Not so long ago, in a universe quite close to this one there was the realm of Slaog. I would like to take you on a tour.
A Nice Place
Slaog is in many ways a nice place to be – here, life works. People know what they need and want – and their set about achieving these things in rational ways in systematic steps, clearly laid out. The misery of confusion is not something that there is much of in the realm of Slaog.
The slaogians are a mostly co-operative and peaceful bunch. They collaborate with others to complete mutually beneficial tasks and collectively desired ends. The word that comes to me to describe them is ‘sensible’. They are down to earth, in touch with themselves and their context.
And so, life in Slaog works. It seems churlish and childish to find fault with it. In many ways it is much preferable to the current order of our societies.
What’s Missing
My big problem with Slaog is not what life is like there, but what is missing. In Slaog, I don’t here much giggling. And strangely I miss the emotional outbursts and even the brokenness I see in our world (although these are not the pleasantest parts of it). Slaog feels to me like a room that is too neat – I want to throw some pillows around so it has a more lived in feel. What is missing in Slaog is the childlike (and perhaps I even miss the childish), there is too much shiny surface and clean lines – it bothers me that there is not more mess and disorder.
But I don’t want to just trash Slaog – realistic and sensible are virtues not vices. But they are not the only virtues and they can be awfully limiting. I think realistic and sensible are essential and need to have their place in our self development, but perhaps not first place. These are virtues that help us immeasurably in walking the path, but I doubt they are much use in selecting our destination.
Posts of Note Clinically Clueless is doing a remarkable series of posts working through her abusive history. Probably not for you if you are feeling fragile and in the middle of working this stuff out for yourself at the moment. However, they do make vivid the impact of abuse and show the real world story of dealing with it. They are extremely worth reading.
Related posts:
- The Rough Guide to Self Development Part Two Our Experience and Our Thinking
- The Rough Guide to Self-Development Part One Introduction
- The Rough Guide to Self Development Part Three Changing How We See Things
- The Rough Guide to Self Development Part Four Thinking About Our Experience
- A Visit to a Very Strange Place
Tags: goal setting, goals, realistic, sensible
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Are you and the sloagians trying to tell me something? Certainly you haven’t been spared my emotional outbursts and were you to see my house with its many pillows in all the wrong places a clear understanding of messy would be impossible to miss. No goals evident in my pillows!
It’s funny, I suddenly heard Marie Antoinette declaring to let them eat cake. Maybe she was a little too much off the sensible mark? Or was that something else entirely? Either way, I believe she had goals.
Salog is indeed an interesting place. Peaceful yet mundane. I love the peace of Salog however it seems as though the people of Salog are missing the passion for life that really makes this experience exquisite. We must never lose our passion.
I’m sure Marie had goals. I think I’d like to see the pillows. Thanks for your comment Barbara.
Hi Mark, I agree entirely. I have a friend who severe very severe bouts of depression. We don’t realise how precious our passion is until we meet someone who has lost their connection with life. Thanks for your comment.
Evan,
Thank you so much for the link and for your kind words. I really appreciate it.
take care,
CC
You’re most welcome CC.