the birm*

Life is nothing but a series of one-offs…

So it all started when I was looking at the misty mountains, thinking I’d love to go walking in the Blue Mountains on a rainy day. I then reflected how missed some places/times/aspects of Australia (and Ireland for that matter). As I was thinking this, it hit me that what I longed for were specific times/places/situations, as opposed to events that happened repeatedly. And then it hit me:

In life there is no repetition, no banality, no ruts, no usualness (is that even a word??), no mundane, no two identical situations.

You might think that’s a bold statement, but think about it for a minute. Whatever the place/time/situation I reflect on with glee and long for (for whatever reason), I realise that it’s not because of the nature of that place/time/situation but of what happened there, every time I went there.

Confusing? Ok, take the example of the longing for the Blue Mountains. I love that place. I love being there every time I go there. The memories I have (including smells, tastes, experiences, sights, feelings…) are a combination of all the times I’ve been there in summer, winter, rain, snow, fog, sunshine, alone, with friends, family, for camps, to climb, canyon, worship, hike, have coffee, go to weddings, mountain bike, chill out, go to conferences and so on…none of these times have been the same, even if it was for the same activity with the same people.

What’s my point? Revel in what you do, everyday! Take each day as it comes, as a new day with fresh experiences, different conversations, new insights. There are no identical days, moments or even situations. Maybe I’m telling myself this cause I felt like I was in a rut, maybe I’m just someone positive. The point is that if we take each day as a new one where we expect things to be new and different, we’ll probably enjoy what we do much more, even if it’s the everyday rut of “metro-boulot-dodo” (commute-work-sleep). Have a go!