Suffering in Life

A comment was made in jest at work today: “life sucks and then you die.” It sat with me long after, even though it was a throwaway comment of frustration concerning one aspect of the person’s life.

There is indeed suffering in this life; it might even be inescapable. Attachment certainly breeds it, and perhaps the powerful physical forces of the universe, outside our control, utterly and completely prevent any permutation of reality without suffering.

And yet, we are alive. We’re turned on. We get to sense and feel and experience. How could we possibly yearn for darkness compared to this? No one knows what’s beyond the veil, what’s possible in the void or whether we are still “here.” It seems prudent to practice gratitude for life, to fully appreciate and experience all that this incredible universe has to offer. Because it’s amazing. And we have the power to make it even better, together.

Reality Removal

I think it’s funny how I sometimes feel life is hard, when I realistically have it better than 90% of the planet. Life for me can be stressful, but in the end, humans adapt to their circumstances. Life is much harder when you are solely concerned with your next meal each day, when you are continuously seeking the next source of shelter. That is still a daily reality for hundreds of millions of people. But we adapt to what we know; there is no other pathway in life. The best we can do is attempt to remove ourself from the enticing reality blinding our sight, and try to consider beyond. There are micro-strategies to empower us to do that. We do it at a global scale… and that’s when true, transcendent change can happen.

News Awareness and Perspective Change

Twitter and the online news world is full of toxicity. The negativity permeates to every facet of the zeitgeist, with public figures complaining about or criticizing the political opposition. I’ve found it creeps into my own consciousness when I scroll for too long or visit too frequently. I don’t know what the solution is, but there can surely be alternatives. Our species has difficult, important problems to solve, and we must reach a critical mass of awareness, and interest, to address them. How can we facilitate the dispersal of information, while still promoting a unified perspective of our planet’s place in the universe?

Weekend Trips

A weekend away takes the blues away. It’s incredible how we can easily travel hundreds of miles away for just a few days, experience a completely different environment and spend time in it, and return home, all in less than 100 hours for not that much money. It’s an accessible option for millions of people. And it not only provides a fun getaway, but a chance to see two places and their cultures juxtaposed against one another. What if the solution is just to go to another state or country for a weekend once a year?

Primal Desert

Walking in the desert offers opportunity for reflection. Even in a group, passing through cactus fields among the red dust, there is solitude, if you seek it. The desert is primal. It’s you and the Earth in its most basic form. I always look forward to going, and I yearn to return. Until next time Sedona.

Red Rock Return

Sedona is special. I don’t know how else to describe the red rock, the unique desert vegetation, the wind whipping around the mountains. The miles and miles of trails. The incredibly friendly locals. My heart feels full here, hiking the mesas with my partner. I feel one with the Earth here. Sedona, you have my gratitude.

Different St. Patty’s

Saint Patrick’s Day was an important day for my Granny. It was an opportunity to be proud of her heritage and share it with her family. We would gather at her house each year, indulging in corned beef and cabbage, some half and half’s, and of course, a wee bit of Irish whiskey. I’m certainly not Christian, but she would say the Irish Prayer.

It was a tradition for our family, one that she wholly created for us. For the first time in my life, today is different.

Granny I think about you every day still, but especially on this day, one of your favorites. Thank you for being an amazing host on a fun day for our family. Thank you for being a wonderful role model for me growing up. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Have I ever told you?

Breakups

Routines can be powerful mechanisms to increase discipline, productivity, and positive momentum toward a desired outcome. The myriad of habit books, and their enormous sales, shows that. But a breakup of routine, unexpected and brief, forced upon you by circumstances, can also be useful, let alone fun. We can see the world from a different perspective on an ordinary Thursday when weather forces an alternative format for the day. And how insulated we have become to the ever changing serendipity of the world. Sometimes, it can be nice to break through the mundane, to see what’s on the other side.

