The Ocean – Our Connection with the Past and Future

Change supposedly occurs at an ever increasing rate:

Name most any aspect of society, peer around the corner

Take a deep breath, and realize that what you see, read,

and experience today is invariably a transitional event.

Almost;\:

Greeks, Romans, Brits,  Americans : there is a common thread.

Peruse paintings, sculpture, music, the legends of mythology,

The tales of folklore and vacation guides. 

Inclusively all have a fascination with the observation of, and

attempt at some mental level to understand the oceans and seas.

Today, in our so called “fast paced society”, where our limited attention

spans are derided and mocked,  a ropeline with the past remains.

The god given mysteries of the oceans remain.

What is it?

The constant roar of incoming surf?

                The reflections and inflections of sun,  clouds?

                The inexorable movement of water as it comes ashore?

                The peering for wildlife and fish as they fleet before us?

Sound simplistic? Yes.

However, there is a fascination with bodies of water which

Spans centuries of time.

Is it our fascination with a connection to our ancestors

Knowing they too have pondered the same mysteries?

In these times of pausing while astride a beach chair do we

Discover something new about who we are and where we originate?

It is nature’s way of encouraging even the most hardened among us

To pause and consider how powerless we can be when compared

With the giants of creation?

Yes, the grey haired octogenarians sip margaritas while staring

Over the horizon to horizon expanse of the Atlantic Ocean .

They have spent many days over the years in lawn chairs, with a

favorite book or newspaper in hand, oblivious to the rigors of the

outside world.

The ocean their protector and inspiration.  Their connection with

generations passed from the long ago land of their ancestors.

Competition –To Win or Avoid Losing

There are many theories and conjectured analysis about “ competition”. 

These are a fewthoughts and indeed conjectures.

Is the spirit of competition inherited or is it an environmental factor?

Does it matter?

A former quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles  related that he is highly

competitive because of an insatiable  need to be 1^st – to be recognized, to be

the best at whatever he attempts to do in life: athletically, social status,

 financially. Life revolves around  the 24/7 conquest of winning …everything-

every time

 The challenge is a core focus.

The emphasis on being a champion is one of his earliest childhood memories.

To lose at board games, or sports  was always unacceptable in the household.

Anything less than total victory was unacceptable..  Rewards for “trying” , or

being a good teammate were nonexistent.

You either won or lost – finishing 2^nd or 3^rd was considered a failure. Taking

“prisoners” of those whom you defeated – unconscionable !

 Long faces, glowering looks, furrowed brows all accompanied family diatribes.

 Epic stories, like those of ancient Greeks  about family heroes in business, war

and on the baseball diamond– he knew what was coming if his team lost – and

he was the starting pitcher.

No pain no gain: risk has its rewards- these and dozen s of similar platitudes

filled the conversation over dinner.

Victory carried with it family accolades: promises of better things to come:

hugs, cheers, calls from relatives near and far.  Each step up the corporate or

financial ladder earned a grand celebration – and anticipation of even greater

triumphs in the future.

 He was groomed to be a competitive champion on the fields of Eden as the

English proclaim.

In a different setting,,  there are individuals who compete in order not to lose.

A type of life long  preventive defense.   Deploying their talents and skills,

these individuals perform  at a level designed to   avoid finishing last and avoid

  being embarrassed. Failure is to be avoided at all costs.  Winning is not a

moral imperative. Indeed, how does one relate to others

who you have competed against – and defeated them?…. Such an awkward

moment in time.

Finishing a contest, maintaining a struggling friendship, being financially

stable are victories  – a challenge met, a  competition won. Being invisible in

  the middle of the pack,   safe, secure.  minimizing risk of any type or

dimension ;these are desired outcomes.

 Being a secure follower is seen as being comfortable and safe. The rewards

accrued are in line with risks taken and Individual psychic capital expended. 

 A guiding philosophy is “to get along, go along”.

An advantage that the chance of failure is minimized .. life is comfortable, 

predictable,  and generally without the dramatic emotional ups and downs of

those who take risks.

 Looking cautiously forward with a reliance on past events is preferred to

experimenting outside of ones social class or educational peers.

Competition is a caricature with many faces, voices and personalities.

Both of these approaches to competition have a common DNA  -> they  are

conscious choices.

As such they can be changed or modified.   Not easily, but modification is

possible.

From a competitive viewpoint – who are you and is that whom you want to be?

Where is Your Starting Line?

Competition –To Win or Avoid Losing.

There are many theories and conjectured analysis about “ competition”.  These are a few

thoughts and indeed conjectures.

Is the spirit of competition inherited or is it an environmental factor?

Does it matter?

