Physical race builds health through running outdoors. Modern life's race for status depletes us through endless comparison, leaving even successful competitors unfulfilled.
I heartily subscribe to your belief about “race” but it is only now, having achieved the grand status of 74, that I truly understand what you are writing about. I no longer feel driven to “be” something other than what I truly am as a person. Rather than adding more, I have found that by shedding aspects of myself no longer important, I have come around to who I really am. That has left me with a profound sense of contentment. A word we don’t hear often when people describe how they feel. I have a small group of close friends who are true; I live in a small town in the woods surrounded by the seasons and the creatures that live here;I have a devoted husband of 44 years who doesn’t mind my obsession with books nor the time spent reading them; and the catalogues that come in the mail go right to recycling because I have no need of the things they are telling me I must have to be happy. I am content. With that comes freedom, kindness, charity, laughter, love and appreciation for life as it is now. It brings to me a sense of completeness that was nowhere to be found in my early years.
Thank you for the brilliant and insightful essays you so freely give to the world.
Thank you, Melissa, for sharing your thoughts! You live such a beautiful life. How wonderful to make your home in a small town surrounded by woods, in the company of books. Life truly is about finding a place of contentment.
Gurdeep, reading this today reminds me of Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations - 6.16. My wife and I have just started reading various Stoic thinkers on a daily basis. There is so much wisdom in the ancients. Thousands of years ago thickets were reflecting on the human condition, just as you are today. https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2018/07/marcus-aurelius-meditations-616.html?m=1
I find it fascinating and a little bit sad to reflect on how centuries ago people questioned their lives and we still contemplate the same questions today. I wonder how far have we come? Perhaps though its not about how far, rather how deeply our values remain to aspire to a meaningful and kind existence despite all life and societies throw at us to challenge what it is we desire. This desire seems to be remaining firmly unchanged. That is reassuring and joyous.
This sense of false accomplishments was indoctrinated and endorsed by our societal teachings from the beginning of our formal education to the very careers and jobs that we choose. While in school we were taught to be “ better” than our peers whether it be through running and winning a physical race or getting the best mark in a test or exam. This doctrine was apparently created for us to strive to be the best we could be, so that our survival would be guaranteed, “survival of the fittest”. Unfortunately our values are measured by our material wealth accomplishments and viewed by others as a measure of our individual success. Society frowns upon individuals that are less accomplished who have less than others regardless of their circumstances or misfortunes. Our society has adopted a “corporate “ mentality, where, your usefulness is gauged by what you bring to the table regardless of how you get there, if you don’t produce you have no use.
Competition drives our economy and it’s taught to our young people, disregarding the mental stress and emotional toll this takes on our psyche and emotional health hence our emotions are discounted as weaknesses in a society that views these human aspects as unnecessary and a failure. We are quickly losing our sense of empathy towards others in a world that worships brand names and idols elevating our false accomplishments as being the norm.
We’ve marginalized our less fortunate and disregarded our elders seeing them as a burden instead of recognizing their valuable wisdom and experience, instead we sequester them into homes for the elderly waiting for them to expire. I believe that there exists only one race, that is the human race and our accomplishments can only be measured by the way we treat each other, where the “win” is the joy we feel when we help someone else.
This was an excellent post. This morning it was 12 degrees when I went out to “race”with my dog (it’s a moderately paced race for sure). I love how your posts look to the positive side of anything, including those things that are difficult.
I’d love to learn the dance you do in many of your videos. Is there a tutorial out there? I’d is a set sequence? I thought it was because in one of your videos there was a second dancer and you were able to sync your movements.
Merci Gurdeep. Currently quickly recovering from a +Covid - obviously I need to be more conscientious re wearing my N95 mask on busy buses, SkyTrains, elevators, etc. in this large busy city. These days of recovery and relative quarantine are perfect for pondering, noticing, planning, and more. Still waving my arms and legs out in joyful abandon, regardless! Cheers
Absolutely! I completely resonate with everything you’ve expressed in the article. It’s so true that we need to cultivate self-awareness about the race we’re part of, as it deeply impacts our lives. I’m truly grateful that I’ve reached a point where I no longer focus on material possessions or compare my life to others. I believe that each of us is on our own unique journey, and it’s up to us to discover ourselves along the way. The moment we realize that life isn’t about materialism or competing with others, we experience a profound sense of freedom and ease. Thank you Gurdeep for this article!
