More than you think (I Believe)

[Photo: Big Frank Dickinson]

What's with the clouds and belief, you might ask; well, Big Frank is asking. Good question. Beliefs are connected to all that's around them. Like clouds they don't exist in isolated containment apart from everything else. And like clouds they shift and change; sometimes it seems like there aren't any, and at other times they almost seem to oppressively weigh down on us. They can take on beautiful configurations, or can bring destruction to those who come in their path. Is that enough parallels? How about one more (I like this last one): beliefs, like clouds, are sometimes hugely present but not seen, or acknowledged. And with that it's time to move on to some more of Big Frank's beliefs.

Big Frank believes that the backdrop to life is so much more magnificently intricate than anyone can imagine. He believes that the images, outlines, and explanations of 'reality' are so pale in comparison to what is actually behind and in all that we encounter as to beggar description. He believes that beauty can infuse life, is ever present, palpably near, but often unrecognized. To see the beauty of life is to look away from one's peripheral noise, and in so doing to refresh one's energy, outlook, and purpose. Big Frank believes that the contradiction inherent in looking out to see within is only matched by truth of the statement that when one looks deep enough within, the view goes outward. Both views reflect each other. Is that a contradiction? Big Frank believes that doesn't matter.

What I Believe (the beginning)

[Photo: Big Frank Dickinson]

Big Frank was recently asked by an aquainance about his beliefs. This got him thinking - what are his beliefs? Many people answer this question by reference to a set of beliefs - saying, for example, that they are Christians, Jewish, Hindu, agnostic, atheist, etc. However, this is, Big Frank thinks, a kind of copout because it give some basic outline (very basic for most people) of some kind of metaphysical belief system, but what about all the other beliefs? The entire list must be very long indeed. So how about giving it a shot (keeping in mind that this could take quite some time, and that it may not be possible to list all ones beliefs)? Here's the beginning of Big Frank's (the beginning - just the beginning):

I believe that I am responsible for my own actions, thoughts, and feelings. I don't believe that my feelings are thrust upon me through the actions of others, or erupt from some unknown center in my being. I believe feelings follow thoughts and that we choose our thoughts ourselves. I believe that happiness, while each is dealt a different baseline of it, can be increased through the choices that we make and the actions that follow. One important aspect of that is the network of friends that we maintain; we are social creatures and need to be with other people. I also believe that the people that one spends time with are a reflection of the kind of person that you are; and vice-versa. I believe that the mind is like a dog - it needs to be trained, and that meditation is one of the best ways of doing it. I believe that self-deception and egotism are constant temptations that one does well to avoid. I believe in the golden rule that one should treat other as one wants to be treated. I also believe that the greatest and most difficult love is to truly love and care for oneself - all other love comes from this. I believe in looking over the next hill, around the next bend, and inside one's own pocket. I believe that eternal curiosity leads to eternal growth. I believe that all that we think we truly know is probably wrong, and that is why constant examination and questioning is important because it is through the elimination of what is untrue that we come closer to the truth - never truly arriving, but . . . getting constantly closer. This requires, I believe, an open mind, and avoiding the egotistic attachment a closed world view.