Did I miss the day when someone told us to choose a theme for what we want our lives to be? I know I picked a major in college…but that process was somewhat futile.
For weeks (okay, a month) now this question has been faintly rustling around in my head, “What do you want the theme of your life to reflect?”
Though the voice is mine, as if I’ve picked up a phone call from a telemarketer, my first reaction is, Who the heck is this? Who’s asking anyway? This isn’t part of Oprah’s new season of “Lifeclass.” None of my yoga teachers have said anything. Where is this suddenly coming from?
My guess is, when most people think about this question their answers are: Get married. Own a home. Have a family. Attain a good job.
But I don’t feel this question is inferring a choice in social conformity. I believe it’s about selecting the things we highly value as individuals.
Has anyone ever asked us to pick a motif, a subject for our lives? A reoccurring idea that we will explore to its depths and that will summarize who we were and what we stood for? What do we really want our lives to be about?
Obviously this is going to vary and change at any given time. Here are some themes I’ve come up with:
Loving
Connecting
Giving
Professional Achievement
Seeing the world and learning about other cultures
Being physically daring
Constantly learning something new
Self-expression
Adventure
Patience
Comfort
Empathy
Loyalty
Exploring our curiosities
Sharing
Laughing
Grace
Trusting
Communicating
Authenticity
Creativity
Genuineness
Compassion
Much like the gaudy monstrosities that theme parks are in the U.S. filled with flashy rides and a cast of characters…Do the activities we participate in, the equipment we have, and the people we surround ourselves with support our chosen themes? What are we going to do while we’re exploring this theme? Are we ready to have our thrills and chills by experiencing the highs and lows, riding and tasting everything we can? Or are we going to play it safe and carefully choose the few things that won’t give us agita or upset our adrenaline levels too much?
Looking at this list, these are all words that describe feelings. Whenever the end of our existence in this life comes, won’t it be about what we’ve felt instead of what we’ve done?
Wonderful questions, and a wonderful list! Everything you’ve listed there resonates so deeply with me. I actually began writing a manifesto several months back and I’m in awe of how much your values mirror my own. It’s reassuring to me to see someone else on the path to becoming a better person who understands the thrill and reward of each of your points. Awesome! Thanks for this – I’m definitely going to save and revisit this page.
Thank you ever so much! Why couldn’t we go to “spirituality school?” Stay well and best wishes to you…Namaste…