Sunday, November 05, 2006

A windy life

A passion for life. That isn’t something that I never gave much thought to, especially when I was spending my days in a rut, going to the office like millions of other souls…every single day drudging through the same routine. That isn’t to say that all office workers are drudges. Hey, if you’re passionate about what you do – even if it seems incredibly dull to other people – then good for you. But life shouldn’t just be about “just getting by” or merely existing, which I think so many people do. Really living, I think, is a bit like windsurfing.

(I’d like to thank Victor for letting me use some of his windsurfing pictures here. He and I run some websites together. He’s more than a business partner, he’s one heck of a friend. I love him dearly, even if he does kick my ass at computer games.)

Life doesn’t mean having to go with the flow all the time. Finding something to be passionate about – or having it find you – even in the midst of the humdrum of everyday living is an enriching experience.

Sometimes we stumble or fall, but that’s okay. Stumbling doesn’t automatically mean failing. In any case, failure is part of the journey to success. Also, as Abraham Lincoln said “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” (By the way, Vic’s not falling in the picture above, he’s just showing off.)

Most of us have come across people who for one reason or another would rather eat broken glass than see us succeed and are pleased as punch at any setback we encounter. Schadenfreude. No worries. The day will come when you can thumb your nose at them and say “Eat my spray!” (Catty attitude, I know. But fun.)

The wind can blow in any direction at any time. Today you might be downsized. Tomorrow you might suffer a broken leg. Life is fraught with uncertainties. The trick is to find a way to make the wind work for you, to use it to your advantage, to use it to help you get where you want to go.

Defying gravity sometimes. Taking the road less traveled. Going outside one’s comfort zone. Learning about new things, like sex wax. Thinking outside the box. Jumping just for the sheer joy of it. Living.

37 comments:

Merritt Fields said...

Very good analogy Lizza.

Lizza said...

Thank you, aisby. :-)

Tom Atkins said...

I've only windsurfed once, but I have sailed for much of my life, and a lot of what you say applies - you take what wind you are given, and milk every inch of speek and power out of it. It's the same way with life. A good post and one more people need to live. What good is a life of survival? The funny thing is that life's passion is available to us all, as you say, no matter what we do!

Tom

y.Wendy.y said...

That's a lovely post Lizza and certainly comes at the right time for me.

I'm a fighter..I sometimes get kncoked right down..as happened recently..but I always get up and keep going.

Tiring? Yeah. It is. But I can say that my life is full of passion and it's never ever dull. Even if it hurts sometimes!

btw - sexwax? the mind boggles!

Bud Weiser, WTIT said...

Great post. I like your style!

Bud

Lizza said...

Tom: Thanks! I love the water, but I've never windsurfed or sailed. Yep, life is much too precious to be spent on just surviving.

Wendz: Thanks! Your daily life sure does sound like there's never a dull moment. Keep on fighting! (Haha at sex wax, I couldn't believe it too.)

Bud: Thank you very much! :-) I hope you stop in again.

Emma said...

Yep. Excellent analogy. I wish I could think about life like that.

Lizza said...

Thanks, Emma. You aren't doing such a bad job yourself!

Frank Marcopolos said...

Cool post, I enjoyed reading it.

Muchos Kudose!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post, lizza. The analogy is more than apt. Despite having the name gale, I wasn't living a windy life until about three years ago. Now I feel more engaged in my life and not like a zombie slogging through. I take more risks now. Not all of them have paid off, but at least I can say with more confidence I have few regrets about not having tried something outside my comfort zone.

Odat said...

Nice...Just as I was getting myself all motivated you throw in the "sex wax" stuff! lol...going to check that out!!!
Peace!!!

Lizza said...

Brooklyn Frank: Thank you very much! And thanks for visiting.

Gale: It's good to take risks sometimes. I'm glad you're no zombie! Though I never thought of you that way in the first place.

odat: But sex wax should motivate you even more! :-) Thanks.

houseband00 said...

"Living" pala ha?

Eto sa yo.

You're TAGGED! =)

Lizza said...

