Look at the world like a poet or an artist. Learn to see the beauty in ordinary things. Observe and take note. Doing so will reveal to you the beauty in the world and your reward will be greater happiness.
We have our work, and as the saying goes, “our work will set us free.” That is not talking about the work we do to earn a living. That is talking about the work we do to make ourselves a better person. Our work directly plays into the quality of our life and how well we are able to deal with the world around us. We have the best teachers in the world: The Stoic philosophers, the Hindi philosophers, the Chinese philosophers, the Christian philosophers, and so many more. All we need to do is realize the path is their for our understanding and put in the work.
Rote behavior is the death of all creative thought. “Because that is the way I have always done it” is no answer. Everything requires thought and questioning. Always ask, is this really the best way to do what I am doing? Always ask, is this the right reason?
There are two ways to live.
One way to live is to constantly be questioning. First accepting ideas then rejecting them for another.
That is thinking like the wind.
Another way to live is to employ our judgement. When we rely on the opinion of others we are at the mercy of others. When we rely on our judgement we can achieve tranquility.
That is thinking with judgement.
The employment of judgement must be based on sound principles. Sound principles means using our welfare, the welfare of others, and the knowledge of verified experts as our guide.
We are besieged by thoughts of things that need doing or buying. Temptations like food and entertainment. What are the things that matter and how do we stay focused on them. The answer is we must strive to be more than a pawn to these forces. We must counter them by knowing our values and keeping them in the forefront of our consciousness. Listen to the inner voice that knows what you need to do to focus your life.
There are many paths to serenity but one that is proven to help move you in that direction is the notion of control. Exercise control over those things that are within your agency. Exercising control requires constant reflection and adjustment throughout the day. When you retire at night, tell yourself you will do it all again tomorrow.
Serenity is the result of our choices. It does not rely on place or circumstance, who we are with or what we are doing. Serenity is a choice we make and that choice is wholly determined within our own mind.
One of the highest forms of being is to seek tranquility. All action aimed at tranquility has to be determined by applying sound judgement. Bringing order to events by applying sound judgement is key. Use reason to picture the outcome you seek but do not allow personal desire to alter the picture. Doing so will move you away from the outcome, not toward it.
We can control our thoughts, our actions, our speech, our bodies, but we cannot control what is outside of ourselves. If we let anything that is outside of ourselves control any of these things we are no longer free. If we can exercise control, our reward will be freedom and clarity.
The work of the mind is comprised of the following.
| Task | Explaination |
|---|---|
| Choice | to do and think right |
| Refusal | of temptation |
| Yearning | to be better |
| Rejection | of negativity |
| Preparation | for what may be coming |
| Purpose | what is our highest priority |
| Clarity | understanding what is in our control |
Our job is to discover why we are here. If you can’t answer that question, you are living without a purpose. Take time every day to think about who you are, so that when you are asked that question you will be prepared to give a clear answer.
Keep a clear picture of your intentions. Keep the end in view. When you make a plan, don’t start out on the plan before you have a clear picture of the destination.
As the Stoics say:
”Having an end is mind is no guarantee you will reach it. Not having an end in mind is a guarantee you will not reach it.”
Keep in mind the best way to honor the present moment is to look at it with gratitude. Always try to see what is at the end of the path you are on, rather than wait to see what that looks like when you get there.
Remember these three things:
Live fully, disengage from pointless grief, foolish joy, greedy desire, and pointless social amusements. In other words, say “no” to those things that aren’t moving you forward. Say no to pointless emotions and tasks that provide no benefit. If you can’t say no when appropriate, you will find your life driven by things that provide no real destination.
I got back onto the snow today so the trip was not a complete bust. I don’t like to sound like a ski snob, but the skiing in Andorra is not all that impressive. Lots of blue trails and very few black runs. The blacks are short pitches with thin cover and they can’t hold a candle to the likes of Alta and Snowbird. It seems like the blues are what the locals prefer so that’s what the resort caters to. Like everywhere else around the world this year, the snow cover is thin. The greens and blues are well covered because they make a ton of snow so that’s where the only real action is. Skiing in Europe for age 75 and up is free everywhere, so it might make sense to come back in three years to some place like Les Trois Valles, if they are still granting visas to Americans.
After we used up our six-day pass, we made our way back to Barcelona for two days of sight-seeing. Barcelona is beautiful. It’s a very livable city, pedestrian friendly. The food is excellent and the people don’t hate Americans yet. My only real critique as far as this trip is involved is that the travel time is disproportionate to our length of stay in-country. It would be better next time to plan a minimum two week stay.
I’m still recovering from last night’s trauma. I slept all day today until almost 5 pm.
