Musing

today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park

12C/54F (high 18C), sunny, cool breeze; no sign of ducks on the lagoon for three days now so I presume 16 young ones found flight uplifting - taking off, flying away, going on a trip . . everyone needs to do that now and again, so it seems OK for the ducks though Gusta will miss them

an ‘ends in zero’ birthday for BS today . . wishing you all your best

a plan, a life, a lifestyle – seems like an easy exercise, decide what we want, pick a goal – then draw it out; but this does not work for most people, did not work for me and likely won’t work for anyone who doesn’t first scratch around in the earth to get down to who we are, deep down; when I spend time with someone who has their world by the tail, I sense a great depth of connectedness . . basic values at the center of their being that drive everything else, often in spite of everything else because they know themselves

I find people fixated on wealth and what it will provide, I meet people with wealth who seem on a similar quest for something they cannot buy plus they feel saddled with the duties of managing their wealth; I meet people who are poor or of modest means who think money will solve their problems if they could just get some; I see this all around and wonder if I’m the crazy one – that everyone else is sane; or is it the other way around?

where are the questions? where are the answers? solutions, everywhere, yet at the same time they are nowhere to be found when we need them; everywhere we look, someone has published a self-help or hunny-do list to explain how our relationships ought to fit into our life – or how we ought to fit our lives into those relationships, but so often it feels like forcing a jigsaw puzzle piece into a space that it nearly – but not quite – fits

I find, the closer I get to my basic values, to my simple truths – the easier things flow to me; when I stray from center I get lost along the way which sounds like something simple I would tell a five year old – or maybe I am just in touch with my five year old self; returning to play creatively, use imagination and logic, passion and meeting needs that need to be met, that needed to be met back then; I’ve not the training to advise anyone on how to get in touch with their child within – there has been so much written on the subject it triggers a gag reflex, but I know it’s real

we can all live our dream to find our way in life, but first we need to define our way-of-life; I know it sounds work-shoppy but it works – there is no better way to get down to the basics of what drives us than getting down to the basics of what TRULY drives us, what we get lost in, where our hidden talents lurk - then, only then, do I believe we can get it out on the table

more often lately, I’ve re-established something I used to do – mostly about work but just as often about things personal; a more linear approach than my ‘stickies on the glass framed poster about me desk’ method; I lay out every scrap of paper that is piled up, every file, every note, every ‘must read that one day’ item; I lay them out in sequence creating a serpentine trail around floors, counters, tables and the couch – like taking a survey, reviewing for relevance, reviewing for urgency, reviewing for ‘level of attachment’; this process reduces the clutter but also begets at least ten new projects as by-products of the review; it is messy, it is like a colossal constipation of the mind – but the log jam breaks, ideas flow, inspiration fills the air . . its magic, or maybe its just process, but it always feels like magic

painting a picture or painting oneself into a corner is not about painting, but more about managing where the brush touches down

Mark Kolke
341,564
200.2

What do you think? Join the discussion - your comments are welcomed - please write.

To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to musing@maxcomm.ca

©2007 MaxComm Communications, all rights reserved.