Knit Uniquely in Meeting Mr. Jesus Christ

“Abandon the urge to simplify everything, to look for formulas and easy answers, and to begin to think multi-dimensionally, to glory in the mystery and paradoxes of life, not to be dismayed by the multitude of causes and consequences that are inherent in each experience – to appreciate the fact that life is complex.”
- M. Scott Peck

I am a collector. I collect art supplies. I collect papers, inks, stamps, craft supplies, silver wires and semi-precious stones.

I collect inspirational sayings and books that move me. I collect poetry and photographs. I read short stories (and actually like them). I collect wisdom from my Facebook friends. I also collect the cautionary tales and stories of woe. I keep notes of personality traits and have folders full of conversation snippets.

I remember events, both large and small, and collect the particular sensory memories of those events. Certain songs remind me of sadder times. Scents evoke emotions.

Swaying large trees make me feel safe. Mossy springtime walks in the woods give me hope. The emergence of tulip leaves remind me of my mother-in-law who helped us plant dozens of bulbs, explaining that planting bulbs is an act of faith - trusting that someone will still be alive to see them bloom.

I am an avid gardener. I crave order and simplicity in my home. I don’t mind chaos when it springs from wild fun with friends and family. Piles of wrapping paper and mounds of dirty dishes make me happy, for instance.

I hate conflict and lately have taken strong steps to walk away from those who enjoy a good fight. I am not a fan of arrogance, but there are self-confident folks who are lumped into that category and I don’t do that (anymore). I am not willing to let anyone dictate how I should communicate on Facebook either. That happens sometimes. Someone “lovingly” suggests that I should quit with the pep talks, which are mostly talks to encourage myself, or I should stop writing about dogs all the time, or keep my political views private. Pfft!

If I’ve learned anything from social media, I’ve learned that once I put my words “out there,” the words no longer belong to me. I can’t make a reader see what I meant to convey. If I’ve conveyed my thoughts poorly, it’s bad communication, but often I’ve conveyed them perfectly. The thing is, readers have their own filters. I used to desperately try to explain myself. I used to correct commentators, but that stopped when I realized that my over-protectiveness stopped the conversation.

I believe everyone has something important to say. There are limits, of course. Rude comments like, “You are full of sh*t” get punted, but ideas? Feelings? Gentle nudges in another direction? All welcomed here, because I’m a collector. I value your views and hold them close to my heart.

Deborah Tannen wrote, “The biggest mistake is believing there is one right way to listen, to talk, to have a conversation – or a relationship.”