The Path Of Life

The biggest problem you ever have to overcome in life is yourself.

Dana Bate
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I read through the news every morning. I ignore the headlines because they are misleading. Much of the media just grabs attention through headlines that don't appropriately reflect the story. So I read the story and thus am informed about the desperate situations going on in the country and the world. I wonder what a simpleton like myself can do about any of it and feel impotent.

I look around my apartment at all the chores and cleaning up that has to be done and chastise myself for my reluctance to drop everything else and do it.

I open my check book, look at my balance and wonder how I'm going to meet my finacnial obligations without depriving myself of coffee and cigarettes. I feel bad that I can only squeeze out a $10 contribution to organizations to whom I would like to give hundreds.

I read through my journal entry for the day and worry over whether or not I have expressed myself properly, if my ideas are clearly written and the motives behind what I've offered are to benefit the reader to the best of my ability.

But all of these thins are secondary to the errors of judgement, failures, mistakes of life, remorse, regrets, hopes, doubts and fears for the future that attached themselves to me like my own skin.

Those nasty parasites are enemies to happiness, and yet how easily I invite them in and become their host. I can clean out the kitchen sink. Why can't I clean out my head? Because to worry about myself and entertain all my faults and flaws is a habit. And that habit is built upon one embedded, rock solid, ice cold misconception. It's called "material personality."

You are not what you eat. You are not what you see in the mirror. You are not your job description. You are not what it says on your drivers licence, not your social security number, not your shoe size, nor your skin color and you are certainly not what you are subconsciously worried about right now.

All of it is part of the masquerade of human life, the games we play, the show we put on for ourselves and others. As an actor I was certified to depict human life in all its facets and to understand just how fictional most of that life is. If there is no other lamp I can carry forth out of 50 years of being a performing artist it is the one that lights up the path to being and the joy of being, the path to freedom from our self imposed limited personalities. Holding on adamantly to who we think we are just makes becoming who we are more difficult.

As human beings, on whatever level of existence, we are more interesting, complex, creative, adaptable. versatile and capable than we give ourselves credit for. The path to life is to discover that, understand it and prove it.

Dana Bate - The Real Vagabond
Never give up.
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SUMMER QUESTION

Summer is moving along, people.

It's a long, hot, sticky summer, so here's a hot, sticky question for you. Don't let the recent New York State decision rob you of your thunder.

Same sex marriage. Should it be legal or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

dbdacoba@aol.com

Only 14 answers so far.

You have until the last day of summer, but don't dally.
I eagerly await your answer.

DB
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WEEKEND CONTEST

4 Weird Songs
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W REA K METQ VQAJQQI NZ AEQT DMEN JKUBWIR VKMQDEEA AFMEJRF AFQ FEAFEYTQ AE ZEY, VKVZ.

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GWRKMQAAQT KIS JFWTBQZ KIS JWUS, JWUS JENQI, AFQZ'UU SMWXQ ZEY GMKYZ, AFQZ'UU SMWXQ ZEY WITKIQ.

Good luck.
DB
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