So Thursday, after a hormonally charged, emotional, nine-hours-at-two-jobs day I came home to immediately turn around and walk back out with my daughter to head to coffee doubt. \u00a0Coffee. Doubt. \u00a0A safe place at a coffee shop where young and not so young adults meet and talk about this drama we call life. \u00a0To talk about the conflict. \u00a0God. \u00a0Doubts. \u00a0Over coffee.<\/p>\n
When we got there the conversation had already started and it was amazing. \u00a0Four of us, talking through the very thing each of us needed to hear most.<\/p>\n
When we came home my daughter shared some videos with me, and I want to share them with you. Because they are the gist of our discussion. \u00a0The things we wrestle with. \u00a0They portray two different approaches to solving the conflict of our lives.<\/p>\n
They both share the premise that we want to be special, valued. \u00a0One slams an empty way of pursuing value – that of becoming “pretty” or acheiving a “marketable facade.” \u00a0 The other looks at how we might become a masterpiece, but it is a painful process.<\/p>\n
The first link is Katie Makkai presenting\u00a0her poem “Pretty”. \u00a0It’s slam poetry. \u00a0It is powerful, and true and warns of the empty pursuit. \u00a0(This is an edited version which has removed one offensive word.)<\/p>\n