“. . . Some of it’s magic. Some of it’s tragic. But I had a good life all the way.”

Jimmy Buffet, He Went to Paris

During our time in this physical world we often move through it not being in tune with the significance of ourselves. Some lose sight of the wonder of who they are and the life they live. Many get distracted with thinking that their lives are ordinary, feeling like their lives are not turning out to be what they may have envisioned, or longing for experiences they desire.

They stoically brush it off or make the excuse that this is “just life,” putting on the mental list all the reasons why—bad luck, being obligated or tied to someone, something or somewhere, less than optimal relationships, missed opportunities, or their social or economic standing. If they reflect and search for the answers, the voice of their ego starts to negate that inner dialogue. This voice speaks from fear, distress or limitations, and keeps one diverted. For many this leaves them stuck in the mindset that they or their lives are not significant, and they go through the motions of living not receiving the world around them, themselves included.

There is the cliché that life is a journey or about the journey—meaning the experiences. We are here in this physical time and space to experience. But often we let those experiences go unnoticed or let them lose their luster. By human nature, we tend to let the difficult and challenging experiences linger or stay more prominent in our bank of memories, where we draw upon them more than upon the joyful or pleasant experiences. 

For the most part, people have no idea how incredible they truly are. One way of looking at it is they get too close to themselves, and their sense of self is influenced by expectations ingrained in them from when they are very young on what is success or happiness—and measures or milestones that must be met so one can consider oneself significant. And the sadness is that often it is only when one is fortunate to have lived a long life that the realization of the significance of one’s life is realized, when one realizes that they are exactly who they were intended to be.

As we walk on this earth in these amazing times of change, we should not do so in fear or self-doubt, or thinking that our lives are ordinary or less than ordinary. We should not be walking around in a trance, thinking about what we need to do or have done—spinning stories about what is happening. If our minds are full of stories already, we cannot notice the present moments.

We cannot see what is all around us and the significance of ourselves. If an emotional state or story has filled our minds, it prevents us from seeing what is in front of us. I read somewhere about this imagery of not being able to fill a cup with the present moment when it is already full.

Indeed, life is full of experiences that our human mind or state will classify as happy or sad, magical or tragic, energizing or deflating, etc. These are often fueled by us seeking love, wealth, success, fulfilment or even enlightenment, or as the Jimmy Buffet song goes “looking for answers to questions that bothered him so.” In efforts to find these things or answers, and attempts to change, we sometimes ignore who we really are and the wordless intimacy of and with ourselves.

Although there are days or seasons of our lives where we may not feel or think it so, each one of our lives is magical. I say do not wait to your later years to reflect on your life and in a melancholy state realize the significance of you. Reflect daily. Cherish who you are. Know when to empty your cup so you can fill it with new stories from being present and mindful, and know that the answers you seek are within you.