Liyu Lake

Liyu Lake

Last month on August19^th, I packed up my car and set off to work and live in a place about and hour and forty minutes drive from my comfort zone home. I realize that this wasn't or isn't a move across the world; nevertheless, it's a move out of my comfort zone, and this was my goal, to be where I’m not defined by the security and safety of living at home.

When I left, there was an offer for a summer job that would probably just about cover my expenses; however, I still hadn't found a place to rent and this was on my mind quite a bit, energy/emotion of uncertainty that I “thought” I could direct by searching and searching on the Internet for a cool place to live. I was wrong, and the more I tried to secure something beforehand, the more the energy - defined as aggravation - just seemed to build up. Finally I just said, enough of this, I going down there now and I deal with living accommodations as I live, day to day. As it turns out, a friend simply took me to a place where he is once stayed – across from this cool place called Carp Lake. He asked them if I could rent an apartment for a month, and they just handed me the keys, no contract, just pay per month. How cool would it be if we could all interact with one another in such ways, on the basis of honesty and trust. So, I will stay here probably another 3-4 weeks until just before my schedule for the fall semester begins. Around that time, I'll contact some other friends and once again, physically go find another place to live – somewhat closer to the school.

Teaching over the last month has been really cool. The freshmen/women students I taught seem in many ways to be like blank slates welcoming the opportunity to learn. My focus is and will be on assisting them to explore themselves and their new environment/world through communicating – listening, reading, writing and speaking. As I often say these days, writing, writing, writing is perhaps the best way to see oneself so to determine through (writing anew) who one is and will be. 

I emphasis equality in everything I do, especially in the classroom. The way I see it is that we are - or have already - entered into a new world, one wherein communication/information technology gives each one of us the opportunity to expand our awareness and participation into areas that before had been off-limits to all but the wealthy few.

I say again that there are no more secrets – concealed. There is however, much misinformation and disinformation to push through before realizing what is relevant. I have been realizing and understanding that relevant information is what we are able to use to change ourselves for the better so to change the world for the better. We do this in relationships to one another. 

Relationships that are based on equality within what is best for all are the relationships through which we as the small components of humanity change humanity as a whole. In other words, it is in our relationships to one another that each of us define and/or determine the whole of humanity. 

When I say “define and/or determine,” I am saying that, when we allow ourselves to be moved by others, be it family, culture, friends, etc., we end up being defined by those relationships instead of self-honestly determining who self is in relation to all. However, when we consider who we are in relation to others/all, and direct ourselves to be that which is best for all, this is self-determination, determination in the small that changes the world for the better. To be continued after bike ride.

It's the next day and I just got finished going for another bike ride around the lake (See the picture above.) I'm staying in the building on the right, and although I'm facing the chicken farms in the back, I have no complaints. I'll continue this in the next post.