Bob: greetings
realize2actualize: good evening
Bob: Your posts have been getting a lot of attacks directed at them
realize2actualize: just as always, when you bring up a controversial point, some people tend to get defensive
realize2actualize: and in that they attack you for it
Bob: I sense in your posts that something changed in/with you recently
Bob: like 'you had an awakening' or something
realize2actualize: a lot has
Bob: I am interested in this matter
Bob: What happened, and when?
realize2actualize: I came out of a very difficult and challenging marriage of 12 years
Bob: ahh
realize2actualize: during which I awakened
Bob: flowering post-storm
realize2actualize: to some very serious degree
Bob: tell me about this awakening
realize2actualize: well
Bob: if you will
realize2actualize: sure do
realize2actualize: when I first met my now ex wife, I was 24
realize2actualize: still very immature
realize2actualize: and insecure
realize2actualize: I met here in Germany, where I am from
realize2actualize: and she was from America, and African American at that, part Cherokee, very alive person, which is what I fell in love with
realize2actualize: so, 2 month after I met her in Germany I decided to come over to America, and right away I became part of a whole new culture
realize2actualize: I somehow stumbled into the whole thing, not knowing what to expect
realize2actualize: so when my now ex wife was acting in very peculiar way I focused on what was wrong with her behavior
realize2actualize: so, I focused on what was wrong with her
realize2actualize: tried changing her
realize2actualize: since I was not mature and strong enough to accept her for the person she was, and also because we never really took the time to get to know her really, moving to America only 2 month after I met her in Germany, and getting married to her 2 month after arriving in the us
realize2actualize: so we were fighting all the time
realize2actualize: I let her push my buttons, used to see red
realize2actualize: it was bad
realize2actualize: lost control a lot
realize2actualize: so after a year of this I began studying
realize2actualize: came across personal development, something that is not very known in Germany
realize2actualize: captured my interested, I became fascinated by the notion, especially since I faced serious problems in my life
realize2actualize: came across something that Steven Covey said, the author of "the 7 habits of highly effective people"
realize2actualize: which truly marked the beginning of my personal transformation
realize2actualize: helped me to look at myself and my actions more deeply
realize2actualize: the phrase that opened my eyes was....
realize2actualize: between what happens to you, and your response to what happens to you...
realize2actualize: lies your ULTIMATE FREEDOM to CHOOSE your response
realize2actualize: please tell me to slow down if I am going too fast
realize2actualize: so I began looking at myself, trying to learn how to choose my response more carefully
Bob: I am far faster than anyone you've met
realize2actualize: great
Bob: Especially with reading and text :)
realize2actualize: I am fast myself
realize2actualize: anyway
realize2actualize: this made me look at myself, and what I can change
realize2actualize: and during this time I began using a voice recorder to capture my thoughts
realize2actualize: which helped since I lived a very isolated life
realize2actualize: so I learned to hear myself during those times of fighting, and I began to really see myself
realize2actualize: and my shortcomings
realize2actualize: so instead of focusing on my ex and what was wrong with her, I started to look at myself and what i needed to be doing
realize2actualize: so after years and years of hard time, and fighting and still making the same mistakes I learned to gain more control over myself, the only person over whom I have ultimate control over
realize2actualize: and I learned to fully accept my ex for the person she was, and I gave up trying to change her
realize2actualize: but there is more of course, I also had children with her
Bob: 2?
realize2actualize: which helped me realize so many things about myself, and what is important
realize2actualize: 3
realize2actualize: they are here in San Francisco, which is why I moved here from Kansas to be with them
realize2actualize: I am not living with them at the time
Bob: yes, I see
realize2actualize: but am working on it
realize2actualize: it's my goal to live with them again, and to give them a good and loving home
Bob: i see
realize2actualize: so now that I am single again, it's like a new phase in my life has opened up
realize2actualize: also, I never really used to like people, used to be somewhat selfish and arrogant before moving to the us
realize2actualize: so I changed a lot
realize2actualize: even before I moved to America
realize2actualize: which made me realize that everything in life is meant to be
realize2actualize: no accidents
Bob: heh
Bob: more than you know
realize2actualize: and everything leads to something
Bob: well, that's not saying much, but I follow you
realize2actualize: good
realize2actualize: actually
realize2actualize: the implications are quite amazing I think
realize2actualize: but we can talk about this some other time
realize2actualize: please tell me what you think
Bob: implications of what? i mean... that's not clear :)
realize2actualize: well
realize2actualize: people nowadays look for meaning
Bob: they do? since when! :)
realize2actualize: as well as happiness and love and meaning
Bob: wow, you must know some strange people :)
realize2actualize: you know what I am talking about
Bob: [kidding]
Bob: yes, i do
realize2actualize: I know
realize2actualize: so it occurred to me
Bob: that it works better, together?
