I know a person who refuses to fly. He misses out on many of life’s joys. I think he’s more afraid of dying than he is of being afraid of not living. If his fear of not living becomes greater than his fear of dying he will begin to experience life far differently from how he currently experiences it. What does it mean to experience life? One way is to be aware of the data streaming our traditional five senses : Touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing. The more aware of the streaming data our senses are sending to us, the more we experience the physical world around us. Emotionally we experience life when we are experiencing joy, happiness, sorrow, or love. When we are alive in the sense of fully experiencing life, we discover that we can experience it anywhere. Life is going to happen whether we want it or not. It is going to challenge us and we don’t have a choice. Why fear the inevitable, embrace what we have and experience it in all in many facets.
experience
Beautiful Old Age ~ A Poem by D. H. Lawrence
Beautiful Old Age
D. H. Lawrence
It ought to be lovely to be old
to be full of the peace that comes of experience
and wrinkled ripe fulfilment.
The wrinkled smile of completeness that follows a life
lived undaunted and unsoured with accepted lies
they would ripen like apples, and be scented like pippins
in their old age.
Soothing, old people should be, like apples
when one is tired of love.
Fragrant like yellowing leaves, and dim with the soft
stillness and satisfaction of autumn.
And a girl should say:
It must be wonderful to live and grow old.
Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! –
And a young man should think: By Jove
my father has faced all weathers, but it’s been a life!
yes is a pleasant country . . . ~ A Poem by e. e. cummings
yes is a pleasant country . . .
e. e. cummings
yes is a pleasant country:
if’s wintry
(my lovely)
let’s open the year
both is the very weather
(not either)
my treasure,
when violets appear
love is a deeper season
than reason;
my sweet one
(and april’s where we’re)
Embrace New Beginnings
Don’t be afraid to start over again. This time, you’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience. ~ Stephen Hawking.
Today’s Quote: Experience is a Teacher
Everyone gets the experience. Some get the lesson. ~ T. S. Eliot
Today’s Thought: Where Are You Going?
I recall when I was finishing my master’s degree my advisor asked me, where do you want to go with this? I look at him and said, “I don’t know. I only know I want to go. I’ll figure it out.” He gave me a look that told me he failed with me. LOL. Much later in life if I were asked the same question, I’d give much the same answer. I know lots of folks who have a clear goal in mind. I admire them. Maybe I envy them. I don’t want to be like them. I like to be open to life’s surprises. It may be that I don’t want to miss anything and I want to experience everything. We all have to figure out our path. When you find one that fits don’t let anyone talk you out of it.
Today’s Thought: Live With Confidence
It’s raining as I write this post. The roads will be slick for a bit then the oil will wash off. If you’ve never lived in south Texas you might not be expecting to slide through an intersection. I can happen if it hasn’t rained for a while and you happen to be out and about when it starts. Life is like that. Sometimes the unexpected events pop into our lives. They fall on a spectrum from a wonderful surprise to something quite the opposite. Whatever it is, we have to react to it if we’re to have any control over the eventual affect of the surprising event on us. If we trust ourselves, have self confidence and a solid foundation, we will make it through. Whatever comes your way today, and I hope it’s all good, you already have the strength and wisdom to deal with it. Go forward with confidence.
Today’s Thought:
Life is not what it’s supposed to be. It’s what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference. ~ Virginia Satir
“I didn’t see that coming!” How many times have you said or thought that statement? I have many times. Sometimes they are pleasant surprises. Sometimes they knock us flat on our backs. No one tells us life is going to be easy. It has its tough moments where we have to carry on in spite of the adversity. In between all the adverse times there are lots of good things that happen to us. These are the times when we renew our strength for the next challenge. With every challenge we grow stronger, we develop a self confidence in our set of skills, experiences, and our expanding knowledge base that allows to live each day confident we can handle what the day will toss at us. Trust yourself. Trust your experiences. You are ready for this day.
Thinking Out Loud: Is It Time to Take a Personal Inventory?
How many undervalue the power of simplicity ! But it is the real key to the heart. ~ William Wordsworth
NOTE: What do I need? I ask myself this question every so often. It’s not an easy question to answer and it’s different for everyone. Another way of asking this question is to ask, will this (whatever it is) add stress to my life or will it add benefit. We can do without the stress. We need things that add benefit. I think there is a direct relationship between simplicity in our lives and the happiness and/or peace we feel. The more complicated our life and lifestyle the more stress we experience. The less complicated our life and lifestyle the less stress and more happiness and peace we experience. Is it time to take a personal inventory?
