February 2014 - Walt Whitman, one of the great American poets and the father of free verse, was handy with a well-turned phrase. It is a shame that this poem has been drafted into the service of the Apple iPad, of all things, but it remains a powerful and wonderful reflection on the nature of life, and I think that it's particularly important to keep it in mind when you feel, as we all do from time to time, that life is overwhelming.
O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.
I try to do something creative every day, if it's as simple as my little doodles or a little writing or working on a personal project. It's important to occasionally notice that, for all of this, the most important thing that I do every day is interact with other people. Not all of us will cure polio, but all of us will impact those around us, and we have a responsibility to do that as positively as we can. We all make the world better, every day, even if it's just a little bit, and I am grateful that so many wonderful people are in my life, including you.
Thank you.
In other news, I turned 40. :)
Tomorrow, ADVENTURE!!
O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.
I try to do something creative every day, if it's as simple as my little doodles or a little writing or working on a personal project. It's important to occasionally notice that, for all of this, the most important thing that I do every day is interact with other people. Not all of us will cure polio, but all of us will impact those around us, and we have a responsibility to do that as positively as we can. We all make the world better, every day, even if it's just a little bit, and I am grateful that so many wonderful people are in my life, including you.
Thank you.
In other news, I turned 40. :)
Tomorrow, ADVENTURE!!
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