Myspace Migration: Reincarnations

Current mood:sore
re·in·car·na·tion (re'in-kär-na'sh?n) ..BOF_HEAD-->n. ..EOF_HEAD--> ..BOF_DEF-->
Rebirth of the soul in another body.
A reappearance or revitalization in another form; a new embodiment: "The brownstone had already endured one reincarnation: In the 1940's, it was converted into eight studio apartments" (Ben Lloyd).


Born Again. A Second Chance for a First Impression. A New Day to Live Again... A Clean Slate. We've all wished for it at one time or another in our lives, haven't we? I know I have. I was thinking about that yesterday as I was walking through my little park in Plano (1) . I ran into - well, more like walked past - this guy I had gone out with a few months ago. He lives back in that area and I was walking through the neighborhood looking at how people were doing their landscaping (2). I had never actually seen his house - I just knew he lived back there; along with a couple of other people I know. But, there he was. And it struck me, he had succeeded in the only goal he ever told me he had: to reincarnate. He wanted a life so different from the one he had when he was married: fast cars, loose women, a lot of debt, no time to slow down, lots of club and even more booze - family was an accessory, not a lifestyle and he really didn't have any pride in anything. Not even himself.
I admit I raised an eyebrow at him, as we ate our salads, when he said that. I was always taught a tiger doesn't change his stripes and leopards secretly love their spots. As he told me his tale, I understood why he wanted to change it - he spoke of realizing that his life had no meaning and he wasn't even enjoying it. I could go on, but there's really no point. We went our seperate ways and that was that. Haven't thought of him again until I saw him outside yesterday... guess what he was doing? Mowing his lawn. And he looked happy doing it. Good for him... maybe he got his reincarnation thing down, after all.

So, it got me thinking. Maybe I don't want a complete "reincarnation" - but a revitalization of sorts wouldn't be bad! What would I change? I racked my brain for a bit and realized that everything I'd change, I'm working on changing already. And truly, there's not a whole lot in my life I really WANT changed. A relationship would be ok; except I'm not really in the mood to build one.. I kind of want it to just "BE." Like fast-forward to the point that it was established and running... since it doesn't really work that way, I guess I'll just press as is until such time that there's a catalyst to make me want to build one, lol.

There was a time I wanted desperately to reincarnate. Seriously, just pick everything up and start over. I know that's a common desire in life - at one point or another. One of my friends was talking about this woman he knew from high school. She's miserable, hates her life, made a million wrong moves and wants to be anybody but her. I don't know that I was there, but there was a point that I wasn't too far from it. The difference between that woman and I? I actually did it - I looked at where I was, vs. where I wanted to be at 30 and saw there was no way I could get to where I wanted to be from where I was. So, I made a plan and put it into action. Not sure if I'll make it there or not, but I'll be damn close. It's like Les Brown says, "Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll still end up in the stars." All it takes is a plan and a good trigger finger.

The above wasn't written for you to give me kudos on the good things I've done or the stuff I'm trying to change. What interests me is that for every person like me (and there are a lot), there are many more who WANT it but won't take steps to take it. What is it that stops them? The planning or the execution?

Is there something in your life that you want to change, but don't know how? Have you "reincarnated;" have you wanted to? Divorce, for many of us, brings about a reincarnation of sorts. We're able to start over (3) - given a chance to write a new chapter in our life that more closely embodies who we are now or who we want to be. New jobs are like that, too; I remember my company President, Jeff Kaye, saying this to us on our first day: "Today starts a fresh start in your life. You can show us who you want to be, rather than who you have been, and that will be who you are. If there's something you've wanted to change, today is the day that you've been given the chance to change it." That really resonated with me, but I really have no idea why, other than as I was walking by that man yesterday, I wondered when the day was that he actually implemented his desire to reincarnate... when was the day he took his chance to change it?

I'm glad he did, though. He looked happy mowing his lawn. I'm glad I've taken the chances that I've taken, too... I hope I keep taking them as they present themselves!

(1) Actually, it's not MY park in the sense that I OWN it; I simply deem it mine as I like going there pretty much every weekend. It's Communications Park in Plano between Spring Creek and Parker off Communications. Come to think of it, it may not actually even be called "Communications Park" - I think that's just what I call it because that's the street it's on?
(2) "Rat in a Cage" was running through my head as I was making that loop for the I don't know how many-th time - so I decided to expand my route; checking out lawnscape was really just the justification for expansion. I like looking at houses and landscapes, though.
(3) by either our own volition, or by means of being thrust upon us.