WHAT DO I BELIEVE NOW.... Post #2

This is my 2nd post in the current series....What Do I Believe Now.  Please read my first post (August 4, 2012) for background on this subject.

Today, I'm writing on the importance of having a Purpose in life.  When I refer to a Purpose, I'm not talking just about a goal, or an ambition, or a plan.   It's much more.  



The Japanese call it Ikigai (eek-y-guy), which means a "Reason for Being," or it is also defined as "the reason for which you wake up in the morning."  I like both of these definitions.  Everyone, according to the Japanese, has an Ikigai.  Finding it requires a deep and often lengthy search of self.  Such a search is regarded as being very important, since it is believed that discovery of one's Ikigai brings satisfaction and real meaning to life.  Further, people with a strong sense of purpose have boosted immune systems, lower stress hormones, and are better able to deal with the difficulties that life throws their way.  ( I can "get behind that!")










 We all have probably had a number of  "purposes" down through the years.  I would suggest that they were more correctly goals and ambitions.  If you were like me, I was too busy working, raising a family, and trying to stay ahead economically, to give much serious thought to my Purpose.  I had no idea what my "reason for being" looked like, and the "reason I woke up in the morning", was to do what I had been doing all the other mornings...commuting to work, doing my 9-5, being with my family, watching TV, putting kids to bed, and getting ready to do it all over again in the morning. (Sounds awful...but I'm engaging in hyperbole!" My life in general was fine.)

But I digress...back to a Purpose in Life.  Excuse my taking some personal literary license by writing about my Ikigai.  (Perhaps my experience will help those of you who are on this path to discover "your Purpose."  It helps me to write it down, and "chew" on it some more.)

It all started with my Midlife crisis back in 1980 or so.  My mother died, and only a few years later my father passed.  (Only the good die young).  My first marriage ended in divorce, I discovered Religious Science, and my only outlet seemed to be my running. (lot's of 10 K's, and a few marathons).  What a metaphor....running away from my past life!  
However,  after I met Paula... my wife and soul mate... we began to create a new life together.

That's when I first really starting thinking....what the hell is my purpose in this life?  
I have given it some serious thought, especially during the past 10 years.  Life had taught me some very important lessons.  Money wouldn't bring me happiness; I really didn't need a new car every 4 years;  Wearing Wranglers everyday was just fine;  Eating less food was good for me;  My relationships... with Paula, my family and my friends...were the most important part of my life; and the simple life was a better life... at least for me!  


At this point in my life, I've decided on my Purpose, which is always subject to Change. (Of course...)   While it is somewhat inexact, it still is meaningful to me.  I discovered this concept while reading a biography on Robert F. Kennedy...who is one of my political heroes. His quote:  "THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO CONTRIBUTE...IN SOME WAY...TO MAKING THINGS BETTER!"  
My intention is to contribute, and make "things" better.  I'm now in the process of coming up with the "some way!" (Which has become quite a challenge..but I'm actively working on it!)  What I like about this "Purpose"is its inherent flexibility in allowing me to create without limitations, within the positive context of "making things better!"  (I believe I can really get my head around this.)

So...you have heard about my plans...I hope to hear from many of you in the coming weeks.  All your comments are encouraged.

 



Let's start a conversation....

WHAT DO I BELIEVE NOW.... Introductory Post

Here I am ....74 years and counting....and still trying to figure out what I believe at this point in my life.  Down through the years, I've had many opinions, lots of judgments, countless assumptions, a handful of theories, too many guesses, suspicions galore, baseless conclusions, and too many wrong answers! 
 I was hoping to improve on this less than sterling litany, and come up with some good solid beliefs as I go forward.  So as a starter, I referred to my battered Webster's to really understand what a "belief" is.  Quoting from the dictionary:  Belief is the "mental acceptance of or conviction in the truth or actuality of something."    

Now the challenge...thinking about what I do believe.  (Unlike the guy above...I usually do my best thinking with a few more clothes on!)

It didn't take much reflection to realize I may have bitten off more than I initially planned.  Writing down my main beliefs is going to take more than one or two posts.  So there will be a series of posts in the coming  weeks to fully "flesh-out" this subject.   (Sounds like a TV documentary.)  Well, I'd like this to be somewhat entertaining as I've got to read it too! (You realize that I'm writing this primarily for myself.  It's called therapy!) 



So... what do I believe Now?  



Life is Change!  It's important to enjoy the passage of time.
    
