Many of us often find ourselves in the pursuit of callings that may seem out of character or that we don’t fully understand ourselves. These ventures frequently require true commitment on our part, yet we may also find ourselves perplexed by their seeming inexplicability. And, if we think about walking away from them, we simply can’t bring ourselves to do so. So what’s behind these ostensibly obsessive undertakings?
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What makes us successful as creative beings? That’s a question that scholars, philosophers and artists have been asking rhetorically for eons. Much, of course, depends on the nature of the creation. A lot also depends on the traits and temperaments of the creators. But the actual mix of attributes necessary for achieving such fulfillment may ultimately be difficult to define – or, as the French might say, a certain je ne sais quoi.
When everything gets taken away from one’s life, it must be nearly impossible to find something that provides a meaningful reason to carry on. The pervasive sense of hopelessness that sets in makes it difficult to establish a purpose in one’s existence. And so it often is for the incarcerated, individuals faced with an uncertain future of indeterminate duration. Under conditions as difficult as these, realistically speaking, one can’t help but wonder whether even the prospect of rehabilitation will actually pan out as a viable option.
In all truthfulness, how often do most of us take the time to contemplate life’s “big issues”? Given the importance and impact they have on us, one might think they’re something we should all examine in greater detail and on a more frequent basis than we probably do. Yet we often find ourselves distracted by the comparatively inconsequential minutiae of everyday life, setting aside those grand questions that we must all ultimately address for ourselves.
Remember when times were simpler, when you didn’t need to worry about expressing yourself without first having to weigh the long-term ramifications for yourself and the seven generations of progeny that followed? What’s more, recall what it was like to be able to have an opinion without running the risk of oppressive social ostracism from the overly zealous political correctness police force imposing its herd mentality on everyone everywhere? Somewhere along the way we lost our bearings – and ourselves.
Talking about the subject of Near Death Experiences (NDEs) was once about as taboo as speaking about UFOs or seeing a psychiatrist – sure signs that someone was probably psychologically unstable, even if he or she merely believed in these things, let alone having had experiences with them. Thankfully, however, those days are largely behind us now, and speaking about them openly and honestly has become much more rational and commonplace. But what exactly are they all about?
Living one’s life in two disparate worlds can be quite a challenge, perhaps even perpetually confusing to some making the attempt. Having one foot firmly planted in one existence and the other ensconced in another means always having to be “on” and aware of which reality one is in at any given time. That can be particularly demanding if the differences between them are significant, especially if one of them involves harboring and maintaining a potentially volatile secret. But, with practice and a dedicated commitment to keeping up appearances, it’s entirely possible to pull off such a feat.
Many of us have trouble seeing into the future, sometimes no more than just a week or so in advance. That lack inherently leaves us wondering what’s next and how to plan for it. As a result, we often tend to go from moment to moment, unaware of what awaits us around the corner until we actually find ourselves in the midst of it. But not everyone operates that way
When we look upon the works of gifted artists – regardless of the medium involved – we’re often tempted to wonder where the abilities that gave rise to them came from. To be sure, much of the credit obviously belongs to these creative types themselves, but still there are other influences that help to nudge their talents to the surface, inspirations that bring out their innate skills and enable them to flourish.
