Tag Archives: adjustment

Crystal

Crystal: (n) a clear, transparent mineral or glass resembling ice.

 “I want to make this crystal-clear.”

Have you heard this statement?

Every time someone speaks these words, I consider crystal.

Crystal is not a pane of glass which you can see through clearly to the other side.

It appears to be. It seems to be pure.

But when you look through crystal there are distortions.

Things are just a little twisted.

The light bends through, creating contorted images.

Yet it’s very easy to insist to those around us that this “crystal vision” is an accurate representation of what we are viewing.

We have become too successful in our society at hiding evil behind a crystal lens, which has been cut, trimmed and placed in a position to convey the image we wish to portray instead of what is real.

It’s like a pair of glasses–every pair works for only one person.

The lenses have been cut, sized and measured for the eyesight of that individual. When we wear the spectacles of another traveler, our vision is clouded and sometimes even makes our heads spin.

What we really want to do is work on our eyesight and purify it.

Make sure the light of our body is our eye and it’s like a pane of glass.

So even if we decide to wear a pair of glasses for fashion, all we need to do is put glass in them, without messing with the adjustment.

funny wisdom on words that begin with a C

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Aplomb

dictionary with letter A

Aplomb (n.) calm self-confidence.

When I was growing up there was a game called “Pick-Up Sticks,” where everything was thrown down in a pile, and I had the job of picking up the sticks from the pile without disturbing the other sticks around it.

It was nerve-wracking–very similar, matter of fact, to the game Operation, in which you had a pair of tweezers to remove a plastic body part without getting buzzed by touching the sides.

That’s why I find it difficult to justify the word “calm” and the idea of “self-confidence” being linked together.

Because I will tell you, self-confidence is a house of cards.

Those who truly believe they are full of it … well, are usually full of it. They are trapped in a misconception that what they bring to the table is sufficient without any addition and certainly without correction. It is a dangerous profile which robs you of your calm because humanity is very willing to remind you of your lack and remove all praise in the process.

Actually, I think the best way to become jaded is to insist on a profile of self-confidence. You will quickly find that a situation comes up beyond your scope and requires some adjustment–and if you don’t, you end up looking foolish, or worse, rationalizing your lame efforts.

If I were defining the word “aplomb,” I would say it’s a “calm use of true humility.”

Humility is much better than self-confidence simply because humility demands that you show up with some stats and facts, otherwise you’re not being humble–just unrealistic. And also, humility opens the door to the realization that since you had to learn what you’ve done so far, the possibility for additional learning is likely.

I meet many people who would insist that they’re self-confident. Matter of fact, they wear it as a badge of honor, unaware that it is actually a cloak of deception, leaving all parties who don the masquerade eventually looking over-dressed.

The reason I am calm is not because i believe I am sufficient. I find peace in my soul because I realize that the same humility which allowed me to do some great things will prepare me to gain the wisdom to do more.

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Amiss

dictionary with letter A

Amiss: (adj.) not quite right, inappropriate or out of place

Something is amiss.

1. Calling arguing debate.

2. Believing our egos don’t need any adjustment.

3. Insisting that men and women are natural enemies.

4. A two-party system where nobody’s having a good time.

5. A religious grammar school playground that has nothing to do with spirituality.

6. Entertainment that thinks darkness is reality.

7. Trying to find new ways to intoxicate the already-dull public.

8. Being afraid to say “I’m sorry.”

9. Being likewise frightened of “thank you.”

10. Exalting culture over cooperation.

11. Pursuing the ridiculous while desiring to appear enlightened.

12. Failing to balance tears and laughter and forgetting when to use each.

I could go on. Something’s amiss.

But I’m certain of one truth: the only thing that can be done about it is happening inside me.

 

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