(previously posted on January 19, 2013)
(from about 1998, before my Dad passed)
“The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.” “Our job is to straighten out our own lives.” “When everything is lost and all seems darkness, then comes the new life and all that is needed.”–Joseph Campbell
April 2007: After my mother died then, I experienced the reflectiveness of orphanhood and jotted down some bearings which I re-record and share here.
What about “Me”? (in no particular order)
-How much longer will I live? How and when will I die?
-How long and how much do I want to continue to work? At what point, is work interfering with more important things?
-What things need doing? should be done while there is time and personal energy?
-Travel–where and while able
-What are the `missing pieces`, the unfulfilled dreams?
……………………………………………..
What Are People Most Afraid Of? (in no particular order)
-cancer, serious painful illness
-death
-lack of money to survive
-losing their worlds
-aloneness, loneliness, isolation
-not being or never having been loved
………………………………………..
What Is the Crap of the World?
-greed
-gossip
-toxic people: lies, dishonesty with self and others, personal and social hypocrisy
-lack of common sense, stupidity, and personally choosing these two
-pursuit of sex and money to the exclusion of all else
-games/manipulation and control of others: treating others like shit
-selling of everything, advertising everywhere, exploitation of others for profit
-material acquisition per se, `show`
-betrayal (how often is there no way way back or forward after betrayal?)
-thinking one is better and superior to all others (EGO)–feeling privileged, entitled
-inability to listen to others–total selfishness; I am IT: there is no one else
-overindulgence and intemperance–junk food, smoking, drinking, drugs, lack of exercise
-bureaucracy, red tape
-politics and politics over everything else
What Is Good?
-family, friends: their loyalty, support, protection, nurturing
-people who actually listen and help others
-good luck and good timing (never discount these)
-nature, natural beauty–birds, animals, pets, landscapes
-excellence in choices and one`s skills or talents
-those things that work, that one can usually or always rely on
-useful, helpful fulfilling work and its distractions–how it satisfies self
-having someone or something one is really looking forward to
-love, its distracting involvements, and healing powers
-good food, clean air, enough good sleep, health, enough exercise and exercise variety
-larger spiritual matters–deep inner nourishment of the soul
-culture and civilization via literature, music, the arts
-the ability to distract and entertain someone else