2024-04-20 20:47
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Robert Bryne
“The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” Carl Ju… Read More
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Perspectives & Possibilities Blog
rickbellingham.com
Tags:
cultural humility
identity
emptiness
humility
principle
empty
trillion
heart
acircthe purpose
housing education social
Invitations to meaningful conversation from Dr. Rick Bellingham, Ed.D, a pioneering psychologist who has published over 16 books on leadership, spiritual wellness, community, & innovating corporate culture.
2024-04-11 10:56
“I am incapable of conceiving infinity, and yet I do not accept finity.” Simone de Beauvoir
“To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, hold infin… Read More
2024-04-03 11:33
“Life is about perspective and how you look at something. Ultimately, you have to zoom out.” Whitney Wolfe Herd
“Your perspective can be your power or you… Read More
2024-03-26 20:52
“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry… Read More
2024-03-20 10:55
“Emptiness is the ground of everything. Thanks to emptiness, everything is possible.” Nagarjuna, 2nd century Buddhist philosopher
“Your thoughts emerge from the nothi… Read More
2024-03-12 21:52
“Donald, following the lead of my grandfather and with the complicity, silence, and inaction of his siblings, destroyed my father. I can’t let him destroy my country.&rdquo&hell…Read More
2024-03-06 13:22
“The wise man looks into space, and does not regard the small as too little, not the great as too big; for he knows that there is no limit to dimensions.” Lao Tsu
A dear fr… Read More
2024-02-28 15:38
“These are the times that try men’s souls.” Thomas Paine
“The science of psychology has been far more successful on the negative side than on the positive side… Read More
2024-02-21 15:09
“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” Margaret Wheatley
“By three methods, we… Read More
2024-02-16 16:14
In this post, I’m going to make the case for higher taxes. Yes, very popular subject. At the end, I will share what my 12 year old grandkids have to say—ahh, from the… Read More
2024-02-09 20:39
Sometimes I feel like a pundit without pedigree or platform. I guess that makes me a lonely voice in the wilderness. I often wonder about how many people actually read this blog… Read More
2024-01-27 12:28
“Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible—the kind… Read More
2024-01-22 19:39
“If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost.” Barack… Read More
2024-01-15 13:04
Every summer, my wife and I visit my childhood friends, Bob and Norma. Bob lives on 25 acres of farmland near Grand Rapids, Michigan, which includes a small pond with the most deliciou… Read More
2024-01-07 15:11
“It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.” Eckhart Tolle
“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.&nb&hell…Read More
2024-01-01 12:37
As we begin one of the most consequential years in history, I wanted to reflect on three themes that may play a big role in how the year turns out: Access, Excess, and Success. I&rsquo&hell…Read More
2023-12-13 17:03
“It is easy to romanticize poverty, to see poor people as inherently lacking agency and will. It is easy to strip them of human dignity, to reduce them to objects of pity. This h… Read More
2023-12-09 20:28
The problem: Global carbon dioxide emissions from the fossil fuels industry exceeded 37 billion metric tons in 2022 – their highest level ever. Since 1990, global C02 emiss… Read More
2023-12-01 17:46
My father and grandfather were both farmers for much of their lives. They prepared the soil, planted the seeds, pulled the weeds, nurtured the plants, and harvested the produce that re… Read More
2023-11-13 18:03
“The five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the ones we lost.&nb&hell…Read More
2023-11-06 11:45
“A rejection of absolutism, in all its forms, may sometimes slip into moral relativism or even nihilism, an erosion of values that hold society together, but for most of our history it… Read More
2023-10-29 19:29
“If we want to have good citizens, we need to create common spaces in which individuals can talk about the moral and ethical dilemmas that they have faced and how they resolve them.&rd&hell…Read More
2023-10-27 12:18
“Even in the darkest of times we have the right to expect some illumination, and that such illumination may well come less from theories and concepts than from the uncertain, flickerin… Read More
2023-10-19 13:52
“In the face of patriarchy, it is a brave act indeed for both men and women to embrace, rather than shame or attempt to eradicate, the feminine.” Alanis Morissette
“W… Read More
2023-10-14 11:46