Hahaha! Hayuuuup ka! :-)

Anonymous said...

Yup... the wind may blow in the face now, it may blow from behind tomorrow.
We have to make things worth our while and who else can do it but ourselves.
Let's all do the things that we like and want, not bog down to this and that
:)

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Really well written, Lizza; excellent pictures as well.

Lizza said...

ZI: I agree, it's mostly up to us to make things worth our while. I'd love to the the things I like and want...and I WILL!!! Haha!

Capt. Picard: Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words. I hope you pass this way again...make it so.

Michael C said...

Great thoughts. There's a show we watch here called 'My Name Is Earl.' He's got a great motto about Karma: Do good things and good things happen...with sex wax (ok, I added the sex wax part)
;-)

NanNan said...

Great post--- The life and personality of Steve Irwin came to my mind as I read your post -- and it seems those with a passion for some aspect of life have a great influence on the world----- thankful that you are a "passionate' blogger--- but no sex wax for me!!!!! I prefer chocolate! :)

Parlancheq said...

Sex wax? I'm going to have to get me some of that. :) Great post, too (even though I'm one of those office drudges!)

Lizza said...

Haha you guys! You can't use sex wax for sex! At least I don't think you can. :-)

Michael: That's a great karma motto. But no sex wax, okay? ;-)

nannan: Thanks! Here's to passionate bloggers and all others who are just as (or even more) passionate! Chocolate...mmmmmmmmmm.

Parlancheq: Thanks! Take up surfing so you can use sex wax. :-)

thethinker said...

I'm not brave enough to windsurf, but I like the analogy nevertheless.

Lizza said...

I'm chicken too, but I'd love to try it. Thanks for dropping by. :-)

Odat said...

LMAO...I just found out what sex wax really is...and yes..it just may motivate me more...just not in the direction I had hoped!
Peace

Lizza said...

Well, you never know. The wind just might send you in the direction you want to go...with or without sex wax! ;-D

mist1 said...

I haven't thought about Sex Wax in so long.

Reeholio said...

Hey Lizza,

I sooo love windsurfing. The weather here is getting warmer and I am aching to get back on the board. I'm a bit of a 'woss' when it comes to cold water so I only windsurf during the summer months. My season hasn't quite started yet as I'm still waiting for my broken toe to heal properly before I get back onto it. I can't wait now, after reading your post!!!

Lizza said...

mist1: Does it feel good to think about it again? ;-)

Rhys: You do just about everything! Take some pics when you go windsurfing again and show us. :-) Hope the toe heals ASAP! I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

ShadowFalcon said...

wind surfing is cool really gets the blood running, but i suck at it!
all I need now is sex wax

High Power Rocketry said...

: )

Schmoop said...

This post reminds me of a song by Mary Chapin Carpenter:

I took a walk in the rain one day on the wrong side of the tracks
I stood on the rails till I saw that train
Just to see how my heart would react
Now some people say that you shouldn't tempt fate
And for them I would not disagree
But I never learned nothing from playing it safe
I say fate should not tempt me

Damn Straight...Cheers.

Helen said...

I recently went to Auschwitz, and you realise how important life is and how unimpotant material things are in the grand scheme of things. It has made me think a lot more about how lucky I really am.

Lizza said...

shadowfalcon: I have no idea if I'll suck at it or not, but it would be great to give it a try at least. Sex wax or no sex wax. :-D

Matt-man: Welcome back! That's an apt song for this post. Thanks. :-)

R2K: :-) right back at you!

Helen: Things like that sure should make a person realize that life is still good. Thank you for visiting. :-)

Steven said...

"Life doesn’t mean having to go with the flow all the time. Finding something to be passionate about – or having it find you – even in the midst of the humdrum of everyday living is an enriching experience."

VERY nicely said.

Steve~

Lizza said...

Thank you, Steve! I appreciate your kind words, Kooky One. :-)

Poetiq Expression said...

I couldn't agree with you more. I like the way you word your opinions.

Lizza said...

Thank you very much, poetiq expression! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for visiting, I hope you drop by again.