Good Fortune

I feel blessed these days. Actually, that sounds a bit arrogant. I should feel blessed every single day for the things I have which I take for granted. But I suppose what I mean is that I feel blessed in an overt fashion. When you feel kindness descend on you and touch you gently and lovingly, that is when you feel blessed. The feeling of being blessed and cherished is special.

I thought I should title this posting good fortune because that feeling - of being blessed - is a blessing in itself. Good fortune is subjective. Today it manifests itself in that blessing for me. That small window that allows you to view a unique and special scene, even if it's temporary and you know that you only have a moment to enjoy it. That moment is the blessing of being able to experience something only you can experience. That is good fortune. 

The little things we go through on a daily basis that allow us to become who we are, are symbols of good fortune. The little things that make us smile. These are symbols of good fortune. And most of all, the people in our lives are symbols of good fortune.

A Medley of Musicals for my Life

I have a series of songs going through my mind these days and they all seem to ironically describe my comings and goings. They all seem to have a common running theme too. Change. Self-inflicted change.

I never was one to settle with the status quo. A creative mind needs sustenance and once I find myself in an environment that churns out nothing but sameness, I suffocate and yearn to fly free.

I was introduced to the bold statement of 'defying gravity' by the cast of Wicked. I could relate to it straight away. When you choose to do something bold and against the tide, it does call upon you to make bold statements. It calls for you to have the strength to stop yourself from being pulled down - to defy gravity - that magnificent and all natural force. Imagine the amount of energy needed to defy such a great force. In metaphorical terms, that force usually consists of demoralising notions of the negative kind from those who just fail, and don't even try, to understand where you're coming from. But the only way to do what you most believe in is to give in to yourself and set yourself free. It's about embracing that sense of freedom by trusting yourself and defying the weights that pull you down in the form of maintaining the status quo in the minds of those who just don't want change, don't understand it, don't see the potential in it. And by defying the gravity of those conformed thoughts you become unlimited in what you are able to achieve.

It really is about going your own way. Whether you choose to go down the road less travelled or to forge yourself a new path in familiar territory, it is about stepping out of your comfort zone. Perhaps that is what makes life more meaningful for me. 

But between trying to defy gravity in my frequent auguries of listlessness and while trying to go my own way, I find myself close up with the realities of life.

I seem to be dancing through life, dodging disappointments and savoring moments of happiness one after the other. But, hey, it is life after all and depending on what your internal belief is about it and how it's structured within your psyche, life can be just that, a fleeting time warp that will come to end before we know it. At the other end of the scale, life might be such a precious and valuable opportunity that should be grasped. And while I see it as a blessing and a means of making something meaningful out of, I also see it as a fleeting time warp. I say this with a touch of irony as I strive everyday to achieve whatever it is that I want to achieve, knowing that ultimately with every ticking second everything passes. What really matters is what you end up giving, touching other people's lives and having the ability to create meaning to others' lives. Sadly, the way I perceive it is not how I seem to be going about it to achieve that meaning. So I continue to dance through life, dodging one test after another, trying hard to get to an optimum level of what it means to be happy, to provide happiness, and to give this thing called life meaning.

My recurring theme seems to be change. So, while I continue to dance through life, I try to defy gravity all at once while going my own way. Tough choices but I wouldn't want it any other way.

It's About Posture

I had been wallowing in the doldrums of my mind for the past few days. It happens to all of us. So when I woke up this morning in time for my morning prayers, I pleasantly surprised myself with the resolve I had to brush away all the cobwebs surrounding my heart and soul. Instead of slipping back into the cosiness of my warm bed and with it, the slumber of my mind, I was alert and ready for anything this day had to throw at me.

I stood in the kitchen, unaware of my slouch, making myself a cup of tea and gazing at my socks, at the floor and anything that was grounded. I took a deep breath in and instinctively, I found myself pulling my stomach muscles in then holding on to them for dear life as I exhaled. Eyes closed, my mind recalled the words of my pilates instructor, hammered into my psyche for years. Shoulders down. Focus on your core and for goodness sake, don't let go of your stomach muscles. I kept on inhaling and exhaling for a good few moments until the chugging sound of a kettle ready to take off brought me back to the here and now. But I kept on breathing and with every breath I took, I consciously felt my spine straighten up further until I felt taller than I had felt for the last few days. It seemed like a long time ago! I opened my eyes and felt this rush of happiness. My head had adjusted itself so that my gaze was level. I could see outwards, towards the garden the towards the world around me. I felt more centred.  It was like a whole new world had just opened up to me even though nothing in my physical surroundings had changed. It was now a view of hope, optimism and renewed determination. I could actually feel a smile forming within me and I breathed new life into my soul.

I poured the steaming water in my cup slightly excited at this change, grateful for this ever so subtle jump start to the day ahead. And all along I held on to my posture, that symbol of recovery. 

I thought about this for a moment.

If improving my physical posture instantly improved my attitude then what about all the other metaphorical postures in my life that I could instantly mend. It seemed to be a matter of straightening out all the kinks in my life that were preventing me from getting where I wanted to be. A simple mathematical concept says that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Clearly kinks, slouches and deviations had no place in this equation. And to get to my destination, whatever that may be, I needed to find that straight line. To realise my dreams, I needed to iron out the creases in my mind. You know, the ones that create mental blocks and obstacles. The ones in the form of negative vibes and show-shopping notions that prevent you from advancing and moving forward. I needed to improve the posture of my mind. I needed to improve the posture of my life.

So while I carried my cup of tea and walked through to the lounge, I carried with me not only poise and grace but I also carried with me a renewed positive attitude. I could already feel a million and one fresh ideas spring to mind. The realisation had just opened up the heavy door of creativity and unleashed forces within me that were ready to get to work and raring to go.

Mothers were right all along. It is about posture.