Thoughts of Blue

I joined a faith-based student group while in college.  One evening the seminary student who facilitated us asked, "What color is God?"  The majority of people answered, "White" -- primarily based on art work and photos they had seen since childhood of God sitting on a throne among the clouds.

I sat and listened, embarrassed that my Unspoken Answer sounded silly.  Brad eventually called on me, and I blurted out "Blue!"

How do you color the world?
(Photo: Feathery Clouds - Larry Gardepie)

No one laughed, but I still blushed.  Brad was staring at me and asked me why... something he had not asked anyone else.  I told him how blue filled the heavenly skies and, on a sunny day, reflected itself in the waters of the earth.  It was everywhere... which speaks of God's omnipresence.

Brad smiled, and then went on to the people around me.  At the end of our group meeting, he made a point of coming up to me to talk.

Do you reflect the world's beauty in your daily actions?
(Photo: Ocean Blue - Larry Gardepie)

He noticed that I was shy and quiet in large group settings, and very rarely spoke up.  He then complimented me on my answer to the question -- how original and thoughtful.  He then asked if he had my permission to call on me more often.

It was the beginning of belonging, acceptance of my inner thoughts, and that I had something to offer.  Brad broke through my introversion... through his questions and the respect he offered.

What emerges when we accept others?
(Photo:  Sea of Cortez Sunset - Larry Gardepie)

I still experience God as blue because of God's expansiveness:  we experience God's presence everywhere!  I have learned to trust myself -- and others!  We have something to offer one another.  Sometimes our thoughts may sound different, but they are not silly.

We have a choice to expand our understanding and experiences of this wonderful world.  We can only do that when:

• Leaders listen, draw us out from what limits us, and respect us.
• We accept the challenge to share our thoughts, listen to others, and respect them.
• We reflect our Sacred Worth and Value -- the God-ness -- that is ever present.
  

Here's to a Blue and Expansive Week ahead!

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Fragile Nature

An unusual winter and spring:  atmospheric rivers, arctic blasts and bomb cyclones, mega tornadoes... and now over 2 feet of rain in southern Florida in a 24-hour period!  These were on my mind as I walked around my neighborhood this past week -- wrapped up to stay warm against the colder-than-usual winds that have swept across southern California.

But then I came across plants blooming, inviting me to anticipate Spring and coaxing me out of my wintry thoughts.

Isn't it wonderful how nature can open us to beauty, simplicity, and wonder -- when we pay attention! 

Do you bloom where you are planted?
(Photo: Spring Freesia - Larry Gardepie)

There are so many troubles and divisions these days, storms that buffet us and rob us of societal securities.  Our fragile natures surface as we argue over ideologies and beliefs -- as we worry about the future.

Nature, though, has different lessons for us:

• Bloom where you are planted.
• Reveal the beauty of who you are.
• Stand tall and believe in your goodness.

I know life is more complicated than this... or is it?  Maybe I have made it more complex than it needs to be.

What beauty do you bring to this world?
(Photo:  Purple Iceplant - Larry Gardepie)

As I walk through my neighborhood bundled up against the winds that buffet me, my eyes see color and beauty that I might not feel; my ears hear bird songs that open me to listen; and the air is fresh after the last rainfall.

 

Our world is opening to new life... and so can I!

When do you stand above the worries
and troubles of today?
(Photo:  Tower of Jewels - Larry Gardepie)

Having difficult conversations may have caused us to hibernate against wintry relationships.  Our frailty may have caused us to protect and defend.  Our vulnerability may have betrayed what we think and feel.

 

But Nature -- like dialogue -- suggests something different: that our vulnerability is our strength; that life returns even after the worst storms; that beauty exists even in the worst situations.  Our invitation is to open up, discover, and value the beauty within the other person.  It is there -- if we pay attention!

May our fragile human nature open us to the possibility of beauty and wonder -- in ourselves and in others.

 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

 

An Unwritten Year: An Immense Responsibility

We stand at the end of another year: minutes ticking by as we anticipate 2023; waiting to revel in new beginnings; ready to celebrate... what?  If it weren't for the calendar year changing and our traditional or cultural expressions of Endings and Beginnings, I would wonder WHAT are we celebrating?

After all, look at our responses these past few years to COVID, our political divisions, and our social unrest!  Are we celebrating these... or the desire to be released from them and begin anew?

Are you experiencing turbulence in your life?
(Photo: Storm at Sea - Larry Gardepie)

I don't want to be too negative on this final day of 2022, but I am trying to understand why we think things will be any different next year if...

• We make resolutions that we don't intend to keep, or
• We aren't more civil and understanding to one another, or
  
• We don't put thought and time into changing the turbulence in our lives.

