I was reading an article today in the Huffington Post where they interviewed the creator of the TV show “Breaking Bad”. In working on the final season of the show, he was experiencing a range of emotions from terror to sadness and everything in between. And then he said he was going to try to remember this quote “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” when the show finally ended.
This, in turn, brought me to seeing how this could have applied to my own life so many times in the past. And even more importantly, how it can be applied to today.
And while this may seem to be just another exercise in mindfulness and present moment awareness, it is truly about rejoicing in the moment. Perhaps it is even the “happy” part of well, happy and peaceful!
For some, you may be thinking that nothing has ended today, nothing is over save maybe your work day. But if that’s the case, then I suggest you reexamine your current situation. At this very moment, everything is over for each of us. Our life, our relationships, our joys and our sorrows, all have gone. But that persistent and delusional ego of ours continually tries to reassure us that we possess and control things and people. But in reality, I am not yours and you are not mine. I do not even hold possession of my self. This body is decaying moment by moment, and I cannot control or stop this process. My thoughts and emotions change just as quickly as every cell in my body. And so long as I deny the reliability of this truth, I will continue to take on immense dissatisfaction, fear and suffering. All of this only causing distraction from the present moment, and the joy that is available to each of us.
If this sounds like more gloom and doom, then you are not understanding that this is actually our own liberation from that. Just think about how happy you would feel if you were no longer concerned or stressed over anything in your life. Not worried about your children, your health, your relationships or your security. Can you imagine the weight that would be lifted off of you?
But please bear in mind that this does not mean you do not care. Quite the opposite, in fact you care deeply and compassionately, with understanding and acceptance. But yet totally absent of desire or passion that any of it should be the way you want it to be.
Learning to let go is a process. One that I believe takes time and lots of loving kindness toward ourselves. It comes through observation and learning, that reality is inescapable. It’s only a matter of when we will open our eyes to it that we become free. Free from our self-imposed bondage of denial that only clouds our vision and inhibits the joy we have to share.
Smile and be happy that you have this life. It’s pretty darn wonderful when you just stop and realize it.
May you be well, happy and peaceful.
