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Mark Bourdon

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I started Mark's Monday Morning Moments back in April 2004. I had just started my job as a Program Director and I began writing these "moments" every Monday to the staff I was working with to help them think about something that had or was occuring between us.


I was talking about these "moments" with a friend of mine who asked me if they could be added to the weekly list. Then the list began to grow based on requests and the "moments" began to expand to people outside my workplace; including thoughts and comments that I receive from this site.


What I write now are thoughts that have touched me based on my interactions with many individuals within and outside of work. These thoughts are open to further examination and change.


I hope that you find them helpful.


Wishing you peace and well being.

Mark's Monday Morning Moments

August 18

Belonging

We spend almost no time apprenticing ourselves to the disciplines necessary for holding real exchanges.  That's partly because they involve a great deal of self-knowledge and a willingness to study how human beings try to belong - skills we hope our strategic abilities will help us get by without. (David Whyte.  Harvard Business Review interview, Conversational Leadership.  May 2007.)

 

Wishing you peace and well being as you examine yourself and how you choose to belong.

 

PS: Remember to hold the one's you love just a little closer and tighter this week. _/l\_

August 11

The Wanting Mind

The "Wanting Mind" is always craving an experience different from the one it currently has, and takes us out of the present moment in its attempts to makes us happy in a better tomorrow.  (Brent Kessel.  It's Not About the Money.)
 
Wishing you peace and well being as you experience freedom in the present moment.
 
PS: Remember to hold the one's you love just a little closer and tighter this week. _/l\_
 

August 04

Dreams

It's not about how to achieve your dreams.  It's about how to lead your life.  If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself.  The dreams will come to you.  (Randy Pausch.  The Last Lecture.)
 
Wishing you peace and well being as you lead your life the right way.
 
PS: Remember to hold the one's you love just a little closer and tighter this week._/l\_
July 28

Expectations

"A flower falls even though we love it; and a weed grows even though we do not love it." (Dogen Zenji)
 
Wishing you peace and well being as you learn to let go of expectations of what should happen, and be more accepting of what life actually brings.
 
PS: Remember to hold the one's you love just a little closer and tighter this week._/l\_
July 21

Original goodness

In a large temple north of Thailand's ancient capital, Sukotai, there once stood an enormous and ancient clay Buddha.  Though not the most handsome or refined work of Thai Buddhist art, it had been cared for over a period of five hundred years and become revered for its sheer longevity.  Violent storms, changes of government, and invading armies had come and gone, but the Buddha endured.
 
At one point, however, the monks who tended the temple noticed that the statue had begun to crack and would soon be in need of repair and repainting.  After a stretch of particularly hot, dry weather, one of the cracks become so wide that a curious monk took a flashlight and peered inside.  What shown back at him was a flash of brilliant gold!  Inside the plain old statue, the temple residents discovered one of the largest and most luminous gold images of Buddha ever created in Southeast Asia.  Now uncovered, the golden Buddha draws throngs of devoted pilgrims from all over Thailand.
 
The monks believed that this shining work of art had been covered in plaster and clay to protect it during times of conflict and unrest.  In much the same way, each of us has encountered threatening situations that lead us to cover our innate nobility.  Just as the people of Sukotai had forgotten about the golden Buddhas, we too have forgotten out essential nature.  (Jack Kornfield.  The Wise Heart)
 
Wishing you peace and well being as you see beneath your armour and bring out your original goodness.
 
PS: Remember to hold the one's you love just a little closer and tight this week.
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Thanks for visiting!
  • View space
    July 31 9:02 AM
    Oh how fitting to find this sight today... listening to great music... reading what the hearts of all have to say today see we're not so small after all...
    this time we're getting through to one another other ways to... chit chat and you thought i took a detour because i was lost...ha ha i new it all along...the point
    iz i am trying to make is...how can we go wrong with so much left four all to re: right it on IT...so lets all find a way to make it good thing to right wrong
    the rong way see they know what I say so rong as the say it the write weigh eh... lol  how due you spell 1 oh one now won c a..  i ah k.
  • View space
    joy
    July 22 1:36 PM
    Smile Just thought I'ed stop bye and say hello I go to your site quite often when I'am felling blue and your words are very uplifting to me I've told other people about your site and they love it too. Well just a hello to you to touch base. Hope all is well. Thanks again for your uplifting words of wisdom and comfort.   JOY
  • View space
    Aboriginal Goddess
    July 20 6:03 PM
    Thank you...your words are very nourishing for the soul!
  • View space
    July 19 6:46 PM
    I have just created my first blog message.  If you read it you will understand how fortuitous it was for me that your's was the first blog I went to read.  Thank you for those inspirational words.  Just after I read it my cat came prancing to me with her bell tinkeling to be let out.  (The rain had stopped.)  I had to chuckle.  Perfect timing.  I do hope you won't mind if I visit again.
     
    Marnie
  • View space
    July 15 4:11 PM
    Hi!
     
    I just discovered your space and I enjoyed reading. I love the one you wrote about whitney....it strucked a bell in me. thanks so much!
     
    sockie
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