Frailty is a teacher

From: Thank you, frailty, 2008, July 30

Adelene Dawner: Well, a bit ago, the inside of my head started singing this song, ‘Thank you, frailty (Alanis Morissette)‘ for no apparent reason, and I don't see any specific relevance to myself, so... And the song isn't new to me.
Gaya Ethaniel: and Adele what are your thoughts on that now - remembering & singing this song?
Adelene Dawner: The lyrics are the important part. Specifically this:
Thank You. Thank you frailty. Thank you consequence. Thank you, thank you silence.
Like... the 'bad' parts of us are parts of us too, and deserve to be celebrated as much as the 'good' parts.
Gaya Ethaniel: These thoughts from those particular lyrics?
Adelene Dawner: Well, the song in general, more - those lyrics were the part that came up before I went and reread the whole thing, to get me to do so. But yeah, "thank you frailty." And consequence... we never *do* quite know what the consequences of our choices will be.
Pema Pera: I think frailty applies to all of us . . .
Adelene Dawner: I'm actually thinking back to a book I read, now... it talked about things like anger or greed or whatever as being teachers - which they are - and I think that frailty is a teacher, too.
Adelene Dawner: It makes us take things seriously, a bit, I think. We can't do everything, so we have to think about what we do do, and make good choices. It's good to take risks, but it's not good to take *stupid* risks... you have to think about if it's worth it, and thinking is always good.
Adelene Dawner: As I think about it... especially compared to anger or guilt, frailty works as a teacher ... it's harder to misinterpret, in some ways. More intuitive.
doug Sosa: times when we are "off" may be better teachers than when we are "on."
Adelene Dawner: mm-hmm
stevenaia Michinaga: frailty is more a reflection of a physical as well as mental condition, guilt and anger are only mental
Adelene Dawner: And... we all know we're limited. We all know we're breakable. That makes the risks that we choose - or feel compelled, not that there's that much difference - to take, actually meaningful.
doug Sosa: The very word, coming from "fragile", used to mean moral weakness. Interesting how the physical and the moral can shift sides.
 Adelene Dawner: The other part of my lyric was important, though, too. *Thank you* frailty. 'Cause I donno about you, but I wouldn't *want* to be all-powerful and indestructible. It wouldn't be any fun, for one thing.
Gaya Ethaniel: I know the feelings. Well. I’d say that I’m a better person for all the pains I’ve had endured. If I give you an example, in Korea it's a easy life to be a  man than woman but I’d rather be a woman - does this make sense? If I didn't get by all the difficulties, I wouldn't be here discussing these things with you guys.
Adelene Dawner: Mistakes, failures, are *vital*, in every sense of the word. You learn from them. And 'easy' just means that it's easier to be wrong without having to face the consequences.
Pema Pera: ”How bout remembering your divinity”
Gaya Ethaniel: Yes Pema, so in a way I’m more in tune to feel the 'divinity' now
Pema Pera: yes
Adelene Dawner: I think the whole song is saying: Fail. Fail spectacularly. Take the consequences of that - "bawling my eyes out", "more than I could handle"... Live!
Gaya Ethaniel: lol yep
Pema Pera has to smile, remembering that ten years ago Stim kept telling him in RL "Piet, you have to learn how to fail"
Adelene Dawner: :)
Gaya Ethaniel smiles
Gaya Ethaniel: it's hard to accept one's failure i think
Pema Pera: it took me about seven years :)
Adelene Dawner: Oh that reminds me - Gaya, have you ever read the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull? Just re-read it today, and it still can kick me in the chest. Different parts each time, though.
Adelene Dawner: "Fletcher Lynd Seagull, do you want to fly so much that you will forgive the Flock, and learn, and go back to them one day and work to help them know?" ...and it was just, like, Damn. I guess I *have * to do that, don't I? Book says so. ^.^ (And, um... there's another layer to that, too. But one kick in the chest is enough for one day.)
Gaya Ethaniel smiles