How To Live. From My Perspective.

Have you ever been at a reunion -- your secondary school or university reunion? Did you notice how everyone tries to outdo others in listing their accomplishments after school?

From my perspective, the right way to live is as a tourist. A pilgrim.

image: playbuzz.com

A tourist starts with a plan, a big detailed plan. He is open to a lot of suggestions and engage outside help in making his plans. Yet the moment he executes his plan he is very open to changing any part of it. He is constantly soaking in knowledge from every place he visits and everyone he meets. He is not overly engrossed in anything beyond the big picture he has based his travel plans on. He doesn't try to outwit the people he meets or make himself feel more important. He is impervious to the negativity around and tries to get the best experiences everywhere he goes. He is well prepared for any weather and takes his own sunshine with him. He is pleasant to be with and forgiving of others' mistakes. In a sentence, he has his mind set on getting along well with the people around him, searching for the interesting sights around and getting the most positive experience.

And I feel that is how everyone of us ought to live. As a tourist on earth.

We are all here for a short time. We are simply passing through this world. It's not our permanent abode. We should set our minds on making the most of our time here, getting the most positive experience and being impervious to the overwhelming negativity around. We should not have a competition mentality. This earth is not an olympic stadium. It is not an examination hall. If you open up your mind and see the earth with its abundance you will know that there is enough to go round for everyone and no one is big/significant enough to block your way.

Be more of the observing, expansive thinking and big picture strategy person. Think of where you want to be, make an elaborate plan (like a tourist) of how you will get there with lots of margin for errors/unknowns. Learn from everyone around -- whether you think yourself smarter than them or not. Absorb as much knowledge as you can from your environment. See the good in every event. Be open to being wrong and to making changes. Never think the world revolves around you; it is the small picture type of reasoning. Be so focused on getting the most positive experience that you will become impervious to personal attacks and always ready to change your immediate environment.

In all, what I am saying is you owe it to yourself to make the most of your stay on earth. What you are is God's gift to you; what you make of yourself is your gift back to God. God and the world owes you nothing and there is nothing unpleasant they can do to you to outweigh the good they've already done you. Your very life is a gift. It's left for you to expand your mind and live a positive life rather than trying to force yourself on history. The world owes you nothing, it was here first. It has no obligation to put you in its history book. History itself chooses its own heroes and no one can force himself on it. The best you can do is for yourself and the people around you. Live for God, yourself, your family and your friends. And not for accomplishments, activities and history.