podcast post

So my latest source of entertainment has been looking up podcasts and in addition to the podcast about quantum physics and how it supports the possibility of the paranormal (ufos, ghosts, deja vu, etc.) I found one where these two people, Kathryn and Nick, go around the streets of NYC and interview people to find out their answers to the question of the week on ifnotnow.net (a web site developed by Kathryn, I think). The casts are pretty short and the answers are somewhat disappointingly predictable, but here's some of the answers to the question, What is your greatest achievment?

-finding my wife, the third one was the right one
-moving to NYC by myself (another person said moving to NYC in his 30s because it was something he always wanted to do and finally did it)
-being a mother (another woman had a similar answer and said her children and granddaughter)
-sticking with doing what I love
-my ability to reinvent myself
-going through a number of things and still coming out on top with hope
-raising two sons (this from an obviously proud father)
-marriage
-kids and house
-waking up every morning, putting one foot in front of the other and looking forward with hope
and finally...
just as they are wrapping everything up because they're just about out of time they find another girl (standing at the fedex counter) they want to ask and after much deliberation she gives them what they have deemed the best answer of the day, she says...
sending the package she was sending to the person she was seeing for a year who caused her to make a lot of changes in her life including cutting off all of her hair. she said she was sending him back all of his stuff, including the hair she cut off, and finally letting go and getting on with her life.

What's my greatest achievement?
Finally letting go and taking my life and making it my own.

Is that selfish? perhaps... but perhaps not because it has allowed me not only to get back to the root of what makes me who I am, but also to empower me to do more with it.

I found it interesting that all of the answers revolved around marriage, kids, and making life changes for themselves... finding love and bettering their lives...
So what does this say about human nature? In another podcast that asked the question, What do you want that you don't have the nerve to ask? most of the answers revolved around either finding someone or professing feelings for that certain someone...
would you say that to love and be loved is the strongest human desire? once all other needs are met, is that the one that always comes next. I think so... and it's kind of amazing in a not so surprising way... When you get down to it, all anyone ever wants beyond basic needs is for someone to care about them.
for their existence to matter...
The greatest thing we can do is care.

(sometimes it's also the hardest thing we can do...)






what are your greatest achievements?