“Life isn’t about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself.”
Think about it. Let it rest softly on your mind. Push it
about a bit. Gently. Fly over it, under it, around it. Ponder. Ready?
So much time we spend learning about things, stuff, facts,
each other, family, home, times. So much time spent wondering what we’re doing,
experiencing. What will we do tomorrow? And the day after that? Damn! What do I
want to do? Not just tomorrow or next week, but the rest of my life? What am I?
Who am I? Why am I?
The months and years go by as we experience each of them.
Not always knowing. Not always aware of where we are headed. Forward motion
accompanies us. We are purposed sometimes, often not; unaware of the who and
why; to say nothing of the what and how.
Experiences. We gather them. Uninvited mostly. We feel them
and live them. Some good enough to repeat, even practice. Until patterns shape
before us. The mind beginning to tag shapes; embrace them and keep them; sort
them and assign them values. Experiences as life passes; but more…accumulates
to role, and function and identity.
Identity. The me. The you and we.
Searching for meaning we call it. Not sure how much
searching there is; seems more like looking; passive, not active. Until one day
we wonder about it; try to think about it more concretely. The process is
repeated until we are active; truly searching; for what?...meaning, maybe. It
takes time, but eventually, ever so slowly, searching for self surfaces; and
then the search is really on!
Discovery is education. Finding self is education. Testing
the limits is education. Learning new things, linking them to others, this is
all education. But finding oneself is still passive. It is not shaping or
forming or action. It is just searching and finding; searching and finding. And
then thinking and expanding the ideas; growing concepts tumble forward from
this patterning. It seems like work. But it isn’t. It is passive.
George Bernard Shaw is right. Life is not about finding
yourself. That is only discovering yourself, becoming aware of yourself. It is
important. It is foundational. But it is not the end.
Shaw had it right by moving on to the next phrase: “Life is
about creating yourself.”
It is action, not passive. Creating is an intentional act; a
plan coupled with action to make something of the gifts we are given or born
with. It is thinking for ourselves. It is reaching out to others and adding our
energy with theirs to change outcomes. It is seeing the world for what more it
can become and making that happen. Whether we do so for selfish reasons or not
adds the dash that will become character. How noble will the self be? We can
choose that. We can hone it, shape it and nurture it. To what end? That is the
question. It is up to the self to determine; by using the choices and gifts in
permutations of blessing the final prize is birthed. What will it be? Become?
Do we ask ourselves to be all that we can be? Does our
culture prize this activity? Do we nurture the young to follow their paths with
dignity, honor, and purpose? Are we teaching discovery and finding? Or are we
agents of creation?
What do we need? What do we deserve?
March 4, 2012
One of your most thought provoking blogs George. Thank you for continuing to be a voice calling out in the darkness.
ReplyDeleteWe all are given problems and opportunities in life. Often the best opportunities are disguised as problems. Encouraging people to follow their own paths with dignity, honor, purpose and discovery are all part of the equation for a fulfilling and happy life.
I interpret purpose as not only finding our vocation but to include seeking a spiritual meaning for it all. From the time we're about five years old, we realize that we must find the answer to life's most important question. Why we are here so alive and intense but only for a short period of time then to disappear completely in an instant? A few of us get to became entries in history books and others get to leave behind their art but other than that we are forgotten. I agree that dignity, honor and purpose help us on our journey while we ponder this most important question in our lives.
I also agree that lifelong discovery is key. To me that means a willingness to periodically check the facts before rushing to judgement. This is very important given that we live in the age of spin. Seeking truth requires us to go beyond our own individual bias which can get deeper as we get older. Getting the full story on people and events before accepting the media spin is the hallmark of a truthseeker. It takes a keen mind to watch, listen and read while looking for the holes in the story. These brave people are willing look beyond what has been presented and go deeper without fear of what they might learn. It is my hope those in the media or that seek careers in the media will be turthseekers. This takes a special kind of person who is willing to forget their ego driven need to be right. Those that take the extra step to be fully informed, to hear both side of an issue, will ultimately be the problem solvers in our society. Bless them because they often face rejection from everyone.
I would also add that helping others and forgiveness finish the equation for a creating a fulfilling life. I was honored over the past few weeks to be on the receiving end of needing peoples help. So many people here in Warrenville and beyond helped me during numerous crises. These people were the very hands and hearts of all that is Good. Their generosity allowed Kevin and I to give the gift we wanted to give and I will never forget how much they made a difference in our lives.
Forgiveness is the final piece to my formula for creating a life with meaning. One thing we all have in common as humans is that we will be hurt by others. All war, hate, poverty and prejudice all stem from a lack of forgiveness. Many people who will implement all the above ways of being but resist forgiveness. They will hang on to their resentments because of the past wounds. They harden their hearts to "the others" and justify their feelings based on these wounds. What they don't realize is they can't heal themselves until they are willing to go beyond their personal pride and love their enemies with the understanding we've all been hurt. When I've been hurt by someone I try remember that they were once a little kid that got pushed down on the playground. I don't always succeed but I work toward that goal.
We could accomplish so much as humans if we could live with the courage to do all of the above. Dignity, honor, purpose, discovery and yes, forgiveness, the hardest one of all, must all be done to open the door to happiness.