Thought for the day - July 2, 2000

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 10:21 AM

...another ancient Chinese sage (whose name eludes me) said along those same lines: "A good traveller never knows where he's going - a perfect traveller never knows where he's been."

I've never been to China, but from what all these philosophers are concluding, it must be really hard - and take forever - to get someplace.

Regardless, my personal travelling experience leads me to believe what they say is essentially true. With a few exceptions, the 'destination' has been somewhat of a letdown compared with the 'journey.'

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 11:54 PM

Thank you, one and all, for your comments and Micca, that poem is just beautiful...very fitting.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: JenEllen
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 10:49 PM

LMAO...not at the sentiment, but at the timing. I just read the saga of the Women's HearMe, and now this. The rocky journey in the former, and the neat little bow of the latter. Fitting. ~Elle

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 10:43 PM

Didn't Captain Kirk say this, basically, in It's the struggle that makes us human or whatever the harangue was whenever the andriods or aliens tried to do too much for the crew? I'm thinking of I, Mudd at least. In other words, kat, couldn't agree more!

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: Micca
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 09:35 AM

I know its a bit early but it seemed to match kats thought..
CYCLE

The night weeps gentle tears for the dying day
leaves in mourning again
the season of dying upon us
almost without warning
seems only yesterday it was flowers all the way
promising a bright tomorrow
in its sparkling April showers
and now blackberries, in black,
burying the year
a breath at a time.

Harvest moon and first frosts
Octobers icy breath announces
Funeral games for Samhain
Christians "All Hallows" but its
worth is known to ancient Celts
burying the Sun
like gold 'till Spring
can summon it forth
with Beltane fires.

But now rain, punctuating the summer
comma, colon: stop.
Quiet and unrelenting
at the edge of thought
time, bleeding down the window,
invites the eye back
into the past.

To dwell on how things were
or might have, or might, still be.
Resist diversion,
Time is now,
and now is all you have
and rain is only rain,
and Autumn
glorious and real
and here.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 08:20 AM

How does that saying go.......
'Life is what's happening while you were making plans'

Essential quote Kat, especially if you really want to feel the magic of life. The most alive and passionate I have ever felt was in the moment. No day dreaming or planning for a future event can compare to the joy I have felt within a present moment.
So I try to work on that. When I find myself wandering off in my mind to things of the future, I try to bring my mind back to the present and feel life pulsating all around me. From there I can discover the real treasures.

Bonnie

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: GUEST,shlenny from Bloomington
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 07:09 AM

The quote for *everyday*?!?

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 05:15 AM

My holiday has just ended back to work tomorrow
I will try and hold on to these wise words to see me through
Roger

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 04:55 AM

What a good thought for the day, Katlaughing. We tend to go through life thinking that things will be fine once we reach certain goals. Not to knock striving to attain goals, but life is so much fuller when you pay more attention to the journey. I see that in my life, for example, when I'm looking forward to an event in the evening, I sometimes don't do alot during that day, because I'm too caught up in anticipating the evening event. Then the evening comes and goes. It takes some paying attention to these patterns to then be more aware of how one goes through life day to day. I have my life goals, but I have learned, slowly, to live more in the present. Thanks for posting that.

chanteyranger

Subject: Thought for the day - July 2, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 12:29 AM

A journey, regardless of its length, is not a motion from place to place, but an experience of moving through space from place to place. In other words, man grows not as a result of arriving at his journey's end, but by the mystery of the journey itself. He learns most who travels slowly.

- a Chinese Philosopher (unnamed) quoted in the book listed below -

Make the journey not because we are striving to cover a distance, but because we rejoice in a series of experiences, each of which is precious in itself.

- Manly P. Hall: Self-Unfoldment by Disciplines of Realization