I think one of the great gifts of failure and stress is that, if the despair comes on quickly, it reminds you just how far you can fall spiritually, and how deep the psychological pit really is: it is black, far and fraught with fear and danger.
All understanding is only through love
The other day, I passed a truly good-looking woman who was exquisitely dressed, like Cinderella on her way to the ball. Her compatriot, perhaps her boyfriend, but more realistically her husband, was in a disheveled state and poorly dressed – to say the least. They were a couple, but with two obviously different views of the world. I would not claim to be an informal man, though I do have periods of informality; I do know how to dress correctly for the given occasion, however. That being said, my query is how two people could have such divergent views of the world? Is this not the most difficult thing in a relationship – any relationship – for that matter? Here you have two diametrically opposed images of life and of the planet. One has placed great value and importance on some celebration, and is dressing accordingly, while the other is dismissive and flippant: “This is who I am whether you like it or not.”
Life in all its glory
Even if you only touch on the international news, you realize that this has recently been a bad time for human existence: a bombing here, several celebrity suicides there and natural disasters seemingly everywhere. We are living in a culture of death and destruction. The end is nigh! I should be afraid to exit my door in the morning. But, should I: does the reality shown through the Internet (and other forms of electronic media) really exist? I suspect not.
Determination: your path is your own
I am always curious about our time in history. Many pundits say that it presents us with a chance to achieve anything that we want. Then, what allows one individual to succeed while the other one fails? It appears that pre-established attributes such as intelligence are not as important as ambition: “I will be successful, whatever the journey.” As an example: I was recently contacted by a young woman who has just graduated from a prestigious university with a Master’s Degree in Economics. More to the point: she was first, (did I say first?) in her class. She was extremely upset, however. I therefore asked, “What seems to be the problem?” I got back a rather shocking, but understandable answer, “I can’t get a job!” Say what? How is that possible, I thought to myself?
Happiness: let us feel the joy!
I passed some people the other day in a local park. Something was uproariously funny for they were laughing to a point of guffawing: it was truly wonderful to see. I reflected on how long it had been since I had seen such a non-rehearsed scene: a very, very long time – perhaps never. It would appear that one of our basic tenets of being human – happiness — is not present throughout much of the average person’s life, Why, I wondered? I proceeded down the path. There it was: the answer.
Celebrating graduation day
Wow, it’s over! And, now we have a new beginning. You have closed a door and it is important that you hear it slam! This is because it is really closed. The high school days are finished. And you are, sadly or excitedly, going to enter into a new phase of life. There can be no return to the past. The first thing you must do is ask yourself the question:“Who woke up this morning: who woke up?” The answer is, of course, “I did.” And how did I know it was me? I knew it was me because of yesterday — my memories. This makes me a unique being: there is no one like me; no one will ever be like me and no one ever has been like me. So now my job in next four years, and in life really, is to truly develop the beautiful me. Some complications: a lot of people don’t know what they want to do, right? Period! “I don’t know where I’m going. I don’t know what’s going on.” And that’s a good thing: and, of course, a bad thing. In the next several years, you will have “to choose” something to do, for sure. Now, conversely: people sometimes pick the wrong thing.
Remembering good counsel
You know yourself: you are busy – I am busy. All of us are caught up in the detritus of life. The questions become, “What is really important, what really has value and why do I worry all the time?” As I get older and older, I begin to understand the tragedy that so many philosophers and poets write about life. I, however, am an observer because, quite frankly, I don’t feel their pain. I can only feel my own pain and I make a habit of limiting it. There is, I believe, no epiphany in suffering – suffering will take us nowhere. It is only in communion with the peaceful and wonderful infinity, my expression of God, will I find my meaning. What about you: are you suffering more esoteric pain than necessary?
Existence is ephemeral: enjoy it!
Everyone becomes aware at some point in life that existence is truly ephemeral. It is, of course, one thing to say it and quite another to feel it in the “marrow of your bones,” to be somewhat theatrical. A secondary epiphany is that life is not at all as it seems: our vision is opaque.
