BlogNote Dec 19, 2022 at 06:46

🌎 The Good of the World Depends On Unhistoric Acts.

Author: John P. Weiss

Date Retrieved: 12/19/22, 06:46

<blockquote>Excerpt: Fame is less important than the good we put out in the world.</blockquote>

Number of Words: 498

One of the delightful things about blogs is hearing the voices of others and finding their thoughts resonating with yours.

Yesterday, I linked to a post from John Weiss about habits to cultivate to "get what you want in life." They're all useful tips, albeit with a couple of tweaks that I mentioned.

Last night I read this post, the one I'm linking to today, the one that immediately followed the one I linked to yesterday.

Almost a week ago, I posted about the end of the year being a time of reflection. In that, I mentioned that I knew I wasn't here to be effective, I wasn't here to get things done. And today, I think I'll add that I don't think I'm here to get what I want.

I wrote, "I think I'm here to 'make meaning.'"

Which is what John's, The Good of the World Depends On Unhistoric Acts is about. Which is why it was such a delight to read. I learned long ago that if you pay attention, the universe gives you clues as to whether you're on the right path, doing the right things. Of course, there's the risk of self-delusion, selection bias, etc. But there is the "still, small voice," that kind of, for me at least, helps navigate those rocks and shoals.

Making meaning is a collaborative act, as meaning is a contingent thing. There may not be agreement on what the meaning is, because it doesn't exist apart from each of us and we're all different. But it can give us something to explore collaboratively. And those "unhistoric acts" may mean nothing to most people, even to the person who makes them, but may mean everything to the person receiving them, as the obituary John writes about makes clear.

I'll try something here, because I'm reminded of a Patty Griffin lyric, and this is what popped up near the top of the search (this may not work, as it's not showing up in the preview):

Anyway, better than snark, no?