Do you have color in your life? - Don't Be A Wage Slave

Most colorful, interesting people have many positive qualities; you’ll find they usually have the following in common: They are curious; they love to discover new ideas, places, people, and interests. They are expressive; they’re not scared to speak their minds and express themselves well. They take initiative; they don’t sit around waiting for permission to do what they want to do, and they like to try new things. (1)

That being said, how does the average person overcome the drudgery of life, the toil of day-to-day existence? I believe that this is achieved through the essential realization that time is the only real treasure. Once you acknowledge that time commands this powerful presence in your life, you can “get down” to the art of living. I say “art” because a well-lived life presents such magnificence that it truly awes you. It, however, must still be nurtured if it is to be developed. Life itself must be viewed as an adventure – the adventure of the self.

The beginning of any newly minted day should begin with an endearing and powerful aphorism. I say: Thank you God for another day of consciousness so that I may affect positive change in this magnificent world. This is my attempt at a personal saying, but everyone should write their own. Once this is said, a powerful aura covers you with a cloak of prescient thought. Your next powerful tool is your acknowledgment of gratitude. Gosh, I am lucky to be me. You must celebrate the fact that you are you and that you are alive. Forget your external appearance: it is just a temple that protects your soul. Yes it must be strong; yes, it must have a modicum of attractiveness but is not the essential you.

Finally, focus on your presence in the world: your career. If you don’t have one, find it. It is there for you, but only if you seek and toil. We are not meant to be enslaved. Every fiber in our being calls out for freedom. But this freedom only comes from within. You cannot be a wage slave and live a contented life.

Travel is clearly identified with personal growth. “The Grand Tour” (2) that most young aristocrats took to become more worldly between the 17^th and 19^th centuries certainly changed their view of the world and lent itself to political and social change, as well.

Thomas Cook (3) created the phenomenon of mass tourism through his concept of the guided tour for the average person. All of this suggests just one fundamental belief: take a chance on yourself. We were not created to be educated into becoming consumers and then die. Our life mission is to fulfill our destiny. Motivational speaker and writer Denis Waitley (b. 1933) leaves us with a thought: As long as we are persistent in the pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time. (Parts of this article were first published in 2016)

A closing thought: This concept of time and its value is certainly not new to most thoughtful human beings. What is new is the multiplicity of things that dominate our lives — displayed in all machinations of electronic devices and digital forms to “suck” that time away. An example: I watched a good-looking couple together on the physical intimacy of a scooter. There was no conversation between them at the stop light for they were both on their phones. Which leads to the question: When do they actually talk to build their relationship? Hmm!

To sum up: This week we spoke about time and its value. You spend it wantonly at your peril.

A be noted: Omar Khayyam (4) — Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

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