After all, there are individual and social responsibilities in starting anew:

• Accepting our role in past misunderstandings.
• Realizing that change cannot happen without self-transformation.
• Creating a better future that begins with each decision we make.

 

Where can you create beauty?
(Photo:  Rouen Cathedral,
Rouen, France - Larry Gardepie)

As I reflect on this past year -- those areas where improvements are needed -- and what I want to accomplish during this Year Unwritten, I yearn to discover beauty, seek peace, and work towards harmony.  I don't need to give up what I believe in or my value system.  Instead, I must stay open to the opportunities that present themselves: seeing people as Gifts Unopened and Surprises Awaiting.

How will you build peace and harmony?
(Photo: Two Bridges, Dartmoor National Park,
England - Larry Gardepie)

Walking along a mist-shrouded roadway to take a picture of Two Bridges -- where the guide told us about the bridge and most people stayed on the roadway to take their pictures, I chose to wander off-course down the incline... and was surprised by a new perspective of the bridge's reflection in the serene waters below.

 

Being willing to go off-course, allowing biases and prejudices to soften, and anticipating a surprise will create an experience much different than if we remained where everyone else is rooted in what was told to them.  I can discover beauty...  I can seek peace...  I can work towards harmony... if I am willing to change... and expect to be surprised.

 

May this New Year invite each of us to go off-course enough to move past turbulent times and reflect new beginnings in our hearts and minds.

Blessings to 2023!

 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Beauty and Our Beast

A few weeks ago  we were traveling on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Denali National Park.  The morning began rainy, cloudy, and cold.  Being in the comfort of the domed car we were fed with Beauty Changing at every mile as clouds gave way to fall foliage and clear views of the Denali mountain range.

We were a diverse group of travelers from around the world, wearing masks or not, carrying unknown companions of COVID-19, colds, coughs, biases and misunderstandings.  Locked in our train carriage for 8 hours allowed us to slowly observe, ask questions, and share in the sights unveiled along the way.

How often do you see the beauty around you?
(Photo:  Alaskan landscape, Larry Gardepie 2022)

Yes, we were in our own world -- that of the train car and that of our own making.  But we were sharing Time and Beauty as we discovered together new Frontiers Revealed.  Sitting with these pictures today, I am seeing details that I missed in those few fleeting moments as the train passed the wilderness outside.

A guide narrated where we were and interpreted what we were seeing.  This helped us track on a map how far we had traveled, how far we still needed to go, and the unusual clarity of this Fall day.

As we pass quickly through this life,
are we aware of the changes in ourselves and others?
(Photo: Denali mountain range with fall foliage,
Larry Gardepie 2022)

The Denali mountain range at first was a mystery: were we seeing clouds behind a darker mountain range?  The guide helped our eyes and minds to understand the majestic heights of Denali as it towered over the smaller peaks and rivers below.  With excitement and awe, she explained that many people never see Denali because of the weather it creates and hides behind; that only 30% will see Denali with clouds; and that we were members of the 10% Club, seeing Denali clearly without clouds.

Along our privileged day-long journey, we moved from not seeing... to seeing partially... and then seeing with clarity.

Do we see clearly what is before us?
(Photo:  Denaili mountain range with no clouds,
Larry Gardepie 2022)

I believe Dialogue is similar: when we slow down our fast-paced lives and allow humility and curiosity to guide us, we begin to seek answers to questions that alluded us.  Together, we share where we are and decide where we need to go:

• We move from Beasts Unknown that hide and protect us;
• Through assumptions and opinions that cloud what we see; and,
• Arrive at clarity based on the facts before us.

In other words, sometimes we need to be locked together in the struggles of this world to appreciate Our Beasts and Our Beauty.

May you see the beauty of each person this week as the World's Beasts and Beauty reveals itself.
 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Life is Precious: Dialogue is Precious

On a recent tour through the Southwest, we encountered rugged beauty: how geological upheaval created plateaus; how wind and water carved out mesas, buttes, hoodoos, and canyons.  We also saw how humanity has reshaped its environment with structures like dams, lakes, and canals -- storing and diverting water for recreation and survival.

Returning home, I have been reflecting on beauty, upheaval, diversion, and survival.

What do you dam up or store internally?
(Photo:  Lake Powell, Larry Gardepie, May 2022)

These post-pandemic musings have tended to focus on:

• How upheaval happens so quickly;
• How we divert attention away from Topics Unpleasant; and,
• How survival is Wired Within.

When faced with momentous events, we sometimes encounter paradoxes:  for instance, how small we seem in the grandeur of the universe and yet how precious life is.  The Both-And of All speaks to us of our Worth and Value.

