I’m back to write more regularly here. I find the exercise relaxing, and returning to the site has allowed me to revisit its previous posts. It’s interesting to see what had grabbed my attention back then.
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Tag: thoughts
Sometimes, a book or other great work of art comes at you at just the right time. That’s how I feel with Island by Aldous Huxley. I’ve only just begun it, and am already admiring the prose and style of this one. Looks to be a good one.
“‘Here and now, boys’, shouted the bird.
But Will Farnaby was neither here nor now. He was there on the rock face, he was then at the dreadful moment of falling. The dry leaves rustled beneath him; he was trembling. Violently, uncontrollably, he was trembling from head to foot.”
Island (1962), Aldous Huxley
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On giving up
Giving up may be a more extreme way of saying “letting go”, but either way it’s an important thing to do from time to time.
By this I don’t mean giving up on one’s goals, ideals, or beliefs. I’m talking about giving up trying to be appear a certain way. To appear to be an expert in something that you’re only loosely familiar with. To appear to be “smart,” or “genuine”. It’s okay to be what you are as you work to improve and further yourself. It’s okay to accept that you’re not an expert and that you can ask questions. Otherwise, the chances are you’re only fooling yourself.
Let go of the idea of portraying yourself in a certain way. Ask questions even if you think it makes you feel dumb. Be willing to accept that it (usually) doesn’t matter how you come across. What matters is if you’re truly serious about being honest with yourself.
When you are, and when you give up the empty aim of trying to please or satisfy the expectations of others, only then will you really learn and grow.
Only then will things be real.
Sometimes the daily routine gets broken up a little bit, whether by design or by other priorities that arise. But it’s okay to move activities around a little in order to make things work.
Routines are important for me, but so is allowing for some flexibility when things happen. In that way you give yourself some leeway — and even some forgiveness — if you let a good habit slip once in awhile.
A reminder that we all have different gifts and capabilities. It’s up to us to use these special tools that we possess to make things better for those that we care about.
For ourselves, for our families and our friends. Even for strangers.
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Unknown masterpieces
In search of perfection — we all do it to varying degrees. Sometimes, it seems harmfully excessive as we strive towards some ideal standard.
And yet at other times, it seems almost necessary in order to appreciate not just the end result of all of our labours, but rather the doing itself. The small decisions and the little, seemingly insignificant actions that make up everyday life.
There’s a certain beauty that rests within the ongoing work we do to improve and enrich ourselves, our loved ones, and our surroundings.
It’s there even if doing those things may seem excessive or unnecessary to some. And it’s there even as we stumble our way forward.
We just have to remember to notice those moments and appreciate them as if they were already some ideal finished product.
Next up on the reading list is The Unknown Masterpiece, by Honoré de Balzac.
Categories
Illuminations
I have to de-clutter a bit around the office. There are too many random objects that have no business being near my work area. Like, a light bulb for instance. I really should dispose of it.
“But what if I need it later?,” I invariably ask myself. I know that I won’t need it. I should probably test it out to see if it even works, and then decide what to do with it.
Maybe tomorrow.
And so, it continues.
Starting the day with a renewed appreciation for all of the important people and things in life. There are too many other distractions and competing calls for our attention, and there’s just so little time to devote to what’s really important.
Put away any thoughts of your busy schedule, the dread of some impending deadline, and the constant doom-scrolling on some social media app. Instead, remember to reset your priorities and become aware, again, of all of the good things that are around you.
Realizing that things that might have bothered you in the past no longer have that effect. Time has brought with it some new perspective, and your awareness of what’s really important automatically take over now in moments such as these.
The things that might have created a conflict in the past no longer carry any weight at all.
And that’s pretty freeing.