Specialness everywhere, all the time

The other day, as I was finishing up "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse, I continued to be touched by the well-described phases of the protagonist's life. Toward the end of the book, Siddhartha realized he could not keep going on the path of a wealthy merchant. He abruptly left the life he had made and headed into nature, finding himself by a familiar river. It was the one he had crossed when he left his family home.

Standing at the edge in deep despair, Siddhartha was a breath away from committing suicide. At such a juncture, he grasped the barest thread of something that would hold him fast. For him, that was the sound of Om. It resonated strongly and drove away his self-destructive compulsions. It brought him love like a spark in his heart.

I provide this backstory to highlight the important realization he had, one that we can all share. With new eyes and heart, he looked at the river again.

But today he only saw one of the river's secrets, one that gripped his soul. He saw that the water continually flowed and flowed and yet it was always there; it was always the same and yet every moment it was new.

A little while later, Siddhartha met the Ferryman and, as things happen, he expressed his interest in helping the Ferryman with his job. The Ferryman agreed, and then spoke to Siddhartha about the river. He said:

I have taken thousands of people across and to all of them my river has been nothing but a hindrance on their journey....

...an obstacle to get beyond.

This led me to think about how special a river can be. That led me to realize that any body of water, any part of nature from the grass and dirt and sand to the trees, clouds and sky, can seem new every time I look at it.

Then I expanded my thought: Every person, every life form, every building, rock, drop of rain, gust of wind, sound of thunder, call of a crow or mourning dove or owl, every store, parking spot, street light, yes, even every billboard can be viewed as something new and special.

With this in mind, I thought, everything is kind of exciting. Can I live with that?

Then I examined what it's like to travel. I enjoy traveling quite a bit, even though it can be hard at times with changes to flights, adjustments to budgets, and unexpected challenges. The disorientation of being in a new place has a benefit: it makes me open my eyes a little wider to take in this new view. it makes me a little more alert to what's around me, and I want to absorb everything I see, taste, touch, and experience a little more. Traveling feels special.

The thought of holidays came up; they feel special too, in a similar way to traveling. It is a break from the routine. The mundane habits of routine can be numbing. We all get that. We all want escape from mundaneness. Perhaps that's why switching on the television, and/or indulging in comfort foods and drinks and other short-sighted escapes are so prevalent. (It's exactly the opposite of a healthy way to break out of a mundane life, though!)

What if we could view every day as if it were a holiday or special day? What would happen? Would that turn the specialness into mundaneness?

It's a good goal, I think, to remind ourselves of the gift of life, beginning with ourselves. As you read this, I want you to put your hand on your heart and tell yourself how wonderful you are. Name a reason why; it can be because your hair is curly, or that you learned to read, or that you spent some time with a friend who needed that today. It can be for a thousand reasons. That doesn't lessen the specialness of you.

And if you find yourself on a riverbank, remember that it's not an obstacle to get across. Listen to the voice of the river. Feel that every moment is special. See the sparkle of the flowing water, the sound of lapping, the happy quacking of ducks nearby - it's all there for you to tune into, enjoy, and appreciate. We are all connected to the wonders of life in each other and all around this beautiful blue globe. Let us recognize that connection and know its power.