Meaning

If you take a moment to think deeply, you can't help wondering what Life is really about. Many answers have been given on this subject: to know one's self, to improve one's spirituality, to do good to others, to be creative, to follow one's heart, to follow one's mind,  to have a good time, to experience and overcome suffering,  to learn, to teach, to love unconditionally... So many, too many answers! Which one you believe to be right for you? Have you actually found one? You may even feel that none of these reflect your true sentiment. If it is so, what to do with such emptiness? Not finding "your" personal meaning may lead you towards the path of renunciation, of apathy, of lack of interest in what can still happen, of lack of enthusiasm in what can be still experienced. Therefore... Beware! 

Love & love

Can you discern a difference between "Love" (upper case) and "love" (lower case)? The first one can be interpreted as a kind of universal feeling, a sort of benevolence that every human being should naturally experience towards the whole creation. It is a desire for everybody and everything to be well, in good condition, possibly happy. The second kind, love, is directed towards a specific object (usually a person). In this instance, different feelings are involved. Some - such as kindness, dedication, availability etc. - are positive. Others - such as jealousy, possessiveness etc. - are negative. What is the meaning of this reflection? The meaning is that "Love" is always good because it is selfless. On the other hand, "love", if not managed in an intelligent way, can end up causing sorrowful outcomes.

Science Fiction

One topic some people disagree upon is certainly science fiction. Their opinions couldn't be more different: it's interesting, it's silly, it's boring, it's absurd etc. Could it be that those who see sci-fi under a negative light are the people who mistrust imagination? Thinking about a future that is totally unknown and possibly dangerous scares them. They pretend they find such wanderings silly, or boring, or absurd, but in fact they fear a reality they don't know. They don't like to "think" of possibilities, they prefer to always be here and now, letting the future fade in the haze. Yes, we don't know the future and cannot know it. But being able to let our imagination soar in a fictitious world where anything is possible... isn't that a marvelous gift? After all, what are the numberless fiction stories that have been written over the centuries? Also sci-fi is a novel but, instead of dealing with love or drama or history, it gives your mind the opportunity to travel into... "The Twilight Zone" or to go... on a "Star Trek".

Fanaticism

I have often wondered how and why so many people become "fanatics". When you use the word "fan", you usually refer it to someone who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular person or thing (dictionary definition). But the entire word, "fanatic", has a different, much stronger meaning. It refers to a "person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal for an extreme (....) cause". How can an idea turn into a belief and then into a real obsession? For a true fanatic it's not enough to just 'believe': such conviction becomes a real lifestyle, it imbibes all aspects of life, it determines behaviors, it encourages judgments on - more often condemnation of - different ideas or beliefs. A fanatic is a slave. Their obsession does not allow them to see the world as it is, splendid in its versatility, and people as they are, magnificent in their own individuality, which makes them free originals and not mere brain-washed followers.

The Train Stops

Imagine you are on a train ride. Suddenly the train stops and doesn't move for quite some time. No-one says anything about the delay, so you are unable to know what is going on. What can you do? You may get curious and try to find out, but nobody seems to know. You become increasingly nervous, impatient, restless. But by allowing these negative feelings to own you, the only result you get is to be upset, while the train  remains motionless. On the other hand, you can choose to be patient and distract yourself with other thoughts. As you trust that, eventually, the train will resume moving, time passes in a faster, less distressing way. It happens the same in your life, when you feel bored, unfulfilled, when the whole world seems unresponsive, un-cooperative, dull. This, too, shall pass! You know that. Try to apply it, the next time the need arises.

Small Pleasures

When you can sit somewhere comfortably, you don't realize how lucky you are! The same happens when your shoes fit well or when you have a good hair day. You take these pleasant occurrences for granted. You don't usually stop to appreciate, enjoy and be grateful. Only when something doesn't go your way, do you suddenly "wake up". The chair is uncomfortable, (too hard, too small...) your new shoes hurt (too tight, possibly the wrong size, although you had hoped they would fit!). Bad hair day (Don't talk to me, I'm not in a good mood.) There are so many tiny pleasures to be acknowledged and enjoyed! They are a great part of your life, don't let them go unnoticed. And when some uncomfortable stuff happens (as it certainly will) don't focus on it and...think of something else.

Leaves On A Tree

As almost everything that is part of your world, also the leaves on a tree can give you insight about your own life. They are attached to branches that absorb life from the roots through the trunk. When the weather is windless, they stay still. If a gentle breeze blows, they move ever so slightly. But a strong wind mercilessly shakes them. The leaves have no control over the weather. Now think about yourself: your body is kept alive by the air you breath and the nutrients you ingest. The outcome is the life you live. Nevertheless, "stuff" happens either you like it or not. You know that this is the way it is. Now, check how you react to such stuff. Are you as resilient as the leaves and the branches of a tree? They respond to the outside stimuli (which are out of their control) in the most suitable way: with "acceptance". What about you?

Either Way

People walk all around you. Some go, others come. Some move, others stop. The motion is continuous, like the waves of the ocean. But you usually don't take any notice. You are too absorbed in your own thoughts, worries and concerns to pay attention to the "life" that unfolds around you. You are detached. On the other hand, you may be one of those who are constantly alert, who have a tendency to observe everything and everybody, who feel part of the 'whole'. The human spirit can express itself in different ways in its exterior appearance, in the way it manifests  itself in everyday occurrences. Detachment or participation? Being more an introvert or an extrovert? It's your choice. And it's always right ... "for you".

