I was listening to Deepak Chopra on Wellness Radio while on the way to work this morning. He was talking to a guest about Alzheimer’s Disease and quality vs. quantity of life.
Suddenly something he said began to reverberate inside my head, though it wasn’t related to the disease he was referring to.
“Life is not the opposite of death; birth is the opposite of death and life is the continuum between these two events.”
Think about that for a minute.
How many little deaths have we sustained over the course of our lives?
In letting our passions, dreams, desires and fantasies remain unfulfilled, are we experiencing little deaths?
Is it enough to experience life as it comes at us?
Or do we want all of the experiences that we were born desiring?
Diane Ackerman said, “I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it; I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
And –
“It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.”
Ultimately we are our own tour guides in this savage country and can only determine the destinations we desire for ourselves. For each of us has a unique set of talents and obstacles. We only have to get out of our own way in order to set out on the journey that leads us home. Many will not embark on the breadth of this journey. Some are content with length alone, letting life determine the path unchallenged.
I say challenge every path until the flow is just right for you. Then let life bring you the laurels of your reward.
Death is not the opposite of life – so do not let it replace the birth of your sacred heart’s desire.
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Writingfeemail's Blog 
Wonderfully inspirational! I like thinking that we are our own tour guides in this savage country. It is good that we don’t know what is in store for us before it happens or I’m sure a lot of people would choose not to play. I remember being so naive in my 20’s, thinking life was just going to enfold like a beautiful dream. It started out that way, but man, did it detour south! I’ve learned a lot along the way and had my share of knocks to prove it. I have no interest in being content with the length of time I live…I want to feel and taste it, and when I no longer can, I’ll be fine with whatever duration. All I am hoping as I slide down the backside of the Bell Curve is that I can make better decisions and enjoy the ride.
Well said Annie. Sometimes the strangest quote or phrase causes the most inward reflection. I think writers understand a full plate in terms of quality and not quantity. And often, we learn the most from the mistakes, so thank goodness we made them! Enjoy your day!