Category Archives: Random Thoughts

Standing Outside the Storm

8 July 2009

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"Lightning 2 ~Hand that swing a cradle can shake the world!~" by neeZhom ~ away ~ @ Flickr

While driving through Montana I was taken by the expansive view such a vast landscape allows a person to behold.  It is almost as if you can see the curvature of the Earth as the land disappears over the horizon.  I was able to watch as thunderstorms in the distance moved across the sky & I realized that I was witnessing something special.  I was standing outside the storm.  I could see both the front of the storm as well as the end, a perspective which the people who were directly underneath were unable to see.

I was reminded of life & the personal storms we encounter.  There are times when it seems as if the cloud above us will never dissipate.  Maybe we were able to see the front as it made it way closer but now that we are in the midst of all the chaos and darkness an end is nowhere in sight.

Many things in life can cause us to feel depressed, sad or hopeless but just like the Earth needs rain in order to flourish, so do we need these moments of darkness to strengthen us in times of warmth & light.  We are stronger for having overcome our pain & hardships.  We are able to use them as lessons which we can build upon.

Not always are we able to stand upon the horizon & watch the storm as it passes in the distance.  Eventually everyone will experience some bad weather in one form or another and as storms do, it too shall pass.  Every storm comes to an end.   As we find ourselves in the middle of our own storm, remember that with the passing of the darkness will come warmth and sunshine, a hope for better days.

Do You See What I See?

9 May 2009

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do-you-see-what-i-seeI have a tendency to have a narrow focus and sometimes I need a reminder that I am not always right.  One way that I accomplish this is by hanging this sketch on the door of my refrigerator.  How does this remind me that I am not always right?  Even though the drawing is in black and white, different people see different things.  Some see an attractive young lady while others see a haggard old woman.  The picture is the same for all who see it, though the information taken away is not so black and white.  This is how I remind myself that I am not always correct, and that there may be another way of looking at the question or situation.

It is important that we keep an open mind about the world we are living in and the people we interact with.  Things may not always be as they seem.  By keeping an open mind we are allowing a new perspective to be introduced into our lives, expanding our understanding.  Not only will this make us able to better understand but it can also open our hearts to our fellow man.

We hold certain stereotypes about people which may be entirely false.  Older adults may view the younger generation as being dangerous.  Kids with black clothes and green hair are viewed as outcasts; troubled children.  These stereotypes are simply wrong, and dangerous in themselves.  These stereotypes lead to fear and fear leads to a divide within our community.  Before we judge a person based on a preconceived belief we ought to consider the picture above, and realize that we may be wrong in our opinion.

This doesn’t only apply to how we consider the people we encounter in life, but any and all of our beliefs.  We should try to understand all perspectives of things that affect our lives.  Some people feel that questioning their beliefs means they are weak.  Not only is this not true, it is absolutely wrong.  By listening, researching and understanding the other side of the argument you are strengthening your own understanding about why you believe something.  That isn’t a weakness, it is strength.

We should question our politics, our religion, our habits, the decisions we are making.  Everything is fair game.  The more you question, the more you understand.  Is what we are doing “right” or is there another way that is better?  Is it an old lady or a young woman?  If you see one, try to see the other…she is there, you just have to change the way you interpret the information.

Prison Walls of Barbie Dolls

22 March 2009

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"Looking for Jack Kerouac" by manlio_k @ FlickrI’ve been giving a lot of consideration about what I value in life.  Is it a house or a car?  Is it the glass cabinet full of statues or the flat screen television hanging on the wall?  Is it the painting I had imported from Spain by a favorite artist?  While all of these things give my life convenience or provide a superficial pleasure, none of them matter at the end of the day.

In my eyes these things are slowly changing shape.  Instead of the television creating an escape, it has become an anchor.  My piles of clothing that once seemed appropriate now seem more than any reasonable person would need.  All of these things that once seemed to me to be important are now simply not.  My values haved shifted.

I no longer desire to live my life in pursuit of material possessions.  Quite the contrary.  I’ve found that the fewer possessions, the closer to my ideal lifestyle I become.  I find my joy not in having something tangible, but rather in experiences and relationships. 

I value time more than a dime.  I would rather have the freedom to pursue my desires, my dreams, my goals, my abitions than to be oppressed by an object.  Having so much stuff in our lives is like building our own prison cell.  Each new addition is another brick in the wall.  We are losing our freedom as we accumulate more and more.

It is my dream to be able to spend some time of my life on a journey around the country with nothing more than a tent and a backpack tossed in the backseat of my car.  There are so many places I want to see and so much more that I want to do.

The whole idea of minimalist living is a bit utopian.  While I wish for nothing more than the time and freedom to travel the world I know that I must be a part of the “real world.”  In order to find acceptance a person must conform to the standards which have been dictated by a society.  While I don’t dream of becoming a transient, I would like to spend a portion of my life in a state of freedom which could only be found in this sort of condition.

I found a beautiful quote by Jack Kerouac which fits my frame of mind perfectly:

“The hobo has two watches you can’t buy in Tiffany’s, on one wrist the sun, on the other wrist the moon, both bands are made of sky.”

While many people look at the destitute as being of want, maybe they have something we will never have; freedom to enjoy the world surrounding them.  Our days are filled with responsibilities; work, school, kids, laundry, dishes, in-laws, bills, American Idol.  As these forces continue to push inward the prison walls built of our possessions are pushed ever closer.

This is our life.

Editor’s Note: Three months after writing this article I was laid-off from my job.  This opened the door of opportunity which I so desperately needed in order to take the time to travel around the country with nothing more than a backpack & a tent.  I spent a month cruising the highways of the United States and Canada.  This opportunity made me realize how important it is that I live my life, to stop dreaming about living & just get out there, to stop making excuses, to not accept mediocrity, to strive for my own personal best and stop living my life in fear of the “consequences” of my actions.