Alienation
ali-us = other
Alienation is no stranger to many of us in life on Earth. In fact, there are art genres based solely on it. In some ways, I think Westerners are addicted to alienation. It’s a form of cool to act alienated from our lives, our loves and our surroundings.
The word is based in Latin roots meaning other, and I believe the experience of alienation occurs whenever we assign “other” status to anything. Note that the key to this process of alienation is our own action of assigning otherness, or strangeness, to anything. When we do that, we make whatever it is unwelcome into our lives. We estrange ourselves from the thing or experience.
There is a very simple solution to alienation. Sometimes it’s the simple things that are so obvious you miss them entirely! That solution? Become curious. Regard whatever you feel alienated from as an opportunity to learn. Let your subject inform you, tease you, lead you into greater wisdom about it, about yourself and about the world.
Usually when I feel alienated, I’ve done the alienating. Ask: How can I get past otherness into connecting with everything and everyone today?
Infinition:
I’m through playing it cool. Everything in my life exists for my betterment and I know it. When I’m curious, I can’t be alienated. From now on, call me Curious Georg/ina!
From Dr. Susan Corso’s blog God’s Dictionary
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