And So It Goes...

 I like the phrase, “And so it goes…”, it reminds me of C’est la vie… I’m aware that it expresses resignation or acceptance that things will continue to be as they have been, and continue to happen repeatedly or persistently, despite our best efforts to change things; but we can only do our best. We can continue to do our best even if we are not completely able to change the world, no matter what. It may be part of the “plan.” To me, the world is like a school. We come here to learn many lessons — how to be a truly caring, loving, kind, compassionate, patient, and a peaceful human being. 

I appreciate the teachings of many religions, Buddhism is one of them. The Buddhists believe in the Principles of Acceptance, Non-Attachment and Surrender. I’ll explain them here: 

The Principle of Acceptance refers to our ability to stay present accepting what is just as it is. Giving up the need to control anything (or everything) or anybody. Trusting life and allowing it to unfold as it is meant to be.

When life presents us with something we find painful and difficult, our tendency is to resist, avoid change or generally push against that. We need to learn to let go of the idea that we can control everything — we can’t! Some things are just meant to be… Yes, we can try our best to improve things, to do our part to help others, to bring awareness about injustices, to teach others about our beliefs and our commitments, to inspire them; but that’s it! We have to learn to let go of the belief that we can solve all of the world’s problems. We can change some things, of course, and make a difference in small ways, and this is perfectly fine. Our efforts do matter! And when many work together towards a common goal, things do happen. There will always be challenges, of course, and this is why we need one another to work together and help each other. 

We can also learn from the teachings of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and the “Little Way” idea; which is a simple approach to our spiritual life—seeking to do ordinary things, little things, with extraordinary love. Performing “little virtues,” not seeking grandiose sacrifices to God, but little acts of holiness. Let us practice the “Little Way.” 

The Buddhists also believe in the Principle of Non-Attachment. The Buddha said that attachment (and its opposite, aversion) is the root of all suffering. We easily attach to things, to people, even to ideas and desired outcomes, resting our happiness on external factors that we ultimately cannot control. The practice of non-attachment —of letting go of our ego’s constant grasping and clinging— helps alleviate our suffering and increases peace of mind. Non-attachment doesn’t imply that we let go of our plans, pursuits or goals; rather, we practice changing the energy or tone of our pursuits, focusing on the journey rather than the destination. 

The third principle is the Principle of Surrender. Surrender is closely related to the notion of acceptance. While this principle, like acceptance, encourages letting things “be,” surrender takes it one step further. When we surrender, we simply let go… we leave it to God, like they say. No matter what we surrender to, the key is that we no longer take ourselves to be supreme and in control. Surrender will feel like relief (or like grace). Surrender is letting go: letting go of the need to be right, the need to hold on to people, memories, and places, the need to judge, and any expectations and desires.

Let us practice letting go of what should have been or what should be. The Buddha said, “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” 

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 

The song “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel starts, “In every heart there is a room, a sanctuary safe and strong.” Let us remember that that sanctuary is God/Spirit/Love/Peace within. God/Spirit/Love/Peace is always with us! Always present… And let’s not forget the simple and powerful words by Abraham Joshua Heschel, “Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.” 

And so it goes… 
(January 16, 2024) 

“Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. …get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed. Never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and he gave it to me. Wonder rather than doubt is the root of all knowledge. The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not worth living.“ 

— Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Remember that there is meaning beyond absurdity. Know that every deed counts, that every word is power… Above all, remember that you must build your life as if it were a work of art.” — Abraham Joshua Heschel

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Check: https://humblewarriortherapy.com/acceptance-non-attachment-surrender-how-buddhist-principles-decrease-stress/

Billy Joel's song "And So It Goes": 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHO6a2H-pqY

"The Art of Life-2"

A while back (14 years ago) I was following a van with the title "The Art of Life" on the back of the vehicle. I've seen ambulances with this name also, like I said back in July 2010. I still feel that it is a great title! It makes me think, even now, that "Life is Art"... it is up to us to create our best life with optimism and a positive attitude. We are the creators, the architects of our lives. I deeply believe in the powers of the mind, what we put in there matters! We need to be careful to not fill our minds with negative and defeating thoughts. Let us fill our minds with healthy thoughts. Yes, we can do it! We have to believe that no matter what, all will be well. 

I have lived my life with this attitude. If a job no longer serves me, I move on to the next fulfilling job. I know that we all have challenges at times, even serious ones. I have had my share of health challenges. But I'm still convinced in the power of our attitudes towards life; positive and negative attitudes and thoughts make a difference. So we must be careful and be aware of our attitudes towards everything. We cannot get discouraged! We have the support of our family and friends; and if not, we have to find some form of support. Find time to reflect, to pay attention to your thoughts... and to live one day at a time! You don't have to be religious or spiritual, you just have to pay attention to your defeating and negative thoughts and get rid of them! Voice or write down positive thoughts to cancel out the negative ones. Start believing and loving yourself. Walk in nature... find the things you are grateful for (write them down), and focus on the positive, your talents and gifts, the beauty and the good of the world. Do not despair! Remember how beautiful you are! Walk with your head held high... and never, never feel like a victim! We can learn to be peaceful and change our mental attitudes. We can fill our minds with creative and healthy thoughts!

I believe in reading books, websites, and quotes that inspire me. We need to nurture our soul. Inspiration is like nutrition, like Norman Vincent Peale used to say (he popularized the concept of positive thinking and wrote "The Power of Positive Thinking" which I read years ago). He said, "Motivation is like nutrition. It must be taken daily and in healthy doses to keep it going." He also wrote, "I recommend a mind-emptying at least twice a day, more often if necessary. Definitely practice emptying your mind of fears, hates, insecurities, regrets, and guilt feelings. The mere fact that you consciously make this effort to empty your mind tends to give relief." Find the book in PDF format here: https://www.law-of-attraction-haven.com/support-files/the-power-of-positive-thinking.pdf.

Music is also extremely important. Find music that you like and love and inspires you, experiment, and listen to music every day. Music cheers us up. I hope you try your best to stay motivated, to stay in love with your life. Let us try to find ways to remain inspired and strong, to never give up!

“Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. ...get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.” ― Abraham Joshua Heschel

"Just to be is a blessing. Just to be is holy." ― Abraham Joshua Heschel

“It's always too soon to quit!” ― Norman Vincent Peale

“Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate.” 

― Norman Vincent Peale

“Optimism, when applied to your life, develops strength and peace within you.” ― Norman Vincent Peale

"The secret is to fill your mind with thoughts of faith, confidence and security. This will force out or expel all thoughts of doubt, all lack of confidence." ― Norman Vincent Peale

"Repeat—slowly, bringing out the melody in each—a series of calming words: Peace, tranquility, serenity, quietness…” ― Norman Vincent Peale

“Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something special in them. Look at the sunny side of everything. Think only the best, be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile. Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others. Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.” ― Norman Vincent Peale

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Check the previous blog on The Art of Life here:
https://karolspeaksup.blogspot.com/2010/07/art-of-life.html 
(or under Previous Posts on the right side of this blog)