“Moral justification is a powerful disengagement mechanism. Destructive conduct is made personally and socially acceptable by portraying it in the service of moral ends. Th… Read More
2023-10-11 12:09
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care w… Read More
2023-10-04 11:44
“Anytime emotions are involved, you cannot come up with an impartial and objective assessment of any given problem.” Benigno Aquino III
“The Sixth Amendment secures t… Read More
2023-09-14 11:31
“Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age.” Anais Nin
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t… Read More
2023-09-04 11:18
In multiple surveys of presidential historians and biographers over the past 40 years, five presidents almost universally appear at the top of the “most effective leader” list:&n&hell…Read More
2023-08-21 13:50
“Whatever you think rigor looks like, you should go up a few notches.” Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy
“Human beings can always be relied upon to exert, with vi… Read More
2023-08-11 12:01
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Victor Fra… Read More
2023-07-31 18:15
“Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and serenity.” Thich Nhat Hanh
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear ne… Read More
2023-07-24 11:12
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Marti… Read More
2023-07-01 11:10
“Part of spiritual and emotional maturity is recognizing that it’s not like you’re going to fix yourself and become a different person. You remain the same person, bu… Read More
2023-06-23 21:18
“We all have different narratives; all of our narratives are at different stages of development.” Viola Davis
“If they were right, I’d agree, but it’s the… Read More
2023-06-09 11:11
“Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together.” Eugene Ionesco
“The ultimate end of any ideology is totalitarianism.” Tom Robbins
&l&hell…Read More
2023-05-22 11:36
“I am my own sanctuary and I can be reborn as many times as I choose throughout my life”. Lady Gaga
After reading the New York Times every morning, I need to find a sanctuary whe… Read More
2023-05-04 12:39
“To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing.” Raymond Williams
“Radical simply means grasping things at the root.” Angel… Read More
2023-04-24 10:12
In French, the word for wine is vin. If you want to order a glass of red wine, you say: “Je voudrais un verre de vin rouge, s’il vous plait.” In this post… Read More
2023-04-18 16:20
“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” John Maynard Keynes
“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It… Read More
2023-04-08 10:34
I joined the Army in 1967 identifying as an IBMer and was honorably discharged in 1970 feeling more like an SDSer. (Student for a Democratic Society). I interviewed for a job at IBM be… Read More
2023-04-01 18:28
“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” Dalai Lama
“Service is the rent we pay for… Read More
2023-03-26 11:08
Come gather ’round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou’ll be drenched to the boneIf your time to you is worth savin&rs&hell…Read More
2023-03-18 11:11
“Confession of errors is like a broom which sweeps away the dirt and leaves the surface brighter and clearer. I feel stronger for confession.” Mahatma Gandhi
In a rec… Read More
2023-03-12 12:31
Several years ago, I joined a rafting expedition down the Zambezi River in Zambia, Africa. The Zambezi is known to have the best category 5 rapids (most dangerous) of any river in the… Read More
2023-03-05 12:49
I don’t know where this post is going. I’m just going to get started and see what happens. Let’s explore some paths to peace that may lead to a better place.
As… Read More
2023-02-26 16:36
“When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right.” Victor Hugo
“A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past.” Fidel C… Read More
2023-02-12 15:36
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.” Jimi Hendrix
“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.&rdquo&hell…Read More
2023-01-27 12:45
“There are four questions of value in life: What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for and what is worth dying for? The answer to each… Read More
2023-01-17 12:56
“A life that doesn’t know possibility takes in only half the truth.” Pico Iyer
“I’m being rowed through paradise on a river of hell.” Haga Sha… Read More
2023-01-15 13:24
We are all familiar with the bias that strategic plans are a waste of time. Many people hold the belief that too much time and effort are invested in developing strategic plans because… Read More
2023-01-11 14:02
When does an iteration become an aberration? That’s the question I’ve been struggling with for the past few months.
