Blackbird fly

All your life... you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

In my life, the shared experiences with loved ones and friends has been the most influential and most valuable aspect of life that I'll take with me. Once you leave your home, and your family, and move out on your own, you'll discover something... the most obvious thing, yet the most important as well. That the shared experiences, the shared reality that you once existed within are now a memory. Now all of a sudden, to continue with the relationships, and to engage in further experiences of love, friendship, and family, you must make those relationships a priority.

Often times we underestimate what happens when we visit our roots, when we visit the personalities that created and shaped us into the people that we are today. When we view the bahaviours, the personalities, the problems and strife... the love and the laughter... it forces us to reflect on ourselves and the progression of our lives. What will come of us now? Now that the behaviours of our parents are so subtle and ingrained within ourselves. Where do we go? What is life all about?

Is it about finding a mate, and having kids. Providing a better life than I was provided? In my case, that's a tall order, because I couldn't have asked for anything more than this. Is life about death and taxes? Is life about supporting the hierarchy that we all exist within, getting a menial job... finding a mate to rub our pennies together and scrimp and save, in the hopes that we may be able to retire without eating cat food? Is this all there is?

I had a conversation with someone today who was down... yet another example of someone whose happiness is attached to some external event. And the event that he choose... of all things... is the rise and fall of the stock market. Because lately, the stock market has been going down, his happiness and mood has gone down. In hopes to snap him back into a more stable reality, I simply pointed out the absurdity of being happy only when stocks are up and on the rise... and if his happiness is tied to the rise and fall of stocks, and given the current trend, I remarked that he's in trouble. His response was... "money buys you options." My response was that no... your inner world is what provides you with options. You can be a pauper and have more options than the richest of men, it is all in how you look at it... it's all in how you construct your reality. This particular friend is someone who has stepped away from the transcendental as of late, and has fallen back into the illusion of material possessions and the supposed happiness they bring. I know that eventually, once he's dissatisfied with the lack of happiness, he may go back and walk the path again, but that is his choice, as it is everyone's. Unfortunately, the less people that are even aware of the path, the less chance we have to stablize our collective realities.

Imagine a world where everyone's happiness was tied to the stock market. Or the bonds market, or even more drastic, the rise and fall of commodities like gas or gold. Imagine how unstable our entire world would be. We would all be psychotic, simply because our emotions would control us all the time. We would be at the mercy of the external environment, with absolutely no control over how we feel. We would cause wars, commit crimes, cause misery, and pain for everyone around us. Sounds absurd doesn't it? Well perhaps it's a good time to realize that this is exactly what all of us do. All of our emotions are closely attached and linked to external events, circumstances, or objects. Some of us choose more stable things to be happy about, some of us don't. Some of us are just content to be with their families. Some of us are content that they have a nice collection of toys... electronics... music... etc. Some of us are content and happy when they are dating the "right" person.

None of us actually realize the absurdity of giving away our power and control of our emotions, but we do it constantly... and worse yet we don't even see the problem. Most don't even think it's a problem to begin with... it's simply the way they were raised... because the behaviour of their parents was similar, they too are only able to perceive happiness if external events magically line up and allow us the *blessing* of being happy. I say that is absurd, and as such I suggest that people begin to see and reclaim the power that they have over their internal world... and decouple that from our external world and the events that unfold around us. Then perhaps we will all stabilize around a more positive attitude bit by bit... one person at a time. Then perhaps peace will finally be upon us.

All realities are constructed from within, and that construct is what allows us to perceive the external world the way that we do. The good news is that our constructs of reality can change at anytime. But only if we want to... only if we first of all perceive that we actually *can* change or affect something... that we have some measure of control. Once that is realized, internally we make the decision that we have the power to change the event or circumstance or even object in question. We may even act at this point... perhaps the event irritates us and we desire change, or perhaps we see the opportunity for improvement and actually have the internal fortitude and gumption to change. Perhaps... maybe once in a life time... people may realize that the external world only changed because of the change within.

Once there was a way... to get back home. Where peace of mind is actualized and easily obtained... so peaceful is the mind that for the first time, we may realize the real intelligence beyond the illusion and chatter within consciousness. To be free of the cultures, the religions, the dogma, the judgments, the societal constructs that limit and condition us so well, so subtly that we're oblivious to it. But for now... sleep as you will... but know within you... that there will be a path... and we all will walk it.

All your life... you were only waiting for this moment to be free.