Yin and Yang of Learning

At the end of 2013, assuming I keep on keeping on, I will have been ensconced on the sofa here in the Den for six years, writing away. Six years of my rants, ravings, judgements observations, perspectives, and stories. I suspect that very few of you have gained much when you stop by and take a seat on the sofa here, but that's fine. If nothing else, I've learned a thing or two. Here are few insights into the yin and yang of that learning:

• It's funny how the posts that I think are brilliant and would attract the most reads seem to get the fewest hits. This is probably more a reflection on the 'fun house mirror' perspective I have on myself than the good judgement of you, the readers.
• When you include 'Satan' in the title of a post or an image of that she-skank Miley Cyrus, traffic to your blog goes through the roof. Since Miley appears to be the latest in a long and cringe-inducing conga line of Satan's minions, it's proof that the philosophy of 'yin and yang' really are complementary forces.

I've also learned that two completely opposite people can say something that are very powerful. First, from the brilliantly funny Conan O'Brien:

Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen.

The second comes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:

Darkness cannot drives out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.





Earlier this week, the United States observed the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, wherein Dr. King offered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. It is one of the finest speeches ever given and it pushed America's shameful ignorance of civil rights to the forefront. Sadly, we still have so far to go to see that dream fulfilled.

I encountered both of these quotes this week and I've not been able to get either of them out of my head. Both have significant meaning to me and I'm going to keep them close and I'm going to try and live with both in my forward view as well as my actions. Again, to me both quotes show the complementary nature of yin and yang. Being kind and showing love. Amazing things happen when you exercise both.

Talk about yin and yang...Conan and Dr. King.