Life is a one-way ticket. Please listen when I say that yes, life is a journey and that there is no way to go back. The enlightened soul takes life seriously because there is no spare time to waste on this one-way trip. Time is like a train calling at a few short stops but carrying you continuously and consistently to the final destination without waiting for anyone. Everyone needs to cherish each minute at every stop during the life journey, to love family members, to love friends, and to reminisce on everything that has gone before. We must do our best to be happy and spread joy because nobody can repeat the same life. A life journey is like entering a inccesant and exciting game with a few rules, and ultimately, we are here to play the most fantastic sport in this precious life. Sometimes, the game is beautiful and inspiring, and once in a while, the game is painful and thrilling. Some people want to quit the game at half-time because they can not handle the pressure or challenge. Sometimes, people want to pause the game and come back later after taking a long nap. There is no time to regret or to undo the game.
Life is about rolling the dice. If life is a game, it must involve skills and opportunities. You cannot win all the time. Sometimes, you have to move backward or restart when necessary. Life is not an easy game where you collect big money every time you press the GO button. Life is like rolling a dice and observing the result. The longer you are in the game, your interpretation of the result becomes more accurate. You will make the next move based on that interpretation; regardless of whether the result is good or bad, fair or unfair. The game’s rules do not cover such definitions like good or bad outcomes. Any interpretation could be faulty and lead to a wrong move or to anxiety. Humans want to control the life game, desperately and with complete determination. Most people believe that they can influence how the dice will land or how the chips will fall. Whenever we realize that the game is out of our hands, we blame the game for being unfair, we even hate whoever designed the game, and we accuse the winners of wrongdoing. The life game is always fair and balanced with a mixture of outcomes and options.
Do you want to play a game in which you always know the outcome? Would you be happy to play a game knowing from the start who will win and who will lose? Is it a delight to always win every game without ever knowing the feeling of loss? I bet you would not want to play that game. I wouldn’t. We play for the joy of playing. True enjoyment of the life game comes from not knowing what will happen. The life game is always played at the right pace with the correct result and rationale revealed at the perfect time. We want to speed up the game sometimes, but that does not work at all. We must learn to trust that the game is fair even if it occasionally appears not to be so. What we can do is to play the game to the best of our abilities. A life game is an opportunity to learn skills, have fun, find beauty, create miracles, meet other players, take chances, win a few games, lose some rounds, but most importantly, enjoy the game itself.
Bob: I have trapped myself in a delusion of “my purpose,” which killed my flexibility and creativity for a long time. My life was miserable for the past five years because I constantly worried about doing something wrong or hurting someone unintentionally. We cannot find a rationale for everything in life, and specific protocols take away our free will or make us slaves to self-destruction. Searching inside myself through consciousness meditation has brought me back to my true self. I have realized that I can stand firm in this world and have unlimited potential as long as I do my best with my actions. For me, life is about finding things I enjoy doing, sacrificing myself for my loved ones just to see smiles on their faces, hedge a bet on unknown realities, and live for those who never know exactly what they are living for.
May: My abusive childhood made me doubt every intention of human beings. That is why in some parts of my life my behaviour was unacceptable, rude, angry, and immature. I have tried bad things, such as being a prostitute in Hollywood, a gold digger in Phoenix City, and a skillful thief in several shopping malls. I was still sad, angry, resentful, and anxious after trying many bad-girl personas. Three years ago, I decided to change, to try a different lifestyle once I realized I had lived a life in the most profound immorality for over many years.
I went to India with a spiritual retreat group from Los Angeles and met the man who would be our residential meditation instructor. I was sitting with the group of thirty people, and I felt shame from inside - jobless, aimless, a mess with an empty soul. He was like an angel, treating me equally with no bias, no disguise, and his calming face and warm smile melted my heart and soul. He changed me into a better person; he showed me the right path, saved my failing soul from hell, and held my hands with pure compassion and unconditional love. I saw the light from his eyes. I see hope in my life now. Now I am on the path of living a whole life without looking backward, and I stop judging myself so harshly. Today, if you ask me what life is, my most straightforward answer is that it is about finding the right people to show you the way.
To Be Continued.