Did you ever wonder what you are doing here ? I don't mean here on earth necessarily, but where in your life you are. I sometimes feel like I am standing at the end of a path and staring at the beginning of another. I just don't know where the new path is supposed to take me. I hesitate to take that first step , all the while feeling like I need to do so. It is not that I feel pressured or pushed, it is just a hesitation. I do not want to leave things behind, yet am acutely aware I can not take everything with me either. Perhaps that is a product of aging, that awareness. Learning to let go takes maturity and understanding. It is similar to learning to share our toys and maybe that is where it begins. Learning to enjoy the happiness of others even at our own expense.
The thing that occupies my thoughts most often is being forgotten. I do not want to be forgotten. I think that is true of all of us. We all want to be remembered. It is only in the choice of how we choose to be recalled that makes us different. Some choose to leave behind the tangible evidence of their existence. Those folks build things, some even build empires ! Others choose to write down their thoughts and hope to leave that in their stead. Leaving behind the intangibles requires a measure of faith. How long can those survive ? In all of recorded history how many names can be recalled based solely on those intangibles ? Jesus has to top the list. My religious training, if that is what you choose to call it, urges me to emulate his actions. I should try to be like Jesus.
It is the desire to be remembered by the masses that occupy our thoughts. The importance of your existence is measured by the number who mourn. Isn't that the perception ? I am saddened when I see a funeral service and it is only attended by a few. It does cause me to think about that. I wonder if the deceased are aware. Will I know ? Will I even care ? Will it make a difference ? Rational thought tells me the answer to all three is no. But, I'm not writing about being rational, I'm writing about feelings. Feelings are not always rational things. Sometimes we foolishly think we can predict feelings based upon past experiences only to discover how wrong we are. Happens more often than not,. The feeling we call " love " is most often cited as an excuse for irrational behaviors. We act out of love ! We all want to be loved. Love is the elusive thing we call " immortality " that we all seek. Love is the feeling, being " immortal " is the goal.
When I wrote that first line, " did you ever wonder what you are doing here " I was thinking about just that. What are you doing to secure your immortality ? What actions are you taking ? Are you building or writing. Do you hope to leave the tangible or intangible ? On which do you place the greater value ? I think for many of us it is not a fear of dying, that's inevitable, but the fear of being forgotten. We all need to feel reassured that we are of consequence in the world. How can we feel this reassurance ?
I believe it begins with learning to share. It may begin with our toys but ends with objects far more valuable. The intangible things in life must be shared as well. Learning to share those " feelings " with your fellow man, not for gain or profit, but for your own comfort is the answer. Do not be selfish with your compassion, spread it generously. In this way, compassion will be returned to you. Just what are you doing ? It is a question I ask myself constantly. To grasp the intangible is the beginning of understanding. Sharing it is security.
I will add this much. It is far easier for me to write down these thoughts than to practice them. The " intangibles " are very difficult to get a grip on. Feelings are easily hurt and other feelings take their place. When you have lots of " toys " the loss isn't so great. The loss of your " favorite " however is quite another matter. That loss is sentimental. Sentiment is a product of memory. We all want to be remembered. The question is, how ?
The thing that occupies my thoughts most often is being forgotten. I do not want to be forgotten. I think that is true of all of us. We all want to be remembered. It is only in the choice of how we choose to be recalled that makes us different. Some choose to leave behind the tangible evidence of their existence. Those folks build things, some even build empires ! Others choose to write down their thoughts and hope to leave that in their stead. Leaving behind the intangibles requires a measure of faith. How long can those survive ? In all of recorded history how many names can be recalled based solely on those intangibles ? Jesus has to top the list. My religious training, if that is what you choose to call it, urges me to emulate his actions. I should try to be like Jesus.
It is the desire to be remembered by the masses that occupy our thoughts. The importance of your existence is measured by the number who mourn. Isn't that the perception ? I am saddened when I see a funeral service and it is only attended by a few. It does cause me to think about that. I wonder if the deceased are aware. Will I know ? Will I even care ? Will it make a difference ? Rational thought tells me the answer to all three is no. But, I'm not writing about being rational, I'm writing about feelings. Feelings are not always rational things. Sometimes we foolishly think we can predict feelings based upon past experiences only to discover how wrong we are. Happens more often than not,. The feeling we call " love " is most often cited as an excuse for irrational behaviors. We act out of love ! We all want to be loved. Love is the elusive thing we call " immortality " that we all seek. Love is the feeling, being " immortal " is the goal.
When I wrote that first line, " did you ever wonder what you are doing here " I was thinking about just that. What are you doing to secure your immortality ? What actions are you taking ? Are you building or writing. Do you hope to leave the tangible or intangible ? On which do you place the greater value ? I think for many of us it is not a fear of dying, that's inevitable, but the fear of being forgotten. We all need to feel reassured that we are of consequence in the world. How can we feel this reassurance ?
I believe it begins with learning to share. It may begin with our toys but ends with objects far more valuable. The intangible things in life must be shared as well. Learning to share those " feelings " with your fellow man, not for gain or profit, but for your own comfort is the answer. Do not be selfish with your compassion, spread it generously. In this way, compassion will be returned to you. Just what are you doing ? It is a question I ask myself constantly. To grasp the intangible is the beginning of understanding. Sharing it is security.
I will add this much. It is far easier for me to write down these thoughts than to practice them. The " intangibles " are very difficult to get a grip on. Feelings are easily hurt and other feelings take their place. When you have lots of " toys " the loss isn't so great. The loss of your " favorite " however is quite another matter. That loss is sentimental. Sentiment is a product of memory. We all want to be remembered. The question is, how ?
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