Writer's Block: Mark my words

[mellymell]

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I believe in order to leave the most lasting of marks on the world you have to live your life as if you mean to leave no trace whatsoever. I'm not talking carbon footprints or "off the grid". I'm talking about living as if your life is not any more important than the one next to you.

Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
Creating, yet not possessing,
Working, yet not taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.

- From Chapter Two of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu.

I think the whole of humanity would be better off if everyone in it lived as if they intended to leave no trace of themselves behind. But human nature fights against this at every turn with a desire for immortality in its various forms. We know our lives will be over some day and it's hard to accept that everything we've ever done or worked for will be lost once we're gone. We fear unimportance. Art is created and signed. Structures are built and labeled. Stars are discovered and named after their discoverers. Scientific theories are proven and named after their provers. Medical advancements are made... you get the point. Embracing unimportance and finding a balance between that and productivity is something I struggle with constantly. I still have lots of room to evolve.

Maybe this is why I don't know how to respond to praise...

Comments

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

I'm sure most faiths have some variation, Tao is the one that stuck out in my mind, but I'm sure I could have pulled just as viable of an example from the Bible.

But yes, that sounds exactly like what I was trying to convey. You can brain well even when you're tired. ;)

I'd love to read that! I'll have to pick up a copy sometime. I haven't done enough reading in that area lately either.

[yocepha.livejournal.com]

Just out of curiosity I dug out my copy last night and did a bit of browsing, and now it's back on my To Read List (AKA sitting on top of the book pile, instead of being buried underneath). It's been so long since I last looked at it that I might as well start with page one. ;-)

It appears that the book is out of print. I checked the publisher's website (an Eastern Orthodox monastery) and even there it's listed as "out of stock." Some of the used book sites list it at several hundred dollars.....?!?!?! Anyway, the usual Orthodox sources for that book no longer carry it. You should be able to pick up a decent copy for around $20 or so....or use interlibrary loan. I think it would be well worth the trouble.

related to this....

[yocepha.livejournal.com]

Today's quote from "A Word from the Desert" -

In a society where each one sees himself as the first, no one makes any progress. If, however, one always considers oneself to be the last, meeting someone else becomes each time the opportunity for spiritual profit and progress. So it is best to be the last. If I am the first, life is infernally tiresome. If I am the last, life is a continual joy, because I am always learning something useful.

Archimandrite Sophrony

Re: related to this....

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

A very nice perspective!

Re: related to this....

[yocepha.livejournal.com]

And another one - there seems to be a run on this concept this month. ;-)

Many people suffer because they fail to receive recognition through vain, worldly honor, or fail to become rich in pointless, mundane things. It doesn't occur to them that in the other life - the real life - such stuff is not needed, nor can they take it with them. To that place, we can only take our works, which here and now acquire for us a passport for that great and eternal journey.

- Elder Paisios the Athonite

Re: related to this....

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

I don't think there can be too much of this concept. :)