A former quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles  related that he is highly

competitive because of an insatiable  need to be 1^st – to be recognized, to be

the best at whatever he attempts to do in life: athletically, social status,

 financially. Life revolves around  the 24/7 conquest of winning …everything-

every time

 The challenge is a core focus.

 

The emphasis on being a champion is one of his earliest childhood memories.

To lose at board games, or sports  was always unacceptable in the household.

Anything less than total victory was unacceptable..  Rewards for “trying” , or being a good teammate

were nonexistent.

You either won or lost – finishing 2^nd or 3^rd was considered a failure. Taking “prisoners” of

those whom you defeated – unconscionable !

 

 Long faces, glowering looks, furrowed brows all accompanied family diatribes.

 Epic stories, like those of ancient Greeks  about family heroes in business, war and on the baseball

Diamond – he knew what was coming if his team lost – and he was the starting quarterback.

No pain no gain: risk has its rewards- these and dozen s of similar platitudes filled

the conversation over dinner.

Victory carried with it family accolades: promises of better things to come: hugs, cheers,

Calls from relatives near and far.  Each step up the corporate or financial ladder earned a

grand celebration – and anticipation of even greater triumphs in the future.

 He was groomed to be a competitive champion on the fields of Eden as the English proclaim.

 

In a different setting,,  there are individuals who compete in order not to lose.

A type of life long  preventive defense.   Deploying their talents and skills, these individuals

perform  at a level designed to   avoid finishing last and avoid  being embarrassed. Failure is to

be avoided at all costs.  Winning is not a moral imperative. Indeed, how does one relate to others

who you have competed against – and defeated them?…. Such an awkward moment in time.

 

Finishing a contest, maintaining a struggling friendship, being financially stable are victories  – a

challenge met, a  competition won. Being invisible in  the middle of the pack,

 Safe, secure.  minimizing risk of any type or dimension ;these are desired

outcomes.

 Being a secure follower is seen as being comfortable and safe. The rewards accrued are in line with risks

taken and Individual psychic capital expended.  A guiding philosophy is “to get along, go along”.

An advantage that the chance of failure is minimized .. life is comfortable,  predictable,  and generally

without the dramatic emotional ups and downs of those who take risks.

 Looking cautiously forward with a reliance on past events is preferred to experimenting outside of ones

social class or educational peers.

Competition is a caricature with many faces, voices and personalities.

Both of these approaches to competition have a common DNA  -> they  are conscious choices.

As such they can be changed or modified.   Not easily, but modification is possible.

From a competitive viewpoint – who are you and is that whom you want to be?

Earth Sends Us Messages About the Meaning Of Life

What is it about soil?

Suburban and gentlemen farmers don’t dig for money.

There must be other reasons.

The fruits of their labor – yes, admiring the flowers and  tomatoes they grow

Always a feeling of accomplishment watching nature do her magic.

Hoeing, raking, winning the daily battles with weeds and bugs.

 

Digging in the garden this morning in the hot summer sun

Bent over, knowing  a cracking sound of musical ribs  accompanies

each attempt to stand up tall.

 

Dirt encroaches in each pore of our skin… Fills fingernails

Messes with our clothing

Yet we rub it between our palms, smooth it around plants with gentleness and care.

Daily we walk the rows… eyes searching for bugs and beetles: erasing the lonely stalks

of weeds who hope to intervene.

 This  postage stamp sized plot has been in the backyard for 4 generations. Each spring

The hoes, rakes, and now gas spewing  tiller says hello to mother earth.

Imagine 80 years of a successful satisfying  partnership.

 

 There is an unexplainable partnership between gardeners and the earth.

No spoken words, yet a mystical kind of communication.

 

Earth is the silent partner  who requires care, feeding,

Careful cultivation, and a respect for its greenness. 

Slack off, ignore her, and she will let you know this is a joint partnership.  The absence of care is noted With wilted herbs, brown leafed tomato plants, cucumbers who shrivel on the vine.

There is no misunderstanding or double entendre here….  3 generations have shown their love, respect and care.. there is no free ride here .., honor and respect must be paid to Earth.

 

Greeks, Romans, and now western cultures have developed philosophical tenants to explore and understand who we are and where we as a genre are going.

Nature whispers and cajoles  us to pause, listen, touch, and continuously care for the most basic aspects of life.

Absent fancy  thesis, complex theories, pharma miracle pills, the essence of our beings is before us to be explored.

Interesting … being on our knees: scraping with simple tools: feeling the rivulets of sweat racing down

our spines..  wondering how this compares with self-help books, new age psychology, and feel good educational  practices.

 Question – Are you humble enough to get on your knees and explore the genesis of our being??

(( Comments welcome!!))