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Monday, January 21, 2013

Why? - My Research on Life

I've been doing a lot of research lately. Reading, watching, talking, thinking- true soul searching, I guess. And recently the pieces have all fallen together. One such research topic became clear when my brother threw a vast call out for the most thought provoking question someone has had, I answered it with, "Why?" The possibilities are endless, it may seem broad but a narrowed question has an answer- the broad question has many or none or one to be created, now that's thought provoking! I've been asking that a lot lately too, a lot towards how our world and daily lives operate.

You all know how much I believe in experiential education and the importance of reflection- so lets all take at least five seconds to think of a good question to ask ourselves. Something that's truly meaningful and containing the word, "Why," somewhere in it. I'll expand on my own question here to aid in reflection, but please hold onto your own. Alright, lets start!

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Got one? Good.

My question is: What do you live for, and why?

I live for fly fishing- there's not a waking moment that its not on my mind. It connects me to the natural world and all the other dots in life like nothing else can- plus its fun to catch fish. But that is trivial, skin deep. What do I live for? Well- what do I want to do with my life- what's my personal philosophy on the "day in and day out?" Here's where a good majority of my (re)searching has come in. People are inherently here to "do something" with their lives, to fulfill a purpose. Humility and compassion are the only good things to pay and get paid with in my mind. Working for money is pointless, working for greater purpose and benefit beyond yourself is what's worth admiration- not six figures. Money is fickle and fake. I aim to live simply, humbly, in constant attention towards betterment- of myself and my society. I want to teach, teaching is an extremely challenging, inspiring, rewarding field that does "real change." A teacher does more work, for way less pay, in nine months than any lawyer will in twelve months. A teacher is constantly at the front lines of politics, family problems, mental issues and disabilities, standardized tests, piles of homework, all sorts of controversies- and then they have to go home and grade while taking care of their family... Yet they have the fate of the future in their hands. With their words and lessons, they shape how students perceive the world and help them know what they should do in it. The true heroes and saviors of this world are the ones teaching those who'll inhabit the future. Heavy stuff...scary stuff! But I love nature, I love students, I care for the future of this world we live in. What else is there to do but to teach my students how awesome nature is and how important they are, and how important everything and everyone around them is? Someone's gotta do the dirty work...

Alright, so I've narrowed what I want to do down to teaching kids about nature. I know that I want to live a simple life. I also know that I want to fly fish every chance I get. Easy- that's what I live for, right? Well we could suffice our answer there, or keep analyzing. We'll stop blabbing about me for a bit, but keep analyzing, sound good?

So there are many different ways to live these days. Ranging from "Bum" to "Billionaire," anyone can really pick their poison. Yet, I think there is a deciding factor- and that is your True Self. Not your Facebook/Twitter/Linked In profile, smart phone junk, or anything found at work, home, church, school. Your True Self, no matter how cheesy it may sound, in the words of a Dr. Palmer is "in your heart, its your soul." Its something that we know all to utterly well, so well that we can hardly even define it. I feel like truly knowing yourself is as important in finding the answer to the question, than the question is itself. Though this is also fairly paradoxical, it has merit. On matters concerning living life, you have to identify what you want to do, but along side or even before you have to know what you want, what's the point and goal of this whole ordeal? What are you living for as an end? You want to be rich beyond your wildest dreams, then pursue it. You want to be a dirt-poor bum with zero responsibility, then do it- but know the consequences with all your options! Being rich is stressful as hell, as is being poor. To live the good life or a good life- that's your call and to your own perception as well. What do you live for ends up becoming not only the ends, but the means for my question. It calls for truly knowing yourself and what will keep your passion a live. Happiness, in my mind, comes along with passion, but passion is not happiness- kind of like being friendly but not a friend- Passion is unadulterated sacrifice and commitment to what gives yourself purpose. I would suppose [good] parenting is akin to true passion, for a real world example. I know that truly being a good fishing guide, you need passion- committed months to learning the water, trial and error, good clients and bad, it rests on having passion, as does teaching and pretty much everything else out there.

What is your passion? Some may truly say, "banking," or, "law," though I'd venture few and far between really would, and its probably the same for guiding and teaching, that's why you get so many burn outs towards the two to twenty year mark. But doesn't that solidify my claim towards knowing yourself and your passion? Without those things, you're miserable, truly just "making the big bucks." I've seen it time and time again in my drift boat, once you live for the money, no amount of money, travel, or booze can save you! Therefore, I implore you, be true to yourself in your life! Use the beautiful mind that God gave you to reflect and to live how you want!

So, if you remember the question you had for yourself at the beginning, please email me it with your answer- I'd love to hear from you! More research to be revealed later, everyone- Do good until then!