The Albatross
The Albatross is a poem by Charles Baudelaire. The general idea is that the Albatross is this great sea bird, really one of the most majestic of all birds. Yet sailors will catch these birds, for fun, capturing it and keeping it on their ship; on the ground. The Albatross then becomes clumsy, awkward, pitiful, almost as if it’s embarrassed of its nature. The sailors jest, injure, mock and cripple this beautifully majestic creature; the object of these jests is how crippled the creature is, the cripple that once flew! The poem then goes to relate the Albatross to the creative being (in his case, the poet)…a monarch of the clouds, with majestic beauty and power, yet when on the ground is hooted and jeered due to his inability to walk because of his great wings.
Now, this can be related not only to an artist, but all of us, in a sense, for we all have the spiritual ability and potential to be children of light. I think the Albatross is something I really respond to…perhaps its just because of the reactions I’ve gotten over the years for anything creative I do, or maybe just the spiritual side to me, that I have such a great difficulty trying to explain to anyone.
Man, lack of communication skills SUCKS.
At any rate, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and it got me thinking how we’re all albatross in a sense, or at least we all have the potential to be. Because we all have the potential to develop the spiritual aspects of ourselves (our wings, if you will), even though we all probably feel the need to live in the more physical realm (aka the ground). I think in this modern world one of the hardest things to do is live a devoted spiritual life, because we get caught up with our jobs, our friends, our relationships, and our life. But it’s not impossible, and I have seen proof, proof that inspires me. Just like the albatross its hard to soar in the sky without feeling the need to attach ourselves with the material, trivial sides of life, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing…maybe balance is the best. But I’d rather direct what grace I have been given to developing my spiritual senses and virtues, to live my best to its very fullest, and being the best person I can be…even if it means being poor, or having little in life, or taking a very hard road. I know now the joy and pleasure that comes from being in the worst conditions, and the simple happiness of servitude.
Another thing that I’ve just started getting my head wrapped around is unconditional love…for all of mankind. And not just mankind in that general mankind sorta way….I’m talking unconditional love for every person you meet. Feel free to try and think about it; like I said, it’s taking a while for me to really get a grasp on it. But once I did, it just seems like such a great, and doable idea. It might even make the world a better place…although I’m not convinced it’s for everyone, some people need to not love other people, I think. I think with all the hurt and bitterness I’ve experienced, though, I need to learn to love everyone, no matter happens, because I happen to have a very loving and tender heart deep down, it’s just a rough exterior. And maybe someday that’ll change. For now, I’m just working on being the best person I can be.
And if you can all be tolerant of that, I think this is already a better place.
Now, this can be related not only to an artist, but all of us, in a sense, for we all have the spiritual ability and potential to be children of light. I think the Albatross is something I really respond to…perhaps its just because of the reactions I’ve gotten over the years for anything creative I do, or maybe just the spiritual side to me, that I have such a great difficulty trying to explain to anyone.
Man, lack of communication skills SUCKS.
At any rate, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and it got me thinking how we’re all albatross in a sense, or at least we all have the potential to be. Because we all have the potential to develop the spiritual aspects of ourselves (our wings, if you will), even though we all probably feel the need to live in the more physical realm (aka the ground). I think in this modern world one of the hardest things to do is live a devoted spiritual life, because we get caught up with our jobs, our friends, our relationships, and our life. But it’s not impossible, and I have seen proof, proof that inspires me. Just like the albatross its hard to soar in the sky without feeling the need to attach ourselves with the material, trivial sides of life, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing…maybe balance is the best. But I’d rather direct what grace I have been given to developing my spiritual senses and virtues, to live my best to its very fullest, and being the best person I can be…even if it means being poor, or having little in life, or taking a very hard road. I know now the joy and pleasure that comes from being in the worst conditions, and the simple happiness of servitude.
Another thing that I’ve just started getting my head wrapped around is unconditional love…for all of mankind. And not just mankind in that general mankind sorta way….I’m talking unconditional love for every person you meet. Feel free to try and think about it; like I said, it’s taking a while for me to really get a grasp on it. But once I did, it just seems like such a great, and doable idea. It might even make the world a better place…although I’m not convinced it’s for everyone, some people need to not love other people, I think. I think with all the hurt and bitterness I’ve experienced, though, I need to learn to love everyone, no matter happens, because I happen to have a very loving and tender heart deep down, it’s just a rough exterior. And maybe someday that’ll change. For now, I’m just working on being the best person I can be.
And if you can all be tolerant of that, I think this is already a better place.