Huwag Tularan (Do not follow) si Macbeth

Image by a Ginny Balfour on Twitter

All is not for naught. Life does not signify nothing.

Be positive!

Rise

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Today's sermon advised that in order to be co-heirs of God's kingdom, we should daily "descend" into the world and be sources of spiritual illumination amidst tribulations, sabotage, subterfuge, or loneliness and also "ascend" and recognize our divine support through prayer and acts of piety.  I would like to quote Sir Thomas Wyatt's "I am as I am" to rise above adversity:

I am as I am and so will I be 

But how that I am none knoweth truly, 

Be it evil be it well, be I bond be I free 

I am as I am and so will I be. 

I lead my life indifferently, 

I mean nothing but honestly, 

And though folks judge diversely, 

I am as I am and so will I die. 

I do not rejoice nor yet complain, 

Both mirth and sadness I do refrain, 

And use the mean since folks will fain 

Yet I am as I am be it pleasure or pain. 

Divers do judge as they do true, 

Some of pleasure and some of woe, 

Yet for all that no thing they know, 

But I am as I am wheresoever I go. 

But since judgers do thus decay, 

Let every man his judgement say: 

I will it take in sport and play, 

For I am as I am who so ever say nay. 

Who judgeth well, well God him send; 

Who judgeth evil, God them amend; 

To judge the best therefore intend, 

For I am as I am and so will I end. 

Yet some that be that take delight 

To judge folks thought for envy and spite, 

But whether they judge me wrong or right, 

I am as I am and so do I write. 

Praying you all that this do read, 

To trust it as you do your creed, 

And not to think I change my weed, 

For I am as I am however I speed. 

But how that is I leave to you; 

Judge as ye list, false or true; 

Ye know no more than afore ye knew; 

Yet I am as I am whatever ensue. 

And from this mind I will not flee, 

But to you all that misjudge me, 

I do protest as ye may see, 

That I am as I am and so will I be.

hyper-awareness

I took the photo in 2009 at Helsingor Castle (Shakespeare's setting for Hamlet--Elsinore) and you can see cannons pointed towards that land mass--Sweden. Apparently, the Danes and Swedes (and Norwegians) had a long turbulent political history.  I enjoyed this castle, aside from other castles, historical landmarks, and museums during that trip. I am awed by inanimate objects or artifacts that existed in the distant past. Today, I decided to take my favorite morning scenic route and tried to appreciate all the intricate details of this old building I would enter. There is always a purpose for every ridge, color, structure that we see in architecture; whether for an engineering value or aesthetics. I invite everyone to be hyper-aware of the environment...it clears the mind. 

Embrace your uniqueness

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My youngest sister would jokingly complain about how people would chat her up using Chinese or Hawaiian references, because people assumed her ethnicity. I would get asked for directions in any East Asian language and I find it very amusing. I made small talk with someone who began ranting about how he was always mistaken for a particular ethnic background and that he would be treated badly at shops which he assumed to be because of his appearance and accent. Despite being highly educated.  Meanwhile, a former schoolmate unburdened herself of her sadness on social media, because she was tired of being told that she needed to change her appearance.

To rationalize all this, I realized that perhaps the acts of aversion we receive from people may be due to the twisted fact that we somehow do not conform to whatever norm exists in whichever place. There is a temptation to blend in--speak a certain way, wear certain garments, pretend to engage in certain activities. At the end of the day, it becomes exhausting. It is less stressful to be one's self. As in the Shakespearean "to thine own self be true." I once read that to be different means to be "limited edition."

I am sure no one is exempt from feelings of insecurity. However, the variation lies on how people choose to deal with these unnecessary stressors. In relation to a previous post about dealing with those who debase what we value--when our identities are devalued, we can respond in a number of ways. We should definitely choose our response wisely. Choke on tears, admit the hurt. Just don't concretize your violent-Thor/Godzilla/Mr.Hyde tendencies. Not cool.

Virtual Sanity

Jamiroquai's mid-90s pop/funk hit "Virtual Insanity" is almost a lamentation about how humans have succumbed to technology. I, on the other hand, celebrate the fact that I live in this era of hi-tech and virtual interconnectedness such that geographical isolation is no longer a barrier for human interaction. Imagine the past world wars when soldiers in action were motivated by happy memories through pictures and handwritten letters of their loved ones kept within their helmets or pockets. Or Queen Victoria of England and Prince Albert who spent most of their courtship stages exchanging and waiting for handwritten missives. 

The kind of technological advancement that we have today is such a gift, despite what many anti-tech people rant about how smartphones promote narcissism and isolation. I still prefer actual human interaction--I cannot stress that enough; but I do enjoy the luxury of being able to connect with family on the other side of the planet especially during times when familial or friendly support are most helpful. 

In terms of politics, current events, and science, the world wide web has allowed real-time information to reach the common man. Yes, the task of filtering which is fact or fiction can be daunting yet the human brain is very adaptable. Educators are no longer sources of information but facilitators of learning; ideally, the role of academic institutions today should be to teach students how to think. It's back to the past a la ancient Greece and the roots of philosophy...come to *think* of it.

Vivid, languid, and practical

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There are certain days in a week that I'm sure many of us look forward to more than others. It doesn't always have to be Friday--it could even be, miraculously, a Monday. For myself, it's a day when I could go to this Italian nook and briefly enjoy their 5-dollar, happy hour special: a cup of cappuccino and a cannolo.  If I'm feeling a bit splurge-y at a particular moment, I'd occasionally get an additional macaron. Quiet time with quality coffee and a pastry constitute a formula for happiness. For under $10. I know that sometimes we need to be frugal about our whims, yet, it's food. It's a basic need of man. It's not ALL the time. No, I'm not feeling guilty. Actually, I feel guilty that I'm not feeling guilty. As an alternative example, I also experience the same level of happiness when I make myself a cup of instant coffee and pair it with cream cheese on toast. The point is that we can create our own happiness if we choose to. It's a matter of romanticizing the ordinary, magnifying the current state, stretching time, being in the present.  

Carp Dime

I was on the bus where another commuter, a man who clearly has a mental condition, repetitively stated "carp dime, life is short, the future is uncertain...carp dime, life is short, the future is uncertain." I realized that he meant carpe diem...because to seize the day relates to the brevity of life. I remember Bruno Mars saying "tomorrow's not promised" when Ellen DeGeneres interviewed him about accepting his first Super Bowl stint in spite of critics who thought he wasn't popular enough.  

I was smiling the entire bus ride--this was a glaring message: Carpe diem, because life is short and the future is uncertain. Be kind today. Say what you mean. Choose life. Choose love. Choose harmony. Because tomorrow is not promised.