What Wholly Kisses You?

July 29th, 2009 •  Kirsten Olson


wlollykisses1

A new friend in Ghana.

Like the Buddhist I am increasingly becoming, social media tools provide literal evidence of the interconnectivity of us all—proof of the notion that the idea of the individual self is a fragile, culturally-constructed illusion. (And often a punishing one.) The message from a new friend in Brazil; the blogger in Australia; the columnist in New York City; the student in Ghana. They become a part of the emotional and spiritual landscape. Fundamentally, we are all connected. Self is an illusion.

But because we rapid fire learners also groove on lots of connection how do we keep it real when we are Responding. Commenting. Tweeting. Blogging. Linking. Slidesharing. CommentLuving?
What actually reminds us of our whole soul; that we are not just snorting lines of autofill, previous contact list, and autoresponse? (We’re all good commenters and linkers. Watch any of us work…)

wlollykisses3In a swirling galaxy of connection, a hundred rabbit holes to hop down a half hour (just while writing this post: Officer Crowley’s response to Skip Gates; the man in Atlanta who posted on Facebook, “when did it become a crime to be angry in your own home?,” CampFAILURE, poems about failure)–what makes you feel connected when you respond? Because feeling is first, e.e. cummings reminds:

since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;
wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world

How do you keep it real–for you? Spring is in the world.

What wholly kisses you?

kirsten2009Like Phil, I am listening…

Kirsten Olson is hard at it responding to email, and just trying like hell to keep up with David Zinger in the number of blogs he follows. She can be reached at Old Sow Coaching and Consulting, where she wonders what your learning story is?