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"Time goes from present to past." - Dogen Zenji |
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an energy-send to Mimi for having the first journal I found that inspired me to create my own, and whose strength of character and example remind me of my own faith in myself. xie xie, my friend.
written: 23 mar 99, 8 am.
spinning: bt, "lullaby for gaia".
In a previous entry I wrote:
why is it that humans are so quick to add selfishness to their
lives? why is it so easy to become selfish, to want more than you have, and so difficult to appreciate what you have, to lose sight of the beauty in what is here right now and not wantmore. is this such a deeply ingrained aspect of human nature that we have no choice but to lapse intoit? must we always begin taking things for granted?
Selfishness is the worst kind of illness -- it slowly eats away at what is good about you inside, and destroys the lives of others around you, both close friends and innocent bystanders. It fuels greed and victimization; it is fed by complacency and narrow-mindedness.
I realize what the antidote is, that which keeps the bigger picture in view, that which keeps you looking at everything wide-eyed instead of through the myopic pinhole-sized lens that comes from acquiring comfort and stagnation.
Intentionally deprive yourself of that which you take for granted ... that candy you keep giving yourself. Taking away that element that makes life comfortable, that which you actually cling to and depend on, and forcing yourself to live without it, ultimately makes you appreciate it so much more the day you get it back.
Those you glance at uncaringly as you walk down the street, who have it so much worse than you, are actually learning so much more about themselves and others than you can possibly conceive or hope for.
Suffering is the antidote to selfishness.