Look into the camera. Smile. Action. It is our life and it is so important we create the life we want to live. In fact I would say it is the cement foundation on which the entire house of our happiness is constructed.
Last night I attended, sort of helped host, an event at Vancouver Queer Film Festival. The movie which was called Children of God was about an artist who had no “soul” in his life and embarks upon a journey to find it and express it.
In reality, that is what we are all doing. We are searching to find the answers to our life and then express them in our lives. I have always said there are only two questions in life that really matter:
- Who am I?
- How do I express it?
All other questions are variations on these two fundamentals. I believe that how we view these questions determines whether or not and to what extent we will enjoy our lives. If we are confused by who we are then we can create difficulty in forming meaningful relationships and friendships because if we do not understand who we are how can others relate to us in any meaningful way. If we are angry about who we are then we can create addictions to “drown our sorrows” or to escape some other way. The only real “path to salvation” is to accept and eventually celebrate who we are. This does not mean we may not choose to “improve upon perfection” as that is part of the fun of life but it does mean that we start with a fundamental acceptance of who we are. And since who we are is evident in everything we think, say and do it is easy to observe.
If accepting ourselves is the cement to for a happy life then surely how we express it becomes the form we must pour it into to create a happy life. Perhaps the idea of a “form in which to pour ourselves” is abhorrent to some but I would put it to you that in fact we all create the boundaries of which we operate. There is nothing inherently wrong in boundaries, in fact I would say they are necessary and benefiical to successful living. What can be wrong for us individually is to create a form that does not accommodate who we really are. Whereas society might create a form with relatively straight sides (pun intended) and perfect corners, most of us want and need more curvature and shape to our lives and rightfully so.
So today, go out and change the form a bit in your life. Try adding a curve or bending a corner differently. All that is required is a bit of thought. Think it. Say it. Do it. Review it. Remember that each of us is the construction manager of our own lives and we have been given not just the capability but the complete freedom to live a life we love to live.
