I have now been in Berlin for 4 days and I am feeling like a new person already. Maybe it is the rich history of this city, or its robust culture, or my love of philosophy - but something has ignited in me a consciousness that is eager for discipline, knowledge, and a good will. Perhaps it is plain that it is God. But, from my understanding of God, I must set the opportunities that I am given on the workbench of my instinctive aspirations, in a practical and moment-to-moment manner. My aspirations must motivate me to wake up in the morning, take a shower, and brush my teeth. Without performing these mundane tasks, all aspirations are left to realize on their own, like a campfire expected to spontaneously combust.
I know that some people, and especially those who go through life without thinking about the actions they take, will find this discovery to be juvenile or rather unsophisticated. But, for me, this realization is paramount. And this is probably because I am melancholic and tend to overanalyze the actions that I take, including taking a shower and brushing my teeth. I have ignored such actions in the past because I have never understood the value of discipline and persistence. Such behavior has always seemed mindless to me, and it probably can be, but I know now that it can also be intensely purposeful if one is in the right state of mind. Performing the everyday tasks with profound intent is like providing oneself with the soil on which to plant and grow one's aspirations. And I now feel glad to do so.
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Daniel
Whew, thank goodness
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