I read Ted’s book a few years ago, loved it, and was thrilled to read Unbekoming’s detailed recap of it today!
Many parts of Ted’s book stuck with me. The gem that stuck the most was how we can completely miss the present due to focusing on/regretting the past or anticipating/fretting about the future. When doing that, life passes by without being lived to its fullest.
From a Christian viewpoint, a Bible verse, a quote I heard years ago, a lesson I learned via a story, and a refining fact all come to mind when thinking about the implications of Ted’s book:
1. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
2. “Joy is not the absence of suffering, it is the presence of the Lord.”
In our culture, we focus on “happiness”, which is temporary, based on circumstances, which are ever changing, and is typically very short-lived. Joy, on the other hand, is not temporary, not based on circumstances, but on the Lord, who is both faithful and trustworthy, and is for eternity.
3. What looks like a blessing can turn into a curse. What looks like a curse can turn into a blessing. Our perspective is extremely limited, and what looks like a blessing or a curse today can look like the other tomorrow, then back again at a later date, many times over. The lesson is to accept what is each and every day, do the best with and make the most of your current situation, and trust that the Lord can use it for your good and His glory as you seek and trust in Him.
4. As gold is refined in fire, so we are refined in trials.
Thank you very much for sharing such a profound and necessary reflection. I find it especially valuable to remember that peace does not depend solely on external circumstances, but also on our capacity to cultivate serenity, acceptance, gratitude, and compassion.🙏🏼❤️
Acceptance does not mean resignation; rather, it means ceasing to fuel fear and resentment, so that we may dedicate our energy to what we can actually transform.
On this journey, resilience plays a fundamental role: learning to face adversity, overcoming difficult moments, and moving forward without losing hope—even transforming pain into an opportunity for growth.
We need a more humane vision of life, one rooted in love, empathy, and respect for all living beings.
World peace begins within each of us. Peace Begins With Me❤️
Thank you for reminding us of something so essential.🙏🏼
Regardless, thanks for additional resources of like-minded people. I just wish it didn’t take me so long to write or share my thoughts, and not able to read the long articles as it like Energy is being zapped out of me at times, and there’s just way too much to attempt to read these days.
Dear Sherri, I look forward to your articles on Substack.👍 What a beautiful reminder that, at times, we don’t need grand gestures or extraordinary words. A conscious, loving human presence is enough to make someone feel seen, accompanied, and understood. Some encounters, in their very simplicity, can become true gifts for the soul.❤️
It’s entirely my own work—I wrote it myself. I only use AI when it comes to researching significant topics, such as cancer. For context, I have published over 10,000 comments on health and holistic medicine.
Delving into resilience: In this struggle against adversity, individuals can learn something about themselves and feel that they have grown in some way on a personal level. Many people who have experienced difficult situations have reported improvements in how they manage personal relationships, an increase in personal strength, a boost in self-esteem, a more developed sense of spirituality, and a greater appreciation for life. It is important to maintain a long-term perspective, supported by an optimistic outlook that allows us to expect good things to happen in our lives. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope. In addition to one’s own family, self-help and support groups—as well as good reading material—can always be beneficial. Perseverance and confidence in one’s ability to navigate difficulties can provide the courage and insight needed to successfully meet the challenge of a crisis—a challenge that must be faced with resilience.
Anyone else use the tool that Substack has to test for Ai 🤖? I prefer not reading comments that appear to be written by AI. I also am aware that the 🤖 AI detection technology tools aren’t always accurate. I believe AI writing will damage Substack’s platform. Interesting times.
What touched me most was the moment Joshua smiled at his father through the window. I can imagine how much that simple moment made Ted think about the way his son saw him. We can't always change what life brings us, but sometimes we can change the way we stand beside someone we love. And I think that can make a real difference.
As a grandmother to four children aged fourteen to two years old, I think a volume of Unbekoming “fairytales” would be invaluable. It would be a great resource to enable critical thinking at an early age.
"We think the crisis is out there, in the world, in society. The crisis isn’t out there. The crisis is really inward, in the consciousness of each of us, and we are unwilling to face this.”
True change in the world begins when we stop pointing out what is wrong on the outside and dare to transform what lies dormant within us. The crisis of humanity is, above all, a crisis of consciousness.❤️
I read Ted’s book a few years ago, loved it, and was thrilled to read Unbekoming’s detailed recap of it today!
Many parts of Ted’s book stuck with me. The gem that stuck the most was how we can completely miss the present due to focusing on/regretting the past or anticipating/fretting about the future. When doing that, life passes by without being lived to its fullest.
