LETTERS TO STRANGERS
...WORDS I HAVE POSTED PUBLICALLY IN VARIOUS PLACES IN RESPONSE TO OTHERS WORDS...
...a friend is a stranger waiting to be met...
DreamPlace
THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE...
and now, welcome to my dream...
LETTERS TO STRANGERS
...WORDS I HAVE POSTED PUBLICALLY IN VARIOUS PLACES IN RESPONSE TO OTHERS WORDS...
...a friend is a stranger waiting to be met...
DreamPlace
July 5, 1998
I dream of a place where people can go without masks... a place where
weapons and defenses can be left at the door because we all agree to
stop ourselves before we feel like attacking or insulting someone else
specifically... to take a deep breath and ask ourselves why before we
start expressing negativity... look where we're spitting before we
spit...
I dream of a place where we agree to explain our individual feelings - not
another's feelings... a place where we all - each one leaves assumptions and
expectations behind and agree to listen and respond kindly, gently, and
with the same compassion and sensitivity we would like to feel coming at
us...
I dream of a place where, when we don't understand something, rather
than assuming we do - or when something rubs us the wrong way, we stop
and ask for clarification before responding... there's no shame in asking
for directions, but there's wasted time and energy driving in circles
pretending we know where we're going (or what someone else really
meant)
I dream this is that place... I come here to remind myself that I am not
alone - no matter how alone and isolated I feel... there are others out
there, YOU are out there... and you care... and some of you have similar
experiences... and some of you have very similar feelings...
I dream I can
vent and you will understand... and I can cry and you will offer
comfort... I dream I can try to joke and you will laugh or at least tell me
you don't get it before misunderstanding my meaning... and I dream can express
my fear or frustration or anger and trust you to know it has little or nothing to really do
personally with you, and even if it does, trust you to know I intend you no harm...
and I can dance naked if I like, cuz nobody is
really seeing me physically at the moment (cyber-video-phones?... oh,
better grab a towel then ;)
and I dream I can believe and trust that every one of you came here because
you are lonely and maybe hurting and you are trying to feel better -
seeking to release some pain or sorrow, seeking comfort and help and
someone who cares and understands...this is my dream, my choice...
the ideal?... maybe... but it's what I come here for... not what I
expect, because nobody's perfect and in a room full of high emotion (or
apathy), there's bound to be some head bumping... I don't want to
believe anybody actually comes here intending to attack or mock or be
harmful... I want to believe anyone flaming or attacking or teasing is
hurting so much they are venting their pain dishonestly - with a mask of
insensitive or flippant laughter or a scowl of venom because they are so
afraid to really express what they feel... or the humour is simply misunderstood...
I don't respect dishonesty
enough to take the mask seriously, but I do respect the pain and fear
behind the masks... so I do my best to tolerate and remember, before
assuming I know why someone is here, ask them "why are you here?"
without catching or reflecting their hostility or fear in my tone...
and hoping not of my own personal baggage gets in the way... and I try to stay
positive myself so we can work toward the ideal...
so, welcome everybody... welcome to my dreamplace...
I hope this is not just my dream for this
group... I know some of you dream this same dream for sure... and I hope
we can all agree to honestly work together to make this dream come
true...
every vote counts, every voice counts, so please - if you find fault or
wish to add to this, post your mind from your heart - as honestly as you
can express yourself, tell me what you think and feel...
and while I'm away during the weekdays, I'll trust you to continue
building this place - not for me or "my" dream, but in the mold of the
collective dream...
we don't all have to agree on every brick and stone and window we put
into this home on the web, but a house divided too much will not
stand, so I ask and trust each one of you to build with care...
if you
like this dream and idea... and if not, explain why...
there's room for
more than one home - we can build a whole neighborhood if we like...
that is the beauty of freedom - and so far the web and this group is
free (at a nominally exhorbitent cost in some places ;) we can create
what we want to create...
when I am mad at the world, I sometimes kick the walls... but I don't
really want to burn down my house... make sense?... hope so :)
I'll patch the walls you kick if you'll patch the walls I kick ;)
honest love, ric
IRL (IN REAL LIFE): please understand my life is so busy these days that
my on-line time is limited to weekends, so expect responses from me only
once a week for a while (but I still eagerly look for your responses :)
typos are free, so I include lots ;)
something to say to me?... write! :) (click reply to author)
when I have time, I'll include my ICQ # again :)
for more info, other paths (most yet to be discovered or created), and
possibly shocking disclosures (or at least more babble) check out
http://www.hotstart.com/wp/hotstartanon.shtml
and for the latest info about me in this life (real? ;) surf over to
http://members.wbs.net/homepages/a/n/o/anonanon.html
* * * * * pages last added to on July 3, 1998 * * * * *
true understanding is like castles in the clouds... we need to build our
castles with great care... believing we know everything turns the castle
to stone, crashing to the ground... believing we know nothing turns our
castle to air and it floats aimlessly, never finding rest or
stability... the secure castle of true understanding is built by
remaining open, questioning everything, accepting knowledge, and seeking
balance amidst the ever-changing flow of knowledge from the unknown to
our cloud...
and of course, hang on to your hat during high winds ;)
ENTRANCE
CROSSROADS
FAREWELL
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