Over the weekend, I finally got to see a new episode of CBS Sunday Morning. One of their stories was about “the new normal.” People have been thinking for the last couple of years that “things would get back to normal” economically. Somehow, the health care crisis would be swept under the rug again. The unemployed would find jobs. Our biggest concern would be whether to shop at Ikea or Target. This story reported, with ample statistical proof, that we are very likely not going to get back to the way things were in 2007. Not right away, anyway. For me, the story was a real bummer.
You see, like many people, I tend to approach life, without realizing it, the same way a little kid does. If you work really really hard, you reach the finish line. You might take first place if you really go gangbusters. Then the race is over, you celebrate, and you move on to the next thing. Since the economy pooped out on us a couple of years ago, I’ve been thinking, “Oh, okay. Well, if I work hard enough, if I save enough, and if I’m a really good girl, things will get right back to the way they were.”
As it happens, this kind of thinking dominates our society, at least here in the US. I can’t speak for places where I’ve never lived. You think, “Oh, okay, well, I’ll get to this point and then I’ll be really really happy.” But you get to that point, like graduating from high school, getting your first job, getting married, whatever it might be, and you find that life keeps on going. The world keeps on spinning. Whether the day is horrible or glorious, the world just keeps on doing its thing, forcing you to do yours.
Listen to the music
A couple of years ago, my brother sent me a link to a YouTube video. The creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, had put together a very un-South Park sort of video. Using an audio recording of British philosopher Alan Watts, Parker and Stone created a short called “Music and Life.” In the video, which I hope you take a couple minutes to view, Alan Watts notes that the way we live would be comparable to going to a concert, hearing the final chord, the final note, and then getting up and leaving. Because we do like to skip to the end, don’t we? We like “closure.” We like rewards. We like promotions. But the final chord is not going to seem impressive if you don’t hear all the rest of the symphony, is it?
We go through our days and we think, “If I can get this presentation done, I’ll be happy.” “If I get this account or this client or this purchase through, I’ll be content.” There is always a sense that something is missing though, and Watts suggests that what we are missing is the singing, dancing, and LIVING that happens while we are focused on one goal after another.
Are you living your life so that it looks like you’re saying, “Boy, I hope get this life done so I can really enjoy myself?” Sometimes I find myself focusing on one goal after another. I spend time thinking about goals. I spend time making goals. I spend time fighting to reach those goals. But there’s more to life, isn’t there?
We only get one chance to write our life symphony. Shall we create something that is just one giant cymbal clash after another, or shall we waltz and sing?
I’m going to focus more on doing the latter.
This really hit a chord for me! 😉 On Saturday I was driving to my hair appointment and the Black Eyed Peas song “I’ve Got a Feeling” came on and suddenly tears were streaming down my face. Why? Because this song was played at a wedding reception in which my son was a groomsman and one of his best friends and roommate from college was the groom. When the wedding party arrived at the reception, they danced into the hall (a la Wedding Dance YouTube) to “I’ve Got a Feeling.” All these beautiful, wonderful, young adults who were a big part of my son’s life, and by extension mine, in an exuberent, joyous, fun expression of the moment.
You talked about traveling from goal to goal. I travel with particular attention to “results” and “duty”. Vocabulary aside, your message is profound: make yourself available to the JOY that comes with journey of our lives. Thanks for the reminder!
aww, that’s really sweet 🙂 Dancing literally! 🙂
((hugs))
Wow, so glad to read your post! My husband and I had a similar conversation this past weekend! we talked about; “if we could just reach so many number of clients, or if our company could just get “this big”….or I can’t wait until I retire!
and we asked ourselves, is that “all there is to life”? just wanting to get through something?
What if you don’t get there? Have you enjoyed the ride?
and your post it’s a great reminder of that ! enjoy your journey, take it all in ~for this might be all you have today!
While many people already know all this, how refreshing to get a reminder!
Great post!
Thanks dear – I think similar things are probably on a lot of peoples’ minds these days 🙂
Great read Marjorie.
This post kind of hit close to home as I feel I’ve recently been going a bit overboard on my social media and media outreach, communication, involvement, etc. I decided yesterday to set up a schedule for myself so I am able to put my time and effort into things other than my career. Things like: my family, my boyfriend, my friends, the sun, the city, my little corral of cats (ha, love me some cats). Things that at the end of the day are more important (imo) than a career. After all, when I leave this planet, the only thing left of me will be memories, and I doubt those close to me would care less how many retweets I got. Instead, they would value the time I spent with them. 🙂
Marjorie
I guess I am one of the lucky ones as every day I do smell the roses and enjoy life. I set goals within my life to keep me on track mostly (ie teaching Andrew how to ride a bike w/o training wheels last year, how to read, write, etc). Maybe it is b/c my son is around so much that I am in a bit of a different situation? IDK but I do know that while I am not where I want to be, I am where I need to be in his life and I am grateful for that.
Work is very important as we know but yet when you are able to have a balance it does make the days better and happier (also they go faster – erm, is Friday really October? YIKES!) People all talk about the balance but so many never get there. It is a bit of a rat race in the business world right now and “normal” may never be again because 10 years ago working from home was not as prevalent as it is today. We are different now and we have seen what happens when the economy is in the toilet. Everyone can change the way that they do things but so few do as change is scary. It is interesting that when change is dictated and we have to accept it, we just do and adjust but when we are given a choice, we are not as accepting. Start small and build up from it and enjoy the things in life that are important to you – work, and the rest of us will all still be here.
and that is just one of millions of reasons why you rock, my friend 🙂
Beautifully said!