Aberration is defined as a departure from what is normal… Read More
2023-01-03 12:51
“It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not onl… Read More
2022-12-26 13:22
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customers so well the product or services fits them and sells itself.” Peter Drucker
“The best way to find yoursel… Read More
2022-12-16 14:00
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” Brene Brown… Read More
2022-11-18 17:49
My family and friends would tell you that I have a hard time sitting still. I’m always looking for the next adventure. “Hey Gary, do you want to go for a bike ride?&r&hell…Read More
2022-11-11 15:47
How could we function without the first 6 letters of the alphabet? We couldn’t write great novels. Speech would be nearly impossible. Most of us could no longer write… Read More
2022-11-02 22:33
“Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Oscar Wilde
“It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much… Read More
2022-10-18 12:37
“The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces, or at least try not to defy them.” Paul Hawken
“When the soil disappears, the soul disappears.”&nbs&hell…Read More
2022-10-01 16:59
“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best… Read More
2022-09-23 12:22
“We humans are both miracles and catastrophes. We must acknowledge both death and joy, horror and awe. It is an astonishment to be alive, and life calls on us to be astonished; but lif… Read More
2022-09-20 12:32
In her newsletter on September 18, 2022, Heather Cox Richardson traced what happened between 1776 when the Articles of Confederation were written to 1787 when the Constitution was written.&n&hell…Read More
2022-08-31 14:44
“There is nothing eternal but that which loves and can be loved, and love is ever climbing towards the consummation when such shall be the universe – imperishable, divine.”… Read More
2022-08-21 14:40
“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” Norman Cousins
“For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the… Read More
2022-08-10 11:54
“The significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of years. In our country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and beauty of life. &hell…Read More
2022-07-25 17:19
“It is only human supremacy, which is as unacceptable as racism and sexism, that makes us afraid of being more inclusive.” Ingid Newkirk
Let’s start with a little per… Read More
2022-07-06 12:47
“This is a fundamental view of the world. It says that when you build a thing you cannot merely build that thing in isolation, but must repair the world around it, and within it… Read More
2022-06-28 13:32
Dear Annie and Ezra,
You are almost 11 years old now, and you are citizens of several communities: your synagogue, your school, your teams, your town, your state, your country, and the… Read More
2022-06-21 11:33
“Hope of consciousness is strength; hope of feelings is slavery; hope of body is disease.” Gurdjieff
“This is a fearful, hopeless and even nihilistic time.”&nbs&hell…Read More
2022-06-19 23:36
What if jails were able to reduce recidivism by 50% over a three year period based on re-arrest? Well, 50 years ago, that’s exactly what we did. How did that happen?… Read More
2022-06-12 15:18
No justice; no peace!!! That has been the slogan of many protest movements going back as far as the 1986 killing of Michael Griffith, a Trinidadian immigrant assaulted by a mob of whit… Read More
2022-06-06 12:02
“Everything hurts,Our hearts shadowed and strange,Minds made muddied and mute.We carry tragedy, terrifying and true.And yet none of it is new” Amanda Gorman
In February, 2021, I… Read More
2022-05-30 11:18
Zoom into the crippling and crushing grief of any one parent of any one of the slaughtered children in Uvalde and you will get a glimpse of the shattered soul of America. Zoom out 1000… Read More
2022-04-28 12:30
“Come mothers and fathers throughout the land
And don’t criticize what you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly ag… Read More
2022-04-26 16:55
“We always belonged to this mystery, and maybe we can begin to find our way back, even if it means following an almost hidden path.” Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
I just completed… Read More
2022-04-18 13:40
“We need a self because the complexity of the chemical processes that make up our individual humanities exceeds the processing power of our brains.” Mohsin Hamid
Humans are… Read More
2022-04-17 12:46
Our small town of Elk Rapids (ER), Michigan is embarking on a bold experiment. We are seeking to find common ground across divides while welcoming healthy conflicts and respectful disa… Read More
