Sooner or later, we learn to give the reins back to life and let its heartbeat guide us. It's the way it was always meant to be, but somewhere down the line, either we were told or led to believe that this isn't the way.
You have to put work towards anything. That's a universal fact. Every living entity has a duty to the earth, and the earth, to the rest of the cosmos, but you also have to trust the process.
That very process is why you and I are here today. It's the source of all things.
You may ask, what is the source?
I've asked myself many times what it is that's responsible for all things, and in my contemplation, I've come to the same underpinning.
It doesn't matter.
To want to know or try to know is clever. To think you know is even more clever. However, to live in harmony with the realization that you may never know is where I feel a bit of wisdom lies. It's a place where fear and hope break bread. The hope that something beyond exists, and the fear that it may not.
Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” I guess not combing your hair can bring about hints of clairvoyance.
What I thought was important, isn't as much anymore. Things have gotten a bit more clear. It's been about a month since my wife and I created our new roommate. Aside from the never-ending cuteness in my life, it's really something to see my daughter see everything that I've seen, for the first time.
Perhaps this is one of many reasons people enjoy having children. As they see the world for the first time, we kinda do too. It's like watching your favorite movie with someone you admire, who hasn't seen it. Instead of the movie bringing you delight, it's seeing the person watching it for the first time that does.
I don't think having children is a necessity to see the world in a new light. It's just another beautiful chapter in my life.
With that being said, I wanted to share a few insights that I've gathered as of late. As with everything I write, I sincerely hope that it does your spirit well. In a world where attention is a commodity, I appreciate you spending some of your valuable moments with me.
I'm Trusting in the Process and Will Let My Words Guide Me
Writing has always been a creative outlet. However, it's also brought about fear. Fear of not being understood, ruffling feathers or the myriad of other things that cause one to not show up as themselves.
I'm making a change here, by making a promise to myself to search for what's good in me and share that with you, irrespective of what emotions it may garner.
Trusting in the process also means eliminating things that are constantly in the way. For me, and maybe for you, it's worrying less about the future, because regardless of the worry, it will come.
Maybe the cause for your worry is the stones that you've been carrying that don't belong to you. I'm sure you know the things that keep you down.
Lighten your load.
I am.
I have to.
Most of Life Is Boring, but It Doesn’t Have to Be
I love taking ordinary things and seeing how extraordinary they can be. You can bring this frame of mind anywhere at any time.
Take eggs, for example. There’s nothing special about them. You throw them into a pan. Once they stop moving, you serve. However, what if you heat the pan on medium, place a generous dollop of clarified butter into the pan, whip your eggs to perfection, season liberally with salt, tarragon, and chives like the French, and watch the silky yolks waltz in the pan as they coat themselves with the butter, finally finishing into velvety bliss.
You see what I mean, ordinary to the extraordinary.
Good Things Take Time, No Need to Rush
Rome wasn’t built in a day. There is no such thing as 6-minute abs, and the majestic mountains of Appalachia took a billion years to form.
Good things take time.
To conquer anything, be it our minds, health, or the dirt and dust behind your refrigerator - time, effort, and a whole lotta suck are needed ingredients to make good things happen. You may think your time is running out.
Throw that mindless philosophy in the trash.
You and I are here right now, existing together, with this shared moment.
This moment that doesn’t discriminate against any of the things you so foolishly do.
Laugh at Everything You Can as Much as You Can
I cleaned the bathroom the other day, and my wife noticed a few smudges on the mirror that I missed. This caused me to think, which can be deliriously dangerous.
Would the smudges be upset that they didn’t dissolve in glass cleaner with the rest of their smudge family?
Maybe the smudge gives the mirror some character. Maybe the job of the smudges is to brighten someone’s day.
Let me tell you what I mean.
Say you’re looking into the mirror and wearing your favorite shirt, and you see there’s a stain. As you attempt to remove the stain, you find out it’s the mirror's smudge and your shirt is as beautiful as it ever was.
Now you’re relieved thanks to the smudge and you appreciate your shirt, your day, and generally your life so much more.
I hate when smudges get smudged, don’t you?
Finding laughter every day is a fun challenge. It helps me to take myself and others less seriously.
According to a certain British funny man, comedy is where the mind goes to tickle itself.
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At times, it may seem like life is running away from us, but maybe all that means is that we should stop running. The boring moments can stir up something beautiful. Anything can become a miracle because it truly is.
With love,
Anand