01
Friedrich Nietzsche said that mature people are "a wheel rolling out of its own center." I prefer the image of a gyroscope turning out of its own center, maintaining its balance and harmony through chaos, tsunami, hurricane, earthquake, devastation and the complete loss of everything. The person who is mature in this respect has returned to their childhood, and is operating out of the complete innocence and purity of those in the first few years of life. Asking the questions that beg to be asked. Saying the things that cry out to be said. Doing the things that call to be done. Without calculating the odds, considering their chances, pondering their prospects, or positioning themselves to take advantage of their situation for gain and profit and avoid grief, loss and sorrow. Young children are innocent of all ulterior motives. They do not scheme, connive, plot, conspire, contrive, orchestrate, concoct and devise in order to enhance their position and way of being in the world. They simply are themselves in relation to their circumstances and other people, living innocently and spontaneously without regard for any of the shoulds/oughts/musts/and must nots that complicate and clutter the lives of those who know how the world works and how to work a room to get what they want and have their way no matter what. Joseph Campbell said that the way back to the innocent world of the uninitiated child is "by killing the dragon called Thou Shalt," and refusing to live by the rules governing life in the world-- living instead out of the Mystery, the mysterious source of what needs to happen when and where, in integrating the opposites, the contraries, the contradictions and polarities at play in ourselves, our environment, our circumstances, and bringing us forth to meet what stands before us with the best we have to offer in the time and place, the here and now, of our living. This is where it gets interesting. There is prudent and there is imprudent, wise and aware, and impulsive and foolhardy. Who/what do we listen to in determining when to do what? What guides our boat on its path through the sea? Through the heaving waves of the wine dark sea? This is the adventure of life unfolding in the events and context of the day-to-day. What to do when is our call to make. And the call we make makes all the difference. What is it time for right here, right now? It is always up to us, with everything on the line, and only our original nature, sincerity and spontaneity to work with. Get out of the way, and see what happens!
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02
It is one thing to meet the day on the day's terms, and another thing to depict to the day what our terms are. It is ridiculous to have terms. Adam and Eve had terms. You see how that worked out. We negotiate our way through everyday, intending no more than to respond faithfully and well to what is called for in each situation as it arises. That is agenda enough. Doing that while paying the bills is a matter of doing that while paying the bills. There is no conflict between doing what is called for and paying the bills. Sincerity and spontaneity carry the day, every day. Read the situation and allow sincerity and spontaneity lead the way. We could have worse guides, e.g., unbridled ambition and ruthless greed.