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul. … (1)
That phrase being aptly stated frees us from being deluded by the false hopes and quixotic dreams of others. We are liberated and can utilize our own critical thinking skills to decide what is the best course of action for my specific life. I truly think that very few of us choose a direct path. Most would appear to steer as opposed to direct.
Winston Churchill, who many believe saved Western civilization from tyranny and oppression, or at least temporarily postponed it, (2) had this to say when he was appointed Prime Minister in May, 1940: Thus, then, on the night of the 10th of May, at the outset of this mighty battle, I acquired the chief power in the State. … During these last crowded days of the political crisis, my pulse had not quickened at any moment. I took it all as it came. But I cannot conceal from the reader of this truthful account that as I went to bed at about 3 a.m., I was conscious of a profound sense of relief. At last I had the authority to give directions over the whole scene. I felt as if I were walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial. Ten years in the political wilderness had freed me from ordinary party antagonisms. My warnings over the last six years had been so numerous, so detailed, and were now so terribly vindicated, that no one could gainsay (doubt) me. I could not be reproached either for making the war or with want (lack) of preparation for it. I thought I knew a good deal about it all, and I was sure I should not fail. Therefore, although impatient for the morning, I slept soundly and had no need for cheering dreams. Facts are better than dreams. (3)
It is thus true that even the iconic figures of history are filled with self-doubt and apprehension. The secret to a successful life, I maintain, is to simply put your leaf in the river. Once the journey begins, you can manage its consequences. Here these aforementioned critical thinking skills will serve you well. Our mission, if I can call it that, is to simply ask people to think. I believe if we raise our societal level of thoughtfulness that the world will become a better place. This is not wishful thinking but a common theme amongst the legions of educators that see a general decline in thinking. (4) One only has to turn to recent political, economic, and immigration decisions to realize that we are not reasoning rationally in many cases. The writer and pundit Malcolm Gladwell (b. 1963) leaves with a cautionary quote: There is this tremendous body of knowledge in the world of academia where extraordinary numbers of incredibly thoughtful people have taken the time to examine on a really profound level the way we live our lives and who we are and where we’ve been. That brilliant learning sometimes gets trapped in academia and never sees the light of day.
A closing thought: As human beings, we have come “full circle.” Our most primitive instincts: those of procreation, food and consumption have come, once again, to dominate civilization. The results, inevitably, will be the same: societal chaos, spiritual decline, and economic collapse. The only way we will change this trajectory is through “good people” evaluating and judging. Our role as parents, guides and educators has never been so essential.
To sum up: This week we spoke about life and all its consequences. History tells us that often even great individuals lack a sense of direction until they realize that they have been chosen for a specific task.
A philosophical question: Why am I allowed certain actions at six, but not at sixty, when my body houses the same soul from the beginning to end?
Just for fun — Frédéric Chopin – The Best Nocturnes in 432 Hz tuning
This week on your sprightly walk, please ponder the magic of life
Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Quote: The next time you look in a mirror, stand in awe at God’s creation: unique and exceptional, and with a life-mission to complete.
Footnotes:
2) Michel Houellebecq: ‘Am I Islamophobic? Probably, yes’
3) Winston Churchill: The Gathering Storm (ISBN: 978-0395410554)
We all create our own good luck
I am a lucky man: I was driving my motocha the other day and somewhat preoccupied with different thoughts. Whatever “my frame of mind,” I was not paying the detailed attention that the driving in Taiwan requires. “Out of the corner of my eye,” I saw a man pulling into the traffic without analyzing the ongoing flow of other vehicles or scrutinizing anything around him for that matter. He was driving like a “bull in a china shop,” with no attention paid to any driver or pedestrian. I have witnessed this behavior on more than one occasion and it always quite shocks me. Is it because he doesn’t care, or he thinks that he is alone, or is it that his “world” does not include the other, at least in the context of driving? I believe that it must be the latter: he does not really include anyone else in his perceptual field — amazing! The stunning amount of minor traffic accidents in this country must be indicative of this perceptual flaw. This will be altered over time, however. When the automobile was first introduced in the fountainhead of the automobile, Detroit, the level of accidents was extremely high. This was ameliorated by changing driving habits and police enforcement:
“The transition from the horse age to the motorized age would prove to be very dangerous. At first speeding vehicles were not big problems, with only a few of them on Detroit streets, but the situation grew serious quickly.
