Have you ever wondered why you are really here? Each day seems to be the same. We get up, eat three meals per day, if we are lucky, do whatever work is required of us, and go to bed, only to begin the same ritual the next day.
Beauty is present in life, but only when we consciously make up our minds to seek it. Essentially, we make our own fun via the friends with whom we laugh, the movies and television that we watch, the creative pursuits in which we engage our talents, and the people, animals, and plants whom we nurture.
Every day inherently has built-in lessons. Sometimes, the reality of the finality of life’s journey hits us in the face, when we or someone we know is dealing with end of life issues, or has lost the battle to hang on to life.
Mostly, to keep our own sanity intact, we try to keep a positive attitude toward the future and a sense of hope that everything will turn out well. As we age, we realize that we cannot turn back the hands of the clock to a time when it was easy as pie to jog a mile, or even get out of bed. Yet, we must accept our mortal bodies as they are, imperfect and ready to fail us, at any given moment.
As time begins to slip away from us, it seems even more important to accomplish things like writing books and poetry, and singing songs, and sharing our thoughts and wisdom with those younger and more inexperienced. When one reaches a time in life when the word “senior” is most appropriate in describing who we are, most of us want to assert that we are still capable. Perhaps our bodies are more tired, more quickly, but we still have a lot left to give.
My assertion is that the world will remain a sea of sameness, until we personally create more waves. Mind you, not torrential, monsoon waves that destroy everything in their path, just waves of new thoughts, a new way of perceiving the current happenings of the world at large and our role in it.
There has been a saying for a long time that it is old men who send young men into harm’s way in wars. Our commander-in-chief is young, and yet is thinking of sending still more men into Afghanistan. It is ironic that we have to “fight for peace.” It seems to me to be a contradiction of terms. With all the personal tragedies and sufferings that Afghanistan has endured, why isn’t everyone just laying down their arms and embracing each other, saying, “No more war.” Meanwhile, the person, the so-called “mastermind” who initiated this war with his atrocious, planned attacks on American soil, goes scotfree, skulking about a cave, probably in Pakistan.
Peace begins one person at a time. When we just say, “No. Enough is enough” and walk away from conflict, we have triumphed for a day.
While we may bemoan our daily lives for their mundane chores, there is no “sameness” for troops in the field. Wondering if every minute will be the last breath taken has a tremendous psychological impact, whether that is realized at the point of trauma, or not.
Yes, my friend, there is meaning to life. Sometimes, we must look hard to try to understand our roles in the greater scheme of the universe. “Why am I here?” and “Where am I going?” are questions that are common to all humankind. They are thoughts to ponder, and in observing our own behaviors and our roles in the world, we shall become stronger, more motivated, and more efficient at throwing off the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” In closing, I’ll recount the words of singer, Frank Sinatra, “Luck, be a lady tonight.”
Pray for grace. If you don’t have it, you will need it, sooner than you think. And those, my friends, are my musings on this chilly but clear autumn evening.
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