Where do you feel small and unseen?
(Photo:  Lake Powell, Larry Gardepie, May 2022)

As unexpected events unfold, I recall a phrase a friend often says:  "Life happens."  For me, these two words have helped me to maintain a balance between reaction and response:  that is, keeping a focus on the preciousness of life, relationships and understanding invites me to pause, take a breath, and decide on a better course of action.

Rather than upheaval, diversion, and self-survival, I can retain focus on the beauty of that moment and seek what is best for all concerned.

What is precious in your life?
(Photo credit:  Cronin Family, May 2021)

Dialogue is also precious:  it allows Moments Unclear to become clarified -- by noticing the upheaval and the wearing down; by asking questions to understand; and by allowing defended energy to be redirected, self- or other-violent thoughts to be channeled to non-violence, and systemic justice to be restored.

 

As you continue to explore and re-normalize your life, may you discover what is precious in your life!
 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Trust in Beginnings

Today's thought:  I remember the warmth and comfort of my sleeping bag!  My family would go camping on weekends and vacations.  There was safety in being together, gathering in the tent after dark, and snuggling down into the sleeping bag.  Memories of warmth, safety, and comfort...  that is, until one morning when I was a Boy Scout!

I woke out of a sound sleep, my sleeping bag twisted from my tossing and turning.  I was bound, trapped within the tangled sleeping bag.  I couldn't get out by myself:  I needed to ask for help.  With my head peaking out of the bag and my arms pinned in various positions, I was embarrassed, especially when people wouldn't believe me that I couldn't unravel the mess I was in.

Where do you find safety and comfort?
(Photo credit:  source unknown)

To this day I find it uncomfortable to be in tight places.  The memories of being trapped, unable to escape, needing to ask for help.

Aren't there similarities as we practice our dialogue skills:

• Being tangled in our thoughts and actions;
• Feeling trapped by preconceived conclusions; and
• Needing help to see beyond the narrow perspectives we have safely placed ourselves?

I wonder if it's time to start something new:  to trust in beginnings -- asking for help to understand.

Is it time to start something new in your life?
(click on image to enlarge)
(Photo credit:  Mutts, Patrick McDonnell, January 1, 2022)

 

It seems that moments of safety and comfort can also cocoon us into a false sense of security.  We become isolated from the movements that encourage us to connect with life beyond our limited views.  Asking for help to unravel our tangled thoughts provides opportunities to trust one another.  Our renewal comes when we step out together, and when we realize that vulnerability becomes our strength.

What beauty do you see in your life?
(Photo: Sea of Cortez Sunset, Larry Gardepie)

Asking for help can be quite subtle, almost simple:  "What do you think about...?",  "I am not sure I understand...",  "This is what I know...  Do you see it any differently?"  These questions invite the other person into adding information or options we might not have considered.

 

There is humility in stepping back and letting go:  we can clear up any misunderstandings between us... or... at least, identify where we disagree.  Now, the magic of beginnings: allowing the Beauty Within each person to be released from the enclosures we have trapped or hidden them.

May your beauty shine!
 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Our Choice to See Beauty

Over the past several months I have had the opportunity to slow down:  retirement does that, I guess!  This new pace has allowed me time to review and reflect on what I may have missed while working:

• What I did not see as I hurried past someone
• Ideas I might not have heard or understood
• Solutions in a situation not considered

This period of reflection has given me time to re-notice the beauty around me:  the sunrises and sunsets; the changes in weather and the seasons; and the diversity of possibilities before us.

One realization:  each day begins with a Choice -- the choice to slow down and pay attention.

What do you see at the beginning of each day?
(Photo: sunrise over San Diego harbor, Larry Gardepie)

 Even in the darkest of moments we have a choice:

• Do we react instinctively to what we see, hear, or experience?
• Are we willing to slow down, search for options, and respond out of the depth of who we are, what we value, and what is the best for everyone?

The darkest moments become brighter when I look with intention:  the ability to see the beauty and worth of each person encountered and inviting them into the solution-finding.

Do you see possibilities in the darkest moments?
(Photo: luminous clouds before a storm, Larry Gardepie)

Intention -- purpose or attitude -- opens our minds and hearts in how we see others: through the lenses of history and routine, skepticism and fear, doubt, and uncertainty... or... can we intentionally set aside these distractions and anticipate a new encounter, invite a new dialogue, and expect to be awed by the richness and beauty of another person?

