choose one: crisis or opporunity.

cri-sis: noun [krahy-sis]

• a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, esp. for better or for worse, is determined; turning point.

op-por-tu-ni-ty: noun [op-er-too-ni-tee]

• a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances; a chance for progress or advancement.

Crisis and opportunity. The actual definitions are very similar, in fact they share the same character in written Chinese. But because they each have such distinctly different and incredibly powerful connotations, their usage drastically colors our thoughts and influences our perception, of both our own lives and the larger world. Crisis implies a certain helplessness; a scared, and perhaps futile, reaction to a large, unknown and external force. Opportunity reflects a sense of confidence. A focused and purposeful response to the current conditions, designed to ultimately improve one's position.

Constantly changing circumstances are an immutable fact, both far outside our comprehension and our control. However, accepting change and then choosing to see and then act upon opportunities, rather than being swept aside by random crises, will yield a much richer and more meaningful life.

experience

Pointed or pointless.

Pleasurable or painful.

Joyful or unbearably sad,

when everything is an experience,

nothing is ever wasted.

liberty and freedom

Against my will and despite all protest,

I can be restrained, constrained and restricted.

I can be imprisoned, shackled and enslaved,

my body can be bound, beaten down and broken apart.

All to forcibly take my liberty.

But my freedom endures.

And as always,

it remains my mine and mine alone.

master planned obsolesence

As a rule we get 1.5 billion heartbeats and then we stop. Our dogs and cats also get 1.5 billion heartbeats and then they stop. The same applies to mice, giraffes, whales, wallabies, manatees, monkeys, pigs and elephants. As a generality and applied to all mammals as a group, they have an absolute lifespan that is defined by 1.5 billion heartbeats. Some species have hearts that beat slower and some beat faster, that accounts for the different lifespans as measured chronologically.

It does not matter whether we believe that we are unified by some universal gene expression passed down through time via an evolutionary mechanism or that we are unified according to the larger plan of entity whose magnitude is far beyond our very limited ability to comprehend. What truly matters, is what actually is; that we are both unified with the life around us and that we are finite. Remember that and you will make every heartbeat count.

die once.

Last summer, out of the blue,  my dad asked me to go coffin shopping with him. This seemed a little strange so I asked him why. He said that he wanted to make sure that he looked good in his coffin. I asked him if he was planning to try them out and if so, did he want me to take pictures. We never went to the funeral home but we did go to lunch.

A few weeks ago he experienced a health scare. He had a 2nd urinary tract infection in a 3 month period. He saw his Urologist and underwent various tests. He was convinced that he had bladder cancer and that it was quickly spreading. He was upset. He is a type A person who was losing control and he really believed that his was living his last days.

Before the test results came back, I called him up and asked how he was. He told me that he was fine but that he knew he had cancer and that he was going to die. I told him that he was right, he was going to die. It might be today, tomorrow or it might be 30 years from now. He may very well have cancer or he might get hit by a bus. I didn't know why, when or how, but I assured him that he was right, he was going to die. My dad didn't say anything. After a momentary pause I told him that my advice is to not focus on a possible hypothetical outcome but rather to live life now and just die once.

The tests came back a few days later and it was found to be a simple urinary infection; the most likely cause was that the original infection was not completely resolved. He apparently does not have cancer but he does have a happy and grateful family that enjoys his company, quirks and all. We love you dad. Live your life and die once!

What values go into your friendships?

My closest friendships all have one thing in common; all of these individuals bring out my best qualities. My standards are raised in their company. They challenge me, they push me emotionally, intellectually and/or physically. They force me to move outside my comfort zone and they elevate me to higher levels. And I doubt they are even conscious that they are doing any of this. That is just their nature.