it is v simple..

I started faithblog with my friend, she among many others who feels that this might be an interesting and engaging activity. While I named it something else, she decided that hers would be called 'it is v simple..'. I didn't express my views then but the thought that was swimming through my mind is that- "This is Complicated!"

The paradox of it is that I find that blog title to be really of depth. The first evidence of this in her phrase is the ".." she leaves behind. If "IT" were really as simple as seems, then why doesn't she leave out the ".." to display clarity of thought, or finish the phrase with a "." to exhibit a conclusive statement? It is her ".." that made me pause to think of the implications behind this phrase whether she warranted it a not.

If the simplicity can be easily obtained, does it than mean that the matter is merely elementary? The next question to ask would most naturally be, what is the 'it'? Most people would naturally assumed that she is here referring to life, the living of life, the matters concerning life, issues surrounding living.

So in linking one to the other, is it possible then that all that I mentioned above, the possible 'IT's are merely elementary or single principled, (if I may use the word) 'activities'? While I do not deny that there may be '7 steps to Getting it right in Life' or 'The 21 essentials of Fruitful Living' but can Life really be that simple? Is it really a bunch of formulae and principles? If you get the keys, then you can walk through the door of life engraved "Arrived" or "Success"? That I have to say really simplify things by a whole lot, all we have to do is to look for the Biography of a Person whom you consider 'got IT together' identify the contributing factors of this person's successful living and replicate your life following this principles, mathematics is timeless.

I have a another friend who, whenever I respond with a compliment or a positive remark when asked my opinion on various matters, would sit there with a straight face tapping his fingers. I would ask "What?", and he would say, "I'm waiting", which would be followed by my reply " what do you mean?". He would say "I am waiting for your 3 lettered BUT".. I can't possibly disappoint him in event he does read this post, can I....? IT can be very simple, BUT I have to ask, Is IT?

I have to suggest a really postmodern opinion - IT is really subjective. It is. I believe that in this instance, this perspective has to outlive culture, times and age because we are discussing about IT. (really a modernist view) Regardless of what you think, Life is intended to be unique, dynamic, and much too volatile to be put in a box, way too huge to be summarized into a sentence. IT comprises of a journey, the process of reaching there too is part of IT too contrary to popular belief.

Many times, we exclaim "This is Life!" at spas, breathtaking scenic spots on a hot getaway, in the arms of love ones, after exhilarating shopping sprees, with cheese, wine overlooking a beautiful sunset and even in hospitals when you hold a new born in your hands. Please do not misunderstand me, I do not deny, "They are Life" BUT to imagine that we think that is all there is to Life, if the objective of each Life is to "reach there", "succeed" to "finish" then what huge other parts we are ignoring.

To share the grief with a deceased family, to learn what is right by making mistakes, to gain by losing, to be hurt, to feel pain and even death which leads you on to eternity, they are all Life in itself. Life is all encompassing, even the most distasteful flavor of regret, and it leads to this next story about myself before I conclude the post.

I have some friends who believe that I suffer from "other people's food is better than mine" syndrome. What happens to me at meal time, is that I'll take an incredibly long time to decide my pick on the menu; and when the food is served, I will most definitely always be regretful about my order and feel that their food is a better choice. I will then invariably ignore my own order and pinch on theirs more than occasionally for the rest of the meal. I have attempted to decipher my own psychology in this matter more than once; I have attempted to preempt this behavior by ordering the alternate choice. Regardless of what I do, unless everyone on the table eats the same food, there will often be a bitter taste of regret at such instances.

What does this story have to do with what I'm discussing? Lets start by looking at what is the point in discussing this after establishing that IT is subjective in the first place? In displaying various brief moments of my inner thought life, I discovered I am missing something, aren't I? and just about now, another rude awakening realization knocked again, I really don't know about IT, do I?". My answer is, No, I don't. Together with the 6 billion other human beings out there, I unashamedly publish that I don't know about Life. It is too magnificent to be comprehended. If that is the case, then isn’t it coincidentally way to straight forward? Maybe my more discerning friend already had a sense of this – that’s why she titled "IT is v simple.."

Back to the earlier story, as I am typing this, the familiar bitter distaste of regret is already beginning to linger as I gaze enviously across the table at my friend’s platter only to look at my own choice with disdain. Is this a mere phenomenon of my unexplainable idiosyncrasy? I cannot conclude.