Dead man's float
A swimming pool has never been a favorite place for me.
When I was a young boy, the older kids next door saw that I was fearful of trying to swim for the first time, so they chased me down and threw me headfirst into their pool.They nearly died laughing. I nearly died drowning. I was able to get to the shallow end of the water on my back. Without knowing it, I was doing what was called the dead man's float.There are people I know who do the dead man's float every day, living on the surface, never diving into the deep end of the pool to discover the significance of their existence. They live the mechanical life of going to work, doing the necessary chores, and taking care of the kids. They are "floating" through life instead of searching deeply into themselves to discover their extraordinary gifts that may be hidden inside the depths of their souls.To be fair, I've often thought that it might be better to keep things simple instead of philosophical. Don't bother to ponder the universe. Don't wonder why we are born without request.Eat, sleep and do what has to be done and call it a day for however many days we get on this earth because looking for the meaning of life can become nothing more than a struggling swim against the current.And yet people close to me have discovered their identities after venturing out into the deep water. They have come to realize the unique gifts they've been given and are now sharing them with the world. They know that their purpose in being alive is much more than just breathing day to day until they get that one last breath in their final hour.In 1854, American philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote, "I did not wish to live which was not life … I wanted to live deep … and to know that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours."I think you can tell when someone is living a life imagined. She knows herself. He has captured the perfection of his individuality. Simply put, she looks happy, not the kind of artificial glee we often see from those who project obvious false images, but rather, it's an honest and humble joy. You see it in his expression, in how she speaks, and in the manner in which he relates to others.Because they understand who they are, no matter what life brings to them in circumstance or calamity, they still will maintain a peace of mind.I believe each of us has that special gift, one that will deliver a fulfillment of purpose. It's a talent or an ability that defines what we do best. This gift will not all of a sudden jump into our minds one day or be willed upon us by others.There's an old proverb that says if you ask a fish to try to climb a tree, it will live its whole life thinking it's stupid. Require a young man who believes he can build houses with his own two hands to take an algebra class instead of a carpentry course and he will feel worthless and unmotivated. Tell a girl who can sing like Barbra Streisand she has to give up her silly dream of being a recording artist to go and get a real job. Her talent will die along with that "life imagined."An innovative Massachusetts school had no curriculum and no student requirements. Children were allowed to explore at learning stations on their own, and once they appeared interested in something, teachers would come by and guide their curiosity along.One 7-year-old boy, who had yet to learn how to read, was painting landscapes with the ability of an accomplished artist. His proud mother had said, "He'll learn to read when he wants to read."There is a risk when we jump into the deep end of the pool, yet that's where we will find the reward of self-discovery, our joy of life that can never be experienced by those who lie on their backs doing the dead man's float.Rich Strack can be reached at