What matters most? What makes a difference? What does it all come down to in the grand scheme of things?

These are the type of questions people think they’ll be asking at the end of their days. But if you flip them around, perhaps it would be better to ask yourself questions like this at the start of every day?

You might find yourself wishing you had spent more time with this person or that. You should’ve called this person back. You should’ve done this, you should’ve done that — you could eat yourself up with questions like that.

In your final moments there are always going to be those big existential questions. Who am I? Why am I here? Did I matter? Did I make a difference? What does it all mean?

Between the cracks of these questions is where you live your life. You’re good at one thing or another, you have a talent you developed, you have a knack for something, you found your passion in some form of work or artistic pursuit.

We get so good at doing what we’re doing that it’s all to easy to lose sight of who we are being.

There comes a point when nothing else matters. The question at the end of the rainbow is: Are you at peace with who you are? Not what you’ve done, but who you are being right now?

Not who you could’ve been. Not who you wished you were. Not what you imagine that other people thought of you.

When you find yourself sitting across the table from eternity, are you content to just sit there in silence? The mark of a good relationship is the ability to enjoy quiet times together with no agenda. Can you do that with yourself?

The beauty of the thought experiment where your consciousness is at the vanishing point of eternity is that you get a chance to reevaluate who you are being in the present moment of the here and now.

People set up all sorts of scorecards for themselves, most often material. But who’s doing the counting, and who decides what counts? What you see looking back at the end of the race bears little resemblance to the view from the starting line.

Never forget that everyone makes a difference. Some folks make history, most play supporting roles. But when it comes to life, there are no bit parts. You are the hero in your journey, whether you like it or not.

On Saturday, many millions of people collectively stood up for freedom, tolerance, and the right to autonomy. Every single individual counts.

The thing is, life is fractal. On one hand, you, your lived experience, and the people close to you are the most significant things in the world.

On the other, we’re all just tiny sparks graced with the opportunity to live, love, and create. We’re dancing briefly in a vast and timeless universe, yet our destiny is to be forgotten. Millions of years from now, if anything resembling humanity still exists, it probably won’t remember us.

Indeed, that insignificance is a gift. It helps put things in perspective when you accept the fact that in the grand scheme of things, all of your achievements will be forgotten. It’s who you are being right now that matters most.

When you model kindness, generosity, encouragement, and gratitude in the present moment, you give those around you the opportunity to elevate their own consciousness. That can be the greatest gift of all. At every turn, it’s the thought that counts.

Last week I was blessed with a visit by an older friend from the dance community who is in ‘the fourth quarter’ as he puts it. Looking at the world through his eyes helped me ponder both my priorities and the big picture.

So yes, well. While you were somehow given the spark of life, the meaning you make of it is up to you. Whether the universe cares or not really doesn’t matter. Our chance to care for each other is what does.

Much love till next Monday!

Merci et à bientôt!

M+

ML #650

Mark Metz
Monday Love Movement Calendar