May 22nd, 2020
Real life

“Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there.”
― Gary Snyder
From our youngest days, so many prescriptions are offered for life.
Do this, don't do that.
Go there, not somewhere else.
Get this job, not that one.
You don't always listen (if at all), but you hope, if you follow a well-worn path, you too might enjoy the same or a similar life.
I'd like to say that that was what it was like for me: a steady, guiding hand, making sure I didn't make too many wrong turns.
But it wasn't.
It was an unholy mess.
I wasted great gobs of my life pursuing first one blind alley and then another.
On one level, that's no more than anyone should expect. To make a few wrong turns in order to finally arrive at our chosen destination.
That's life, right?
Surely, though, it's not wrong to expect (who expects this might be a better question?) that, at some stage, you'll no longer have to keep running at full gas and the promised land will deliver all its promise?
Again, I can only talk from personal experience, but I still don't feel that's the case.
I'm making do — at best.
Why?
Why indeed?
A heady mix of things: fear, ennui, solemnity, my age and resigned acceptance.
But does it matter?
Does any of it matter?
On one level, of course it does. I only get one shot at this. On another level, who said that I wouldn't always feel that I'm living with a phantom twin who's constantly restless, out of tune with my extant reality?
( Collapse )My tweets
- Thu, 12:01: What a fantastic idea. I'll try to share mine later James. https://t.co/9wBpTf2qDE
- Thu, 12:08: Am I the only person in love with handpan music? https://t.co/ACEAxbWuPl
- Thu, 13:15: Thanks @TFWCoffeeHouse and @StefanPowell for the exemplary service and wonderful brew. Just in the nick of time: I… https://t.co/LFWfbovJCD
- Thu, 17:28: Amen to this / thank you Brigid for the wonderful reflection ❤️ https://t.co/ZatvKCg4UN
- Thu, 18:31: Earth Talks: Change Makers - Small steps to a big future with Mac Macartney https://t.co/oSJzEGd5pR https://t.co/NSrXnnuVTZ
- Thu, 19:03: A Wake in the World https://t.co/JxroqKOyMC https://t.co/uogs3zurvL
- Fri, 06:00: “It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which w… https://t.co/tpatWnnMib
- Fri, 06:44: Tis moody and dark this morning. My one picture. https://t.co/MhhO6WZtVO
- Fri, 07:30: Real life https://t.co/PWR5QbLxhI / today's blog offering https://t.co/mNpGZUlCDL
- Fri, 08:19: The Conspiracy Myth | Charles Eisenstein https://t.co/EUfj8m35lc https://t.co/MM1y5Hqw3y