Dreams. Goals. Aspirations. We all have them. Some may have goals to have a certain profession or career. Others may dream of taking a trip around the world or rocketing to the moon. Some may aspire to be like their mother or father or a role model in their life.
This is part of who we are. And as we get older sometimes these dreams, goals or aspirations change. For the most part, they do. Maybe when you were in Kindergarten, you wanted to be an astronaut or like Michelangelo and be a famous painter. But today you’re getting your degree in something completely different or just working to make ends meet.
Whatever the case, this does not mean dreams die. It does not mean goals go away. There is still something inside of you which aspires to be something you always dreamed of being or doing something you always dreamed of doing. Everyday life sometimes puts things on hold. But by no means does it mean we can’t pursue something meaningful.
When I was little, I had lots of goals and dreams based on some of the things I enjoyed doing. And while some of those goals or dreams changed, they changed because I did. I grew. I grew up. In this process, new dreams and new goals emerged. It took time to embrace this. But in time I did and I learned to appreciate the process just as much as I admired the fact that life brings about new experiences so we can take flight with them.
This also means we change our circles, too. It doesn’t mean discarding your friends. But it does mean changing your circle a bit so that you can grow as a person and be introduced to new things and new experiences, also. You may find that others share your dream, too. Maybe this in itself, can give you the motivation to go forward with exploring it once again.
So while you may be working your ‘day job’ – why can’t you join an adult soccer league and play at night or on the weekends? Or maybe volunteer with the charity organization you most admire? Or even take up music, dance or martial arts… even night classes toward that dream or goal you once had but put on the back burner?
It’s never too late to be what you want to be or do what you want to do. It’s never too late to spread your wings to fly toward your dreams or goals. If you take the time to do this, you’ll find others who share your dream or goal, can pursue theirs right along with yours and make it all the more special.
There is an inspirational quote (with many credited authors for this quote) “Success is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” But I believe that sometimes opportunities happen as they happen.
Some people have been in the right place at the right time. They call this success or in some cases, just darn luck.
But what about ‘missed opportunities’ or ‘opportunities not taken…’ what about those? Some people cry over the opportunities missed… you know, the ‘one that got away.’ Though we must give thought to the opportunities we choose to miss. Is it a shift of priorities? Is it wrong timing?
When I think about the opportunities I did not take, I don’t regret any of them. Sure it is human to wonder ‘what if’ you had taken them, but I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Don’t you?
Think about the idea, if you HAD taken a certain opportunity and it directed you toward a completely different path. It is highly possible the joys you DO have in your life right now, wouldn’t be there? They would be different or non-existent, maybe. So is this really something to think about also.
And much like the tide, if we paddle out to it and happen to catch a wave of opportunity… great. If not, wait for the next tide. While there will be high tide and low tide, one thing is for certain, the waves will always be there. It’s up to us to decide which wave to ride, and which wave to let crash over us, and which ones to simply ride out.
I think if we obsess too much over the waves we did not ride, we’re missing the best part about being out there to catch one in the first place. The same can be said for a short ride. Short rides are not to be mourned, either. They are merely gateways to the longer ride.
We are given many waves in life to ride – difficult and challenging as well as smooth rides. We need both. And we need both the high and low tides to make us appreciate what waves do come along and which ones we can ride smoothly and enjoy. The truth is, our lives give us exactly what we need. We just have to not be so focused on the low tide to see the fact that we are floating gracefully as we await the next opportunity.
Throughout time, many have contemplated the road of life. Whether you are an intense spiritual being, an eccentric artist, deep author, illustrious painter, thoughtful poet or world traveler and philosopher or mindful musician, the road of life has been the charming muse of your soul and creative being.
The everyday person has their inspired road of life, too. But too often it is a traffic jam filled with the daily task of pounding the pavement to put food on the table and being stuck bumper to bumper. This often clouds contemplating the road philosophically other than with just air pollution.
Life is more than just a highway or a freeway of love. The road is more than just a country road, a rainbow, a city road, or a road that is broken, dusty, or crossed and long and winding. You don’t have to be the king of the road to enjoy it and you certainly don’t have to keep driving all night.
