Pressing Pause
““Genuine idling is never an evasion of work; it is instead, as Aristotle argued long ago, cultivation of the most divine element in us through the exercise of leisure: spirited but serious reflection on who we are and what we are up to, free from the base demands of mere usefulness.””
Why….
When I sat down to write the first post to this blog, the inaugural explanation behind what I’m doing and why; I was shooting blanks. We can’t all be natural born writers who sit down and diligently scribble words on parchment that accurately translate how we feel.
So, in an attempt to inspire creativity and refine my dilapidated suite of skills for creative writing I began to reference old pieces I had completed in the archives of my computer. In the process I found a piece I had written while on a river trip in a transitional point, similar to now, three years ago.
It was enlightening to reflect through the lens of a younger version of myself, grappling with ambiguous questions that, honestly, I still grapple with today. As a result, I thought it appropriate to resurface my piece that, until now, has never seen the light of day.
Eloquently, past Ryan explains the catalyst behind what inspired me to leave my job, buy a ticket to a country I have never visited and begin a 500 mile trek to reflect on the big life questions. I hope you enjoy it.
We can’t make everyone happy
The process of putting emotions and feelings into words is a daunting endeavor. We all feel these overwhelming urges to make our families, loved ones, mentors and peers proud. But the question I constantly ask myself is what can I do that would make all parties invested in my future happy. The unfortunate truth and the answer to the previously stated question is….. nothing. We can’t make everyone happy. I am constantly searching for the aspect in life that equally fulfill my potential and in turn do the most good with the benefit of others in mind. Everyone wishes to succeed in life but to what cost will we wager to find that ultimate form of content.
I’m happy
I look back at my life as I sit here on the side of a river bank in the middle of 250,00 miles of wilderness on either side thinking to myself, am I happy. In a span of a single day I have learned how to recognize the basics of reading a river, flirted with the concept of captaining a boat through whitewater, watched a catfish get launched out of a potato cannon (awesome!) and had meaningful and genuine conversations with peers about their experiences navigating the uncharted waters of adulthood. The reality is, looking back on today, the skills I learned, the beauty I witnessed and the bonds I have strengthened I can say with confidence I am happy.
Knowledge, experience, Kindness — pillars to the human condition.
I feel that in a lot of ways society has created these artificial paradigms that we all use as benchmarks to our success and value for one another. But who is society to create these artificial standards for all of us to blindly set our sights on. I truly believe the magic of humanity is that we are so diverse we can spend a lifetime transforming our minds and perspectives. Money, power and status seem to define modern legacy’s but what about knowledge, experience and kindness. These values, the pillars of the human condition are what drove me to seek out the people and experiences that have defined me as a person. And yet, an overwhelming pressure to strive for the traditional beacons of success (money, power and status) occupy my subconscious and influence my decision making process.
The greatest challenge of all.
Our world has become so fast paced and competitive, the concept of taking a moment for yourself has been transformed into a privilege, even a sign of lethargy. We are who we chose to be, framed by choices that we make for ourselves, not from choices outside parties impress upon us. And yet, suffer the consequences when what we need, doesn’t align with the majority of others. To challenge the status quo is the biggest (challenge) of all and that’s what makes days like these so sweet. A rambunctious community of poor souls (financially), rich in energy, experiences and passion having the last laugh as the sun subsides to the skyline.
Today, we won.
Sitting around a fire with the incessant noise of water occupying your senses you begin to feel like the every day battle for validation, peace, and happiness lean in your favor. The exchange of laughter and stories paired with the evening sky coated in exotic pastel hues takes you to a place seldom experienced, for me, in the hustle of every day life. A friendly reminder that it’s the intangible rewards that often yeild the greatest benefits. And it’s experiences like these that are ripe with these intangible benefits. Today, as we lay our heads down underneath a swath of sky peppered with stars million miles away, with sore muscles and joy in our hearts we feel as rich as the sultans of the sand. Today, we won.
It’s not often I get the chance to peer into a previous mentality that accurately portrays the impetus behind what inspired me to leave my job and embark on an ambiguous adventure with no tangible definition of success. This blog, is an attempt to share the experience with others and hopefully inspire those grappling with similar questions to take some time and reflect on what success and happiness means to you.