“Go forth boldly in the direction of your dreams; live the life you’ve imagined.” –Henry David Thoreau
Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the holiest of holidays for Jews around the world. It was a day of repenting, of atonement, of asking forgiveness from those we care about the most for the sins we have committed, of seeking to better ourselves for the future in all that we do, a day for reflection.
Rather than attend a traditional prayer service at a temple or synagogue, as I have done for the past 34 years, I chose to attempt personal reflection at a place known for this type of activity; Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Walden Pond was made famous by Henry David Thoreau who spent two years, two months and two days living a simple life of relative solitude in the woods surrounding the pond. He lived off of the land and authored many now-famous literary works during his time at Walden Pond.
While walking around the pond reflecting on my past year and the lives of my young family and the changes we have gone through most recently, it dawned on me that life is not easy. It isn’t a cakewalk. While some folks, 1% of 1% of the US population, are born into money, which makes living life easier, the vast majority of us toil day-in and day-out to better our lives, our families, our physical, emotional, economical, and social places in life. But, there are so many things that stand in our way. It is easy to let these things get in one’s way and provide an excuse to quit or take the easier road.
I came to the clear conclusion that I am not a seer or fortune teller or psychic. I do NOT have the answers to make my purse richer or my relationship with my wife and children stronger, or my emotional state happier. While I am not suggesting defeat, I am suggesting that it takes time, trial and error, and support from loved ones through the tough times, that make achieving or at least getting on the road to achievement, all the more rewarding. Thoreau says we should “Go forth boldly.” Life in 1847 may have been simpler and going forth boldly easier but we MUST do this in our world, TODAY. In 2012, we MUST make infinite decisions to move our personal and familial lives forth boldly!
Does anyone out there feel the same? Are there any suggestions or comments from folks who feel the need, but don’t exactly know how, to better themselves, their relationships, financial and emotional well-being? What works for you? What doesn’t work?
distinctlynormal 