realize2actualize: if we learn to adopt those qualities as part of our general attitude towards life
realize2actualize: we can learn to focus more on living, on being, as opposed to searching and seeking
Bob: hmm
realize2actualize: and then we realize that if you are in tune with ourselves and our environment
realize2actualize: like living more fully in the moment
realize2actualize: and learning from experience
realize2actualize: life leads us places
realize2actualize: and teaches us everything we need to know
realize2actualize: and we become who we are meant to become
realize2actualize: if we are open to what is happening
realize2actualize: and focus less on what we want or seek or like or don?t like
realize2actualize: and simply be, as Buddhism suggest somewhat
realize2actualize: to live in the moment, and experience fully
realize2actualize: I guess that should suffice for now
Bob: yes
realize2actualize: :)
Bob: You may wish to know that I have practiced Zen for 18 years.
Bob: I am well-enough versed in it to teach it.
realize2actualize: excellent
Bob: I have studied with some well-known Zen teachers here.
realize2actualize: good for you
Bob: But that's a whole other matter. I'm not 'a Buddhist'
Bob: I am a learner
realize2actualize: right
realize2actualize: and a human being first and foremost
Bob: It sounds like you're starting to realize that 'being here, now' is interesting, and has potentials you had no access to, before
realize2actualize: nothing to be ashamed of as some religions seem to suggest
realize2actualize: true
realize2actualize: if I might share something with you
realize2actualize: that gives a little more insight into what I said
realize2actualize: that whatever happens is meant to be
Bob: yes, please
realize2actualize: last year
realize2actualize: when I finally came out of my marriage
realize2actualize: feb 20th 2003
realize2actualize: I received some money from my divorce settlement
realize2actualize: which I used to pay of my attorney
realize2actualize: was about to move to cali
realize2actualize: to be with my children, and start a new life
realize2actualize: so I quit my job in order to move here
realize2actualize: the following day
realize2actualize: I went to a  club at night to celebrate  a new beginning
realize2actualize: ready to move the same weekend
realize2actualize: when it was time to leave the club I walked across the street to get to my car
realize2actualize: and while standing at the curb of the street for 1 sec to talk to somebody
realize2actualize: a car came around the corner, seemingly drunk driver
realize2actualize: threw me up in the air, broke my left leg in 2 places
realize2actualize: hit and run accident
realize2actualize: left me homeless
realize2actualize: the day after I quit my job
Bob: i see the perils of it
realize2actualize: life is what happens while you make other plans
Bob: sometimes
realize2actualize: I was not ready to move yet, had things to learn
realize2actualize: I think that our attitude towards what happens to us is vital
realize2actualize: anyway, I talked enough
Bob: I see a cat nearby you. Is there one there?
realize2actualize: no, sorry
realize2actualize: but I love cats
realize2actualize: grew up with them
realize2actualize: lot's
Bob: yeah, ok.
realize2actualize: I totally adore cats
Bob: It just means 'this man knows the cat people'
Bob: That's why I was seeing that
realize2actualize: ok
realize2actualize: smart man
realize2actualize: very intuitive fellow
Bob: I have a skill they taught me
realize2actualize: it's a good thing to develop on one's senses
Bob: It allows me to touch people at a distance.
Bob: we all have it
realize2actualize: right
Bob: our knowledge-ways block it out
Bob: I don't consider myself 'special'
realize2actualize: we all have so many wonderful potentialities, most of them left unrealized
realize2actualize: we all are
Bob: I intend for that to change
Bob: forever
realize2actualize: make that 2
Bob: excellent
Bob: in this agreement, our strength is magnified
realize2actualize: very much so
realize2actualize: so glad we met
Bob: As am I
Bob: I have more questions :)
realize2actualize: and I shall have more answers
realize2actualize: but maybe we can continue this tomorrow maybe
Bob: sure.
Bob: wise dreams to you.
realize2actualize: as I am getting a little sleepy
Bob: no prob
realize2actualize: thank you my friend
realize2actualize: and the same to you
Bob: all blessings to you and those you adore
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