While we are reminded by everyday people that life is not about the destination, it is about the journey… I don’t argue with that. However, I feel that when the road actually ends, you ultimately want to end up at the end of the road NOT regretting that there isn’t one which you haven’t traveled.
Many people will talk about how difficult the road is (which is a whole other blog I won’t bother to writ)e. I think the road has its own road blocks and detours and we as the drivers need to make the right decisions on how to navigate safely accordingly, I think that the ‘open road’ discussion is one that hasn’t truly been addressed.
Mid-lifers (those in crisis and those feeling stuck) will tell you that the road open road isn’t so open once you broach it. People will speak openly about common topics….aging, health and a myriad of related things, but it’s a subject that is carefully taken on like a driving course of orange cones. There are certain forks in this road no one wants to drive on much less hug the curve of like a plagued spoon.
Clueless about what I am talking about? I am talking about the road which does eventually come to an end. Mortality. But I am also talking about life’s purpose.
If you had children in your early years, you are an empty-nester. Your children are gone now and you don’t feel as if you are needed anymore. If you are taking care of your family right now and seem to be in a daily rut, you are probably feeling “gee, is this all there is?”
And if you’re an over-achiever facing burn-out, you’re probably wondering which road to drive on next, wondering if at the end of it all, if it will have been worth it.
When experiencing a death, you look at life differently and through different eyes. You also realize that all the stuff this person got worked up over during life, really didn’t matter in the end. Basically, the road that was traveled was littered with life’s minor annoyances like nails in the tires, rather than anything that really made sense to go off-road for.
Swerving recklessly didn’t make the road better or more fun, but more dangerous. And driving 5 miles an hour doesn’t really make for a fun journey, either. But our road is our own and we must travel it as we see fit. We have a license to drive, we must drive responsibly so we don’t injure others in our path and we must also take the liberty to drive and obey the rules of the road so that we can actually keep on driving.
Driving in the middle of the road of indecision is more painful than anything else because you’re really not living on a specific course toward anything to make you say at the end of the road, “gee, that was fun.” But if this is your road by choice, and this is how you like it, there is room for you Sunday driver types.
The other day, I reminded someone who actually got a flat tire on their car, while plagued with the flu, that sometimes the Universe does indeed give you a flat tire or a speeding ticket to purposely immobilize you to stop in your tracks and get on a healthier one for the soul.
While this wasn’t the most enlightening advice I have given… (lol), it was indeed advice from the heart and there is truth to what I said. If we don’t maintain ourselves (like a car) – how in the heck can we go places? I believe the Universe gives you a speeding ticket when you are supposed to slow down in life to savor what life offers. I also believe that when driving down the road of life we are meant to let the wind blow through our hair, take time to enjoy the scenery and not worry about the speed bumps we encounter.
My mother was quick to remind me that when I was born, I didn’t come with an instruction book. And this of course translates to our being born without a road map, either. While our personal GPS will navigate us by instinct, we must also be mindful of the idea of riding in the carpool lane, when we decide to share life with a spouse/partner or take our families with us along for the ride. Sometimes, we can go places we never thought we would go all because we have passengers on board who give us a fresh perspective and direction which not only challenges us, but show us a new road to travel.
There is only a ‘wrong’ road in life when it conflicts with your core values and your divine purpose. You may become lost along the journey, but that doesn’t mean all is lost. Refuel, get yourself pointed the right way and you’ll be motoring down the road to great places with your Atlas of experience.
The meaning of life is not defined by how shiny your car is, how fast you go… what matters most is that you enjoyed your ride in life and you don’t have any regrets about any roads not traveled. If your odometer has a lot of miles on it and you have many a road trip tale to take with you in your memories, I say that road of life was a pretty good one.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the news has been featuring stories on businesses in trouble… companies that have been around for years! We have watched the many manufacturers and retailers go through mergers or acquisitions, or simply go away forever. The alarming rate of businesses dissolving is not just upsetting during a recession, but upsetting in terms of nostalgia for some and for others, the idea of a chapter ending, and not just Chapter 11.
