Category: LensView

A view through my lenses

Our Shepherd in the Universe

It took me a full four decades to seek your forgiveness. And almost three of the four living in frigid cold every 6months, filled with pride I continued in my ignorance. You were quietly protecting, but I kept avoiding you. Now you visit us here with your usual schedule. But I am miserable when I don’t see you. My body shivers without you. Most of all I lose all hope when I don’t see you. Please forgive me. A rock has more clarity of you than me. Forgive me.

In ancient times, in books of searches by the wise before me, they worshipped you. In some parts of earth they still do. I totally get it, I would too. They called you the seer of all things like the eye in the heavens as you make us see all things.

I will always want to bow in your infinite light upon us. I will always remember to pause when I see you blessing us all. In some parts of the earth may you be merciful for they perish in your immense strength, earth seems to punish them too. I don’t know. I am grateful like every plant, flower, and living being who thrive in your glory. Each time you leave us, you leave a wake of memories that tug all of my past, and you part with a powerful promise of a new beginning. I have lost loved ones in your absence. Neither am I the same in your absence. But I appreciate the much needed respite from you as its equally essential for all life.

Dear Sun, the star assigned to nurse this earth. The shepherd of our travel through the universe. I understand your majesty, forgive me for I was a child when I cursed you for my hardships. I blamed you for life’s disappointments. I lately noticed you are losing your patience too. I am nothing, you may hear a million prayers offered to you daily. Maybe all this is, is just my soul cleaning its sin against you and convincing itself to move forward in harmony, perhaps rather childishly. I am grateful to you the shepherd, the guiding star of my ancestors and my generations that may come before your sight. I raise my hands together, and bow.

Mental Trap

The ultimate mental trap is when you get comfortable within it and mock others who come to release you. Gods ways are both profound and playful. He can reveal our limitations in both forms. When one holds on to his ego with a death grip, it is like the man holding onto the iron bars of his trap, while the door is wide open to walk out. Mercy be upon those like me. All praise to the unknown.

Everlasting Covenant with God

Sin and suffering is born of man and his deeds, not the unknown (god). We have all heard of this but here’s the thing; Humans chose a degree of separation from god to have dominion on mother earth and the cosmos on his behalf. But humanity as a whole broke the covenant upon creation, in this new found independence. The unknown is like a primordial being for all visible and invisible that provides through the intent of creation. Like a toddler desiring to run away from loving parents unaware that there is no life giving power beyond them, humanity has taken its present path.

It’s up to a few to reinstate the covenant; restore humanity as a whole. However, there are some who indulge, and are accustomed to selfishness in the independence. Those who wish to worship the decaying flesh and pleasure, who have amassed resources in conniving ways for this very worship, be weary as they may abundantly create suffering as it is the shadow of such worship. But in yours or after yours, let there not be dismay but only discipline, caution and gratefulness.

As those who seek to restore the covenant were all inherently empowered to be custodians of this earth and all living beings, and meant to traverse the galaxies. Experience the many realms of creation in their lifetime or through the generations that come because of them. Through you and within you, as per your penance and inner alignment the unknown will always perform miracles, you must be finely attuned to see it all, for they are beautiful gestures of everyday grandeur.

If you have not witnessed such grandeur keep seeking peace from the unknown. Choose to be a river of hope not a just a selfish receptacle. As some of those miracles are meant for you, and some meant for others through you. You will know when you get there. That’s the path ahead. Shared as received, and perhaps this is the elaborate definition of hope and eternal virtue. All praise to the Unknown.

Troubles me that we don’t all see it

It used to always bother me inexplicably, and now more as a parent and watching other parents go through inordinate amount of medical hardships I can’t help but say this. This nation needs a solid course correct in healthcare. Ignoring, undermining population health toxins from so called processed “food”, drugs, digital media, and social determinants, while championing consequential for-profit medical products, and treatments is modern day cannibalism.

