Musing

(sent from an internet café on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton)

2C/36F, drizzling & strong winds in north Edmonton early this morning, now mixed with white flakes; Gusta rabbit chasing while I struggled to keep up, left foot functioning much better

a sprint to Edmonton & a late dinner last night with MM, great to catch up – it’s been too long; a full day of meetings awaits followed by dinner with daughter Krista & then driving back to Calgary this evening

postponed many times, finally we got together for a ‘get acquainted’ lunch yesterday – SB (yes, another one) explained how an illness changed her perspective on everything, making life, decisions & priority setting a complete breeze compared with before – learning that very few things are truly important, the rest it seemed just get in the way of clear vision

obvious choices are not complicated by the minutia of life – if we are the observer, while the observed cannot escape how each little issue may feel like the weight of the world; the struggle is to be free of all that to see clearly; SB had a life threatening cancer, now cured, that changed a vantage point in an instant

for most of us without a ‘change your perspective completely’ moment we thank our lucky stars it was not us yet we might have cause to envy the clear headedness that prevails for those who do

are we looking out or looking in - what do we see?; is something important in our lives or is it just something?

self examination is not looking in the mirror, or inward as much as it is a challenge to see ourselves without filters, biases & excuses – laid bare (innuendo probably intentional)

when we are in it/on it, when we are doing it, as we are traveling that path the struggle can be arduous while those of us who observe see it in more simplistic terms; overcoming obstacles to happiness, navigating barriers along the path & reaching a goal (hopefully one that will deliver the joy that is sought) – to that place we want to go is simple or complex depending on vantage point; plodding for some, the view from behind Mario Andretti’s steering wheel for others

are we all Monday morning armchair quarterbacks holding a strong notion of what is wrong with our neighbour, how to solve the challenges someone else faces – but with few clues to our own mess?; ability to navigate is a learned & practiced skill - or it is amateur hour?

figuring anything out effectively requires that we truly & fully define the problem; what is it that is wrong, what is it than can fix it, what is it that I – I alone – need to examine from a different vantage point in order to separate the real sound of my own drum from the noise?

weather my vantage point is high level, far away or up close – the choices I make take me somewhere, nowhere or somewhere else – rarely do I end up where it was I thought that I was going

someday, one day – someone will say, ‘this is that what you wanted, is it not?’

‘Yes, I guess’ is not my answer of choice

absolutely not

I prefer this:

‘no, but I am happy with what I’ve found’

Mark

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