Comments on: The Air Up There http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/2008/09/23/the-air-up-there/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-air-up-there Snapshots of America, unfolded in words. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:11:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: shakenbsis http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/2008/09/23/the-air-up-there/comment-page-1/#comment-2813 shakenbsis Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:43:42 +0000 http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/?p=388#comment-2813 Keep focused on the 'local'. I'm going to rememeber that, it's good advice for me! Thanks ;-) Keep focused on the ‘local’.

I’m going to rememeber that, it’s good advice for me!

Thanks ;-)

]]> By: Elizabeth http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/2008/09/23/the-air-up-there/comment-page-1/#comment-2812 Elizabeth Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:50:01 +0000 http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/?p=388#comment-2812 Betty! I loved your comment! Isn't it true that we (everyone) are more similar than we are different? There is so much that distracts us and tries to tears us apart! That's why we need to keep focused on the "local"-- the 10 feet of the world we can change, and the five people we love the most who know us best, and might listen. Thanks for reading through my rant Betty! I loved your comment! Isn’t it true that we (everyone) are more similar than we are different? There is so much that distracts us and tries to tears us apart!

That’s why we need to keep focused on the “local”– the 10 feet of the world we can change, and the five people we love the most who know us best, and might listen.

Thanks for reading through my rant

]]> By: shakenbsis http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/2008/09/23/the-air-up-there/comment-page-1/#comment-2810 shakenbsis Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:29:33 +0000 http://blog.elizabethhoward.net/?p=388#comment-2810 Elizabeth, I like this post better than anything political I've seen this 'season'. I did cry a little. The chord of humility you struck really resounded with me. Humility probably isn't the best description of it, but I can't seem to come up with a better one at the moment. Perhaps it's more like I was sensing a moment of transparency, a moment of humanity, a moment of stepping away from the labels we have such a love/hate relationship with. I liked what you said about elitism in relationship with context. 'These experiences give my world view CONTEXT, and I believe my personality allows that view to remain open-minded. That isn’t “elite:” it is merely a state of mind, combined with life choices. It is not “better;” it just is."' It just is... In respect of your transparency in the face of some obvious discomfort, I'll share a little of my 'context' as well. I'm an Irish Catholic (lapsed) raised mainly in the midwest, who has been on the move since my high school graduation. I am much more comfortable 'abroad' than I am at home where I've managed to re-land after nearly 30 years. I'm less classically educated than you are, but a voracious reader and learner always. In my younger days I was much more liberal (and vocal!) than I am now. I've grown more conservative over the years, and oddly, more tolerant as well. One thing though has remained through out. My family (both liberals and conservatives) would still tend to describe me as Liberal, Drama-Queen and worst of all Know-it-All! (I almost laughed out loud when I read that paragraph!) The thing that I have discovered in my life experience is that 'we' (the collective) are much more alike at heart than we are different once we dare to look beyond the labels we so desperately hold out in front of us. Thanks Elizabeth, you really made my day and provided food for thought. "My quest and my question is: can I change the direction of our country within my own context? As an agent of CHANGE, I have control over my part of the conversation. To change the rhetoric, I have to take action to create a new reality. If I can succeed within my own context, I can succeed anywhere." I love this paragraph! I don't know that I agree with your conclusions, but I love your quest and I love that you voiced it. I also love that we live in a country where you are free to express and follow it! Thanks again, Betty Elizabeth, I like this post better than anything political I’ve seen this ‘season’. I did cry a little. The chord of humility you struck really resounded with me.

Humility probably isn’t the best description of it, but I can’t seem to come up with a better one at the moment. Perhaps it’s more like I was sensing a moment of transparency, a moment of humanity, a moment of stepping away from the labels we have such a love/hate relationship with.

I liked what you said about elitism in relationship with context. ‘These experiences give my world view CONTEXT, and I believe my personality allows that view to remain open-minded. That isn’t “elite:” it is merely a state of mind, combined with life choices. It is not “better;” it just is.”‘

It just is…

In respect of your transparency in the face of some obvious discomfort, I’ll share a little of my ‘context’ as well.

I’m an Irish Catholic (lapsed) raised mainly in the midwest, who has been on the move since my high school graduation. I am much more comfortable ‘abroad’ than I am at home where I’ve managed to re-land after nearly 30 years. I’m less classically educated than you are, but a voracious reader and learner always. In my younger days I was much more liberal (and vocal!) than I am now. I’ve grown more conservative over the years, and oddly, more tolerant as well. One thing though has remained through out. My family (both liberals and conservatives) would still tend to describe me as Liberal, Drama-Queen and worst of all Know-it-All! (I almost laughed out loud when I read that paragraph!)

The thing that I have discovered in my life experience is that ‘we’ (the collective) are much more alike at heart than we are different once we dare to look beyond the labels we so desperately hold out in front of us.

Thanks Elizabeth, you really made my day and provided food for thought.

“My quest and my question is: can I change the direction of our country within my own context? As an agent of CHANGE, I have control over my part of the conversation. To change the rhetoric, I have to take action to create a new reality. If I can succeed within my own context, I can succeed anywhere.”

I love this paragraph! I don’t know that I agree with your conclusions, but I love your quest and I love that you voiced it. I also love that we live in a country where you are free to express and follow it!

Thanks again,
Betty

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