Do you seek greatness or are you content to just wade in the sea of adequate?
Fate is truly fickle. How does one person repeatedly rise from ashes again, and again, and another falls to the winds of fate.
I have survived 2 lightning bolts, a near miss with quick-sand, numerous car accidents, 2 terrorist bombs, several bar-room brawls, a fifteen-foot fall onto a concrete pavement (dislocated elbow), a twenty foot fall onto a concrete warehouse floor (broken neck), intruder in my home, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquake, and surgical extractions of a few body parts, but was I lucky or does fate have something special waiting for me?
The romantic side of me believes my continued
existence remains intact only because I have yet to accomplish what I was put
on this earth to do. (I sure hope I find out soon.) Now on the flip side, if I
were to compare my life to that of my fathers, I seriously doubt that I am all that
special. He survived 38 months in the
south pacific during World War II, and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a
Bronze Star for Valor. He also worked 45 years at the steel mill and fathered 5
children. I always viewed my father as great man, although I am positive he did
not think the same of himself.
The problem I am faced with now is that my past experiences have created a monster. I constantly wonder why am I still alive, and for what purpose? Sadly that question has become a burden in my everyday life. I often gaze at a blank screen, hoping for a distinctive pattern of words to magical appear before my eyes. Why wouldn’t something spectacular suddenly materialize, after all, I’m obviously still alive for specific reason, right? Naw, I’m at least smart enough to know that greatness is achieved, not perceived, or conjured.
The pedestrian side of my brain has no time for thoughts about ‘what is the meaning of life’, or believing that fate is predetermined. The sarcastic cells floating in my grey
matter envision that I am on a never-ending quest to find a comfortable pair of
shoes and become king of Easter Island.
Whatever is in store for me, be it near or in
the distant future, I will always cherish my brushes with death. They miraculously
transformed me into the diverse paradoxal creature I am today, and for that, I
am forever grateful.
“Mister Kafka, how did you feel when you dislocated your elbow or when your kneecap was detached after a forklift fell on your leg?”
“I felt very paradoxal, jimmy.”
The significance of your life truly flashes
before your eyes, when a 60,000 lb. forklift rolls on your leg. (Yeah, I got
hurt bad that day!)
I have a hideous green bath robe that I will
never toss out, because it may be the key to my existence. I call it my lucky
charm.
Anyway, whenever the guy dressed in black,
holding a scythe comes for me, I will surely thank him for all the chances he
gave me to make something of my life.
It is not how you lived yesterday or even what you remember, but how you choose to live today, and worry only about tomorrow when it arrives with the morning sun.
Warfolkan
(This article was previously posted on 15 June, 2014)
I am still alive!
-jk-
Oddly, my weird reaction is thinking that you have nice feet. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteBut...first of all, I don't believe in "luck." And should I kick your butt for actually questioning, after all the near-fatal events in your life, what is the purpose of your life? LOL. Most of us never know what our grand purpose is. No one says we're even supposed to know. We DO have one, all of us, and you may have fulfilled your purpose a thousand times over without even knowing it.
Yes. You're alive. And miraculously so, my friend. And, YES, I DO believe in miracles. I believe in BLESSINGS. And, no, you don't have a "charmed" life, you have a "blessed life."
I enjoyed your post, James. I'm in awe of the times you've been spared throughout your life. And don't waste those miracles on wondering too much about the purpose of it all. You ARE alive and, whatever you're doing, you ARE fulfilling that purpose. You SEE how amazing it's been, and there is that. Go with it.
I did enjoy your post, my friend.
Thank You
ReplyDelete