An Introduction

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”  – Mary Oliver

For years, I read this every day.  It was an advertisement — for a career centre or something — that I saw on my commute to work every morning.  Usually I would look at it and think, “Well that’s a nice way to look at things,” but one day when I saw it, it somehow became a call to arms.  The words became about me, and they took on capitalization and italics: “What do I plan to Do with my One wild and precious life?”

I don’t know what happens when we die.  I don’t think this is it, but it is all I can be 100% sure of, so it’s probably best to make the most of it.  I’m one of the lucky ones born in a country with relative prosperity and freedom. I really can make of my life what I want.  I’ve done some neat things in my life, but have I made the most of my opportunities?  Have I treated my life — my time — as though it’s precious?  I don’t really think so.  But I want to try harder.

When I started this blog, my plan was to just start doing stuff.  If there were things that looked interesting to me, I would try to do them or learn about them, try to do anything that remotely took my fancy to see if I liked it instead of wondering if I might.

It’s been fun, but in recent years (these recent years, you guys – whew) I’ve been thinking that making the most of your life is also about trying to leave the world better than you found it. I don’t even know what that means, exactly, but I want a kinder and safer world for my kid to grow up in.

So that’s the addendum to my goals with this blog and this life of mine. I want to live with joy and do what I can to help where I can.

Wish me luck.