Love this line, Caroline: "Being a good spectator asks us to become an emotional shareholder"
And I'm selfishly glad you included reading something on a single screen as that's where I do almost all of my reading now. I like as well how you write about the resonance and after effect of beholding something. I thought about a Caspar David Friedrich painting I'd seen at the Met a few months ago.
Deep beholding and deep listening are connected. Both becoming more rare and perhaps for that reason more valuable.
This post was so full of wisdom... the greatest observer we can be is towards ourselves and how we move through life. Dual awareness and unconditional acceptance & love of our own past, present and future selves is the key to wholeness...we are the actor and observer and if we can be more present, supportive and mindful in our own journey, we can certainly do so in supporting deeper connections to all living creatures. Thank you Caroline!
I love that you called out Leroy’s Place! I know Serene (the owner and an amazing artist) and her husband, and I think her store has such a unique and fun selection. She and her husband are lovely people as well!
I had this starred in my inbox all week to save it for a time when I could savor and enjoy, because that's how your writing SHOULD be enjoyed! Worth the wait! <3
I obviously feel this on a deep level, and appreciate your encouragement to unplug and behold. I have the last week of June / 4th of July off and I was looking into retreats (then quickly X'd out and LOL'd at the costs) but this is a great reminder that I can create my own by being a spectator in my own surroundings!
loved the photos! There is a certain level of irony in Spectating Spectators intent in watching someone posing as spectator. It's in the awareness of the gaze for me.
The humor in this piece is transcendent. Nobody delivers warmth and wisdom with a wink like you do. Also...I am SO RELIEVED we don't know each other well enough for me to assume I'm Mortimer. But man do I have a Mort in me. Also, I can feel a little TNT transformation afoot and this reflection has me wondering if I should warn readers that I might take unexpected swaths of time to be quiet. Frankly, I'm ready to shut up for a while. Some of the spectator's overwhelm is simply that there's too much noise in the world--even the good stuff gets muddled when it's not punctuated by deliberate pauses. Nobody wants a constant crescendo in music, after all. So much to think about with this one. What a gift!
Thank you, Isabel. That is high praise from someone so fluent in warmth and wisdom, and means a lot. I can assure you that you are NOT Mort, though I think we all carry a little Mortimer within us. (I’ve received multiple emails from friends asking, “Am I Mortimer?!!??!!!” which is all the evidence we need.) The real Mortimer doesn’t subscribe to my newsletter, though I suspect they wouldn’t like it! And yes, I am very pro-pause. So often I feel compelled to scrap everything when all that’s likely needed is a little space.
Ooof. I’m so with you on a lot of this. Loved getting to read your words again. After I finished this, I looked up to behold two birdies building a nest on my porch 🪺 💛
Although I'm a Celtics fan, I appreciate Gnocchi's fandom. This post also makes me realize I need to do a lot more beholding. I don't do a great job of stopping and observing. (And enjoying.)
I love your writing, and needed this medicine as much as all the other commenters, I promise. But the fact that you have Sam Irby’s post on your Found Magic list is proof-pudding that we would indeed be friends if geography permitted. She’s my joy some weeks, and I am thrilled that Substack exists so I can love you both 🤗
— this excerpt from Mary Oliver’s poem “Hum, Hum” came to me when reading about Mortimer, who I relate to from time to time. I feel like the “house of denial” could also very well be the “house of judgment.” Perhaps denial and judgment are related. When we judge others for something, are we denying that something in ourselves? I don’t know. But it is certainly not an open position. Humans are not meant to be stone.
I needed this more than I can express. I’ve already benefited from your wisdom that sometimes things get written while on the floor on our backs staring at the ceiling - now I’m reminded that sometimes stepping out of the arena and filling the cup is the right next step. You are truly a gift and I’m so grateful for you. ♥️
Great post. I think I need to memorize the four points: Be open, be present, be human, be changed. It all makes sense.
Thank you, Renato! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Two things:
1) this was just fantastic; I’m going to be thinking about it for days, and
2) I’m absolutely in love with Gnocchi 🥰
Thank you, Terrell! 😊 (Gnocchi thanks you, too)
Love this line, Caroline: "Being a good spectator asks us to become an emotional shareholder"
And I'm selfishly glad you included reading something on a single screen as that's where I do almost all of my reading now. I like as well how you write about the resonance and after effect of beholding something. I thought about a Caspar David Friedrich painting I'd seen at the Met a few months ago.
