Synopsis
Amidst love and security, the mind can flourish.
Today it did.
Free to imagine, frivolously and purposefully, and also to contemplate the experiences of threats, solutions, distractions, and beauty, I now feel the satisfaction of a small but significant piece of progress of personal pondering.
The old adages are true, and experiencing realizations of their wisdom first hand never really gets old: The strength of my knowing lies with knowing just how little I know.
I can only summarize the results of the thoughts that have come from this long, tiring day of traveling, but it is important to do so. The momentum is hard to ignore.
As we age, we gain an ability to better grasp the complexities of existence - particularly those of our own. The web of connections is truly beyond our ability to comprehend. As Descartes illustrated, some thoughts are like wrapping your arms around a tree, and others are like trying to wrap your arms around a mountain - you'll only ever be able to barely touch, and vaguely conceive of the truth behind certain things in our universe.
Sometimes you try because you are looking for solutions to complex problems. But there comes a point where it is just too much. This is where you must accept: You are a cog, simply a cog, in a great and terrible machine. But the better you interact with all the parts around you, the better the machine becomes, even if only on a small level. The lubricant that allows for this is tolerance, and the active treasuring of all the things which you have the luxury of holding dear in your life. Do this, and help others do this, as much as possible. Wherever these are blocked, do what you can to dissolve the obstacle. Consider the hierarchy of needs - it's a good place to start. Then apply gratitude from the bottom up, liberally. And above all, remain open, flexible, and humble. The complex web has somehow allowed you these luxuries, and they could very easily be gone in a moment, so realize what strength there is in what they teach you, if not the things themselves. Anything less is Pete Maravich's alcoholism (a reminder for me).
A Catholic priest practicing Islam.
A fluid identity is the most solid.
The freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and never fail - never regret.
Love of the people around you.
Now.
Today it did.
Free to imagine, frivolously and purposefully, and also to contemplate the experiences of threats, solutions, distractions, and beauty, I now feel the satisfaction of a small but significant piece of progress of personal pondering.
The old adages are true, and experiencing realizations of their wisdom first hand never really gets old: The strength of my knowing lies with knowing just how little I know.
I can only summarize the results of the thoughts that have come from this long, tiring day of traveling, but it is important to do so. The momentum is hard to ignore.
As we age, we gain an ability to better grasp the complexities of existence - particularly those of our own. The web of connections is truly beyond our ability to comprehend. As Descartes illustrated, some thoughts are like wrapping your arms around a tree, and others are like trying to wrap your arms around a mountain - you'll only ever be able to barely touch, and vaguely conceive of the truth behind certain things in our universe.
Sometimes you try because you are looking for solutions to complex problems. But there comes a point where it is just too much. This is where you must accept: You are a cog, simply a cog, in a great and terrible machine. But the better you interact with all the parts around you, the better the machine becomes, even if only on a small level. The lubricant that allows for this is tolerance, and the active treasuring of all the things which you have the luxury of holding dear in your life. Do this, and help others do this, as much as possible. Wherever these are blocked, do what you can to dissolve the obstacle. Consider the hierarchy of needs - it's a good place to start. Then apply gratitude from the bottom up, liberally. And above all, remain open, flexible, and humble. The complex web has somehow allowed you these luxuries, and they could very easily be gone in a moment, so realize what strength there is in what they teach you, if not the things themselves. Anything less is Pete Maravich's alcoholism (a reminder for me).
A Catholic priest practicing Islam.
A fluid identity is the most solid.
The freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and never fail - never regret.
Love of the people around you.
Now.
posted by Jasper C. Coligny at 11:03 PM
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