‘Living’ like a fired bullet

My neighbor was ill for a couple of weeks. I visited him every day and we had nice conversations about all kind of themes. Very nice talk to be honest. Actually you learn to know people in a different way.

One day he said to me: “Frans, one of my masters in life told me this; When we were young we laid down in the grass and we could see the grass growing. Living our life now, as fast as a fired bullet, we are not even aware of living anymore. Things go faster and faster, we think life is going faster. Time is not changing. For centuries 24 hours are still 24 hours and not a minute shorter or more. We think we do more but we live less. Actually we are the ones that do not respect life-time any more. Not taking the time to be aware and enjoy the many wonders of life for us.”

I kept this message in mind. Preparing the sala (an open covered space) on the hill where I guide the morning meditation I took some time to watch the magnificent scenery and the ongoing change of the impressive white clouds. It makes me happy, nearly every day, to start my day here and just every morning watch the clouds for a while. Listening to the sounds of nature. Night sounds fading away, sounds of the start of a new day in nature and of village life coming up. Soon accompanied with the rising sun again. It’s just a ‘wake-up call’ being grateful of getting a new day again to live.

Sometimes I start my international class with compassion practice I got from the Dalai Lama. Hearing the message of my neighbor's master I thought about one of the first sentences in this practice says:

“Today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it…”

Who am I to ‘judge’ we are wasting our life? Not even running our life path anymore, less and less being aware of the things we did or do? Running from goal to another longing goal – and being there not even celebrate we reach it – to the next goal? Not taking the time to stop and recharge? Need to be connected with everyone and everything? It are all signs we are afraid to come home. Coming home within ourselves, not LIVING life as it is available for us, as it is mend to be. 

Think about the idea of wasting your time. Maybe you think you can do more in one day with all the sources you have to support you doing the things you do. And in a certain way you can. But is doing more also LIVING more for you? Be aware of the always free choice you have to do what you want to do. There is no general excuse. Do not waste your life. Take the time and be aware of living it. There are many wonders already waiting for you. You only have to be aware of the grass growing, the clouds changing (when was the last time you really observed them?), the birds singing, a child exploring...

Just being aware of only this kind of things can be a step forward in being aware of LIVING instead of like a fired bullet not respecting life...

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com