(C)2012
Pizzaonian National Flag - Courtesy of the Pizzaonian Art Institute, Abe Staction, curator
If there is one thing about life that we all know it is that all things end. However, the problem for most of us who have lived relatively comfortable lives is this idea remains for many of our years an objective, abstract truth.
And, we are happy with that – keeping the abyss at a comfortable distance works. It takes years and many events for the emotional understanding of this inevitable happening to take root in our conscious psyche.
Death, the end of our ego (and us) is the ultimate demise. The hard reality of the abyss that awaits us is the intellectual breeding ground of the existentialist, and continues to be the static that is always playing in the background of our consciousness.
What then do we do? What can we do about the inevitable? Delay it – perhaps, but that does not change the fact that the abyss is there – waiting, waiting?
For those who have the privilege of long life, many mini deaths occur along the vagaries of life’s path that helps us to finalize and prepare for our ultimate end.
Loved ones die. Cherished places change. People we love move out of our lives, and are no longer part of our daily existence. The reality we all know, live, and come to accept is that life is a fast-moving river, changing every second as it flows to the metaphorical ocean, the mother of us all... No one second is like the rest.
As we come to accept this certainty, we have choices. For those who make the most of their lives, they often choose to honor the joy of consciousness - simply, to be is enough, no matter how short a time that may be.
For others this is a Pollyanna approach and denies the reality of our existence. It is too much like the proverbial "head in the sand" approach.
For others, accepting the melancholy sadness of our existence becomes their strength. You see this in many cultures that have lived through centuries of hardship. They stare the abyss in the face and accept its existence.
However, what about you and me - where do we fit into this strange puzzle of human consciousness that brings us both joy and despair?
If you do think about it, how have you dealt with it? It would be nice to know.
Brother Franco addressing novice monks at the annual Pizzaonian Retreat
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