see so many of the flaws in my own work but I appreciate you noticing how much time & energy I’ve been investing at improving my writing. Hard to tell if you’re improving sometimes or just standing still.
Can’t wait to read more of your essays :) like I’ve said before, always impressed with how you continue to grow as a writer
Thanks again Danny :)
..there’s always something left unsaid.’
Thank God!
This was stunningly good to read. 👏✍️
Ps.. I went through the Jordan Peterson biblical series of lectures too. Quite the trip eh?
Thank you my friend
I’m working through the Genesis lecture series now and they’re shaking my worldview - completely misunderstood and misjudged Christianity.
Plus he covers dreams and myth and history and it’s so intellectually nourishing.
So cool you’ve also checked them out.
Perhaps we can chat about them sometime. Perhaps in Ireland by the sea :)
Now that would be quite a long chat!😆we would have to bring my tent.. check out the west Cork beaches, which I swear, are strikingly beautiful, and talk about that time we were turned on to that book ‘Between East and West’..which I can’t wait to get my hands on!
Thanks for including that poem by William Martin. I absolutely love this concluding idea that "the extraordinary will take care of itself" when you're committed to being, and helping your kids to be, ordinary good and present humans. Stellar poem.
Thanks Rick! It was one of those poems I read a few years ago and I've returned to several times, unable to forget it. I'm far away from being a parent, and can only speak about it in ideas instead of lived experience, but I love the idea of letting your child explore their own innate curiosity instead of placing expectations on them to follow a certain path or be a certain way.
Appreciate your note! Hope you had a splendid weekend :)
Exquisite. As near perfect as I’ve seen.💚