Monday, March 12, 2007

Life's a beach

Couldn't this be Hell? In some ways, it is hard to imagine how Hell could be any harder on a soul than this modern world. Think about it. Your soul, or spirit, or life energy, is encapsulated (imprisoned?) in a casing made of fragile bits and pieces, all of which will eventually fail. Having been placed in this body, the soul/spirit/etc is confronted with the temporary nature of physical existence. We are all born to die, after all. So we should be able to take solace in the fact that this limited ride is only temporary, right?

Of course not, because the mind is always reminding us of our finite, physical existence. Some of us worry at the implications of limited life experience and "live as if there is no tomorrow". Others ignore the fact and act is if they will live forever. A rare few will find comfort in faith and embrace the idea of an eternal spirit, thereby trumping the mind's constant insistence that its end will be the end of everything. To overcome the incessant nature of death anxiety, most people seem to find some form of faith, eventually.

So the temporary nature of physical existence causes most of us stress at one point or another. Compounding this anxiety is the knowledge that this ride will not only be short, but will also be full of unpleasantness. From personal trials and tribulations, to the prices paid for living in a chaotic and violent world, the troubles of material existence are unavoidable if one is to exist honestly. As a result, the soul is exposed to innumerable examples of physical ugliness. If we are fortunate, these unpleasant experiences are counterbalanced by examples of beauty and goodness, so that we can develop a more level perspective.

Isn't the mind's fear of death and the duplicitous nature of humanity enough torture for an healthy soul? If the soul is our link to the eternal beauty of metaphysical existence, how could it NOT be suffering while it is forced to deal with the pain humans bring upon one another in the name of selfishness or hatred? Every act of ugliness has to wound the soul in some fashion, as each act is a strike against the beauty from which our spirits are drawn. I'm not talking about sinning or sins against some god here; I'm talking about sins against ourselves, and the beating beauty takes in this world. In a world where beauty is constantly trying to be claimed, exploited, or marginalized, the spirit is bound to take a pounding.

Just some thoughts I had while at work this morning.

Speaking of beauty, I managed to get out on the beach for the first time this season Saturday afternoon. The weather was utterly gorgeous! The sun was up, but not too strong, a steady sea breeze was rolling in off the gulf, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. It was one of those postcard days that make living here worth the strain. I swung by to pick up D, my BB 'little', and we decided to meet Bryan and Anne at the pet beach, since they were headed there with their lab pup Cody.

D's mom is beach averse, so the poor kid has not had many opportunities to partake in Florida's greatest asset. What could be more tragic than growing up in Florida and NOT hitting the beach at least semi-regularly?? I will definitely have to help the little dude out on that front.

It's fun to watch kids at the beach, because you realize that they are having an entirely different experience than you are as an adult. When he wasn't getting dragged around by Cody, D was chasing minnows and investigating the aquatic wildlife swimming around in the tide pools. Good times.

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Posted by Erik @ 3/12/2007 11:04:00 AM