Contemplating beans over a Cortado at the Hungry Ghost in Brooklyn
It's a gorgeous almost-Spring Sunday in Brooklyn, I'm in my favorite local coffee shop and although it's been decades since I wrote my college essays, I find myself in that same giddy space of wonder and optimism.
I should tell you, I also find myself in a place of slight procrastination. I should be working on a project proposal. Instead, I'm in deep inspiration as ideas are coming together in my magical mind. I'm distracted by a dream I keep having. It occupies my thoughts, invades my sleep and tickles that part of my psyche that makes me ask what if? why not?
It all started when I was confronted with this essay prompt:
Tell us about the world as you see it...
How often do we consider our world view? How often are we saying something, tweeting something or writing something when it strikes us: DANG! That's really good, I think that's my world view.
This is what's happening to me. This is what is distracting me. This THIS is growing inside me, and I like it. I think I will promote it soon from preoccupation to obsession. This THIS has beans at the core. What is this THIS, you ask?
It's THIS:
There is an old way of thinking that sees a jar of beans and makes aggressive moves to take all the beans, as if the only beans possible are the same ones in the jar.
I don't know about you, but I reject this thinking. Sometimes ascribed to competitive edge, this thinking is small-minded. It assumes the only to be had are the ones that already exist in jars.
This thinking is rooted in the belief that the only way for anyone to win more beans is for someone else to lose their beans. It thinks nothing of making more beans or finding new ways to make new beans.
I say beans for everyone, beans all around!
Call this THIS what you like, I'm calling it my world view. And now I'm calling you.
Yes, YOU.
Where do you see yourself in this world view of mine? Are you a bean-maker or a bean-taker? Do you live in the world that fights over the same-old, same-old few beans or do you live in the world of many, new, more beans?
When I say to you: BEANS FOR ALL!
...do you flinch?
...do you weep for the beans you fear you will lose?
or...
Do you light up inside, mind spinning as you ponder new beans, new bean-making ideas and new bean-based concoctions?