A person’s life purpose is nothing more than to rediscover, through the detours of art, or love, or passionate work, those one or two images in the presence of which his heart first opened.
Albert Camus
Some of the best detours in my life have seen me following things of beauty but I wonder a bit if in fact these things should become the main route of my life rather than the detours.
At the moment (despite a trip to Vietnam) it feels very much as if the world of work has taken over and that art, beauty and passionate advocacy or voluntary work have definitely become side roads as the freeway or motorway or autobahn of work pushes through without a moment's hesitation, without pause to stop and reflect.
We are both tired and half way thru packing to go away again. This time to work in a couple of remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. It will be great and a wonderful experience; but the preparation of what we will need to take is at times a bit overwhelming. What I wouldn't give for an hour of blissful indulgence in art; a random detour thru beauty somewhere right now, where my left brain could go to sleep and stop worrying and organising and anticipating and my right brain could just soak in wonder and exploration.
I think this quote has made me stop and reflect how important these detours are; how important they are in finding your true life and way of being the world and how in fact the rest of it all (work-work and worry) can simply be distractions from your real purpose. I'll need to work out a way to transit from the motorway back to the side road; then work to widen the side road so it becomes more of a main street! The next few months will challenge that notion but I'm sure it could be worth it.
Albert Camus
Some of the best detours in my life have seen me following things of beauty but I wonder a bit if in fact these things should become the main route of my life rather than the detours.
At the moment (despite a trip to Vietnam) it feels very much as if the world of work has taken over and that art, beauty and passionate advocacy or voluntary work have definitely become side roads as the freeway or motorway or autobahn of work pushes through without a moment's hesitation, without pause to stop and reflect.
We are both tired and half way thru packing to go away again. This time to work in a couple of remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. It will be great and a wonderful experience; but the preparation of what we will need to take is at times a bit overwhelming. What I wouldn't give for an hour of blissful indulgence in art; a random detour thru beauty somewhere right now, where my left brain could go to sleep and stop worrying and organising and anticipating and my right brain could just soak in wonder and exploration.
I think this quote has made me stop and reflect how important these detours are; how important they are in finding your true life and way of being the world and how in fact the rest of it all (work-work and worry) can simply be distractions from your real purpose. I'll need to work out a way to transit from the motorway back to the side road; then work to widen the side road so it becomes more of a main street! The next few months will challenge that notion but I'm sure it could be worth it.
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| ©2011 Fiona Dempster - unfurling rosebud heart |
I know EXACTLY what you mean!
ReplyDelete(hope you have (another) great trip.... my folks are heading off to the desert again in a few weeks time.... they are hard-core camping peeps.... their desert trip pack includes weird stove-type contraptions and a damper pot...)
Fiona, what a lovely and insightful post. Thank you for the quote and for your thoughts. Have a safe trip.
ReplyDeleteSadly I understand completely! Maybe if enough of us decide that the detour of art should be the main road, we can work together to redo this difficult infrastructure we all struggle with so!
ReplyDeleteThe yearning for what we love...and art takes as much time as we can give it.
ReplyDeleteIt's just too bad it takes a lifetime to create this balance...it's part of the journey. Sometimes, it seems, our ability to travel across miles and experience the wider world brings it's own set of complexities to life.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the travels, as much as possible, and have a safe journey!
Don't work too hard on changing that side road Fiona, it defeats the purpose. Have a wonderful trip.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels. Have a wonderful trip and enjoy the detours along the way.
ReplyDeleteHi Ronnie - I know you know...
ReplyDeleteTrips are wonderful for learning all sorts of things so go with an open mind and heart.
Jane - thank you - it's an interesting way to think about things, and the purity of the quote is special I think
G/TT - I knew you'd understand! And I agree entirely - we need to re-priroritise the infrastructure projects in our lands!
Leslie - so true. It is a very absorbing and wonderful detour on life's road and is worth more time I think.
Thanks Patti- it will be wonderful and new and remind me of how much I love my home I am sure. But what a wonderful gift and opportunity - so off we go!
Jo - yes, the little detours, by-ways, lanes and side-roads are where the interest lies; perhaps they lose their magic if they become mainstream?
Jennifer - thanks for your wishes; I'll pursue every detour I come across!
Each road presents an interesting journey. I guess we need to experience both to be able to appreciate the important things... safe travels
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim - when we are tired and drawn it's good to be reminded that there is learning in all of it and that there are flip sides to everything as well. More later!
ReplyDeleteI think you'll meet the challenge head on and come out the other side even stronger. It's the way you're made Fiona so just go with it and all will be well.Remember - 'you are a woman who can' Lesley
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