Free like a bird
- From: "Chim" <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 6 Jan 2006 15:55:26 -0800
There exists a certain species of birds that usually
make a long journey across the continents in order
to find food and shelter. During the winter, they seek
their refuge in Central America where the weather is
warmer and more conducive to their special needs.
When summer is about to return, they head back
toward the northern regions where food and shelter
are more abundant and can fit the standards of their
requirements more than the regions that are near
the equator.
Having no sophisticated guidance system, no powerful
engines from Boeing or Lockheed, they use their basic
instincts in order to follow the seasons and adjust the
rhythm of their lives according to the arrangement of
the stars. They migrate thousands of miles across
continents in order to find food and shelter.
These birds have no concept of mathematics, nor are
they equipped with elaborate technological or cultural
skills to support their well-being. Yet, they know what
freedom is all about. It is being inscribed deep into
the structure of their basic instincts. In order to fly that
far and having no sophisticated navigational system
to support their long flight, they must really know the
topology of the continents, have a good direction of
where they want to go, and are equipped with a fixed
schedule of their entire journey.
The pursuit of happiness seems to transcend the
variation of the species. Common and ordinary man
tends to settle down in the valley, marries his high
school sweetheart, and begins to labor long and
hard in order to become a productive member of
the community.
Human happiness tends to be complex, convoluted,
and even contrarian. If it is simple as being required
and cultivated by the noble birds of above, many more
men and women would have been happier. They may
be less reluctant to take the risk of fighting a loosing
war and also tend to be more equipped to know better
the noble concept of freedom.
In order to be able to fly high and far, we, as humans,
need to duplicate the behavior and the discipline
of these birds. Freedom is not a matter of wish. It is
discipline, direction, and wills. It is a constant labor
of the mind to make that journey to where we want
to go, regardless of the distance.
The discipline of democracy is fundamental among the
species. And so is leadership. If birds can coordinate
among themselves in order to find freedom, shelter,
and food by undertaking a long commute between the
Arctic and the tropical zone, then it's safe to assume
that man of good common sense and who is being
imbued with more intelligence than birds, can surely
hope to be more resourceful and to be able to share
the wisdom of democracy.
Freedom is a matter of thought process. It is moral
discipline more than mental or physical labor. It is
through the process of sharing that we can hope
to further expand upon the beautiful and noble
concept of freedom. By sharing the workload and
the responsibility, free man of good conscience can
necessarily develop talents, motivation, and skills
in order to fully support the practice of freedom.
The abilities to understand and appreciate freedom
and be fair in the transaction of human affairs are the
main ingredients that will lead to the continuing
practice and cultivation of freedom. If birds can fly
thousands of miles in order to find food and shelter
and the comfort for their well-being, any man of
good conscience can do the same or even better
in order to sustain his valid way of life.
It's only a matter of integrity, good sense of justice,
and diligent application. The development of the human
mind depends on personal initiatives as much as the
operative function of a good government that cares
about social justice, human liberty, and fair game.
The mechanics of basic instincts are very powerful in
the search for food and shelter for the survival of the
species. Those birds that fly thousands of miles and
seem to follow the same migration path to their home
in Central America during the winter and back to their
summer cottage in the northern territories during the
warmer season, did not develop the techniques of their
basic instincts in one single leap. One can assume that
they must have learned to perfect their techniques of
migration patterns through years of commitment,
dedication, and search.
Through the generations, they study the topology,
measure the itinerary, and map out a schedule to
fit the rotation of the stars. They test the terrain,
avoid unfriendly territory, and move on to areas
where they can better adapt and prosper. They've
done these things through the simple process of
sharing, accommodation, and transfer of knowledge.
The system of justice is a very powerful social tool to
motivate and strengthen the confidence of the people
within a community. There certainly exists a net gain
of physiological linkage, information exchange, and fair
returns among the participants. It allows the system
to migrate from one developmental cycle on to the next.
In commerce as much as in government, fair distribution
of justice is very important to the members of a human
society as much as for the whole of the community. It
allows growth, development, satisfaction, and happiness
for all. It can accomplish these things because it expands
opportunities, allows creativity, and exudes confidence
among groups and individuals.
On the contrary, hypocrisy, immorality, and the lack
of justice tend to create a lopsided allocation of returns
and productivity. Such abusive behaviors undermine
development of the entire community as much as for
personal growth of the individuals. Immorality deters
sane development of the human potentials. In politics
as much as in business, it is disruptive and unfair. It
blatantly violates the normal flow of human transactions
and the genuine creation of productivity all across the
social system.
But these are facts of life. In nature, there are also
mudslides, forest fires, and earthquakes. Hurricanes,
tornadoes, and violent shifts of climatic conditions are
not unusual in many regions of the world.
Man of good conscience must rise above the elements
of natural catastrophe. If birds can use basic instincts
to develop a beautiful rhythm to their life's cycle, man
of simple and ordinary intelligence should have no
problems in using the mind to strengthen his reasoning
skills and to develop the power of his intuition, way
beyond the rigors of time and space.
Basic instincts are a natural experiment that is based
on the dimension of time and the entire routine of trials
and errors. Through easy works of innocent practices,
a pattern of discoveries emerge. It fits the fancy of the
imagination, fulfills the mission of life, and leaves a
long lasting trail of monumental undertaking.
We need to move beyond the furor of basic instincts
and on to the cultivation of intuitive reasoning. Like
its predecessor of basic instincts, intuition depends
on raw elements of justice, fulfillment, and logical
development of the species. The difference is a mere
existence of a more directed intervention of mind and
moral wills over events, elements, and scenarios.
Much faster than science, less violent than basic
instincts, intuitive reasoning is more directed and
focused. The more we know about a certain human
situation, the less it can impact us, and the more
we can define the path of migration toward the final
destination of freedom. Integrity and innocence do
not require high learning or extensive intellectual
competence in order for man of good conscience to
arrive at a better decision. These are the things that
sharpen the wits via the spirit of intuitive reasoning.
Moral excellence is a must for those who insist on
becoming leaders of the generation.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: Free like a bird
- From: Rottanakvongsa
- Re: Free like a bird
- Prev by Date: Ken Sokha
- Next by Date: Vietnamese people in New Vietnam embraced capitalism in a big way
- Previous by thread: Ken Sokha
- Next by thread: Re: Free like a bird
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
