Autism is my super blessing! I'm a high-school valedictorian, college graduate, world traveler, disability advocate. I'm a Unitarian Universalist. I'm a Progressive Liberal. I'm about equal rights, human rights, civil & political rights, & economic, social, &cultural rights. I do servant leadership, boundless optimism, & Oneness/Wholeness. I'm good naked & unashamed! I love positive personhood, love your neighbor as yourself, and do no harm! I'm also appropriately inappropriate! My self-ratings: NC-17, XXX, X, X18+ & TV-MA means empathy! I publish shows at 11am! Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support
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episode 44: Gentleness Is a Strength: Go Softly, Slowly, and Sweetly
"Gentleness is a strength, a strength of character.
What is gentleness?
- Gentleness is seen in the handling of adversity with a calm, even-handedness.
- It’s seen in the soft nature of how people act when they are around other people.
- It’s witnessed in the sweet reverence for wildlife and all forms of life.
- Gentleness is observed in the slow turn of one’s own head to feel the wind touch the cheek.
- It’s the getting down on one knee to listen to a child and look them in the eye.
- When you have to carry three eggs in one hand across the room, that’s where you will find it.
- And then you’ll see it when you carefully walk around the eggshells of a sensitive or difficult topic with someone.
- Gentleness is there in the lightness of a feather sitting in the palm of your open hand.
- It’s there in the calm look in someone’s eyes after they’ve been yelled at.
- It’s the steady, comfortable smile someone gives as they operate under intense pressure on their job.
- It’s the slow, mindful walk of a person who's surrounding by a bustling loud vibrant city street.
- It’s present in the inner silence we have at any time of wonder, struggle, or boredom.
- When someone is listening to another person’s pain, gentleness is there in the holding of the suffering.
- Gentleness finds its way by freely letting go of the baggage of a problem so as not to interfere with the next interaction.
- It truly enjoys attending to the other without a care for one’s own agenda or plans.
- Gentleness operates with an unwavering, steady hand that knows its path forward."
"Other compound character strengths, if you follow the science, include mindfulness, grit, respect, patience, responsibility, the propensity to apologize, encouragement, and tolerance. its attempt to understand gentleness as a compound strength within the lens of this VIA Classification. Gentleness involves being down to earth (humility), having a quiet ego (humility), being quick to let things go (forgiveness), having a soft and supportive demeanor (kindness), and being oriented toward the other (kindness). Hence, my perspective is gentleness fits under the virtues of humanity and temperance and is captured by the primary character strengths of humility, forgiveness, and kindness.
Of course, gentleness is more than those three. There are a few secondary character strengths to consider. Gentle people seem to be empathic and grounded with their emotions (social intelligence), offer deep tenderness for others (love), as well as a high degree of openness/receptivity (judgment or curiosity)."