The citizen of the box

I have come to realise that sometimes we can become tourists of the city, in which we live. Going only to “recommended” places, following specific routes, talking to a few handful of people are daily routines that save us precious time. Time, which we so skilfully manage to spend meeting deadlines, fulfilling responsibilities and setting up future goals. These necessary evils do not allow us the luxury of experimentation- the luxury of getting to know the area, in which we work, drive, commute...live. 

There is no time for  that.
We, then, inhabit but not live. We inhabit in a well-ventilated sunny and stable box, constructed by the "have to's" and "should do's".  Undoubtedly there are some people, who have a yearn for travelling. And they do travel. They visit other cities, other countries, even other continents...

An old story has it that a banker went on holidays with his family in a beautiful island. Everyday while he was enjoying the sun by the sea, he could see a fisherman returning from his work. One day he asked the fisherman why he never stayed longer in the sea to catch more fishes."What for?" replied the fisherman. Then, the banker eloquently explained that the fisherman could sell the additional fishes and soon enough he could buy a second boat. Slowly he could build a fleet and a successful business. With careful planning his company could even be listed in the New York Stock Exchange, and in about 25 years from now he could sell it and come back in that island to retire and fish for leisure. The fisherman gave a pat at the banker's back and before he walked away he said: "That's what I already have".

Are you the artist of your own life?

Good morning! :))

It's been a week since my last post, but now I have been inspired again and "I will write all down", as Shakespeare said in his Cymbeline II. =)

Yesterday, Maya Aggelou, an American author and poet, posted on her facebook status: "Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realized that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art". Wow!! What a quote!! 

Indeed, life is an adventure, our own one. We are the ones that decide if we will use crayons or watercolours. We may not get the colour we thought we would, but it's in our will to appreciate the new, 'unexpected' colour, find it beautiful or hate it forever. 

They say that an artist finds beautiful what everybody else finds it weird..and this could be an image, a song, a feeling, even an experience. We don't have to regret about past mistakes in our life- they taught us a lot.. actually never encounter them as mistakes..they are opportunities to fully experience life! =)

With the above quote, I feel that Maya Aggelou urges us not to be afraid to live! She invites us to experience life without fears,  to write our own song lyrics and sing it in our own special way. An artist experiences days of inspiration and flow, and days filled with boredom, without any ideas or motivation. And that is o.k. =) Artists know that inspiration comes and goes, like a life cycle..

I conclude with a quote from Seneca: "The whole future lies in uncertainty. Live immediately". So, till the next time, treat life as art - live imnmediately! : )