When we talk about the rebirth of sanity, we have to establish what this means to us.
What is sanity and, therefore, what is the absence of sanity?
What does it mean to have a strong understanding or beneficial presence of mind?
What would it look like to have a strong and beneficial presence of self?
Author Archives: bennyk1972
The Rebirth of Sanity – Phase One: Back to the Roots
Years back, I was a specialist in a peer-based recovery initiative. The plan was to offer a peer-to-peer perspective with hopes to an improved level of interpersonal understanding. In fairness, the initiative was somewhat successful.
I found myself at the ground level of where I wanted to be; and more, I found myself at the platform of a future that I wanted to create and build for myself.
First, an experience like this opens up to meeting people from all different walks of life. There were members of every race, religion, creed, orientation and gender. In all, I had the opportunity to learn and interact with people who came from different cultures and backgrounds. While there were countless differences, there was a base of similarities and a platform of relatable items, which is where I learned to begin.
Continue readingThe Rebirth of Sanity – Phase One: The Breakdown
The question still remains, why do people have a strong need to be right all the time?
What does this mean to us? If people have the need to be right, what does this mean we want the least?
To be wrong?
The questions on this are interesting because these questions help define our thinking which also helps define our moods; and yes, our moods have the ability to define our days.
So, why do we argue or defend ourselves, especially if we don’t need to? And more, why do we debate with others and lead ourselves into these arguments?
The Rebirth of Sanity – Enter Phase One
The best place to start is always at the beginning. Also, the best place to start is here, as humans. Regular, normal, everyday people, just like us, running around the Earth in search of whatever this journey has in store for us. Then again, when it comes to the ideas of change pr personal growth, the best place for anyone to start is back to their early understandings or to their birthplace of where we began. This goes back to us at birth, at youth and in the social grounds of interaction.
Before we start moving on this journey, it is important to understand that not all things equal the same outcome. Not everyone experiences the same things. In fact, two people can see the exact same thing and interpret the information in two, completely separate ways. However, in an effort to begin here and form a transformational understanding, then it is helpful to start where it all began.
The Rebirth of Sanity – (Understanding Our Freak-outs and Why)
Introduction:
There were a few months in the summer of ’06 in which I had to redefine myself. I had to come to grips with certain choices that I made which, as a result of a trade, I found myself in uncharted territory.
First, I had to strip myself down from all that I had, which was easy because, at that time, I went from a large house to a small apartment.
I was alone for the first time. I had no one to turn to anymore. I had no one to blame either which meant all roads began and ended with me.
I had no idea what to do with myself and, in fairness to my story, I was at the end of my rope. I couldn’t live the way I was living anymore. Then again, I had no idea how to live any differently.
Just a Thought, Just Because – On to the Next One
I’m leaving this here because I think now
is a good time to get ready and move on to the next one.
As for now, today is Memorial Day, May 29, 2023
I found myself on a post-sunrise drive,
heading inbound and over the George Washington Bridge,
once more, and making my way over the Hudson
while the morning sun left its shades of orange
on the face of the tall buildings.
It’s a pretty picture to think about
My City in the quiet of morning
I have been making this trip into the City for decades now,
and from either side of town or the other,
in any direction, whether Uptown or Downtown, Eastside or West,
there is something perfect about her to me.
Just a Thought, Just Because – One More, Before We Close
I come back here, to this spot,
which is what I consider to be
the re-birthplace of self,
to where it begins and ends
and to where the cycles of life unfold
and then fold over once more.
I came back here to this place,
where I begin my ending,
and more to the point,
this is where I ready myself
for the new chapters ahead of me.
Just a Thought, Just Because – A Grain From the Hourglass
I suppose this was brought on by a dose of nostalgia.
This thought. This idea. I sip from my coffee,
breathe in and out
and then I sigh with an exhale before I begin.
The screen in front of my face is white and empty
but this is the one place I know
where I can come, which is open to me
and open to my interpretation,
and like the world at morning time,
fresh from the new sunrise;
Mother Earth is waiting, as if to say,
“Come on, son. We have work to do.”
Continue readingJust a Thought, Just Because – The Drive for More
To each their own and there we go,
each of us, going off in our own direction
and heading out,
on our way, separate from the crowd and unlike the others
because unlike the masses,
people like us want more than just another trip around the sun.
I know I do . . .
I want more than the usual and more
than the mediocre blasts you see on social media
to act out loud
or to act as if and say
hey world, look at me –
please accept me
or tell me
I’m good . . .
Just a Thought, Just Because – From a Son
I walked alone during the early morning sunrise,
knowing full and well that walks like this
would be coming to an end.
We were approaching summer,
the year was 2015
I knew that while my reason for this trip
was to settle the affairs of my dying Mother,
that times were moving and that, in fact,
times must, will and do change.