Tor on Marathon

Watch the video above in full screen and 720 dpi resolution. You may think WTF, nothing is going one here and this is seemingly the case. Yet, this video contains everything you would ever want to know about our existence. Let me share my thoughts.

I remember at age 6 sitting by this very spot in the Norwegian mountains, it was an unusually sunny and warm day and I was together with my granddad on my mothers side. I remember thinking exactly what I will write in the following. I was thinking that sitting by this peaceful and soothing “river” was a unique moment never to come back. I was filled with love to Nature and to experience the calmness that only mountains can give you. I was thinking that this water would keep on running for years and centuries in complete disregard of mine nor my grandfathers nor anybodies existence (indeed, he, and my father, died the following year), in complete neglect of our feelings, dreams, hopes, lives. I found this to be a great comfort ! That the flux of Life and Matter continues long after the short visit we Humans pay on Earth. People may be born and raised and die, wars may be fought, Kingdoms may be destroyed, the water keeps on running, the Flux of Matter continues. Uncaringly.

So, “what matters ?” did I think. “Does anything ?”. The answer was all around me. The warmth of the sun, the love of my grandfather, the sounds and the mountain we had to concur that day. Our little goals in life, insignificant to the vaster landscapes but important to us. The belonging to time and place. The thought that we just exist, that we cannot fail. That the water will keep on running anyhow. That you need to love the stuff you are doing, that you have to caretake and collect the unique moments of Life, not beceause they matter much but because they matter to you.

I have visited this little river many times since in my Life and revisited these thoughts. And even though the old Indian saying goes that “you cannot swim in the same river twice”  (the river has changed and so have you) I still find myself back at age 6 and in the same comfort that Nature is at fix and that everything worth knowing always have been and always will be, that I have been fortunate enough to understand, that the mountains will outlive me, that one sunny day may represent an eon and make up for insights and feelings to remain for a lifetime.

So please understand: The Flux of the elements is eternal – we are not. Use your Time with Love and Wisdom.

Being a computer geek, professionally, I work with data. A very common thing in a computer system is the maintainance and changes of STATE. If you replace the word “computer” in the last sentense, you have a perfect description of a woman. LOL. Ok, let’s just say: a human being. This post is on some thoughts on the keeping of the Human State … of Mind and on the pursuit of Happiness. Issues that matters to us all every single day.

Ok, let’s start by understanding what STATE can be. As for the Human Life we can define three states:

L1. Unborn
L2. Living
L3. Dead

I will not go into discussions whether there are more states than these, ie. if the is a L4 for Heaven or whether we repeat cycles L1-L2-L3-?-L1-L2-L3. What should be of some importance to you is your current state L2. We all tend to forget the fact that our days in L2 are finite. We DO enter state L3 at some point, beyond which all other states, issues, wealth and worries do not seem to follow us. So be grateful for your L2-state every day, do good and useful things, love someone, love yourself. You only have so many days.

Love yourself. Often we do not. We are unhappy because the outer world does not mirror our expectations. So why do we act like insects when things don’t fall out perfect for us ? We should be better than that ! Insects are driven by chemical substances, pheromones, and are as similar for many other dynamics in Nature forced into a stimulance-response pattern, attack or retreat. We Humans are a bit more subtle, we have a million different states for our mood, mind and feelings, so why not refine their usage a bit ? Anyways, let’s list a few core states:

C1. Hungry
C2. Sleepy
C3. Afraid
C4.Feeling Safe
C5. Aggressive
C6. Horny

You might think that most men just go for C1 and C6, but truth is that we could list tons and tons of additional states here. You see, the states are actually not so important, well, at least not if you have the luxury to get food and water every day. What really is interesting are the MECHANISMS that set our states. Are you happy because of something in the “outer” world or because you choose to yourself ? Do you need outer proof in order to feel happy or can you be “just happy”. Analyze what really makes you happy. Is it Money, is it your Partner, your Kids, your Family, your Friends ? And does the lack of these make you unhappy ? If so, why ?

There is a lot to be said about our states and it is a very complex matter. First of all, please realize how quickly your state may change. You hear a piece of music that reminds you of your Childhood or a lost love… and your state changes. You scent the fresh-cut grass cycling home from work… and you are back to the summer holidays in School. You hear dissonant violins in a horror movie… and are scared as hell. Oh yes, the media and movie guys know how to manipulate your states. The question is: do you ?

Surely, the Human Psyche is playing tricks on us. You see, we might think that we have narrowed down a certain state and why and why not we are in it… only to find (later in Life) that the REAL determining state is a completely different one. You could for instance again and again choose partners that leave you and put you in a sad state.. only to realize that the real state triggering this is your own state of being in/handling loss to which you are familiar and feel safe in. Or you might eat too much food making you feel happy for a short while… but actually being escaping the real issue you have: the lack of self love. Or just love. Thinking about it, I consider Love/being loved to be the universally one true state we all long for.

I’ll write more about “State Management” later.. also with respect to Running. Meanwhile, ask yourself some questions.

What state are you in now ? And why ?