As it turns out, you all had a lot of questions about life. And even more of you had answers. I just finished reading through the 300+ comments, and I’m ready to weigh in on some of my favorites.
First, I don’t know the answers to most of these questions. And the answers that I do know may only be true for me and the world that I’ve created in this moment. They may or may not resonate with you, but I feel that they do point to some truth. I’m no guru, but I will take my best shots.
My favorite answer, written by Nick5064, was in response to the the very first question: Who am I? Nick writes:
Remember the vessel shapes the water. When dealing with water, you need a container, and if you don’t know water, you might confuse the container with water. You could mistake the colour of the jug for the colour of the water. You could say water tastes this way because of the jug. In the end (on earth) you are both container and water, each with a structure and purpose.
While I can’t say that I agree entirely (i.e., I don’t think our body shapes life in the same way that a vessel shapes water, nor do I think that I am the container), the metaphor is quite beautiful and profound. Congratulations to Nick5064 for winning the prize!
I don’t know who I am as much as I know who I am not. I’m not this body. I’m not these thoughts. I’m not the sum total of my past experiences. I’m that which observes all of this. I’m the presence beyond the body, the thoughts and my experiences. But as soon as I conceptualize this, I create another thought – and I am not that. I don’t think we can define who we are – and there is something beautiful about that.
Andrew James asks:
How does one become unafraid to try new things, go to new places, and meet new people?
I think this is a mater of logic. If you wish to grow and evolve, one of the easiest ways is to step into the unknown. If you fall, so what? You’ll learn something and be wiser. You can’t lose anything that matters when you try new things, go to new places and meet new people. There is nothing to fear.
Kenneth Livingston asked:
Do I stand behind what I do at all times?
Yes and no.
We need to recognize that everyone is making the best decisions that they can make. The people in our lives can’t make decisions from a level of consciousness or awareness that they haven’t yet obtained.
The same is true for us. Looking back at my life, I’ve made a number of decisions that I wouldn’t replicate today (a number of which you can read about in this very blog). These decisions were missteps, but I couldn’t have stepped any other way at the time. So, I can honor the choices that I’ve made while recognizing that there were alternative – and perhaps more fulfilling – paths.
In my life and yours, we’ve done the best we could with what we knew. But just because we made a certain decision yesterday, it doesn’t necessitate us making that same decision today.
October 23, 2009 at 10:41 am
This post is very close to me. Who am I? – I think it is always difficult to answer this question – it’s all well and good say who you are in your perspective at the current point of time however when you look back and reflect on who you were; it is different to who you are now, and that will change in the forthcoming future. I asked my friends the question and many of them simply answered ‘Me’ – and that is all you need to say when answering th “Who am I?” question – because ‘Me’ will sum up everything about you at the moment in time, the past and the future!
Sorry if that doesn’t make sense,
check out my blog,
Love and Peace
Jack
October 23, 2009 at 10:58 am
That is a great response.
I think we all struggle with who we are. We struggle to stay true to who we are. We struggle to get back to who we are after others force us to be who they want us to be.
I really believe that is a major struggle in life.
This response really helps support the process of who you are.
October 23, 2009 at 11:24 am
Great post. Perhaps a step toward defining (or understanding) who we are is found in what we believe we’re not. I don’t know, but I do know this, that we are far, far more than we believe. And, we’re capable of achieving so much more than we believe. Every step is a step of progress. Even small ones.
Love,
Jake
October 23, 2009 at 11:29 am
Congratulations to the winner…
I also thought the metaphor of water really beautiful.
October 23, 2009 at 1:43 pm
David,
It seems you didn’t expect so much questions and comments!
“Who am I?” Isn’t it possible that we are exactly made of the reflect of the thoughts we have? I mean that if we change our thoughts, we won’t be the same.
“Being unafraid to try new things…” needs sometime a little training but often a kick to one’s ass! (I still have my bottom red!)
“Do I stand behind…” the decisions we are taking are always at the level of our own involvement in the things we do and the rules that we have edicted for our life, without forgetting always a part of responsability which is proper to our action.
bye,
October 23, 2009 at 2:41 pm
ps: never play games on computer! See Warcraft III, I’ll
have a try!
October 23, 2009 at 10:08 pm
very deep.
thanks davey
October 23, 2009 at 10:08 pm
davey you always produce the best quotes
October 23, 2009 at 10:15 pm
i also wonder who am i… anyway, the metaphor is beautiful and u always have the best quotes…
October 23, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Thank you, Davey.
October 24, 2009 at 3:04 am
I actually liked some of the thoughts in this post, very common sense, very practical.
October 24, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Great post I really enjoyed reading this one.
October 25, 2009 at 6:51 am
Perhaps if you substitute the word “vessel” with the word “mind” and the word “water” with the word “experience”, it would take on a whole new level of meaning.
And yes, mind colors experience … mind shapes experience too … and yet mind is not experience though (experience is stored there).
October 25, 2009 at 7:03 am
Changing one’s perspective (mind/filter) can also change a bitter experience to sweet and a sweet experience to bitter so it affects the taste too …