While I won’t ramble on and list all the names of the businesses which have gone belly-up (it would be a 25 page blog), I will say that this whole recession has been very eye-opening. Not only is the public very much aware of the flaws within the system, but also the corporate greed, the mishandled funds, the lack of standard operating procedures of businesses gone bad, or at least a few key employees who became greedy sheep. And the public is also aware that a few really good companies became victims due to another epiphany consumers had… we don’t need so much ‘stuff.’
As George Carlin (R.I.P.) floats on a cloud in the Heavens reciting his whole ‘stuff’ schtick routine about how Americans have too much STUFF and need to buy more stuff to hold all our stuff, it is a true reality check to see in broad daylight, isn’t it?
Think about the fact that reality shows about ‘hoarders’ and people who need a ‘clean sweep’ actually exist because of the fact people have too much stuff. Isn’t this a reality check as well?
How about the fact most people have garages filled top to bottom, or that people have multiple ‘storage units’ of ‘things’ …. that they cannot take with them to the grave.
After watching numerous natural disasters happen over the past decade – hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, earthquakes… people losing ‘all their stuff’ …. Is it any wonder that when all is said and done, and all you have is your own life, that your being alive is what matters most? Did you really NEED all that ‘stuff?’ Does this not make you appreciate life and your loved ones even more?
While we may not have as many retailers anymore, maybe the true wakeup call in life is to live simply, with as little as possible. Maybe this is part of the master plan so-to-speak, so people can appreciate what they do have and live life in a better, more productive, more appreciative way. Perhaps (I know, dare to dream) we can return to the basic essentials, solid core values and maybe change the way life is lived and humble a few people along the way.
Though you may think this is an illusion of grandeur, in essence I think it’s supposed to be a life lesson. But if only, the people who really need to learn it, will pay attention in class this time.
I don’t know. But there’s always hope. And though we may not be shopping for hope by entering an automatic revolving door, under fluorescent lighting, or in segmented departments… maybe consumers as a culture, as a generation can look at life and live it a little differently.
There is an opportunity here to ride this recession out and catch the new wave of NOT “shopping til we drop.” It’s time to realize that ‘he with the most toys’ does NOT win, but rather will lose all perspective on what life is really about. Maybe THAT special should be on the news! SPENDING TIME enjoying life and its true meaning with the ones you love is more profitable than spending dollars on more ‘stuff.’
From as far back as I can remember, I was fascinated with fish. From spending hours with my grandmother in front of the Koi pond where she lived, to random pet goldfish, I loved the tranquility fish brought to everyday existence. My folks liked neon tetras and had a tank full of them. Somehow, I don’t know if it started out as food for the tetras, or if this was a sidebar to the aquarium, but, our family raised guppies. I still don’t know when this started or for what reason, but I remember we had a fish tank full of them. And when we moved away, we had to give them away to the neighbor girls, Nina, Tina and Lina.
Watching Jacques Cousteau on television was an event in our house, and my father would collect issues of National Geographic magazine which featured marine life. I would thumb through these in awe, being careful to not bend the pages of this slick, colorful spectacular cataloging of fish pictures. Somehow while I was too young to understand the value of the sea, I knew that it was really important to honor everything in it.
Back in the 70s when I was growing up, there was a place which opened up back in the early 1950s called Hanna Barbera’s (yes, of the Flintstones animation fame) Marineland of the Pacific. It was located in the Palos Verdes Peninsula and was the pre-cursor theme park to Sea World (actually Sea World purchased it and moved the marine life South). This was my first ‘sea life’ experience. From the touch pools with the starfish and sea urchins, I was finally able to see ‘live and in person’ the very things I saw on a Davey & Goliath episode rerun of “Jeep in The Deep.” As Davey sang “It’s a great big, wonderful world we live in….” seeing the ‘whole other world’ under the sea, it made me ponder the question if there was any communication going on in the community we humans frequent.
