Day Twenty Three

Rule 23

“The human being has a unique place among God’s creation. “I breathed into him of My Spirit,” God says. Each and every one of us without exception is designed to be God’s delegate on earth. Ask yourself, just how often do you behave like a delegate, if you ever do so? Remember, it falls upon each of us to discover the divine spirit inside and live by it.”

Are you doing what you are meant to be doing? Seriously, are you? Sometimes it feels like we are waiting for life to happen, waiting to understand why we are here, what we were put here for. Other times, we know what we want to be doing but we just can't figure out how. Or we think we know what we should be doing... life. Why you so confuse? Huh? Why? 

"Each and every one of us without exception is designed to be God's delegate on earth." This probably means very different things to different people, and it's quite scary. 

Do you know where I go when I want to feel completely hopeless about life? Public Facebook comments sections, especially if the topic is religion or politics. I call it the festering cesspool, where humanity goes to die a slow and miserable death with each keystroke, hiding behind the comfort of a computer screen. To be fair, there are some brave, honorable souls who try to argue with the idiots, but as a friend keeps reminding me with that famous quote, "Never argue with an idiot. They'll pull you down to their level and beat you with experience." 

So what I wonder is, is being a total d-bag some people's divine calling? Are they meant to spread their douchery far and wide to make life miserable for others, so that the rest of us can learn important life lessons? Or is the world such a mess precisely because people don't bother to figure out why they have been put here. 

Anyway, forget them. Let's focus on you, mate. Are you doing what you are meant to be doing? It's downright painful when you know what you love to do, what you're great at doing, but it's not really a "serious" profession, it's not something that "pays the bills", it's just a "dream". Do you want to know who told me all this when all I loved doing was acting and directing? Me. I told myself all these things. I was my own biggest fun sponge. This is one of those moments I would like to go back and slap myself. You see, I did not want to go to New York and go through the auditions grind. I was so used to being my college Theatre department's golden child that I couldn't bear rejection. So I gave up before trying. When I moved back home, I didn't want to have some smarmy producer or casting agent tell me I am not tall enough, hot enough, or whatever enough to make it, and there really weren't the kind of acting opportunities you have now. So I made a choice to walk away from what I love doing. I regret turning down some projects, but to be honest I can't see how things would have turned out too differently. I am exactly where I am meant to be right now (don't laugh). And as I'm getting on in years, maybe someday I can play the mom or a crazy character role. Have you seen this video by Amy Schumann with Tina Fey, Patricia Arquette and Julia Louis-Dreyfus about an actress' "Last F***able Day"? I love all those women (Tina Fey is my hero!), but I did not really laugh... I couldn't because it's too true and painful, like a swift kick in the feels. It then also occurred to me that for a female comedian, self-deprecating humor is the default, and I started to wonder why. But I'm digressing. 

Right now is possibly the best time to follow your dream, since world economies and job markets have gone down the crapper and even the "safe jobs" aren't that safe anymore. If you're going to be broke, might as well be happy! Olé! Am I right? 

What you love could be anything. What you love could be molecular science, and one day you'll be the one to find the cure for cancer. I really hope one of you does.

One thing FB has proven itself to be useful for is the plethora of quotes (many dubious) by legends who talk about their struggle when they started out, and the difficulties they faced and still face. If John Steinbeck had a hard time writing more than a page a day, and if Abe Lincoln felt that global warming... oh, wait a minute...

What I know for sure is this guy definitely found his divine purpose, and I'm so happy he did, because it's just beautiful. It's making my world a lot happier these days, and I'll bet that he's read a lot of Rumi 'cause he's got the love! On that note, I'll leave you to have sweet dreams about whatever your happiest dreams may be!