Friends have been celebrating birthdays again, as we creatures are wont to do.
These brilliant people gave me pause to stop and think, “What is my purpose in studying, reading, writing, thinking, conversing, thereby steadily increasing my awareness of life?”
Birthdays, what about the birthday of mine that I will inevitably miss? Will my epitaph read, “Here lies whatshisname with a shit ton of stuff crammed into his head.”? Will that then have been my purpose, to feed the creatures of the earth with the stuff crammed into my head?
What if earth’s other creatures don’t find that stuff nutritious? Then what will my purpose have been?
I have friends, one of whom particularly comes to mind because of his recent milestone birthday celebration.
This friend, let’s call him Duane, has been studying, reading, conversing, even arguing, writing for at least all his years since retirement from teaching in elementary school.
But, he has gone on from that. He has put all his learning, including his on-going and new learning, into practice to help our society evolve into a truly collaborative and mutually supportive society. He continues to teach, to advise, to educate, to lead by example with individuals, groups, organisations large and small. He listens to all people he meets, respecting each and every person he meets. He learns about them, what is important to them, how they self-define their own image, how they self-define the quality of life they hope to experience, and he listens actively. His acts of listening are truly acts of communication.
He goes further yet in that his version of mutually supportive society includes us humans supporting of all kinds of life forms, while he carries on as best he can with what resources he has at his disposal.
Duane’s purpose is one we all can truly celebrate!
This tiny essay is my monument to Duane marking the occasion of his Milestone Birthday.
M G Klein - June 14, 2023
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