"…Living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves; singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves just floating, floating….refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current; this is what we call the floating world…” Asai Ryoi, in Ukiyo Monogatari (Tales of the Floating World, 1661)
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
A Little Bit Older and Deeper In Debt
Today's insight - perspective matters.
Work was the usual madness associated with this project. I was frustrated at one point in the morning, but once that discussion was over I calmed down. This project remains the perfect example of why leadership matters - good leaders made difficult circumstances better. Bad leaders make it worse.
I've got my feet up and I am going to wander off to bed to read shortly, but for now I am watching the latest episode of Castle and unwinding.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Sunt Lacrimae Rerum - There Are Tears Of Things
The last part of October was emotionally laden. At one point in it, I joked, with my gallows humor, that October is a cursed month for me, a time of pain and loss, a time of change and transformation. This October was no different. In time I will tell you full story of the last days of October, but for now, I plan on reflecting deeply upon them for a period of time, to see what wisdom I can tease for them.
I have a tragic advantage when times get tough. I am, at my core, that tough little half-breed kid who grew up on the Rosebud. I have seen sorrow and the end of sorrow. I have a sense of perspective that puts my sufferings in the right order - I may have lost something important to me, but my loss was small compared to thousands of other people who lost far more on the same day, so, even though my days were tough, they could have been tougher. None of that lessons the pain of something, none of that dries the tears, none of that salves the wounds - but it is what it is. Karma. Action. Consequence.
I turn the page, I start writing the next story, the story of October. Life goes on, things transform and grow again. As Aeneas said in a time far, far rougher than mine - there are tears of things and mortal things touch the soul.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Daily Life: A Day for Other Days
wicked bout of stomach flu that kept me up all night in a half way
fevered state.
Yesterday was a day that will ultimately inspire the writings of other
days. I tried writing about it a couple of times today but I am
emotionally too close at this point.
So, in the shadows of a personal tempest and the aftermath of stomach
flu I did everything I could today to stay focused and centered. It
wasn't easy. I wanted to spin off center a couple of times, but didn't.
That is one of the advantages of age and experience - perspective.
When I am feeling sorrowful it is a fairly simple thing
for me to reflect on those far, far darker places I've been through.
It does not lessen how acutely we may be feeling something, but it
does place it in perspective.
The present is what it is. The future will unfold as it will. We are
but ships on the seas of fate, our course is not decision, but destiny.
Sent from my iPhone