We need to think of health proactively from the grass roots, from when children are conceived, to when they are born, how they are raised, what they eat on a daily basis. Its not about making good choices – when most if not all choices are toxic for the young hearts, mind and bodies of average middle class families. We need to challenge our so called “representatives”, need to challenge the status quo Together! A parent has to stand united with other parents for all of their children. An adult needs to stand together with other adults to help each other out, that’s how you bring the change that is desperately needed in the prevention of chronic diseases, and illness across the nation, especially for the sake of innocent young children of all ethnicities and cultures.

Give me hate, I’m used to it

Give me hate, I’m used to it all my life, that I can handle. But please don’t give me kindness, for it’s unbearable, I know not how to reciprocate. Heavy is my guilt to receive such grace, when so many innocent lives depart this earth without an ounce of it. Let my tears enter the ground before my body does. It’s clear to have come without knowing and to leave without knowing that settles the ego. But in between I hope to have tried with conviction to surrender to you unknown. I realize now, nothing I ask matters, nothing I give matters and eternally grateful for everything that was given. A fools peril is life and death its preordained destiny. This fool welcomes all as he welcomes you. APTTU.

A distant view

“It’s strange how a little digital screen takes me far away from myself, and the far away mountains and the blue sky bring me closer to my soul.“ – I said it

Purpose?

The base purpose of life is to experience humaness, and grow in the understanding of its characteristics. Not material consumerism, which is often the way to fill an inner void.

This human journey is never a selective process as we desire it to be. However, we have choice on our reactions, and the attenuation over our next few responses after that and so on.

Myths and Superstition

I see people from well to do places or countries be astonished or be appalled by cultures or societies in struggling places and countries.

Well, I verily say to you, when reality constantly fails and hurts one in ways more than what you can comprehend, what are they expected to embrace and revere but myths and superstitions. Give them that they will bleed more passively.

As a species we have evolved, yet not evolved enough to care for our own having slightly different shades.

Caring for

When one starts accepting their condition or inability to help the most precious people in their lives, their indifference to help any at all increases.

It leaves an yearning that’s comforted only by the vices of materialism. More drastic than that is the growing belief in them that their service is of no use to anyone else.

With the assumption of a good heart, the only anecdote to this is to rely on defining self first, where placed to act next. When self is clear with discipline and character no matter the place or the surrounding people one carries forth with servitude.

Trail of Life

(written spontaneously and published without adequate proofing)
I have always wondered what I must share with my daughters as to what my takeaway is or what my overall view of the world as of today is, i.e. my complete understanding of it over time to date summarized. And of course, provide this in a simple message, or at least that’s the idea. I am not too smart to sum it up in a sentence / maybe I will try to focus a bit on word count and choice another day. I realize that this summary will be influenced both by my current view of the world which could be shaped by my near and distant past, nonetheless I want to try. And at least it aligns with my desire to live each as day as though it was my last, so I live it in full. So here goes…

First, each of our journey is ours and ours alone, we may be impressed by other lives, and choose aspects or perhaps ways to adhere to others, but never forget it’s your choice or your choices that shape you. Own it and Drive it.

Second, you may hate the analogy here but, though we are not primitive beings in jungles, the world for most part is still untamed in most ways and so are most of people’s hearts and minds, from all walks of life. Life in much ways is like as though one traverses through an unpaved winding trail in a dense forest, first you need to plan the basics and be prepared for the basic elements of risk and safety. Yet it’s the best adventure you are bound to have, yes there are thorns and poisonous reptiles that could be lurking anywhere but there are also the most beautiful and visually vibrant song birds that sing melodies to the soul that you wouldn’t want to miss. As you go through your trail, you will come across dwellers who have stopped or made home somewhere in the forest. They will speak to you only from where they are and it may be what you don’t know yet, but remember they are no different than you and its irrelevant if they were there before you or behind you. It’s still only your journey. Enjoy the sunshine through the tall trees and find the safest tree to shelter from the storms.

