Don Quixote

 A simple minded man of noble birth wandering the land of old seeking good deeds to do. Imagining the possible where it is unrealistic. Seeking the utopian? Mending fences broken or falling apart? Or finding lasting purpose in life?

The theme is simple. And entertaining. Cervantes’ novel was rich and well-read in its day. It made it into film, Broadway musical and ballet. It is now legend. It remains an icon to ponder.

What is the meaning of life? What is a purposeful life? Who am I? You?

Quixote…Am I that person? Are you?

The imagining of possible is a mighty motivator for the visionary, the dreamer, the builder.

The opposite can also be true – not imagining or dreaming. What then are the outcomes? Living what is present? Living in the moment? Accepting what is visible? Doing the routine obvious tasks? Living on what has been provided? Is there any forward thinking capable of this existence?

Or maybe the true opposite is the destroyer, the destruction of dreams, buildings and other physical monuments?

Huh! Those three modes pose unhappy possibilities. The last being the worst. The middle though, needs pondering. Living in the moment has its rewards. We often rush through the present without valuing it. Existence is made up of those moments; to ignore any of them seems a rejection of the now. Do that long enough and what do you have? A bunch of nothing?

But a smell of flowers, food cooking, fresh air and nature’s perfumes is a cause for joy. So too, the taste of foods and nectars! And love. Feeling. Sensing. Experiencing life in its many offerings.

Dreaming is an allure to potential. Possible. It creates visions of what could be, ought to be. From that we have yearning to make it happen, create the better of us. Lift up each other to a better place. Experience life in a fuller aspect. Be the more we have promise of being.

Sound trite? Or meaningful?

Don Quixote didn’t bother to live the present; he only pressed onward for the pure and best.

Where are we in this struggle? Are we visionary, builder, destroyer or denizen of now?

What do the times call us to be? What ought we be doing?

Don Quixote knows.

October 1, 2020