A Wonderful Thing Someone Said About You
Listen carefully and you may hear the sound that I make when I read the words below from Geetali Tare. It is a whooshing sound, a strong but gentle out-breath that begins deep inside me. I can’t seem to stop doing it right now.
Geetali, who lives in and writes about the town of Shimla, India, at her blog, Shimla Gallimaufry, offered the words in her latest post, Spreading The Love:
Dick Richards is my spiritual guru. I do not remember when or where or how I stumbled upon his writing. I sometimes feel as though I am the Eklavya to his Dronacharya! I keep going back to his words and finding new lessons in each thing he says. Wise, gentle and very, very humane. A great teacher.
For those of you who, like me, are ignorant about Indian mythology, the story of Eklavya and Dronacharya is told in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. In today’s India, Eklavya represents great reverence for a teacher.
There was a time, much earlier, when some part of me, call it ego, would have grabbed hold of Geetali’s words and run with them in ways that would make the people around me turn away. There was also a time when some part of me would have fended her words off as though they were an annoying insect; a dismissive wave of the hand.
It is different today. Today I can allow the words to wash over me and through me, neither diminishing nor exaggerating their importance, nor my own. Acceptance. Gratitude. Questions about how such a change has taken place are for another day. For today it is enough to notice.
Tell me one wonderful thing that someone said about you and, also, how you responded to it.
Tags: Acceptance, Dronacharya, ego, Eklavya, Geetali Tare, gratitude, Shimla Gallimaufry
The reason Eklavya came to my mind was, Dick, because his is an example of how one can adopt another person as a teacher without the latter being physically present or aware of the learning that takes place. Eklavya stands for learning great values and skills merely by observing the teacher from a great distance.
Thank you for yet another lesson today.
Yes. I see that now. Thanks for clarifying Geetali. It is a very rich tale, isn’t it?
In response to your directive, “Tell me.” People close to me tell me that I am a great father. At a work meeting recently, someone genuinely complimented me on my skill set relative to a particular project. I think I lack some of your maturity, Dick. In the work situation, I felt my ego swell. In both situations my inner voice shut down the complimentary voice, because I knew the things I had done that ran counter to the compliment. Odd combination, isn’t it? The ego swells and the critic tears self down… all over a compliment. Outwardly I’ve learned to handle such situations with poise. Absolute bullshit. I truly appreciate that you shared this moment in your life – and how the inner process has changed for you. It gives me hope about an emerging inner process for me that might be less conflicting.
In the mid-60s, when I was in my mid-20s, I was traveling through Arkansas saying good-bye to my customers. I’d accepted a new job and was moving from St. Louis. I’ll never forget one customer’s farewell. “Dan, you’re a damn Yankee. You’ll always be a damn Yankee. But you’re a good damn Yankee.” My response, “Thank you.” At least I knew enough to stop at that. I didn’t appreciate the full meaning behind the compliment at the time. Today I have a greater understanding of the message. Today I have gratitude, not only for the compliment, but for his willingness to tell me.
David – ego does strange things with compliments. And, about, “I think I lack some of your maturity,” notice that I wrote, “It is different today.” That was yesterday!
Dan – Many years ago, after receiving a compliment, I launched into rationalization b.s. The other person said, “Dick, please, just say thanks.” Funny to remember a small incident that happened 30 years ago.
I keep staring at this “ride on the dragon”…. half way across the globe, another native culture and names I’d be embarrassed to pronounce……. and yet the spirit transcends the body. Worth sharing. Humility suppresses my own share, I know my ego would enter any 3-person paraphrase……. suffice that I’m known for making others feel beyond their current comfort zone.
I like the stream-of-consciousness Merrill, and the connection between “across the globe” and “spirit transcends.” A true dragon ride!