It’s amazing that even at this point in our evolution we can still believe in the completely unprovable. We have learned a couple of things. Sacrificing your first born does not stop thunderstorms or insure a good corn crop. The earth is neither flat nor does the sun revolve around it. Perhaps we can now add the “Yellow Brick Road” theory to our list of extinct ideas.
The theory goes something like this:
Upon arriving at a certain place in the yellow brick road: the right job, the right relationship, the right amount of money, we will achieved a state of happiness which will persist. The reason we are not fulfilled is that we just haven’t gotten there yet. OK now, how can we prove this: who do we know that has gotten there and affirmed this theory. The short answer as far as I know is: nobody. This fairy tale has diminished countless lives.
When we have the courage to let go of this yellow brick road theory, where are we? We are right here. We are “Wayfarer” (travelers) of the Way. The way of life and death. We are free of the “Yellow Brick Road” prison. In Zen we say, the nose ring that we have been led by has been removed from our nose.
Being free we can choose to pursue anything. We are no longer at the mercy of an unproven, illusory theory.We can play in the field of life.
In fact we are just fooling around in a very serious way.
photo credit: countrygirl0
I grew up an hour away from the yellow brick road in Liberal, Kansas. At the end of it is a witch under a house.
“…and they lived happily ever after”. As a kid, I sometimes wondered what the people in the fairy tales really did after the happy endings of the stories. Nowadays, I believe so hard in that imaginary nosering that I doubt that all I need to do to be in Wonderland is to open my eyes. Can things really be as simple?
This particularly strikes a chord in my life right now. I dream of a better house, having a car, getting a better job, finding my one true love, etc. etc. The “Yellow Brick Road” list is endless. In the meantime, I’ve noticed that I’m not allowing the moment to come alive for me. Instead of opening my eyes to Wonderland, like Chris said, I am keeping them closed and I get afraid that my situation will never change. All this though I am smart enough to know, it will change whether I want it to or not. Thanks for this post. It will give me steam to keep going.
Great!
@Thanks Chris
Simple yes but requiring commitment, time, patience, courage – all that. Yes it’s very simple:)
Thank you Chris
@Pedee
So nice to hear from you. I hope it does give you steam. Please stay in touch.
@Bart
And
to you. Thank you. Please write again.
This is a particularly potent message for me. I keep thing if I just get out of debt I will be free, how many years have I been saying this in my head?