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I have spent more than half a lifetime seeking happiness, and as others,
experienced much hardship and disappointment. After deep contemplation I've discovered
afflictions rather than adversaries have been guides to ever-greater insight, wisdom and happiness
while gradually realizing most commonly accepted symbols of prosperity to be misleading and
driven by insecurities, conventionalism and marketing influences.
When people seek fame, fortune and social status usually what they really want is love,
to feel special and control. But such an approach is in herently fleeting and superficial while often evoking
negatives: Jealousy, superiority, etc. It's ironic that such traits are a model in our culture and continue to be
emulated as evidence of intelligence and sophistication without noting that worldly success inevitably
results in diminishing gratification while "failure" tends to stimulate circumspection and
adaptation of that which is of real and enduring value.
Though the devil may seem in the living and details the essence of what
nurtures ever-greater fulfillment and of greatest worth has become clear: Being
aware of the unlimited ever-expanding potential and wondrous beauty of one's higher nature
and trying to be in this elevated self regardless of circumstances. It's funny, but
doing so seems to also bring out the better in others and situations.
It would seem experience mated with time are necessary to apprehend and
instill harmonious living and remind us of the comprehensive worth of our individualized
greater nature -Persisting in cultivating simplicity, compassionate affinity and interconnectedness
bringing far greater empowerment while gradually manifesting in return the most
comprehensive and deepest affection, knowledge and fulfillment.
I believe trying to naturalize and integrate such elevated individual-
ized qualities for their own sake in spite of our own and others short-comings to
be the essence of what is unifying and worthiest in ourselves, and therefore sacred.
- While doing so without further expectation of reward the noblest of apsirations.
-bk
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