Airtime and the Meaning of Life

Time flows constantly, unaware of what its wake looks like. It is the longest line with no end. Many events come about and end in brief periods along its wake, like the leap of a dolphin next to a gigantic cruise ship - its brief flight starts and ends in a splash. Very little airtime. That is a lifetime for us. So forget the cruise ship of time - let's observe the start and finish of that airtime in slow motion.

The nose of the dolphin is barely visible under clear blue water - almost as if it's frozen inside ice. We know it's coming - about to break the surface of water and spring upward - with tremendous force.

The dolphin surges up - in slow motion we see the sheets of water being dragged up with it, and a million drops of water jump up in joy, cheering, participating in the celebration of the beginning of airtime for the dolphin.

The sheets of water begin to peel off, separate from the dolphin, fall back down - as if taking a synchronized bow to an unstoppable glory. The sheets cascade back into the ocean like a million pieces of light. The million drops stop too, look down, and reverse - joining in the downward orchestra. Their airtime is shorter. It needs a slower frame rate to take in. Not now.

When I think about what'd make me sad about dying, hopefully when I am much older, I think it'd be the thought that I'd no longer be able to listen to music, sleep in my bed, be with the people I love. Then, would the purpose of life be only one thing: doing the things we can when we are alive? Things that make us feel alive? More alive? More alive, as in much more than just existence.

Maybe the dolphin feels completely alive when it leaps up - its airtime - above its natural habitat, outside of its life-supporting water. You perhaps miss the dolphin's expression, but you instinctively know it's a happy event for the dolphin. Airtime - it's levitating in pure joy. I bet the dolphin lives that entire airtime in slow motion in its mind and soul. Frame by frame.

As it crashes back into the ocean with tremendous force, it must be pure joy as well. Going back into what allows it to do the most alive thing it knows to do - gather speed and launch into air again.

The meaning of life is airtime. Living a life that supports airtime, and the actual airtime. Just does not get any better.

Flaws and Strengths

Which is more important to know - one's flaws, or strengths? Flaws are pretty obvious I think, once we stop the denial or try to bury them. Strengths are silent - sometimes reflected back to us by others. Rarely, but you know they are there. But the majority of who we are, the largest portion of what makes us, is neither flaws nor strengths. It is just the neutral facts that make us who we are. In fact I'd suggest that most of us are 3% flaws, 2% strengths, and 95% neutral facts. So why not focus on that more, instead of the few flaws in our own minds, or strengths in the eyes of others?

I like chocolate. I love to watch movies. I work hard on things I am passionate about. I am extreme in my statements when I try to make a point. These are just neutral facts.

I care too much about what others think. At first take, that sounds like a flaw to me. But if I choose to look deeper, I try to examine why I do that. Do I do it for my own ego, or do I do it as a benchmark to judge my action towards others? And either way, is this a flaw that pains me, or pains others? If it pains others, it is clearer as a flaw. Is caring what others think something that hurts others? I doubt it. The fact that it pains me is bad enough though. This phenomenon is a harmful side-effect of focusing on the 5% instead of the 95%. Focusing on the 95% is a great way to cut out negative energy in one's life.

Peace is already there - negative energy and interactions and people take away from it, or at least perturb it. That minority needs to be cut out. A realization I have now (perhaps an extreme statement to make a point) is this. If someone has an issue with what I said or did to them, then I need to try to understand how I was wrong. However, if their issue is with their perception of what I am, I will ditch them from my life. No goodbyes.

Recognition of positive people, positive comments, traits, and nature's ample positive energy comes to us through the 95% as well. Say hello to that.

Short Poems by Adi Mishra

Succeed

Go ahead and succeed while others debate if you can,
Gratefully share your fortunes as they say you got lucky from far.
Do good while some wonder if you're a good person,
And deeply cherish those who always know who you are.


Surrender
Joy so intense that it stops all thought,
Sadness so strong you can't speak, breathe or cry.
Love so powerful that you just totally let go,
None of these you can feel if you actually try.

To feel such amazement you must completely surrender,
Release all fear and decide to be weak.
Utter a word and it will all disappear,
When the strong is good, it gives everything to the meek.

Judge Me
Look at me and see the flaws,

Focus on each and every one.

Reduce me to an inferior being,

Until you are sure you have won.

See all the good only on your side,

Laugh at all the bad on mine.

But don't rise so high that I'm not before you,

For I'm just a mirror, clear, perfect and fine.