We all know the expression, “the glass is half…”
But how would you finish it? What do you see when you look inside the glass?
Some see abundance which overflowth. While others see the glass as having room for more. And so began the Starbucker Meme, with Terry and his half-full, clear shot glass.
The Starbucker Meme brought out some creative answers like my dear friend Carolyn Manning who keeps two glasses – one full to the brim and the other symbolically empty. Tim Johnson, on the other hand goes back and forth between overflowing and 50% full.
The answer I was waiting most for was Liz Strauss and her hand-painted French champagne flute filled to the lip with sparkly French champagne. No surprise for me, and deeply fitting. Or Chris Cree who said his cup is bottomless – of course he said with coffee, but I know he meant a bit more.
My other two favorites were from Mike Sansone and Adam Kayce. Both, like me, took the idea of ‘what’s in the glass’ to a different level. Mike sees things from a different perspective through his glass bottom boat. While Adam sees his life overflowing through his looking glass.
So I know what you’re thinking…”what does Dawud see when he looks through his glass?” So let me get right into the Starbucker Meme:
- How full is your glass?
It’s ever expanding and only limited by my trust, belief and willingness to change. - What kind of glass is it?
Blown glass - What’s in the glass?
All the possibilities you can dream of. - Reasons for #1, #2, and #3
Read on…
I’ve always loved blown glass. Not only is it stunningly beautiful. It also illustrates the great potential each of us have inside. Think about it. You take this hunk of glass and put it on a stick. Pretty uninspiring, huh?
Then, you place the hunk of glass into a raging fire to heat it up and burn off impurities. Once it’s purified enough, you remove it from the fire and begin forming it into miraculous, endless shapes. Look at the image to right…
Aren’t we just like that?
And Kammie, there’s the answer to your question about high vibe practices. I spend each day trying to stretch myself, my heart and my consciousness just a little bit. Stretching a taking the time to look at where I could be living who I am and what I believe a little bit more. Those are my high vibe practices.
So I’m wondering what you see when you look inside your glass? I’m going to tag David, David, Gayla, Edward, Chris, Mark, Dave, Katie, Rory, Randa, Mike, Kammie, one more Dave and Lisa. AND, I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
Dawud, I love the way you worked this piece creatively. Terry really primed the pump with this challenge! And the drink here is refreshing.
Robyn,
Thanks and welcome. Great to ‘see’ you.
I’ve been waiting to work on this meme for a couple of weeks. Just had to get the time to put it all together. I’m going to guess Terry will be surprised, thinking I forgot about it.
Great post Dawud. Lot’s of glasses there. Kinda ironic I gave up coffee only yesterday though. I’m really looking forward to that headache going away. 🙂
It’s true that we’re all malleable, just like heated glass. Much moreso in our infantile years but you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Brown glass, Dawud? Does that reflect in the brown tones of your site? I wonder if the colour has anything to do with the tree in your header also, with it’s earthy trunk and growing branches, reaching ever-further outwards.
Wow Dawud, you really took this one to a new level. Well done, with pictures!
Dawud, I love how you addressed this topic! Wonderfully inspiring images and thoughts. Thanks, too, for the mention.
David,
I think you’re right. And one of the keys to living a fulfilling life is we try to stay as malleable as we can as we age.
Coloring…truthfully, didn’t give it much thought. But since you’re asking…what is remarkable is that I have a new color scheme for my coming site redesign. The top photo above sort of represents my current site while the lower sort of represents the new site. Interesting. I wonder if you’re picking up on it?
C.B.,
It’s my pleasure. From what I’ve said, what do you see when you look through your glass?
Chris,
Funny…Why giving up coffee?
Wow, was this ever worth the wait! I knew you would do something great with this – I never doubted it. The blown glass analogy is perfect for you. We all have endless potential, just like that hunk of glass. Well done, and all the best!
Chris – You gave up coffee? Ouch. At this point in my life if I gave up coffee I’d be in big trouble.
At this point my cup is “just there.” Working on 2-4 hours of sleep / night means I just reach out my hand, eyes half closed, and pray the cup is there. So far, so good.
Dawud – 2+6 … I actually had to think about that for the spam protection! *laugh*
Terry,
Thanks. I’ve been keeping your meme in the back of my mind. Kammie’s as well. What do you make from blown glass?
Ben,
I’m so glad I never started on coffee. Of course, I have other vices.
You weren’t trying spam me…were you?
Whether we are looking in, through or at, glass is transparent and reflective.
When I was a teenager and the local circus came to town, one of my favorite places to visit was the “House of Glass”.
Inside the glass house was a maze of mirrors and clear glass. The trick was to find your way to the exit with out literally running into yourself. My experience resulted in vertigo and a bruised forehead.
However, I like to have a glass that is waiting to be filled with a fine wine. Much like the glass of life. It is waiting for us to fill it up with fine things.
Ben, I’m drinking a little tea to get me through. And it’s more of a bet to get our secretary to quit smoking than anything.
But then I’m not going to be her excuse to keep smoking so if my giving up coffee helps her out, that’s enough for me. 🙂
Phil,
Thanks. You know me…always wanting to push to new ground.
Carma,
I’ve always loved those mazes as well. I used to run through them as well. I don’t remember bonking my head though. Could have happened.
I’ve always found it amazing how metaphors can say exactly the right thing about life.
Chris,
That’s really sweet. Hard to quit, I hear – in both cases. Let me know how things come out?
Spam you? Aw, never! Although when I’m so zoned out it’s probably not the best time to be leaving comments…who knows what I’ll say!
Ben,
Oh, now that I know you a bit, I’m not so sure…
Just kidding. For you, my friend, the comment box is always open.
Combining what, to appearances, seems to be inflexible and showing how it is, indeed, very flexible is brilliant, Dawud. So, I suppose one of the keys is to recognize our fragility and still remember our natural malleability.
And thanks for the trackback 🙂
Carolyn,
Very well said. I feel there’s a necessary balance between knowing our strengths and not being arrogant with knowing our weaknesses and not letting them keep us from living our strengths.
Dawud, that’s the first time I’ve been tagged and it was fun. In my inexperience, I must ask: how does someone who has been tagged find out that they have been?
I discovered by accident. Does one write directly to the people they are tagging so they are aware of the post or just let it happen?
At any rate, I have posted my interpretation and appreciate being included. This is a nice one!
Dawud, Thanks for the suggestions. I watched a blog meme etiquette video today and the presenter recommended emailing those you tag and/or using trackbacks to make sure they (the tagged) are aware that someone is pointing to them. I just happened to be checking my technorati links today and found yours, but I don’t always look at that data. Glad I did.
Katie,
Thanks. There are a few ways to know if someone’s linked (or tagged) you…
1. I see you’re using WordPress. When you login to your admin and see the Dashboard, look in the right column for “Incoming Links.” That’ll tell you who’s linking to you.
2. Use Google Blog Search or Technorati to search for links to your site. For each you can get an RSS feed that will update you any time someone links to you.
For Google, type: “link:yoururl.com” and for Technorati, just search your url.
Katie,
You’re certainly welcome.
Emailing is a great idea. And since you’re using WordPress, trackbacks will happen automatically with other WordPress blogs. If you’re tagging TypePad users, you just need to be sure to use TypePad’s trackback URL. Blogger, I believe doesn’t have trackback capabilities any longer – but I may be wrong about that.
But emailing is a great way to get the tag out.
I love the blown glass analogy. My wife’s aunt is a glass artist and it is unreal the beautiful sculptures she can create out of a hunk of glass.