In my struggle against persistent awareness at 3:00 last night, I thought it might help to pop in my headphones and drown my ears in peaceful melodies, hoping to transition into unconsciousness. But suddenly, I was pulled back by a drifting lyric, which offered what I consider a real golden nugget. It wasn't an earth shatteringly original theory of how to be happy and solve it all, but it's one idea among many worth being reminded of: "the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time." I dont really know why it struck me right then and there. Perhaps its just James Taylor's voice, which always convinces me he ain't singin' nothin' but the good, honest truth. But anyways, it did strike me. For one thing, I remembered that when you think to try it, it works. "Works" meaning that it renders a sort of profound satisfaction. But the trouble is that this profundity doesn't last for long. So frequently, we forget to practice it or simply don't realize its relevance to the fast pace of everyday life. It seems like our most routine realtionship with time as we've constructed it, is one of competition. Since time immemorial (sorry), we've been producing art, poetry, music, that express the fear of being outrun by time, like opponents in a race. I think that we're afraid of not "making the most of our time," which ultimately translates into not making the most of ourselves, not doing all that we want to do, accomplishing all that we want to accomplish, being who we want to be. We yearn to change time and to be given more time than we've got, thinking if we had it, we might achieve all of these things, which is probably false being as flawed as we are. We hear a hint of this idea in phrases like, "Dontcha wish there were more hours in the day?," "I just wish I could have spent one more day with her." Unable to change the situation, sometimes people cling to the past, or root themsleves in the future. We fixate on our expectations of the future, worrying about neverending lists of things to be done, resolved ("Am I gonna make this flight on time?," "I have to present this entire project by next week", "My biological time clock is ticking and I need to be married by the time I hit 35.") At times we simply look forward in order to avoid or get through the reality of some sufffering or stagnancy ("I hate this job. One day, I'm gonna get the hell out of here," "In a month, I'll be totally over him and he won't matter anymore.") Even while mulling over all this, I was simultaneously pushing into the future, "Its 3:30 now. I'll only have 6 hours of sleep.That means I'll be tired at work. Then I won't want to hang out with people once I get off. Then I'll become a hermit..." Well, you know what I mean. I guess all the thinkers who advocate for a lifestyle in the present are right when they say that we become much more at peace by really accepting the right now and grounding ourselves in it, also not attempting to ignore or fix the current moment. The few times I've remembered to try it, I realize its a difficult process of reminding oneself to come back to it. Also, its kind of funny how you can often see the big picture through the experience of the right now. Just like us, time has limitations. So, I guess we have to readjust every once in awhile and truly see it as a gift, meant not for resentment but renewed appreciation.
Not a sermon, just a thought.
Oh and sorry for the incredibly long drought with these posts. This is the first thing in a while I've felt compelled to put into words. Other than that, I pretty much have no excuse. Hope to be updating a little more regularly...
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A Secret of Life
In my struggle against persistent awareness at 3:00 last night, I thought it might help to pop in my headphones and drown my ears in peaceful melodies, hoping to transition into unconsciousness. But suddenly, I was pulled back by a drifting lyric, which offered what I consider a real golden nugget. It wasn't an earth shatteringly original theory of how to be happy and solve it all, but it's one idea among many worth being reminded of: "the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time." I dont really know why it struck me right then and there. Perhaps its just James Taylor's voice, which always convinces me he ain't singin' nothin' but the good, honest truth. But anyways, it did strike me. For one thing, I remembered that when you think to try it, it works. "Works" meaning that it renders a sort of profound satisfaction. But the trouble is that this profundity doesn't last for long. So frequently, we forget to practice it or simply don't realize its relevance to the fast pace of everyday life. It seems like our most routine realtionship with time as we've constructed it, is one of competition. Since time immemorial (sorry), we've been producing art, poetry, music, that express the fear of being outrun by time, like opponents in a race. I think that we're afraid of not "making the most of our time," which ultimately translates into not making the most of ourselves, not doing all that we want to do, accomplishing all that we want to accomplish, being who we want to be. We yearn to change time and to be given more time than we've got, thinking if we had it, we might achieve all of these things, which is probably false being as flawed as we are. We hear a hint of this idea in phrases like, "Dontcha wish there were more hours in the day?," "I just wish I could have spent one more day with her." Unable to change the situation, sometimes people cling to the past, or root themsleves in the future. We fixate on our expectations of the future, worrying about neverending lists of things to be done, resolved ("Am I gonna make this flight on time?," "I have to present this entire project by next week", "My biological time clock is ticking and I need to be married by the time I hit 35.") At times we simply look forward in order to avoid or get through the reality of some sufffering or stagnancy ("I hate this job. One day, I'm gonna get the hell out of here," "In a month, I'll be totally over him and he won't matter anymore.") Even while mulling over all this, I was simultaneously pushing into the future, "Its 3:30 now. I'll only have 6 hours of sleep.That means I'll be tired at work. Then I won't want to hang out with people once I get off. Then I'll become a hermit..." Well, you know what I mean. I guess all the thinkers who advocate for a lifestyle in the present are right when they say that we become much more at peace by really accepting the right now and grounding ourselves in it, also not attempting to ignore or fix the current moment. The few times I've remembered to try it, I realize its a difficult process of reminding oneself to come back to it. Also, its kind of funny how you can often see the big picture through the experience of the right now. Just like us, time has limitations. So, I guess we have to readjust every once in awhile and truly see it as a gift, meant not for resentment but renewed appreciation.
Not a sermon, just a thought.
Oh and sorry for the incredibly long drought with these posts. This is the first thing in a while I've felt compelled to put into words. Other than that, I pretty much have no excuse. Hope to be updating a little more regularly...
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2 comments:
I love that phrase about peace - and your thoughts are very insightful....especially relating to our most recent conversation.
i agree. one of the things i love about art - especially those which depict the everyday, ordinary, seemingly dull - is that it helps us see and experience those moments as meaningful, and hence not something to run from or ignore.
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