#thunderbird coffee

[nerdwithstyle]

Now that finals are over, I can actually read a book for fun. Enjoying "Sherlock Holmes" with some Thunderbird coffee.

[meditationkicksass]

Day Two Hundred and Sixty Two

Thunderbird Coffee, The Hood, ATX

Maybe it's unnecessary proof

that I am firmly planted in

the land of being

Middle Aged

that I love reminder quotes like this

Thunderbird Coffee 

puts up great quotes all the time

I especially appreciated this one

I have a running game at

Man College

and also with some friends 

outside of Man College

called

The External Validation Game

it's one reason

I will never get my

black belt in

BUDDHISM

I know all the good stuff

the calm the quiet the wisdom the knowing

is supposed to come from

the inside

but dang

I love external validation

And I believe we all need it

and I love giving at least as much

as I love receiving it

We don't operate as individuals

not really

no man is an island and all that

and so when I am feeling crap

and even when I am not

I might shout out at Man College

Hey I need some External Validation now!

sometimes this works

sometimes they ignore me

when I do get what I ask for

well be careful what you ask for

because maybe what they say

makes me squirm

it's good squirming 

of course but still

it's squirming

such is the nature of

praise in my life

I like it

and

It makes me uncomfortable

Doling it out is 

also such a pleasure

I tell people every day

I LOVE YOU

THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND

YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL

YOU ARE DOING GREAT

it's so fucking fantastic

to see people light up

when you acknowledge

their wonderfulness

try it

I mean consciously 

go out of your way

to heap praise on others today

This particular quote makes me happy

because there is nothing that I

enjoy more in my life

than being useful to others

being useful being a way of

LOVING

sometimes

not unlike when I 

heap praise on others

offering to be useful

will prompt an initial response from

my intended recipient

of

No, no-- that's okay

I don't need your help

I'm fine

Really you shouldn't

In which case I will say

I hear you

but also I will say

Will you please just try receiving

and see what it feels like?

It took me a very long time

to learn how to 

RECEIVE WITH GRACE

I didn't want to let people help me

this was 

I think

rooted in not wanting to be 

BEHOLDEN

and also a deep

STUBBORNNESS

the attitude being

I CAN DO IT MYSELF

and

I DON'T NEED ANYONE'S HELP

but of course we all do need help

and my friends would

pleasantly ignore my protests

and help me anyway

they forced me to receive

until I learned how to say

Thank You

Thank You So Much

not that they were after this response

they just wanted to be useful

I'm so glad they persisted

because now that I

have the hang of receiving

I think it helps me to be

a better giver

because I can see where

my intended recipients are

in the process of learning to accept

and I can gently encourage them

to just give it a try

to make them see that

when they receive

they are actually giving to me

Today I 

Breathe In

and I

Breathe Out

and I am grateful for

validating chalkboard quotes

and I am grateful that

I have

with so much help

from so many friends

come to truly understand

how to receive

Thank you

[rdrev]

Thunderbird Coffee, Austin TX

[radsimplicity]