Mark Ristau's Blog - Posts Tagged "connection"
Root Causes
In the aftermath of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, the issue of violence in our schools and communities has taken on a heightened sense of urgency. There has been much discussion around guns and legislation. What appears to be missing from the national discourse, however, is a conversation that examines the root causes of violence. Rather than pointing our fingers at the perpetrators and labeling them "mentally ill" or "monsters," we need to dive deeper...
We all have a deep-seeded, primal need to connect with others and feel that we belong. It's as vital a need as food and water. So what happens when a young person is deprived of this need? What happens when he or she is excluded from the group? Feelings of loneliness, isolation, and fear inevitably turn to anger—an anger that may fester for years before being expressed as rage.
So what's the answer? What can we do?
We might ask ourselves what role we're playing in perpetuating the problem of violence in our schools and communities. How do we treat the outsiders, the ones who are different, strange, weird, and possibly dangerous...the ones who sit alone in the far corner of the cafeteria? Would it be possible to reach out to them?
When we perceive each other as separate, when we exclude those who are different, who seem strange or weird, we plant the seeds of violence...
When we realize the truth of how deeply connected we are, reaching out to the excluded ones becomes as natural as breathing. The possibility of a new order of reality emerges—one in which the seeds of violence are transformed into seeds of peace...
My novel, A Hero Dreams, explores the problem of violence (and its causes) through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy named Ricky. It follows Ricky's journey to the edge of a threshold, where he will face the most important decision of his life—a decision we will all need to face sooner or later.
What kind of world do we want to live in?
A Hero Dreams
Mark Ristau
Learn More about A Hero Dreams
We all have a deep-seeded, primal need to connect with others and feel that we belong. It's as vital a need as food and water. So what happens when a young person is deprived of this need? What happens when he or she is excluded from the group? Feelings of loneliness, isolation, and fear inevitably turn to anger—an anger that may fester for years before being expressed as rage.
So what's the answer? What can we do?
We might ask ourselves what role we're playing in perpetuating the problem of violence in our schools and communities. How do we treat the outsiders, the ones who are different, strange, weird, and possibly dangerous...the ones who sit alone in the far corner of the cafeteria? Would it be possible to reach out to them?
When we perceive each other as separate, when we exclude those who are different, who seem strange or weird, we plant the seeds of violence...
When we realize the truth of how deeply connected we are, reaching out to the excluded ones becomes as natural as breathing. The possibility of a new order of reality emerges—one in which the seeds of violence are transformed into seeds of peace...
My novel, A Hero Dreams, explores the problem of violence (and its causes) through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy named Ricky. It follows Ricky's journey to the edge of a threshold, where he will face the most important decision of his life—a decision we will all need to face sooner or later.
What kind of world do we want to live in?
A Hero Dreams
Mark Ristau
Learn More about A Hero Dreams
A Note of Encouragement to Budding Authors
A little bird informs me (I’m never one to ignore the wisdom of a little bird) that there’s something of great significance inside of you, something valuable that needs to be shared with the world…something that wants to come out and play…
My advice is to let it out…just tell your story! Tell it in whatever manner, in whatever medium feels right for you. Don’t worry about getting it right or whether it will be accepted by others. Just tell your story and tell it from your heart. Don’t think about it…just step aside and let your heart reveal itself authentically…and gloriously. Let your light shine!
Too often, in this transactional, results-oriented world of ours, we filter our messages; we tell our story in a way that we think is likely to please others. This is understandable. There is a deep-seeded, primal need within each of us for acceptance, acknowledgement, and recognition. A need to connect with others. But I urge you to tell your story regardless of whether it’s likely to be received with critical or general acclaim. The only way to establish a true connection with others is by first being true to ourselves.
It took me many years to discover within myself the courage to write and publish my novel, A Hero Dreams; and when I did, I made a conscious effort to resist the temptation to pander to commercial interests. Rather, I told my story as authentically as I could and without regard to how well it might be received. Maintaining creative freedom was (and is) of critical importance to me, which is why I chose to bring A Hero Dreams into the world via the indie publishing route. It had always been (and continues to be) my intention to bring something new into the world—something that inspires readers with the idea that anything is possible…
“How to begin?” Well, first of all, find yourself a sacred space and brew a really nice cup of coffee (or tea, if you prefer!)…and then…just write. My preferred method is to start with a pen and a legal pad and later migrate to a computer. But if you feel more comfortable in front of your keyboard and screen, then by all means, start by hammering away at the computer! Eventually, you’ll want to think about structure and to develop an outline, but for now, just write, revise, and write some more…
A final word—nothing truly great was ever accomplished by following a formula or by guessing at what message might resonate with an audience…it MUST come from your heart…and you must have faith that your story will find its audience…so start writing—no matter how simple, short, silly, complex, long or gravely serious your story might be. We NEED to hear your voice. It’s the only thing that can save our world…
My advice is to let it out…just tell your story! Tell it in whatever manner, in whatever medium feels right for you. Don’t worry about getting it right or whether it will be accepted by others. Just tell your story and tell it from your heart. Don’t think about it…just step aside and let your heart reveal itself authentically…and gloriously. Let your light shine!
