The Big Picture

By The Night Watchman

Is there a reason we, as human beings, really don’t contemplate the big picture.  It’s as if our lives are so focused in the here and now, i.e., the material world, it gives us no room to expand our minds and efforts in developing our true selves within the universal realm.

I don’t think it’s the case.  I believe many of us, me included, are afraid of delving into a spiritual journey.  We may hold on to the belief of an afterlife, or the concept of heaven, but we do fear how it could affect our life here on earth.   Will it change my relationships with friends and family?  Will I find out what I’ve believed all this time turned out to be false?  Or worse, have I been kidding myself all this time about who I am?  It comes down to the old adage of sticking with the “devil we know” rather than taking a risk to finding a true purpose in life.

Discussions about the spiritual realm always seemed to me to be anathema to reason and logic.  My wife, Chris, would many times press me for my thoughts on the subject, but it came down to where I didn’t have much of anything to contribute.  Over the past three or so years I have been able to interview many people on their views of spiritual, as well as other unorthodox subject matter, but I had done so, not so much as a desire to soak in their knowledge, but to satisfy my affinity of radical thinking and the people who possess those thoughts and theories.  But wow!!!  Once you begin to have conversations with these wonderful people, you cannot help but soak in some of that knowledge.

For years, I had wondered the reasons why I was put here on earth.  Although I cannot know for sure, I always believed most of my friends seemed to grasp their lot in life.  They seemed content with what their purpose was and with whom to share that purpose with.  But for me, their purpose was nowhere near what I felt I needed to pursue.  In fact, I really had no idea what path I was going to take.  It seemed as though there was no rhyme or reason to my life decisions and that my existence was purely random, with absolutely no reason for being. 

Sometimes I still feel that way, but those feelings are steadily moving to the wayside.  So much has happened over the past few years, and continuing to happen, that I really can’t say it was a random choice of my doing.  What was the catalyst for me getting back into radio?  Why did I make the decision to take the job in the town where I met my now wife?  Is the reason we developed this website no longer the case?  As I contemplate these turn of events, they definitely take on a new meaning in life.  It may have taken a lot more years than I had hoped, but I believe my purpose was to go through a series of trials and tribulations, self doubt and skepticism to share those experiences with others and hopefully provide, through interviews and other means, a way for them to discover that purpose in their life.

It’s imperative for many of us, especially now, to find that purpose because of what I believe the future holds. 

I want to state that I hold no gifts that I am aware to predict future events.  I can only go by what I read about and observe.

Much has been written about the upcoming year 2012, a mere five years down the road.  Is it the end, or just the beginning?  No one knows for sure, but I believe it will be a beginning preceded by some harsh times on a global level.  I’m not trying to be an alarmist, but there is certainly a great deal of evidence that shows we are coming into rough five year path.

War, economic health, political power grabs, environmental concerns, family destruction, and, of course, disease, are all major forces contributing to the rough five year road ahead.  You see, all of these concerns are of our doing.  It’s not just because we’ve put the wrong leaders in power, or chose the wrong system with which to be ruled.  It’s because we’ve put people in power in the first place.  With that power we give up to them, we then give up searching for our purpose and devote ourselves for their purpose, which is to have power. 

I believe over the next five years, the public will have an awakening, not necessarily religious, but spiritual in nature.  People will eventually come to grips over the wrought we have caused, especially over the last 100 years, and move forward to change the way things are.  How you ask?  Well, at least what I am becoming aware of is that when you devote time to spiritual matters, focus leans toward the big picture.  You begin to ask about where your efforts need to be directed to make your life, and others surrounding it, a better place.  Also, a look into spiritual matters gives you an indication that there is something more beyond mere earth, which, in turn, gives a person more courage to stand up to those who create the chaos that gives them power.  In short, spiritual growth is a path to independence as well as cooperation. 

Pure independence, I believe, is essential to understanding the need for cooperation.  It sounds like the terms contradict each other, but they don’t.  Pure independence to me means understanding that there are external factors affecting the universe, and that un-coerced cooperation with others, or nature for that matter, brings a more harmonious place to live.  With that harmony, we have more freedom to delve deeper into our own spiritual path or other interests.

I’m still on this spiritual path trying to find answers that I can understand.  It is a very hard journey for sure, but I believe the benefits will be magnificent.  I have for many years been locked into the realm of pure reason and logic and have forgone any thought that other forces can exist.  I also have been a bit cowardly into really looking into the spiritual realm because, frankly, I felt better blaming others for misfortunes in my lifetime than delving deep into my soul to correct any problems my material self created.  All in all though, I guess it’s better late than never. 

The next five years will be a rough road ahead, and I think instinctively, many of us know that.  Will 2012 be the end?  I don’t think so.  Even the Mayans believe that time is circular, not linear, so 2012, in my thoughts, will be a new beginning for us to properly tend this planet and nurture our souls.