Your Personal 'Weather'

Look at the sky: what does it look like? It may be sunny and clear like your life in a particularly happy moment. It may be windy, like your life when you are shaken by unexpected events that rock your existence. It may be cloudy, like when you are sad. It may be stormy, like when you are prey of negative feelings. It may be rainy, like when your spirit feels the need for a change, for a cleansing, for renewal. It may gift you with a rainbow, when you are feeling grateful and appreciative. It may be snowy, like your mood when you feel calm and serene, when you don't rush as usual but take the time to relax and wait for the new "fruit" to manifest in your life. You can therefore see the weather - like everything else, for that matter - as a mirror of your inner experiences. How about that?

A Train Ride

Riding on a train, it's interesting to look out of the window. Nowadays not many people do that. They prefer to keep themselves busy with other things: checking their mobile phones (usually), sleeping (often), reading (seldom), talking to each other (sometimes). Not many take the time to enjoy the view. Looking at the scenery slide by, rushing away in an instant, you may feel dizzy. The speed is high, the panorama changes fast, and all of a sudden your destination is there. Doesn't this make you think of your life? It moves along without any possibility for you to stop it or just slow it down. You have no power over it. And suddenly you realize that most of it is gone, with or without your approval or just your consent. It's totally out of your control. But the comforting thought is that you arrived where you were supposed to be. It's up to you to enjoy the ride in full awareness or not.

What You Really Need

Picture yourself on a long trek: you start walking, carrying a backpack on your shoulders. It's fairly full because you thought of bringing as many 'useful' things you believe you might need. After walking a long distance, you start feeling the heaviness of your backpack. You are tired, your feet are aching, but you still want to walk. So you decide to discard some of the less 'useful' things to make your burden lighter. An so it is. Feeling relieved, you proceed on your path. As you now realize that there are many more items that you don't need, you drop them as well. Your step becomes faster and easier because your backpack has become lightweight. Now imagine such trek to be your life. Wouldn't such life be much lighter, easier, less stressful if you were willing to make a choice about what you really "need"? If you did, you might see that many worries, fears, negative feelings, superfluous assets and worthless relationships are perceived as unnecessary through the clear light of awareness. And you would probably want to make some adjustments.

Looking vs. Seeing

How often do you take the time to look around and actually see what surrounds you?  You may answer that, whenever you "look", you certainly "see". Not necessarily. To use an old, well-known image, if you have a glass with some water in front of you, you may see (=interpret) it as half full or half empty. When you look at a flower, you may miss its intrinsic beauty and only comment on its color or scent. Similarly, when you look at a person, you might "see" only their physical appearance and don't bother to detect their true nature. Just "looking" is interpreting and judging, "Seeing" is knowing and understanding.

A Youthful Attitude

Some say that age is just a number. It may be true. There are youngsters who are eager to experience too much, too soon. It seems that they cannot accept their young age, that they still need to learn and acquire more maturity in order to face and deal with certain situations. They believe they already know it all. On the other hand, some elders are able to keep feeling - as they say -young at heart. They enjoy every aspect of life, are grateful and playful, they still expect new wonderful things to happen. Most of all, they don't take themselves too seriously.  The body may undergo unstoppable changes, but the spirit retains a so-called 'youthful attitude', that some young folks unfortunately lose too soon.

Would You...?

When an older person looks at a teen-ager, a question my arise in their mind: If I could, would I go back in time and be a teen-ager again? "If" you were in such a situation, what would you answer? Some possible answers might be: Oh, yes! I'd like to start all over again, grasp new opportunities, live a different life. / I had a beautiful life. I'd love to live it all once more. / I had unpleasant experiences, I would be afraid of re-living them again. / No, I'm tired, I wouldn't want to go through all that hassle again. / If I could, I would try to improve it by behaving better.  Finally, you might also say, I've had  "a life", I did my best and I am grateful for the experience. Right now I am enjoying my present age and serenely await what lies ahead, whatever it is.

The Unexpected

Life is strange indeed. It's like a road you are walking on, but where you never know how you will be allowed to proceed. You can be aware only of the step you are taking in this very moment. The next step is uncertain. In spite of your will, choice, decision, an unexpected factor can materialize and compel you to deviate, diverge or swerve from your previously planned path. As this is a strong possibility, you have to accept it and be always prepared for a sudden change in direction. Is this negative? Not necessarily. Sometimes your "previously planned path" may not have been the best resolution, so a sudden shift, that at first you don't actually welcome, may end up yielding the best result for you. So? Be ready to accept whatever comes along and be wise enough to understand when it's better to give up any "stubborn" attitude.

Accepting All

An Italian proverb says that God didn't create any useless creatures, but that with house flies He almost did it. This said, we can affirm that every living entity has its own precise place in the great "puzzle" of Nature. You, too, must therefore admit that the beautiful harmonious "pieces" are as necessary as  the dull insignificant ones. Nevertheless, it is hard to accept that even the ugly crooked shapes are unavoidable in order to establish a sort of balance. For instance, when you read or hear stories about nasty human beings whose only aim seems to be performing wicked deeds, you might wonder "Why?". Again, it is not up to any of us to judge. We can only believe that there is a reason behind any happening. Acknowledging this can make certain people and situations a bit more acceptable.