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Open Poetry #40
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Finding Meaning
| Open Poetry #40 |
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Finding Meaning |
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WindWalker Senior Member
since 2001-10-12
Posts 1218 |
A story is told of a man who realized one day his life had no meaning. He was going on in years, entering retirement and all he saw of himself seemed meaningless. So he took a vow that before he died he was going to put meaning in the remainder of his life. He walked snowy, stormy paths in the Himalayas and talked at length with Buddhist monks; He went to Rome and got an audience with the Pope. He met shamans and teachers and elders, spent several seasons with Australian aborigines. He studied and pondered, cloistered in a monastery; read tome upon tome of Christian history and philosophy. He studied the life of Gandhi and Mother Teresa, read biographies on Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. And he observed people in far away towns and villages; crossed Africa and trekked through the Middle East. He encountered wars and famines and strange customs. He ate foods that made him sick, drank polluted water and tried an endless number of rituals. Eventually all his retirement money ran out and he found himself back in his own town, on his own street, in his own home – alone. Thought a fool, by all, including himself, and none the wiser. Then he had a dream one night: He was reading a simple novel, in his den by the fire when he saw a word he didn’t know the meaning of so he reached for his dictionary... and he got it! Meaning! Right there, in his dictionary where it had been all along... “Meaning: that which is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated.” That simple. In a dictionary. Meaning of life? What that life is. It has no other meaning! No one finds meaning by searching for it. What is is all the meaning there can be. No one can fill a cup that is already full; if one does not like the contents thereof, one must empty the cup, wash it, and refill it. But life does not allow such a luxury for the cup of life comes without possibility of a refill. |
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| © Copyright 2007 Sharran WindWalker - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Drauntz Member Elite
since 2007-03-16
Posts 2905Los Angeles California |
very good and very interesting poem Life is not for search it's own meanings. Life is to live no matter how. a poem brings much meaning to life, right? enjoyed. |
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secondhanddreampoet Member Ascendant
since 2006-11-07
Posts 6394a 'Universalist' ! |
Another VERY important write! [MUCH significant 'food for thought'!] long sustained applause!! |
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Startime55 Member Elite
since 2003-04-05
Posts 2148Alberta, Canada |
BRAVO!!!...Absolutely true...Very well said, my friend...*Big Hugs* |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
My dear Windwalker, this is a profoundly wise poetic offering. Thank you for sharing it with us. |
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ThisDiamond Member Rara Avis
since 2002-02-22
Posts 9353Michigan, USA |
Wonderful to read you again.  |
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Kethry Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-29
Posts 9082Victoria Australia |
Wow, this is almost philosophy 101. I like the idea of not being able to empty the cup and refill it but some would disagree with you, especially those who believe in reincarnation. And I would also say it is possible to almost empty the cup and wash all the swill of the old to refill it with fresh and new life - after all isn't that what the Christian belief is all about? a good commitee can decimate communication. |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Perhaps you will write one called finding purpose...James |
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