Diminished Expectations

Is it bad to expect good things to happen? That sounds silly right? Of course we want to expect positive things to occur in our lives, in our day ahead. Hope is integral to the human condition. But I’ve also found, at least when going about the day-to-day, reducing my expectations enables me to appreciate all of the minute, wonderful things that happen constantly. Making that green light. Enjoying the taste and warmth of your coffee. Having the chance to observe a bird for a moment. There are beautiful, amazing things occurring all the time, every day. Because life is beautiful and amazing. We have to slow down to see it. And we have to alter our perspective to not expect everything to go our way all the time, so that when things do, we can feel true, satisfying gratitude.

Consequences of Travel

Going places old and new offers opportunity to grow as a human being while growing one’s life experience. When people travel, they go out and do things, and no matter how small, the environment contains inherent differences, meaning they are exposed to newness, the unknown. Being comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity strengthens independence, confidence, and perspective. Travel challenges people to be better.

Beautiful Morning

I was enamored with the natural world this morning. The sunrise was sublime, with the clouds reflecting the early morning light coming over the eastern rolling hills. You could see the moon clearly, its radiance capturing the rest of the sky. I saw a mother duck lead five ducklings down the creek on my walk. It was warm, and the sky changed frequently. It was bliss. We live on such an amazing world. It’s better when you enjoy it.

Together We Will Be

There are good people in the world. And there are bad people, or, people who don’t understand the full extent of it. Not to say the good people “get” it, but from a far enough vantage point, it becomes interesting. We are who we think we can be, together.

Babies Attack

Babies are everywhere! It is a dark time for the unparented, as children lurk in every corner. The childless couple tries to navigate this treacherous landscape, but the little cuties won’t let them out of their path of terror. Their only hope is to embrace the chaos and restore a balance to the universe, through child’s play, a sanity check, and an overall embrace of life. Their story continues…

Animal Communication

Animal companionship is a wonderful element of living on Earth. Humans are animals, whether we think of ourselves as such or not, and we have a tremendous capacity to communicate with other species due to our intelligence and accumulated knowledge. There’s something tantalizing about cross-species communication. Many of us only have opportunities with a few other species, pets or domesticated animals. But it’s possible in the wild as well. How lucky we are on this planet, to enjoy it with so many other organisms. Earth is incredible: one big beautiful amazing world.

Reading Everyday

For whatever reason I talked about the act of reading twice today. Once to reference a truly impressive achievement of our species: the global literacy rate over time. The second, an epiphany, was that once each person learns to read, she never stops reading for the rest of her life. We read every single day, whether it’s on our phones, sign posts, or written down on paper. And as long as there’s reading, there will be writing.

Youthful Moment

Does the refusal to give up the feeling of invincibility represent the last vestiges of youth? The last scraps of physicality are still there, still visible, in small ways. This thought train came across me today as I wondered about my own abilities. I think it helps to see the larger spectrum of time, of which we only experience one fleeting moment. But it’s our moment to love and enjoy together.

Information Balance

It feels like many are simply tired, of the constant stimulus of the news and social media, of the negativity permeated by both. I’ve tried multiple times to strike a balance for myself personally, and have not yet been successful. There has got to be a way to remain informed while staying positive and upbeat about the future of our world. It’s up to us after all. I’ll keep searching for it, because I refuse to stop believing.

Restful Perspective

The times for rest can be so peaceful, when you’re ready to recharge. It’s in these moments I think about the world and what we’re doing as a species. For some reason, while at rest it’s easier to see and to wonder. What are we doing well? What can we do better? When we all take the time to reflect, we can make better choices that serve us all.

Home Bound

Nothing beats coming home to a soft warm bed. I love traveling and I enjoy going on trips with friends, but being home is where I belong. And we can all buy into that.

Off to Reno

Even the smaller trips can be exciting. I’ve never been to Reno, and even though I’m told it’s not the most glamorous destination, I’m still eager to experience it for the first time. And what’s better than exploring a new place with a group of friends? To visiting new places and making new memories, here we go.