2022-04-17 12:40
“Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead. We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a b… Read More
2022-02-26 21:55
“The authoritarians tell a simple story about how to restore order — it comes from cultural homogeneity and the iron fist of the strongman. Democrats have a harder challenge &mda&hell…Read More
2022-02-08 18:40
Hmmm,
The dawn of curiosity
Awareness begins to awaken
I notice my shriveled state
I take stock of my rigidity
I feel my numbness
I am tight and closed
I am defensive and protected
Could the… Read More
2022-02-01 22:02
I spend the first two hours of most mornings reading the New York Times. It’s a marvelous paper covering monstrous stories. In order to recover from the depressing pall of… Read More
2021-12-26 22:16
“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” Lao Tzu
I just finished watching season 3 of Succession.&nb&hell…Read More
2021-12-07 16:00
“Is your glass half empty or half full?” asked the mole. “I think I’m grateful to have a glass,” said the boy.” Charlie Mackesy, The Boy… Read More
2021-11-20 15:25
In my last post, I wrote about collaborative communities which elaborated on the process for engaging collective intelligence to achieve sustainable growth across organizational boundaries… Read More
2021-11-19 15:53
Over the past several years, I have been working with the Grand Traverse Land Conservancy (GTRLC) – an organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the pristine environment of… Read More
2021-10-22 14:55
Much has been written lately about the “Great Resignation.” People who were downsized due to Covid 19 are not coming back to work in the numbers expected; and people who ar… Read More
2021-10-11 01:17
I’m really worried about minority rule – especially when that means the republicans are in charge. In all of the articles I have read recently, two factors stand out for pr… Read More
2021-09-22 16:39
I was recently inspired to write a poem after participating in a meeting with our Downtown Development Association and Doug Griffiths, author of 13 Ways to Kill a Community. We were di… Read More
2021-09-12 18:58
At a recent Village Council meeting in my small town, I implored the elected officials to consider, in their deliberations about policy decisions, the differential effects of anachronistic t… Read More
2021-08-31 15:57
I recently listened to an excellent podcast by Ezra Klein on the withdrawal from Afghanistan. He discusses with Robert Wright, the author of Nonzero – a newsletter that examines… Read More
2021-08-13 11:58
My small, hometown community recently sponsored an event called “What Unites Us.” The event started with free sundaes in the park and concluded with a drum dance on the bea… Read More
2021-07-10 12:14
In our little town in Northern Michigan, a neighbor put up a sign that read “NO WOKE ZONE” (code for “I hate liberal, establishment elites’). At first, I… Read More
2021-06-16 21:44
In this post, I’m going to address the question of how to persuade someone with power to make a sacrifice for the common good. It seems to me that this is one of the most intract… Read More
2021-05-28 11:37
I know about running for cover. When I heard bullets whistling over my head on guard duty in Vietnam, my instincts kicked in. I ducked down into my sandbag bunker for safety and protec… Read More
2021-05-12 21:09
“Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.” Simone de Beauvoir
“Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies… Read More
2021-04-27 14:03
I’m reeling from violence
I’m kneeling in silence
I’m healing my damaged soul
I’ve been reeling from a sense of loss
I’ve seen kneeling for the Southern cross
S… Read More
2021-03-31 16:07
In 1984, my wife, my first daughter, and I drove to JFK Airport to pick up our second daughter – Jang Hee JInn – fresh off a flight from Seoul Korea. She was a 3 mont… Read More
2021-03-26 15:41
Our little, rural town of Elk Rapids, Michigan is embarking on a big, bold journey of transformation. Challenged by an ageing population, a declining school enrollment, and a sea… Read More
2021-03-08 16:22
Dear Annie and Ezra,
I would like to share some thoughts and feelings with you that have helped me on my journey. You will have to find your own path, but these insights may help you f… Read More
2021-02-26 13:14
“How many years can a mountain exist before it’s washed to the sea?
How many years can some people exist before they’re allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn hi… Read More
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