 First and foremost I believe in the impermanent nature of life.  It is transitory, fleeting, brief, ephemeral...here today and gone tomorrow!  If you're not paying attention, you've missed it.  It's important to live in the moment....taking it all in and savoring the present.   Sounds hard?   It's not as hard as running the "regrets tape" of yesterday, and the "worry videos" of tomorrow! 
 I'm getting better about this.  Walking ,sitting quietly, being with my thoughts, breathing deeply, looking at nature...all have helped me to live my life with more intention.  I find myself being more aware of my surroundings, looking directly at people, tuning into nature, talking less and listening more, and dealing with what is in front of me. 

So...if you can't stop Life from changing (and you can't)....why not at least enjoy the passage of time...whatever that looks like.  Through good times and "not so good times", life will be much easier if you "go along with the flow", and not try to always paddle up the river.  Excuse the cliches, but "what I resist, persist!"  Experience has taught me this truth.  The Universe has seen fit to "remind" me regarding this laws consequences.  (I guess I haven't learned the lesson yet.)

My next posts will deal with the importance of Purpose, the nature of people, the consequences of war, climate change, Spirituality, and so on.

Let's Start a Conversation....

LIFE HAPPENS....

My last post was back in November 2012, and was primarily addressed to family and friends and talked of plans for the future.  How does that old saying go..."The best laid plans..etc"...can often not work out as one would hope!  Only days after I published that post, our life under went a rather significant changed.  Paula had a "health challenge" that came out of left field, and was a surprise to both of us.  One night she complained of having trouble breathing and that her "heart was beating much faster than usual." 

 I took her to a nearby hospital emergency center, and they were able to identify her problem:  Atrial Fib...where the heart beats rapidly for no apparent reason.  ( I won't bore you with all of the science.)  Suffice to say that they stuck and tested her at length, slowed her heart down, and send us home with several medications, telling us to see our doctor the next day.  (Paula was in the process of seeking a good health plan, but didn't have one at the time.)


However, the Universe provided for us almost immediately.  My health plan had an "open enrollment" just days later, and we were able to get her covered in a few weeks.  In the meantime, Paula was cared for by the family doctor we had back in the 1990's!  He monitored the blood thinners that had been prescribed, and was a God-given "bridge" until she was fully covered on January 1, 2013.  

Paula is now doing much better, back to exercising, again working with her clients, watching what she eats, much to my relief.  This life event has had a "positive" effect upon both of us.  It again is a reminder that our health is a precious thing that needs to be attended to daily.  It also makes the time spent together all the more important.  We try to live everyday to its fullest!

Life happens...some good, some not so good...but time moves on.  Goals are set and revised; family dynamics change; we move or stay put; we "are in the money" or we're not; the years bring changes in our health; old friends move on and new ones show up; and death and birth are with us always. 

The only thing you can "count on" is CHANGE!  It's ironic but true.  A universal, cosmic given that never "changes."  To me, that's a wonderful thing.  Our existence would really be boring if everything remained the same without change.

So...to me the best way to cope with Change is to expect that it will happen .  Don't fight it, just go with the flow of events that come with the change.  Accept this process or result of becoming something different, and make it okay.  Live with it as best you can.


Well...I believe I have "Rambled" enough for today.  Writing helps me to see things from a different perspective, and I'm sure it is therapeutic.  I primarily write for myself, but if in sharing my writing with others helps them, that is truly my greatest reward.









Larry....



  

WHAT IS NEXT ON THE HORIZON? A REPORT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Now that I'm "all grown up,"...73 years, 6 months and counting...I believe it is time to examine new and exciting goals for the coming years ahead.  (Cute photo uh....except I don't smoke, no beard, no cats, and I use a computer to Ramble!)

I'll attempt to be somewhat organized in this process, but don't forget the title of this blog:  Rambling Prose West.  I'll probably try to separate my personal, family, civic, and philosophical objectives...but don't count on it.  My writing style is one of sitting in front of my computer and just typing what occurs to me at the time. 

So....off we go.  Most of my earlier goals concerned:   "What Things Are Important to Me."  (A previous post dealt with this issue.)  Briefly, my desire to:   Live an abundant life; enjoy good times with my wife, family and friends; stay active and enjoy good health; travel the World; engage in life-long learning; be the change that I want to see happen in the World; and live everyday to its fullest!

Some of these "things" are still very important to me.  Some have remained the same, some has changed.   My ideas about them have undergone revisions, and some I've just decided are not as important now.  As an example, my definition of an "abundant life" has shifted rather significantly.  Money isn't nearly as important as it use to be.  We have made the wonderful discovery that our standard of living is just fine; we don't have to be conspicuous consumers of everything the world has to offer.  We don't require a new automobile every 4 years; Wranglers are my "uniform" of the day; dress suits I don't need; renting is much less stressful than buying; holiday gifts are over rated; credit cards are dangerous; going to the movies is too costly;....and the list goes on!

