Alignment – Joy In Adventure

The goal of society is in the action of getting somewhere, but to never arrive. When I live in a circle of everyday achievement my ordinary goal is to solve problems. I live for the friction in between “things” instead of for the steady flow of the river of life.

I live for walking, climbing and skinning up mountains and then getting down them, preferably on skis. In fact, it’s my job to do so: to solve problems, achieve goals, realize dreams and then communicate these actions.

There is just one catch. My job is not to get somewhere; it is to keep the enterprise rolling, just like the vast majority of the jobs out there.

Everyday life is just games within games, spectacles within spectacles that, if we win, will go on in infinity until we loose and finally quit trying to win. If we stop trying to win we’re ending the never-ending circle and maybe, we (I) could start just enjoying the ride.

The question I get to ask myself is: When I get to the top of that mountain, or achieve that goal, then what? There will always be another mountain to climb and another quest to fulfill, but if that is becoming my argument for not really dancing the dance, then I’m participating in a dangerous game.

As there are no ends, there are no means to them either, so if I can’t win with the style of joy, flow and a smile, then there is really no winning.

I get a good receipt on which path I’m on if, when I have accomplished a long fought goal, I’m full of joy or just plain emptiness. Looking back at the games I’ve played, those danced with good style, friendship, humbleness and joy bring out more of the same at the finishing lines. The ones fought with ego, anger and pride have usually been ending the party with a black hole.

Light bright more light and dark swallows that which shines.

I saw an old man in the lift the other day. White hair, bent by age, old ski clothes and skis, guides badge, wrinkles, worn by the years. But one thing made him stand out from the rest of us in the bin. His eyes were shining of life and I imagined them smiling at us with gentleness and understanding. He had no great goals to fulfill and nothing to prove. He was just going out there in to the mountains, enjoying the sun, the warmth, the beauty and the empty space high above the world. He seemed grateful, content and full of life.

What if we are able to let ourselves go out there and keep on aiming for the stars, but at the same time know in our heart that we are already exactly where we want to be next to our own sun. And whatever we might do, it make no sense what so ever, if it’s not filled with joy. Living that wisdom, that would be to live in alignment with life.