What if fish could talk? I had seen Flipper speak on TV, but rarely fish communicate, though I had suspected they had a language all their own. I wondered if fish could talk, would they say, we need to become more educated about where they live. Maybe they would say by destroying where we live, we also destroy where they live. Fish don’t have any other option, they have to live in water. Today, as we examine the horrific oil spills over the years a la Exxon Valdez and notice that our ocean waters are contaminated by thoughtless individuals and corporations, I have to wonder what the fish would say today.
As we watch the on-going effects of Global Warming, acid rain, over-fishing … perhaps this is why the fish are speechless?
Are there no more words and are words pointless from their perspective because no one is paying any mind to the idea that if we protect our precious ocean, the ocean giveth back?
If indeed they could talk, they would beg for us to ‘wake up’ and smell the sea water. The ocean is full of beauty, wonder and yes, precious resources to provide endless health benefits to nourish our bodies with seaweed, kelp and minerals and be of benefit to other creatures on our planet as well. The ocean isn’t just full of waves, it’s the wave of the future. Wakeup California, this ‘water shortage’ you keep speaking of … I have ONE WORD for you, D-E-S-A-L-I-N-I-S-A-T-I-O-N.
If the fish could talk, they would say if we planted more trees instead of creating a concrete jungle, we’d improve the atmosphere and it would improve the air, sucking up more C02 pollutants which would in turn, improve the water quality of the ocean. The place fish call “home” would be less acidic, because there wouldn’t be gas dissolving into the ocean from the air.
If fish could talk, would they also sing Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” song:
Woo ah, mercy mercy me Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no Where did all the blue skies go? Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury Ah oh mercy, mercy me Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no Radiation under ground and in the sky Animals and birds who live nearby are dying Oh mercy, mercy me Ah things ain't what they used to be What about this overcrowded land How much more abuse from man can she stand? Oh, na na... My sweet Lord... No My Lord... My sweet Lord
When I was a young child, I would wake up on Saturday mornings to the smell of sawdust and the rhythmic shrill of a radial saw steadily keeping a bass line tempo with alternating hammer beats.While this wasn’t the beginning of any new contemporary music breakthrough, it became the constant Saturday sound and smell I could rely on every Spring and Summer.
This was my father working in the garage… on something.Usually he wasn’t building anything massive.The three largest projects he took on were the backyard patio, the built-in book shelving and a desk, which I still cherish.
He wasn’t a carpenter by trade.But he was a carpenter of life.What he was ultimately doing was he was building a foundation for himself to escape the stress of daily work life, while saving hard-earned money by ‘doing things himself.’It was much more economical to build something with his hands rather than pay full retail for a finished product.But it was even more than that.I had learned it was about the pride of accomplishment, doing something that was challenging and taking on the task of completing something from dreams and imagination to final, tangible reality.
I often think about his work, every time I walk into a home improvement store and step into the lumber aisle.The aroma is a nostalgic one that takes me back to many a memorable Saturday.And it’s not so much about the actual craft of woodworking, as much as it is doing things the old-fashioned way, from scratch.
My father’s method to his madness wasn’t even about ‘creating something better’ or any perfectionist type of drive, it was for the mere satisfaction of a job well done all in a good day’s work.His reward was kicking back with a beer after the day was done to celebrate the outcome of completing what he started.There was something great about this.
I’ve gone through my life knowing a lot of half-assed carpenters. My father was not one of them. And it is because of him, neither am I….
1)Finish what you start.
2)Get closure by doing.
3)Get satisfaction by being…. Part of the woodwork.
4)Build a solid foundation.
5)Create a sturdy frame.
6)Don’t worry about splinters… they only help you remember why you are doing what you are doing in the first place.
7)Make your own house a home by what you build it with.
8)Then decorate your life with the fine memories you make by the experiences you fill your life and home with.
Woodwork.It’s a beautiful thing. Once you nail it, you’ve discovered what the real beauty of life is all about:something you build yourself.
Media Monster Communications, Inc. Stacey Kumagai http://www.100percentrealwords.blogspot.com http://hubpages.com/profile/mediamonster http://www.braingasm.com
NEW AND IMPROVED.Any corporation who has created a product line where there has been ‘brand loyalty’ (i.e. laundry detergent, toilet paper, juice, etc.) generation upon generation… WHY in the world are you advertising that you are ‘new and improved?’Are you saying that for 3-4 decades you’ve been selling us an inferior product and we were foolish enough to be loyal customers all these years?