Third, I actually heard this on discovery channel survivor, the bare feet guy said it and it aligns with the theme I am working off of above, essentially the wisdom is this “the more you know the less you need” Every path you take in your journey and yes there will be many cross roads or cross trails in our case, the more informed you are the better your chance of success or survival in the trail you choose to take. And one thing and perhaps the most important aspect is this – learn about the players or the animals you may encounter beforehand. And the more you know, the less you will need to empower yourself. And trust me the trail is arduous and long, the less you will have to carry emotionally, mentally and physically the better. And if you can be ready for the situation you face, the better you will be in facing that situation.

Some before have coined the phrase “prepare for the worst and hope for the best”. In all honesty this strategy fails you utterly in practice as I have tried it, once you start preparing for the worst trust me there is no stopping until your mental preparedness exceeds or meets death of everything and everyone in every order and ways imaginable what good is that, and how in the world is it to give you any hope at all. It doesn’t work. Hope is one of the most important elements of life and survival.

Lastly, there is an inner awareness you have to carry with you all the time in your trail, it may translate as many virtues in you and it is the understanding of self and understanding of others situations or circumstances. Because to great extent we are creatures of our circumstances and those who possess great will and grit, to them circumstances become creatures of their doing. This awareness will lend to forgiveness, empathy, sympathy (cant tell the diff between em… , sym… sometimes gets all meshed inside anyways) and prevention of unsafe situations. But I will leave it up to you to determine whether you want self-first or selflessness first, and I can tell you couple of things on that front as well – the universal default including “gravity” is self-first and I have placed each of the two first in different circumstances in my life , both choices are great and both choices suck one way or the other. The only relief is in knowing this truth in most circumstances. But don’t ever get tired of selflessness and give up on it completely, because the world will test you in in and if you stop being selfless completely then your humanity is lost. And at the same time, don’t lose your life without your choice either by being all super selfless. You are not god incarnate. Pain and suffering is real in this life, don’t wish it upon yourself and on others unless to defend your own.

Anyway, the point about the inner awareness is simply this as you adventure through your trail you will encounter a variety of creatures that dwell in various settings, some pleasing and some not so much. The realization is this; those that you encounter in your trail they are very much creatures of their circumstances, they are for the most part surviving and have learned the ways presented to them to continue to survive in their circumstances. It’s often survival that’s making them do what they do often, whether it’s the reptile or the singing colorful bird we talked about, they are doing what they do for a reason to be alive which they have found to work or have gotten programmed to doing. Rest is all just details. In the end, never fail to look at the blue sky or the stars at night they never lie and always smile. Dad loves you : )

Legacy

In often narcissistic corporate world, old fashioned values are slowly fading, and today’s technology isn’t helping the cause either. But I often pause and ask what should be my legacy while I am at it, not in end, but now?

Am I leaving a wake of zombies behind me or am I raising leaders and serving many, so when I am gone, once in a while they see a document come through or an item with my name on it and wonder with a smile what the heck am I up to now? Answer seems obvious eh…wake of zombies, …..kidding.

Self

The sad truth of nature and wisdom alike is they desire to reproduce, so do temptations and all vices. The striking parallel to such is the internet, self and selfishness are one. Self always permeates to create self. There are many ways this is described in society.

Family constraints and Career

It has become more apparent and perhaps obvious now. Life will only keep increasing the constraints on you via family, day job (career) and health. So the sooner certain critical things are bolted down or accomplished and set in cruise control, the better.

I feel or estimate that I have dropped the ball on 5 good years of my life. Though many would say that’s nothing, I know it’s a lot. And each last year is a crucial year for the next few after it. And 5 younger years are expensive than 5 older.

I think I made some poor choices in education out of sheer ignorance or lack of understanding. I think this is probably because of a character or personality flaw. I am aware of it now, and know how to navigate it and with it. However, the same flaws allowed me to make some good family choices. But both in aggregation only have increased my family commitments and constraints in total. Time is less and spread thin is the norm.

But I hope it won’t stop me but only strengthen.