As early as 1908, auto accidents in Detroit were recognized as a menacing problem: In two months that summer, 31 people were killed in car crashes and so many were injured it went unrecorded. Soon thousands of cars jammed Detroit streets, driven by inexperienced drivers. The city would lead the nation in managing this chaotic, enormous problem. Detroit was the first city to use stop signs, lane markings, one-way streets and traffic signals. Detroit was among the first to have a police squad dedicated to traffic control, and second to New York City in creating a judicial court for traffic violations. The city drew national attention for using a tennis court line painting device to mark pedestrian crossing areas, safety zones, and parking spaces.
In many ways, Detroit was the first city to transform the streets and the minds of people from the age of horses to the new, fast-paced age of motor vehicles, but it was a battle that took decades to win. In the first decade of the 20th century, there were no stop signs, warning signs, traffic lights, traffic cops, driver’s education, lane lines, street lighting, brake lights, driver’s licenses or posted speed limits. Our current method of making a left turn was not known, and drinking-and-driving was not considered a serious crime.” (1)
Now to our driver: he narrowly missed hitting me. I responded with the requisite audio-thrust of my scooter horn (really?), which was not acknowledged, and he sped on his way as did I. This was “a close one,” nonetheless, and I stopped to ponder my good fortune: no trip in a white car with red crosses, no missed conversations with students and, perhaps more importantly, the opportunity to continue my mission. God was giving me another chance at life. My luck had held, as the saying goes: I was to continue. You must have remarked to yourself and observed somewhat the same idea: I have a disproportionate amount of good fortune! If you believe that there is a finite amount of positive energy in the universe, you realize that you must have more than many, many others: unfair, but the reality of the cosmos. The question then becomes: what do I do with my over-abundance of serendipity. The answer lies in realizing that you have been given a precious gift. Just by standing next to you others will feel your vibe, your power. Make good use of this: help others, protect others, encourage others. If we all realize that life is this incredible gift and how lucky I am to have some of it, I can change the world. If you throw a single rock into a stationary pond of water, the ripples begin and flow outward: be that rock. The stoic philosopher and scribe, Seneca, (2) leaves us with a thought: Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.
A closing thought: I remark that each and every day is special. There are days, of course, that it does not appear so: it is dreary, cold and wet, yet again. It is on mornings like these that I attempt to see if my belief is really true: I control my own reality – my own moods. The other day I had an opportunity to see if this was true. I awoke feeling overwhelmed: so much to do and, seemingly, so little time. I felt sad and somewhat hopeless. Then I realized: “Wait a moment! I don’t have time for this emotion today. I have too many people to talk to. They deserve a happy and committed educator, not a misanthropic one.” I put this thought in my mind: over the next half an hour or so my emotions changed and I eventually felt positive and contented. Was this just the change of the day or had I actually altered my mood? I would like to believe that I do have at least some control over my emotions. What do you think?
To sum up: This week we spoke about luck. How much do we naturally have and how do we get more. We also discussed driving and the automobile.
A philosophical question: Why are some forms of humor true across all cultures? I think the cartoon, Herman, is a good example:(3)
Just for fun – Bruce Springsteen, Growing Up
This week, on your thoughtful run, please admire the beautiful world we live in.
Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Quote: We increase our quotient of luck each time we give kindness to other beings: both human and animal.
Footnotes:
Embellishment and the failure of language
You know: I was born in a working-class family in an industrial village in western Canada. Like virtually all families of my generation, we were imbued with the deep-seated belief that we could make our lives better. This meant, in the main, economic improvement: but it also meant spiritual and intellectual growth, as well. There was a lot of emphasis placed on social decorum (I still feel compelled to stand up when a lady or an elderly person enters the room) and on the command of language; profanity, and its handmaiden verbal insults were considered failures of speech and successes of ignorance. I think that this is still true. We welcome the great orators that stir our hearts and inspire us to even greater heights. With the Internet and the general “leveling” of moral education, (1) however, there is increasingly a desire to find a new standard, a new caliber, and that benchmark is moving closer to the bottom than it is to the top.