As I understand it, the goal of [Buddhism] is not to remain a [Buddh]ist, but to remember you’re a [Buddha].

I, like the rest of you, was born into this world as a small bundle of potentiality.  Like the rest of you, I have dabbled in hedonism, sadism and masochism in varying degrees, trying to find the right mix that will bring me the most pleasure.  Eventually I realized it wasn’t about pleasure at all—it’s about fulfillment.  And from what I’ve seen, fulfillment requires me to be capable of bouncing between all spectrums of behavior and viewpoints, so that at any moment I can iterate myself into whatever configuration is required so that I may channel the greater benevolence that seems to seed itself through all anecdotes, all philosophies, all religions…and even seems to be  the result of logical exploration—for if I cannot love deeply and learn to navigate life so that I experience as much fulfillment as possible, then what sense does my short, limited existence make?

I suspect that the ability to spit quality on the fly is partially dependent on the quantity of failures you’ve gotten out of your system.

It has been said that the schizophrenic drowns in the same madness that the mystic swims in.  To expand on that metaphor, I’d like to add that the artist will paddle out on those same waters and start fishing.

When I get stressed or cocky, something usually comes along and reminds me that right now, RIGHT NOW, I’m hurling through space on a ball of iron and mud—one among trillions in the observable universe—and that my time here is the smallest drop in an unimaginably enormous bucket.  Ironically, using logic to remind myself of my personal insignificance is actually relaxing.  

Because when all is said and done, nothing seems to make sense aside from trying to do my best, be good to others…and enjoying myself along the way.

IMHO pain is like a food:  it can sustain you, it can make you stronger, it can even taste great…but if you hoard it then it turns rancid and toxic.

From what I’ve seen, getting better at something is a function of not just starting an endeavor, but following through and attempting to achieve goals on a consistent basis (finishing an activity is a skill in and of itself IMHO).  So once I factor in my available resources and any relevant inferences, my approach is to take shots as fast as prudence will allow.  

The way I see it is that we only have a short time to live, so why NOT take those shots?

I realize we’re all racing to the grave, and that it’s important to stop and smell the flowers.  That being said, life sometimes grabs your hand and throws you into the most terrifying/exhilarating/awful/awesome dance imaginable, and it is EQUALLY important to be able to let go of identity in that instance, and glory in the rush of energy that lets you be whatever you need to be at that exact moment.  

(As a writer, I try to do the second while I’m drafting, the first while I’m editing.)

I understand that most people like to think of themselves as special, and cherrypick anecdotes/theories to support this belief (I am definitely guilty of this), but as I grow older, I’ve found that I prefer to focus on MAKING myself special; I like to take action on a daily basis that builds a mountain of evidence to validate any claim that I’m extraordinary.  In the process, I’ve found that the need to cling to the “belief that I’m special” naturally falls away; let others take up that debate.  

Me?  I’ve got work to do.