We have a tendency to not remind ourselves often enough, to forget, that it is a good life – for as long as we have it. This is a claim that is difficult to hold prior to being born and it won’t be tenable, most assuredly, after we are deceased. There is a school of thought, however, that believes the words should not be “have,” — for as long as we have it, but actually “endure,” — for as long as we endure it. When you think of the trauma that life is for most of us, this idea is totally understandable. There is only one problem. This is the only life – my only life in this consciousness. Nothing is true unless I deem it so. If I see life as pain, a collection of endless failures, it is. Conversely, if I view it as a great adventure on a path to personal achievement, it can be this instead.
Noticing the little things
I recently experienced a morning that I had to get somewhere in a hurry — a common occurrence for all of us, I am sure. This necessitated the proverbial “mad rush.” I paid absolutely no attention to my immediate surroundings — with the exception of looking presentable. I was focused on my goal. Everything appeared to be a mere blur as it passed by. In the foreground was a long light that “I had to make” if I were to be on time. The gods were against me, however. The light shone a dull red as I approached the junction. It was as if to say, “Stop: catch the moment.”
The escape to find yourself and other adventures
I am old enough to remember a time that communication was on foot. It was virtually impossible to phone a girl, so you had to go to her house, knock on the back door (the front being too audacious) and inquire if she was at home. No one can ever forget the prying eyes of the grandmother seated beside the stove in the kitchen. Being a bit bookish, my imagination easily pulled me back to 19th century Britain and the physically-gnawing coal fields of Eastwood Nottinghamshire, the birthplace of D.H. Lawrence. (1885-1930)
Continue reading The escape to find yourself and other adventures
Not every day is a good day
You awaken poorly: another day, dull and confused. It is raining outside — bleak and cold. The day feels portentous. You are suddenly beset with the existential questions of life: how do I find the path that is rumored to be in front of me – how do I uncover my life mission? We can all identify with these kinds of days, I am sure. Curiously: it is this seeking, this quest that keeps us alive and imaginative. The most heart-rending statistic is that less and less individuals can begin seeking because their daily needs are barely met.
Your big break
The concept of the “big break” pervades our society. It is what the lottery system thrives on – just one inexpensive ticket and you will receive Nirvana (1) forever. It doesn’t happen quite this way, does it? The post-Millennial generation, more than ever, however, is addicted to the “big break theory,” to use my terminology. We see it in the instantaneous superstars, the successful bloggers, and the, so-called, influencers. They seem to have achieved success effortlessly. This is a generation that has seen this illusion thrust upon it, but it can’t be so. (2) It is a false and misleading perception.
Be different, be yourself
What happens when you are unconventional? You become different: you step into a world that is distinct from your confreres. Now, this presents a wide kaleidoscope. This uniqueness can extend from acts of criminality to simply wearing unorthodox clothes or dying your hair green.
Our capacity to think
A person sits in a curious position in the current era. We know that the end of civilization is upon us, or at least that is what we are told. Environmental collapse, social implosion, and runaway terrorism are the bedfellows of modernity. In fact, there are two militants hiding under my desk as we speak. All of this is, of course, pure and utter nonsense. Not that the world is not in dire straits: it is! We have arrived at the “biosphere emergency room.”
The simplicity of life
The other day, I bought a new vacuum cleaner. The box was inordinately large for such a small item. Trying to do my duty as a good citizen of the earth, I asked if I could leave the packaging behind. “No,” I was quickly admonished. “What if you have to bring it back: what about the warranty?” There are logical flaws in this line of thinking. Firstly, I don’t want this much cardboard to clutter up my personal recycling system. Secondly, do they not make a product that is good enough to withstand failure? Should their product, it is only a vacuum after all, not be of such quality that it can withstand collapse for a year?
The alienation of having a job
The other day, I watched a group of disheveled and obviously disgruntled construction workers performing their perfunctory tasks: their efforts were without ambition or, could one say, love. Should not our endeavors be stimulating and enjoyable? The answer from the vast herds of humanity is, “no!” This led me to reflect on the idea of work. What is a job and what does it entail? A job, essentially, is a contract between two individuals; a business may be one of these entities: in the United States, for example, a company is considered a person. (1) This, unfortunately, is a relationship that many people do not want, once they realize the truth.
Sadness as energy
If all happiness lies within, then all sadness must reside there, as well. We live in a society, however, that never wants to discuss melancholia and, in fact, tries to bury it like a dirty little secret. The superlative is always lauded – the fastest, the biggest, the most beautiful – but seldom do we hear – the slowest, the smallest or the ugliest. It would follow that one cannot exist without the other, as we have spoken of before. You need comparisons to give everything context, life and death being the most telling. Why are feelings of isolation and despondency quickly vanquished and sent to the “happy farm” of stimulation — drugs, alcohol and “rock and roll” — so these feeling cannot be truly experienced? In this fictitious world, everything is always sunny and filled with joy. There are no crises; there is no pain. This is just not reality, is it?