Afraid of the "Unknown"? Why?

 

On Stage

Imagine you are an actor playing on stage. Your role has been assigned, you are wearing the suitable clothes, the backdrop is perfect. Now...start acting! Your success depends on how well you represent your character, according to the guidelines of the playwright. If you play well, when the curtain falls you will feel good about yourself and won't fear whatever role you might be asked to play in the future. On the other hand, if you don't play well, you will doubt your ability to represent any other character. You'll regret your lack of proficiency because you realize that you didn't apply yourself enough, you didn't do your best. This intriguing comparison can be applied to your own life. How? In what way? 

Of Islands and Bells

The last verse of John Donne's poem 'No Man Is an Island' is widely known: "...never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." On the subject of responsibility, you usually think about your duty to take care of your family, to be efficient in your job, to be aware of the needs of your community. This most evident interpretation is correct because it refers to your life priorities, along with the impact that your actions have on others. Is it possible to discern another, deeper meaning, that may not be so evident at first? An island does not stand alone because it is part of the planet, therefore it has to participate in the welfare of the whole. But, in order to perform this duty properly, it must first discover its inner needs and create a healthy environment for itself and for others. Similarly, your own 'self' should find a way to offer the best 'version' of who you are to the world, because you are an irreplaceable part of.

Ultimate Purpose

Everything that exists has a purpose, that can manifest in different ways. An architect creates a building in order to provide a habitable place for human beings. A demolisher tears it down if it becomes dangerous to people's safety. A teacher teaches, a student (hopefully) learns. Every action that is carried out has a goal. Such goal can be clear or hidden, but it is always present in its manifestation. Also life can be seen in such perspective. You may perceive it as a plan that starts at birth and ends at death. All life's endeavors are similar to building a house or to tearing it down, to the act of teaching and of learning. But the actual 'purpose' lays beyond these material actions. It's the inner experience that the actions of building and destroying, of teaching and learning create. The same can be believed for human life. All the struggles, successes and failures, all the sorrows and joys cannot be logically accepted as being the final goal of their "having been". Something beyond must exists that gives them a true meaning, an ultimate purpose.

Diversity

Human beings are similar, but also different from each other. It's a fact that you can observe all the time. Yet, it may be intriguing to reflect upon such reality. All people have the same general appearance, but features are different. Each individual reacts to stimuli, but each response is unique. The extrovert feels like opening up and reveal their innermost thoughts. The introvert is extremely private and discloses no feelings. The careful chooses what to express and what to keep silent about.  Such diversity can be a source of pride because it makes you feel 'special', but it may also give you a feeling of separateness. It's up to you to choose, and deal with your standpoint.

Law and Order

Freedom without order brings chaos. In the extreme interpretation that some modern culture gives of the word 'freedom', it may seem that happiness would be the result of being able to do and say whatever one wants. But the refusal of any rule does not bring harmony. Think of a painting: if the artist does not take certain guidelines such as proportions or combination of colors into consideration, the outcome will be disagreeable. The same happens to a musical creation. It is interesting to notice, though, how nowadays even discordant images and strident sounds are hailed as masterpieces by some. It's their personal taste - provided it is sincere and not dictated by a desire to follow the latest fad - so it must be accepted. Nevertheless, to a thoughtful mind, "order" still feels as necessary as "law" because without it...mayhem!

Contrasting Views

In any interaction between two human beings, one of the most difficult things to understand and accept is how the other can see the same situation in the opposite way. This is particularly challenging in the case of a partnership or close friendship.  While you are sure that you are being 'caring', the other sees your attitude as 'overbearing'. Your interest in their affairs is interpreted as invasion of privacy. Your need of a bit of alone time becomes for them moodiness and indifference. How to solve this problem? Sincere openness and sharing your feelings are a possibility, but not necessarily successful. Minds can be open to listening and understanding, but they can also be closed to accepting different ways of interpreting reality. Minds can be willing to mend a situation, but they can also be stubbornly firm in their position. So, if you need it, you can try but...be ready to take whatever the outcome may be!

Look Up!

Many consider all that exists as 'matter'. Those who have such belief (apart from scientists) are probably not interested in wondering about  the Cosmos. If you are convinced that your daily affairs, pursuing a career, making money, leading a comfortable life are the only goals of your life, looking up at the stars on a dark, clear summer night can be considered a waste of time. Nevertheless, stargazing, wondering about the infinite space, the endless time, is an awesome experience. So many mysteries are waiting to be solved, so many questions to be answered. Musing on such subjects can make your head spin but, at the same time, it may also give you a hint of how grander "What Is" actually is.    

Result: Life/Death

Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran wrote that marriage can give either life or death. The same can be said about any other interpersonal close relationship. Marriage or partnership may seem to impact on someone's psyche more than any friendship. This is certainly true, but not completely. People have interactions that may end up being either beneficial and rewarding or disappointing and even detrimental. The words that are exchanged between two human beings, the behavior they have in their interactions greatly affect each other's physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. When there is sincere sharing and caring, life is given. When there is only unkindness and a lack of appreciation, metaphorical death is a possible outcome. Being constantly attentive and alert gives you the awareness you need to assess your actual situation. It will eventually encourage you - if necessary - to make new choices.

Dangerous Distortion

Changes in the past altered the way of living. Changes in modern times alter the way of thinking. All the transformations that took place in the previous centuries have brought about huge shifts in how people led their lives because new ways of doing things were provided: different means of transportation, of manufacturing things, of growing food or harnessing the forces of nature brought a lot of benefits to mankind. People's mentality was transformed, too, but slowly, mainly thanks to thinkers who expressed their revolutionary ideas through books and convivial conversations. Today computers (the Internet) are changing the way of thinking. They carry out the miracle of communication in ways that allow the instantaneous transmission of voice, written words and, most of all, images that have the power to instill in young minds a distorted view of reality, of the values of life. Progress is good but...are all means beneficial and acceptable?

Faster and Faster

An observation on modern life shows a changed attitude in dealing with the way people perceive communication. Some (seniors in particular) are used to, and enjoy talking at length, explaining things in detail, taking their time in whatever they do. Such behavior is unconceivable to others (juniors in particular), whose motto seems to be "hurry up". No long conversations, just quick text messages; no extended videos, just seconds-long clips; characters in movies speak fast, credits and written words flash on screen like lightenings...'Hurry up' is the modern watchword. In conclusion,  patience (the capacity to accept or tolerate delay) has become obsolete -  while haste (excessive speed or urgency of movement or action) well reflects a world that is moving "faster and faster" towards a future that will surely be full of additional, surprising changes.

Better Than Houdini

The Internet is probably the greatest magician of all times because it has the capacity to create something from nothing. While illusionists apparently produce ping pong balls out of their mouths or rabbits out of top hats, using real 'things', often the Internet builds fame and wealth out of absolutely 'nothing'. An admirable skill indeed! In the past, clever people such as scientific geniuses, great painters, writers or composers would live most or all their lives basically unknown. Nowadays the contrary happens: people with no talent whatsoever are smart enough to take advantage of online 'opportunities', and reach numberless eyes and ears. They find their way into the minds and fantasies of easily influenced spectators, and...online empires are born overnight. Nevertheless, credit should be given to who deserves it. Such meritless celebrities, in fact, know how to keep their fans' interest awake, thus transforming what initially didn't exist into something tangible and extremely beneficial - to themselves!