From the base of the Stoa, at the top of the stairs, it is hard to hear myself think over all the celebrating of Osama bin Laden's death. Yes, I am glad he is gone. No, this will not end the War on Terror, that hydra-like cause. No I am not glad that a human life has been snuffed, but do understand the necessity. I'm not conflicted as this makes sense to me. But this is not about him, this is about you.
To thine own self be true. An outstanding saying that states simply, don't lie to yourself. Understand your motivations and you will be less stressed in life.
While the vast majority of the Western world rejoices, large portions of the Muslim world breath a sigh of relief, the rest of the Muslim world burns with the desire for revenge. A revenge that will be so much easier to pursue with a radical Egypt lining up with Hamas, MBH, Iran and Syria. Thank you Obama, you kettle head.
From time to time you must step away from the big issues of the day and, literally, smell the roses. Sit or stroll in quiet contemplation of everything going on in your life. Review the threads and the currents of your life that have brought you to this spot, this place in time and space. I do not believe that much happens by accident, barring an asteroid dropping on your head. You just have to be open to reading the world around around you. The Asian concept of meditation is not over-rated.
Enjoy the little things in life, every day. Plan for the future, of course. Work hard, plan hard, and play hard, but never skimp on the time to re-root your thoughts. Goals and plans may change over time and if you pursue a goal that no longer makes sense only because it is a goal you have set for yourself then you may be pursuing the wrong goal. Re-evaluate your life from time to time. Enjoy the small beauties and soothing sensations that the world offers.
While pumping gas into my thirsty X-Terra, I enjoyed the first warm breeze of the year. It was wonderful. Even while my bill was rocketing towards $70.00, I took the time to enjoy the best breeze in the last 7 months. The sky was clear for a change and the sun was bright and warming to my face. That is what gives you the strength to keep going.
The big wins are fleeting. They can only be such. Individuals will train for 13-20 years for a gold medal in the Olympics. When you win one, you have won one. What now? A million smaller victories got you to that big win, but now what? One may be less crushed by the idea that their moment of glory is both fleeting, and past if they had made other plans for the future. Life must be built on many small decisions, many small plans. This thought is a convergence of the idea that it is not the attainment of excellence, but the journey that is worthwhile. Stop and smell the roses from time to time. You will not be disappointed.
At this moment, I'm admiring the emerald-like coloration on my Maroon Bellied Conure. The complex, fractal-geometry of his wings and how it all folds together. I think of the genius that went into the designing and fabrication of this iPad 2 that I am currently typing upon, though I am also aware of the slave labor that went into its construction. Do I have bigger plans in life other than staring at my bird or evaluating my belly lint? Yes. I have a business trip to Virginia this week in which I'm taking the wife. I'll be speaking with important people at a multi-billion dollar organization in the hopes that I will get more work to support my family. A week after that, I'm off to New Orleans for the same pitch. Heady stuff, but I don't lose sight of why I'm doing it. I do this for my family's needs first, my self-gratification second (for a difficult job well done), and for self-edification last. It is the journey, not the goal that fascinates me.
So go outside and enjoy the weather if you can. It gets cold and cloudy here in Michigan for much of the year, so this is a big deal for me. Stroke your cat between the eyes and see if they like it. Twist around in your recliner until you get comfortable and just ask the world for a few hours of privacy. Sit on the beach and watch the sun play on the waves and water. Lay down in the grass and stare into the cloudless night sky, marvel at the immensity of the Universe. Hold your wife's hand and feel her breath on your face. There are only so many days in our lives where we will be able to enjoy that sensation.
You will find that with a firmer personal foundation in who and what you are you will find it much easier to deal with the big issues of the day. Taxes, Obama's marxist agenda, kid's grades, paying the bills, getting the tires rotated, fixing the vacuum cleaner, cleaning the bird's cages, trying not to burn your fingers while tearing up the New York Times Sunday edition for your bird cage... Hold it, got to go to my happy place for 5 minutes. I'll return to the Stoa later.
Until then, live well.
--Zavost
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