Create To Live

I still haven't gotten to the point I started toward three blogs ago. Here's a quick review of where we've been. In “To Survive Is Not Enough” I talked about embracing life whether it's good or bad because ultimately it's good. In “More Thoughts On Living” I discussed doing your best in whatever you are doing. I believe both of these ideas are important ingredients to living a fulfilling life. The original point I started writing towards though was meeting our need to be creative.

When I said do one thing that is more what I was really getting at was do something creative. I'm not sure why I didn't just come out and say that. I guess those other two points just needed to be said first.

Creativity is a fundamental part of a human being. I believe when the bible talks about being created in God's image our ability to create is central to that idea. We need to nourish that aspect of ourselves. In this modern hectic world we can easily forgo a creative activity in the rush of work, kids, video games, twitter, facebook, iphones, dishes dogs and on and on. Without a creative activity in our lives we starve our spirits.

So doing something creative. It doesn't have to be big. Don't think you have to write the great American novel to be creative. Write a poem. Write a blog about being creative. If you learn one song on the piano you'd be creating music. The point isn't to be famous or even share it with anyone. Just keep it for yourself or someone special.

Feed your soul.

Create.

Live.

Why I Shave My Head

1. I didn't loose a bet.
2. I'm not secretly a Neo-Nazi.

The first time I shaved my head was before I moved to upstate New York with my brother. We were taking a year off to break the never ending cycle of work sleep repeat. Since I wasn't going to an office every day I decided to shave my head as a symbol for the break we were making from the norm.

3. I don't think I look awesome with a shaved head. I look okay.

4. I do not shave my head to annoy the bald guys my age. People have enough problems without me poking them with a stick.

That first time I went to a Super Cuts type place and had them shave it all off. It was instantaneously awesome. I'm not sure why but from that very first moment I just loved it. It felt great. The best part for me was not having to mess with my hair in the morning. Sure it only takes at max five minutes to fix my hair, but not having to tame it with massive amounts of gel was pure joy to me.

5. While it sounds really good I don't shave my head to flip the finger at the conventions of modern society and what is expected of me. There might be a grain of truth there, but really not the reason.

I kept my head shaved until winter that year. I had to grow it back because I didn't want it that short at our wedding. After the wedding I kept it normal because I was at a new job. Had to look professional and all that. The next summer though I did it again. It was just as awesome the second time.

6. I don't do it for Kay. She's not a big fan. See number three above.
7. The only reason I shave my head is because it makes me happy.

I've lost count how many times I've shaved my head now. We think this is the fifth, but it could be just the fourth. It's been over a week since the last time though and as always I love it. Not even a single regret.

8. #chasethathappy

More Thoughts On Living

My last blog “To Survive Is Not Enough” didn't come out the way it was supposed to. It started out about doing something in our lives beyond the bare minimum. To take the one chance we have in life - excluding any Buddhist in the audience of course - to explore life's potential. By the time the blog was finished it was about our attitude as we go through this rough and tumble life. I think I made a good point because our attitudes are something to be mindful of. Not what I started out to say though. My writing process - as described in "The Beauty of the Rough Draft” - is to write stream of consciousness until I find the chunks I want to flesh out. Most of the time I end up where I thought I was going. Sometimes I find another idea along the way.

The point I started with is that we should do at least one thing that is more. Something more than just getting by. I think this is where my previous blog turned. I am tempted at this point to say you should write a novel, paint a watercolor, learn an instrument etc. etc. That's not true though. Those things are good but you don't have to do anything traditionally “creative” in order to live a good life. Something more could be raising a happy and healthy child. Reading books you're interested in instead of sitting in front of the television all the time. Being the best husband you can be.

My point is to live not just survive. Don't just go to work every day and do the least amount of work you can do to keep your job. Do your best. Don't just keep the kids happy. Engage with them and raise them. Show them how to be human. These two examples hit very close to home as I am guilty of both. I'm working on it though. 

To Survive Is Not Enough

I ended my last blog with the line “... trying to keep my head above water.” I was specifically talking about money, but I was also speaking in broader terms. Right now my life is about survival. Survive to the next check. Survive this temper tantrum. Make the deadline at work. Keep Grayson from having an asthma attack when he gets a cold. Slide payments around to pay the mortgage on time without bouncing checks. Survive just this day. Make it through this week. This month. This year.

There is something to be said for surviving this big bad world but it is not enough.

Life is not something to be trudged through. It will always be hard, but instead of bemoaning that fact we need to take charge of the one thing we can control. Our reaction to it.

Life should be approached with a certain panache. We should go through life with reckless courage in an attempt to experience as much of life as we can. This is not a call to free spirited hedonism. I don't mean just have fun all the time. I mean embrace this life we are living with both arms. Wrap it up and love it. Sometimes it will suck. Other times it will be so wonderful you can't express it with words. Either way just be in it. Experience it. Love that woman you married even when both kids are screaming, the dogs are barking, a pot is boiling over and you just tripped over the humongous pile of laundry on the living room floor. Don't just hang in there live. Laugh out loud. Enjoy it not because it's so fun, but because you're alive. Good times or bad life is always good.

It also helps to remember that two days after that hell day you had your son will run up to you and squeeze you as hard as his little arms can because he's just so happy to see you. That’s nice.