Monday's are not BLUE, Self-concept, and Ducks.

Monday’s are NOT blue. They are fun, like any other day. And why are they fun? It depends on how we view life and see people, places, and things. Do we take the universe view of ultimate simplicity, or Mankind’s over-complication over stuff that does not really matter?

Claire has been out for a run from Dervaig on the Isle of Mull and sent me a rather amusing image, which sums up island life. It made me laugh at the simplicity of life and of how not to take things too seriously.

And I use to take things way too seriously, was materialistic; note the connection between the two. In letting go of it all and surrendering to life I found something I had for so long been looking for, and that was a greater connection with life, in fact the Universe and all it comprises. Not the connection to objects, nor the gaining of them which seems to be life’s sole raison d’etre these days. A sigh leaves me. There is so much to see, so much to cherish in life and nature, the Universe; and we can so easily lose this in life’s travails or what we feel we should be doing as dictated to by society, or in my opinion the Jekyll and Hyde in us when it comes to Social Media and the ever prevalent technology.

The above photo sums up the beauty of nature and of how it can remind us of the Universe’s beauty because of its sheer simplicity. Something we delight in. As though we’ve had something triggered in us that makes our feel alive, and part of something. It may be a tree on a hill, drystone walls, a green field with yellow flowers rolling up to the crest of the hill. Yet this catches our attention, and makes us stop to photograph this image within the White Peak between Dove Dale and the Manifold River. In its simplicity we see and feel a connection with living things, and this I believe rekindles and reinforces our connection to life and people. It is how I feel. And connection is important. Simplicity and Self within this context overpowers a lack of connection, the battle against others and life, the Universe. We shift from Self-isolation and a complex life to Self-connection and valuing the simplicity of Self and living.

A road down to the Manifold and Hamps River junction, part of the route I took on a recent walk. And spent time in retrospection. And my life is a journey of retrospection but not of regrets, now one of learning, and of passing that on. No time for being maudlin especially on such a good walk. Where am I going and where can I actually take myself should I choose?

It is a journey of Self (concept).

Wikipedia definition of self-concept

In the psychology of self, one's self-concept (also called self-construction, self-identity, self-perspective or self-structure) is a collection of beliefs about oneself.[1][2] Generally, self-concept embodies the answer to the question "Who am I?".[3]

Simplicity

But let us not forget the simplicity of the Universe and of not over-complicating it. We people can over-complicate and over think. It is just about being yourself and when asking who am I, be aware that you simply are and don’t need to think about it/that, and but take pleasure in being part of something, being connected to all that lives, sentient or not.

There is a lot for keeping it simple. That is how I approach it all, and this takes me full circle back to shunning materialism and the complexity of social mores or requirements. Of being like the tree on the hill, or the yellow flower in a field - free, simple, living. They form part of the whole and no part of Mankind’s Societal Universe, which sits alone from the whole.

Yet let us not forget humour in our being ourselves. If we look like a duck, walk like a duck, quack like a duck, then we are a duck. We are who we are. We are our own duck (or probably Calvin…)