“Poems don’t always have to rhyme, you know. They’re just supposed to be creative.”
–Sam Shakusky, from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom.
I was inspired by this quote in this beautiful film to write a poem that, according to Sam, does not rhyme, but is creative, and also, a written passage that makes you think.
Brewing in my thoughts post 100km run are deep thoughts influenced by larger than life events and forces. I have not written a piece in more than a month because I have been unsure of my next pursuit. I have been aimlessly absorbing at my mind and heart’s content: a book here, half a book there, podcast here, ted talk there, audio book here, youtube video there, a magazine article here, a research study there. David Mitchell says, “A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.” He is the author of the book Cloud Atlas, of which I have not had the pleasure of reading, but of watching. This amazing film by the directors of The Matrix Trilogy and Run Lola Run has also been on my mind and has been an inspiration to many of my thoughts and actions throughout the weeks. I have experienced many half-finished literature love affairs because there is an unknown to my short term training destination. I have not set myself onto a path to which I can set foot.
I am at a standstill, a fork in the road, a red light, and yet, I am happy.
Below is the poem that reflects some of my big picture questions, unquestionably shared by many in the world. The poem reads as many divided verses written at different times for different reasons, this is true. It is a collage of popular deep thoughts that continue to linger in my mind, simply in need of releasing. The main spark of this poem is from a Ted Talk by Chip Conley called Measuring What Makes Life Worthwhile.
The Perception of Intangible Forces
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
What happens when time stops?
What happens when opposites attract?
What happens when the unthinkable happens?
What happens when the seven heavenly virtues meet the seven deadly sins?
When chastity meets lust.
When temperance meets gluttony.
When charity meets greed.
When diligence meets sloth.
When patience meets wrath.
When kindness meets envy.
When humility meets pride.
Is all that is good turned bad?
Is all that is gained lost?
Is all that is understood forgotten?
Is this all for nothing?
Why are we afraid of the unknown?
Why is time always fleeting?
Why is the grass greener on the other side?Why are we in pursuit of happiness?
Questions may forever never be answered.
Forces may forever remain still.
Time may never tell.
Never knowing the unknown may forever be our destiny.
The answer to these questions may be lost with the logic and intelligence of science, but may be found with the wisdom and perception of philosophy.
Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.
The most important things in life are intangible.
Knowing the difference between having what you want versus wanting what you have.
The measures of happiness are immeasurable.
If our purpose is better unknown, then we’d be dying to live rather than living to die.
If time is better fleeting, then life would not be precious.
If happiness is better pursued, then life would be too easy.
But if what we value most in life cannot be valued, are we going to be spending our lives measuring the mundane?
Believing that life is ruled by an equation, a path, and an answer, may not be the way.
Believing that life is lead by magic, mystery, and miracles, may not be the way either.
But believing that life has a mysterious path to miraculous answers through a magical equation, may be the only way.
When a dream becomes a reality.
When moments become memories.
When ordinary becomes extraordinary.
When the impossible becomes possible.
When we face our fears and rise to the occasion, courage happens.
When we kiss and sparks fly, love happens.
When we lend a helping hand for the greater good, kindness happens.
When we witness birth and death and life, beauty happens.
It is not what we see but how we see.
It is not what we hear but how we hear.
It is not what we say but how we say.
In order to understand these intangible forces, we must look at the glass as half empty AND half full; we must take the road traveled AND less traveled; we must take both red pill AND blue pill; we must see ALL shades of grey.
The intangibles in life cannot be explained.
The intangibles in life may simply be better unexplained.
In order to live with the intangibles, we must accept the nature of these forces, and nurture the unknown as they arise through our every day moments.