Remember Steve? Life is about connecting the dots. But don’t forget that life is also lived forward. In order to connect dots, you must first have the dots.
What dots? Living life forward and understanding it backwards is such a horrible thing. No one knows what’s “absolutely right” until it has happened (nobody can save us!). But that’s also a blessing because no one really has the absolute authority in telling us what we must do.
I’ll just quote Goenka to make this argument more convincing. He said that there are 3 kinds of wisdom: 1) one that you’ve heard from others, 2) one that you have accepted intellectually, and 3) one that you have experienced yourself. Thus we understand why some people are wiser than those who have merely memorized the bible, the principles of governance, or the parts of a business plan.
Experience is a pre-requisite to Wisdom; Wisdom Creates Depth
It’s right when you’re thankful that it happened, it’s not when you regret it. But first, you must make it happen.
Escape if you must. Tell the truth if you must. Quit if you must. Serve if you must. Cheat if you must. Stop drinking if you must. Curse if you must. Love if you must. Stop smoking if you must. Steal if you must. Be thankful if you must. Vandalize if you must. Dance if you must. Watch porn if you must. Paint if you must. Masturbate if you must. Sing if you must. Take drugs if you must. Start your business if you must. Smoke if you must. Write if you must. Lie if you must. Run if you must. Kill if you must. If you honestly believe you must.
Ok something from me — I once couldn’t understand cheating. 1) First, if a guy cheats on me, he’s dead, not me. 2) Second, if a guy cheats with me, he doesn’t really love his girlfriends hence there’s no true relationship. Essentially, there’s nothing to destroy (moreover, those unreal things are sweet when broken). Pretty logical right? Tried it, ended up destroying myself. Nonetheless, I’m thankful I now understand (watch The Fierce Wife and see mindless seduction).
| “Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.” – Sydney Harris |
What have you experimented on?