Too often, in this transactional, results-oriented world of ours, we filter our messages; we tell our story in a way that we think is likely to please others. This is understandable. There is a deep-seeded, primal need within each of us for acceptance, acknowledgement, and recognition. A need to connect with others. But I urge you to tell your story regardless of whether it’s likely to be received with critical or general acclaim. The only way to establish a true connection with others is by first being true to ourselves.
It took me many years to discover within myself the courage to write and publish my novel, A Hero Dreams; and when I did, I made a conscious effort to resist the temptation to pander to commercial interests. Rather, I told my story as authentically as I could and without regard to how well it might be received. Maintaining creative freedom was (and is) of critical importance to me, which is why I chose to bring A Hero Dreams into the world via the indie publishing route. It had always been (and continues to be) my intention to bring something new into the world—something that inspires readers with the idea that anything is possible…
“How to begin?” Well, first of all, find yourself a sacred space and brew a really nice cup of coffee (or tea, if you prefer!)…and then…just write. My preferred method is to start with a pen and a legal pad and later migrate to a computer. But if you feel more comfortable in front of your keyboard and screen, then by all means, start by hammering away at the computer! Eventually, you’ll want to think about structure and to develop an outline, but for now, just write, revise, and write some more…
A final word—nothing truly great was ever accomplished by following a formula or by guessing at what message might resonate with an audience…it MUST come from your heart…and you must have faith that your story will find its audience…so start writing—no matter how simple, short, silly, complex, long or gravely serious your story might be. We NEED to hear your voice. It’s the only thing that can save our world…
Connection
Connection. It’s all about connection...
How connected—truly connected—do you feel in our fast-paced, results-driven, high technology, digital age? An old friend recently reminded me I’m not the only one who feels that tug in my heart, that longing for a deeper, more authentic connection with others...
A Hero Dreams follows a young boy’s search for connection in a deeply divided and all-too-often violent world...
At age 8, after the sudden death of his father, Ricky Williamson feels lost—hopelessly lost—and disconnected from everyone and everything. His world has become unrecognizable—a dark and hostile wasteland inhabited only by bittersweet memories and ghosts of the past. He wants to reach out to others—to his grieving, alcoholic mother, to his charismatic and athletically gifted brother Danny—but he doesn’t know how. Most of all, he wants to reach out to his beloved dad, but that's no longer possible...or is it?
Two years later, Ricky’s mother sends him to a New England summer camp where he learns the hard way that “honor” is the watchword and bullying is considered normal. After a traumatic incident at the pond, a mysterious voice assures him everything will be okay, but first he must take a leap of faith and cross a threshold into another world—a world where anything is possible...But can the voice be trusted?
What about you? Can you trust that voice...the one in your heart that longs for deeper, more authentic connections with others? Are you ready to take a leap of faith into another world?
A Hero Dreams
A Hero Dreams Website
How connected—truly connected—do you feel in our fast-paced, results-driven, high technology, digital age? An old friend recently reminded me I’m not the only one who feels that tug in my heart, that longing for a deeper, more authentic connection with others...
A Hero Dreams follows a young boy’s search for connection in a deeply divided and all-too-often violent world...
At age 8, after the sudden death of his father, Ricky Williamson feels lost—hopelessly lost—and disconnected from everyone and everything. His world has become unrecognizable—a dark and hostile wasteland inhabited only by bittersweet memories and ghosts of the past. He wants to reach out to others—to his grieving, alcoholic mother, to his charismatic and athletically gifted brother Danny—but he doesn’t know how. Most of all, he wants to reach out to his beloved dad, but that's no longer possible...or is it?
Two years later, Ricky’s mother sends him to a New England summer camp where he learns the hard way that “honor” is the watchword and bullying is considered normal. After a traumatic incident at the pond, a mysterious voice assures him everything will be okay, but first he must take a leap of faith and cross a threshold into another world—a world where anything is possible...But can the voice be trusted?
What about you? Can you trust that voice...the one in your heart that longs for deeper, more authentic connections with others? Are you ready to take a leap of faith into another world?
A Hero Dreams
A Hero Dreams Website
Mark Ristau's Blog
Reflecting on dreams, thresholds, and the possibility of what might lie beyond...
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