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. They are inventive; they think outside of the box and constantly come up with original ideas and new ways of doing things. They are confident; they are not scared to make mistakes and act like they know what they are doing, even when they don’t.” (1)
That being said, how does the average person overcome the drudgery of life, the toil of a 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” that most young aristocrats took to become more worldly between the 17th and 19th centuries certainly changed their view of the world and lent itself to political and social change, as well. “The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men ‘of means,’ or those of more humble origin who could find a sponsor. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transport in the 1840s and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on Continental Europe, and from the second half of the 18th century, by some South and North Americans. The tradition declined with the lapse of neo-classical enthusiasm, and after rail and steamship travel made the journeys much easier.”
Thomas Cook (2) 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 you. We were not created to be educated into 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 persistence 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 March 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 small joke: Professor Carter was a bit of an eccentric, but his very good friends John and Mary enjoyed his unconventional behavior. He lived around an hour away from them. One evening the professor came to dinner. Over the course of the evening, the weather turned very inclement. The couple invited the professor to stay the night as the outside was very unpleasant. The professor readily agreed. John and Mary went upstairs to change into their night clothes. Later, they came downstairs to the Professor’s room to check if he was comfortably “tucked in.” They knocked on the door for several moments: all to no avail. Concerned, they opened the door, but the room was empty. Then after about 45 minutes, there was a soft tap at the front door. They opened it to discover the professor soaking wet and visually cold. “Where did you go?” John asked. “I went home to get my pajamas,” was the professor’s reply.
Just for fun: Hilary Hahn & FRSO
This week, please think of how you view time.
Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Quote: The famous saying, “Time waits for no man,” curiously, increases in value as you age.
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