one thousand words daily
Day 7: the little things
It takes
a certain type of awareness for an individual to come to a realization that
they too, like the sidewalk dandelion, like the baby bird, like most things perceived
smaller than us, are quite fragile.
Fragility is often looked upon in different societies and cultures as a
weakness. However, being aware of our sensitivities in all things guides us to
become stronger and prepared for whatever outcome might arise. Even blades of grass in their state of mercy
if stepped on, seem to bounce back. When
we cut grass, I am told that the smell we smell, you know, that wonderful smell
is actually them releasing a scream in the form of a smell from being cut. Human life, as best as we understand it, has
its limits, such as speed, strength, intellect as well as the time allotted to
exist in physical form.
open your eyes to the
miracle of life
These
are limits which we love to push and test and although things are what they
are, the miracle of life and the existence of small miraculous things cannot,
in any way be discounted. As I
communicate to many folks through conversation and wisdom sharing, I like to remind
them of these miracles, these small overstepped things that we often take for
granted. Using the example of a handful
of soil, I remind “you can take a handful of dirt and guaranteed that it holds
many if not all of the nutrients we need for survival, the iron, copper, zinc
and other minerals.” In relation to how
difficult it is for anything to live in this world, I use the example of weeds
and grass, that if they do not find adequate soil or a secure nestled place and
if they cannot grab a few drops of water or even morning dew drops, that they
will soon die. Life as I remind requires
attention and love and that it is a miracle for any living thing to exist.
on a positive foot, a
positive path
In birth
there are things that grab our attention, such as a new tree sprouting up from
seed, a new birth in the family or by friends as well as the opportunity for new
horizons and growth. Along with birth,
death still has its beauty as well. Some
would argue as “There is nothing gracious or luxury in death, that some of us
die in pain and often die alone.” My
rebuttal for that negative shit is simple, that it simply does not have to be
like that if you don’t want it to be so, lonely and miserable. We cannot plan our lives to a perfect “T” nor
can we anticipate the coming of harsh medical conditions or the transition of
death.
We also
cannot account for others reactions and emotions. What we can do is live to our full out best
polishing our potential, so that hopefully when those times come, we will be
supported and hopefully will not be alone.
Last night, while I was parked in my van, using the free wifi at motel
6, I was approached by a young guy looking for his skateboarding pals. He was worried about them, since they had to
leave in the early morning. A few moments later they returned and I discovered
that they were just visiting the states from Canada, on a little vacation.
The
gentlemen ranged from age 18 to the oldest, which was 21 and they all met each
other at a church group. Eager and full
of questions they rattled my brain from questions as to, “why other people on
the street do not talk like I do and do not express things with a hope-filled
and positive attitude as they noticed in me?
My answer was simple, that #1, I’m not on drugs, and #2 that everyone
experiences some type of struggle and what separates is the ability to learn
and grow from the struggle. We talked
about Christianity, religion and I brought up some cultural truths, about
America and the will to be able to dream and realize those dreams. I explained that many folks do not believe in
miracles and simply digest what the media as well as what their society tells
them to believe. The question of love
was brought up and I dug in!
Upon
leaving, one of the last things I told them was that Love is one of the
strongest things we know of, sharper than any knife, any sword and more
powerful than any bomb. I relayed to
them that things come and go and that love is inherently passed down from
generations through cultural memory and genetics. Also for this reason I was able to explain
why love is perceived to be one of the most dangerous forces to certain ways of
thinking, such as the choice to dream and want more than what is offered, for a
more quality existence. I used the
example of how with love, individuals are forced to think about more than just
their selves. If someone is conditioned
to produce, for a certain government, business or group of individuals that
selfishness by means of self-progress is stressed instead of the “golden rule,”
as well as communal thinking in a community sense, which benefits all whether
directly or indirectly.
being kind: the
natural thing to do, right where you are.
It is the
little things which make life enjoyable, the “Thank yous” the “your welcomes,” along with common methods of help which are
now considered “Random Acts of Kindness,” that build communities and push
societies morally as well as economically forward. Being kind is inherent
within all human beings as it is a means at getting not just what we want but
as a community, helping others grow towards their goals and eventually when it
comes back to us, finding what we need. It
is the pat on the back the person saying “Awesome, good job,” and other
endearing human gestures which remind us of our worth. We can all determine our own sense of “Worth,”
as in what we do for ourselves, others and how we choose to spend our priceless
time. Never, and I mean Never let
another convince you that you are worthless.
Although some might not realize or let alone grasp the ability to find their
purpose on this planet or realize why we are here, there are concrete reasons
that make sense. Reasons for being where
we are, and where we are supposed to be in life, as in what we could or should
be doing are all around us.
Some
might get epiphanies, seek job resources, and fill out questionnaires to find
what works for them. Some choose to
experiment by taking different classes or even travel abroad until they find
the niche in life that best suits them.
Then there are those that we can clearly see that “have a calling,”
almost a divine reason for being chosen to do what they do so well, a sort of “mission”
in life. It is these folks that accept
their gifts, whether built, learned or inherent in their daily being. One thing I know for certain is that when our
final curtain is closed and the pages fail to turn in the book that is us, is that
we better leave something good and positive behind to look at and remember us
by. Let us all hope for the impossible, reach towards those breathing dreams
and never neglect to notice… the little things.
