beginning

The beginning

The beginning of anything is truly astounding, isn’t it? Whether this is the initiation of a project, the start of a longed-for vacation, or the dawning of my great adventure called life, there is a freshness and excitement in the air. Most beginnings are quite fleeting, but this is not true with consciousness. It realizes an endless series of commencements — each day actually being novel and original. The onset of the experience of sentience is quite apprehensive and confusing though, even with the most formulated of plans. Nothing is yet fully tried and tested. 

As thoughtful human beings, we are forced to probe and plod along, not sure where we are going. Everyone’s path is his own, curiously. We live in such a state of cultural homogenization (1) — life leaves the impression that it is the same for everyone, but it isn’t. Intelligence, good looks, family connections, and a little bit of luck, all appear to help at the onset, but they are not the determining factors that will bring forth a successful life. But we have to define, what is a successful life. I enjoy Earl Nightingale’s (2) definition: The progressive realization of a worthy goal. 

So with this in mind, your debut must include the idea that you are going to live a fulfilling and honorable existence. A creation that, at its end, you will be proud of. You notice that any talk of money or power is absent from the explanation. This is because each of us must set our own life goals. If I live in the shadow of others, I will never feel the sunshine on my own face. But, how do I begin at the beginning, so to speak? The biggest concern for modern people is that life is shrouded in great confusion and a surfeit of information. The Internet Age has encouraged the externalization of the self — how I exist in the world — how I look and act, but, not how I think and feel. 

This is a lot less esoteric than it sounds. It is an essential component of any life journey that we reflect on three fundamental questions: why am I here, what is my mission in life, and where will I go when I leave this mortal plane? It does not matter if one is profoundly religious or dismissively atheistic, these queries must be answered to live a healthy, integrated life.  

I just want to be happy, as a response, is not sufficient here. But, fortunately, all answers lie within and can be accessed through prayer, meditation, or a simple walk in the park. So, you can begin anew each and every day and live the gorgeous life that you desire. Simply make every day a new beginning. Shams of Tabriz (3) leaves us with a thought: The past in an interpretation. The future is an illusion. The world does not move through time as if it were a straight line, proceeding from the past to the future. Instead, time moves through and within us, in endless spirals. Eternity does not mean infinite time, but simply timelessness.  

A closing thought: I often hear the word regret come up in conversation. What is regret? It is simply some memory, accurate or not, brought forward to the present and then reinterpreted with fresh pain and sorrow — pointless! As individuals, we all suffer the fate of free will and the capacity to make choices. There can be no regrets only lessons. We must thus learn from the past to ameliorate the present.   

To sum up: This week, we spoke about beginning each day as if it were unique and special.  

To be noted: from Germany Kent (4) — If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future. 

Just for fun: 
 (The 10 Most Popular Opera Arias) 

For reflection: 

This week, on your thoughtful walk, please reflect on how you can make each day a new beginning. 

Every day look for something magical and beautiful. 

Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great! 

Quote: Imagine that you are like a newborn baby each and every day. 

Footnotes: 

1) Youth culture: teenage kicks in the digital age 

2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Nightingale 

3) Sufi Path of Love

4) Biography

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