From a Christian viewpoint, a Bible verse, a quote I heard years ago, a lesson I learned via a story, and a refining fact all come to mind when thinking about the implications of Ted’s book:
1. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
2. “Joy is not the absence of suffering, it is the presence of the Lord.”
In our culture, we focus on “happiness”, which is temporary, based on circumstances, which are ever changing, and is typically very short-lived. Joy, on the other hand, is not temporary, not based on circumstances, but on the Lord, who is both faithful and trustworthy, and is for eternity.
3. What looks like a blessing can turn into a curse. What looks like a curse can turn into a blessing. Our perspective is extremely limited, and what looks like a blessing or a curse today can look like the other tomorrow, then back again at a later date, many times over. The lesson is to accept what is each and every day, do the best with and make the most of your current situation, and trust that the Lord can use it for your good and His glory as you seek and trust in Him.
4. As gold is refined in fire, so we are refined in trials.
Thank you for your comment.
Thank you very much for sharing such a profound and necessary reflection. I find it especially valuable to remember that peace does not depend solely on external circumstances, but also on our capacity to cultivate serenity, acceptance, gratitude, and compassion.🙏🏼❤️
Acceptance does not mean resignation; rather, it means ceasing to fuel fear and resentment, so that we may dedicate our energy to what we can actually transform.
On this journey, resilience plays a fundamental role: learning to face adversity, overcoming difficult moments, and moving forward without losing hope—even transforming pain into an opportunity for growth.
We need a more humane vision of life, one rooted in love, empathy, and respect for all living beings.
World peace begins within each of us. Peace Begins With Me❤️
Thank you for reminding us of something so essential.🙏🏼
Who the heck are you, said with Love. I’m kind of a course in miracles/TOLETEC/Journeying/Hands-on kind of girl.
What a refreshing gift, knowing that our front line people are aware of what being present can do for us❤️
Regardless, thanks for additional resources of like-minded people. I just wish it didn’t take me so long to write or share my thoughts, and not able to read the long articles as it like Energy is being zapped out of me at times, and there’s just way too much to attempt to read these days.
Are you AI?
Dear Sherri, I look forward to your articles on Substack.👍 What a beautiful reminder that, at times, we don’t need grand gestures or extraordinary words. A conscious, loving human presence is enough to make someone feel seen, accompanied, and understood. Some encounters, in their very simplicity, can become true gifts for the soul.❤️
Is this response fully written by you or is it AI 🤖 generated? I’m curious and feel free not to answer.
It’s entirely my own work—I wrote it myself. I only use AI when it comes to researching significant topics, such as cancer. For context, I have published over 10,000 comments on health and holistic medicine.
Delving into resilience: In this struggle against adversity, individuals can learn something about themselves and feel that they have grown in some way on a personal level. Many people who have experienced difficult situations have reported improvements in how they manage personal relationships, an increase in personal strength, a boost in self-esteem, a more developed sense of spirituality, and a greater appreciation for life. It is important to maintain a long-term perspective, supported by an optimistic outlook that allows us to expect good things to happen in our lives. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope. In addition to one’s own family, self-help and support groups—as well as good reading material—can always be beneficial. Perseverance and confidence in one’s ability to navigate difficulties can provide the courage and insight needed to successfully meet the challenge of a crisis—a challenge that must be faced with resilience.
Anyone else use the tool that Substack has to test for Ai 🤖? I prefer not reading comments that appear to be written by AI. I also am aware that the 🤖 AI detection technology tools aren’t always accurate. I believe AI writing will damage Substack’s platform. Interesting times.
What touched me most was the moment Joshua smiled at his father through the window. I can imagine how much that simple moment made Ted think about the way his son saw him. We can't always change what life brings us, but sometimes we can change the way we stand beside someone we love. And I think that can make a real difference.
As a grandmother to four children aged fourteen to two years old, I think a volume of Unbekoming “fairytales” would be invaluable. It would be a great resource to enable critical thinking at an early age.
"We think the crisis is out there, in the world, in society. The crisis isn’t out there. The crisis is really inward, in the consciousness of each of us, and we are unwilling to face this.”
- J. Krishnamurti
True change in the world begins when we stop pointing out what is wrong on the outside and dare to transform what lies dormant within us. The crisis of humanity is, above all, a crisis of consciousness.❤️
A reflection inspired by J. Krishnamurti.
Many thanks, very interesting. It reminded me of the words of Jesus about what corrupts us, that it is not what goes into the body but what comes out.
It is our reaction to external stimuli in whatever form that counts, we in effect create our own poisons.
https://alphaandomegacloud.wordpress.com/2022/03/30/a-man-is-not-defiled-by-what-enters-his-mouth-but-by-what-comes-out-of-it/