Random Moments

The passages to follow are random ponderings, as they occur to me. At face value, they may be trite and insubstantial. But, to me, they seem worthy of putting to the page. Read them, or not, as you choose. It is enough for me that they are written.

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On clouds…

I bear witness to a particularly intense gathering of clouds. Massive heaps of white, unleashed by the wind, swarm across the sky in wondrous disarray, seeming to battle the sun for supremacy. These billowing air-whales of vapor dance, leisurely, sensing their victory. Unyielding in their advance, it is as if the clouds, themselves, are pushing the earth in its rotation. The drama goes on for endless hours. The story unfolds without fruition, however, since neither storm nor rain ensue. Still, the grandeur is no less awe-inspiring. Then, night falls. Now, the clouds fill the sky in misshapen hues of indigo and grey. They sweep across the land in chaotic swirls with the westerly flow of the stratus tide.

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On being human…

As children, we dream. As we grow, we then look to the future. As we mature, we plan and hope for our tomorrows. But, sometimes, when we find that we cannot possibly live up to our own expectations, we falter and become distracted by what we cannot do. Some go insane with their abundance of failed hopes. Some get angry at the world and blame life for their misery. Some fall into despair, having only the tattered dreams of their youth to lean on. Some see their life as a constant failure and soon, give up hope and stop trying. While others, numbed by their struggle, continue living a sullen life, apathetic and unfeeling, going through the motions of their daily existence, relying on routines and habits to sustain them.

Life is not mapped out or charted. There is no grand design, no ultimate plan. Life is but a journey, without markers or checkpoints. One can only choose which path to take, but not where it may lead. The willingness to commit to one’s ideals, however far-reaching they may seem… The willingness to rise above the rubble of broken dreams and promises, to attain new heights in one’s aspirations… The willingness to be involved, wholly and sincerely, with something or someone outside of one’s own interests… The willingness to accept occasional defeat, failure, or loss, without giving up… This is all it takes to be human.