Now we are operating in the "Age of Consent"....we only do what we give our consent to do!  We are not here to please ad agencies and retailers,  we enjoy going to different churches, we are not "joiners... we thrive on variety, we don't choose to hang around with negative folks, we visit with family and friends when we want to, we vote very independently, and I say what I wish on this blog regardless of the consequences. (Nobody has swore at me yet.)



Back to the future!


In the coming years, we will use our disposable income to travel.  Travel both in the United States and throughout the World.  In the USA, visiting New York City and Washington D.C. will be high on the list.  Seeing friends and family living in various states will keep us busy.  
 World travel:  Great Britain and Ireland; a River Cruise through Europe, Italy and Greece, South America, Russia, China and the Orient.

We intend to spend as much time with our extended family as we  (and they) choose.   All of us have busy lives and probably different desires and needs.  Watching our adult-children moving forward in their lives, and enjoying our grandchildren will be a great joy.  After all, the memories and the milestones  of life matter the most. 
New and previous friends will continue to be very important to us.  Since returning to California in 2011, we have renewed old friendships and established new friends.  These relationships seem to assume greater importance as the years go by, and represent the building blocks that create life- long memories.





A very important goal for me is maintaining good health.  My current state of health is reasonably good, but I still need to watch what I'm eating and exercise often.  Walking has become my favorite form of exercise, and I try to do at least a two mile walk every day.  We hope to purchase new bikes this coming year; that was a favorite exercise for us in the past.
I also intend to return to the gym to keep my 
upper body in good shape.





Lately, I've become quite a philosopher...you know, my reasons and truths are better than yours. (wink)  As we all get older (more mature), our thoughts become more introspective and perhaps we begin to understand what is really important in our life.  Our focus turns more inward, and there is less attention to "stuff" that filled up our life and previously occupied our minds.  Time seems to speed up, and the days and weeks rush past without the usual labels....Sunday, going to work,  pay day, the weekend, holidays and birthdays.  Tracking ones life with "tags" use to help keep things organized; now, waking up seems to be a very important milestone!   The taste of early morning tea, a brisk walk, Paula's smiling face, exploring the days happenings on the Internet, enjoying the garden, breathing deeply, all are magnificent moments in my life.

My religion has always been an ongoing exploration of diverse "truths", rather then adherence to dogma.  My beliefs have been more Spiritual and Metaphysical rather than traditional.    I've been especially attracted to Eastern faiths like Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.  The writings of Lao-tzu (The Tao Te Ching) have been especially important in adding valuable content to my life-long learning program.

Since about 1980 I've been very involved in Religious Science and Unity Church.  Ernest Holmes helped create the Church of Religious Science, and wrote the classic "New Thought" book...The Science of Mind.  During the past few years I have continued in my study of Non-Traditional churches.  We visit a different church every month, and have gained deeper understanding of a wide range of religious beliefs.





Earlier this month on this blog, I went into some detail regarding my political views.  To family and friends, it wasn't a surprise that Papa had developed into a "Wild-eyed, tree-hugging, anti-war activist.... Progressive- Liberal member of the human race.   Since my "retirement" from formal work...Probation Department; Realtor, etc....I've become increasingly outspoken in my views, especially on this blog, Face Book, and other internet sites.  It has been a wonderful experience not to feel obliged to "edit" my verbal and written statements about politics, religion, sex...you know, those subjects our parents taught us not to discuss.




My "focus" in the coming years will be less about parties and candidates, and more about issues.  Issues that are not only effecting all of us now, but long-term challenges that could potentially have a negative effect on our children and grandchildren! 

World- wide Environmental problems such as Global Warming, Energy Development, Toxic Waste, Oil Drilling, Crops, Clean Oceans, Famine and Hunger, and the like. 

Political and Economical issues such as Election Reform, Clean Air and Water, Immigration Reform, Education, Alternative Energy, Afghanistan, Repair of Infrastructure,The Middle East, Conflict Resolution....the list goes on and on.

So....the Adventure continues.  I'm sure it will be a wonderful and exciting ride.  I intend to live every day to its fullest, and at night lay my head on my pillow knowing that I did the best I could!  And as "old blue eyes"...Frank Sinatra sang.....I did it my way!




So Long for Now....Larry