I had a rather startling experience the other day when taking a group of young ladies, my students, out for a field trip. The purpose of the journey was to simply be more aware, and gain an increased cognizance of the world around us.
Continue reading Nature in all her beauty
Wake up, dress up, and show up
The other day, on my way to school, I passed a well-dressed man. What was remarkable about his attire was that he had obviously spent some time getting dressed. He was clean-shaven, his hair neatly combed, and his clothing tailored — fitting him correctly. He was walking in a tousle of poorly cloaked individuals. This had the effect of making him look even more remarkable.
Continue reading Wake up, dress up, and show up
Self-reflection
When you see an old man with “one foot in the grave,” playing some nonsensical game on his cell phone, do you think as I do? Do you ask why he isn’t deep in thought — ruminating on life or mortality — contemplating his legacy to his children and grandchildren? This thought doesn’t exist, I posit. He is practicing what the majority of human beings do all the time — some form of escapism.
Continue reading Self-reflection
Are you curious?
If there is any one thing that will keep you young — spiritually, physically, and mentally — I would argue that it is not exercise and the strict monitoring of your body. It is curiosity: an inquisitiveness and wonder about the world all around you.
Continue reading Are you curious?
I create my own fear, don’t I?
I often open my eyes in the morning accompanied by a startling thought: “I am awake, ergo, I must be alive – it is, therefore, another good day!” This is a jarring “reality check” because, at sixty-seven, more so than more tender years, you, quite literally, might not wake up. Books have been written on this greatest of all unknowns: death and its attendant fear and paranoia.
Continue reading I create my own fear, don’t I?
Faith
We live in an age of faith — what? This is a nonsensical statement! But wait, we do live in an age of faith — faith in technology, a belief that all will be fine in the future. But conversely, many have lost trust in society and espouse nihilism (1) and despair. The concept of faith, of course, historically has been associated with God or gods — something bigger than myself. This kind of faith was invigorating, and enlightening because it was evocative of an exciting and fulfilling reward after my earthly demise.
Continue reading Faith
What is real and what is not?
Do I understand reality? Yes, and I hope we all do. I am often amazed at how similar we actually are. There is very little that truly differentiates one man from another. Yes, we do have different cultural upbringings, different skin colors, and different religions. But, in the end, we are motivated by a deep desire to be loved, to be respected, and to make the world a slightly better place because we have been a part of it.
Continue reading What is real and what is not?
Anger
How does one overcome frustration and vexation? This is the perennial question of our age — of any age, for that matter. We are taught in Western tradition to be loving, caring creatures, but we seemingly mostly fail. Why is this? Recorded history is replete with a plethora of tomes that promote tenderness and the understanding of our fellow man. Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, (1) for one, is a well-known moral guide. But when challenged, humanity does not pass the test of peace and respect. Is this just the way it is — we are just aggressive by nature? I hope not.
Continue reading Anger
Find your peace
The perilous amounts of negative information that wash over us have a negative effect on most people. That said, it is especially important in the modern age, in the time of AI, to find ways to achieve validation, to find peace. This is far easier said than done. I ask myself, how do I ever have the time to actualize this feeling? I am just too busy.
Continue reading Find your peace
Never give up on your dreams
This world is incessantly harsh with its creative folks. They are increasingly assailed and browbeaten into surrendering (getting a job) or, even worse, acquiescing into mediocrity. The artist is becoming irrelevant. The brave few, however, do soldier on. And, our society needs them. At their best, their most sublime, they represent who we are. They are a mirror to our brightest hopes, our greatest dreams, and, even, our deepest frustrations.
Continue reading Never give up on your dreams