Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess

Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from becoming too talkative, and especially from the unfortunate habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and at every opportunity.

Release me from the idea that I must straighten out other peoples' affairs. With my immense treasure of experience and wisdom, it seems a pity not to let everybody partake of it. But thou knowest, Lord, that in the end I will need a few friends.

Keep me from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point.

Grant me the patience to listen to the complaints of others; help me to endure them with charity. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains -- they increase with the increasing years and my inclination to recount them is also increasing.

I will not ask thee for improved memory, only for a little more humility and less self-assurance when my own memory doesn't agree with that of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be wrong.

Keep me reasonably gentle. I do not have the ambition to become a saint -- it is so hard to live with some of them -- but a harsh old person is one of the devil's masterpieces.

Make me sympathetic without being sentimental, helpful but not bossy. Let me discover merits where I had not expected them, and talents in people whom I had not thought to possess any. And, Lord, give me the grace to tell them so.

Amen”
― Margot Benary-Isbert

Bad Ass

Really sick of this culture of "tough" and "bad ass" and "I'll kick their ass", it's so freaking boring. How is that ego-display any different from morally superior judgment ego-display, or intellectual superiority ego-display? They're exactly the same thing, and they're all based in control, and they all lead to... 

BORING

There's no sharing point of view, there's no listening to another person's ideas or experiences, no cooperation to build cool things or make life better (actually better), there's no giving a crap about others or caring for their well-being, it's just control, control, I'm in control, I'm a bad-ass so you better listen to me...I'm smarter than you so you better bow to me... I'm higher in God's eyes so I have the right to look down on you and you better listen to me... I'm BIGGER THAN YOU so you better listen to me...I have bad-ass friends so you better listen to me... I'm rich so you better listen to me... I have a degree so you better listen to me... I'm enlightened so you better listen to me... I'm a woman so you better listen me... I'm a man so you better listen to me... give me a freaking break. Humans are humans are humans. ALL CONTROL IS FROM THE SAME EXACT PLACE. There is no reason that gives that entitlement, like a little crown on a person's head. We are all here on the same ride, it would be WAY MORE FUN if so many kiddies would stop trying to be the BOSS over the other kids.
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