Tag: Bill Gates

The Pedestal Prison

I’ve never been one for “hero worship.” Of course I admire many talented people, those whom I know, and those whom I don’t know, but I honestly think that it is unfair to put anyone on a pedestal. We are complicated creatures, us humans. We all have our strengths, and we all have our foibles. If you asked me who I most admire, I would probably pick some of my family members and friends, but that is most likely, because these are the people I know most intimately. Further, I choose my admirations in categories. Someone with an admirable knack for crafting, might not be the life of the party. I admire both traits. I am grateful that we have the quiet creators among the fun-loving spotlighters. I am grateful for the variety in everything (and everyone), which Life has allowed us to experience.

Recently, I was having a conversation with people who were talking about their heroes, and the people whom they admire the most. My mind started scrambling. I was looking for some solid, clever answer when it came to my turn, but that would have been so fake and contrived. Then I started worrying that maybe since I didn’t actually have one or two particular role models, that meant that I was a self-absorbed narcissist. Luckily, the subject got changed when before we got to my turn.

I am writing all of this, as a lead-up to the fact, that hearing about Bill and Melinda Gates getting divorced, really and completely, got to me yesterday. And these deep feelings truly surprised me. I don’t know Bill and Melinda, personally, of course. They did get married the same year that my husband and I got married. I know that no one would be able to disassemble twenty-seven years of creating a shared family and a shared life (not to mention a billions of dollars charitable foundation), without a great deal of contemplation, and a strong effort to keep it all together. I don’t judge the Gates. I was just more amazed about how sad and disillusioned that I felt about their announcement. Perhaps I did have the Gates on a pedestal, after all. Perhaps, I saw them as the epitome of the all the way around, grounded, healthy, amazing success story (which, I suppose, is my own personal, particular definition of success). Maybe I saw the Gates as “The Whole Package, plus a Bag of Chips”, instead of just two very talented, generous people doing their best, in this complicated world which we all navigate together. Things that make you go hmmmmm . . . . .

“A pedestal is as much a prison as any small, confined space.” – Gloria Steinem

“I think we do people a great disservice when putting them on a pedestal and not allowing them to be human.” – Linda Thompson

“The moment you put someone on a pedestal, they will look down upon you. The trick is respecting each other equally.” – Teresa Mummert

Don't put me on a pedestal, for I will surely fall. Just love me as I am, weaknesses, flaws, and all. | Words, Cool words, Beautiful quotes

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Bill Gates Knows

My aunt forwarded this in an email to me yesterday. What a wise, wonderful, brilliant man! Bill Gates is a class act. His life has been a gift to our world.

*BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE FROM BILL GATES**What is the Corona/ Covid-19 Virus Really Teaching us?*

I’m a strong believer that there is a spiritual purpose behind everything that happens, whether that is what we perceive as being good or being bad.

 As I meditate upon this, I want to share with you what I feel the Corona/ Covid-19 virus is really doing to us:

1) It is reminding us that we are all equal, regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, financial situation or how famous we are. This disease treats equally, perhaps we should too. If you don’t believe me, just ask Tom Hanks.

2) It is reminding us that we are all connected and something that affects one person has an effect on another. It is reminding us that the false borders that we have put up have little value as this virus does not need a passport. It is reminding us, by oppressing us for a short time, of those in this world whose whole life is spent in oppression.

3) It is reminding us of how precious our health is and how we have moved to neglect it through eating nutrient poor manufactured food and drinking water that is contaminated with chemicals upon chemicals. If we don’t look after our health, we will, of course, get sick.

 4) It is reminding us of the shortness of life and of what is most important for us to do, which is to help each other, especially those who are old or sick. Our purpose is not to buy toilet roll.

 5) It is reminding us of how materialistic our society has become and how, when in times of difficulty, we remember that it’s the essentials that we need (food, water, medicine)
 as opposed to the luxuries that we sometimes unnecessarily give value to.

 6) It is reminding us of how important our family and home life is and how much we have neglected this. It is forcing us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home and to strengthen our family unit.


 7) It is reminding us that our true work is not our job, that is what we do, not what we were created to do. Our true work is to look after each other, to protect each other and to be of benefit to one another.

 8) It is reminding us to keep our egos in check. It is reminding us that no matter how great we think we are or how great others think we are, a virus can bring our world to a standstill.

 9) It is reminding us that the power of freewill is in our hands. We can choose to cooperate and help each other, to share, to give, to help and to support each other or we can choose to be selfish, to hoard, to look after only our self. Indeed, it is difficulties that bring out our true colors.

 10) It is reminding us that we can be patient, or we can panic. We can either understand that this type of situation has happened many times before in history and will pass, or we can panic and see it as the end of the world and, consequently, cause ourselves more harm than good.

 11) It is reminding us that this can either be an end or a new beginning. This can be a time of reflection and understanding, where we learn from our mistakes or it can be the start of a cycle which will continue until we finally learn the lesson we are meant to.

 12) It is reminding us that this Earth is sick. It is reminding us that we need to look at the rate of deforestation just as urgently as we look at the speed at which toilet rolls are disappearing off of shelves. We are sick because our home is sick.

13) It is reminding us that after every difficulty, there is always ease. Life is cyclical, and this is just a phase in this great cycle. We do not need to panic; this too shall pass.

 14) Whereas many see the Corona/ Covid-19 virus as a great disaster, I prefer to see it as a *great corrector*

Global Village

My husband and I were married in late October 1994. We honeymooned in the Caribbean and one evening when we were out to dinner, we peered out of the romantic restaurant’s tiny, little block windows and we noticed a strange procession of people headed to the cemetery across the street. The people were carrying lighted candles, and then setting the candles upon the tombstones. These people were wearing terrifying, elaborate costumes with skull make-up. Now, please remember this was 1994. The internet was sparse, slow and sloppy. I had never heard of the Day of the Dead celebrations back then. I was more than a tad intimidated and eager to return back to the assumed safety of our resort.

Today, Day of the Dead is Google’s Doodle. Everyone is familiar with Dia de Muerto. The skull make-up, made particularly famous and prevalent by the artwork of the artist Diego Rivera, is now available on any house hold item you can think of, such as tea towels and salt and pepper shakers, all over the world.

The true meaning of The Day of the Dead (actually a 3,000 year old celebration, first celebrated by the Aztecs, that was evolved, during the Spanish colonization of Mexico, to coincide and blend with the Christian event called All Saints’ Day) is actually quite un-scary, evolved and spiritual. This is how the internet explains the event:

“In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle. Mexicans view it not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awake and celebrate with them.”

Tonight my husband and I are going to a tiny, little romantic restaurant to celebrate our anniversary, in a town not far from us. There is a very popular Mexican restaurant down the street from this restaurant, and they have a big Day of the Dead party every year. People of every color, from every background, young and old, happily don elaborate skull make-up and pin roses in their hair and the people march around the town in joyous revelry.

Of course, I don’t fear this experience. It is something that I am now quite familiar with and I find it to be fun and interesting and festive. I’m am looking forward to viewing the artistry, and the pageantry of it all and I respect the meaning that it holds for a lot of people. Knowledge is power, I guess.

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