To keep going ...

We are all on a one-way street. Such is life. There is no turning back, the destination is pre-decided. Only the journey is what we undertake. That is the choice we have to make.

The meaning we add to this journey comes from our choices. Are we choosing to passively play a role, or do we choose to be vibrantly alive? The former is much easier. It comes with security and social sanction and approval. The latter--to be alive--requires diving deep within ourselves and a degree of self-awareness most of us shy away from. It is much easier to stay on the surface and skim through life. Living with intensity, experiencing every moment, revealing our vulnerabilities and desires require a degree of courage that most of us lack. 

And intensity can be painful--but gloriously painful if we know how to find joy in the pain. In this context, I was reminded of a brilliant TED Talk by Diana Nyad who crossed the 100 miles from Cuba to Florida, the longest and most dangerous stretch for a swimmer. And at 64. 

That's how I want to be. Live life with an intensity and courage that defies norms, that forges ahead with the passion of a dreamer and the exploratory curiosity of a child. 

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day...
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door...
I believe I can fly 
~ R. Kelly