Wisdom: glowing human crystals

The (internal) beauty of a person comes from his heart, not his mind. For it is the glow radiated by the heart that determines how the mind shines and sparkles, regardless whether it’s made of crystal or glass, whether its polished or crude.
The most pure and sharp mind will be unappealing when filled with the eerie light of a cold, heartless or even hateful person.

This conjecture makes me realize the potential value in every person, not just in the smart, experienced or ‘deep’ ones.
Only the mere summit of wisdom has a need for a genius mind. Meaning: the rest of the mountain consists of the vast majority of people. Also meaning (almost) anyone has the foundation of wisdom:  which is the most important part.
Peace, assistance and even guidance can be found in most people – nay: in most living things!

A happy 2015 to you all! :)

Living in the present

'Living in the present’ is advice often given when it comes to improving one’s life, yet it is a double-edged blade which has always both fascinated and confused me.

Undoubtedly: it is good advice to stay connected to reality, rather than continually responding to what has happened a long time ago, or to what you fear might happen in the future. 

Work with what is at hand, for, indeed, any action occurs in the ungraspable moment of time which we like to call the present.

Yet, what has always confused me about ‘living in the present’ is that there is neither a past nor a future implied in this advice. But that excludes the possibility of learning from what has happened as well as the pursuit of big dreams and life goals. Without the past and a vision towards the future, improvement is not possible.

My take on the issue has always been that people who advize you to ‘live in the present’ don’t necessarily mean by that you have to forget about the past or the future, but rather to stay connected with reality and give both past and future their appropriate places in it.

As if to say: ‘the present is writing the future with ink of the past.’

(See Waterval van het Heden for a similar take on 'living in the present' — in Dutch)