Experiencing life and responding to longing

The less we do, the more we long. It is possible to think our life away; thinking about the possibilities, while not seizing the opportunities. We cannot do all things, but we must do some.

We do not have to take that many risks, we just need to take the right ones. We do not need to fill our time with endless tasks, just those that align with who we want to be. It is in that question “who do I want to be?” that we catch a glimpse of what we must do.

Longing turns to aching if we do not pursue its call, or at the very least, test its validity in our life. Is this longing from a place deep within our hearts that desires for us to come alive, or is this a longing rooted in envy? These feel very similar, and only one will bring satisfaction if pursued.

I can ask everyone I know what sushi tastes like, but I do have the option to try to for myself. I can sit in awe of a friend’s tale of adventure through the Grand Canyon, and I can also step into that canyon myself. Is that a good movie? Is that a good book? What does it feel like to perform on stage? How does it feel to swim in the ocean?

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

J.R.R. Tolkien from The Fellowship of the Ring

One at a time, these experiences will change us.
One at a time these experiences can transform us.
One at a time, these experiences teach us who we are.