“It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln (a pretty smart fella)
If you ever spend some time with me for a chat, you will soon come to realize that I can go places one would never have thought in at least that moment. Like how do we go from having a wonderful conversation about goals and suddenly flip over 1080 degrees to “I wonder what the very first song was with lyrics?”
Yes, you guessed it, a quick search into the universal hard drive of knowledge gave us this answer:
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/greece/articles/the-oldest-song-in-the-world-with-lyrics-is-from-ancient-greece/
The post would tell us that the oldest song ever “discovered” was a Sumerian hymn written 3400 years ago. That was a long time ago! That song in reference is incomplete and hard to recreate. This lead to the our new knowledge of knowing what the oldest known complete musical composition is. It is from Ancient Greece, still about 2000 years old!
Here is what I find is the cool part. The lyrics of this song were translated to English as follows:
‘While you live, shine
Seikilos dedicated the song to his wife Euterpe
have no grief at all
life exists only for a short while
and time demands its toll.’
“While you live, shine” WOW!
That message is still valid after 2000 years!
There is only one way to shine while living and that is to LIVE YOUR LIFE. Live YOUR life and SHINE!
What does it mean to live YOUR life?
Just so we are clear, you have only one life while visiting this place called earth, it is called YOUR LIFE! You can’t live anyone else’s life even though you might feel influenced to do so, it is still your life to live.
So why is it so hard to do so? I find it hard at times and imagine others do too. No lie there!
This is what I have noticed though…
When I am living my life, there is nothing on it. I am in a place of going with the flow, in the zone, a Zen-like meditated state. ( I almost typed medicated – lol) There are no judgment, justification, meaning, nor feelings other than a feeling of content and peace. Awe…content and peace.
As I finished typing that last paragraph I could almost hear a few BUTS popping up. That is all good on paper Rick, BUT…you just don’t understand what I am dealing with (or add whatever you want to “justify” the but).
Hey, I know there are things in life like eating, looking after people, bills to pay, things to fix, and a whole list of things that appear to be getting in the way of you “living your life.” What if I was to suggest that, that is your life?
What if all that you have on your list is part of your wonderful life instead of the reason for not having a wonderful life?
Huh?
What if you were to take all the meaning, justifications and the judgements that you put on those items on your list and JUST made it a list? What then?
You are in good company. We all do it from time to time. Some more than others, but it is natural and part of the whole thinking system. Knowing that, also means you don’t have to follow and could choose to do something else other than make it bigger than it really is.
So here is your experiment for discovery.
Next time something comes up that appears to be creating anything other than peace and contentment, notice if you have anything on it. Notice if you are judging it, adding meaning to it, justifying it or acting on a “true” belief. If you do, ask yourself what would be different here is I just let “THAT” drop? What would I be doing differently if I had nothing on it?
This does not mean you should or should not do or act upon the situation. There is no right or wrong, only noticing and reflecting. Do what you what to do, just don’t add anything to it. (One caveat – you can’t hurt or destroy anyone or anything in the process of doing).
If you find yourself in a quite place all of a sudden, follow that, keep showing up and respond accordingly from that place.
That song I quoted above was written on a tombstone. I thought about what I would want on my tombstone and this is what I came up with…
“Here lies the shell of a man
Richard John Ruppenthal (1956 – when God called)
that held the soul of a
life well lived.”
Steven Covey taught us to start with the end (what would you want people to say about you in the end?) and act accordingly.
Syd Banks told us to go live our life. By doing that alone, you would change the world.
It is time to live YOUR life.
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Reverend Howard Thurman, author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader
With all my love,
Rick Ruppenthal | COACHING 