Stop the World, I Want To Get Off!

Now the going has got tough, many of the ‘tough’ seem to have done a runner! We are now standing in the midst of a cloud of confusion, feeling as though the world is slowly spinning out of control. Are we right to try to apply the brakes and step off, or is it time to trust the process and surrender to the chaos? Or is it simply our perception or a misconception that things seem a little awry?

In the musical that shares the same name as this title, Littlechap realises that all his attempts to ‘improve his lot’, to search for something better and something more, were seemingly futile as he already had everything he needed...to seek ‘betterment’ is human, but is there a lesson to be learnt now, to stop fighting and struggling against the current in order to work with what we have now?

To learn, to push ahead, to discover and to change is part of being human. If we surrender to the flow, are we giving up somehow? There is a fine line between becoming empowered through surrender and becoming a victim through running away in fear. No one can judge what the right choice is though, for we are all individuals, and have freedom of choice, even if that choice is not to decide (!). What is right for one person, is not right for another. Perhaps this is therefore simply a time for becoming truly accountable for our choices and decisions...

It seems prudent now to take time out for some honest self-reflection, to explore our own ‘lots’ and to see if we can make more of what we already have. Perhaps we do need to pursue a new path or avenue, but it is important to make this choice through personal power rather than through fear. Clinging on to what’s familiar or what society deems to be ‘right’ or ‘proper’ is unlikely to bring us the fulfilment that we seek. So it is up to us to seek out our own Truth and to trust our instincts to guide us forwards. This is scary, it is unknown, but life is like that. If we live a life without challenge, without movement, can we ever grow or evolve?

After much searching, twisting and turning, Littlechap realised that he already had everything he needed to sustain him in life. So, if we look closely enough at our own lives, we will find the same? The grass often looks greener on the other side of the fence, but is this the truth of the reality? Or is it just part of being human? Maybe we can never be truly content with what we have, for to continuously strive towards something more shows a willingness to grow and learn?

Yet, surely we must reach a point in our personal and collective evolution where we stop searching and begin to use what we already have? Perhaps our quest for more meaning and purpose is simply an avoidance technique to keep our heads lost in the dizzying heights of confusion and contemplation so we never have to think about simply ‘getting on with things’? Or maybe, just maybe, to quiz and ponder is an essential part of being human, and we have to accept that there will be times when we are confused, discombobulated and overwhelmed.

This is a time for seeking Truth, a time for understanding Truth and a time for taking responsibility for our own actions and choices in life. Easy peasy! If only...!

Questions, questions, questions. What we need now is answers!