Personal Philosophy
Experience is the foundation of everything we know, feel, sense, and believe; this is my highest value and why I engage the world with an open mind and a welcoming heart.
There are so many ways to gather experiences: speaking to new people, trying new things, learning about diverse cultures and customs, deeply contemplating, participating in events, seeing new places, reading books, belly laughing, meditating, painting, listening, playing music... the list is rather long. To grow as people we have to put ourselves into the world, whether internally or externally - the adventurer can have as much experience as the spiritual hermit.
Existence is an uncanny situation. Why we are here is one of the most fascinating questions. Every landscape I have traveled to has unearthed something humbling about being in the world, and every person I have encountered has taught me something invaluable about adapting and surviving. Every experience has a story.
To be alive is an activity. It is something that requires maintenance and effort, from satiating our biological drives to fulfilling our dreams. As Rodgers said, "the good life is a process," meaning it is something that is actively and dynamically moving. We never arrive at completion. A common misconception we have is that happiness is a state we can arrive at. At times we can be happy, though, like any emotional reaction, it is a temporary state that eventually discontinues. Therefore we must be actively engaged in things that make us happy, activities that produce joy.
A quote from the Greek Epicurus: "Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes abundance."
To speak of myself, I enjoy philosophy; I am regularly reading about psychology, religions, spiritual practices, transcendence, society, biology, physics, and cosmology. I enjoy traveling; it is my dream to experience as many cultures and new places as I can, to hike as many mountains and trails as I can. I enjoy exercise; like Waldo, I have been spotted many times running through the streets, I have played competitive sports, and a big supporter of fitness. I enjoy music; I am both a creator and a listener. I enjoy all forms of human creativity and expression. I enjoy talking with people and hearing their story. And, most importantly, I deeply enjoy the process of life.