A Moving Moving On

What is the value of a tear when it falls, and how long do you let it rest easy on the cheek before wiping it away?

Cheeky Distraction

i never learned to cry on cue

i never got the pretense

i rarely find occasion to

emotion's disappearance

- JB 01/09/2012

A myriad of thoughts win out over the budding of emotions. I am too oft-distracted by inner dialogue to conjure the requisite emotional certainty for tears. I do not blame the analysis, for it aids me in coping. I do not miss the outward expression, though I suspect others do. Still, I am human and find occasion from time to time.

I tend to think we are more than the sum of our experiences – that we are affected by events which occur, but still must need make choices through the exercise of free-will which inevitably determine the nature of our relationships with things. Both nature and nurture fall into the equation but (as with most things) this simple dichotomy is not an accurate approach to understanding, for we do not exist in the vacuum of self but are made up of a diverse subset of “self(s)” which interrelate with such others as make up our friends, family, and acquaintances. These others in our lives affect how we relate to things, and shared experiences are group-interpreted through a simultaneous interplay of subtle emotional and physical cues, combined with deeply seeded unspoken thought and spiritual searching.

What does that mean? I don’t really know. I’ve had trouble organizing my thoughts lately… thus the non-posting since November. Based on my failed attempts to edit this into an intelligible read, this post appears no different.

Emotionally speaking, I feel that life is more non-dynamic than ever. At the same time I cognitively recognize that the reality of things has not changed so much as my guessing at the future has been proven wrong.

I do not believe that this physical world we inhabit is the end of things. Instead, it is an inglorious start to the process of growth we must all partake. Life is not a contest to live the longest, nor is continued life the point of existence in this world. I believe that mankind is meant to endure this world through the growth of spiritual qualities which provide a clearer understanding of things… and that this new understanding is what guides how we define our relationships with the changes and chances that we encounter.

This world is full of beauty which I have at times been blessed to see, but that joy is inconsistent... for life is also a burden. Everyone suffers, including the prophets of God, for suffering spurs the type of spiritual and emotional searching that precedes growth.

I do not really mourn the station of the one who passed on, because prolonged life is not the goal, but I mourn the loss of my expectations and the hope I had for a stronger and more developed relationship. I am pained by the sadness I see in others, and the half-made plans we must once again store in the attic. I am frustrated by the process of growth, but that is inevitably the point. Recognition of the purpose of tests eases the burning in my heart, but does not alleviate it.

As I return to work and other things considered the normal activities of my life, I carry the experience with me... knowing that pain will fade with time.

Not all tears are wiped away before they dry.

This "Green" Post Was Made of Recycled Thoughts

'And', And Nothing More

like getting to the top of a mountain

and expecting a revelation

only to find yourself out of breath

dazzled by the sights

but awaiting an emotion that never comes

like seeing a pretty painting

but wanting a movie

even your daydreaming

suffers from insomnia

in the shadow

of expecting 'and'

when the sentence ends

-JB 07/29/11

As a reader of this continually unfolding manuscript of greatness, I hereby notify you that class is in session.

I've been told that depression runs in my family, and, truth be told, I've seen some evidence to support the assertion.  I must admit, though, I don't really "get" depression, at least not in the way others seem to describe it.  I mean, I understand it cognitively, and I've experienced it intermittently - as have all people.  For me though, it is like a dream.  I'm sad, but I feel disconnected from it until it, eventually, passes.  It doesn't define me and I would distinguish between being depressed, and feeling depressed.

Whatever the source, depression seems generally related to the most basic of philosophical questions - the meaning of life, one's purpose, why am I here.

Let's explore that for a moment.  I exist.

ex·ist - verb

1. to have actual being

2. to have life or animation

3. to continue to be or live

My existence consists of who I am and the actions I take.  Life is not what you make of it. Whoever coined that phrase missed the target.  You are what you make of yourself, life is just what happens - sometimes as a result, sometimes outside of your direct influence. Your inputs and intent matter, the output does not... apart from the effect on your ego.

The point of existence is, therefore, to make one's self. 

"There are many forks in the yellow brick road, but they'll get you to the Emerald City none-the-less." - Munchkin Proverb

Whether you choose the high road or the low road, both will have forks.  We can''t choose when and where we encounter them, but we can choose which direction to go.

Class dismissed.