Before we long to live forever, we should first focus on whether or not we’d be pleased to live with our current selves for the rest of time.
Category: self-reflection
End Credits
Perhaps in the future, epitaphs on tombstones will be replaced by scrolling end credits that play on repeat. If so, who will have played the starring roles in your life? Are you in good company? Are these key players heroes, villains, jesters or extras?
The Paradox of Ownership
Wanting something owns you far before you own what you desire.
Egos of Prey
We envy birds so much, our egos have rationalized our decisions to hold them captive in cages. We do the same to our minds. Our minds are naturally unbound, yet our egos need for validation acts as a self-assigned cage.
Anima
When we hear the saying, “Abandon Ship!” it brings to mind the imagery of jumping overboard to save ourselves from a sinking ship. What’s important to know is that all the “ships” we experience in our lives never abandons us – we abandon them! Situations, no matter how dire, have no anima. Therefore, do not place blame on any situation that cannot feel what’s being projected onto it. The best chance of survival is our own return to reason. The sooner, the better.
Spilled Reason
We curse the rain; reprimand flat tires; scold spilled milk. We do this fully-aware that we will never get a reaction from the object of our ire. So, where does our sanity go in these moments? Why such temporary insanity over something we know better than to expect any response let alone a rational one? Although we may lose sight of reason for a moment, the actions we take in those moments are accountable actions. There may be no need to cry over spilled milk, but there certainly can be reason to cry over spilled reason.
Misfortune Teller
No crystal ball is needed to determine that putting stock in the future as being a predictor of present happiness is misfortune.
The Perspective of Certainty
To tell a toddler that their heart only possesses so many beats, and it’s best not to waste more energy than necessary on tantrums would not land with any recognition of reason. Sadly, the same message is lost on most adults, even when we know better. We bear the burden of reason having dawned on us and yet routinely make it worse by missing the point of what that means, and choosing not to live by means that will better change what we know is certain.
Enter at Your Own Purpose
Before you go all-in, make sure what you’re entering into is wanting for the energy you are about to give. If not, disappointment awaits. Matching energy is sometimes what’s required. It’s not weak to pull-back when there are obvious signs that’s the right move. Sometimes our purpose is to be what a situation needs, not what we want it to be.
Heart and Reason
There is little good to mine in having to or wanting to do something, be something, or feel something. These are impulses that stray from owning moments. Have heart and have reason – these are not impulses, they are principles.
