A Tanka

 Inspired by Sabrina C.

What are the small wins?

Lean into that my dearest

But balance it out

Let it be fire for you

Proper for your greatest self

An Intersex Awareness Day Reflection

My Intersex Awareness Day reflection made it to Black Catholic Messenger

Proud to be a Michigander

 Woot!!!

Governor Whitmer officially recognized Ace Week

Version 4.3

 

Another trip around the sun is here for your humble blogger. It's a blessing to make it this far. In fact, some of the lessons from the past year has been don't take anything for granted and go at your own pace. Time may pass by quickly, but stop to smell the roses sometimes.

-Msranadee

Making it to U.S. Catholic

 Your humble blogger made it to U.S. Catholic with a review of Matt Kappadakunnel's The Catholic Church and the Struggle for Racial Justice.  Check it out at the link below and definitely check out Matt's book.

https://uscatholic.org/articles/202408/what-were-reading-this-month-september-2024/

Embracing caftans

 

According to one of my favorite fashion mavens, Lauren Ezersky, "We'll all be wearing caftans this summer". Never in a million years did I think that I would get to the point that I would wear one. I thought it would make me look older than I am. But, at this point, some fashion rules can be broken. There's no age limit to caftans, and if you want to wear one, make it work.  Do what's comfortable for you. For me, I felt like a short one (since I'm short) was the best. Luckily, this Emerson Fry piece has a tie on the inside to give a little form fitting silhouette. With that, I'll be glad to say I'm in my caftan era

-Msranadee 

Encountering Others, Encountering Self

Earlier today, your humble blogger came across this insightful preaching on today's BIble readings in the Catholic Church

https://youtu.be/wVcTrzNU_vw?si=Uhsz_66RwcbaRhs7

What really hit home were the following quotes on the positive attributes of not putting people into boxes:

To be in conversation is to be open to conversion. We can be changed by understanding the other person’s point of view. We can grow in compassion and empathy when we listen to the reality of another person’s life. We can see things differently when we listen to their spoken truth and shared wisdom.

Familiarity doesn't have to breed contempt. It can also be the doorstep to deepening relationship. Deepening relationship is the threshold of encounter with another and with the Divine.

 Given that we're social beings, it seems logical that listening to and growing in compassion and empathy towards another person doesn't only entail seeing things differently for their sake, but one's own. In other words, there is a plausibility to the idea that one can encounter one's self when encountering another. One opens themself to areas where they may have put themselves in a box. And in getting into the the open space that is encounter, they can deepen relationship with themself as they deepen relationship with the " other", letting go of any boxes that limit.

How many times do we think we know ourselves too well, only to see something we didn't know was inside brought out when encountering someone we've labeled "other"? Of course,  this is not talking about situations where real psychological or physical harm can occur.  It is worth considering,  though,  that we might encounter ourselves when we encounter someone who pushes us outside our comfort zone.