Can you recount the beauty of this day?
(Photo: sunset at sea, Larry Gardepie)

Whether a daily or weekly review, during major changes in our lives, or throughout the seasons of our life, reflection invites us to be honest with ourselves.  What is equally important is the opportunity to share these thoughts with others: where I think I have changed; the changes I have noticed in you; and the choices we make to remain in relationship.

May you choose to see beauty this week!
 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Caution Eroding

Walking along the cliffs and tide pools of the Cabrillo National Monument I was taken by the beauty of the rugged coastline.  The rhythm of the waves rolling towards and crashing against the cliffs was mesmerizing.

Signs along the way explained how rain and runoff created layers of sediment on the ocean floor.  Over millennia the sediment hardened to rock and seismic activity thrust the ocean-layered floor above waterline to create this fragile coast.  The waves carved out what is seen today.

Layers of build-up over the years eroded away to create the beauty of this day.

What are you seeing or experiencing today?
(Photo: California shoreline, Cabrillo National Monument)

As I continued to watch the waves break against the shoreline, I realized that the action of carving away continues with each undulation.  What I saw or experienced a moment ago is not the same as it is now.  Each wave brings change:  change unknown in the previous moment.  The first image is but a memory:  the second image is different and beautiful in its own way.  I needed to let go of what I have seen (past) and focus on what is changing (now).

In other words, how will the next wave create or alter what I am seeing?

Can I let go of the past
to see what is happening now?

As I read the information signs and watched the continuing revelation of God's creative touch, I pulled back from the apparent beauty and noticed other signs, pylons, and barriers that warned of the unstable nature of the shoreline as the water undercut the cliffs' base.

It was interesting -- and a little disheartening -- watching people ignore the warning signs and walk beyond the barriers: wanting to sit on the cliff's edge; needing to take a selfie against the dangerous backdrop; walking along the fragile surface that had evident cracks where rock would eventually tumble into the ocean.

How do we respond to
the warning signs in our lives?
(Can you see the warning pylons at the cliff's edge?)

How easy it is to ignore the warning signs that sediment and erosion creates in our lives:  the lies that unfold; the truths untold; the fragile natures of our relationships when we no longer trust.  Do we ignore the layers of buildup over the years?  Are we afraid to acknowledge that the sediment in our lives needs to be removed?

What causes us to not pay attention to the warning signs in our lives:

• Misunderstanding what another person says... and not asking questions?
• Seeing looks of frustration or anger... and not checking in?
• Mistrusting other people's intentions or motives... and not caring?
  

Walking along the cliffs of my life, I oftentimes am taken in by moments that attract or distract me.  I don't always pull back and notice the barriers or signs that alert me to other views.

I am wondering:  What do you focus on?  How do you respond to warnings?  Is there a way to balance misunderstandings and mistrust with a wider view of truth and beauty?

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Forever Touched

Having grown up in the Salinas-Monterey coastal region of California, our perennial field trip in elementary school was the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove.  Gazing up into a forest of trees, all we could see were the gentle brown flapping of "leaves" -- not realizing that we were seeing the underwings of  thousands of butterflies.

We learned about their seasonal migration from Canada-U.S. to Mexico, and how we were connected to these delicate co-inhabitants of this planet.  Monarch butterflies were in our backyards:  they were neighbors traveling through our young lives.

In what ways are you being transformed?
(Photo: Monarch butterfly caterpillar)

It's been disturbing to read about the Monarch's plight these past years:  their numbers have been reduced drastically.  Scientists and researchers are worried about whether they will survive.  To help, we have been encouraged to plant milkweed in our yards - one of their sources of food.  It's not a plant that you want to get attached to!  The Monarch caterpillars devour the milkweed leaves to the point you only have stalks left!  But the leaves come back quickly, waiting for the next round of caterpillars to ravage the plant again!

A delicate cycle with a fragile balance in our partnership with nature.

How can you impact the world?
(Photo: Speckled Wood butterfly, Costa Rica)

I was reminded of this childhood fascination with the Monarchs when traveling in Costa Rica a few years back.  Part of our guided tour was through a rain forest sanctuary for butterflies.  The local people protect the rain forest and have created an eco-business based on sustaining life.  I was impressed at the knowledge and passion our guides had for their neighbors.

I recalled the Butterfly Effect defined in chaos theory: how small changes can lead to large-scale and unpredictable variations across the world.

Are your relationships webs of inclusions?
(Photo: spider web, Costa Rica rain forest)

Dialogue and relationships seem to be endangered in today's divided world.  We are quick to cling to our opinions and conclusions about others.  We label and make decisions based on differences.  We don't always protect an environment that feeds patience and understanding.  We sever ties with our neighbors when we disagree.

