(a random collection of thoughts that occurred this year.)
- about TIME… and just about how limited it really is. Yes, I’m talking about mortality, folks. I was talking to a friend the other day and we were discussing how our perception of time has shifted. When we were younger it seemed infinite. (“We’ve got time, dude… lots of it!” ) Then we get to the late 30’s and early 40’s and there is a sudden rush to “get it all done”… the ticking gets louder and no matter what accomplishments we might have achieved to that point, they all seem miniscule and insignificant. So, we go on “a doing rampage” of sorts… which ends up (for the most part) to just be noise simply because what we get into has little purpose or focus and we are doing just for the sake of doing .Now that I’m approaching my mid-50’s it’s different. Multi-tasking to accomplish has given way to the economy of deliberate action. The loud ticking clock is still there but even that has become background noise. The shift from quantity has been replaced with quality. That’s where I stand now… but let’s see how long that will last.
- about BELIEF SYSTEMS. Growing up in Malaysia when I did, impressed upon me that diversity was a good thing. OK… let me qualify that a little further: diversity with a healthy dose of mutual respect is a good thing. The differences (and variety) produced a richness to one’s everyday life… at least it did to mine. (The added bonus was that the major feast days of Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity were public holidays.) There was never any doubt that everyone was ultimately pursuing the same goal in different ways… namely, a good life. The latest shift to a “mine is better than yours” attitude that has crept into the culture at such alarming levels worldwide over the last 15 years or so is troubling to say the least. Even non-believers are not immune to this petty pissing match. It is really none of my concern what you believe (even if it involves non-belief) and to quote Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?” Look, I am aware that tension has always existed between belief systems but the human race has always been at it’s best when working together as… fellow humans. To the believers I will repeat this… no one owns the exclusive franchise to the almighty… I will add… the almighty does not need help… we do. So, instead of harming let’s get on to the helping part. And when I mean help I do not mean “saving his or her soul” but helping in a very practical human way. To the non-believers… your tradition goes back as far as the believers… and it also deals with an absolute that has caused suffering and death… so lighten up.
I’ll stop here for now. Perhaps there will be more in another post.