It "Don't Come Easy"
Yeah, I know. My title is not grammatically correct. It actually was inspired by the Ring Starr song. Nothing really comes easy, even when we think it does. Life takes us on a circuitous path and we end up finding ourselves placed in exactly the same place we should be though. But it is not an easy path, usually.
Joseph Campbell's explanation of a Hero's Journey is a circle too. It reminds us no matter what happens in our lives, we will come around to another starting point, one that will offer us a fresh perspective, or make us re-face the old one again. Heroes are not what we think of in 21st century "wordspeak". We envision someone saving someone in a fire, or a flood, or some such deed that requires sacrifice. In Campbell's definition we are heroes, or sheroes because we live upon this planet. Earth is not an easy test ground. We sometimes need to fight just to exist upon this planet, and it is a daily task.
Existentialism is a form of philosophy that holds that the starting point of philosophical thinking must be the individual and the experiences of the individual. It is up to us to make meaning our of our existence in order to feel as though we have lived authentically. We often do not even consider this concept if we are not drawn to it because we ask the difficult questions. Who am I and why am I here?
Ringo's admonition in his song tells us " got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues, and you know it don't com easy". Truth is, we are never quite done with paying our dues. We can however choose to see them as an integral part of the reason we exist. We are here to learn and grow, and in order to do that, energy must be expended, whether in the form of hard work, money or some form of terrifying illness. If we knew ahead of time what we were in for, many of us might choose differently, or we may have chosen this path in order to complete our highest growth potential in this life. Depends on how you look at it.
My life lesson has been all about love relationships and how to handle them and work within that paradigm. I have not always been successful, but I am not cynical. In fact, I am the opposite. I believe that a partner strengthens my purpose. I have paid tons of dues, but I know I probably owe more, and so it is.
The key to living an authentic life is not to live a life another person or a society imposes on you. It is choosing to be who and what you wish to be regardless of the opinions of others. It is recognizing that you may have remained indoctrinated into living a life in such a way as to stifle your soul and its yearnings. Waking up to your fullest potential may take many lifetimes to achieve, even in this one life. We are never who were were yesterday, as our cells change all the time, fully replacing themselves every seven years or so. There is always a way to make ones self over, and it is a simple choice. By being happy. Happiness is not external, it is an internal decision. It is our choice. We can be miserable or we can choose to be happy, nothing outside of ourselves will keep us aligned with happiness. No one other person can make us happy either, although they can make life a bit more manageable and kinder for us.
The most important part of Ringo's song are in these words: "Forget about the past and all your sorrows,The future won't last,It will soon be over tomorrow.".....reminding us to be fully present, as tomorrow is over, the future remains unsure. A full present is what we need to be in and focus on. Life has a way of changing things in the blink of an eye. Existence is a treasure we take for granted until it is soon gone. Choose to continue to be the hero of your own story.
