Thought~Byte No. 49

LOL

You can choose to fight your way through life making it harder than it has to be or just relax and enjoy the ride.

That's right... there's just as much life to be lived WITHOUT the drama we create for ourselves.  Float on!

Maybe the upstream swim guy has to have drinks that come with more umbrellas.  Me?  I'll take photos of either one.  Both work and leisure interests me.  I can watch both for hours from the comfort of my cabana's front porch.

(although, seriously, Linda's dead-on, obi-john)

so much easier :)

Agreed, Susan.

Thanks, Kelly. Now go behind the laugh :)

"You can choose to fight your way through life making it harder than it has to be or just relax and enjoy the ride."

Good phrasing, Linda. That's part of it.

Thanks.

"there's just as much life to be lived WITHOUT the drama we create for ourselves.  Float on!"

Amen, Tracy. We are all very good at that.

Robert, in this context there is no difference between work and leisure.

Interesting concept, I hadn't thought of it that way.

I'd rather go with the flow!  :)

John, please allow me a moment to be serious and interupt.  Folks I just deleted a comment I never should have wrote.  It was in jest, Tracy, my good friend, knew it was in jest BUT she rightfully reminded me that some of you may not know her and may have taken the comment seriously.  As I said, the comment's gone, no need to go looking for it.  Tracy, you are very good people, I love you and I apologize.

Forgive me?

Okay, John, the article is yours again.  Carry on.

You may have a cookie now, Robert.  In fact, have two.  ;-)

It's certainly healthier to view life as floating downstream.  We do need to learn to accept those things we can't change.  There are other times when we need to swim upstream to make something important happen.  As long as we have both, we'll have a balanced life....I hope.

Wow! Wonderful.

Red Rage, Green Poison

Interesting concept :)

It depends on where you want to go.  Sometimes it is beneficial to look at what's on the banks.

Good one!

My mother used to say to me, "you just float along and let life happen, when are you going to take control?"    The path of least resistance isn't always the right path and besides, sometimes it's fun to swim.  Knowing when to swim or float and accepting that sometimes it's okay to float, even preferable to float...well that's the real trick isn't it?

Some drift downstream while struggling in vain to swim upstream.

Since my maiden name is Glider, I see myself more as such - gliding along...

BUT we all START out by swimming upstream... unless we're test-tube babies, that is...

I guess it depends on one's attitude!  :)

hey John, bet ya didn't even consider Larry's remark; "Sometimes it is beneficial to look at what's on the banks"

This is a bit funny. Nicely drawn though. And I do like the saying here. Something to think about.

Good way to put optimism and pessimism in a way. 

Optimism and pessimism is an interesting take on this, Rebecca. Thanks.

"I hadn't thought of it that way"

There is always value in looking at something another way. JoAnne - even if you don't embrace that way.

"I'd rather go with the flow! "

Just remember, Janie, there are "flows" and there are "flows."  

"We do need to learn to accept those things we can't change.  There are other times when we need to swim upstream to make something important happen."

Two sides to this Byte, Jan?

Additionally, ponder making things happen while floating ...

Thanks, Poddar.

Glad it interests you, Van.

"It depends on where you want to go."

Larry, some would say it doesn't matter where you want to go, the process is the same.

Thanks, Cheryl.

"Knowing when to swim or float and accepting that sometimes it's okay to float, even preferable to float...well that's the real trick isn't it?"

Dana, many aspects of this Byte seem to touch on the question of control.

Actually, the intent is to embrace surrender.

I acquiesce to your intent...floating on...

"Some drift downstream while struggling in vain to swim upstream."

Ah, John, the sad ones.

"we all START out by swimming upstream... unless we're test-tube babies, that is..."

Good one, Lydia. Glide on.

"I guess it depends on one's attitude!  :)"

Everything depends on one's attitude, K D.

"I do like the saying here. Something to think about."

That's the purpose of Bytes, Lena. Humor is a conscious distraction.

"You have crasped a very simple yet universal truth with that one!"

Somehow, Disciple, it seems ironic how simple universal truths are.

Floating through life, that sounds good!

Looks rather a nice option really.

It is good, Angela.

Doesn't hurt to give it a try, Sheila.

It's all in the mind.

Going against the flow...sort of like thinking outside the box?

just watch out for those's rocks!

Yet another option is to think of it as a progression of upstream swims followed by ever longer periods of well earned downstream rushes. Most of mine is downstream now but I still have to tread water at times and even struggle over a sunken rock occasionally.

Rest easy

feels like a sign of the times

"sort of like thinking outside the box?"

Brojer, if you mean the box we put ourselves in, then yes.

The rocks are just in your mind, Blaine.

Understood, Bill and a good analogy in the context of "accomplishment."

If you consider the context as "living" as in "living in the Here and Now" it takes on some different connotations.

It might be, Golds.

Cute

Thanks, Rachel.

Looks like Spring Break at Lake Havasu. Only one question, where's the cooler?

only go upstream to spawn!

"only go upstream to spawn!"  LOL Love that idea.

or "Turn off your mind, relax and float upstream..."

The cooler is in your mind, Vivian. And that's where it's going to stay. :)

Georgiana, now there's a motto to live life by. :)

but the salmon go upstream, spawn and die!

there ya go

I love that expression "Whatever floats your boat"  but my favorite is the nursery rhyme

"Row row row your boat gently down the stream

Merrily merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream

I'll never forget when it hit me how profound that little song really is!

You don't go against the current John?  How boring!!! :-D)

Actually, play the cards you're dealt as best as you can and adapt to each situation as it comes along.  Every good has consequences and everything bad creates oppurtinities that you can benefit from.

Remember the story of Joseph?  If his brothers didn't get jealous of him and sell him into slavery, he would never have become the Prime Minister of Egypt an amass all the wealth that he did.

I think Dennis said it very well

Dennis, Georgiana is right. The ultimate Zen experience is floating upstream.

" play the cards you're dealt as best as you can and adapt to each situation as it comes along"

An excellent attitude to have, Dennis. Some would say that the cards you're dealt make no difference whatsoever.

So did I, Donald. But let's keep that between us.

Many people try to go against the flow!  I have a daughter who loves to do things the hard way and she seems to swim up stream!  Maybe someday she will get the big picture.

The irony often, Carolina, is that they think that is the way it is supposed to be done.

I got out of the boat and now I can't find my way back. Never leave the boat.

Lance LOL

Maybe I wasn't clear: you are the boat.

Well then. Never leave the water, unless your drowning or you have cramps or there's a big fish after you or rapids are coming up fast . .

You know, it was easier when I was in the boat.

:~D

:)

LOL! Ok...I think I do a combination of both...perhaps that is why it seems I stay in the same area ;)

It's a mental location, Jerri, not a geographic one.  :)

Yep I know...and I also know that I cannot remain in the exact same place because even if you are going in circles, you are spiraling up or down.

"even if you are going in circles, you are spiraling up or down."

Good point. Might as well enjoy the ride.