Shakespeare Said It Best

There is nothing new under the sun.   Technology may change; but human interplay does not.   

The work of William Shakespeare contains many brilliant insights into the human condition; none more apt than the following quotation:

                                                 “All the world's a stage

                                                  And all the men and women merely players:

                                                  They have their exits and their entrances;

                                                 And one man in his time plays many parts...”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     - “As You Like It”  Act II Scene vii  

There are different interpretations of this quote. 

One:  We go through life from transition to transition.  Baby, Child, Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Senior; each transition has its own challenges and rites.  There are touchstones that according to society we are supposed to mark in each stage of life. (Not that I necessarily agree with these touchstones, but they are there.)  We interact with our fellow humans; they interact with us.  We come, we go; day in and day out. 

Two: We are just as much made of light and shadow as a character on a movie screen.  We are the ones taking on a persona when we take on a body.   We have the option to be anyone we want at any time we want.  We are no more married to any aspect of personality than an actor is to a role he or she plays.   There is great power in this.  We do not have to accept other's opinions concerning ourselves.  We are free to define ourselves one way one day; then if that doesn't work for us, we can define ourselves another way on another day.  We can build our own characters by collecting all the traits we want and eliminating those which hinder us.

Detachment is key. Banishing limiting beliefs from one's mind brings freedom.  It is imperative to disengage from the drama of life.  Nothing is accomplished by wallowing in drama (except for creating more drama.)  Observation brings insight; insight brings solution.   

Life is playing out on the world stage.   How do we choose to participate in it?   

First Post (Exciting Title)

It's strange; I write so often, yet have been hesitant to start posting because I want every word I post to be insightful and sparkling with wit.   That isn't the way life works though, is it?   I suppose it's a given that a year from now I will look at this post and think, "how could I have written something so not in line with what I think now?"  Or "did I really post that?  What was I thinking?"  

The only thing I am thinking right now is that I have to start posting because stuff is running through my head and it wants to be written.   

I have felt suffocated my whole life. Some people might call it being repressed, but it feels deeper than that to me. I literally feel like my soul is entombed in this suffocating body.   It aches to be able to express itself beyond the confines of this flesh.   I can't remember a time when I didn't feel suffocated, not even when I was in those supposedly carefree days of childhood.

I hope I have reached the bottom point of suffocation and am now trying to push my way through the layers of darkness that have engulfed me.    I don't know what's at the end of that process, I don't even know if there is an end to the process.   I only hope I can find a place to breath.  

So where does the title of this blog come from?   It's my answer to the age old, "why am I here?" question.   If we accept the notion that we are souls on a physical journey, then there was a time before incarnation when we made the choice to be here.  (Because I can't fathom that the universe is random enough that we just arrive here without any forethought.)   Sometimes it feels like the bait and switch tactic was used, "go on back to Earth, you can do so much good, it won't be as bad as before.  And they have chocolate."   Yup, fell for that one.   Forget about the soul crushing pain, focus on the chocolate.   That's my life plan at this point; I'm here for the chocolate.

This does not mean I am abdicating my responsibilities toward my fellow journeyers.  This blog is my way of coping; it's a way of sharing my philosophy, which I hope others will read and be inspired to create their own philosophy.  We can't expect that any institution is going to save us from ourselves, we have to be our own saviors.  (Please note that that is not a capital S on savior; I have no interest in fighting about religion.)

We have to remember the truth of our being and use our power instead of continuing to think there is someone else out there who is somehow better qualified to live our lives for us. 

Tomorrow's post:  Just What Is This Philosophy Anyway?