To Live Inside a Passion…

It has been almost 4 months since I last posted on this site. For myself it was time to focus on the things that I had written about over the last several publications – life was waiting and over the last several months that had not included writing on these matters.  I did write; I worked on a couple book projects and also focused on something which gives me great enjoyment, and that is trading.

I get asked a lot how trading stocks and writing on spirituality and philosophy relate to each other.  Were do these diverging passions come from?  There have been times when I have been ashamed that I partake in one of the most capitalist role on the planet, for I idealize a world with no classes, no money and everyone has a very high standard of living.  As long as the current financial structure exists, that will not happen… and yet every morning I am excited to get up and work…to trade.  I also get the same feeling when I am writing…when I stumble across a set of words which resonate deeply with me or an idea that I am particularly excited about.  I have given up trying to understand why these are my passions, all I know is that I am a better person to those around me, and I treat myself better, when I am living inside my passions.

The wealth that is achieved from doing what it is we love, is insurmountable.  It is supersedes fame or fortune, although those may come with the journey, or they may not.  It can be anything, and it does not even need to be logical.  Feelings are rarely logical, and yet they are the truest expression of our inner being.

The following is a story which is exceptionally powerful if we take the message to heart:

Many years ago there was a woman that walked from town to town selling bread from a bag that she carried with her.  She lived in a small home on the side of a river and enjoyed her time walking in the sun and conversing with the people who purchased her product.

One day she was sitting by the side of a river and noticed a magnificent gem rocking in the light current of the water.  She reached into the cold water and pulled out the giant gem.  As she looked at it she realized that this gem, if sold, could provide her with the money to purchase anything she wanted and to never have to work another day in her life.  She placed the gem stone in her bag while pulling out a  piece of bread to eat while she sat beside the glistening water.

As she sat a stranger approached, who by the way he was dressed was very poor – even poorer than she, and he asked if he could have a piece of bread for he was very hungry.  The lady kindly smiled and answered “Of course you may.”  She reached into her bag and got a piece of bread for the stranger.  As the bag was open the poor man caught a glimpse of the gem and was struck by its beauty.  Upon seeing it he asked “That is a beautiful gem, may I have it?”  The lady kindly smiled and answered “Of course you may.”  She reached into the bag and pulled out the gem handing it to the stranger, who quickly walked away.

As the stranger walked away he realized that if he sold this gem he could purchase everything that he ever wanted.  That he would never have to worry about being hungry, having clean clothes, having a place to sleep, or about having nothing if he met someone he wanted to impress.  He lightly rubbed the gem as he pondered all the possessions he could have because of the gem; how successful he would appear, how happy he would be, and how others would like him.

The following day, the lady, walking with her bag of bread to the nearest town saw the stranger, whom was given the gem, walking towards her.  When they were face to face he asked if they could sit down for a moment.  They sat down on the side of the road and the lady offered him some bread.  He accepted the bread but said to her “I would like to give this gem back to you, but in return I am going to ask you to give me something far more precious than this valuable stone.”

“Oh my, what could it be?”

And the stranger said “I would ask that you give me instead, what it is inside you, that allowed you... to give me that valuable stone?”

No matter our path, the value, what is precious, is inside…we create it with feeling.  And when we are true to that feeling the worries the stranger expresses disappear.  The gem represents our excuses for why we are not happy, why we are not doing, saying and acting the way we want to (the way we feel deep down that wants to be expressed).  The gem represents the “Well ifs…” in our life.  “Well, if I made more money then I could do the things I want and be happy.”  “Well, if my parents hadn’t messed me up so bad maybe I could have a normal relationship…and that would make me happy.”

The “Well ifs…” are endless.  We know from experience that if we are not happy where we are at, we will not be happy at the next stage.   The stranger realized that the gem would not make him happy.  He had to make himself happy…like the kind lady who was content and at peace; the lady who enjoyed her life because she was doing what she wanted to…even if it was just walking in the sun, with a bag of a bread.

Have a great holiday season everyone.

Cory Mitchell