Finding Meaning

I'm loving this morning's image. Of course it was staged, as we all know that Wendy knows exactly what she's doing in the second half of her life. She'll teach at UofT for 15 years, then she'll retire to Cambridge-Narrows and open the Wendy Nielsen Centre For Midwifery..

Huh? I thought she was going to storm the accordion world with her cutting edge rock polka operas?

She'll do that too. Interestingly enough, it's not only what we do that matters, it's what we get from our actions that matters. By that, I mean 'the meaning'. We are all searching for meaning. Wendy has a pretty good idea what she's doing in her life, but she's reading about one person's take on where meaning can be found.

Julian knows exactly what he's going to be doing for the next year. He'll be at McMaster University getting his Master's degree. Beyond that, he can only speculate but he's starting to get a rough idea. He'll likely do one of three things:

- get a PhD and teach Economics
- work for government or industry as an economist
- run away with a rock band.

All three have their merits and all three have meaning. Let's hope he agrees. I suppose there is a fourth option: he could get his PhD at MixMaster University and do for muffins what the McCains did for French fries. He makes a wicked muffin....infinitely better than the shite that everyone else is selling. He could become 'The Muffin Mogul'.

Or he could become a bum like his old man!

I prefer the synonymous term Leisurologist. I'm in an odd predicament in terms of finding meaning in life. I know where I'm going to be in the next 15 years. I'll be splitting my time between Cambridge-Narrows and Toronto. I know where I'm going to be when Wendy retires...Cambridge-Narrows, in all likelihood. One should not confuse physical location with meaning. They're related, but certainly not the same beast. So I know where I'm going to be, but.. ..what meaning do I find in my life?  I don't particularly help society at large with my actions, as Wendy does, and Julian likely will do. So how/where do I find meaning?

I think I find meaning by celebrating what I've got, every day.

You mean, like, you celebrate a bald head, ear hair, and a spine that loaths you?

Not exactly. I find meaning in small, pure, simple pleasures: a sunrise, a flower, ripples on the water, shadows, texture, moss on rocks, the clouds. If no one ever noticed these things, then what would be the point of them? I find meaning by being observant. I am a fan of the natural world, and it's a full-time job. it pays exceptionally well...seriously. While the world finds 'meaning' in head down texting, I have my eyes on the horizon. I'm constantly scanning for balance and imbalance, because I find treasures in both. I self entertain.

I hate to use the word 'huh' twice in a blog, but huh??

It's hard to explain. I find small-m meaning by being a keen observer. As for big-M meaning, I have no idea why anything exists, including me, but using someone else's God as an explanation just doesn't cut it for me. That same God 'grants' family members the 'right' to stone a pregnant woman to death for being in love with the 'wrong' man. I'll be cancelling my vacation in Pakistan this year.

The God concept is easy to understand, but impossible to believe...for me. Anything with human fingerprints is highly suspect.

I fully expect to post a blog someday, when I'm an old man, that features a picture of me reading a book entitled 'What The Hell Just Happened?'. I'll likely wear an expression similar to Wendy's (in today's image) except it won't be staged. Fortunately, I accept the meaning that I find in my life. As long as I can appreciate what I see, hear, taste, touch and smell, then I'm good to go. And what of you? Do you think about the meaning of your life? What makes you tick?

I'm sorry....I was just sending a text message. Were you saying something?