Thursday, October 24, 2013

Walt's Words

Lately I've been finding myself lost in a constant whirlpool of ideas, a pull and tug between what I should be doing vs. what I want to be doing. Most of these scenarios involve marathon TV-watching sessions and a reluctance to exercise, but on occasion I find myself considering the bigger picture—my place in the world, the meaning of life, and what I have to contribute. Indeed, life's greatest mysteries. You hear the stories about people chasing their dreams and reaching them, achieving success at a young age, or living on a boat with a couple of animals and sailing the world. It all sounds so desirable. I've read my fair share of self-help articles thinking that somehow this would lead me down the path of enlightenment. Maybe I'd pick up a few pointers on how to "get rich quick" or, at the very least, learn to be more introspective and appreciative of what I have. Most of these articles reiterate the same point: "Be in the present moment." The more I think about this statement, the less sense it makes to me. The present moment sounds like a slow path to nowhere. Shouldn't I be looking ahead? Shouldn't I want to feel unsatisfied as a reminder to myself that I have not yet reached my full potential? That there's more to experience? Something to strive for?

I'm thinking about opening up an ice cream shop in some quaint little town I have yet to visit. That'd be pretty neat.

I've also noticed that I've really slowed down on making art for myself. I don't know if it's my old age, if I've grown out of it or simply given up, if I've forgotten how to create out of sheer lack of practice, or if I've grown too complacent with where I am. With that said, I will leave you with this quote:

"Impression minus expression equals depression." - Walt Stanchfield

Guess I better get moving.