Two Ways

 Two Ways To Be

Following is from C. Terry Warner's book, "Bonds That Make Us Free".
One way is to live in an open, generous, resonant way.  We live for others and we are an individual for whom others are real.  By contrast.  Others are not real to us and we live for ourselves.  We are guarded, alienated, and hardened.  We get wrapped up in ourselves.  By seeing others suspiciously, accusingly, or fearfully, we become suspicious, accusing, or fearful ourselves.  By no longer seeing others with care, delight, and generosity, we ourselves cease to be caring, delighted, and generous.  Dr. Warner shares ideas from a book "I and Thou" by Martin Buber.  Buber identifies I-It to the self-absorbed, guarded way of being.  The sensitive and responsive way of being he calls I-Thou or I-You.

The differences are inward and deep.  Conditions of the heart.  We change in fundamental ways if we travel from I-It to I-You.  Are you curious how this might effect our behavior?  Our way of being.  My way of being.  Could it be that altering my behavior alone might not be enough for long term change?  The mighty change of heart kind.