my life is my message duty

 

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“We order the times of their births, and the times of their deaths.

Between times, we have a duty.”

 

==

Terry Pratchett

 

————

 

“Death is lighter than a feather; duty, heavy as a mountain.”

 

==

Emperor Meiji

 

————

 

So.

 

This is about Life.

 

And living Life.

 

Okay.

stop listen live life participate

Maybe not just about living it … but rather ‘fulfilling a duty with regard to Life.’

That duty?

It is to show up <at minimum>, to conduct ourselves with some version of integrity, maintain some dignity in the face of our wins … and losses … & do our best as often as we can.

 

You know what?

 

Rereading what I just wrote it doesn’t really seem like Life demands too much of us.

 

It doesn’t demand we have ambition.

 

Nor does it demand we have any superior talent <just that maybe we use the talent that we do have>.

 

It doesn’t even demand we excel, grow, dream or have any purpose beyond simply the purpose of living.

 

The truth is that it is only people, not Life itself, who put those other demands upon us.

 

In between birth and death resides not work, nor happiness, nor sadness, nor love, hate or ignorance … all those things are all simply reflections of how we manage the core responsibility we are burdened with in Life.  About the only true thing in between birth and death is our duty to … well … to things <as in ‘what things happen in Life’> … and to people … and to ourselves I imagine.

The duty to actively live life, participate in life and do the best we can as often as we can.

 

Suffice it to say that this duty, while seemingly fairly doable, and fairly reasonable, in the scheme of things, can feel as heavy as a mountain.

 

I sometimes think it feels so heavy not because of the actual burden of the doing but rather the story which evolves from the doing.  For it is what we do and how we do it that creates the story of who we are.

 

Today … all the good and bad of all your yesterdays add up to exactly who you participate relentlessly in manifestation lifeare right now – your story as of today. In that time and space you are a reflection of how you have fulfilled, or not fulfilled, your duty.

The corollary to that is all the tomorrows appear as moments to ‘fix’ your story.

 

Regardless.

 

I would suggest to most people that ‘today’ feels pretty fucking heavy. It feels like there is still a shitload of work to do and measuring up against the duty … well … many of us wonder if we truly measure up well.

 

And at the same time … many of us measure duty against the wrong thing.

We look in the mirror and assess the goods and bads.

 

Instead we should be seeking measurement from the eyes of others. But not just be to judged <because I imagine being judged by others is a fairly poor way to measure yourself>. We should assess our treatment of those we have touched in our lives.

 

And I mean everyone.

 

What made me think of that is something Terry Pratchett once said. He defined sin as treating people as things.

 

Sometimes I believe as we attempt to fulfill our duty to Life we forget it isn’t really about us.

 

Not about “I.”

 

Remember, I earlier said … It doesn’t demand we have ambition.

Nor does it demand we have any superior talent <just that maybe we use the talent that we do have>.

It doesn’t even demand we excel, grow, dream or have any purpose beyond simply the purpose of living.

 

Life simply demands we live … and by doing so demands we let others live with the same dignity, integrity and their attempt to do the best and be the best they can be.

 

And that is ALL others.

legacy great shit notice

And that is ALL others whatever they do for a living or in Life.

 

All people are significant.

=========

 

“During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘Hello’.”

 

I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.“

==========

 

 

Maybe part of our duty in Life is accept significance in everyone and in everything they try to do.

 

Maybe part of our duty in Life is to accept significance in the sincere attempt.

 

Maybe part of our duty in Life is to stand aside from human struggles, stand aside from the designs of our own making, stand aside from the noise and stand nearer to that which is more likely to be silent … and listen.

 

What I do know for sure is the one thing Life demands of us is to accept the duty to actively live life, participate in life and do the best we can as often as we participate in life rather than watch predict createcan.

 

I cannot guarantee it will not be without struggle to do this.

 

I cannot guarantee any measurable progress as measure by some societal norms.

 

I cannot even guarantee that this duty, this burden, will ever feel lighter than a mountain.

 

But I can guarantee if you accept the duty you will be remembered & you will have done something significant in, and with, your Life.

 

In the end. Remember. My Life … my message.

 

===============

 

Once to every man and nation

Comes the moment to decide

In the strife of truth with falsehood

For the good or evil side.

New occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth,

They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.

Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;

 

–             

James R. Lowell

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Written by Bruce