Our ski trip to Andorra in the Pyrenees took an unexpected turn last night. Shortly after falling asleep I had a seizure. It was significant. I didn’t know the people around me or where I was for twenty minutes afterwards. I was taken to the hospital for treatment and observation. Fortunately I made a complete recovery and all tests were clear. I say the following somewhat tongue-in-cheek, although every word is true. Shortly after my arrival in the hospital the attending physician asked me if I know who the president of the United States was? I replied “Donald Trump and he is destroying democracy in America.” The doctor looked at my sweetheart in the room with me and said, “he’s okay.”
Happy Birthday!
Deal with the choices that you actually have control over. Do not dally over matters that are outside of your control. What we can change and what we cannot change becomes the criteria for all decision making. Every moment you spend fretting over events outside your control is a moment not spent doing something worthwhile.
After a long day of travel; Seattle to Munich, Munich to Barcelona, a four hour bus ride to the resort, we arrived in Andorra at the Sports Hotel at 11 pm. To be precise, it’s a 28 hour day. The hotel kept their kitchen open to serve our little group a late dinner. I was a bit overwhelmed by this show of kindness. After a delicious late dinner, we were happy to get tucked into bed for about six hours of sleep before starting our first day on the snow.
We traveled with our boots but rented skis and poles. The ski shop had Black Crows, my favorite ski, but I had to take a pair that were a bit shorter than I prefer. I purchased a six day pass for 150 Eu. That’s a deal. That is more than half the going rate for a six day pass because I’m considered a Senior (over 70). In three years the pass will be free, that will make a return trip here worth considering.
It was finally time to go skiing! This was my first day on the snow this winter! That is a very late start to the season due to the limited snowfall on Mt Bachelor, our home mountain. The surface was good, the temp hovered just below freezing. Lots of cloud cover which hindered visibility but that’s good for snow conditions. I got in some good runs and felt good even though the skis were too short. A good first day. We took our time exploring runs and getting familiar with the mountain, it’s big. There is a lot to explore here.
We stopped into the rental shop after we came off the hill and they had a pair of Black Crows in my preferred length so I swapped out. The fellow that helped me was awesome. I’m looking forward to getting on the snow again tomorrow!
Our hotel is amazing. This shot of the lobby gives you a small taste of what we are enjoying here.
Happy Birthday
Once a year this day arrives. I like to look back and appreciate all the good things that I have been blessed with. There are many. Too many to recount here and anyway, that’s not the purpose of this post. The message I want to share in this moment is that I feel fortunate to have been allowed to spend another year with the ones I love. I’m grateful for the knowledge I have gained. I’m also grateful for the growth I feel in my soul. Difficult concepts to describe, but it’s easier to become aware of them when you take the time to reflect.
I am looking forward to the coming year. My plan is to treat everyone with respect and graciousness. I’m planning to continue as best I can to improve my mind and body. I want to continue to grow in understanding of myself, of others, and of the God force that is in all of us and in all things.
Education means freedom. It also brings peace of mind. Pick up a book and read. It will set you free. More and more people are reading less. Studies have verified that. The more we read the better educated we are. The less we read the more susceptible we become to persuasion by people that do not have our best interests in mind. Stop listening and start reading.
Are you studying philosophy or are you watching TV? That may seem like a silly question, who has time for philosophy? Maybe not philosophy per se, but the big questions in life deserve at least as much attention from us as we give to mindless pursuits like television. We should give time and energy each day to expand our understanding. The result will be growth and satisfaction.
Were we born to be bad or were we born to be good. That is an age old question. Believe you were born to be good and you will find good works worth performing.
I’m headed to Joshua Tree in a couple of weeks. That is the home of the California Desert Tortoise. I remember when I was a kid, probably elementary age, my Grandmother brought me a tortoise she picked up in the desert. She thought it would be a good idea for me to have one because at that age I was allergic to dogs and cats, almost everything in fact. Of course, it is illegal to remove a tortoise from the desert, they are protected, but that didn’t stop my Grandmother.
I named the tortoise Joe. I have no idea if he was male or female. That dian’t make a huge difference since the tortoise was 1,000 miles from home with very little chance of meeting another of his species living in my dad’s closet. Occasionally I would take Joe out of the closet and admire him, I discovered very soon that Joe was not like a dog at all, he didn’t want to play with me. I would give him some lettuce occasionally. He liked berries as I recall, but that was pretty much the extent of our play.
One summer day, not too many months after Joe came to live with us, I took him into the back yard to let him wander around in the grass and forage a bit. I set him down and left him alone for 30 minutes or so, when I came back he was gone. I remember being upset. I looked high and low but no Joe. We had painted our phone number on his shell, for just such an event. A few days later we got a call from a neighbor three blocks away enquiring if we were the owners of a “turtle.” Well, that was the end of Joe’s foraging days. Phone number or no, It was time to find him a better home. We did our best to remove the phone number from his shell and donated him to the Woodland Park Zoo.
I will never forget how thoughtful my Grandmother was, if not a tad bit misguided.