Philosophy On Life

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”
Will Rogers

How true are those words?

I had a reader once refer to me as the modern day Will Rogers. Flattering of course, and who among us does not like their ego stroked from time to time? I am not immune to the therapeutic benefits of a kind word now and then, but seriously, Will Rogers? The man was a giant in the fields of common sense and homespun philosophy, whereas I am just a guy who has been pissing on electric fences most of his life. I eventually learned my lessons, but man oh man, was it ever painful along the way.

Still, I have learned lessons, and I have, during my travels, picked up some truths that I believe cannot be denied. I thought I would share some of those truths with you now, so kick off your shoes, get comfortable on the couch, and allow me to share with you some random thoughts about life. If you get bored you can leave anytime you want; you didn’t pay admission and you won’t be quizzed at the end.

We may never understand life! We could very easily die before we have that AH-HA moment in our lives, before the light bulb goes off overhead and all the mysteries become crystal clear.

However, that does not relieve us of the responsibility to be compassionate and kind to others. It does not relieve us of the responsibility to live with courage and generosity. It does not relieve us of the responsibility to be humane in our treatment of our fellow man.

Understanding life is not a pre-requisite for happiness; being a loving spirit, however, is.

Biologically speaking, mankind has a limited capacity for change. We will only become so tall as a race. Our brains will always be limited in their growth by the size of our heads.

However, spiritually, mankind has an unlimited capacity. Every once in awhile, a human being comes along who seems to transcend everything that came before. They have “found the secret,” and they embody everything that man can be. My aunt was one of those people, and I’m sure some of you know someone as well. My aunt was spiritually at peace. She was never angered, never worried, never vexed and never anxious. She was, simply, at a higher level of spiritual growth than anyone I have personally known, and it was a wonder to see.

That kind of spiritual growth is in all of us; the only restraints upon us are those we control.

There is no escaping pain. Whether it be physical or emotional, it is a part of the human experience.

However, misery is a choice! Some will argue with this, and perhaps it is a matter of definition, but for my money, misery is an option that is available to us each and every day, as is the absence of misery.

One can be physically crippled and in daily pain, and yet not be miserable. I have seen it! I had a student born with spina bifida and yes, she had pain, and no, she was not miserable. She was, and is, in fact, a constant source of inspiration and positive vibes for those who know her.

Wallowing in self-pity might be justified, but it is certainly not necessary.

Hope is unique to the human species. It is completely unrelated to the dynamics of evolution or the necessities of our race. It cannot be quantified and yet is responsible for enormous acts of selfless generosity.

Hope is the ignition switch that tosses aside seemingly insurmountable obstacles and starts the human engine once again as it travels forward. There is no logic associated with it; there is no diagram of it; still, it is as essential to being human as anything we possess.

Never underestimate the power of a small group of determined people; for that matter, never underestimate the power of one determined human being.

You have all heard the stories of a mother lifting a car off of her trapped child. Our history is littered with accounts of small groups that have brought about incredible change.

Were they extraordinary people with gifts and powers far beyond those of normal men and women, or were they ordinary people with extraordinary determination?

It occurs in each of us daily, unless we are so un-enlightened as to appear catatonic. I am speaking of the battle between ego and humility, and each of us is the battlefield where the spoils of war can be measured by the amount of true happiness in our lives.

The more my ego asserts myself, the more my life has wandered from its true purpose. The more my humility asserts itself, the closer I am to that quiet place inside of myself where I am at peace.

It is our battle and ours alone. No one else controls our ego, and when our days on this planet are coming to an end, we will be able to look back over the landscape of our lives and determine which of those two opposing forces won.

See the whole board! I had a friend who once tried to teach me the game of chess. He continually told me that I needed to see the whole board, that I could not become so enamored with one move that I forgot what was happening on the rest of the board….and he was right!

There is a big world out there, and I am but one small piece making one small move at a time. Existence as we know it will continue unabated after I am gone; I will have been but a blip on the radar screen of life. I need to remember that from time to time. I need to gain that perspective.

John Donne understood this when he said that no man is an island. We are not an isolated biological creature that has no contact with other life forms. We do not exist in a vacuum; every single one of our actions has a consequence.

Donne also stated that each man’s death diminishes us, and I believe that to be true. We are all linked together, the perfect example of the Butterfly Effect, seemingly random and disconnected beings affecting each other with each action that we take.

The only question that remains, then, is will we be a positive or negative influence on others. We can be the messengers of hope and the carriers of empathy and compassion, or we can choose to add to the darkness that is always on the periphery of life. It is our choice!

There is nothing more important in life than love. Nothing! Love yourself and love others, and you will have attained the pinnacle of your existence.

What are we without love? Nothing more than a random genetic accident, a simple matter of one sperm, one cell, coming together and then 74.6 years of emptiness. Love is the secret ingredient that transforms a bland recipe into a gourmet meal, and we can all use it if we choose.

As a character in my novel says often, love alters reality!

Love conquers loneliness. Love conquers fear. Love conquers selfishness and greed, and love makes it possible to enjoy life despite whatever hardships may befall us.

And once again, it is our choice!

No, I am not Will Rogers, nor do I want to be. I am Bill Holland, a simple man with simple needs, who has grown tired of peeing on electric fences. Hopefully some of these thoughts will steer you away from the high voltage signs and allow you to take a gentler path than the one I followed.

I will continue to speak the truth as I know it, and I will continue to strive to reach a higher level of consciousness in the time I have remaining. Hopefully, when my days have ended, my death will have diminished others, for that is as it should be.

I wish for all of you compassion, and empathy, and a higher awareness, but most of all, I wish for you love.

2012 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)