Seeing the brown underwings of the Monarchs as a child did not reveal the true beauty of the orange-black neighbors that graced our yards.  Instead, we had to learn the connection between the two, and we had to be willing to plant milkweed to sustain life.

What would happen if we allowed each other room to be transformed, to migrate to new places of understanding?  What action can we take -- no matter how small -- that will affect others?  How can we be forever touched by the beauty of our relationships -- the ups and downs of both sides of the whole?  How can our relationships create webs of inclusion rather than trapping and killing another perspective?

What are ways that we can nourish and sustain our neighbors?

 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Hidden Beauty

Recently, while walking under trees in our neighborhood, I heard a crunch-crunch sound.  Looking around, I didn't see anything.  The crunching continued.  Looking up, I saw a number of green parrots that were eating away at the seed pods in the tree... eyeing me with caution.  Without the sound, I might have missed the beauty of these beautiful tropical birds with the red-ringed eyes.

Over the years we have become accustomed to these wild parrots that migrated to and made San Diego home.  It's always amazing to hear their squawks as they fly over and to see them up close in our neighborhood trees.

Their beauty is often hidden as they are camouflaged by our greenery.

When do you stop and see what is hidden?
(San Diego, CA)

This brief encounter brought wonder and awe:  something out-of-the-ordinary just happened; something unexpected.  And, as my friends know, I began musing about dialogue!

For example, like the parrots:

• Am I cautious when others approach?
• Are my words and intentions camouflaged?
• Do I focus only on what feeds my interests and worldview?
  
  

Is growth possible in unexpected places?
(Tintagell, Cornwall, England)

Our world is filled with opportunities to learn, to migrate our ways of seeing, and to seek the Beauty Hidden in others... and ourselves!  If we choose, humans can adapt and grow in almost every circumstance.  I wonder what has been happening in our time where our camouflage hides more, fear and caution is growing, and we are focused more on our own needs.

What do you think is happening?

Can you see people and their beauty reflected?
(Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, England)

 

 

Traveling in Britain a few years back, I was taken by the baptismal font in Salisbury Cathedral.  The clarity of the water, the gentle sound of water overflowing, and the stillness that reflected the beauty... building and people.  I gazed into the reflection and wondered about the images and impressions touching the water:

• What impressions do we leave on others?
• How have we touched gently our family and friends?
• Can the Hidden Beauty be drawn forth as we learn to look up... and notice?
  

This week, may we look up and notice.  May we seek the hidden beauty that surrounds us.  May we be filled with wonder and awe.

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)

Taking Notice

Each of the seasons has its own beauty.  What I notice about Spring, though, are the vibrant colors, life emerging from dormant soil, and a sense of Beginning Anew.  The long, dark days of winter are giving way to light and warmth.

Here in Southern California, though, the changes are more subtle, especially when winter months are milder than normal and Santa Ana wind conditions occur more frequently.  Colors splash the gardens and landscapes throughout the year.

But there is a difference: plants seem to sparkle; the air becomes clearer; and windows are reopened to what the day brings.

What have you noticed today?

It might be in the degree of Noticing, becoming sensitive to the nuances and changes occurring inwardly... and outwardly.

As I was walking with a friend this past week, we were talking about local and national events: COVID vaccinations; moving from more restrictive guidelines to lesser ones; and the ability to begin planning -- cautiously -- for the weeks and months ahead.

Several questions are surfacing from this COVID hibernation:

• What kind of world are we emerging into?
• Where will we find normalcy and beauty?
• Who and what can we trust?

Where is Beauty Emerging?

Walking in the neighborhood, we came across signs that life is returning:  trees and bulbs planted years prior displaying spectacular blossoms, and seeds and seedlings providing new growth unseen.  Some landscapes seem familiar... but I realize, they are not the same as last year:  the trees have grown; the bulbs have split; the new arrivals bring variety.

When have you seen the Light
behind the Beauty?

As we take notice -- inwardly and outwardly -- of our post-COVID surroundings, I wonder what we will find behind our stories of confinement, limitations, and loss?

• Will we seek the familiar?
• Will we hold onto the past season?
• Will we notice Newness Emerging?

My assumption is "Yes" to all of these questions.  What do you think?  Where are you reopening friendships to new discoveries?  How might you share Thoughts Buried?  Is there a way to clear the air between you and a perceived foe?

 

I would guess that we are not the same people as we were pre-pandemic.  How do we share what we have seen and experienced?  How can we listen and become curious about another person's journey?

My hope is that our Lenten Days will give way to the Easter Season of Hope, that we learn the Passover lessons of our freedom from bondage; and that we experience the Life Emerging... familiar but different.  May we embrace the Light behind our Darkness.

 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)