When we are so engrossed in our work lives sometimes we miss that which is the most important aspect of life, inner peace. For most, inner peace and work are not synonymous, they infact are conflicting.
Inner peace conveys harmony within, a place so perfect that it enables us to reflect on that which we believe to be the most important. Of course our spiritual destination is attainable only if we have the wisdom to seek it and the sagacity to understand what we’ve discovered. Like most spiritual journeys what we find is subject to our own translation which is a result of the totality of our life’s experiences.
When our lives revolve around work it becomes a difficult task to seek that which could potentially fulfill our spiritual destiny. Majoring in the minors is a common trait among those in the workforce. Purchasing stuff that creates immediate gratification is a hollow victory. Typically the anticipation of the purchase is better (in most cases) than the actual purchase itself, as that is a fleeting sense of satisfaction.
Then what are a few of “my favorite things”? Let me list a few that come to mind. The beauty of another that brings a smile when you think of them. This could be a past or present memory of a person in a situation that always brings a wonderful feeling. Perhaps the smile is what could have been or what is. Maybe it’s a memory of your parents that you hold dear to your heart or even a best friend that is always there for you without judgement.
Exploring new or existing literature makes one think of the possibilities of all that is in our world. It always amazes me the intellect that creates fictional stories, analyzes methodically and in detail the constitution or structure for the purposes of an explanation, or simply the poetry of observation. This too could be a “favorite thing”.
Traveling to places we’ve never been opens the avenue of discovery to not only the natural beauty of the place but the customs and people associated with that culture. Traveling also offers the opportunity to see how really small the world is especially when it relates to the coincidence that is remarkably consistent when it relates to cultural anthropology.
Lets not forget the binding force of music and food which traces historic roots of the people and places we visit. Ingredients indigenous to a particular area is another example of the topagraphy of the land and its natural resources that make that place so unique and that product so special.
It could be the white truffles from northern Italy or the black truffles from southern France. It could be the caviar from the Caspian sea or the fiddlehead ferns from the pacific northwest. What about Kobe beef which is a herd of less than 3,000 cattle in the prefecture of Kobe in Japan? This beef is considered a product by which all others would be judged. There are only eight restaurants in the entire US that offers the real Kobe beef.
The music from different countries reflect unique national anthems that identify each nation, not to mention the cities and villages that showcase different dialects, instruments, and rhythms. I would be remiss if I didn’t allude to the distinctive wood, varnish, shells, or animal skin available only in certain regions.
These distinctive natural products have given certain people within specific cultures an opportunity to create beautiful instruments with the benifit of an expertise that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Another of my “favorite things” are the beverages around the world that add so much to the distinct cultures that have crafted wine, beer, and hard liquor since before the Romans were even a footnote. Each beverage relies on soil, weather, and the craftsmanship of the brewer or cellarmaster to reach heights that can only be discribed as “significant”.
From the Trappist monks of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance making Belgium ale, to the winemakers in the cellars of the first growth wineries in France, the message of quality and distinction have resonated since the middle ages. There is no marketing necessary as these brands have created a tsunami of expertise that has been passed down from generation to generation.
So many items that could be your “favorite things” I have not even broached. The breath of this is subjective and can take on the many layers as that of an onion. As we peal it back we begin to discover what makes our heart tick and our soul soar.