"When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things."

~ St. Paul, 1 Corinthians, ch. 13

"The sin of respectable people is flight from responsibility."

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you."

~ Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

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This blog itself is an evolutionary creation; my intention is to create, edit, and publish several times, so I hope that the Gaian audience will not grow impatient with my process.  Please let me know if you are impatient and I am likely to modify.

There is a way of getting to know each other online that, at once, creates:

- perceived / actual closeness

- risk

The risk is that relationships could be casually cast aside like so much garbage.  When a family is claimed to exist online, this is a declaration of closeness, to be sure.  Several months ago, I claimed such a family existed for me here on Gaia. 

Yet now, I see my Gaian family as dissolving before my eyes, ears, and hands. 

This dissolution is not my intention.  Yet in creating a world where everyone wins and able to speak their truth without fear, this dissolution is what I must be willing to risk.

Conscious evolution is growing up my heart so that it will withstand the statements and opinions of others without creating fear in their lives that retribution will be coming from me.  In short, offering myself as an example of kindness, forgiveness, compassion, and, yes, even love in the presence of painful words and exclusion.

I am in communication with those in this world who are serious about creating change in a fundamentally different manner than many so-called agents of change.  They keep their word with me and I with them.  Follow if you care, better put, if you dare.  You will never be the same again.

This is who I am; also, this is a characteristic of my family.

More than this, this is the world I am creating.

I am nearing the doorway of a huge expansion in my life.

More peelings of the onion developing in March 2009.

When I lost a LOT of friends in Oct-08, that COULD have been a blessing in disguise.  Still feeling my way on that.

Thanks for the hugs and love, Nicole.  They are returned.

Did anyone see my clients/friends, Rich and Yvonne, on Monday's Oprah show (1/26/09)?  It was definitely an undisguised blessing!

Finally, Gaian programming staff, whomever is responsible, nice work on the Community page! I see you inviting each person to post their response to the QaR by making them the third entry.  I admire quality.  Bravo!