Tuesday, October 14, 2008

This world we livin' in...

It's crazy, this world we live in. It seems like I'm reminded of this fact daily. With the currrent state of things-the economic crisis, the coming elections, etc.-I find it increasingly difficult to be truly happy. Stress has become a big part of all our lives as none of us are immune from the things happening. I wish I could say that I wanted to move to a cabin in the woods to escape it all, but somehow I think the stressmonster would find me there too.

A funny thing happens as we move from childhood, to our teenage years, and into adulthood. I've felt, for the most part, that things have progressed quite nicely. More freedom, more responsibility, and new decisions are some of the great rights of passage into being considered an adult. We move through school, on to college or a profession, and then live our lives as we see fit. Fortunately we're given the right in this country to do almost as we want-"Keep your nose clean and you'll be fine in life" a client once told me. For the most part, I think he's right. However, things do happen. Things that are completely out of our control. Things that have no right to happen to us, but they still do and we have to deal with them. Now, I'm not going to give any example from my own life-I'm sure we all have enough to fill cyberspace tenfold-but I do know that the more I know the more I wish I didn't.

They say ignorance is bliss. Not so, say I. Bliss lives in knowledge. Bliss, as you may choose to define it, comes in any form you choose. Knowing what is right for us and choosing what makes us happy is exactly what creates bliss. My bliss is my family, my girlfriend, and pushing my limits each and every day. I enjoy the feeling of being out of my comfort zone, and I embrace it. It is here where I am most at home. I know that I have this urge and it is with this knowledge that I live in bliss every day. If I were ignorant to this and all things, I would never find what allows me to disconnect from the learning I wish I didn't know about.

This is difficult to follow, but I'll sum it up like this:

Ignorance is bullshit. There's no such thing. Unfortunately/Fortunately, we were given these big ol' brains, skills of communication, and the smarts to use what is around us to make our lives easier. These components of life are both blessings and traits of our downfall. We know full well what is around us. We know both the things we need and we don't need. It's what we choose that make us who we are-though the other stuff still remains elsewhere. We make our own bliss.

Ok.

So I'm sorry that most of this probably doesn't make any sense. I've not edited this or even re-read it before posting. This is just what's in my head. I may not have done a good job communicating it, so don't hold that against me. Maybe one day soon I'll sit down and make this a bit more consice. Sorry, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to put down. I think the major theme is to enjoy life and make the most of it. Push the limits you have, and never be satisfied with your position. No matter what your station in life, make things happen daily. Don't sit back and relax. Don't be content. Do move forward. Do strive harder. Do what makes you and others around you happy. Live your life because you may not get another.

Push 'till ya puke...Always.

4 comments:

S. Kumar Arumugam said...

Dave,
What if you are unable to make things happen? That's what frustrates me often. That said, we must be grateful and feel blessed for the strengths and skills we possess.

Is the photograph from New Paltz?. It is beatiful. Will make a nice desktop background.

Dave said...

I agree. It's difficult, but I've found that we can be happy with what we can do well, overall we tend to be more successful. However, I also believe that what we are good at often times is not what we 'want' to be good at. So, as you said, "we must be grateful and feel blessed for the strengths and skills we possess."

At the same time though, I think it's important to strive for the things we 'want' because it provides us with valuable life lessons. We always learn much more from a defeat than we do from a victory. I think it just comes down to having the right state of mind.

And no, unfortunately the picture isn't from New Paltz. I wish it was, but I didn't have the presence of mind to take any pics other than at the race :). I did put it on the page, though, because it reminded me a lot of the views from the tops of the mountains. Absolutely beautiful!

S. Kumar Arumugam said...

It is strange that I got the following email this morning:

Self-awareness
"As simple as it sounds, we must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given."
-Mary Lou Retton
It's these simple things that we need to remember. And if we can remember them every day, and apply them to our lives, then we thrive! We do know what the best choices are for us. We do know what our talents are. When we are self-aware it is natural for us to proceed keeping these things in mind. -Lissa Coffey

Dave said...

Those are two of the best quotes I've read regarding motivation and focus. I think I'm going to post those somewhere on the blog page. Also, as funny as it is, this entire passage could have been summed up in those two quotes!