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Eternal Contemplation August 15, 2008

Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Meditations , trackback

I was at dinner the other night when I found myself talking about a piece of advice I’d received over 25 years earlier. As the story goes, my mentor Luis had answered a question I put to him concerning the deeper meaning of life. We were walking on the beach at the time and just as the sun began to fall asleep in the gulf of Mexico and gentle sets of waves curtsied at my feet, the philosopher within stirred.

I wanted to know what it might be like when the time comes to face one’s maker, as it were. If there is a judgment of sorts, I wondered about the protocol. I had never subscribed to the theory that a brutal and condemnatory meeting takes place whereby the evil misdeeds of a lifetime are laboriously dredged from a metaphorical filing cabinet and laid on a table for the chief prosecutor to evaluate. And yet, nor did I discount it. Needless to say, I wanted some clarity.

‘There are only two things of importance really,’ Luis said rather laconically.

I looked at him sheepishly, hoping for elaboration.

For a very long minute, there was an interminable silence. Then he spoke.

‘Who have you helped? And what have you learned?’

I thought that was marvelous!

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Comments»

1. Jaime - October 6, 2008

Luis sounds like my kinda guy! How true..

These words of wisdom link in so well with what Margaret Olley also had to say (referring to one of your later posts). It is just not about us but how we would so like it to be.

True intent is something that we neglect to explore these days yet something that is so vital and imperative to understand. To explore it within ourselves is to do so without judgement. I think this is what holds people back in fear. They are afraid that they will find out that they have done things for the ‘wrong’ reason. That’s not what it’s about at all. These explorations provide us with an opportunity to know ourselves honestly. Without knowing this we are incapable of helping others with honesty.

It’s amazing how much time we spend in our heads without knowing instead of getting on with it. A fond teacher of mine used to have a great saying passed on from his Grandmother, “Honey, shit or get off the pot!” This is not meant to offend but rather highlights the point of getting on with the job!!!