Good Influence

Pre-internet, pre-etc, the menus were entirely different.
I saw 4 tv channels, on a b+w screen, for many young years.
Those were quite overwhelming enough, for me.

Opinion-sharing was local, or a slow process.
Now, strangers are right there, always, opining, endlessly.
There’s no questioning whether that is welcome;
it’s assumed, as soon as a post appears.
Which can be encouraging, when they play nice.

It’s good to work, even for a while, without posting.
Then it’s you, + your work, + your opinions.
And you may begin to see how those can change.
Keeping it internal, quiet, private, has a lot of value. Especially now.

I don’t know how growing amidst the ‘social media’ realities has shaped everyone.
I can’t really imagine, tho of course I can discern a lot.

One of my dear teachers, Hyemyhohsts Storm, advised paying close attention to our influencers,
to begin to understand how they shape us.
To choose wisely.

Are we listening to Waterfalls? Seeing the Bird-flight patterns?
Feeling the Breeze?
These are Natural Influences.
Noticing them deeply brings us a different quality than scrolling through
a hundred strangers’ opinions.
I find they counteract + comfort the overwhelm.

Seeking sources of good influence is relevant in what you read,
what you listen to, what you watch.

Naturally-shaped values emerge from within you more easily,
encouraged by Breezes, Birds, Water, Earth-Beauty.
These will show through the marks, or whatever, you make.

We have to make endless strong re-orientation choices to keep on track, now.

The prevailing culture isn’t generally encouraging you to be quiet,
to contain yourself for a while.

It’s another self-strengthening choice, to aim in that direction.
It may help you to create authentically, more easily.

And then, if/when you choose to share again, you may feel more like Georgia O’Keefe did:

“I have already settled it for myself
so flattery and criticism go down the same drain
and I am quite free.” 

x           x            x

(written ~ as “Overwhelm – No Comment” ~ on 20.2.20)

Comments are welcome, here, now!