Life in a Day

At times I become obsessed with the idea of the perfect answer to questions such as "What is your guilty pleasure?" or "What do you fear most?" because I'm afraid that I may answer it wrong and be embarrassed five, ten, twenty years from now. Maybe people who are interviewed on a regular basis have practiced their answers so often that they speak without thinking, but where's the fun in that? I see a beauty in spontaneity, in impulse actions or words. However, I truthfully consider watching re-runs of Gilmore Girls and Friends well-prepared research and practice for the day that I win thousands in cash and prizes on an internationally-televised trivia competition.

I think the thing I fear most is fear itself. I am afraid of terror and chaos and being panic-stricken more than I am afraid of pain. I am afraid of my heart stopping more than my heart breaking, and the kind of fear that refuses the breath of life.

I am learning to appreciate, but I haven't quite yet mastered how to let go and realise the impermanence of this life.

This is an incredible video that Ram linked me to, created by the world. Put it on your to-do-this-week list!

Oui oui!

Sometimes we wait around for something magical, transformational, and inspirational to show up, accompanied by a spectacular show of fireworks and a lot of Madeline-inspired "oohs" and "aahs". A lot of the time, we end up doing things for the wrong reasons. And we stop doing them simply because we derive joy from the common pleasures that come from, for example, hearing my fingers tap solidly into my keyboard, the keyboard that is attached to a PC and not yet a sleek silver Mac. 

Our lives can be filled with outwardly fulfilling things, and a large amount of that can be bought with bags heavy with shiny gold coins (although to be completely honest I would be momentarily overjoyed and highly amused to find that my savings with the bank are actually stored like Harry Potter's, minus interacting with the creepy goblins). And although it's not the holiday season yet, where reflection upon the year gone by is mandatory, sometimes disappointing but hopefully uplifting, I can happily say that for the past year I have been incredibly grateful for my health, my loved ones, the gift of travel, my jobs, my education, a new found enjoyment for tea, and much more.

So I say to you - don't give a flying goldfish about others if you feel stupid or embarrassed doing what you feel is right and what will bring a smile to your face. Whether it's in the present moment or something in the future, regret for what has passed is time wasted. The future is merely a projection, an image where you are holding the paint brush and have complete control. Make it count.

I couldn't resist, seriously I learnt all my French from this show.