Evening Reflections

9/5/17

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            When life's pace slackens, and the euphoria of pumped-up caricatures of self and other begins to wane, we can take pause and experience the gristle of reality in its full infamy. This radical and sobering perspective is infamous because people flee from it as from the bubonic plague and will use any and all means to avoid experiencing it. In a culture chronically frightened of the dark, we go to desperate measures to stifle despair and existential yearning. All forms of psychic pain seem unbearable to Westerners, who romanticize idyllic happiness which is unwavering and indestructible.

            Ironically, there is a form of energy that is equitable to this, but it is a calm contentedness, not a frenzied exuberance. Many do not even notice real serenity because it feels that nothing is happening! Peace, to those addicted to chaos and strife, is supremely boring.

            And so we return day by day to those aspects of existence which we choose to prioritize, which are then typically projected onto others and the responsibility revoked, and thus comes the morass of tired excuses and endless whining by which "adults" (most of which who continue to behave as children even into old age) limit themselves into a pre-circumscribed domain of what they are comfortable with. Change and growth is so terrifying that the majority prefer to stagnate in tormentous situations than experience the discomfort of breaking down walls.

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            While growth and maturation are inevitable, given the course of time, their pace is highly adaptable according the choice of the individual. For some, several centuries would be needed before they would get around to the idea that what goes around comes around, or other such obvious and timeless realizations! Therefore we see the beauty of the diversity of experience, whereby sovereign entities set firm decrees declaring what they would like to get out of their incarnation onto this planet, and sign with their lifeblood on the dotted line agreeing to all the concomitant results of their choice.

            Whereby we realize that "All the world" truly is "a stage" as declared by Shakespeare, where cosmic creatures (potentially utterly brilliant) amuse themselves by pretending to be only slightly more refined than common beasts. Self-denigration apparently is all the rage in eras where Ignorance is set upon the shining pedestal, Falsehood worshipped in ecstatic tones, and Mediocrity attested to as the highest and most worthy goal of an earthly sojourn!

            Yet still, we remain in possession of that eternal faculty, that divine Will that allows us to switch and shift our core intentions on a momentary basis; still we are in possession of the golden Key which unlocks the dynamo of Bliss, Wisdom, Beauty, Truth, Love, Understanding, Compassion, Joy, Awe, Serenity and every other Extremely Real Thing which society is fond of sneering at, the skeptics, cynics, nihilists, anti-this and a-thats standing arms folded and lips locked into a hideous scowl trying their hardest to deny that which stares them stark in the face.

            What a truly absurd tragicomedy this world is! I give the utmost thanks for the ability to dwell here, for however many short moons, along with all of you. Through good and through bad, and even unto the grave itself, may words of gratitude be upon my tongue. Even in the most harrowing perception, may I recall that to be is an inestimable gift.

Daniel Pendergraft
@d-pend
9/5/17

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