HUDDLE Up

Huddling

Some days I huddle some days I do not.  Usually when I don't its from lack of thought about it rather than lack of ambition to do it.

I belong to some groups and it makes me sad as I am the only one who huddles. Although it’s a small act I believe it can have a great impact on us.

It keeps us involved and participating in a team.  It helps spread a little sunshine to others and in some cases offers people help when they need it.  I usually go down the other huddles to look for people who put down they are having a bad day or need some help.
I like to drop them a line and ask how I can be of service to them, most of the time by that time they have spoken to a few people and are in a better frame of mind and feel better, sometimes not.

Sometimes people just want someone to listen to them, I don't really full understand this concept as I am an Introvert for the most part.  Now I could just use the snide "Google it" comment I am fond out but feeling generous this morning I will save you the time
Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

Taken from:  giftedkids.about.com/od/glossary/g/introvert.htm

This more or less describes me; I know some of you might find that a little hard to believe given the frequency that I add my 2cents into just about everything, I guess I am a walking contradiction.  I am introverted yet an ego maniac with low self-esteem, borderline narcissist who cares about other people, angel (that’s pushing it) devil.  I guess the phrase jack of all trades master of none applies.

I am getting off task here, it’s so easy to get talking about my favorite subject (IE: ME)  I often say that: service is the price we pay for our room here on earth, who said this originally I am uncertain I just know who I heard it from (via the internet) Muhammad Ali


This struck me instantly because service to our fellow man is indeed what will set us free from our own self-imposed prison.

They say that when elephants are young they chain them with this thick heavy chain that is impossible for the elephant to break.  It tries and tries and tries and it cannot get free.  Now when the Elephant grows up they simply tie them with a state and piece of rope or string, why?   Because the elephant knows from all its years trying it cannot free itself no matter the shackles.

I believe we are the very same, the chains that bind us are of our own design and only we hold the key.  Imagine the scene in fight club (Google it)**SPOILER ALERT*

 Where Brad Pitt is holding the gun and Edward Norton figures it out and suddenly the gun is in his hand, now basically Brad Pitt is a figment of Norton’s imagination so he realized that the gun in Pitts hand is really in his hand.  Confused?   good that’s what the movie does *chuckles* but it’s a FREAKING AMAZING movie, and I think there is alot of very useful info in that movie if you can sift through, they don't make it easy but the message behind the movie is liberating.

So the chains we cannot see yet hold us down and bind us are very much like the string and the stake that holds the elephant, we have tried so many times to break them and realized we cannot and we don't even try anymore.  Although we might not be able to break them on pure physical strength alone, if we only take the time to look we will see that the key to our freedom who is in someone else’shand, that person who persecutes us, puts us down, holds us down, keeps us from personal freedom, that the key is in fact in our own hands
I'm feeling good about this post today, lots of good stuff.  Even if no one else likes it I am pretty happy with myself *chuckles*

So I made you suffer through that long paragraph of confusing movie and animal reference to say this  Helping others will help us.  It’s very difficult to understand this concept especially when we cannot even help ourselves in the most trivial of task's it seems.
You never know what small gesture you make during the course of your day that you do not consider trivial will make the world of difference in other people’s lives.

Most people just want to know someone cares and that they will listen to them.  that’s it.  There are those who want you to solve their problems, and although it’s very tempting to indeed attempt such a task we cannot and should not do this.  We CAN however share our life experience if it relates to this person and if indeed it’s something we have done ourselves and found useful.

it’s usually a good idea to wait and be asked for our opinion rather than just blurting it out as they might not want to hear it.  I have a best friend who likes to call and complain to me, well not really complaining but likes to talk about things bothering her, which is fine that is what friends are for.   She can talk for 45 minutes without much interaction from me and at the finish she doesn't want me to try and solve her problems she just wants me to listen.
Most people are like this, I find this concept very foreign and I do not understand it.  Of course as we discovered above I am an Introvert..........I’ll wait for you to scroll back and reacquaint yourself with the description, yes I suppose I could post it again but don't be so darn lazy, if you have made it this far or read my stuff before you should know a certain amount of work is required by you the reader, nothing in life is free ;)

a** ,grass, or gas nobody rides for free!!

Ok I don't really promote drug use as I am clean and sober but I don't have the time to reformulate the phrase into something whimsical and intelligent sounding, besides I do kind of enjoy that bumper sticker.

So to make a long story even longer huddling is a good way to keep in touch with your team, maybe get a little positive energy from other member’s and just do your part to be of service to others.  When we stop thinking about ourselves and what WE want and thinking of others first our lives seem to open up in ways we could never have imagined before, that chains that bind us loosen and if we truly devote ourselves to service of our fellow man they will in time break and fall away.  Mine are still on but I can almost squeeze my hand out, if only I had a stick of butter.  I don't need to try to free myself, my actions will.  And your actions will as well

I belong to a 12 step program and one of the tools to our recovery is service, It doesn't matter if you belong to a 12 step program or not the same principles apply.

They say money can't buy happiness,  I am 50/50 on this as I struggle with money every day, its my own fault though as I do not budget well, ok I do budget but I don't use it (go figure) and I spend money on things that I could do without but feel that I cannot  (IE cellphone, internet, big screen TV, ps3)  This is all stuff and, well ok the internet one is a good thing because I can reach out to alot of people and if I did not have internet you would not have the pleasure of reading this long winded self-promoting diatribe  (yes I know some of you pray God to strike my internet down, you know who you are and SHAME ON YOU)
So to sum up in a few sentences what I did in a few pages but could have done with these few sentences is this:

  (coincidentally the point of that paragraph which i failed to make because i took a left turn when I should have gone right is that we can have all the money and stuff in the world but it won't make us happy, it will make life easier but it won't make life better mentally and spiritually, now i am willing to back up this claim someone give me about 10 million dollars and I'll show you how unhappy i am going to be, I am willing to do this, for you guys)

Use huddling every day, it takes 5 seconds (more if you read what your fellow sparkers say) but this small seemingly insignificant act will change your life.  Its the butterfly effect (seriously Google it I am running out of steam)..................ok fine if you’re going to be pushy

"In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions; where a small change at one place in a nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state. For example, the presence or absence of a butterfly flapping its wings could lead to creation or absence of a hurricane."

This small act will ripple across someone else’s life and in turn bring about change in yours, its tiny, so tiny you might not feel it or see it yet, but the spark is there and if you fan the flames by thinking of others and not yourself, before you realize it that spark has become a white hot fire and you will find your life transformed in ways you cannot even imagine


DISCLAIMER:  The last few sentences seem to contradict a previous sentence about not telling people what to do unless you have done it yourself.  The writer admits that although his fire has not gotten white hot as of yet that the spark has indeed ignited into a decent size campfire, say big enough to roast marshmellows..mmmmmmmmmmmm marsh mellows *drools* Oh who am I kidding I wrote the darn article I will say whatever the hell I want so sue me.  Well not really I have nothing unless you want my cat

PS: After thought.  Watch the movie: PAY IT FORWARD circa  2000
It stars:
Kevin Spacey
Helen Hunt
Haley Joel Osment

Concept:  A young boy attempts to make the world a better place after his teacher gives him that chance.

Learn it, live it, love it

I’m out

**knowledge is power*