My neighbors bought a smoker- stained their deck-cleaned the pool and got everything together in preparation for the long holiday weekend. I watched them enjoy the sun – each others company and pack it all up as Monday drew to a close.
Left me with that certain feeling; of time spent – with a tinge of sadness.
And-time marches on .
I’ve been reading the Bhagavad Gita – or, atleast – a version of it and I’ve decided to take a break – it’s a bit much at times. It all resonates as being- truth, but -as with such things – hard to digest all at once and find myself scrambling for mental distraction.
The emphasis being on what is-a life well lived: turning over all our actions towards the divine-serving the betterment of all beings, letting go of desires, attachments and giving ourselves over to selfless action.
Ultimately, becoming aware of the true nature of reality – identifying the eternal as real and- the ephemeral and fleeting-as unreal.
Spoke to my father recently and he’s forever finding ways and means to financially stay afloat. He wishes to publish his story-of his days as a fugitive and subsequent prison time -all with the hope of becoming financially secure.
And- I know- having a lack- a real need for the basic things in life can be pressing but, what if-like the Bhagavad Gita suggests- we preform all our actions with pure motives – unconcerned with profit or reward and, trust that our needs be met.
When I imagine myself- at the end of my life-whenever that may be – I’m sure that having acted with an eternally minded intent – rather, than say-a temporary need – would feel altogether-less fleeting of a life.
I searched the library digital archives for another book- a break from the Gita and I thought of Vonnegut. An author I come back to again and again – since I was a teenager. I thought of how I wrote to him as a 15 year old and – he responded . And- how much joy I’ve received from his postcard correspondence since.
I found a book I have never read of his entitled “God bless you, Dr. Kevorkian” and- in the introduction, written by Neil Gaiman- he ends it with that beautiful quote from Sirens of Titan; ‘A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved’. And- although I may get entangled in striving for loftier ideals – what’s there more to say than that ….