SUNSCREEN vs. SUNBLOCK SPF… 2, 4, 8, 15… 20, 25, 30, 50 and now… gasp(!) SPF 80 and 100???Really?!At some point when you get up to SPF 100 aren’t you really sunBLOCK and not sunscreen?Isn’t 100% 100%?
MOTION-SENSORED TOILETS, SINKS, SOAP AND PAPER TOWELS:Note to public restroom architects/designers….. if you are going to do one of these, do all of them.It makes no sanitary sense to only do one or two options and not the rest.You are defeating the purpose.
WHY IS THERE BRAILLE AT A DRIVE-THRU ATM MACHINE?
Every single day, there are thoughts to be pondered. These are just a few of mine. There will of course, be more to come. Share your thoughts on these random thoughts above.
Media Monster Communications, Inc. Stacey Kumagai http://www.100percentrealwords.blogspot.com http://hubpages.com/profile/mediamonster http://www.braingasm.com
When we go to the grocery store, our bar coded items get scanned and a beep sounds when each item passes by the scanner.Bran FLAKES….. beep.Case of NUTS….. beep.TV Guide featuring all of this Fall’s best DRAMAS…beep.And the gallon of milk that will MILK every penny you have…. Beep.
No, I’m not talking groceries.I’m talking people… more notably, the Friend of Convenience that happens to be like a convenience store near you!This ‘friend’ is conveniently there begging you to buy into the lottery ticket of something tossed around lightly by them, called “friendship.”
When you were younger, you probably enjoyed shopping.And as you get older (ahem) and wiser, you realize you really hate shopping. It’s almost annoying.You try to blame it on the idea you don’t want to deal with the parking or the monotony of going up and down the aisle smiling like a Stepford wife or husband trying to feign delight in shopping (again) with your cart.But the truth is, the ‘idea’ of being obligated to do something that ‘just has to be done’ is what is truly plaguing you, because this is what life is all about.
Isn’t FRIENDship supposed to be a mutually enjoyable experience for BOTH people?? Why carry on in having to ‘pretend’ again and again that something is so very enjoyable, when there is really no benefit of ‘joy’ for you in the long run?Come on, I mean when you have a new recipe to try, you can get excited about going grocery shopping… so why do you have to deal with drama, selfish and disrespectful friends who only use and abuse you and your kindness and support? You know they will only leave your cart empty without so much as even a thank you or a coupon invitation to the ‘good times’ and fun in their lives?They’ll just forget about you until their next drama or need, but never think of you to share in the positive aspects of friendship.
Friends come and go in your life. And that’s just the truth.But when you reach a certain age, you realize that there are those friends that come out of the woodwork only ‘whenever they want something….’
Maybe they are looking for work or money or just want to vomit their emotional drama to a sounding board because no one else will listen.But then when it is YOUR turn, they are (ha! – conveniently) nowhere to be found.Sometimes around birthdays (theirs) or holidays, they are the ones who “suddenly want to get in touch,” even though all your life’s happenings have come and gone and they didn’t even bother to blink an eye of knowing.
While most people get philosophical and say….’that’s just how it is,’ – I say, WTF?!Are you kidding me? !Seriously, who needs this crap?It’s like getting picked last for dodgeball and then you get the s**t beaten out of you anyway.
Why is this cyclical behavior accepted by so many?Are we humans THAT desperate to be doormats in a world full of people who are that self-involved and oblivious to the fact that there is more to life than just them?Are we ending up being a friend of convenience to the ultimate friend of convenience?
Think about that and get back to me. But I think it’s time we forget the so-called friends that look good on paper and are only plastic and fake and put them on the reject shelf in the grocery store of life.Maybe then they’ll BEEP BEEP BEEP out of our way so we can make room for some organic, fresh, new friends who produce healthier friendships.
Media Monster Communications, Inc. Stacey Kumagai http://www.100percentrealwords.blogspot.com http://hubpages.com/profile/mediamonster http://www.braingasm.com
