What Socrates, Sartre And Sinatra Can Teach Us.

And yes, dear Alice, the supposed utterances of the great and goodly can all too easily be dismissed as being but the start of a joke — and an old chestnut, at that.

Nevertheless the ideas expressed are still very much music to the ears.

And music for one’s very soul, too, if you but to stop and take a moment to ponder the very idea of you being in harmony with the music of the spheres.

To be.

To do.

The enormity of being alive — of being a sentient being — and of being able to ‘think’ and ‘do’. And learn how to be.

It rather puts you in mind of ‘DO Contribute’, doesn’t it?

Perhaps more to the point — it’s more than likely the very reason you’re here reading this piece as well as the thoughts and ideas of all the many other contributors to DO Lectures and MEDIUM and all the many other ‘enlightenment’ platforms you engage with.

It’s always a very good idea, though, to remember to contribute to you along the way. And not just continually skim, scan, collect, and collate everyone else’s thoughts and ideas in your search for meaning and purpose.

You should always take time to stop and smell the roses and or the coffee.

Determine what works for you and what doesn’t — what you say ‘yes’ and what you say ‘no’ to — on the journey of you becoming a better you.

And, as ever, the old wisdoms hold true. Always question. Never accept anything simply on trust. Never adopt or enter into anything blindly.

You needs must always be mindful throughout the lifelong process of self-improvement. Not always easy to do should you perchance ever find yourself enchanted by a charismatic motivator or speaker or moved by a line of thought or revelation in some book, essay, or blog.

That’s why it’s always wise to make note when you actually do decide to take something new into yourself. To be aware of what it is you’ve said ‘yes’ to and then log it — consciously and deliberately. Waggle an ear. Touch the tip of your nose. Clap your hands. Tap your shoes together three times if you must. Anything at all that’ll mark the moment and help you to remember what well might be a life-changing turning point for you.

Be it a new thought, concept, or mission in life — it’s you that wants to change — you that wants to adopt new ways of thinking and being so that they become an integral part of who and what you are. What you wish to become. So it’s you that must do the work — that must do the doing.

That’s the true meaning of Charity begins at home.

It all begins and ends with you. With you filling yourself up with the very best ideas fellow travellers on the path to enlightenment have to offer you in the way of encouragement.

After that — it’s up to you to add to it all. And, God willing, in time, refine.

It’s the very act of you trying to live by what it is you’ve learned that you make it your own. That’s the way that you become the very best ‘you’ that you can be.

That’s the true meaning of fulfilment — in life.

That done — you can then pay it forward and contribute an idea or understanding to someone of kind who’s realised they’ve reached a point in their lives when they need some guidance in their journey towards self-actualisation and self-fulfilment.

Of course, you should only ever give guidance or advice when asked to do so. And — as with all acts of kindness — only ever give from your own abundance — from your overflow of wellbeing — and freely — for then you will truly never feel diminished. And neither will the person that looks to you to point the way. They’ll simply feel uplifted.

And so:

DO Contribute. To the world.

DO.

But first DO always remember to contribute to you.

DO BE DO

And — just in case you haven’t seen or heard it before — here’s that old chestnut of a joke in full: