There are enormous numbers of people in this world who put a lot of identity and stock in the following:
-youthfulness
-fashion 'sense'
-status
-luxurious things for the sake of having luxurious things
-trying to 'be somebody'
-trying to be 'interesting' and unique in a world of 7 billion + humans
-how everyone else around them thinks of them and their status/possessions
-being entertaining or desirable
I have been so done with giving a shit about all of that for quite some time. Sure, I enjoy nice things, or I might have fun picking out a cool outfit for some occasion. But there is no obsession or stress about these things. As a teenager I cared more about an expensive car, in theory. I've since learned that any car can become ordinary if you drive it enough. I care about a reliable car that gets me from A to B well enough.
The point is, none of that stuff is what really matters. On my death bed, I won't wish I had got around to obtaining a certain kind of car, or a certain 'notoriety' among humans.
I do however, hope that, on my death bed, I will look back and feel like I did as much good as I could have-- given my physical/mental/emotional/psychological limitations and human shortcomings--and loved as deeply as was possible, and learned at every opportunity I could grasp onto.
Remember -- beauty is most often something that takes more than just a second to really see and observe, and real beauty often has a lot more to do with what you do not immediately see than it has to do with lovely exteriors. And what about those things we call 'meaning'..., 'purpose'? Oh, those you don't discover easily, they aren't very often the thing you're just born understanding. We all have a journey to figure out what that is for ourselves.
Some beautiful people and beautiful things in this world come from ugliness or even evil. Some beautiful things and beautiful people in this world come from and emanate beauty at a great depth. A lot of it is mixed.
Saying I am beautiful is like shaking my hand. It's a human-to-human friendly gesture, no more. I'm not hugely complimented, since I know that statement is said lacking any knowledge of WHO I AM. A lot of people are beautiful on the outside, and are still people that once you know them, you realize it's best to stay away. It compliments me far more to have someone share that they were moved, or learned something, from a gradually built relationship with me over time. That has meaning. I know that until someone really knows me, I'm another 'pretty face'. So what?
What do you really care about in life? Live like that.
Who do you really value? Show that.
Why do you admire who you admire? Make sure it's for decent reasons. I would hate to be a 'celebrity' solely on the grounds for being a pretty face, and certain celebrities who didn't ask for the attention they got have expressed a similar sentiment.
Why would YOU want to be admired? If your answers involve physique, money, or having nice things, you're empty.
There's a lot of empty bullshit in this world, don't be another vacuous thing filling space and consuming for the sake of being a consumer.
And don't concern yourself with whether you're normal or abnormal. Concern yourself with what is good or right. Sometimes, you'll blend with the herd, but if you're being true to you, that shouldn't matter. Sometimes you'll stand out like a sore thumb, but if you're true to goodness and truth, that won't matter. Comparison games fail you at every turn, and they lead to those big holes people call 'depression' and 'break downs'.
There's a whole lot of noise out there, guys. Don't become it. Listen for signals, signals point to something. Be a signal to something that matters more than just 'some neat stuff'.
I suspect that things like the "midlife crisis" routine is some people suddenly realizing that for all the focus on what they GOT so far, they forgot to focus on what they ARE so far. But what you ARE, Amanda, is infinitely more than anything that anyone could ever "get." The world needs as many people as possible who are trying to BE more, instead of just trying to HAVE more. In other words, more people like you. :)
As an artist, I used to worry about being unique and different, but new and unique was always emphasized by everyone, I realized how egoic it was. Not everything needs to be “groundbreaking” and different, with so many billions of people, trying to show your uniqueness becomes tedious and almost meaningless. So much of it comes from the idea of marketability, the market always wants something NEW to sustain itself. Now I just focus on being real. People say it’s different, ok. People say it sounds like this or that, ok.
I feel content as long as I know I’m being true to myself.
Followed ;-)
Very nice post. Carry on
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Hey I found the channel. I was just talking with my son about something Jim Carry said in relation to how you can be lonely when trying to impress everyone else. The materialism of western society is. I asked my son if his life was a book, what does he feel he's written so far in it. He wasn't sure what to say. I figure to ask him again in 2 years when he has to go to college. I think most people even my age would have a heard time answering that question.
It's been my observation that individuals can't "be" anything but unique and at the same time nobody is special. Some of us can remember when someone else, usually an adult pulled us aside and explained how it's not enough to just "be", now you have to be "something". Eckhart Tolle discusses this trap in greatest detail as a cornerstone of his message. He also states openly that there is nothing in his message that you don't already know, however you might remember what you have forgotten. It's all about remembering your true self, the original state, consciousness, existence (life) versus ego (story).
Thank you for your lovely reflections on life (existence). In my opinion a benchmark of living deliberately, prepares a deathbed free of regret. Then may you rest and know you have truly lived.
Have a very nice evening.
Woodchuck Pirate
aka Raymond J Raupers Jr USA
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