Deep beholding and deep listening are connected. Both becoming more rare and perhaps for that reason more valuable.
I love this reflection, David. I can see you standing in front of that painting, taking it in.
> Spectating is not the same as scrolling.
Oh yes! ❤️
When I wrote that sketching can anchor an experience, I thought of you!
🙏
This post was so full of wisdom... the greatest observer we can be is towards ourselves and how we move through life. Dual awareness and unconditional acceptance & love of our own past, present and future selves is the key to wholeness...we are the actor and observer and if we can be more present, supportive and mindful in our own journey, we can certainly do so in supporting deeper connections to all living creatures. Thank you Caroline!
I love that you called out Leroy’s Place! I know Serene (the owner and an amazing artist) and her husband, and I think her store has such a unique and fun selection. She and her husband are lovely people as well!
It’s the best! Such amazing art and an incredible curation of things! I have a feeling I’ll be going back often.
I had this starred in my inbox all week to save it for a time when I could savor and enjoy, because that's how your writing SHOULD be enjoyed! Worth the wait! <3
I obviously feel this on a deep level, and appreciate your encouragement to unplug and behold. I have the last week of June / 4th of July off and I was looking into retreats (then quickly X'd out and LOL'd at the costs) but this is a great reminder that I can create my own by being a spectator in my own surroundings!
loved the photos! There is a certain level of irony in Spectating Spectators intent in watching someone posing as spectator. It's in the awareness of the gaze for me.
The humor in this piece is transcendent. Nobody delivers warmth and wisdom with a wink like you do. Also...I am SO RELIEVED we don't know each other well enough for me to assume I'm Mortimer. But man do I have a Mort in me. Also, I can feel a little TNT transformation afoot and this reflection has me wondering if I should warn readers that I might take unexpected swaths of time to be quiet. Frankly, I'm ready to shut up for a while. Some of the spectator's overwhelm is simply that there's too much noise in the world--even the good stuff gets muddled when it's not punctuated by deliberate pauses. Nobody wants a constant crescendo in music, after all. So much to think about with this one. What a gift!
Thank you, Isabel. That is high praise from someone so fluent in warmth and wisdom, and means a lot. I can assure you that you are NOT Mort, though I think we all carry a little Mortimer within us. (I’ve received multiple emails from friends asking, “Am I Mortimer?!!??!!!” which is all the evidence we need.) The real Mortimer doesn’t subscribe to my newsletter, though I suspect they wouldn’t like it! And yes, I am very pro-pause. So often I feel compelled to scrap everything when all that’s likely needed is a little space.
Ooof. I’m so with you on a lot of this. Loved getting to read your words again. After I finished this, I looked up to behold two birdies building a nest on my porch 🪺 💛
Thank you so much. 💛
Although I'm a Celtics fan, I appreciate Gnocchi's fandom. This post also makes me realize I need to do a lot more beholding. I don't do a great job of stopping and observing. (And enjoying.)
Gnocchi has only the utmost respect for Celtics fans. (Pacers fans however…🙃)
Gnocchi is wise ❤️
I love your writing, and needed this medicine as much as all the other commenters, I promise. But the fact that you have Sam Irby’s post on your Found Magic list is proof-pudding that we would indeed be friends if geography permitted. She’s my joy some weeks, and I am thrilled that Substack exists so I can love you both 🤗
Thank you for putting into words the exact thing I've been struggling to express. So glad you're back!
Thank you so much! ❤️
“Oh, the house of denial has thick walls
and very small windows
and whoever lives there, little by little
will turn to stone”
— this excerpt from Mary Oliver’s poem “Hum, Hum” came to me when reading about Mortimer, who I relate to from time to time. I feel like the “house of denial” could also very well be the “house of judgment.” Perhaps denial and judgment are related. When we judge others for something, are we denying that something in ourselves? I don’t know. But it is certainly not an open position. Humans are not meant to be stone.
I needed this more than I can express. I’ve already benefited from your wisdom that sometimes things get written while on the floor on our backs staring at the ceiling - now I’m reminded that sometimes stepping out of the arena and filling the cup is the right next step. You are truly a gift and I’m so grateful for you. ♥️
Scrolling is not the same as being a spectator, a witness, an engaged human. Amen!