01
I don't know how we know what we need, and what we have no business being around-- and I don't know who does know. It is but one of the Great Mysteries of life and being. We shut ourselves off from all of them. We have no time for mysteries, great or small. We are onto bigger things, like what's for dinner, never mind how we know. We KNOW! I bow before knowing throughout each day. And I trust myself to it, as do you, allowing it to guide me through all of the possibilities, saying "Yes" to some and "No" to most, as though I know what I'm doing. I do know what I'm doing, and so do you, but we don't know how we know, or what makes us think so. We should sit before that each time it happens in wonder and silent communion. This includes all the myriad millions of people who are duped and led astray by QAnon and the Anti-vaxxers, etc. They, too, know what they are doing. They, too, know what to say "Yes" to, and what to have nothing to do with. And have no business trusting themselves to what they trust themselves to. Another of the Great Mysteries of life and being! No one can make sense of this. But it is all on us, each one of us, to know what we know, and what we do not know, and live the best life available to us under the circumstances. We are responsible for what we do with our life. We make the calls all the way. For better and for worse. We do it to ourselves. What are your guidelines for knowing when you are off the path and on some dirt road to the landfill?
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02
We are at the mercy of merciless forces quite beyond us. But. Within the sphere of what we control, we act with complete autonomy. We are as gods there. We "wheel and deal" with absolute impunity within the bounds allotted to us by the time and place of our living. "Let's go bowling, Dude!" Why not? And, like that, we are off! Rambling around in lives of our own. I read what I want, when I want, as long as I want. And then, I may water the lawn. Or not. Depending upon what I decree. And when a pandemic, say, comes along, I make adjustments to my routine, and go on, "singing and dancing in the rain." It's what people have done through the ages. Doing what needs to be done, the way only we can do it. Picking up today where we left off yesterday, choosing from among our available choices, and making the best of what is up to us. Who could do more? How could anyone have problems with this? To LIFE! Now, and forever! To LIFE!
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03
Always the return, the coming back to ourselves, here and now, and to what is being asked of us, here and now, and to how it is best to respond, here and now, no matter what is going on, some responses are better than others, some response is the best of them all. We live from the best we have to offer to each situation as it arises, here and now. What needs to be done here and now? Do it. Do it in every here and now that follows this one. And do not kid yourself about what is best. Do not lie to yourself. Do not let yourself off the hook. Our responsibility is to the best we have to offer in every here and now for the rest of our life. Take this seriously and live from the heart in every moment anyway, nevertheless, even so, no matter what. Always and forever.
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04
The test of the quality of our life is this: Do we enjoy what we are doing, for the most part, and take pleasure in doing it, and find satisfaction in having done it? If that is not so, for the most part, our primary focus is plain before us: To transform our relationship with our life (Which will entail transforming our relationship with ourselves, and with other people) in ways that result in enjoying what we are doing, for the most part, taking pleasure in doing it, and finding satisfaction in having done it.
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05
We move into each moment out of emptiness, bringing nothing with us, being present with what is there without expectation, without intention, without motive, without agenda, without anything at stake, with nothing to gain or lose, without past or future... just looking, just seeing, just listening, just hearing, what's happening what needs to happen in response, what is called for what is needed, and how can we help meet the need with the gifts/daemon/specialties/shtick/etc. that are ours to serve and share, moment to moment, in each situation as it arises, all our life long. Move into each moment like that, still and quiet, waiting to see what emerges, arises, appears, occurs, and responding with sincerity and spontaneity, as blessing and grace upon the occasion and all gathered there. May it be so. Just that, forever.
Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy 