The Unlived Life

This topic was inspired by my favorite TV show Super Soul Sunday. The guest Steve Pressman (author of book The war of Art) was talking about how for every uplifting thought we intrinsically have resistance and overcoming it takes us to a higher plane. These uplifting thoughts, ideas or ventures he describes as “the unlived life” and describes that we all need to take actions against the resistance.

I have been caught in this. Whether its fear or a false sense of responsibility I may limit my dreams. I may limit my idea to what I feel confident about. It’s the “no risk” or “low risk” zone. Then I have the “high risk” zone where I have had crazy or different ideas which needs courage, commitment and common sense to follow through and succeed.

However, I also have a different thought around this. Thinking on just the words “unlived life”, there is a reason why I have chosen to keep the ‘unlived life” unlived.

I feel, where our lives are unlived and we have regrets or potential regrets is where we need to take action. It’s fun to fantasize about unlived life – however, it’s better to jump into the life we are living.

My “unlived” life

And the life I am living

Distinctly different

Carefully created

Quite apart

And yet oh so near

Dreams, fantasies and aspirations

Truth

A potential path

And the road I’ve taken

A reason why its ‘unlived’

Yet a hope to reach?

Ignorance and Innocence

This topic was inspired by my 3 year old Ashna. It has been a fun experience to see her grow, discover things and build her personality. Ashna like other children showcases innocence. Thinking about ignorance, I am not much into current affairs and recently in a conversation, I acknowledged my ignorance.

Innocence comes from a clean heart and a trusting nature. In innocence, we accept things as they seem. Funnily in innocence we are closer to Him. As we get “smarter” we start building barriers, bringing more of our rational selves in the picture – maybe being more ignorant. Does innocence at one point lead to ignorance?

Ignorance on the other hand is where we don’t know or where the intellect is not fast/ smart enough to grasp the meaning. It’s easier to fix the “we don’t know” part. It’s harder and takes more effort to push the intellect. The story that comes to mind is Panini. He became an excellent scholar in Sanskrit grammar and is known for multiple scriptures. However when he was young, he had a really hard time learning and memorizing verses. He was taunted and rebuked by his peers and teachers. At one point, he planned to commit suicide by jumping in the well. With God’s grace he saw some ladies pulling out water from a well. He noticed how the rope has created grooves in the well’s wall. He decided that if the wall can get grooves through repetition, his mind can too. With new enthusiasm he returned and overtime he become a world renowned scholar.

For innocence, I think of the verse, “Give me the pureness, clarity and transparency of glass, then I will imbibe Your name in my heart”

For ignorance, I remember Panini and also caution myself to be aware of my ignorance getting in the way of spiritual progress.

Innocence

Ultimate trust

Unassuming?

Accepting

The Is

Ignorance

Not knowing

Not questioning

What is possible

I pray for

Child-like innocence

To Love Thee

Challenge the ignorance

To Know Thee

The Learning from a Life Story

The thought was inspired from a visit of our relatives. We had multiple generations within the room. We had a 76 year old, a 50 year old, a couple of 40 year olds, a 10 year old and a 3 year old. All of us with different life stories and different experiences and unique learnings.

The uncle and aunty were talking about their times when India was quite conservative. They lived in a joint family and learned the art of living and existing with multiple personalities. My parents-in-law reminisced about their life as they came to US in 60’s when there were hardly any Asians. They adjusted to the new life-style, the weather and being so far away from the family. We and the other cousins were talking about technology, work-life balance and challenges of raising children with multiple identities – US and India and our struggle in finding time. All of us with different life stories and all different life learnings.

Interestingly all of us have adjusted. The learning is you can adjust and accommodate to almost anything if you desire to – whether it’s a bossy relative, a new country, distances, weather or any sort of change. The key in my mind is to remember your purpose and continue to work towards it with enthusiasm and initiative. As we adjust and accommodate, we have to ensure we don’t forget our goal and path.

Each life story

Different

Vivid

So personal

Each life story

With choices

And adjustments

So unique

Each life story

With lessons

And wisdom

So intuitive

Life stories and

Their patterns

So different

And yet so similar

Each life story

One more path

And one more chance

To reach Him.