tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5117005533318160902.post8579819384118754218..comments2024-03-27T19:53:53.708-06:00Comments on growing changing learning creating: Two kinds of freedomTom Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12658791778134826289noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5117005533318160902.post-53554076069009592652008-08-19T05:58:00.000-06:002008-08-19T05:58:00.000-06:00Ken: Thanks for this look at your father's content...Ken: Thanks for this look at your father's contentment. Acts of kindness, generosity, initiative or voluntary responsibility -- indicate that the giver is free to be so giving. Much of the outpouring in blogs, wiki edits, open source projects, social networking and media uploads are offered in this spirit of personal freedom. To give freely or to accept gifts freely, authentic freedom must be found within first. If we fall for pseudo freedom, we cannot be so compassionate.<BR/><BR/>Without inner freedom, we react the way your friend Mike did at first. We've become adapted to highly politicized, manipulative and deceitful offers in our family, schooling, friendships and/or employment. We're wary of gifts with strings attached that make accepting the gift a perilous situation. We expect to be taken hostage by the giver of gifts in ways we cannot predict or control. We're living in danger of feeling guilty, bad or wronged by others' apparent generosity. <BR/><BR/>When we realize freedom from living in constant danger, we exude contentment like you father's. We find we have a way with the materials we work with, with words we share or with people we care about. We let go of how others react, limit themselves or expect things to be different. We give and receive freely. Thanks Ken!Tom Haskinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12658791778134826289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5117005533318160902.post-29068438306242912202008-08-19T01:50:00.000-06:002008-08-19T01:50:00.000-06:00Tēnā koe Tom!I believe my father sought and achiev...Tēnā koe Tom!<BR/><BR/>I believe my father sought and achieved true freedom and contentment in his life. He followed his trade, reaching the pinnacle of human craftsmanship with his accomplishment as a master joiner and cabinetmaker. But he never sought recognition or special favour by it. He made a number of beautiful musical instruments, some violins of various tonal qualities, and a few very fine mandolins, two of which he gave to me.<BR/><BR/>In 1969, I brought my musician friend, Mike, to meet my father in his workshop. Mike played the mandolin and when my father learnt this, he let him play one of his finest mandolins. Mike could play well and was obviously impressed with the instrument. When my father handed it to him as a gift, Mike was embarrassed and said that he could not take it that way. He offered my father 50 pounds for it, which was probably what it was worth at that time. My father, seeing Mike’s genuine discomfort at being gifted the instrument, offered it to him for 10 pounds or not at all. Mike bought the mandolin and has cherished and played it ever since.<BR/><BR/>I believe this act of kindness, and many others like it that he committed, indicated my father’s true contentment, achieved through fulfillment that was not directly of a material nature.<BR/><BR/>Contentment is much like freedom. It is truly difficult to achieve. Many look on contented people with disdain, mistaking contentment for mediocrity. They are not the same thing.<BR/><BR/>Ka kite<BR/>from Middle-earthBlogger In Middle-earthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08722634477041121797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5117005533318160902.post-60352393412056982332008-08-19T01:47:00.000-06:002008-08-19T01:47:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Blogger In Middle-earthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08722634477041121797noreply@blogger.com