A space to reflect on the university experience and the wider educational journey of life and love.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Information Overload

I feel bombarded with information.  From advertisements to emails to facebook statuses to tweets to blog posts - I don't know what to do with all of it.  Half of our lives are virtual and what used to be personal and in person is no longer.  Don't get me wrong, I think there is a lot of value in much of the information we are offered and it is up to us how we choose to partake in this crazy world, but it got me thinking about how we portray our lives.

Going through my facebook newsfeed has become an exercise in inadequacy.  It just seems that everyone else has their lives together, are doing amazing things, and are super social.  Of course everyone is only creating an image of what they want others to see, but nonetheless it makes me feel inadequate.  Maybe this is purely a psychological thing for me, but is there anyone else out there who feels the same?

I guess it all comes down to comparing people.   I read somewhere that you can't let someone else's outsides compare with your insides.  It really doesn't achieve anything to compare yourself to someone else and it's impossible to do. We are all unique and wonderful in our own ways. (How's that for cheesy?).  Judgement lingers behind so much of my thoughts, I hope I can somehow cultivate more equanimity in my life.

One way I am hoping to do so is by living at Yasodhara Ashram for one month starting in June.  It looks like an incredibly beautiful place and I feel lucky to be able to attend.  After that, I am jumping on a 14 hour flight to Christchurch, New Zealand, where I will be studying at the University of Canterbury for a semester.  All of these exciting endeavors are not far away!  I will be sure to keep you updated on this blog. 

In the meantime I thought I'd write a spur of the moment poem, especially for you:

A road less travelled
is not better
or worse
it's simply less travelled.
and if you wander
along a new path
take comfort in the fact
that at least someone's
footsteps have marked the earth.
Even if they are only your own.

I didn't think I would end up here
but those unexpected detours
have led me to the wildflowers
and now the meadow is bursting
with colour
and for a few moments
I rest,
and feel the world grow
just a little brighter.