Mikes Blog

Most people that have gone to college have been exposed to Plato’s allegory of the cave. This morning I had an experience that mirrored it almost exactly. I was on my way to the gym a little before sunrise when I noticed a deer crossing the street a few hundred yards up ahead. In the 30 years I’ve lived in northern California I’ve hit 3 deer with my car, so I’m very cautious when driving in the wee hours when deer are on the move. I slowed to a crawl, and as I got closer I noticed it was a female fawn in my headlights — male and female fawns have different spot patterns. I also noticed something very unusual. This little girl was not staring at me with the usual frozen deer in the headlights look; she had her back to the car and was staring at her own shadow—the shadow created by my headlights. She walked slowly across the street completely entranced by her shadow buddy. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she didn’t even notice me or the car — until I started flashing my high beams. I’m sorry I woke her up — she looked like she was having a good time with her new friend. That’s when I thought about Plato. In his own clever way, was Plato trying to tell his peers that they create their own reality? If you want a happy life you have to be happy — If you like drama or horror, that’s fine too. What a concept!
“The world is your exercise-book, the pages on which you do your sums. It is not reality, although you can express reality there if you wish. You are also free to write nonsense, or lies, or to tear the pages.”
— Richard Bach

Let go of the trying
+++++++++++++++++++

If you’re trying hard and not making any progress, quit
trying. Quit trying and start being.

When you see yourself as trying, you don’t see yourself as
succeeding. The perception and perspective of trying makes
everything into a struggle.

There is great value within you. Allow it to come out,
naturally and without a fight.

Instead of trying to get to some other point, give your love
and attention to doing your very best right where you are,
with what you have. Instead of seeing yourself as not there
yet, be thankful that you are right where you are meant to
be.

Yes, by all means envision a bright future in which your
dreams are fulfilled. And see how everything that comes your
way is the unfolding of that beautiful future.

Let go of the trying and let yourself make purposeful,
effective efforts. Let go of the judgments, and let each
moment of your positive energy bring new richness to life.

Ralph Marston