The Best Kind of RamblingPosted by simon on February 4th, 2009
I enjoy running, not just because I’m out in the world and exercising but because it’s one of my favorite forms of meditation. I get to Breathe that breath of life and listen to music that speeds my thoughts. The problem becomes catching all the thoughts as I run for they come quickly and deeply.
Recently you could say there have been a number of new experiences in my life. Each of them unique and adding a new depth to this wondrous existence I have been granted. It’s odd but I feel without many of my own experiences and readings of recent years, they not would be as significant. I know this is cryptic but some experiences speak to a person on such deep levels that it’s really impossible to convey all that is being experienced as it would require too much knowledge of that person. I’m still uncovering who I am, what chance do you have? Though there are certain aspects of life that I find universal and I’ve boiled down to more general statements that hopefully will mean something to you.
1. I’ve said this for a long time and I’ll say it again moments before my consciousness leaves this body and I begin my final decomposition.
“You begin to die when you can no longer gain a new perspective. The world and this life is nothing more then a culmination of varying perspectives, each equal, unique and wonderful. So long as you can continue to find these gems and appreciate them, you shall continue to live.”
I say this because with new experiences, new knowledge and an open mind will come new perspectives. The most meaningful moments in my life have been when the paradigm of my existence has shifted from one state to another. For me this is only possible when I am able to look at my life and the lives of others from a new point of view.
2. I spent the first 21 years of my life rebelling against my parents, religion, work and just about anything that tried to tell me what to do. Somewhere along the lines I started shredding the layers of myself that gave these organizations such power over me and it’s only now that I begin to realize I rebel against them in hopes of achieving my natural state. Long ago when I was but a small child my parents did what every parent does. They potty trained me, taught me right and wrong, showed me how to behave in society and enrolled me in school. With this standard upbringing comes many layers of definitions, expectations and dogmatic rules for living.
We each rebel against those who brought this burden of society onto us, yet as adults when we have the ability to uncover the truth, we are often so caught in the rigmarole of living that we cannot. It’s seems my quest for professional success has changed as I’ve achieved a level of success that few will, much less at a “young” age. I’ve changed that drive to succeed, into a drive to experience as much as I can, to learn all that I can and to try to find the Dan of my childhood, long before society took it’s grasp of me. I don’t know if it is possible, but it seems like a worthwhile endeavor.
3. In recent months I would remember, then forget, then remember, then forget the definition of “joyous living”. Joyous living is when each action, no matter what it is, brings a heart warming joy. It’s really silly but it only takes me a moment to remember this feeling and how to achieve it in my day, yet it only takes a moment to lose it as well. It normally requires me to hit some form of “bottom” or to have a perspective change for me to realize I’m not living joyously then all I need is a night of solid sleep and the world is a different place. It’s funny how easy it is to be happy when you really want to be.
How do I do it? I address the things that are bothering me and realize that they should not be affecting me in the way they are and the only reason they do affect me is because I let them. I’ll tell you it is hard initially but over time it gets easier as you get better at finding the things that are annoying you in your day to day life. Soon you’ll find yourself running through a park listening to your favorite music with the biggest shit eating grin on your face laughing out loud even though you have little breath to spare catching odd looks from elderly ladies. You’ll also crack a few laughs as you are eating lunch for no reason causing your co-workers to wonder if maybe they should cut you some slack as you may really be crazy.
I know this probably doesn’t make a ton of sense to you, but maybe it did. My only hope is that someday you will be staring in the mirror and these words will spark something in your head, which causes you to see the world just a little differently.
“True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.” – Albert Einstein
“I don’t want to earn my living; I want to live.” – Oscar Wilde
“We are always getting ready to live, but never living” – Ralph Waldo Emerson