Geno C. Foral
Bio
Husband of a beautiful wife. Father of a magical daughter. Student of clinical psychology.
Stories (19/0)
The Sound of Silence
"That which you most need will be found where you least want to look." —Carl Jung If you have ever been alone in the dark and found yourself surprised by an unrecognizable noise, you can remember the hundreds of images that flash through your mind. The rat, the snake; the dragon, the strange neighbor; your unlocked door, your neglected responsibilities. You struggle to maintain a semblance of rational peace, but everything that could be in the darkness manifests itself within a fraction of a second. You are no longer safe within the walls of your home. You have stumbled in a dark wood, and here, monsters are real.
By Geno C. Foralabout a year ago in Poets
People Hearing Without Listening
We need a story. We orient our life on the trajectory of getting from one place to another. We base our opinion on ourselves through our percieved status—both personally and socially. But life is unbearably complex. Its layers are infinite. We are bound to miss something along the way. Not only that, but our personalities and life experiences guide our interests, limiting what we spend our time with; thus limiting what we can become an expert in. For such reasons, we rely on preexisting stories - narratives, rules, guides, and dogmas that have gone before us - to save the time and energy it would take to make a fully formed decision on a path in life. The ability to capitalize on others' wisdom is what makes us human. We are not bound by trial and error of our own stupidity and success. We can save ourselves much suffering by listening to what others have found useful. But this unbearably valuable niche has its downfalls.
By Geno C. Foralabout a year ago in Confessions
The Dance of Listening
Three years ago, I was introduced to an intellectual named Jordan B. Peterson. My friend wanted me to see his ability to stand up under pressure, despite being yelled at by several students on a college campus. Impressed as I was, I did not find myself inclined to look into him any further. Sometime later, I purchased his book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. Not having ever built a discipline of reading, I found myself reluctant to make the time to do so. After several months of failing to complete even a single chapter, I admitted defeat and purchased the audiobook.
By Geno C. Foralabout a year ago in Motivation
The Futility of Hope
Poetry, art, music, and nature have a unique way of giving us access to what may best be described as the Divine. These mediums bleed outside the realm of rationality, granting access to speak to our soul, in the darkest of times, and can reach places that even our loved ones cannot.
By Geno C. Foralabout a year ago in Poets
Flowers and Chains
When I was a teenager, my grandmother told me after church service about her lifelong struggle with depression. She stated that she had been taking antidepressants throughout her life. I remember thinking, "You don't need that; you just need Jesus." It was a shallow answer to a more complex problem that I did not understand. Not yet.
By Geno C. Foralabout a year ago in Journal