?!

When you think of the word “fish,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? I immediately think of seafood, which is definitely my least favorite cuisine. In fact, I almost refuse to eat seafood. But let’s think of something a bit more pleasant, shall we?

This evening I learned about how the symbol of the fish has been a key part of many Indian religions (as in India, not necessarily Native Americans). It is one part of the Ashtamangala, which is pretty much eight symbols that represent various aspects of the religions. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the fish as a part of the Ashtamangala:

The ‘two goldfish’ representing the state of fearless suspension in a harmless ocean of samsara, metaphorically often refer to ‘buddha-eyes’ or ‘rigpa-sight’; symbolizes the auspiciousness of all living beings in a state of fearlessness without danger of drowning in the Samsaric Ocean of Suffering, and migrating from place to place and teaching to teaching freely and spontaneously just as fish swim freely without fear through water.

Now, while I don’t claim to fully comprehend any of the text quoted above, it did cause me to stop and think for a bit. I’m not from the East, but how does this apply to me? Surely it does, right?

I’ve been told many times that I have a tendancy to be extremely laid-back. I apparently have a knack for being relaxed and calm, or even happy, when other people are stressed, frustrated, or worried. There have been a few times that I’ve been asked to explain how I can be so easy going, but I don’t necessarily have an answer. I could go deep into my own theological views or attempt to explain it through my limited understanding of psychology, but, depending on my audience, I may not get very far with either one. 

So, lets take it back to the fishes: Why are THEY so easy going, even when the sometimes swim in the deepest abyss? Don’t they realize the dangers that are around them? Surely they must know of their surroundings, right? Now, how about the seas of sorrow that surround us. Aren’t they just as bad? Here’s my take on it all:

- Stuff Happens. I can’t prevent bad things from happening to me nor to those around me. All I can do is deal with the results. Does this mean that I don’t try to avoid troubles? Of course not. It just means that I live my life in the best way I can and then deal with the results.

- We all die. That’s a fact that we all have to live with. I don’t want to die any time soon, but I realize that I don’t have a whole lot of control in this area either. I don’t want to lose any friends or family, but I know that they will also die at some point. Some deaths are sudden and unexpected, and some come after long, painful illness. Regardless, if we take advantage of each day to enjoy one another then we won’t feel as empty when we’re separated.

- There’s still tomorrow. Did I have a bad day? That’s just too bad, ’cause I can go to bed and start over in the morning. Did I accomplish everything I set out to do today? Probably not, but that just means that I won’t be left without anything to do tomorrow. Did I mess anything up? Surely I screwed up somewhere, so I have something that I can correct in the morning.

To aviod the misconception that I am a completely care-free or care-less person, trust that this is not the case. I don’t always follow my own three tenants from above as perfectly as it may seem. I have days when I am stressed, and I have days when I feel overly worried. But all-in-all, I can always seem to return back to my own state of calm when I take the time to recall my own advice.

And on the days where I have keep myself in line, it all just comes back to one word: Meh.

(Thanks, M, for the idea!)