Life is not Fair, Life is Just, The Words of a Perceived Pompas Ass, How do you View History?

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
— Robert Fulghum

Good morning humanity, I’m here to serve up a popping hot batch of word soup; my question to you is, are you ready? First, I must start by letting you know I’m not in my usual spot; the bean bag is getting blasted by the sun; I’m up a little later than usual; I choose to sleep in this Saturday.

It’s a beautiful day; we’re going to hang around here for a bit, take our pup for a hike, pick up some groceries and then head over to some friends to celebrate Independence Day.  We’ll head home after a couple of hours; we’ve got company coming in to watch the fireworks from our deck.

We worked here until 4:00, then headed to meet our friends at Brooks Place Tavern.   We had about 10 of our locals there to celebrate the end of the week.  My new friend Keith, a 6 foot 5 giant of a man, and Steve, an average human, sat at the end of the table and shared stories.  The ladies, my wife, Keith’s wife, Steve’s wife, and our bonus girl Allie sat at the other end.  We sipped our drinks, ate some great food, and enjoyed our friendship.

We arrived home, got some fantastic sleep, and here I sit in a new spot making soup. First, I’ll describe the room I’m in.  Some doors open up to the east; you can see 180 miles from this spot.  I’m sitting at a table that might remind one of King Arthurs table, a large wooden structure that has served Kings, Queens, and Jesters.  A guitar to my left, a large T.V. hanging to my right, a ping zing putter I got when I was fifteen is nestled up in the corner.  I’m surrounded by art and can hear the birds chirping outside.

I’ve found a new connection with my senses.  Our unique program, sorry for mentioning it again, the Positive Intelligence program impacts my life and the life of my love.  It’s a daily practice of meditation and awareness.  Each day you focus on a different sense; yesterday, it was the sense of sight, the day before the importance of sound.  Most of us, I included, have taken our minds for granted.  When was the last time you took time to notice the textures, the shape, the colors of something you held in your hand?

When was the last time you listened to the noise around you?  As I type these words, I can hear a plane above, a fan in the other room, the birds outside, a cricket, or maybe a cicada singing their song.  My feet are resting on hardwood; my hands are typing on plastic; I can feel the quick keys pop as I hit each one putting together these words that appear on the screen. Terms that will be shared today for a few to see, but over time will be viewed by people of the future.

I have a gift, the gift of writing, I don’t claim to be a good writer, but I am prolific; who else do you know that can sit down almost every morning and pen 1000 words?  I think I’m a lone wolf and find this exercise to help calm my mind and open my heart to the world around me.  You are reading the words of the most blessed man you will encounter today. I make no apologies, the journey to this place was not easy, but self-actualization can be found if you work on your mind, body, and spirit.  I’m not perfect, I make mistakes every day, but I choose to look at those mistakes as lessons and gifts to help craft a better future self.

I am confident that many read my work and think what an arrogant ass, and I might agree with you, I sometimes come off as a pompous ass. However, it’s never my intention; I try and share my life, not just the good but also the bad, the ugly, and the unjust I see around me.  We live in the most fantastic time in human history, many want to bitch, complain and moan about their life, but I shake my head knowing they are in the 1% of the world’s population. Life is not fair, but I do believe life is just.  You get out what you put in, and if you put in a lot, you get a lot.  If you sit on the sidelines and envy others for their success, well, that’s on you.  

I just walked into the kitchen and got some water; we have the best water in the world here on top of our mountain.   When friends arrive, I offer them water as a gift; clean water is a gift that often goes unnoticed.  There are so many gifts you will experience today and not blink an eye. Yet, some people are running for their lives on the other side of the planet, hiding their kids, living in fear because they believe in the wrong God.  I often wonder about those people in faraway lands and shake my head at those in our country that don’t see the blessings of America.

I promised some people I would share some thoughts about history.  During my thought leaders’ virtual meeting yesterday, the question was asked, “how do you view history?”   what is history to you, and how do you use it in your life. So when the subject of history comes up, I would ask you that question, where does your mind go?  My mind went to my fourth-grade class and listening to Mrs. Traub teach about Indiana history, my home state was born in 1816, and I remember George Rodgers Clark was a badass.

There seems to be a rewriting of history or reframing what happened to get us to this place.  I will remind you that in every society, there was conquest.  People like to point to our ancestors ripping away the land from the Indians. However, keep in mind the Indians stole the ground away from those before them and so on.  We can choose to look back at the horrors of our past or highlight the heroes from each era.  I’m into heroes, and although I won’t discount the past errors, I choose to focus on the good that has created the freest country in the history of humanity. -cheers, I’m off to live my best life in the best version of myself.

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
— Robert Fulghum