I have always been amazed at the brilliance of so many men who and women were born just before or just after 1900 and how far and how fast they created the base of knowledge that has led to what we have always taken for granted…electricity, cars, airplanes, radio’s, TV’s, computers, cell phones, digital photography, vaccines, x-rays, ct scanners, mri’s, penicillian…just about everything we take for granted today is solely because of the men and women from this era were curious and worked hard to figure things out…of course some including Albert Einstein regretted their role in nuclear weapons but at the time they also had real valid reasons. Consider taking the time to read the Wikipedia and Harvard links below about this amazing man.
Quotes from brainyquote.com and while you are reading the quotes below consider how they would be helpful if people simply followed them in today’s world of adoption, donor conceived, human rights, equal rights.
Quotes attributed to Albert Einstein
God always takes the simplest way.
God may be subtle, but he isn’t plain mean.
I do not believe in the God of theology who rewards good and punishes evil.
Information is not knowledge.
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.
Morality is of the highest importance – but for us, not for God.
Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.
In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Something I learned from Wikipedia, while at Princeton Einstein was a member of the NAACP
As a member of the NAACP at Princeton who campaigned for the civil rights of African Americans, Einstein corresponded with civil rights activist W. E. B. Du Bois, and in 1946 Einstein called racism America’s “worst disease”. He later stated, “Race prejudice has unfortunately become an American tradition which is uncritically handed down from one generation to the next. The only remedies are enlightenment and education”.
Tags: Ethics and morals, truth
Another TED talk that speaks to me deeply. About feeling connected and which is what gives us purpose and why we are here. She goes further talking about how talking to people about love and she hears about heartbreak, belonging she hears stories about feeling excluded, connection brings out stories of disconnection. A really thoughtful talk that I hope you will listen to and then come back and tell me what you think. I have written down some of her words and hope they are correct….
Shame is the fear of disconnection. Is there something about me that if others know it or can see it that I won’t be worthy of connection….
That those who feel connections have a sense of worthiness. That the definition of courage is: tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.
They had the courage to be imperfect. They had the compassion to be kind to themselves first and then to others, because it turns out we can’t practice compassion with other people if we can’t treat ourselves kindly. And the last was they had the connection and this was the hard part as a result of authenticity they were willing to let go of who they thought they should be in order to be who they were, which is you have absolutely do that for connection.
The other thing they had in common was they fully embraced vulnerability. They believed that what made them vulnerable made them beautiful.
A lot of my feelings on being surrendered for adoption centered around being flawed. Something others could see that I could not. I always tried to be the one who made others happy. The peacemaker. The one who did everything perfectly. The one who obeyed (at least until I was a teenager). Somewhere deep inside of me I felt if I was not good enough, perfect enough, they wouldn’t want me either.
I have never told the whole story of who I am…although I think starting this blog is a great starting place. But being vulnerable enough to tell it all…doubtful…I am who I am, it is what it is…
