"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
- Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living
This quote has been in my head constantly for the past four or five years, ever since I stumbled upon it. Yet, even while recognizing its inherent truth, I find it hard to implement its wisdom in my life. The materialism and engaged action of the West battles the impermanence and non-attachment of the Dharma, and I always seem to fall somewhere in the middle, with little achieved in either direction. It is common knowledge that spiritual development nearly always attends the falling off of worldly, materialistic concerns, but beginning on that path is the sticky wicket, so to say. Were it easy to shift our cultural backgrounds and spiritual temperaments, though, perhaps the joy would be taken from the journey.
What this all means to say is that my writing has been overshadowed, as is normal, by confusion and the rearrangement of life. Like clockwork, the world shifts, and my personal life continues to adapt around change, though mostly beneficial change. Friends moving away, weddings, a new profession, loss and gain. Where is writing to fit?
The first article in the Majora's Mask series of this blog was, more or less, just released, and I have mixed feelings about it. As it turns out, Majora's Mask is an incredibly difficult game to analyze, to comprehend, and to feel. Writing about it, then, seems almost impossible. There are several aspects of that article I am likely to change before the year is out, though exactly what I change remains to be seen. I will continue to tweak my writing style throughout the following articles (of which there will likely be six or seven, if I follow my current plan), and, as always, I welcome comments or suggestions. Courtesy of a modern age, my email is always open.
Best,
Talbot
- Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living
This quote has been in my head constantly for the past four or five years, ever since I stumbled upon it. Yet, even while recognizing its inherent truth, I find it hard to implement its wisdom in my life. The materialism and engaged action of the West battles the impermanence and non-attachment of the Dharma, and I always seem to fall somewhere in the middle, with little achieved in either direction. It is common knowledge that spiritual development nearly always attends the falling off of worldly, materialistic concerns, but beginning on that path is the sticky wicket, so to say. Were it easy to shift our cultural backgrounds and spiritual temperaments, though, perhaps the joy would be taken from the journey.
What this all means to say is that my writing has been overshadowed, as is normal, by confusion and the rearrangement of life. Like clockwork, the world shifts, and my personal life continues to adapt around change, though mostly beneficial change. Friends moving away, weddings, a new profession, loss and gain. Where is writing to fit?
The first article in the Majora's Mask series of this blog was, more or less, just released, and I have mixed feelings about it. As it turns out, Majora's Mask is an incredibly difficult game to analyze, to comprehend, and to feel. Writing about it, then, seems almost impossible. There are several aspects of that article I am likely to change before the year is out, though exactly what I change remains to be seen. I will continue to tweak my writing style throughout the following articles (of which there will likely be six or seven, if I follow my current plan), and, as always, I welcome comments or suggestions. Courtesy of a modern age, my email is always open.
Best,
Talbot