I heartily subscribe to your belief about “race” but it is only now, having achieved the grand status of 74, that I truly understand what you are writing about. I no longer feel driven to “be” something other than what I truly am as a person. Rather than adding more, I have found that by shedding aspects of myself no longer important, I have come around to who I really am. That has left me with a profound sense of contentment. A word we don’t hear often when people describe how they feel. I have a small group of close friends who are true; I live in a small town in the woods surrounded by the seasons and the creatures that live here;I have a devoted husband of 44 years who doesn’t mind my obsession with books nor the time spent reading them; and the catalogues that come in the mail go right to recycling because I have no need of the things they are telling me I must have to be happy. I am content. With that comes freedom, kindness, charity, laughter, love and appreciation for life as it is now. It brings to me a sense of completeness that was nowhere to be found in my early years.
Thank you for the brilliant and insightful essays you so freely give to the world.
Thank you, Melissa, for sharing your thoughts! You live such a beautiful life. How wonderful to make your home in a small town surrounded by woods, in the company of books. Life truly is about finding a place of contentment.
Gurdeep, reading this today reminds me of Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations - 6.16. My wife and I have just started reading various Stoic thinkers on a daily basis. There is so much wisdom in the ancients. Thousands of years ago thickets were reflecting on the human condition, just as you are today. https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2018/07/marcus-aurelius-meditations-616.html?m=1
Obviously not thickets, rather, thinkers.
I find it fascinating and a little bit sad to reflect on how centuries ago people questioned their lives and we still contemplate the same questions today. I wonder how far have we come? Perhaps though its not about how far, rather how deeply our values remain to aspire to a meaningful and kind existence despite all life and societies throw at us to challenge what it is we desire. This desire seems to be remaining firmly unchanged. That is reassuring and joyous.
This sense of false accomplishments was indoctrinated and endorsed by our societal teachings from the beginning of our formal education to the very careers and jobs that we choose. While in school we were taught to be “ better” than our peers whether it be through running and winning a physical race or getting the best mark in a test or exam. This doctrine was apparently created for us to strive to be the best we could be, so that our survival would be guaranteed, “survival of the fittest”. Unfortunately our values are measured by our material wealth accomplishments and viewed by others as a measure of our individual success. Society frowns upon individuals that are less accomplished who have less than others regardless of their circumstances or misfortunes. Our society has adopted a “corporate “ mentality, where, your usefulness is gauged by what you bring to the table regardless of how you get there, if you don’t produce you have no use.
Competition drives our economy and it’s taught to our young people, disregarding the mental stress and emotional toll this takes on our psyche and emotional health hence our emotions are discounted as weaknesses in a society that views these human aspects as unnecessary and a failure. We are quickly losing our sense of empathy towards others in a world that worships brand names and idols elevating our false accomplishments as being the norm.
We’ve marginalized our less fortunate and disregarded our elders seeing them as a burden instead of recognizing their valuable wisdom and experience, instead we sequester them into homes for the elderly waiting for them to expire. I believe that there exists only one race, that is the human race and our accomplishments can only be measured by the way we treat each other, where the “win” is the joy we feel when we help someone else.
This was an excellent post. This morning it was 12 degrees when I went out to “race”with my dog (it’s a moderately paced race for sure). I love how your posts look to the positive side of anything, including those things that are difficult.
I’d love to learn the dance you do in many of your videos. Is there a tutorial out there? I’d is a set sequence? I thought it was because in one of your videos there was a second dancer and you were able to sync your movements.
Merci Gurdeep. Currently quickly recovering from a +Covid - obviously I need to be more conscientious re wearing my N95 mask on busy buses, SkyTrains, elevators, etc. in this large busy city. These days of recovery and relative quarantine are perfect for pondering, noticing, planning, and more. Still waving my arms and legs out in joyful abandon, regardless! Cheers
Thanks Gurdeep!
Absolutely! I completely resonate with everything you’ve expressed in the article. It’s so true that we need to cultivate self-awareness about the race we’re part of, as it deeply impacts our lives. I’m truly grateful that I’ve reached a point where I no longer focus on material possessions or compare my life to others. I believe that each of us is on our own unique journey, and it’s up to us to discover ourselves along the way. The moment we realize that life isn’t about materialism or competing with others, we experience a profound sense of freedom and ease. Thank you Gurdeep for this article!
PS: loved the video as well!