In reading about the fight against our all-too common ignorance, a trivial experience comes to my mind: A blocked nose. Most of us have likely experienced a blocked nose and the then-so-bittersweet memory of clear sinuses. Once we regain full health, however, we almost instantly lose that gratitude for a full breath of air. Ignorance is all around us, in both big and small ways, so I‘d say awareness must be cultivated to fight ignorance, but that is an entirely different and equally difficult issue!
Thank you for your essays Sam, they always give me good grounds to think of something else than just daily studies!
This is a stellar example Kai, and timely. I can barely inhale through my nose from a cold and the prospect of being able to do so is far more heavenly than it was a few days ago. It’s all around us at every moment of the day, a simple choice away.
“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”
~ Chief Tecumseh
Again: "Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."
Recently, a friend and a member of our community Farmers Club found out he had only a few months to live because of a very aggressive cancer. He held a celebration of life in a community where he grew up and his current one. It was a great birthday party with many of spoke about the fun we had in his presence!
That is a beautiful acceptance. I can only imagine he was, in a way, living life such that he could meet that challenge so well. Thanks for sharing Barry.
Excellent. We often think we need to avoid challenge to be happy when, you and I both know from the military, some of the greatest happiness and rewards came from the hardest challenges.
I recently attended the “funeral” of the team with which I worked for most of my career- a team led by Damons and killed by Massengales. Sitting amongst my peers I was reminded of how lucky I was to be a part of their lives, how living with this team taught me so much about working on the self to better contribute to something greater. It taught me the awe inspiring power of culture, and how crucial it is to have a good one.
The kind of work we did has an expiration date, a point of diminishing return that’s different for each individual. It couldn’t last forever, but I got to glimpse it, earth rise from the moon, and my life’s been better for it.
Centurions were men of honor, discipline, and courage whose bonds were forged by skill, bravery, and heroism. Their choice was to live fully engaged. Happiness evolves from the choice to live, to struggle, to acknowledge the chase, to confront failure, and to expend effort when there appears none remains. As a result living fully demands we confront our fears, acknowledge our seeming insignificance, and nonetheless proceed onward with intention, attention, and the conscious acceptance of our place within the universe.
In reading about the fight against our all-too common ignorance, a trivial experience comes to my mind: A blocked nose. Most of us have likely experienced a blocked nose and the then-so-bittersweet memory of clear sinuses. Once we regain full health, however, we almost instantly lose that gratitude for a full breath of air. Ignorance is all around us, in both big and small ways, so I‘d say awareness must be cultivated to fight ignorance, but that is an entirely different and equally difficult issue!
Thank you for your essays Sam, they always give me good grounds to think of something else than just daily studies!
This is a stellar example Kai, and timely. I can barely inhale through my nose from a cold and the prospect of being able to do so is far more heavenly than it was a few days ago. It’s all around us at every moment of the day, a simple choice away.
Get well soon! And yes, it's always the simple choices that are the hardest to overcome.
“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”
~ Chief Tecumseh
Again: "Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."
Live, earn every day.
Let’s bring leaders like that back into the mainstream… what a more beautiful world it would be.
Recently, a friend and a member of our community Farmers Club found out he had only a few months to live because of a very aggressive cancer. He held a celebration of life in a community where he grew up and his current one. It was a great birthday party with many of spoke about the fun we had in his presence!
That is a beautiful acceptance. I can only imagine he was, in a way, living life such that he could meet that challenge so well. Thanks for sharing Barry.
There is living, and there is existence. Some never learn the difference.
100%. All it takes is a slightly different view, a keener sight, a bit of commitment.
Excellent. We often think we need to avoid challenge to be happy when, you and I both know from the military, some of the greatest happiness and rewards came from the hardest challenges.
It’s a delightful paradox, one of my favorites. And one that continually surprises day in and day out.
I recently attended the “funeral” of the team with which I worked for most of my career- a team led by Damons and killed by Massengales. Sitting amongst my peers I was reminded of how lucky I was to be a part of their lives, how living with this team taught me so much about working on the self to better contribute to something greater. It taught me the awe inspiring power of culture, and how crucial it is to have a good one.
The kind of work we did has an expiration date, a point of diminishing return that’s different for each individual. It couldn’t last forever, but I got to glimpse it, earth rise from the moon, and my life’s been better for it.
Great piece
It's a gift brother. Worth carrying forward for the next tribe, and for our families. Thank you.
Centurions were men of honor, discipline, and courage whose bonds were forged by skill, bravery, and heroism. Their choice was to live fully engaged. Happiness evolves from the choice to live, to struggle, to acknowledge the chase, to confront failure, and to expend effort when there appears none remains. As a result living fully demands we confront our fears, acknowledge our seeming insignificance, and nonetheless proceed onward with intention, attention, and the conscious acceptance of our place within the universe.
Solid summary.
I was really just trying to frame your essay in a way that my brain could process it, and I must have hit “post”! Oh well.