Im at a major turning point in my life. I've been really mean and cynical in the past and grew to hate myself and many of the people around me. I was miserable and thought that if I were to suffer then so should everyone else. Looking back I can't believe how wrong I was. Through some strange combination of my love of knowledge, my musical ability and my recent mushroom trips I've grown to a point where I can't even truthfully use the word hate anymore. Everything I see around me is so beautiful, there are flowers growing and insects going about from flower to flower. There are people living their lives and going about their business in this world. When I started to open up more and come to all the realizations i had been coming to (about peace and universal love) I started to think I should lead some crusade to convert everyone into thinking like me. I then realized that defeated the purpose. I try my best to look at people and not think about their imperfections but think about how their imperfections make them a person. I like to think that I shouldn't force my opinions on anyone, instead I should live my life by showing kindness and true acts of love towards others and not expect anything in return. I want people to be happy living their lives because I don't see any reason why we can't all just get along. If others aren't going to make the effort to be friendly then there's no reason why I shouldn't. So many people have tried to insult me because of my hair or my clothes and I don't even get angry about it anymore. I just go on talking to them, asking them how their day has been. Their hostility fades so quickly and even if it doesn't I don't have a problem with it. I think I sound like a bit of a pushover, like someone who's going to get taken advantage of. Although I've just been so happy living this way I don't care. Im not afraid to stand up for myself but I think that if everyone just sits back and says "well it's a world full of bigots and pricks and thats never going to change so why should I be any different" then no nothing will change. So why don't I just make the effort to love and accept everyone? Even if it doesn't change a thing, if no one tries then we can't get anywhere now can we? There's a quote from Buddha that i absolutely love about how when one begins to feel anger in a debate then they've stopped thinking about the truth and have started thinking about themselves. I think thats exactly how I want to live my life. I want to strive to find true knowledge, and people who want to listen to me ramble when Im old and wise can be free to listen to me. Im not going to let my emotions get the best of me, I'll admit it when I'm wrong, I'll face my mistakes and own up to them so I can move on and become a better person. I feel so enlightened and yet I feel like I have so much more to learn. I have an entire lifetime ahead of me and it's up to me to make the best of it, through the good times and the hard times I want to face life's challenges so that when I get to the end I can die knowing I did something good in a world where so many people seem to only see the bad. I don't even want a medal, I don't care about anyone praising me. I want to live like this because it seems like the right thing to do. I posted this here because I'd love some input from any of the hippies on this board who have lived through woodstock and other festivals. The people who have lived thinking about peace and love. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Also do you think I would have made a good hippie? I think so
There's very little to add to what you have already said. The way you speak of is indeed the only way to peace within yourself and to spread that peace and love - much like a contagious virus. What people see in us is indeed contagious. If you emanate peace, those around you will find peace. If you emanate hate, those around you will find hate. Peace begets peace, love begets love. Conversely, hate begets hate and war begets war. I find it interesting that your transformation began through artistic expression and mind expanding drugs. Such has happened to many of us. As trite as it sounds, love is indeed the answer to not only the problems of the world, but of yourself. As you love and accept your life is opened up like a flower ready to accept the seed of life. If I might quote a passage from the Christian Scripture - If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;a but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 4Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Follow your new path. See where it leads you. Can you change the world? Perhaps. Can you change yourself? Without a doubt.
Ditto to Ddoright and Right On, Steele & ironic that the quoted bible verse is Paul's epistle to the Corinthians - the same austere proselytizing Paul that most of the "christian" church follows instead of the teachings of acceptance and love that Jesus taught. Yet, even Paul seemed to know that you can't push all ur beliefs on everyone unless you truly have love of everyone. Too bad the church didn't (doesn't) grasp this.
"When knowledge is desired,a teacher will appear". =Castenada.I believe you will now be an effective teacher of the valuable knowledge you have acquired to those with whom you come in contact.
Thanks to everyone for everything you've said. The quotes and the encouragement. I will definitely continue down this path.
