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Tereza Coraggio's avatar

This is beautiful and perceptive. As a housewife, I struggle to justify my own time. People did the patronizing (implications in context) "you're doing the most important job there is!" but anything aside from raising kids had no value because it wasn't paid. Therefore, because I didn't "work", there was no time when I wasn't working that was clearly my own. Now, divorced and kids grown, I describe myself as gainfully unemployed when asked what I do. We have no language for making a life that doesn't serve the market. I think this is an impediment to imagining an economy where that's possible for everyone.

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Peggy Magilen's avatar

Thank you, Charles.

For me the word that comes up that is preferable, rather than busy is, am I receptive? Letters and sounds add to and build on an existent use of a word alone or in phrases, and the buzz sound of busy, paints a sense and picture of a time over-involved with the outside world, even “busy as a bee” used to describe humans does not convey appreciation for the bee’s deep involvement with the flower.

Am I receptive asks, foundationally, “Am I connected in a meaningful way to that which I am doing, planning (drawing from within to discover the steps forward), and with whom I am interacting?” All these also remove the ego’s self-consideration. Being receptive, for me, takes limited elements out of the picture and returns us to connection.

I am always so grateful for your deep perceptions of life and the truths you share, Charles, deeply resonant to my heart, as you draw these from the “times” we are in.

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