Let the whispers cease. Let the self-doubt crumble. You are not the sum of your unfulfilled to-do lists. You are not defined by the shadow of a world obsessed with relentless output. You are not lazy. You are not depressed. You are ensnared.
A subtle, silken net of confusion has been cast across our minds, a veil of alluring ease woven from the very threads of progress we once championed. Look around! Information floods our senses, a torrential downpour promising enlightenment but delivering only a shallow tide of fragmented data. We are drowning in knowledge yet thirsting for wisdom.
They dangle the carrot of comfort, the seductive lull of endless entertainment and instant gratification. Why strive when ease is a click away? Why connect authentically when curated digital echoes suffice? This manufactured contentment is a gilded cage, locking away the very essence of our vibrant, striving human spirit.
The architects of this illusion wield the power of information, the sharp blade of data slicing our society into ever-smaller, more easily managed segments. Generational divides are amplified, not bridged, as algorithms feed us tailored realities, reinforcing biases and obscuring the unifying threads of our shared humanity.
The relentless gaze of this new order is fixed solely on productivity, on quantifiable output, on the relentless march of "progress" measured in metrics and milestones. And at the heart of this system lie the man-made constructs of time and money. These abstract ideas, powerful tools in their inception, have morphed into invisible chains, binding us to a rhythm not of our own making.
We are tethered to the ticking clock, a linear progression dictated by external forces, dictating when we work, when we rest, and ultimately, how we value our very existence. This manufactured scarcity of time fuels the relentless pursuit of money, another human invention that has become the gatekeeper to our basic needs and aspirations. This intricate dance of time and money has subtly enslaved us, creating a dependency on external systems and another's definition of purpose.
Our innate nature is to serve, to contribute, to weave our unique threads into the fabric of humanity. Yet, this inherent drive is often channeled and constrained by the need to "earn a living" within a framework that prioritizes output over authentic contribution. We become beholden to someone else's vision, our days measured in billable hours and our worth often equated with our financial productivity.
But what if we dared to dismantle these self-imposed limitations? What if time wasn't a rigid, external ruler, but a fluid, personal experience – the unique "ticking" of our own spiritual clock? What if we were all empowered to create our own time, aligning our actions with our inner rhythms and passions?
And what if value wasn't solely determined by the marketplace, but by the authentic contribution we bring to the world, fueled by our innate creativity? What if we recognized our inherent power not only to create time in our own lives but also to cause and create value through our unique skills and passions?
David Wagoner's "Lost" whispers a profound truth:
Stand still.
The trees ahead and bushes beside you Are not lost.
Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and to be known.
The forest breathes.
Listen.
It answers, I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come upon a place
You have never seen before and do not recognize.
Stand still.
The forest knows where you are.
You must let it find you.
-David Wagoner