The Image And The Empire
June 28, 2008
The most difficult task seems to be to find that single focus under which all other tasks hide. That one idea, goal, “vision”, “image”, or “thing” that drives all else for the best possible result is both all-important and all-elusive.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
The end for which we hold vision is much bigger than the act of holding it. Some people, it seems, tend to confuse the two.
The purpose of the goal is not to keep going. On the contrary, the purpose of “keeping going” is to reach the goal.
The goal has become a motivational tool (a means to an end) rather than the end itself. Like a carrot dangling in front of us by a string, it serves to motivate us to finally do what we should have been doing all along.
At some point we stopped holding onto the image for the sake of the empire, and started daydreaming about the empire for the sake of keeping the image instead.
Fences
June 7, 2008
When we are carefree and happy, we build a white picket fence
When we have reason to worry, we build a privacy fence
When we are terrified, we build mighty walls
When we are at war, we post guards at the gate and call upon our allies
When we are ready to make peace, we open the gates to diplomats
When we have achieved peace, we take down the walls
When we are carefree and happy, we build a white picket fence
And lie in wait for a reason to worry
~wbv
Contentment
June 5, 2008
Is your reputation more valuable than your essence?
Are your possessions worth more than your soul?
Will having more increase the length of your life?
Does wanting make you a better person?
Fill your bucket with wants
And dump it in the river
And take note of how little an impact it has
Your wants will flow like water
From an endless source
And will reach their destination just the same
Subtract from your life all of the “things”
That your heart wants to keep and that your mind thinks you need
And what remains will be the things that truly matter
Find what truly matters
And find a way to be happy with just that
If you spend your life wanting for
things that can be taken away from you
You’ll wish someday that you had learned to cherish
those things that can’t
~wbv
