What a beautiful, touching story. May we all have the opportunity in our lives – and recognize it, in the moment – to offer someone a moment of grace like that.
Having read other Substack articles this morning re moments of grace and serendipity, I want to thank you for sharing your story. I feel it brings to light, inspires, aspects of our better nature and may encourage us all to be more merciful, grateful and willing to engage open heartedly with others, whether we know them or not. I know such is the impact on me, and thus appreciated.
One of my favorite things about being a dad is all the times I got to tell my worried son not to worry. Dropped a dish? It’s fine. Forgiveness absolves us from guilt and liberates us from anger.
I just commented on a different post of yours that came to my e-mail today, July 14, 2023. And I shared how your writing gave me hope and helps make the world feel safe because of the grace and confident assurance that comes through your voice.
Then, following, I chose to read this post after I became a paid subscriber and gained access. I
believe this post here confirms my observations! And it may very well be this testimony you shared was a wonderfully defining moment in the shaping of your voice as a writer. The BMW owner gifted you an encounter with grace that you, yourself, now extend to your readers through your words. Your words have power to affect change exactly because they are authentic, rooted in moral truth and anti-mimetic, which makes them courageous. I'm just attempting to articulate something I never before have.
Your voice is anti-mimetic because it comes from a place of genuineness and authenticity, accompanied by new, innovative ways of perceiving your world around you that don't fall into the pool of heterogeneous conformity. And freedom from fear of human opinion is part of your voice. Yours is not the same type of non-conformity with the purpose of making a statement to draw attention to yourself and attract a following of those who want to mimic you and be like you, with motives of personal empowerment. Your writing has a purpose to support others to be authentic on a healing journey. It's both enigmatic and altruistic.
I'm simple and uneducated in the arena of philosophy. I can't hold intellectual discourse and keep conversation going. I'm intimidated by your intelligence and your audience's intelligence. I'm just a late bloomer who finally acquired a sound mind in her 50's that is enjoying a daily reprieve from fear in her early 60's.
Your writing elevates me and reveals that my social eccentricities are not a liability. I'm simply more anti-mimetic than the average soul. That makes me misunderstood. But I'm authentic. Who I am in private is what folks see in public. I wear different hats like everyone, but that's to accomplish activities of daily living. Being authentic requires some anti-mimetic attributes, and there's a cost. I know I need to learn to consider the audience and acquire more discernment. But no longer do I see myself as a misfit toy on the isle of make-believe. I'm an anti-mimetic individual who thinks outside the box and is free from fear today, able to enjoy others, both more mimetically inclined and less so. That makes me an activist of sorts with purpose! Anyway, thanks for broadening my horizons!
A little moment like you just shared reminds me of what Jesus said about a "little" faith - "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
I remember I was just 6 years old when the world trade towers fell. I was traumatised and spent hours in front of the TV, trying to understand what it all meant. Nasty.
What a beautiful, touching story. May we all have the opportunity in our lives – and recognize it, in the moment – to offer someone a moment of grace like that.
Having read other Substack articles this morning re moments of grace and serendipity, I want to thank you for sharing your story. I feel it brings to light, inspires, aspects of our better nature and may encourage us all to be more merciful, grateful and willing to engage open heartedly with others, whether we know them or not. I know such is the impact on me, and thus appreciated.
“A child doesn’t learn metaphysics by reading books. He learns it by looking into his father’s eyes during a thunderstorm.”
One of my favorite things about being a dad is all the times I got to tell my worried son not to worry. Dropped a dish? It’s fine. Forgiveness absolves us from guilt and liberates us from anger.
I just commented on a different post of yours that came to my e-mail today, July 14, 2023. And I shared how your writing gave me hope and helps make the world feel safe because of the grace and confident assurance that comes through your voice.
Then, following, I chose to read this post after I became a paid subscriber and gained access. I
believe this post here confirms my observations! And it may very well be this testimony you shared was a wonderfully defining moment in the shaping of your voice as a writer. The BMW owner gifted you an encounter with grace that you, yourself, now extend to your readers through your words. Your words have power to affect change exactly because they are authentic, rooted in moral truth and anti-mimetic, which makes them courageous. I'm just attempting to articulate something I never before have.
Your voice is anti-mimetic because it comes from a place of genuineness and authenticity, accompanied by new, innovative ways of perceiving your world around you that don't fall into the pool of heterogeneous conformity. And freedom from fear of human opinion is part of your voice. Yours is not the same type of non-conformity with the purpose of making a statement to draw attention to yourself and attract a following of those who want to mimic you and be like you, with motives of personal empowerment. Your writing has a purpose to support others to be authentic on a healing journey. It's both enigmatic and altruistic.
I'm simple and uneducated in the arena of philosophy. I can't hold intellectual discourse and keep conversation going. I'm intimidated by your intelligence and your audience's intelligence. I'm just a late bloomer who finally acquired a sound mind in her 50's that is enjoying a daily reprieve from fear in her early 60's.
Your writing elevates me and reveals that my social eccentricities are not a liability. I'm simply more anti-mimetic than the average soul. That makes me misunderstood. But I'm authentic. Who I am in private is what folks see in public. I wear different hats like everyone, but that's to accomplish activities of daily living. Being authentic requires some anti-mimetic attributes, and there's a cost. I know I need to learn to consider the audience and acquire more discernment. But no longer do I see myself as a misfit toy on the isle of make-believe. I'm an anti-mimetic individual who thinks outside the box and is free from fear today, able to enjoy others, both more mimetically inclined and less so. That makes me an activist of sorts with purpose! Anyway, thanks for broadening my horizons!
Oh, wow, this is so beautiful.
Unforgettable.
A little moment like you just shared reminds me of what Jesus said about a "little" faith - "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Then I am all in.
That just connected powerfully in my heart regarding something that happened today - thank you for sharing - the mystery of grace abounds...
A great memory Luke. The man with the BMW ... I'll bet he could see a young version of himself in you.
Thank you for writing this. This is anti-mimesis?
This made me tear up in a somewhat cheerful bitter sweet way.
It’s nice to tie a face to you.
I remember I was just 6 years old when the world trade towers fell. I was traumatised and spent hours in front of the TV, trying to understand what it all meant. Nasty.
Beautiful post Luke