The Zanders wrote that sometimes people are confused between physical realities and abstractions (creations of the mind), and these abstractions prevent us from being wholly present with the way things are. We believe things that are not true and these things prevent us from growing and living in the present. I think also coincides with living in the past. We get caught up in dreaming of what could have been rather than dreaming of what could be and how to get there. We waste a lot of time putting out fires rather than living the dream. I'm not sure if maturity and age have anything to do with it, or if at some point in life you just have to say "quit taking yourself so seriously" and live. For me personally, I was tired of dealing with those who think they no what's best for me, so I quit them and took a chance on an education from Full Sail University. As I keep focused and see my dream of teaching in a university, I continue to work toward that goal and keep aligned with like-minded people. It's difficult to stay positive if you surround yourself with negative people. All anyone can do is keep plugging along and make the dream happen.
Wayne,
ReplyDeleteI love your comments on this, as I see the reading has hit home for you, as you are following your own path to your dreams. After I spend hours lecturing or in meetings during a day, I get home to my kids who remind me daily that life is not all about work, and I don't have to live my life off of a checklist. Sometimes you have to throw the "rules" out the window, have fun, and do it your own way.
Your last two sentences resonated with me. It's very easy to live in the past, and similarly to fall in with people who continue to do so. We can fight and fight and fight to get our friends to join us in the present, looking forward to the future, but at some point it may well be time to just cut the ties and move on. It sucks, but it is what it is.
ReplyDeleteVery short and poignant, I am quite envious of your deep and thought-provoking post. It is so insightful, I cannot begin to put it into words. I wish to put all the questions you pose within your post, and place them on a coffee mug. They are excellent. My current slight concern is in regards to being surrounded by negative people. You realize that those people are also barriers and abstractions/distractions and that we must look beyond these as well. That is why I feel that social cliques and stereotypes aren't as beneficial as people think. Mankind has always been about labeling things and making things easier to understand, but when you do these things, it makes everyone a one prescription for all kind-of-deal, but humans aren't like that and can't be treated all the same. You should hold fast to your dreams, as they (to quote) "are a wish your heart makes". Be true to your passions and to yourself therein lies true happiness. You will benefit most from re-reading chapter 8 again. I do not wish to step on any toes, but I cannot ignore the fact that it seems to me you are just discovering who you really are and you are having trouble finding people to accept that for your current ties do not share the same but new visions and ideals as you do now. Please tell me if I am wrong, but know that you will always have someone to talk to in me. I believe we share many of the same views and aspirations. P.S. Your Voki made me smile. XD
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your dream for yourself.
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