life: acoustic & amplified
poetry, quotes & thoughts about life
Archive for the category “do”
Don’t wait…
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/may/27/keegan-opposite-loneliness/
I read the article above this morning posted on the Yale facebook link – Marina Keegan died in a car accident this past weekend. This is one of her statements in this piece as she faced graduation from Yale:
We’re so young. We’re so young. We’re twenty-two years old. We have so much time. There’s this sentiment I sometimes sense, creeping in our collective conscious as we lay alone after a party, or pack up our books when we give in and go out – that it is somehow too late. That others are somehow ahead. More accomplished, more specialized. More on the path to somehow saving the world, somehow creating or inventing or improving. That it’s too late now to BEGIN a beginning and we must settle for continuance, for commencement.
There are no guarantees in this life. Age is not the answer to living fully. We may have ‘so much time’ – or we may be gone tomorrow! Don’t wait to live your life; your dreams matter!
If today was your last day – what would you do?????
Ok, now make the choice! DO IT!!!!
the search
The meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour.What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general bur rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment. To put the question in general terms would be comparable to the question posed to a chess champion: “Tell me, Master, what is the best move in the world?” There simply is no such thing as the best or even a good move apart from a particular situation in a game and the particular personality of one’s opponent. The same holds for human existence. One should not search for an abstract meaning of life. Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.
As each situation in life represents a challenge to man and presents a problem for him to solve, the question of the meaning of life may actually be reversed. Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.
By declaring that man is responsible and must actualize the potential meaning of his life, I wish to stress that the true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche, as though it were a closed system. I have termed this constitutive characteristic “the self-transcendence of human existence.” It denotes the fact that being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself — be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself — by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love — the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. What is called selfactualization is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it. In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendence.
© 1959 by Viktor Frankl from
Man’s Search for Meaning
Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day. – unknown
I started out on a broken road many years ago…my heart was shattered in millions of pieces and I had no idea if it would ever heal, if my life would ever be even a little bit ok. The only thing I had going for me was faith and determination.
As I plunged into years of extreme loss, poverty, hardship, homelessness, abuse, unequal relationships and pain, I knew God could mend my brokenness and use me for His glory – no matter what kind of a mess I was – I knew God was bigger! I would keep going and die in the battle if need be, but I would not stop believing, trying or ever give up the fight for good! I had seen the effect of bitterness, anger and victimhood could do in people’s lives and I rejected that in my life. I am very determined to keep those things out of my life – I had no idea how much a full-time and difficult job this would be, but I know it is the right way, because it always leads me to peace and joy. Keeping my heart open and being vulnerable is still a huge, and one of the most important challenges I/we face today. I believe it is a battle that must continue to be fought if we are to make any changes in our world.
In order for me to accomplish what I set out to do I found myself pursuing goodness…actively and passionately..every day – all day. I would look for good, look for kindness, look for miracles to get me through to the next moment. I would put my broken heart and dreams – my very life-blood that I was helpless to rescue, into God’s plan and hands (sometimes over and over for days) and I would seek God – I filled my senses with nature, with music, with art, with the words, and quotes, of people who had also walked a broken path to achieve healing themselves, and I would struggle to give true thanks in every circumstance for the wisdom, life-lessons and the hands of my great creator, God, who was so obviously present with me. The glimpses of His glory have allowed me to see how little I truly know and have made my faith ever more passionate and real.
With my eyes open – I see the miracles so clearly and I have wondered many times why it took me so long to begin living this way??? As the years have added up, my faith has become true and I have found the most joyous intimacy with my friend, Jesus, by living his words (Matthew 5-7) in ways I could never have known any other way.
I truly believe that seeking for the good, every minute of every day, and being thankful – right in the middle of every circumstance – from the most grueling – to the most fun – is the only way to realize who we are in this world. Not saying it’s easy – just saying it is worth it!!!! We are each a beloved masterpiece of God – given all good things to enjoy – every day there are so many good things – don’t let anything distract you from seeing them and giving thanks!
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life: acoustic & amplified 